Can I move old Time Machine backups that were USB to Network backups?

I recently bought a new Airport Extreme and attached my 1TB WD HD to it for network file sharing and Time Machine backups. I had originally backed up my MacBook Pro with that external HD via USB directly connected to the laptop. I know (thanks to these foruns), that, since I'm now using Time Machine backups via wifi, the location of the backups is different and my wifi Time Machine can't access the backups on the HD that were made when it was directly connected.
My question is: is there a way to move the old TM backups so that they can be recognized via wifi? If not no big deal, but then I would need to delete those backups, since they are taking up a big chunk of the external HD space. I saw a few forum posts about deleting TM backups and it seems that I would have to do it via TM itself...does that mean I have to reconnect the HD via USB to run TM so I can access those backups to delete them?
Finally, once I do get to delete the old backups (or move them, if possible), is it safe to repartition the external HD so there is one partition for TM and one for storing files via my network? I've read about using Disk Utility to do this, but I haven't tried it yet.
Thanks for any input.

No, what you're doing is splitting the TM partition in half, so this will only work if you have more that 50% free space.
See: Disk Utility - Add, Delete, and Resize Existing Volumes With Disk Utility
My only concern about that would be that my other files would be on the same partition as the 'old' TM and thus I wouldn't want to delete it, which brings me back to my original issue of space being taken up on the drive.
You should consider putting those files on their own partition, so think about spliiting the disk into 3 or more partitons, and 1st move all of your other files to the 3rd (last) partition. You just need to decide how much space to allocate.
With some limitations, you can do a lot with Partitoning without losing data, see: Disk Utility - What You Need to Know About Modifying Existing Volumes

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Can't get old time machine backups to delete from the trash can

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You shouldn't be deleting old Tima Machine backups. When TM runs out of space it automatically deletes the oldest backups to make rioom for the new
http://pondini.org/TM/12.html

Move old time machine data

Hi all
I want to move a large amount (about 150GB) of old time machine data from one external hard drive to another so I can use the hard drive for other things. The time machine data is not part of my current time machine backup but an old one (from the same computer) that might come in handy one day
When I try to copy it tells me that I have 13 hours to go. I would like some ways to copy/move the data so that it the copy is interrupted I can resume at the same place.
Any ideas
Thanks
Kevin

soccerdad0071 wrote:
Hi all
I want to move a large amount (about 150GB) of old time machine data from one external hard drive to another so I can use the hard drive for other things. The time machine data is not part of my current time machine backup but an old one (from the same computer) that might come in handy one day
When I try to copy it tells me that I have 13 hours to go.
That sounds terribly long, depending on the speed and connection of the drives involved. If they're daisy-chained, or both on the same USB hub, try connecting them separately (and both directly, if at all possible). If either is USB, be sure it's connected directly to your Mac, not a port on a keyboard.
Also exclude the drive you're copying TO from Spotlight indexing (System Preferences > Spotlight > Privacy), and both from any anti-virus scanning.
I would like some ways to copy/move the data so that it the copy is interrupted I can resume at the same place.
No way. A set of Time Machine backups is like a database -- the backups are all intricately linked together, so can't be copied in stages.
Do you really need all the backups, or just the final one? If just the final one, try restoring it (to the new drive instead of your Mac's internal HD), per #14 in Time Machine - Frequently Asked Questions.

Can I move existing time machine backups to new, larger disk?

I have used Time Machine with success for a long time. Now I have a much larger disk drive and want to move the old backed up files to the new drive, then continue building files after that.
The current Time Machine backup file's Info says it is --get this-- 48.66 TB in size. But it sits on a 2 TB disk. I don't know if that's a mistake or a peculiar way to account for all the updates.
In the Time Machine preference screen it says I have 169 GB of 2 TB available.
Can I just copy this folder onto the new (4 TB) disk and tell Time Machine to select that as the current disk and have it continue to build and houseclean my accumulated history?
(I've started that process, but it tells me I will be copying zillions of files and will take a boatload of time to do it. It gives me a message that there isn't enough space to make the copy. But, of course, there really is.)

See Pondini's Time Machine FAQ: http://pondini.org/TM/18.html

Mavericks can't read old time machine backups

I recently upgraded to Mavericks from 10.6.8 (Mac Pro Early 2008)
I have an external USB backup HD
I can see the files in the finder and I can also see the panels in the time machine window but the pre-10.9 ones have a black frame around them and I can't select them. If I shift-command-C the panels turn white and I can select the panels but I can't access the files in them.
Any ideas?
Thanks in advance

In the Finder, right-click or control-click the folder icon and select
Show View Options
from the contextual menu. In the dialog that opens, select None from the Arrange by menu. Close the dialog, enter Time Machine, and try again.
Another reason why items in a snapshot might not be selectable is that the time-travel view is open on a secondary display. Move it to the primary display, or if necessary, exit and disconnect the external display.

How can I access old Time Machine backups after restoring from Time Machine?

Just restored my iMac and I can only see "Now" when I enter Time Machine. How can I see all the backups and dates I had before I restored?

While in Time Machine, press the key combination shift-command-C. The front window will show all mounted volumes. All snapshots should now be accessible. Select the one you want and navigate to the files you want to restore.

Can I move the time machine drive from being a usb drive

Hello
I am not sure whether this fits best in the time capsule or in the time machine forum. I try here as this a issue thar arises only to time capsule users.
I have a new USB drive that I want to use for time machine backups. Eventually I want it to be attached to the time capsule and make the time machine back up via wifi. However the first backup is 261 Gb and this is too long for the wi-fi. I am doing it right now via the USB and take 12 hours (estimated).
After the USB backup will be finished, can I move the drive to the time capsule and let time machine make the backups via wifi? I mean, is time machine going to find the backup done via USB or once started with USB I am stuck with that?
Thanks for answering and for reading
Roberto
PS
maybe was better on the time machine forum, still don't know.

Backup strategy
Backing up a client computer to Time Capsule hardware with Time Machine software via the network provides ample time for contemplation, and rumination as to why the backup is taking so long. An initial 200Gb backup has an estimated time of "3 days" even on a wired network. Incremental backups following the initial backup are also beset with delays, with various message which can be viewed with the programmer's delight, the "Console" app. Otherwise the System Preference Time Machine interface is mute. The glacial pace of the Time Capsule backup process is exhaustively documented on the internet, but with no solutions - at least that I have found any after too many hours searching.
The System Preferences->Time Machine interface is always used to start a backup, monitor, or stop a backup, whether the backup drive is present on the network via Time Capsule, or if the backup drive is directly connected to the client computer.
On the positive side, Time Machine performs quickly and provides hourly backup to external drives directly attached to the client computer. The delay appears in network backups via Time Capsule.
Another positive is that network backups to Time Capsule are reliable when the client computer is stable, always on, and never detached from the network. In this case, the mute interface offered by system preferences->Time Machine is welcome. For example, my Apple Mac Mini web server (always on) is reliably backed up to a Time Capsule.
The negative experience is encountered when backing up a laptop when, as laptops do, the laptop wanders from the network. As stopping a backup can take 15 minutes, backups are necessarily interrupted when dashing off to work with your laptop. In the network where I have experience, there are 5 laptops and 1 stationary (Mac Mini) clients living on an all-Apple network. Failing to complete a backup via network for days on end gives no feeling of security.
Reading from Podini's excellent website
http://pondini.org/TM/Works.html
and extracting a summary, files copied from a client computer using Time Machine are stored on the backup drive in one of two formats: sparse bundle (special file type) when backing up to Time Capsule (or to a drive attached to a Time Capsule), or a folder with the client computer name when the backup drive is Firewire attached to the client. A closer examination of the sparse bundle file on the network with the Finder shows that the same folder appears with the computer name.
So, Time Machine backups always go to a folder with the client computer name, and this folder is either inside a sparse bundle or not depending upon if the backup drive is mounted on the network via TC or directly attached to the client.
An external drive mounted on the network via Time Capsule will create a sparse bundle file for the client or add to it if it already exists. Even if backups are present of the same machine, but not in a sparse bundle, Time Capsule will create a sparse bundle if it does not exist for the current backup client computer, and start a new backup.
An external drive directly connected to the client has a different experience. No Time Capsule is involved. Upon turning on backups via Time Machine, the backups will go to a sparse bundle file with the client computer name, if it exists. If the sparse bundle file does not exist, a folder is created with the computer name.
A strategy of backing up to an external drive moved between various computers and the Time Capsule might resolve some of the many delays. The strategy is simple, if delays are encountered, directly attach the backup drive to the client computer. If a backup is to be manually deleted in order to begin anew, directly attach the backup drive to the client computer before deleting the sparse bundle file.
To begin a new backup with this strategy of "drive+TC", initiate (via TM) the backup on the network (via TC), then stop after 10 minutes (with TM), noting that a sparse bundle of zero size is created. Continue the first backup by directly connecting the external backup drive to the client then pointing Time Machine to the newly connected drive. The backups by way of direct connect will go to the existing sparse bundle. Wait three hours rather than three days for a 200Gb backup to complete. Subsequent backups will go to the sparse bundle file on the backup drive, whether the backup drive is on the network (via TC) or directly connected.
But what of the internal drive on the TC? In this strategy, it is not used for backups unless the client computer is always attached to the network.
With so little documentation from Apple, we are left to speculate as to the cause of TC largo. Normally, slight documentation means little to know for the user, and the user is spared the complex machinations under the hood, but when the operation is flawed the user is left without resources.
A secure backup strategy stores a backup offsite, just in case the house burns down, or buglers make a clean sweep of computers and backup drives. Unfortunately, this means doubling the equipment, including two Time Capsules and two external drives attached to the TCs. The offsite copy is rarely mentioned in the same paragraph as the Time Capsule, likely because of the cost. It's an uncomfortable fact that a sole TC is vulnerable to local hazards, along with the local client computers.
This is the strategy I'm testing now. I'll send an update in a few days.

How can I remove old Time Machine back-ups for a Mac I no longer have??

So, i am trying to back-up a brand new MBPro to my Time Machine but it says there's not enough room. Only 13.5 GB avail and need 284 GB. Is there a way to go into Time Machine and delete all the old back-ups from my former MBPro? (I've already migrated all the files and data to the new MBP from my iMac, also on the same Time Machine.) If I could wipe out the old MBP back-ups that should create enough room.

Delete the backups.
Q12 here. http://pondini.org/TM/FAQ.html

Can I use old time machine as external hard drive

I just bought the new 2 TB time machine, and I have an old 2 TB time machine. Can I use the old TM as an external hard drive? If so, do I just use a usb cable to connect it to my computer? Thanks for help.

You cannot use it by USB..
You can use it via the network.. bridge the old TC and plug it by ethernet into the new one.
You can then access it and use it via network the same as the new TC.

How do I move old Time Machine backups to new USB disk

Hi,
I purchased a new 1TB USB disk and want to keep my historic backups. I remember trying this a while ago when I moved disks and ended up giving up. Anyone care to tell me the steps I need to step on ?
cheers
Adam

See #18 in the Frequently Asked Questions *User Tip* at the top of this forum.

Accessing Old Time Machine Backup From a New Account

I have had problems with my old Account and decided to create a new Account. I can "see" the old Time Machine backup lists from the new Account, but can't open or restore them to the new Account. I get the message that I do not have sufficient privileges although I set the new Account up with Administrator privleges.

You should have used Setup Assistant, not Migration Assistant, to transfer your data. I suggest you start over by booting into Recovery, erasing the startup volume, and installing OS X. When you reboot, Setup Assistant will start automatically. Follow the prompt to import data from a Time Machine snapshot. The backup history will then be inherited. The first backup will still be a full one; that can't be avoided.

Time machine doesn't recognize old time machine backups after new drive

After getting my original hard drive replaced on apple care. Time machine refuses to recognize time machine backups dating back to October when I first installed Leopard. The Records are there on an "off-board" Lacie drive. Any fixes for this? I have had so many problems with Time Machine I am afraid to turn it back on. Last time it took over 40 hours to do an initial back-up.

Yes I had been having multiple problems and once saved the entire system in archive and install and also time machine had been active since October when I first installed it. all of this was saved to an off-board Lacie drive I can find the old time machine files easily enough but time machine since the new drive, does not recognize them. Since I got the drive back with tiger installed, I first had to re-install Leopard so I don't know if that caused Time machine to start over . I did do an archive and install at that time but there was nothing really to archive since they had not recovered my old files. If this wasn't bad enough The Technician replaced my administrator password with his own and the was off for a few days and I couldn't do anything for awhile. You have been very helpful thank you for your time on my behalf.
Respectfully,
Thomas Carlisle

Can I delete older Time Machine backups?

I have an extensive set of Time Machine back-ups on an external drive for a machine that I no longer own. I want to keep a back-up of that machine...but just one copy, not the multiple copies that exist now.
My first thought was to simply delete all of the backup folders except the most recent one. But I don't know enough about how Time Machine works to know if that approach will work, or if the most recent backup somehow depends on all those previous folders, and I'll end up deleting important content.
Can I delete the older folders? Is there a way to "compress" the backups so I have just a single, last snapshot of the machine?

As Kappy says, you can do this via the TM interface, and from another Mac, but it's rather tedious.
+Enter TIme Machine+ won't show you the backups from another Mac. But if you hold the Option key down while selecting the TM icon in your Menubar, it will change to +Browse Other Time Machine Disks,+ that will.
Locate the backup you want to delete via the "cascade" of Finder windows.
Then select the "gear" icon in it's toolbar and +Delete Backup.+
You'll see a confirmation prompt, then one for your Administrator's password.
When you delete an entire backup, it will disappear from the timeline and the "cascade" of Finder windows, but it will not actually delete the backup of any item that's also present in any other backup. Thus you may not gain much space on any one backup. The deletion is usually fairly quick, but sometimes quite lengthy (if you exit TM, you may see a progress bar for it). Unfortunately, you cannot predict which will be quick and which won't.

I am trying to get space on an external hard drive which has some old time machine back up files that I do not need but can not eliminate, even by going into the time machine, clicking on the backup file to be eliminated and using the drop down eliminate

I am trying to get space on an external hard drive which has some old time machine back up files that I do not need but can not eliminate, even by going into the time machine, clicking on the backup file to be eliminated and using the drop down menu with the gear box symbol to eliminate

I cannot find this 300GB "Backup" in the Finder, only in the Storage info when I check "About This Mac".
You are probably using Time Machine to backup your MacBook Pro, right? Then the additional 300 GB could be local Time Machine snapshots. Time Machine will write the hourly backups to the free space on your hard disk, if the backup drive is temporarily not connected. You do not see these local backups in the Finder, and MacOS will delete them, when you make a regular backup to Time Machine, or when you need the space for other data.
See Pondini's page for more explanation: What are Local Snapshots? http://pondini.org/TM/FAQ.html
I have restarted my computer, but the information remains the same. How do I reclaim the use of the 300GB? Why is it showing up as "Backups" when it used to indicate "Photos"? Are my photos safe on the external drive?
You have tested the library on the external drive, and so your photos are save there.
The local TimeMachine snapshot probably now contains a backup of the moved library. Try, if connecting your Time Machine drive will reduce the size of your local Time Machine snapshots.

Want to move an old time machine backup

I'm trying to backup an old drive before it fails.
It has a folder on it with old time machine backups.
My system won't allow me to move that folder.
I get the message "The backup can't be copied because the backup volume doesn't have ownership enabled."
How do I enable ownership or force that file to be backed up?
Thanks.

nowsthetime wrote:
Now I'm stuck with these files taking up space on a drive and no way to get rid of them without wiping the drive. Which is what I'll have to do.
Launch the Terminal app, in the window that pops up, copy & paste in this snippet, follow by adding a space, and then dragging one of those files into the window. Hit the return key and at the Password: prompt, carefully enter your admin password, and hit the return key:
sudo rm
so it looks something like this:
sudo rm /Users/username/Desktop/"name of file"
If that works, then collect the others into a folder and repeat, but use this as the leading part:
sudo rm -R
so it looks something like this:
sudo rm -R /Users/username/Desktop/"name of folder"

Can I move old Time Machine backups that were USB to Network backups?

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