Time machine backup able to delete files?

[SchneiderMan]

Hey, i have a 250gb seagate go external hd and 250gb in my mbp, now im running out of space on my seagate and i have like 20gb left, i did a backup today and it was 40gb!? how i dont know.. can i delete some files/movies that i dont need anymore from my seagate backup? i couldnt when i tried...
i wish time machine had more configuration options..
time machine is backing up more and more even when nothing is new..
thanks!

 

[gnasher729]

Hey, i have a 250gb seagate go external hd and 250gb in my mbp, now im running out of space on my seagate and i have like 20gb left, i did a backup today and it was 40gb!? how i dont know.. can i delete some files/movies that i dont need anymore from my seagate backup? i couldnt when i tried...
i wish time machine had more configuration options..
time machine is backing up more and more even when nothing is new..
thanks!

Time Machine will automatically delete the oldest backup when it needs more space on the backup drive. There is no need to delete anything manually. And no need to worry if your backup drive is almost full; that is normal. Time Machine will always fill the backup drive as much as possible before it deletes old things.

However, there is an option to delete files or folders on _all_ Time Machine backups; useful if there are files that you shouldn't have and need to get rid of permanently.

 

[SchneiderMan]

oh ok thats good, where is the folder that i can delete? thanks

 

[njl]

i'm curious, too..

 

[SchneiderMan]

oh and btw if i wanted to retrieve the files from my back up, would i have to use a mac?

 

[miles01110]

time machine is backing up more and more even when nothing is new.

TM backs up things that are modified, not outright "new." You modify files every time you use your computer, even if you don't do it explicitly.

oh and btw if i wanted to retrieve the files from my back up, would i have to use a mac?

Yes.

 

[sammich]

If you have the contextual menu bar item (the little cog with the little down arrow) in your Finder toolbar, go into Time Machine, find the files you want to delete and select the copy you want to delete and click on the little cog.

You need the toolbar item because you can't right click in TM mode.

+Screenie

PS: with that bigger than usual 40 gig backup...I changed the naming style in my ripped TV Shows in iTunes and it backed up the entire collection all over again, a whole 38 gigs. All because I changed a single text field in each movie.

 

[SchneiderMan]

ok thanks! kinda sucks that you need a mac to get the data out, what if your mac isnt working lol..
im buying a new seagate 500gb portable, what will happen when i use that to backup for he first time?

 

[miles01110]

ok thanks! kinda sucks that you need a mac to get the data out, what if your mac isnt working lol..

Then you fix it and do "Restore from Time Machine Backup" using Migration Assistant.

im buying a new seagate 500gb portable, what will happen when i use that to backup for he first time?

TM will backup everything on your hard drive unless you exclude something. This will probably take several hours.

 

[jkozlow3]

Does Time Machine erase existing data on the drive? I have a Time Capsule with 50GB or so of stuff on it and have never actually used Time Machine. I just want to make sure that Time Machine won't erase my existing files.

 

[SchneiderMan]

Then you fix it and do "Restore from Time Machine Backup" using Migration Assistant.

i dont mean a simple hard drive fail, but far more complex

TM will backup everything on your hard drive unless you exclude something. This will probably take several hours.

oh wow that will be like 250gb then maybe more, i dont really need to back up from day one when i got my mbp because i already have that backup till today.
thanks