Time Machine is renaming folders on my backup disk

derekjohnston

Registered
I'm using an external 2TB drive that had a backup on it from 2017, to back up a couple of current Macs. The first backup goes without a hitch. But after moving backup drive to another machine and backing it up, it changes the folder name for the previous backup and adds the backup to it's folder.

Under top level folder "backups.backupdb" I had the folder "Red Machine" from several years ago with proper contents. Today I hook up first machine (computer name "Blue Set") and it creates a sub folder "Blue Set" and then populates the folder with the backup. I now move to the second machine (computer name "White Box") and Time Machine renames folder "Blue Set" to "White Box" and then does a proper backup. Both backups are under folder "White Box" now. When I enter Time Machine it seems to be keeping the two machines straight but why can't I have separate folders for "White Box" and "Blue Set" ?
 
Since you are doing a back up for the 'just in case' before an upgrade, You need to give each machine their own partition, not just their own folder.
On one machine, use Disk Utility to format and partition the external 'time machine' drive. If you have three machines to back up, do three equal partitions. You can name each partition to go with each machine (i.e. red, white, blue). The partitions will show up on your desktop as three different drives. Now Time Machine will not get confused with folders since you have separate drives for each machine.

Now you can use Time machine to back up the first one, setting the time machine for its partition. Do the same for the other machines, selecting the prospective drive for each machine you need to back up.
 
Since you are doing a back up for the 'just in case' before an upgrade, You need to give each machine their own partition, not just their own folder.
On one machine, use Disk Utility to format and partition the external 'time machine' drive. If you have three machines to back up, do three equal partitions. You can name each partition to go with each machine (i.e. red, white, blue). The partitions will show up on your desktop as three different drives. Now Time Machine will not get confused with folders since you have separate drives for each machine.

Now you can use Time machine to back up the first one, setting the time machine for its partition. Do the same for the other machines, selecting the prospective drive for each machine you need to back up.
Thanks Cheryl. Not enough time this evening to get it all done but it sounds like a workable plan.
 
Time Machine needs its own drive - so each of your Macs need their own Time Machine drive. Using partitions will do the trick.
 
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