Timemachine backup external hardrive

[photogy]

I am backing up my MBP daily using timemachine with an external 2tb gtec drive.

all working fine but the available space on gtec is of course lower each time.

What do you do when the gtec drive is full? do you erase and simply start again?

is there a more efficient way to back up with external drives?

tks!

 

[alphaod]

Once the backup drive is full, Time Machine will notify you, asking you to either use a new drive or allow it to delete older backups (it will say the date of the backup it will delete)

If you choose a new drive, you plug in a new drive and choose it; if you tell it to go ahead and delete the old backup, it will and won't bother you again until it needs more space again.

 

[photogy]

Once the backup drive is full, Time Machine will notify you, asking you to either use a new drive or allow it to delete older backups (it will say the date of the backup it will delete)

If you choose a new drive, you plug in a new drive and choose it; if you tell it to go ahead and delete the old backup, it will and won't bother you again until it needs more space again.

i guess it will just delete the last backup when full but then will ask you every time you back up - especially if backing up daily? so at this point, is it better to just format the external drive and start fresh?

tks,

 

[terzinator]

in Time Machine Preferences > Options, you can choose to have it NOT notify you after old backups are deleted.

Then the new backups will just push the old ones off the cliff.

If you really need the OLD data, you could archive it separately, too.

 

[photogy]

in Time Machine Preferences > Options, you can choose to have it NOT notify you after old backups are deleted.

Then the new backups will just push the old ones off the cliff.

If you really need the OLD data, you could archive it separately, too.

tks...

 

[bobr1952]

Even though my Time Capsule ran out of space over a year ago, I still have backups for over 18 months--plenty for me. Just be warned it does take a long time for Time Machine to free up space--especially if it needs a lot. It doesn't take back space all at once, it does it a little at a time--and will unmount and mount as many times as required to get the space it needs. Don't be alarmed if it seems to be taking a long time. You can also check progress in the system logs.

 

[Miss Terri]

... you can choose to have it NOT notify you after old backups are deleted.

Then the new backups will just push the old ones off the cliff.

Some people have a talent for describing things so they are perfectly clear in just a few words. You are one of them