How To Properly Use Time Machine...Please Assist

Hi,
I am new to Time Machine and am trying to figure out the best way to use it. I understand that Time Machine is a back up solution and not an archive solution. However, when the drive gets full am I able to control which files it begins to erase?
If the answer to this is no, then I need to find another place to store these files ie; dvd, tape back up for a long term archive.
Am I right to say that the best way to use Time Machine is as a redundant copy of your data so I can restore it any time and if I want to remove stuff off my hard drive that I want to keep I need to find another place to put it.
I am just confused as the way it was marketed was if you accidentally delete something, than you can go back in time to restore, but what if time machine decides to erase it arbitrarily?
Any assistance would be grateful
Thanks,

Elli Raynai1 wrote:
I am new to Time Machine and am trying to figure out the best way to use it. I understand that Time Machine is a back up solution and not an archive solution. However, when the drive gets full am I able to control which files it begins to erase?
No, it deletes the oldest monthly back ups first. It will warn you before it starts deleting anything. You have a choice at that time to use a different location to start a new Time Machine thus preserving all your old Time Machine Files.
If the answer to this is no, then I need to find another place to store these files ie; dvd, tape back up for a long term archive.
I think this is prudent. I make a disk image of my system the day I start a new time machine.
Am I right to say that the best way to use Time Machine is as a redundant copy of your data so I can restore it any time and if I want to remove stuff off my hard drive that I want to keep I need to find another place to put it.
This is what I do. I have one hard drive marked storage just for this purpose.
I am just confused as the way it was marketed was if you accidentally delete something, than you can go back in time to restore, but what if time machine decides to erase it arbitrarily?
For me it works as marketed. It does not atbitraingly delete stuff. It deletes the oldest monthly back up first and asks for permission before it does that. As long as you understand how it works you should not have a problem. I have never relied on one back up of anything even before time machine.
The bigger your Time Machine drive the longer back in time you can go.

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