How do I get Time Machine to delete old files?

On threads for earlier operating systems I've seen similar questions, and it seems Apple hasn't resolved the problem that although Time Machine says it will delete old files when the disc is full, it doesn't do it, even though my hard drive has only ~300 GB of files on it and my external hard drive has 1.5 T, it does nothing to delete old files automatically.  This hasn't always been the case.  The first few entries were deleted awhile back, freeing space, but that has stopped happening.  Any suggestions?  Do I have to start with a fresh external hard drive? 

ringoiphone wrote:
Thanks.  Although the reset did nothing, by deleting enough old backups (a VERY slow process) I could get it to free enough space for another backup.  It's not clear to me why it cannot do this automatically.
Time Machine will delete old backups, if it can.  So something must be wrong.  See #C4 in Time Machine - Troubleshooting.
If nothing there helps, a clue may be lurking in your logs.  Use the widget in #A1 of Time Machine - Troubleshooting to display the backup messages from your logs.  Locate the backup in question, then copy and post all the messages here.

Similar Messages

  • HT201250 how do I get Time Machine to back up files (e.g. iPhoto) stored on an external hard drive?

    Installed a new 3TB external hard drive for Time Machine.  I have 2 other external hard drives attached to my iMac that contain iTunes and iPhoto.  How can I point Time Machine to those external drives to include in the backup?

    What is listed in System Preferences > Time Machine > Options... > Exclude these items from backups:?
    Any attached external disk not listed there should be backed up.

  • PLEASE HELP! How do I get Time Machine to remove old backups?

    It is my understanding that Time Machine will never fill up the drive it's on because it will remove old backups to make room for new ones. It's not doing that for me. The drive Time Macine is backing up to has filled up & will not allow any more to be written to it, so I can't do backups. I don't see anywhere that I can change a setting to fix this problem. It would be VERY helpful if someone would walk me though how to fix this problem. I've had to turn Time Machine off because it's locking up my system trying to write to the drive.
    THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP!!

    Thank you. I've gone there & read what's at the link. I've tried going into Time Machine & for some reason I can only see backups (in Time Machine) that go back to earlier today. However, if I actually look on the disc that I'm backing up to, I see database files that go back to April of this year. I looked earlier today & I saw files that went all the way back to October of LAST year, but I just did a big installation & that must of put things over the edge.
    Anyway, I'd like to say that I saw an answer to my problem at Pondini's site, but I've been there looking around since before I wrote this thread asking for help & I just don't see anything that looks like it will specifically help me on this situation.
    I'm still stuck.

  • I am trying to update my time machine backup on time capsule, but time machine keeps trying to create an entirely new backup (evidenced by the 200GB backup size). How can I get time machine to modify my old backup rather than create a new one?

    I am trying to update my time machine backup on time capsule, but time machine keeps trying to create an entirely new backup (evidenced by the 200GB backup size). How can I get time machine to modify my old backup rather than create a new one?

    It must have found the old backup corrupt.. so you will more than likely have little choice. You can archive off the old backup if it is still useful.
    You can also verify it. See A5 http://pondini.org/TM/Troubleshooting.html
    He also has some info on this problem. eg C13.

  • How can I get Time Machine to back up an external hard drive (iPhotos) that is attached to airport extreme base station. Note: Time machine is usb to macbook pro and external drive with iphotos is usb to airport extreme base station. Help please. Thanks!

    How can I get Time Machine to back up an external hard drive (iPhotos) that is attached to airport extreme base station. Note: Time machine is usb to macbook pro and external drive with iphotos is usb to airport extreme base station. Help please. Thanks!

    Once you have the drive connected to your Mac, click System Preferences (gear icon) on the dock
    Click Time Machine
    Click Options
    Be default, the hard drive will be Excluded from backups. Click the drive to highlight it, then click the "-" (minus) button at the bottom of the list to remove the drive from Excluded items.
    The drive will be backed up on the next Time Machine pass
    Everything above assumes that the hard drive has been formatted in Mac OS Extended (Journaled) as Time Machine will only backup drives in that format.

  • How do I get Time Machine to back up my iTunes movies and tv shows?

    How do I get Time Machine to back up my iTunes movies and tv shows?

    They're backed up automatically unless in a folder in the exclusion list of the Time Machine pane of System Preferences.
    (59927)

  • How does one get Time Machine out of a "Preparing to Backup" loop to actually doing a backup? thanks, AR

    How does one get Time Machine out of a "Preparing to Backup" loop to actually doing a backup? thanks, AR

    Hi..
    Thanks for the reply..
    My original I Phone 5 was running IOS 6.12
    My I phone 5S currently runs IOS 8..When I upgraded it, it had IOS 7 on it which made the I Photo app compatible with everything below IOS 8...( which the photo app is not compatible with ) so I just connected the I Phone 5S to my computer and thinking the new phone had IOS 7 on it that these was nothing to worry about..I thought all 900 + pictures in the photo stream would transfer but somewhere in the process, I Tunes decides to just go and install IOS 8 which requires that you run a " Photo Migration App" to transfer photos from IOS 7 & below. The problem was is that I didn't want IOS 8 on my new 5S so I thought I wouldn't have to do that part..
    Anyway the phone emerged with IOS 8 on it and the only photos that remained were the ones that were actually on the phone..The 900 + I had in the stream didn't transfer because the Photos that works on IOS 7 and below isn't compatible with IOS 8..I guess you have to use the photo migration app that comes with IOS 8 & I phone 6..But I didn't ask to upgrade to IOS 8...It just did it on it's own!
    I still have the I Phone 5 Back up that I did just before giving it back to Verizon but if I try to restore the I Phone 5S running IOS 8 those photos in the stream will not go back on the phone because IOS 8 isn't compatible with the I Photos" that ran on IOS 7 and below..
    So I have an I Pad mini that runs IOS 7..should I try and erase it...and put that I Phone 5 backup on it and pray the photos that were in the stream come back on it so I can transfer them back to my computer...then erase the I pad mini again and restore it using it's original backup that I have on the computer and the in the cloud?
    I know this sounds confusing but I'm at a loss as to what to do..This is what I found ...http://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201386
    but it doesn't help me..
    Steve

  • HT201250 How do I get Time Machine back on my dock? I made a mistake and removed it from dock, somehow ended up in trash, what do I do

    How do I get Time Machine back on my dock? I made a mistake and removed it from dock, somehow ended up in trash, what do I do?

    Uh…you're saying two entirely different things here. If you removed Time Machine from the Dock, it could not be in the Trash. But if you removed it from your Applications or Utilities folder and put it in the Trash, that's a problem.
    So, which one did you really do?

  • How do you get time machine to reset your computer to the specific date you would like?

    How do you get time machine to reset your computer to the specific date you would like?

    Hey carlleeh,
    Thanks for the question. The following resource may guide you through that process:
    OS X Mountain Lion: Recover your entire system
    http://support.apple.com/kb/PH11192
    Thanks,
    Matt M.

  • HT1338 Purchased a used macbook pro with Mountain Lion. My old Mac runs Snow Leopard is backed up to Time machine. How do I register the operating system to me and how do I use Time Machine to move my files to the new used computer?

    Purchased a used macbook pro with Mountain Lion. My old Mac runs Snow Leopard is backed up to Time machine. How do I register the operating system to me and how do I use Time Machine to move my files to the new used computer?

    If you look at the User Tips tab, you will find a write up on just this subject:
    https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-4053
    The subject of buying/selling a Mac is quite complicated.  Here is a guide to the steps involved. It is from the Seller's point of view, but easily read the other way too:
    SELLING A MAC A
    Internet Recovery, and Transferability of OS & iLife Apps
    Selling an Old Mac:
    • When selling an old Mac, the only OS that is legally transferable is the one that came preinstalled when the Mac was new. Selling a Mac with an upgraded OS isn't doing the new owner any favors. Attempting to do so will only result in headaches since the upgraded OS can't be registered by the new owner. If a clean install becomes necessary, they won't be able to do so and will be forced to install the original OS via Internet Recovery. Best to simply erase the drive and revert back to the original OS prior to selling any Mac.
    • Additionally, upgrading the OS on a Mac you intend to sell means that you are leaving personally identifiable information on the Mac since the only way to upgrade the OS involves using your own AppleID to download the upgrade from the App Store. So there will be traces of your info and user account left behind. Again, best to erase the drive and revert to the original OS via Internet Recovery.
    Internet Recovery:
    • In the event that the OS has been upgraded to a newer version (i.e. Lion to Mountain Lion), Internet Recovery will offer the version of the OS that originally came with the Mac. So while booting to the Recovery Disk will show Mountain Lion as available for reinstall since that is the current version running, Internet Recovery, on the other hand, will only show Lion available since that was the OS shipped with that particular Mac.
    • Though the Mac came with a particular version of Mac OS X, it appears that, when Internet Recovery is invoked, the most recent update of that version may be applied. (i.e. if the Mac originally came with 10.7.3, Internet Recovery may install a more recent update like 10.7.5)
    iLife Apps:
    • When the App Store is launched for the first time it will report that the iLife apps are available for the user to Accept under the Purchases section. The user will be required to enter their AppleID during the Acceptance process. From that point on the iLife apps will be tied to the AppleID used to Accept them. The user will be allowed to download the apps to other Macs they own if they wish using the same AppleID used to Accept them.
    • Once Accepted on the new Mac, the iLife apps can not be transferred to any future owner when the Mac is sold. Attempting to use an AppleID after the apps have already been accepted using a different AppleID will result in the App Store reporting "These apps were already assigned to another Apple ID".
    • It appears, however, that the iLife Apps do not automatically go to the first owner of the Mac. It's quite possible that the original owner, either by choice or neglect, never Accepted the iLife apps in the App Store. As a result, a future owner of the Mac may be able to successfully Accept the apps and retain them for themselves using their own AppleID. Bottom Line: Whoever Accepts the iLife apps first gets to keep them.
    SELLING A MAC B
    Follow these instructions step by step to prepare a Mac for sale:
    Step One - Back up your data:
    A. If you have any Virtual PCs shut them down. They cannot be in their "fast saved" state. They must be shut down from inside Windows.
    B. Clone to an external drive using using Carbon Copy Cloner.
    1. Open Carbon Copy Cloner.
    2. Select the Source volume from the Select a source drop down menu on the left side.
    3. Select the Destination volume from the Select a destination drop down menu on the right
    side.
    4. Click on the Clone button. If you are prompted about creating a clone of the Recovery HD be
    sure to opt for that.
    Destination means a freshly erased external backup drive. Source means the internal
    startup drive. 
    Step Two - Prepare the machine for the new buyer:
    1. De-authorize the computer in iTunes! De-authorize both iTunes and Audible accounts.
    2, Remove any Open Firmware passwords or Firmware passwords.
    3. Turn the brightness full up and volume nearly so.
    4. Turn off File Vault, if enabled.
    5. Disable iCloud, if enabled: See.What to do with iCloud before selling your computer
    Step Three - Install a fresh OS:
    A. Snow Leopard and earlier versions of OS X
    1. Insert the original OS X install CD/DVD that came with your computer.
    2. Restart the computer while holding down the C key to boot from the CD/DVD.
    3. Select Disk Utility from the Utilities menu; repartition and reformat the internal hard drive.
    Optionally, click on the Security button and set the Zero Data option to one-pass.
    4. Install OS X.
    5. Upon completion DO NOT restart the computer.
    6. Shutdown the computer.
    B. Lion and Mountain Lion (if pre-installed on the computer at purchase*)
    Note: You will need an active Internet connection. I suggest using Ethernet if possible because
    it is three times faster than wireless.
    1. Restart the computer while holding down the COMMAND and R keys until the Mac OS X
    Utilities window appears.
    2. Select Disk Utility from the Mac OS X Utilities window and click on the Continue button. 
    3. After DU loads select your startup volume (usually Macintosh HD) from the left side list. Click
    on the Erase tab in the DU main window.
    4. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Optionally, click on the Security button
    and set the Zero Data option to one-pass.
    5. Click on the Erase button and wait until the process has completed.
    6. Quit DU and return to the Mac OS X Utilities window.
    7. Select Reinstall Lion/Mountain Lion and click on the Install button.
    8. Upon completion shutdown the computer.
    *If your computer came with Lion or Mountain Lion pre-installed then you are entitled to transfer your license once. If you purchased Lion or Mountain Lion from the App Store then you cannot transfer your license to another party. In the case of the latter you should install the original version of OS X that came with your computer. You need to repartition the hard drive as well as reformat it; this will assure that the Recovery HD partition is removed. See Step Three above. You may verify these requirements by reviewing your OS X Software License.

  • Time Machine is Deleting Old backups

    Disconnected my MacBook Pro from its hard drives for two days. Re-connected, and ran Time Machine. It backuped up as normal. I walked away, seeing "49.8GB free of 499GB" on that external hard drive. I come back and Time Machine is "Deleting Old Backups ... " - and now 135GB free, and still deleting.
    I realize that TM auto-deletes ... but does this sound "normal" to start its own deletions when there was 49GB remaining on a 500GB drive?
    It's still deleting ...
    Clint Bradford

    If I said I connnected two disks, I apologize. One 500GB external hard drive is dedicated to just being a Time Machine backup for my 17" MacBook Pro.
    Not sure what has happened ... but Time Machine cleared up space, and is now performing a 110GB backup ... kinda like it doesn't know it's the same computer attached to it.
    This is NOT a critical problem ... I have full backup elsewhere. Just a little weirdness today ...
    Clint Bradford

  • HT201250 How do I get Time Machine to resume backing up?

    Time Machine is supposed to delete old backups automatically when it is full to make room for new back ups.
    After years of use it suddenly is giving me the message that it can't complete a backup.
    It lists the "Details" as follows"
    "Time Machine couldn't complete the backup to "Time Machine Backups"
    The backup disk needs 114.76 GB for the backup but only 103.95 GB are available.
    Select a larger backup disk or make the backup smaller by excluding files."
    I do not wish to select a larger disk or exclude files.
    How do get it to resume deleting old backups to make room for new?

    I've got the same issue as OP, but I haven't backed up more than one volume.
    My last successful backup was from 2 weeks ago, before going on vacation (I didn't take my Time Machine drive with me). When I look in Time Machine, I can see a number of backups from the intervening days, when my TM drive wasn't connected, and I can't see any of my backups from before the last successful backup.
    When I came home from vacation, I connected my TM drive and Time Machine ran on schedule.
    I don't know why the system thinks it was making Time Machine backups when the drive wasn't connected, but it seems to have decided these backups were made using a new volume. I'm going to look for troubleshooting options that will allow me to delete this erroneous thread of backups and hopefully force Time Machine to recognize the original volume.
    Any other bits of advice would be appreciated. This appears to be the (secondary) result of a bug.

  • How can I get time machine to use a previous backup db

    I back up my school macbook pro once every few months. I'd like to use the older backup DBs but time machine keeps creating a new one using the computer's name and adding a number to it. For example School Computer (3) 2. Is there a way to get time machine to just use the old DB so I don't run out of room on my external drive.
    Thanks in advance.

    Hi I'd like to jump in here. Your app showed me this:
    Time Machine:
              Skip System Files: NO
              Mobile backups: OFF
              Auto backup: YES
              Volumes being backed up:
                        Macintosh HD: Disk size: 749.3 GB Disk used: 453.81 GB
              Destinations:
                        Plastic Wrapper [Local] (Last used)
                        Total size: 999.86 GB
                        Total number of backups: 64
                        Oldest backup: 2013-07-24 23:25:11 +0000
                        Last backup: 2013-11-17 01:40:47 +0000
                        Size of backup disk: Too small
                                  Backup size 999.86 GB < (Disk used 453.81 GB X 3)
              Time Machine details may not be accurate.
              All volumes being backed up may not be listed.
              /sbin excluded from backup!
              /usr excluded from backup!
              /System excluded from backup!
              /bin excluded from backup!
              /private excluded from backup!
              /Library excluded from backup!
              /Applications excluded from backup!
    Aside from the size of my backup drive, which I will increase at some point, I'd really like to have time machine backing up all system folders, especially Applications. How to I reset this hidden exclusions?
    Thanks,
    Darcy

  • How can recover a Time Machine backup deleted from my time capsule?

    I made a Time Machine backup from my Time Capsule. Yesterday I entered to my Time Capsule to deleted some files and I made a mistake and deleted my backup time machine and empty the trash of my computer. Is it posible recover that Time Machine Backup? Thank you very much.

    For most users, it is not possible to retrieve a file that has been deleted this way.
    In order to do so, you would have needed to power off your Time Capsule immediately after the file was deleted. Then, you must open up the Time Capsule and remove the hard drive, place it in a special enclosure, and use special software to try to retrieve the data.
    Even if you do this, there is no guarantee that you will be able to retrieve the file.

  • Time machine copied my old files over new ones.

    Sometimes the Macbook Pro would't load the desktop. Other times it won't load the password window. The backup drive booted up. I ran Norton anti-virus but found nothing.
    The disc utility found the disc OK. But repairing permissions won't run. DiskWarrior gave the dreaded error 9972, which means any I one of 10 things could be wrong.
    I noticed the Chrome icon had changed to blue, the color when Chrome first came out. Time machine had "updated" my files and apps back to 2009. What the ****. Have I lost all my work since I last backed up my disc in 2009? I had DiskWarrior rebuild the directory. But the disc still won't boot.
    What caused time machine to load the backup over the new files?

    jquin6 wrote:
    The backup drive booted up.
    Huh? What do you mean? Time Machine backups are not bootable.
    I ran Norton anti-virus but found nothing.
    That's well-known to wreak havoc on OSX. It may well be the cause of your problems. Uninstall it immediately. You may need help to do that, as it's also notoriously hard to get rid of all the bits it leaves behind.
    Search this forum for Norton and you'll see what I mean, and find a link to an uninstaller.
    Also see Thomas Reed's [Mac Virus Guide|http://www.reedcorner.net/thomas/guides/macvirus].
    Have I lost all my work since I last backed up my disc in 2009?
    You haven't backed-up since 2009?
    I had DiskWarrior rebuild the directory. But the disc still won't boot.
    Do you mean your Mac won't boot from the internal HD?
    What caused time machine to load the backup over the new files?
    Exactly what did you do? Did you tell it to restore that 2009 backup? If that's what you told it to do, that's what it did.
    Please clarify, with details.

Maybe you are looking for