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Time Machine question

Can I use an external harddrive that has data stored on it already for Time Machine backups?


iMac Line (2012 and Later)

Posted on Jul 20, 2021 5:37 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jul 20, 2021 5:45 PM

Hello, sirgroiney.


You can do that but it isn't recommended. Time Machine backups are very sensitive to tampering and it's very easy to accidentally mess something up with a wayward insertion or deletion.

It's just best practice to dedicate a drive to the TM backup and use it for nothing else.

If you must use a single drive for TM and something else, it's best to partition the drive and give TM its own volume to backup to.

2 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jul 20, 2021 5:45 PM in response to sirgroiney

Hello, sirgroiney.


You can do that but it isn't recommended. Time Machine backups are very sensitive to tampering and it's very easy to accidentally mess something up with a wayward insertion or deletion.

It's just best practice to dedicate a drive to the TM backup and use it for nothing else.

If you must use a single drive for TM and something else, it's best to partition the drive and give TM its own volume to backup to.

Time Machine question

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