Why does time machine back up when no new files have been added?

I run time machine manually and even after having just back up, it says it is backing up 50mb of something.  Nothing has been added or taken away.  It just keeps adding and using up disk space.

System files are constantly changing, TM backs the whole machine up not just the files you are working on,
And 55mb is small change

Similar Messages

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    Are the USB drives powered from the computer or do they have their own power supplies.
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  • Why does time machine back up change root directory of software?

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    I'm also puzzled because it continually wants to back up some 15MB or more when I've changed nothing
    Suggest that you download and install BackupLoupe to find out exactly what is being backed up on each pass.
    soma-zone: BackupLoupe
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    TimeMachineEditor
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  • HT3275 Why does Time Machine backup fail when an external drive is included in backup?

    Time Machine will not perform a backup when I have an external drive (formatted Mac OS Extended - Journaled) included in the backup. My understanding is that it should. What am I doing wrong?
    Thanks.

    timtom122353 wrote:
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    Ah, not one of Apple's more informative messages. 
    There's a problem with a file on that disk.  See #C3 in Time Machine - Troubleshooting.  It will show you how to locate the message(s) that describe the problem, then help you fix it. 

  • Why does Time Machine back up so frequently?

    I've noticed Time Machine trying to back up as frequently as every 20 minutes rather than every hour.  I'm also puzzled because it continually wants to back up some 15MB or more when I've changed nothing and excluded Safari-related folders from TM in an attempt to keep all the cookies and caches from backing up.
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    I'm also puzzled because it continually wants to back up some 15MB or more when I've changed nothing
    Suggest that you download and install BackupLoupe to find out exactly what is being backed up on each pass.
    soma-zone: BackupLoupe
    If you want to change the backup frequency of Time Machine, an application like Time Machine Editor will allow you schedule backups whenever you like. But, you may not need to do this if you can figure out what might be causing the first issue.
    TimeMachineEditor
    If you ever decide to delete Time Machine Editor, be sure to change the backup frequency back to hourly before you delete the application.

  • When using Time Machine to back up to external drive, does Time Machine back up content in your Trash folder?

    When using Time Machine to back up to external drive, does Time Machine back up content in your Trash folder?

    Go to System Preferences (under the Apple menu) > Time Machine and click the Options button. Click the "+" button in the lower left. In the resulting dialog, check the Show invisible items checkbox. Go to your home folder and look for Trash. Click the Exclude button in the lower right.

  • Does time machine back up purchased iTunes items?

    I just started to use a Mac and time machine. Does Time Machine back up even purchased items, or do I need to burn those to disk?
    Thanks,
    Dan

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  • Time machine backing up when pref is turned off

    I noticed yesterday and today, after replacing my TimeMachine with a new one, that even though I had temporarily turned off the Time Machine backup in my system prefs because I didn't want it running while I was editing a video, it will still backing up. And backing up a huge amount of data. A Google search using "time machine backs up when turned off" as the search phrase led me to: <http://toti.posterous.com/hidden-local-backups-with-mac-os-x-lion-filli> in which I learned that TM is doing local backups to my laptops' hard drive. Don't want this, but as usual Apple is assuming most people would welcome this safety feature and so don't offer (a) information on it or (b) the option in system prefs to turn it off. Anyway, on that page there is a command for the Terminal which will turn off this feature:
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    john2b_75 wrote:
    My MacBook does this too. No amount of turning on and off the Time Machine in Preferences has any impact on its behaviour.
    Have you ever used a 3rd-party utility, such as Time Machine Editor, Time Machine Scheduler, or the like, to alter Time Machine's behavior?   If so, that's the problem -- those set up a completely separate schedule.  Use the same app to set it back to the defaults or OFF.
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    My Time Capsule drive is stuffed (indexed to death) and even Disk Warrior can't fix it,
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    after 24 hours of grinding away it fails only halfway through.
    With what message?

  • Does Time Machine backs up also the format of the volume?

    Since many softwares cannot be installed on case-sensitive volume, so I erased the whole volume and install OS X Mountain Lion with format of OS Extended(Journaled). Then I use Time Machine backing up to the new system.
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    Thanks.

    As well as doing backups and other things, you can use Disk Utility to create RAID volume sets. 
    Returning to the image you posted, RAID is selected at (1) and so it thinks you are about to create a RAID volume.  The format for the new volume would be as shown at (2).  On the other hand, the volume at (3) is selected and it is that volume's format which is shown at (4). 
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      http://pondini.org/OSX/Home.html
    To go back to your original question: 
    > Does Time Machine backs up also the format of the volume?
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  • How far back does Time Machine back up?

    How far back does Time Machine back up? Thanks.

    Thanks Kappy and Tech Guy. I'll try and digest that info--it may take awhile!
    Just for info, I am using a Lacie d2 500 GB, presently it has used 263 of the 500.
    It is presently backed up until January 2010 which must be the date I hooked into Time Machine. I have a 1TB iOmega which I am thinking of using for the back up drive but feel the Lacie may be the better of the two so may leave it on.
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  • Does time machine back up second drives

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    Open the Time Machine pane of System Preferences and verify that the drive isn't excluded. Drives in some formats, such as FAT32, can't be backed up by Time Machine.
    (74490)

  • Does Time Machine back up other users?

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    Lou

    Yes Time Machine backs up your entire hard drive.

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    Thanks.

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    (120661)

  • Does time machine back up my photostream?

    Does Time Machine back up my Photostream - I'm referring
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    What versions of Mac OS and iPhoto are required to effect
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    Thanks,
    Tom

    no
    If you have iPhoto set to automatically import your PhotoStream then after they are imported into an event TM will back them up - it does not backup your PhotoStream itself
    LN

  • Does time machine back up my applications

    does time machine back up my applications and passwords?

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