Sidebar Question

I just upgraded from 10.4.11 to 10.5.4 tonight, all when smoothly.
Right away I noticed that the font size in the Finder Sidebar is a little small for these old eyes. Is there a way to increase the font size in the Sidebar?
thanks,

Don't think so unless you do a Google search for it and probably use the terminal.

Similar Messages

Genius sidebar question

So why is that the Genius sidebar (song suggestion thingy) only works with like 1/10 of my songs? At first I was excited about it, but it only seems to be able to make suggestions if the song came out in last 6 months. Even really well-known older songs don't have any suggestions.

Genius sidebar isn't working for me at all. (It opens, but just shows the atomic symbol logo.) I've tried:
1. Only request suggestions for brand-new songs.
2. Update Genius
3. Turn off Genius; Quit iTunes; Reopen iTunes; Turn on Genius; Update Genius

Adding images to a slide show

I'm sure this has been asked a bazillion times here but I'm
so new to Flash (we're talking a couple of days) that I wouldn't
know what to search on much less what question(s) to ask. That
having been said I'm tasked with adding images to an existing Flash
site that has 4 slide shows (it's for a photographer). I have all
of the .fla files and I can successfully change an image but when
it plays it's taller than the other existing images (even though
they are the same height in pixels) and I'm sure fixing that is
just a couple of clicks.
He said with false self-confidence...
I have other, more specific, questions but it's better to ask
them in
this
image to be more clear about what I'm referring to (without
knowing the correct terminology).
I know Photoshop, ImageReady, Illustrator and GoLive (so I'm
no knucklehead) but Flash is a whole new ball game so I apologize
for my ignorance. Once I get up to speed with Flash I won't be
asking dumb stuff like this.
As a sidebar question what's the best way to get up to speed
with Flash? Is Lynda.com any good?
TIA

I had to restart and opened the file. It asked me if I wanted to try to recover the operations in process before. I said yes. Then it gave me this error which was similar to one of the first two errors I got but did not write down.
[SQLC/interOpen] SQLError: ‘Error #3125: Unable to open the database file.’, details: ‘Connection closed.’,operation: ‘open’, detailID:’1001’

Leopard Update (Install & Restart) Not Working

I recently installed Leopard on my MacBook Pro 17" without any difficulties. Shortly after I downloaded the 500MB update. As part of that, I get the software update screen that tells me to INSTALL AND RESTART. I have tried this several times. Each time my computer shuts down to the blue screen and I get an installation progress bar. The bar gets to about 10% completion and freezes for hours.
What are my options to get this update to install?
Thank you!

Thanks for the reply. I don't think I explained my problem clearly.
To answer your questions first, yes, I did download the update from automatic software updater and I don't think I downloaded it more than once.
The problem isn't that my computer won't reboot, it's that software updater wants to shut down (and install the new update BEFORE it shuts down) and then restart on its own. However, it never installs the update. I end up having to do a hard turnoff (or whatever it's called when just hold in the power button until it turns off) and then turn the computer back on (and it turns on just fine).
Thanks for the speedy reply. I just posted this.
Sidebar question -- Do I need to be connected to the internet during this process?

CSS layout - two questions on sidebar

So I'm having trouble with my sidebar:
site
1. I want to get it to stretch to the bottom of the div it's
in, with a 10 px margin on the bottom, basically, stretch exactly
the same distance down as the main content div. I get the
impression this is tough in CSS, but there has to be some work
around? I don't think I can use faux columns in this instance,
though if it's possible please explain how.
2. This isn't really a big deal, but it'd be nice to have a 1
px black line on only the left side of my sidebar (I have one drawn
onto the actual images, it'd be nice to do that in CSS). Is this
possible?
Thanks a lot and sorry for the beginner questions.

I have another question about the same site. In IE I'm
getting this:
pic
In Firefox I'm getting this:
pic
Firefox is much closer to what I want, but I'm not sure why
IE is showing up like it does. Seems the margins are changing and
IE is padding my sidebar for some reason. Any ideas?

Word 2011 for Mac: Advanced question regarding the navigation pane--aka sidebar

Hi everyone--
I'm a new Mac owner, with a Macbook Pro 13" 2.4 GHz Intel Core i5, with 8GB RAM, 256GB storage. I'm operating on the latest OS (Maverick), freshly purchased from the Apple store today (July 5, 2014).
Can you help me figure out if there is some way, in Word 2011 for Mac, to use the navigation pane (aka Sidebar) to click and drag entire sections of the document to a new location? This was basic (advanced, but fundamental) functionality in every version of Word I've used in recent years on Windows machines, and it is the critical reason I purchased Word instead of using one of a dozen free options. My job involves managing and editing large documents--from 2500 to 90,000 words--and the navigation pane/sidebar is crucial to my sanity.
Previously, I would open the navigation pane and it would show me the structure of my document based on the Heading types. I could click on a heading (say, a chapter title), inside the navigation pane, and drag it to a new location elsewhere in the document. So simple to rearrange the structure of large documents this way. Now, in the Word 2011 for Mac, I can call up the navigation pane (now called the "sidebar") and view the structure of the doc, but I can't actually click and drag anything in the navigation pane.
Other than this, so far my switch to Mac has gone swimmingly. I love the machine, and am amazed at how much cleaner and easier it is to set up than Windows machines. I'm so frustrated that I even have to interface with Microsoft any more, but this one piece of functionality is critical to me.
Thank you in advance for any help you can provide.
Heather

Dear Heather,
I don't know the specific answer to your question.
But as a new Mac owner, you should make sure that you are using the very latest version of Word 2011 for Mac.
My recommendation, if you haven't already done this, is to open Word and do Help > Check for Updates from Word's menu, and install any updates Microsoft has released.
They typically issue updates once or twice a month.
Enjoy your Mac!

Question about navigation in finder sidebar

Hi, I'm new to Mac, and I just bought a Macbook Pro Retina Mid-2012 15'' with Mountain Lion installed. I wonder if there is any keyboard shortcut to navigate to finder sidebar and right pane back and forth except the command-shift-G.
Thank you.

The Sidebar is not navigable by keyboard. All you can do is add an item to it by pressing command-T. A complete list of built-in keyboard shortcuts is here:
OS X keyboard shortcuts

Two Questions one Sidebar (finder) one Display

Under Places in the Sidebar I deleted the Music Reference with the blue iTunes note icon, anyone know how to get it back? I can add my iTunes folder but then it uses just a blue folder icon.
The second is when i quite most applications but not all the desktop display splits into two images each taking half the display then back to normal. Have changed desktop image with same result. I've also seen some other threads however those seem to be related to multiple displays.
Thanks.

Go to finder, click Go>Home, and drag the folder called "Music" (without the quotes) into your sidebar, under "Places" (without the quotes).
The above comment is the correct fix. While there isn't a preference for the "Music" folder in the sidebar, it is easy to add back. Just drag the folder called Music from your home directory into the sidebar and your music folder (with the music note for an icon) is back again.

Acrobat Reader DC on PC: How to deactivate the sidebar/element on the right side forever? (Question/Feedback)

How can I deactivate the sidebar/element on the right side (export, create, edit PDF, more information, comment...) forever? It keeps coming back when I restart Acrobat Reader DC.
If this is not a feature, I strongly suggest to implement that Acrobat Reader saves the last state whether it is shown or not (aka activated or deactivated).

Hi Marcus,
I can understand your concern, however its a part of core user interface in Adobe Acrobat Reader DC & Adobe Acrobat DC. So its not possible to disable it permanently.
Some of our customers have raised the same issue & like them you too can fill a feature request for at Adobe - Feature Request/Bug Report Form
Regards,
Aadesh

CSS question on sidebar heights

Just going back to a site I started a while ago, and am going
to have pages with a centre section and two sidebars - but don't
think I'm sure on the best way to ensure the sidebars and the main
content are the same height.
I've been trying with putting a height value in to the
sidebar styles, but have a feeling this isn't the best way to do
it.
At the moment it looks OK in firefox (mac), but not safari,
and I doubt IE - but hopefully people can get the idea of what it
is I'm trying to do.
The page is here :
link
here
And the CSS is here :
CSS
link
Thanks as always.

Google "faux columns".
Murray --- ICQ 71997575
Adobe Community Expert
(If you *MUST* email me, don't LAUGH when you do so!)
==================
http://www.projectseven.com/go
- DW FAQs, Tutorials & Resources
http://www.dwfaq.com - DW FAQs,
Tutorials & Resources
==================
"Iain71" <[email protected]> wrote in
message
news:fem5rb$mn6$[email protected]..
> Just going back to a site I started a while ago, and am
going to have
> pages
> with a centre section and two sidebars - but don't think
I'm sure on the
> best
> way to ensure the sidebars and the main content are the
same height.
>
> I've been trying with putting a height value in to the
sidebar styles, but
> have a feeling this isn't the best way to do it.
>
> At the moment it looks OK in firefox (mac), but not
safari, and I doubt
> IE -
> but hopefully people can get the idea of what it is I'm
trying to do.
>
> The page is here :
>
>
http://www.handprintdvd.co.uk/webdesign/carcarenew/removers.shtml
>
> And the CSS is here :
>
>
http://www.handprintdvd.co.uk/webdesign/carcarenew/main.css
>
> Thanks as always.
>

Question about "network" in sidebar

am i able to click the eject button next to the "network" icon in my sidebar menu? will it do anything i will regret?
thx

You can click on it all you want, as long as you're not connected to a network. it won't do a thing. If you do not wish to see it in Finder go to Finder >> Preferences >> Sidebar, and UN-check mark it.
-mj
[email protected]

I have an imac running OSX leopard 10.5.4, and a flashing question mark comes up on the screen. I opened disk utility, and in the sidebar my hard drive is not there. I also did the Hardware test supplied with the install CD, and "no problems were found".

note: I have not done the extended hardware test yet.

Can we assumed that the Disk Utility you used was not on your hard disk? If it was on the hard disk you can ignore most of the advice here and we should start again.
I am am a retired Electrical Engineer with many years electronics and IT experience and advise that whilst it is likely that the hard disk has failed and may never work again this may not necessarily be the case.
Do you normally hear or feel the disk running and has this changed?
Have you moved, dropped or hit your Mac while the disk was rotating? - never good for disks.
Even if the disk is not rotating it may not have failed - there could be an imperfect connection, damaged pcb track, a Mac electronics failure such as disk power etc.
The disk could be working mechanically and there could be a break in the data route to or from it etc.
Getting at disks inside some Apple assemblies can be tedious but probably not as bad as you may think - Google for instructions and pictures.
Much may depend upon how important information on a troublesome disk is. Even with a totally dead disk 90% of data can normally be extracted - ocasionally I have been lucky enough to do this at home - a few years back several experts were offering to to this for about 1,000 USD.
Trying the disk in another enclosure was good advice.
You could try gently moving your powered up Mac to see if anything changes.
It is technically possible for a software (unlikely as issue still exists booting from DVD I assume) or firmware issue to cause your symptoms so it might be wise to try every type of reset you can find before going any further. Firmware normally resides within the electronics - it often affects booting and power supplies etc.
Good luck.

Is there any way of dragging and dropping an iCal event showing in week view across to a date in the left sidebar monthly calendar?

Hi, Im not a frequent forum poster, as most of my questions can be found already answered on them!
This is a question Ive had for a long time and it amazes me that no-one else seems to ask it. I check at each OS upgrade but its never there...
Is there any way of dragging and dropping an iCal event showing in week view across to a date in the left sidebar monthly calendar?
I was able to do this years ago in MS Outlook, and utilized it all the time when I needed to push things back, now I have to open the event and select an new date in the drop-down calendar for each & every event I want to move to a new month at the end of the month.
If its definitely not possible, how to you ask apple to consider including it - it doesnt seem like a particularly difficult task.
Thankyou
Andrew.

Andrew,
Is there any way of dragging and dropping an iCal event showing in week view across to a date in the left sidebar monthly calendar?
No, but you can use cut/paste. Cut (⌘X) the event, then click on the week where you want to move the event, and Paste (⌘V).
If you have a suggestion for Apple to change that method use: Apple - Mac OS X - Feedback.

Where can I buy a larger hard drive for my late 2008, 15" macbook pro? From reviewing questions and answers on the support community it would appear that having Apple remove the old and install the new hard drive is recommended. But how/where?

Where can I buy a larger hard drive for my late 2008, 15" macbook pro? From reviewing questions and answers on the support community it would appear that having Apple remove the old and install the new hard drive is recommended. But how/where?

Welcome to Apple Support Communities
You can install the new hard disk yourself if you want to. You just need a 2'5" SATA II hard drive, which is compatible with your MacBook Pro. You can buy one at OWC > http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/hard-drives/2.5-Notebook/ You can filter hard drives by computer, so press a "Click to view all...", choose your computer in the sidebar and it will give you the compatible hard drives.
There are different brands for the MacBook Pro. The most recommended are HGST and Seagate, which have good reputation. A 7200 rpm hard drive will give you extra performance

Time Machine- Frequently Asked Questions

This post contains answers to many common, general questions about Time Machine.
It does not, however, cover diagnosis and correction of specific problems or errors. See the Time Machine - Troubleshooting *User Tip* at the top of this forum for such help.
General problems with Time Capsules are covered in the separate TimeCapsule forum, in the +Digital Life+ section, including the Using TIME MACHINE with a TIME CAPSULE *User Tip* also at the top of that forum.
*C o n t e n t s*
*1. How big a drive do I need for Time Machine?*
*2. What can TM back up, and where can it put it's backups?*
*3. Can I use my TM disk for other stuff?*
*4. Can I use one TM disk to back up 2 or more Macs?*
*5. I just bought an external drive. How do I get it to work with Time Machine?*
*6. Can I use a drive with other data already on it?*
*7. How can I tell what Time Machine is doing during (or after) a backup?*
*8. How can I tell what Time Machine is backing-up?*
*9. Why are my backups so large?*
*10. Can I tell Time Machine not to back up certain things?*
*11. What should I exclude, and what should I not exclude?*
*12. Should I delete old backups? If so, How?*
*13. How can I change TM's schedule of hourly backups?*
*14. How do I restore my entire system?*
*15. How do I restore selected items?*
*16. How can I restore a file/folder to an alternate location?*
*17. How can I see my backups, or the backups for a different Mac, via +Time Machine+ ?*
*18. How can I copy my TM backups to a different location?*
*19. How do I set up a new Mac from my old Mac's backups?*
*20. Once my Mac is backed-up, can I delete some stuff to save space?*
*21. How do I set up Time Machine to an internal or directly-connected external HD?*
*22. How do I set up Time Machine to a shared drive on another Mac?*
*23. How do I set up Time Machine to a Time Capsule or Airport Extreme?*
*24. What do the Time Machine icons in my Menubar and Dock do?*
_*1. How big a drive do I need for Time Machine?*_
A general "rule of thumb" is, TM needs 2 to 3 times as much space as the data it's backing-up (not necessarily the entire size of your internal HD).
But this varies greatly, depending on how you use your Mac. If you frequently add/update lots of large files, then even 3 times may not be enough. If you're a light user, 1.5 times might do. Unfortunately, it's rather hard to predict, so if in doubt, get a bigger one!
Also, there are some OSX features and 3rd-party applications that take up large amounts of backup space, for various reasons. See question #9 for details.
This is a trade-off between space and how long TM can keep it's backups, since TM will, by design, eventually use all the space available. But it won't just quit backing-up when it runs out: It starts deleting the oldest backups so it can keep making new ones. Thus, the more space it has, the longer it can keep your backups.
+Go to Top+
_*2. What can TM back up, and where can it put it's backups?*_
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_*Time Machine can back up FROM*_ any internal or +directly connected+ drive/partition formatted with any variation of *Mac OSX Extended* (HFS+). Thus it cannot back up a +Boot Camp+ partition.
It cannot back up any network drive, including a Time Capsule, or a USB drive connected to a Time Capsule or Airport.
It will back-up your entire system (OSX, configuration, applications, user data, settings, preferences, etc. (less most caches, logs, trash, etc.), unless you specifically exclude things (see items 10 and 11).
In fact, by default, it will back up any such drive/partition (except the disk/partition where it's putting backups), unless you specifically exclude it.
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_*Time Machine can back up TO:*_
_*Local Drives:*_
|
A directly-connected external disk (USB or FireWire)
A secondary internal disk or partition (but not your boot/OSX partition)
_*Network Drives:_*
|
A Time Capsule
A USB disk connected to a Time Capsule
A "shared" disk/partition connected directly to another Mac running Leopard or Snow Leopard on the same local network
An available Mac OS X Server version 10.5 or 10.6 volume
Any such drive must have either the +Apple Partition Map+ or GUID *Partition Map Scheme,* and either the +Mac OS Extended (Journaled)+ or +Mac OS Extended (Case-sensitive, journaled)+ Format (except a Time Capsule, which has a fixed format).
Time Machine may back up to some 3rd-party network drives (NAS or Network Attached Storage devices), but only those that meet the criteria specified by Apple: Disks that can be used with Time Machine.
Be very careful here: just because a 3rd-party vendor claims to support Time Machine doesn't necessarily mean that Apple supports that configuration, or that it will work in all circumstances.
In some cases, Time Machine may back up to a USB drive connected to an Airport Extreme, but it's often unreliable and is not supported, as specified in the link above.
|
You may find some "hacks" that might make other things work, in some cases, to a degree. But use them at your own risk.
First, since it's *unsupported by Apple,* there's nowhere to go when there's trouble.
Second, you're risking a future update preventing it from working, and perhaps rendering your backups useless just when you need them the most.
|
*_Step-by-step setup instructions for:_*
An internal or directly-connected external HD: Question 21.
A shared drive on another Mac: Question 22.
A Time Capsule: #Q1 in the Using TIME MACHINE with a TIME CAPSULE *User Tip,* also at the top of the +Time Capsule+ forum.
A USB drive connected to a Time Capsule: #Q2 in the Using TIME MACHINE with a TIME CAPSULE *User Tip.*
A USB drive connected to an Airport Extreme: #Q2 in the Using Time Machine with a USB drive connected to an Airport Extreme *User Tip,* also at the top of the +Airport Extreme+ forum.
+Go to Top+
_*3. Can I use my TM disk for other stuff?*_
Yes. TM 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 TM, for it's exclusive use for backups; use the other partition(s) however you want. To use a new drive, or one you don't mind erasing, see question #5. To add a partition to an existing drive that already has data on it, see question #6.
(Unfortunately, though, you can't partition a Time Capsule's internal disk. See #Q3 in the Using TIME MACHINE with a TIME CAPSULE *User Tip,* also at the top of the +Time Capsule+ forum.)
There are two reasons for this: first, TM will, eventually, fill all the empty space available to it before it begins deleting old backups. When it gets near full, you may not be able to put anything else there.
Second, if you ever want or have to delete all your old backups and start over (when you get a new Mac, or have certain problems), you can just erase the partition via Disk Utility; if there's other data there, it would be erased too. It is possible to delete individual backups via the TM interface, but it's one-at-a-time, so rather tedious (see question #12). But don't be tempted to just delete them via the Finder -- that can take a very long time, and hopelessly corrupt them.
For most purposes, each partition is treated as if it were a separate disk drive: each will be shown separately on your desktop and/or Finder sidebar, for example, using the name you assign to it.
Note that TM can be used to back-up any internal or directly-connected disk/partition that's formatted Mac OS Extended, including any "other" partitions on it's drive (but no network drives). But it's usually not a good idea to have your originals and backups on the same physical drive. If you don't want it to do that, exclude those disks/partitions from TM via TM's System Preferences > Options. (see question #10).
+Go to Top+
_*4. Can I use one TM disk to back up 2 or more Macs?*_
Yes, if it's big enough (see question #1). TM keeps track of which computer is which (by a hardware identifier, not computer name), so it will always keep it's backups for each Mac separate from each other.
It is advisable, though, to partition an external disk that will be connected to your Macs into one volume for each Mac (see question #5 or #6 for instructions). You can't partition a Time Capsule's disk, but each Mac will have a separate +sparse bundle+ on a Time Capsule, so it's not as big an issue.
There are two reasons for this:
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First, TM will, eventually, fill all the space available to it before it begins deleting old backups. When multiple Macs are "competing" for the same backup space, TM might have room for several months of backups for one, but only a few weeks for another. This is especially likely to happen if you start backing-up a new Mac to a drive that already has a lot of backups from another Mac. TM on the new Mac will not delete backups from the other Mac, so when it needs space for new backups, it will delete the oldest backups from the new Mac instead.
Second, if you ever want or have to delete all the old backups for one Mac and start over, you can just erase the partition via Disk Utility; if there are other Mac's backups there, they would be erased also. If you replace one of the Macs, TM on the new one won't delete the backups from the old one. And sometimes it's advisable after certain problems.
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If you're backing-up to a USB disk connected to a Time Capsule or Airport Extreme, you can use separate partitions if desired, but it's less of an issue, since the backups for each Mac will be in separate +sparse bundles.+ Those can be deleted via the Finder if necessary.
If you're backing-up to a shared disk connected to another Mac on the same local network, there should be a separate partition for the Mac that the disk is connected to directly; the other Macs can share a partition or have their own, as you desire, since these will each be in separate +sparse bundles.+
It is possible to delete individual backups via the TM interface, but it's one-at-a-time, so rather tedious. See question #12. (And don't be tempted to just delete them via the Finder -- all sorts of things may go very wrong.)
See question #17 for how to view/restore from another Mac's backups.
+Go to Top+
_*5. I just bought an external drive. How do I get it to work with Time Machine?*_
First decide if you're going to put other data on the drive. If so, see question #3 before proceeding. If you're making two or more partitions, it's usually a good idea to put your TM partition first, so you can adjust it later.
Second, consider whether your backups should be case-sensitive. That is the default if Time Machine formats it for you (and if you're backing up to a Time Capsule or other network device, TM will use a case-sensitive +sparse bundle,+ which you can't change.)
If any disk being backed-up is case-sensitive, then your backups must be case-sensitive also. There's no choice: TM can only back up that way. So if you think you might add a case-sensitive disk in the future, make your backup disk case-sensitive now.
But if all the disks/partitions being backed-up are case-ignorant, you may want your backups to be the same. If the backups are case-sensitive, TM can't restore an item if there's an item already in the same location with a conflicting name.
Example: you save a file named MYFILE, then later on change it to Myfile. You cannot restore the older MYFILE to replace the newer Myfile. Worse, if this happens, TM will not provide a list or log of the conflicting item(s)-- it just says "some items cannot be restored" and gives you the option to stop or continue.
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Most new disks come with various things on them that you don't need, and may even conflict with Time Machine. So even if the drive says "Mac Ready" or the like, you should erase and format it with the Disk Utility app (in your Applications/Utilities folder):
a. When Disk Utility starts, select the new drive in the sidebar (the line with the size and make/ID).
b. Select the Erase tab, then confirm. This will erase the entire disk. (If you want, you can select +Security Options,+ then +Zero-Out Data+ to physically erase the entire disk by writing over everything. This will take quite a while, and shouldn't be necessary, especially on a new disk. This may not work if the drive is already set up with a non-Apple *Partition Map Scheme,* such as is used on Windows. If that happens, just continue with item c.
c. Select the Partition tab, then set the number of partitions from the drop down menu (use 1 partition unless you wish to make more). Sometimes you can't change a MBR drive to GUID or APM and change the number of partitions at the same time; if that happens, make a single partition with GUID or APM first, then re-format with the desired number.
d. Click Options, then choose either GUID or +Apple Partition Map.+ For Time Machine, either will work, but GUID is usually preferred for other purposes on an Intel Mac; +Apple Partition Map+ for a PPC Mac.
e. For each partition, click on it (it will then be outlined in blue), then supply a name (this is the name that will appear on your desktop and/or Finder sidebar) and size (either by typing in the box or dragging the dividers in the diagram), and set the *Format type* for your Time Machine partition to either +Mac OS Extended (Journaled)+ or +Mac OS Extended (Case-sensitive, Journaled)+ as you decided above. Set any other partitions to the desired format.
f. When you've got everything the way you want it, click Apply and wait a few moments for the process to complete.
+Go to Top+
_*6. Can I use a drive with other data already on it?*_
Maybe. First, verify that it has the correct *Partition Map Scheme* using Disk Utility (in your Applications/Utilities folder). Select the top line of your drive (with the size and make). Down towards the bottom of the panel will be the *Partition Map Scheme.* It should be either GUID or +Apple Partition Map.+ If this is not correct, the only way to use this disk for TM backups is to copy the data off somewhere else temporarily and reformat it into at least 2 partitions with the correct Partition Map Scheme per question #5 above, then copy the data back.
Also, partitions must use contiguous physical space on a disk, so just because your disk has enough total available space on it, there may not be enough contiguous space available for a new partition. The only way to tell is by trying -- if there isn't enough space, the partitioning will just fail without actually changing anything.
Before doing this, back-up the data you want to keep, just in case.
Here's how to partition without erasing:
a. When Disk Utility starts, select the drive in the sidebar (the line with the size and make/ID).
b. Click the Partition tab. DU will show a chart of the current partition(s), with the amount used in each shaded in light blue.
c. Click the partition you want to split. DU will outline it in blue.
d. Click the plus sign at the bottom. DU will split the partition into two parts, and name the new one the same as the old, but with "_2" appended.
e. Click the new partition; DU will outline it in blue.
f. Give it a name (this is the name that will appear on your desktop/Finder sidebar).
g. Adjust it's size, either by dragging the divider between the new and old partitions, or typing the desired size into the box.
h. Set the Format to +Mac OS Extended (Journaled)+ or +Mac OS Extended (Case-sensitive, journaled).+ See the pink box in question #5 to determine which you need.
i. When you have it the way you want it, click Apply.
j. The drive will be re-partitioned, unless DU can't get enough contiguous space; then it will send you an error message, and not change anything.
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There are some 3rd-party apps that will move data around so you can do the partition even when Disk Utility can't. But they all strongly recommend that you back-up the data first, "just in case" something goes wrong. Well, if you're going to do that, you might as well simply do the copy, then erase and reformat the disk, then copy the data back.
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_*7. How can I tell what Time Machine is doing during (or after) a backup?*_
If you press the TM icon in your Menubar, or right-click the TM icon in your Dock, and select +TM preferences,+ you may see "Preparing" (Leopard) or "Calculating Changes" (Snow Leopard); or a progress message ("xxx MB/GB of yyy MB/GB"), or a number of other messages; plus a progress bar (Preferences pane only; sometimes there's also a separate window with a progress bar).
For more detail, click here to download the +Time Machine Buddy+ widget. It shows the messages from your logs for one TM backup run at a time, in a small window. (If it doesn't seem to work, see #A1 in the Time Machine - Troubleshooting *User Tip,* also at the top of this forum.)
See the yellow box in #C2 in the Time Machine - Troubleshooting *User Tip,* for explanations of common messages.
If you see messages that seem to indicate an error, or if your backup fails, you should be able to find the message there, or in the Contents, along with one or more possible fixes. If that doesn't help, post a new thread in this forum with details, including all the messages, your setup (especially the destination for the backups), what you've done, and the results.
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_*8. How can I tell what Time Machine is backing-up?*_
Click here to download the TimeTracker app. It shows most of the files saved by TM for each backup, except the first (excluding some hidden/system files, etc.).
Some prefer the BackupLoupe application.
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_*9. Why are my backups so large?*_
There are some OSX features and 3rd-party applications that cause large Time Machine backups. Some common ones are any virtualization software, P2P or Torrent-type apps, and the Directory Protection feature of Tech Tools.
FileVault (System Preferences > Security) converts your entire Home Folder into a single, encrypted disk image. So any change to anything in your Home Folder is treated as a change to the encrypted image, and the whole thing is backed-up. TM minimizes the impact, though, by only backing it up when you log out, but it's still going to eat up a lot of space on your TM disk. Also, you can't view or restore individual items from your Home Folder via Time Machine; just the whole thing.
Some apps, such as Entourage, sometimes use a single file, often a database, to store their data. With Entourage, for example, every time you send or receive a single message, the whole database is changed, and will be backed-up the next time. Apple mail, of course, stores messages individually, so this doesn't happen.
If in doubt, use the +Time Tracker+ app to see what's taking-up the space. See question #8.
One solution is to simply exclude the item from TM so it isn't backed-up regularly, then when you do want it backed-up, just copy it somewhere that's not excluded. See question #10.
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_*10. Can I tell Time Machine not to back up certain things?*_
Sure. Go to TM's Preferences and click Options.
In the next panel, click the plus sign at the bottom.
In the sidebar of the next panel, select your computer, drive, or home folder as appropriate; then navigate to the file/folder you want to exclude. If you can't find it, and it's name starts with a dot (period), or it's in a top-level folder that doesn't appear when you click your internal HD in the sidebar, it's a hidden item. Click the +Show invisible items+ box to make it show up.
Select it, click Exclude, then Done.
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_*11. What should I exclude, and what should I not exclude?*_
First, TM automatically excludes most caches, work files, logs, trash, etc., so you don't need to worry about those (see below for the gory details).
You may want to exclude some special files/folders that cause extra-large backups (see question #9.)
Some folks exclude their Desktop and/or Downloads folders, as they use these for "working storage" and put the finished product in a permanent location that does get backed-up.
If you do a lot of step-by-step processing of large files, such as video processing, you might want to do it on a "scratch" disk, partition, or folder that you exclude from TM, so the intermediate steps won't all be backed-up. When done, be sure to put the finished product somewhere it will be backed-up.
Some people exclude their /System and/or /Library and/or /Applications folders, to save space. Generally this is unwise, as it won't save very much disk space, but will make recovery from a disk failure *very, very* tedious and time-consuming. You'd have to install OSX from your disc; migrate or restore your data; download and install the "combo" Software Update to bring your OS current; and reinstall all 3rd-party software and re-enter any license codes; then hope you didn't miss anything. Major hassle for minor space saving (usually 14-20 GB).
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*Details of automatically-excluded items:*
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Sometimes, changes to your iPhoto and/or Aperture libraries may not be backed-up if those apps are open.
Most things omitted are listed in a special "plist" on your system. See this file:
/System/Library/CoreServices/backupd.bundle/Contents/Resources/StdExclusions.pli st
A few others are excluded via special "extended attributes" on certain items, mostly in the iTunes and iPhoto libraries. These are automatically rebuilt or re-indexed when restored, so don't need to be backed-up.
To see which ones are excluded, open the Terminal app (in your Applications/Utilities folder). Be *very careful* with this app. It's a direct link into UNIX, the underpinnings of OSX, but without the protections of OSX.
In Terminal, the prompt looks like this: user-xxxxxx:~ <your name>$
(where <your name> is your short user name). It's followed by a non-blinking block cursor (unless it's been changed via Terminal > Preferences).
Copy the following after the prompt exactly, then press Return.
sudo mdfind "comapple_backupexcludeItem = 'com.apple.backupd'"
You'll be prompted to enter your Admin password (it won't be displayed). That will list the items excluded this way.
If you use Xcode, the "build" folders are not backed-up.
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_*12. Should I delete old backups? If so, How?*_
Under normal circumstances, you shouldn't have to. TM automatically "thins" (deletes) backups every time it does a new backup, on the following schedule:
"Hourly" backups after 24 hours (except the first of the day, which is a "Daily" backup).
"Daily" backups after a month (except the first of each week, which is a "Weekly" backup.)
"Weekly" backups are kept until TM needs the space for new backups; then one or more of the oldest weeklies will be deleted.
However, TM will never delete the backup copy of anything that was on the disk being backed-up at the time of any remaining backup. So all that's actually deleted are copies of items whose originals were changed or deleted before the next remaining backup.
But if you want or need to, you can delete either all backups of a particular file or folder, or an entire backup (sort of). Do not attempt this via the Finder. First, if you're on Leopard, be sure you have the "action" or "gear" icon in your Finder's toolbar +(Finder > View > Customize Toolbar).+ If there's no toolbar, click the lozenge at the upper-right of the Finder window's title bar.
Use the TM interface: +Enter Time Machine.+ (To delete backups for a different Mac, see question #17).
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Locate the backup or item you want to delete via the "cascade" of Finder windows.
If you want to delete all backups of a particular item, select it in the window.
Right-click the item (if you're on Leopard, Click the "gear" icon in the toolbar) and select either +Delete Backup+ (the entire backup) or +Delete all Backups of <item selected>.+
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You'll see a confirmation prompt, then one for your Administrator's password. This may take a while, especially over a network.
If 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 copy of any item that was present at the time of any remaining backup. Thus you may not gain much space. This 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 fast and which won't.
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If you're backing-up over a network, there's an additional complication: Those backups are in a +sparse bundle,+ not a normal folder. A sparse bundle doesn't shrink automatically when things are removed from it, so you won't see how much space you've gained. TM will automatically "compact" a sparse bundle when it needs room for new backups, but you can do it manually via a command in the Terminal app (in your Applications/Utilities folder.
Be extremely careful when using Terminal. It is a direct interface into UNIX, the underpinning of OSX. Unlike the Finder, there are few protections against making a mistake, which can cause untold damage.
In Terminal, the prompt looks like this: user-xxxxxx:~ <your name>$
(where <your name> is your short user name). It's followed by a non-blinking block cursor (unless it's been changed via Terminal > Preferences).
At the prompt, type +*hdiutil compact+* followed by a space.
Then drag the Sparse Bundle to the Terminal window, and press Return.
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If you delete all backups of an item, TM will not back it up again unless/until it's changed, or TM does a "deep traversal" (see the yellow box in #C2 in theTime Machine - Troubleshooting *User Tip,* also at the top of this forum).
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_*13. How can I change TM's schedule of hourly backups?*_
It's usually best to let TM do it's hourly backups. It was designed to protect you best that way.
If they're using too much time or disk space, see item #9.
If they're slow or hanging, see item #D2 in the Time Machine - Troubleshooting *User Tip,* also at the top of this forum.
If you still want to do this, you can use the free Time Machine Editor.
It may change the following files, in your /System/Library/LaunchDaemons folder:
com.apple.backupd-attach.plist
com.apple.backupd-auto.plist
com.apple.backupd-wake.plist
com.apple.backupd.plist
It's a good idea to copy these somewhere safe before using the Editor. Then if there's a problem, you can delete the corrupted ones and put the copies back. Do not attempt to edit these yourself.
Also note that if you ever want to resume hourly backups, use Time Machine Editor to change back to that schedule before deleting the app. Otherwise, Time Machine will keep using the last schedule set by Time Machine Editor.
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_*14. How do I restore my entire system?*_
You can restore your entire system from it's backups, unless you excluded System folders (see item #11).
But do not try this full system restore from a *different Mac's* backups. If it boots at all, many things will likely go wrong. See these Apple articles for details: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2186 and http://support.apple.com/kb/TS3243 Instead, boot from your Install disc, erase your internal HD, install OSX, then use +Setup Assistant+ (see item #19 ).
To restore your entire system, you need the Leopard or Snow Leopard Install disc that came with your Mac (gray), or any retail Leopard (black) or Snow Leopard (white) disc. It doesn't matter what version it is (and doesn't violate the license if you borrow one), since you won't be loading OSX from it, just using the Installer utility. You can use either a Leopard or Snow Leopard disc to restore a Leopard backup, but only a Snow Leopard disc to restore a Snow Leopard backup.
If you backed-up multiple drives/partitions, note that this procedure will restore one OSX drive/partition at a time. Use the normal Time Machine "Star Wars" interface to restore data-only drives or partitions (see item #15).
If your backups are on a Time Capsule, connect to it via an Ethernet cable if possible; it will be much faster than WIFI. If your backups are on a disk connected to a Time Capsule or Airport Extreme, or a shared drive on another Mac on the same local network, connect it directly to your Mac if possible. It will be much faster than Ethernet or WIFI.
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a. Boot from the Leopard/Snow Leopard disc. Insert it and either wait for the +Mac OS X Install DVD+ window and double-click the "Install" icon; or power down, then start up normally while holding down the "C" key. That takes a few minutes.
b. Select your language from the list shown. On the next screen, select Utilities from the top menubar.
c. If you're restoring to a new disk, or one that may not be formatted properly, select +Disk Utility+ from the list of Utilities in the menubar, and format the drive: Select the top line (with the make and size), click the Partition tab and select +1 Partition+ from the the pop-up menu under *Volume Scheme.*
Give it a name (probably +Macintosh HD)+ under *Volume Information,* and select +Mac OS Extended (Journaled)+ for the Format unless you're certain you need +Mac OS Extended (Case-sensitive, Journaled).+ Click the Options button below the box, and select GUID for an Intel Mac, or +Apple Partition Map+ for a PPC Mac and click the OK button, then Apply. That should only take a few moments. Quit Disk Utility and you should see the Utilities menu again.
d. Select +Restore from Backups+, and follow the on-screen instructions:
e. You'll be prompted to select the disk where your TM backups are (or search for a Time Capsule). If you're restoring from a network drive (instead of connecting it directly), click the Airport icon in the Menubar and join the network.
f. You'll next be prompted to select which of the backups you want, and, if you backed-up multiple OSX drives/partitions, which one to restore from. There will be a list showing the date & time of each completed backup of the disk selected, and the version of OSX on that backup. Note that the times on the list may not match your current time zone: they may be shown in *U.S. Pacific Time.*
g. You're also prompted to select a destination (probably your internal HD), then a confirmation, then the process starts.
h. If you want to monitor the installation, select Window, then +Show Log+ and +Show All logs+ from the menubar.
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This is, naturally, a lengthy process, but your Mac will be restored exactly as it was at the time of the backup you selected (unless, of course, you excluded things from TM backups). Then your Mac will start up normally.
When it does, you should immediately turn Time Machine off, as it's next backup will probably be a full one -- everything it just restored is considered changed and will be backed-up again. You cannot prevent this, only delay it. It will of course take quite a while, and a lot of space on your TM disk, so you may wish to wait until you're sure your system is the way you want it, or even erase your TM disk with Disk Utility and let your backups start anew.
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_*15. How do I restore selected items?*_
Time Machine has special handling for the data in these Apple applications: *Address Book, Mail,* and iPhoto. See below.
All other data (including apps) is handled via the Finder. There's a demonstration of two ways in the Time Machine Tutorial. With a Finder window open, +Enter Time Machine.+ Locate the item you want to restore in the "cascade" of Finder windows, select it, click Restore in the lower right, and TM will put the selected version in the same place it was saved from.
Note that what you see once you're in Time Machine depends on how your Finder window appeared before you clicked the TM icon. If you were on your Desktop, you'll see a Finder window showing only your desktop; if on your home folder, when you get into TM, that's what you'll see. Once there, you cannot add a sidebar for other selections, or the toolbar (you may need the "gear" icon) by clicking the lozenge in the upper right. If you need these, select them before entering Time Machine.
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*Address Book*
Start with the +Address Book+ application, then click the Time Machine icon in your Dock.
Navigate to the desired backup, select whatever you want to restore, and click the Restore button.
Note that you cannot restore Address Book data to an alternate location via this method.
*Apple Mail*
Start with the Mail application, then click the Time Machine icon in your Dock.
Navigate to the desired backup, select the mailbox you want to restore from (and individual messages if desired), and click the Restore button.
TM will make a new folder named +Time Machine+ in the +On My Mac+ section, containing a +Recovered Messages+ mailbox. This avoids duplicating messages in the selected mailbox; you can move or delete individual messages wherever you wish.
If you restore additional mailboxes or messages, Time Machine will make a separate +Recovered Messages-n+ mailbox for them.
Note that you cannot restore Mail data to an alternate location via this method.
iPhoto
Start with the iPhoto application, then click the Time Machine icon in your Dock (or +File > Browse Backups+ from the menubar.
Navigate to the desired backup. Select the photo(s) you want to restore , and click the Restore button (or, to restore them all, click +Restore All).+
Note that you cannot restore iPhotos to an alternate location via this method.
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In most cases, if you +Enter Time Machine+ with an item selected that wasn't present (or was excluded) when some of the backups were done, those backups will be grayed-out in the Timeline on the right, and you can't select them. For example, if you recently created a new mailbox, and +Enter Time Machine+ from Mail with that mailbox selected, only backups made since that mailbox was created will appear normally; earlier ones will be grayed-out.
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_*16. How can I restore a file/folder to an alternate location?*_
First, if you're on Leopard, be sure you have the "action" or "gear" icon in your Finder's toolbar +(Finder > View > Customize Toolbar).+ If there's no toolbar, click the lozenge at the upper-right of the Finder window's title bar.
Then locate and select the desired item as above, click the "gear" icon in the Finder window (or, on Snow Leopard, right-click it), then +Restore <item selected> to ...".+
Then you'll see a prompt where you can select a location, and TM will place it there.
To use the backups from a different Mac, see item #17.
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_*17. How can I see my backups, or the Backups for a different Mac, via +Time Machine+ ?*_
TM keeps the backups for each Mac separate, and normally only shows the ones for the Mac it's running on, even if there are other Macs' backups on the same disk/partition.
Also, sometimes TM will start a new "sequence" of backups, as if they were from a different Mac.
To see these "other" backups, you need the (badly named) +*Browse Other Time Machine Disks*+ option. It's available by holding down the Option key while selecting the TM icon in your Menubar, or by right-clicking the TM icon in your Dock.
You'll see a selection screen showing all the disks/partitions that have TM backups on them. Select the one you want, and you'll be taken to the normal TM "Star Wars" display, where you should see all the backups on that disk/partition.
If the backups you want were made over a network, you may have to manually mount the +sparse bundle+ they're in, by double-clicking it via the Finder, for them to show up in the selection screen.
You may not be able to restore such items normally, to their original location; you'll need to restore them to an +alternate location+ per item #16.
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_*18. How can I copy my TM backups to a different location?*_
In many cases, you can copy your Time Machine backups to a new location, with some restrictions:
If your backups were made to an internal or directly-connected USB or FireWire disk or partition, you must copy all the backups for all the Macs that were backed-up to the same disk/partition that way.
You cannot pick and choose a group of individual backups to copy -- it's "all or nothing."
You cannot merge two or more sets of backups, even for the same Mac.
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Part of the complexity here is because Time Machine stores it's backups differently depending on how they were made:
+*Local backups+* (made to an internal disk or a USB or FireWire disk connected directly to a Mac) are stored in a folder named "Backups.backupdb", at the top level of the drive/partition.
+*Network backups+* (made over a network, whether via WIFI or Ethernet) are stored inside a +*sparse bundle+* at the top level of the drive, in a folder named "Backups.backupdb".
Normally, you cannot just switch from one method to the other.
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The method of copying is different for Leopard and Snow Leopard; how the backups were made; and whether you're changing from local to network, or vice-versa.
Note that below, a "volume" is either an entire disk drive or a partition on a disk drive.
Unless the new volume is a Time Capsule's internal HD (which is pre-formatted), it must be formatted per item #5, especially the pink box there (with a couple of exceptions noted below).
Before starting to copy, de-select the old destination via TM Preferences (select "none"). When done, select the new destination.
Copying backups will take a long time under the best of circumstances; even a small set of backups will contain +several hundred thousand+ files; a large one may number in the millions.
If the copy fails, and everything else seems correct, try Repairing the old backups, per #A5 in the Time Machine - Troubleshooting *User Tip.*
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_*To copy LOCAL BACKUPS from one volume to another LOCAL VOLUME:_*
*SNOW LEOPARD:* See the *Mac OS X v10.6: How to transfer your back ups from your current hard drive to a new hard drive* section, towards the bottom of this Apple article: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1427 Note that if the old volume is formatted +Mac OS Extended (case-sensitive, journaled),+ the new one must be formatted the same.
Or, use the procedure for Leopard:
LEOPARD: You cannot copy +*local backups+* properly from one volume to another via the Leopard Finder. But you can duplicate the backups to a different volume via Disk Utility (in your Applications/Utilities folder).
Note that you must duplicate an *entire volume* to another *entire volume* -- if you have other items on the old volume, they will be copied, too (this is a bad idea: see question #3 above). Also, any data already on the new volume will be erased.
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a. Via Time Machine Preferences, de-select the volume (select "none"). Quit System Preferences.
b. Be sure to format the new drive correctly. See item #5 for instructions.
c. Connect both drives to your Mac, via separate ports if possible, then open a Finder window. Make sure both volumes are shown in the sidebar (if not, from the Menubar select Preferences > Sidebar, and check the box to show +External disks+ in the sidebar). Leave the Finder window open.
d. Start Disk Utility, select either volume (indented under the main drive line), and click the Restore tab.
e. Drag the old volume to the Source box, and the new volume to the Destination box.
f. Check the +Erase destination+ box, then the Restore button. This may take a long time.
g. When the duplication is complete, note that Disk Utility has *+changed the name+* of the destination volume to be the same as the source. You do not want to leave it that way, so immediately rename one of them. In the sidebar of the Finder window opened above, right-click the one you want to rename. When done, look back at the Disk Utility display to be sure you renamed the right one, then quit Disk Utility.
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_*To copy TIME CAPSULE BACKUPS to ANOTHER TIME CAPSULE:_*
See the *Time Capsule and Mac OS X v10.6: How to transfer your back up from an existing Time Capsule to a new one* section towards the bottom of this Apple article: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1427
_*To copy NETWORK BACKUPS to a USB drive to be used on a NETWORK (or to a Time Capsule):_*
*SNOW LEOPARD:* First, configure Time Machine to back up to the new network location, and start a backup. As soon as the +sparse bundle+ is created, cancel the backup. Then, if possible, connect the new drive directly to your Mac (or the Time Capsule via Ethernet). Use the Finder to mount the new sparse bundle, and delete the Backups.backupdb folder inside it. Then drag the Backups.backupdb folder from the old +sparse bundle+ to the new +sparse bundle.+
LEOPARD: If possible, connect the new drive directly to your Mac (or the Time Capsule via Ethernet). Use the Finder to drag the +sparse bundle+ from the old volume to the new one. The problem here is, the copied sparse bundle will have the same +maximum size+ as the old one, so it may not be able to use the entire volume for backups.
_*To copy NETWORK BACKUPS to be used LOCALLY:_*
*SNOW LEOPARD:* Connect the old drive directly to your Mac if possible. Use the Finder to mount the old sparse bundle, then drag the Backups.backupdb folder from the sparse bundle to the top level of the new volume. Note that in this case, the new volume must be formatted +Mac OS Extended (case-sensitive, journaled).+
LEOPARD: Network backups cannot be copied to be used locally.
_*To copy LOCAL BACKUPS to be used on a NETWORK:_*
*SNOW LEOPARD:* First, configure Time Machine to back up to the network location, and start a backup. As soon as the +sparse bundle+ is created, cancel the backup. Then, if possible, connect the new drive directly to your Mac. Use the Finder to mount the new sparse bundle, and delete the Backups.backupdb folder inside it. Then drag the Backups.backupdb folder from the old volume to the new +sparse bundle.+
LEOPARD: Local backups cannot be copied to be used on a network.
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_*19. How do I set up a new Mac from my old Mac's backups?*_
The easiest way to set up a new Mac if you already have a Mac, is to use +Setup Assistant,+ which starts automatically when you start up your shiny new Mac.
There's a little demonstration of this towards the end of the Time Machine Tutorial.
First, you'll see a Welcome video in many languages, then a screen to select your Country, then one to select your Keyboard.
The next screen says "Do you already own a Mac?" and "Would you like to transfer" followed by four options:
From another Mac
From another volume on this Mac
From another Mac's Time Machine Backups
Do not transfer
To transfer directly from another Mac, you must connect them via FireWire cable, Ethernet cable, or an Airport; and start up the other Mac in +Target Disk+ mode (start up while holding down the T key).
To transfer from Time Machine backups, they can be on an external FireWire or USB drive, or a Time Capsule. If they're on a Time Capsule, connect to it via Ethernet cable if possible. If they were made on a USB drive connected to a Time Capsule or Airport, connect the drive directly to your Mac if possible. If the backups are on an internal HD on another Mac, connect that Mac in +Target Disk+ mode as above.
If you have a "clone" of your old Mac on an external HD, made via CarbonCopyCloner, SuperDuper, or the like, it's the equivalent of the old Mac: select +From Another Mac+ and connect the drive.
If you selected +Time Machine backups,+ then select your TM backups on the next screen. (If they're not shown, connect the drive, or click Join if they're on a Time Capsule).
Next is the selection for what you want to transfer. You'll see four checkboxes:
Users
Applications
Settings
Other Files and Folders
These are "yes" or "no" selections: you can select which users to transfer, but otherwise you can't pick and chose individual items in those categories.
In nearly all cases, select all four and click the Transfer button (as soon as it completes calculating all the sizes). +Setup Assistant+ will then transfer everything; when you restart, your Mac will be just like the old one: users, passwords, configuration, etc.
Note that +Setup Assistant+ is smart enough not to replace newer Apple apps that came with the new Mac with older versions from the backups.
In some cases, there may be a few exceptions:
If transferring from a PPC Mac to an Intel Mac, some PPC applications may not work properly, or at all. See this Apple article: http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1963?viewlocale=en_US
You may have to re-enter serial numbers/purchase codes for some 3rd-party applications.
Very rarely, complex 3rd-party apps that were installed with special installers, and put files in unexpected places, may need to be reinstalled (using their installer) to work properly.
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_*20. Once my Mac is backed-up, can I delete some stuff to save space?*_
+*NO, NO, NO !+* That is a +*terrible idea !+*
First, the whole point of a good backup strategy is to have (at least) two copies of everything important, in (at least) two separate places. If you delete the originals, you no longer have backups! When your TM drive fails (and all disk drives fail, sooner or later), you risk losing your +*only remaining copy.+*
Second, Time Machine will, eventually, delete the backup copies of anything that's no longer on your system. The timing varies, depending on how long things were on your system before being deleted, how often backups were run, and how much space is on your TM drive: it may be as long as your oldest backup, or as short as 24 hours.
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_*21. How do I set up Time Machine to an internal or directly-connected external HD?*_
If you connect an external drive to your Mac, and Time Machine is not set up, OSX will ask if you want to use the drive for Time Machine backups. If you click the +Use as Backup Disk+ button, it will set up Time Machine automatically.
But there may be some problems with that, so we recommend doing it this way:
First, set up the drive for use with Time Machine. See item #5 for instructions on setting up a new drive, or one without any data you want to keep. See item #6 to add a partition for Time Machine to an existing drive that already has data that you want to keep.
Next, if the +Time Machine+ application isn't already in your Dock, drag it there from your Applications folder.
Right-click it and select +(Open) Time Machine Preferences.+ Check the box to +Show Time Machine status in the menu bar+ and click the +Select Disk+ button (on Leopard, this will be either +Choose Backup Disk+ or +Change Disk.)+ Select the desired drive/partition from the list and click the +Use for Backup+ button.
In the +Next Backup+ area of the TM Preference panel there should be a 120-second countdown until the backup starts.
Note that the first backup will copy the entire contents of your system, except for a few things that are skipped automatically, such as system work files, most caches, your logs, trash, etc., and anything else you may have excluded (see item #10 and item #11) so it will be rather lengthy, depending on how much data is on your system, how your Time Machine disk is connected, and how busy your Mac is.
You can continue to use your Mac while TM is backing-up, and you can even cancel a backup if necessary, but to make the first full backup as fast as possible, try not to overload your Mac or cancel the backup.
See item #24 for information on the two Time Machine icons you just added.
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_*22. How do I set up Time Machi

Hi, Nubz!
Yes, I just saw that, and am still chuckling.
Maybe that will mollify the Jive gods?
Thanks again,
Jim

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