Will Time Machine delete existing files on hard drive

A coworker is running OS X 10.6.8 on a MacBook Pro, and the computer is running very slow. I told her she should back up all her files with Time Machine, wipe her drive, upgrade to 10.10 and reimport all her files once that's done and see how things run then.
The problem is her existing hard drive has a lot of files on it already, that she doesn't want to risk losing.
So if I back up her hard drive with Time Machine to this hard drive, will it automatically erase all the existing files on the hard drive? Or can the Time Machine back up coexist with those existing files?

If the drive's already formatted as Mac OS Extended or Xsan, the files will remain as is. If not, they'll be erased.
In any case, all of the files you want to keep should be on at least two drives so that they won't be lost in the event that one of them fails.
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    Will Time Machine work with an external hard drive connected (via usb) to Airport Extreme?

    Sorry, but this article is about 4 years old, and was printed based on preliminary information at the time.
    The bottom line here is that Apple does not officially support Time Machine backups to a drive at the USB port of the AirPort Extreme.
    If it works for you, great.
    You might want to review the Apple Support documents below, which are far more recent than the article you reference:
    http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=Mac/10.6/en/15139.html
    http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2038
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    This is NOT correct. Please do not post false information on the forums.

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    GregT wrote:
    Apple TV is GREAT, but it quickly filled up my hard drive. My thought is to take my folder that contains all of my personal files and put it on an 1TB external hard drive. I'd then "point" iTunes to where this new folder is. First, is that the right approach? Will that mess anything else up? Second, can I have Time Machine then back this external hard drive up?
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    If it's listed in gray, however, it's either formatted wrong or corrupted, and you can't remove the exclusion.

  • Will Time Machine identify a back up hard drive after main has been erased?

    I went to the Genius Bar a couple of days ago and was told that in order to fix some of the problems I was having I should do a achieve and install (or maybe erase and install I can't remember.) Then use Time Machine to restore all the files on my computer except for the system and library folders (since there is a lot of stuff inside them that has been causing errors.)
    My question is will Time Machine be able to identify my disk after the achieve and install? I looked at the Time Machine Backup from another start up disk and Time Machine just showed up blank. Is that what would happen if I wiped my drive? Or would that only happen if I completely erased the hard drive and not be an issue if I went with the achieve and install?

    The Time Machine disk certainly shouldn't look blank - that could indicate a pro blem with your backups not running when you expect.
    When you look at your Time Machine disk you should see a 'Backups.backupdb' dire ctory which contains subdirectories for each Time Machine snapshot.
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    If you do see that, then you should be OK (as long as the subdirectories cover r ecent dates), in which case you can run the re-install - I'd go for a 'clean ins tall' and use the 'Copy my settings from a Time Machine backup' which is one of  the options after the first boot.

  • How to reconnect Time machine to backup file on hard drive

    How do I reconnect my Time Machine to the Backups.backupdb on a hard drive? Time Machine got set to a new drive but I want to return to the older backup.

    James Macallister wrote:
    How do I reconnect my Time Machine to the Backups.backupdb on a hard drive? Time Machine got set to a new drive but I want to return to the older backup.
    If you want to back up to the old drive, just select that drive via +Time Machine Preferences > Select Disk.+
    But if you just want to view or restore from the old backups, and not back up to them, use the +*Browse ...+* option, per #17 in [Time Machine - Frequently Asked Questions|http://web.me.com/pondini/Time_Machine/FAQ.html] (or use the link in *User Tips* at the top of this forum).

  • Will Time Machine back up two internal hard drives on the same computer?

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  • Will Time Machine back up and external hard drive connected to my TC?

    Here is my desired set-up: older Powerbook G4 whose iTunes Music is saved on an external HD (WD MyBook offering USB, FW, and ethernet connections); backup wirelessly to a Time Capsule using Time Machine; connect the external drive to the Time Capsule either using USB or ethernet (whichever is faster); have Time Machine backup everything, ie, the laptop and the external drive connected directly to the Time Capsule.
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    f.bomb wrote:
    Seems like I could connect the external drive to the TC to provide a networked iTunes library, but I also want Time Capsule to back it all up together with my Powerbook.
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    No. Time Machine will not backup a network share such as you describe. Sorry.

  • Will Time Machine back up my external hard drive as well as internal one?

    I am considering upgrading my Macbook to Leopard. All of my photos, movies and iTunes music are stored on a 250G external drive and as these are the files I work with most frequently I need to back them up regularly. Can I use Time Machine to do this, in other words does the back up include drives other than the main internal one? If not it would be of little use to me.

    yes HFS+=mac os extended. I would check the format of the drive. most factory formatted drives are formatted for windows not Mac and hence are formatted FAT. FAT drives are also read+write from OS X. select you drive in finder and enter command+i. read off the format in the resulting info window.

  • Will Time Machine 'Clone' my comp internal Hard Drive

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    Depending on the exact question asked, relating to hardware by
    model number, serial number, and build information; an answer
    could vary. ie: A few early Intel-based Macs could revert, from say
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    I am unfamiliar with the full features and functionality of Time Machine;
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    that can boot and run their computer, in addition to a TM backup. They
    can be used to do different things within limits, as you probably are aware.
    In any event...
    Good luck & happy computing!
    { edited }

  • Will Time Machine work with my networked hard drive?

    I asked this question this question a couple years ago https://discussions.apple.com/message/9961900#9961900 and was wondering if there was an update as to whether Time Machine will work with a networked drive?
    Will it work?
    Does Apple officially support this method?
    I'm using Chronosync now, and it's good, but every once in a while it'll hickup.
    Thanks so much

    Nothing has changed, other than the fact that we are seeing a lot more posts from users having probems who have tried this unsupported method of backups.
    Apple is prety clear on this in their support documentation. They say that you cannot do this.
    Results vary with users who try this anyway. Some have difficulties immediately with corruption issues, others have successful backups for a few weeks to even a few months before they have difficuties. Count me as  one who thought they had somehow beat the system, but after 4 weeks, things collapsed.
    Forum expert Pondini has an appropriate saying about this issue, which I am sure I am not quoting exactly:
    There are two types of users who attempt Time Machine backups to a drive attached to the USB port on the AirPort Extreme....those who have problems, and those who will have problems.

  • Will Time Machine delete files on external hard drive?

    I have all my itunes music and videos on my external hard drive. Will Time Machine delete these files. The hard drive is already formatted for mac.

    Note from Time Machine Help files:
    Time Machine works best if you use your backup disk only for Time Machine backups. If you keep files on your backup disk, Time Machine won’t back up those files, and the space available for Time Machine backups will be reduced.
    So it will not overwrite the files but it also will not back them up.

  • Re Time Machine I have an external  hard drive with files I backed up manually over the past 2 years 1TB of memory. I am finally taking the leap to use Time machine to back everything.   will I have to reformat that drive, thus wiping my previous bac

    Re Time Machine
    I have an external  hard drive with files I backed up manually over the past 2 years 1TB of memory.
    I am finally taking the leap to use Time machine to back everything.
    will I have to reformat that drive, thus wiping my previous back ups?
    can I split it the drive in two partitions?
    Also
    as I have two separate Macbook Pro's- one older than the other.
    OSX 10.68
    the other is
    OSX 10.75
    can I back them up separately?
    or even synch and merge files and folders etc? between the two?

    You CAN use a drive with files already on it to store Time Machine backups. But long term, that is not recommended. You do not need to reformat or re-partition the drive to do this. Once Time Machine Backups are established, you could remove the old files.
    But do not delete Time Machines files with the Finder -- that can cause it to lose its place and lose everything.
    With the cost of backup drives under US$100, it might be a better idea in the long run to get another drive. Best results from Time Machine is a drive about 3 times larger than the drive(s) you are backing up.

  • HT201250 I want to use Time Machine to back up my pictures because my hard drive is full but I'm wondering if once I back up the pictures then delete them will time machine delete them off the back up too?

    I want to use Time Machine to back up my pictures because my hard drive is full but I'm wondering if once I back up the pictures then delete them will time machine delete them off the back up too?

    Evetually yes.
    If your pictures have been in the same location (same folder, same subfolder, ...) for more than a week, then copies if them will remain in your TM backups until it fills up. They are then vulnerable to being deleted.
    If they've been there for less than a week, TM could delete them as early as a month from now. If they've been there for only a few hours, chances are TM will delete them tomorrow.
    This is why TM is not the best tool to use to archive data that you will be deleting from your main hard drive. Copy them to a dedicated external drive, or burn DVDs.

  • Time Machine deleted data files

    I just set up time machine with a back up hard drive. When I went to open "Quicken" the data file opened is almost two years old. I cannot locate the latest file anywhere on the computer or back up drive. Any ideas where it could be hiding?

    stheyn wrote:
    Thanks for the reply. Time Machine must have deleted the file.
    No. It's possible that for some reason Time Machine didn't back it up, but it cannot delete a file from your system.
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    I have tried Spotlight and Finder to look for any newer Quicken type files, with no luck.
    I really don't know what happened and the file is probably gone. But, I was hoping somebody has had this issue and found some solution.
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    Some of these have a free "trial mode," that will tell you if there's anything to be recovered, and perhaps recover a single file. For more, you have to pay the $$.
    You'll also need another drive to receive anything it can recover.
    Look for apps or services under +Data Recovery+ via Google, VersionTracker.com, or MacUpdate.com.

  • Hallo ,why is it that when I delete a photo ,which is backed up by time machine and western digital external hard drive , that I am able to restore the photo okay but not the titles and descriptions . I have  a Macbook 4.1, mac osx 10.5.8 . Iphoto 7.1.5 ,

    QUESTION.
    Hallo , my question is ;whenever I delete a photo and restore it through Time machine and Western digital external hard drive , I am able to restore the photo but not the titles and descriptions . Western Digital inform me that it isn't their external hard drive problem and suggest that it is an Apple software problem ?
    I am using  a Macbook 4.1 , with Mac OSX 10.5.8 . I photo 7.1.5 , last modifie4d 01/05/2010 -universal . Should I be upgrading  Iphoto ?
    I hope that someone is able to help in this matter , as i have to restore 12000 photos !
    Thanking you in anticipation.
    Alan from Wigton

    Hallo  Kieth ,
    I am not quite ready to restore the full iphoto library , as I have days of work re - imputting titles,descriptions and enhancement . I hope that your suggestion works , as I use my Macbook basically to work with digital photography. Through time , I will need to delete my library to recover more disc space and I would hate to have to spend more time re - imputting titles and descriptions all over again .
    Thanks for your interest and advice.
    regards  - Alan

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