Partitioned my first EXTERNAL for Time Machine and have this question:

TuckerdogAVL

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Okay, stupid question, but I partitioned an external hard drive to use as the back up for Time Machine. I called the largest section (1.5gb) Time Machine; the other section is called "Saved Files." On the first backup that is running right now, I excluded the "Saved Files." That's okay as there is nothing in there. However, here's my question: For future, if I want to drag a folder or files that are on the computer right now into that "SAVED FILES" and I were to not exclude that partitioned section, those will get backed up in the Time Machine backup correct? But, if I exclude SAVED FILES and drag a folder into it from the computer, then those files WON'T be backed up, correct? So, if I want to make sure everything that is on the computer is backed up by the Time Machine I need to not exclude that special partitioned section and treat it as though it was not an external... but obviously exclude the actual partitioned section called Time Machine.

Also, under the same thinking, If I make an alias on the desktop of a folder, and put that original folder in the separate SAVED FILES section and include the SAVED FILES partition (do not exclude it by choosing minus), then everything gets backed up to the Time Machine partitioned section? Just like if it were a flash drive or actually on the internal ... Just want to make sure all files are backed up by Time M. I partitioned in case I want to transfer files back and forth actually... but thought maybe there's a way to use that section to unclutter the desktop.

As an aside: I had to get a new external, we think there may have been a power surge during a backup or brown out, but what's interesting is there is only 260gb used on a 700gb internal HD that is being backed up. Yet, Time Machine said it was full and couldn't do any more backups. And I couldn't delete any files either. Then it stopped booting. Then it wouldn't allow me to erase it or mount it or do anything with it. Fortunately, the backups are for insurance. There really isn't anything to get off of them if this backup is good. So, purchased the new for insurance of upgrades in the future ...
 
1. Time Machine (TM) automatically begins deleting the oldest backups, to make room for current backups, if there is space to do that. I assume you made a mis-type when you said the Time Machine backup volume is 1.5GB. Should be at least the size of the hard drive that you need to back up. The usual rule-of-thumb here is that TM volume should be double the size. Gives you plenty of extra room to keep older backups, etc.
2. If you have a folder "Saved Files" that you have excluded from TM backup, then anything that you drag into that Saved Files folder would also be excluded --- it's in the excluded folder, right?
3. If you don't want to exclude anything, then don't have some folder (with however many aliases/links that you want) excluded. Just allow Time Machine to backup everything. Add a larger drive, if that's what you need to do. (1.5GB, if that's what you REALLY do have, is almost no space at all, not useful at all with TIme Machine.
4. You delete files your Time Machine backup THROUGH the TM interface.

Finally, if you may have had power problems during a TM backup, I would suggest deleting that possibly corrupted backup entirely (just drag the TM backup file to the trash, then empty the trash), then start TM, and let it create a brand-new complete backup. It will take some time (might be several hours), so just let that finish. That's the only way to be sure that your TM backup is complete, and valid.
Do that sooner, not later (when something else happens, and you have no complete backup :D )
 
I recently had a problem with my Time Machine (TM). I turned off TM, then used Disk Utility to wipe the external drive clean. Then turned TM back on and had it start all over.

Delta: How do you delete files through the TM Interface?
 
1. Time Machine (TM) automatically begins deleting the oldest backups, to make room for current backups, if there is space to do that.

Except that it didn't. The HD on the Macbook pro is 700gb. The actual amount used is about 268gb. Time Machine would methodically backup that data until it didn't. The last messages from the Time Machine was there was no more room to make backups even though it had been deleting the oldest backups until it didn't, and the 1TB external was now filled with 1 gb of space left. Then all kinds of things stopped working. But yes, that's what it is supposed to do. And has in the past*
*you may do all the right things and it still doesn't work.

I assume you made a mis-type when you said the Time Machine backup volume is 1.5GB. Should be at least the size of the hard drive that you need to back up. The usual rule-of-thumb here is that TM volume should be double the size. Gives you plenty of extra room to keep older backups, etc.
Yes. Typo. The 1.5TB of space partitioned is seven times the amount needed for the data and 2 times the size of the 700gb HD. The old external that filled up with Time Machine back ups that stopped deleting itself was 1TB ... the new one now also has 500GB for "things" when moving between computers.

2. If you have a folder "Saved Files" that you have excluded from TM backup, then anything that you drag into that Saved Files folder would also be excluded --- it's in the excluded folder, right?
That's what I thought, so I want to make sure it's included in the ™ backup. How did you get ™ to not turn into trademark? :)

3. If you don't want to exclude anything, then don't have some folder (with however many aliases/links that you want) excluded.
And it would be a folder within the section of the partition called "Saved Files." The section that isn't called "TIME MACHINE" just to be clear. So I'll tell Time Machine to go ahead and backup anything that happens to be in that partitioned portion. I assume, then, if there is something in there, that if I have to restore from Time Machine, I will see that external just like I do now on the desktop?

Just allow Time Machine to backup everything. Add a larger drive, if that's what you need to do. (1.5GB, if that's what you REALLY do have, is almost no space at all, not useful at all with TIme Machine.
No, that's a typo

4. You delete files your Time Machine backup THROUGH the TM interface.
Tried. Wouldn't let me. I believe the External died along with the two years' backups that filled it up. Tried on two different computers though (asterisk)
* My computer is running High Sierra, The other computer where this was used is on El Capitan. *May not work, could cause errors, not something you would know out of the box, sometimes works, sometimes is buggy.
Checked the cables, checked the drives, checked thru disk utility, used disk utility on both computers, ran thru safe mode. Nope. Just a paperweight now. You can hear it get to a particular point, then start over ....


Finally, if you may have had power problems during a TM backup, I would suggest deleting that possibly corrupted backup entirely (just drag the TM backup file to the trash, then empty the trash), then start TM, and let it create a brand-new complete backup. It will take some time (might be several hours), so just let that finish.
Oh, I "just" did that once and it caused MAJOR problems. I had to spend hours with Terminal, Forums, calling Apple Support, and all kinds of nonsense. I would never do that ever again. Got it cleaned up but it was a major headache.

Also, would have no idea which backup set that was (the backup that got screwed in a power blackout was probably the last one) because as I say when the External filled ™ stopped working properly. Even though *it's supposed to delete the old backups ... :)

That's the only way to be sure that your TM backup is complete, and valid.
*Except when it isn't.

Do that sooner, not later (when something else happens, and you have no complete backup :D )

Thanks for your insight. The new backup set is about halfway through (about six hours so far. It is backing up 256GB of data of a 700GB internal Harddrive ... with 1.5T of space allocated; That should take awhile to fill up hopefully. Normally the Time Machine runs fine in the background, until it doesn't. :) Asterisk.
 
I recently had a problem with my Time Machine (TM). I turned off TM, then used Disk Utility to wipe the external drive clean. Then turned TM back on and had it start all over.

Delta: How do you delete files through the TM Interface?
Really? Open Finder, go to Versions (under the View menu, I think), then scroll through to the item, drag to trash.
 
Really? Open Finder, go to Versions (under the View menu, I think), then scroll through to the item, drag to trash.

Really ! I have never needed to use Time Machine to restore - lucky me. I do not have Versions in my View menu, or File menu or Edit menu. Entering TM, I do not get a menu at all. Could this be in HighSierra and not a feature in Sierra?
 
Really? Open Finder, go to Versions (under the View menu, I think), then scroll through to the item, drag to trash.
This is exactly what caused the nightmare for me. It was at least a year ago, El Capitan for sure... and I cannot tell you the fix now (It's actually somewhere shared in APPLE's forum) but it was a huge mistake. Just sharing ... :) It fell in the "just simply" category along with asterisks and footnotes :)
 
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