Can I use Time Machine to archive like an external drive?

I've backed up my computer to Time Machine and everything from my computer is there, but I have a new project which needs me to archive 21 pieces of artowrk that have multiple photo images for aech, and they are large size originals. Can I upload these files to a folder in Time Machine or directly on my external drive, so I don't have to have all of these files taking up space on my main computer?

You can, but it is not recommended.
Apparently you cannot partition an existing Time Capsule volume if that is what you are using.
Excerpt from ASC contributor Pondini's Time Machine FAQ:
3. Can I use my TM disk for other stuff?
Yes.  Time Machine will not delete anything you put there.
But it's much, much better to partition an external drive into 2 (or more) parts, also called volumes.  Assign one to Time Machine, for its exclusive use for backups;  use the other partition(s) however you want. 
(Unfortunately, though, you can't partition a Time Capsule's internal disk.  See #Q3 in Using Time Machine with a Time Capsule for some alternatives)

Similar Messages

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  • When using Time Machine to back up to external drive, does Time Machine back up content in your Trash folder?

    When using Time Machine to back up to external drive, does Time Machine back up content in your Trash folder?

    Go to System Preferences (under the Apple menu) > Time Machine and click the Options button. Click the "+" button in the lower left. In the resulting dialog, check the Show invisible items checkbox. Go to your home folder and look for Trash. Click the Exclude button in the lower right.

  • HT201250 Can I use Time Machine to backup a LaCie Hard Drive connected to an Airport Extreme onto a My Book that is connected directly to a Mac Mini?

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  • Can you use time machine to back up an external hard drive?

    I haven't used Time Machine so far and setting it up now.
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    thanks!

    Try reviewing this information.
    Time Machine FAQ
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    Clone – Deja Vu
    Clone  - SuperDuper
    Clone Software – 6 Applications Tested
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  • Can I use time machine to back up computer hard drive AND contents of an external HD (contains only photos) onto another external hard drive (standalone HD for backups only)? PLEASE HELP!!

    I keep my photo files on a separate external hard drive, separate from my laptop hard drive. And I want to be able to use time machine as the back-up system to back up BOTH the computer's hard drive AND the external hard drive.... and i want all of the "back-up" information contained on a separate standalone external HD.  So in the end, I have a 250GB computer hardrive, a 1TB external hardrive, and I want to have a 2nd external hard drive that will be the location to store the "back-ups" (using time machine) which will be either a 2TB or 3TB harddrive.
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  • New Macbook hard drive can't locate Time Machine files of backup on external drive

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    Check here, Pondini has extensive info on TM:
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  • Using time machine to back up additional external drives

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    carbon copy cloner will do this. you set up a scheduled job (can be daily, weekly, etc. & even every hour!) & is free to use (donations accepted).
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  • HT201250 How do I use Time Machine to back up an External Drive to another External Drive?

    Hello,
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  • Can I use Time Capsule to serve as an external drive with two different iMacs?

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    The following quote is from: https://www.apple.com/airport-time-capsule/
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  • How can I use time machine to back up and play media?

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  • Can't use time machine due to corruptness even after reinstalling snow lepoard how to fix?

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    UnitedSTates
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    Didn't really read much at all of your post. Much, much too long, irrelevant details and & no paragraphs.
    Can't use time machine due to corruptness
    Post over here -> Mac OS X v10.6 - Snow Leopard forum
    About my macbook and apple ID how can I upgrade my Macbook from 10.6.3 to 10.6.8 with out all the permissions being changed and corrupt??
    Same as above. Post in the correct forum.
    Need to gain access to my apple Id that would be a great start
    -> http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5625

  • How can I use time machine to recover my iWeb09 files?

    I read that iWeb stores one's website pages in the domain folder which can be located at ~/Library/Application Support/iWeb. Can I use time machine to recover my iWeb09 files? If so, how? -I tried. I entered my Time Machine back up, and went back in time and brought the domain file forward but it opened only my current site pages, not the ones I am trying to recover. And it says the Domain file was last modified in October 2007 which is crazy because I've been using iWeb a lot and have published many pages. It seems like the uncorrupted pages, which I am trying to recover, existed somewhere on my computer at one point in time and space, less than a week ago, becuse I just published my site to a new hosting service since Apple will soon stop web hosting. So why can I not find them using time machine?

    I continued searching and read another person's advise to down load an app named "Find File," then search for .sites. She said spotlight doesn't always find all files. So I did and sure enough, when I searched for .sites I found another Domain package, which I have no idea how it was created but which, it ends up, was the one actually being used by iWeb. So I went to that package then did the time machine and went back to before my web pages became corrupted. I had to delete corrupt blog pages out of my website menu to get iWeb to upload the other page changes even to a local folder.
    So I went to that newly found Domain, went back in time, then brought that forward and as you pointed out the domain package had the parts of the pages, the files and jpegs, but not the structure/layout of the pages. So, I guess I gave up on finding the old pages.
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    At first I thought it was the hosting server's fault, but when I discovered that it wouldn't publish even to a local fold I was able to locate the cause within iWeb, deleted those pages then tested by publishing to a local folder. iWeb worked locally, so I knew I had found the problem pages. Well this is way more than you wanted to know. Thanks for your advise but I'll just start the blogging pages over.

  • Can I use time machine to back up via a hard drive connected by USB to a HomeHub router?

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    I think you want to make backups without connecting a hard disk via USB. In other words, you want to have the data storage be shared in your home wirelessly.
    If this is the case, I recommend using a Time Capsule.
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