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Nervous About Deleting Backed Up Files

i just sucessfully backed my macbook up on an external hard drive. I did this to make space, but now I'm nervous to delete the files. is there any reason for me not to delete the files on my MacBook?

Posted on Jan 30, 2021 1:52 PM

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Posted on Jan 30, 2021 2:43 PM

Did you move the files to make free space on your MacBook Air or so that you would have a backup if something happened to the original? If the first then delete, if the second when you delete the original you no longer have a backup, you only have a copy of the original. If something happens to that file or drive it's gone....no backup. Moving files to free up space is not a backup.

If you need to move files in order to create free space you should move those onto a separate drive which should also be backed up! A backup wether it be with Time Machine or cloning software like Carbon Copy Cloner is a copy of what you still have on the drive.

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jan 30, 2021 2:43 PM in response to leslie_inphilly

Did you move the files to make free space on your MacBook Air or so that you would have a backup if something happened to the original? If the first then delete, if the second when you delete the original you no longer have a backup, you only have a copy of the original. If something happens to that file or drive it's gone....no backup. Moving files to free up space is not a backup.

If you need to move files in order to create free space you should move those onto a separate drive which should also be backed up! A backup wether it be with Time Machine or cloning software like Carbon Copy Cloner is a copy of what you still have on the drive.

Nervous About Deleting Backed Up Files

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