Time Machine Backup of mounted disk

Hi,
For sharing my iPhoto Library among multiple users on a MacBook Pro running, currently 10.6.8, I have by a Apple Support guide created a disk image file, and mounted it for storing my pictures without permission issues.
However, to account for future expansion, the disk image is made to be 100 GB, while current photo library size is approx 50 GB. Is there any way of getting Time Machine to backup the files within the mounted disk, rather than backing up the disk image file itself? So that the size of the backup at present would be the actual size of contents of the disk, rather than the whole disk image file itself? And furthermore, by copying a disk image file, will the actual files within also be backuped?
Hoping this makes sense to some you you, thanks!

Create a sparse bundle disk image and copy your library there. A sparse bundle disk image consists of strips, rather than one single file. The bundle will expand to fit your needs by adding strips. If things change in the bundle, TimeMachine should be smart enough to only backup the changed strips, not the entire image. So if you tell Disk Utility to create an empty sparse bundle disk image of 1000GB and you put in only 50 GB, the bundle will only occupy 50 GB.
When you delete loads of data, you can even shrink back the disk image (through a terminal command) to free up real disk space.
Message was edited by: eljonco, added shrinking info

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Time Machine doesn't back up a disk image file while it's mounted, whether encrypted or not.

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Give this a try:
Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions - Lion/Mountain Lion
Boot to the Recovery HD:
Restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the COMMAND and R keys until the menu screen appears. Alternatively, restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the OPTION key until the boot manager screen appears. Select the Recovery HD and click on the downward pointing arrow button.
Repair
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Mac OS 10.8.5
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The two drives are handled as separate drives, even if they have the same name.
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Time Machine does not create bootable clones. It does not even create a bootable backup. If that's what you prefer then do not use Time Machine.
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Hi,
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Time machine backup to usb disk

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I would like to backup the time machine backup of my Macs from a time capsule to an external hard disk. The time capsule is a first geneneration one with 500 GB. The external hard disk has 500 GB as well with USB and firewire ports..
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CAAN wrote:
I have two questions regarding backing up a time capsule backup.
I would like to backup the time machine backup of my Macs from a time capsule to an external hard disk.
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URL: http://support.apple.com/kb/ht5096
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I have attached pictures of the paths for both Source HDD and Destination HDD, please look.
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Does Time Machine back up mounted disk images?

I keep certain sensitive data encrypted on a .sparsebundle file. If this file is mounted when Time Machine kicks in, will Time Machine back up the unencrypted data to my backup disk?
Martin S Taylor

I see. But it's not the sparsebundle I'm worried about: I'm concerned about the contents of the disk being backed up.
From what you say, I'm assuming the contents are never directly backed up whether encrypted or not: if the disk is unmounted, then obviously the contents can't be backed up (only the .sparseimage file itself); and if it's mounted – well, they're just not backed up, because this isn't how Time Machine works.
Have I got this right?
Martin

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While in Time Machine, to see all mounted volumes shift - command - c. Information learned from Linc Davis.

Time Machine Backup of mounted disk

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