Time Machine Full Need to Erase????

[downingp]

I have used Time Machine ever since it was first introduced. It works pretty well if/when I need it. The problem I have run into several times is Time Machine will tell me it can't back up because my external hard drive is full. I thought when the external hard drive gets full Time Machine automatically deletes the oldest backup???
Am I doing something wrong or is this just how Time Machine works?

Thanks for your time and input.

 

[Slowstick]

I have used Time Machine ever since it was first introduced. It works pretty well if/when I need it. The problem I have run into several times is Time Machine will tell me it can't back up because my external hard drive is full. I thought when the external hard drive gets full Time Machine automatically deletes the oldest backup???
Am I doing something wrong or is this just how Time Machine works?

Thanks for your time and input.

Time Machine should take care of that for you. Is it not backing up at all? Try deleting an individual backup and try again.

 

[GoCubsGo]

I had this issue but that is because time machine saw my computer as a new computer when the logic board was changed. Your best bet is to delete a good chunk of backups and start new.

 

[downingp]

Time Machine definitely backups when I want it to. Time Machine doesn't see my computer as a new computer either. It has done this to me a few times and each time I have had to delete the back up, reformat and start a new back up every time.
The reason I bring the question up on the forums is, my dad just called me and told me his Time Machine back up was full and wasn't able to back up.

Do you think if I manually delete an old backup that won't cause problems?

 

[Slowstick]

Time Machine definitely backups when I want it to. Time Machine doesn't see my computer as a new computer either. It has done this to me a few times and each time I have had to delete the back up, reformat and start a new back up every time.
The reason I bring the question up on the forums is, my dad just called me and told me his Time Machine back up was full and wasn't able to back up.

Do you think if I manually delete an old backup that won't cause problems?

No, deleting individual backups won't hurt. Make sure you delete one big enough to save time, though.

 

[downingp]

I will give that a try, but why is it not deleting the old backup on its own?

 

[GoCubsGo]

I will give that a try, but why is it not deleting the old backup on its own?

I dunno but it has happened to me before. I guess I just didn't care to look into it. Then again you're talking to the moron who had a broken macpro from the day she unboxed it and only just now got it fixed 10 months after purchase.

 

[OldGuyDave]

I have used Time Machine ever since it was first introduced. It works pretty well if/when I need it. The problem I have run into several times is Time Machine will tell me it can't back up because my external hard drive is full. I thought when the external hard drive gets full Time Machine automatically deletes the oldest backup???
Am I doing something wrong or is this just how Time Machine works?

I've had this problem a couple of times, what works for me is to go into the
time machine settings, (I'm not sitting at my Mac now) do like you want to
set a new volume as your backup volume and choose the same volume as before. Time machine should start doing a normal backup and ignore the problem it just complained about.
I've had this happen to me twice so far and I don't know where the problem comes from. The first time I reformatted my drive, now I just redefine my drive and it works fine.

Hope this helps.