Time Machine: compare saves ext drive?

[pluto117]

Hello, I have a Hitachi external drive I used for Time Machine backups from an old 2008 macbook. I am on a new macbook pro 2013 and do not use Time Machine at all. I want to take the backups from the Hitachi and move them as files into a Dropbox folder. How can I figure out which files to move from the Hitachi to Dropbox without duplicating file? I just want to save unique files, even the files that have been modified along the way, not just the most recent. I will probably never use Time Machine again and haven't on this 2013 macbook pro. I hope I'm being clear. I've searched and only found things that compare to the current computer. That is not my situation.



Thank you for any help!

 

[circatee]

A little confused. Is there a downside to simply coping all the data from the Time Machine backup drive, to Dropbox?
Also, any reason why you're no longer using Time Machine (being nosy)?

 

[pluto117]

A little confused. Is there a downside to simply coping all the data from the Time Machine backup drive, to Dropbox?
Also, any reason why you're no longer using Time Machine (being nosy)?

Thanks for the reply! I am unclear on how Time Machine manages files so I am cautious of copying duplicate files as it will just confuse me and use space unnecessarily. Plus the added time it takes to upload those copies.

I will use another back up system that like Carbon Copy or something so I have safety and then just upload files to dropbox or an external drive (probably both) manually so that I know exactly what I have.