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    Time machine backup taking too much space

    Discussion in 'Apple and Mac OS X' started by snowfree52, Apr 24, 2009.

  1. snowfree52

    snowfree52 Notebook Geek

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    Hello,

    Here is the thing, I only have used 285gb of 500gb on my internal hard drive. I got myself a new 500Gb external hd as a time machine.

    However, when I go to the time machine' options it says: Total included: 503.1gb

    How can a backup be bigger than my internal hd??? :eek:

    Thanks
     
    snowfree52, Apr 24, 2009
    #1
  2. snowfree52

    snowfree52 Notebook Geek

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    I just tried to exclude my Filevault user file, and now it says exactly the good size:
    total included: 285gb

    But in this user file there is all my stuff (pictures,movies, music, documents...)

    Are all those documents copied in another file in the computer? Should I save the filevault user file ??

    Thanks
     
    snowfree52, Apr 24, 2009
    #2
  3. Chris27

    Chris27 Notebook Deity

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    Time Machine will expand to fill up the entire disk. Only then will it start deleting backups. If you want to control the size of Time Machine repartition the drive to give Time Machine its own space (this process will erase the disk).

    It's quite possible for Time Machine to be larger than your internal drive as not only does Time Machine keep track of files currently on your computer, but past files (and past versions of those files) that may have since been deleted/changed. Let's say I filled up my 200 GB hard drive Time Machine performs a backup. Wanting to free up space, let's say I delete/change/move off the disk 20 GB of data. A week later I fill my hard drive once more and Time Machine performs another backup. My time Machine backup will now be 220 GB
     
    Chris27, Apr 24, 2009
    #3
  4. snowfree52

    snowfree52 Notebook Geek

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    Hello,

    I know time machine will expand to fill up the whole disc. but in the case I presented, this is the first backup!!

    If I exclude the Filevault user file the time machine backup is taking exactly the same space as the one taken in my internal hd.
    But in this case, will I have my documents, pictures ... backed up? I believe they are in the filevault file, but since without it it says the whole size of my hd, is this filevault only a copy or whatever?

    I hope it's not too difficult to understand :s
     
    snowfree52, Apr 25, 2009
    #4
  5. Snowm0bile

    Snowm0bile Starcraftologist

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    So youre saying that you moved the back up to your new external hdd and the size is greater than your internal.

    I got an external for time machine, but I didnt have that much space on my internal when I did it.
     
    Snowm0bile, Apr 25, 2009
    #5
  6. Underpantman

    Underpantman Notebook Virtuoso

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    TM has some problems with filevault.
    There are work arounds and this post gives you a good guide and explaination on the whole thing
    a
    :)
     
    Underpantman, Apr 26, 2009
    #6
  7. snowfree52

    snowfree52 Notebook Geek

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    Hello
    Actually what I meant is that:
    [​IMG]

    How can I have 517.5GB to back up if I only have 302.87GB used on my hard drive ???

    Thanks
     
    snowfree52, May 13, 2009
    #7
  8. Colton

    Colton Also Proudly American

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    That's because when it backs up, it will compile every backup you've ever changed. For the initial backup, Time Machine copies the entire contents of the computer to your backup drive. It copies every file exactly (without compression), skipping caches and other files that aren’t required to restore your Mac to its original state. Following the initial backup, Time Machine makes only incremental backups — copying just the files that have changed since the previous backup. Time Machine creates links to any unchanged files, so when you travel back in time you see the entire contents of your Mac on a given day.

    Hope that helps! :)
     
    Colton, May 13, 2009
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  9. snowfree52

    snowfree52 Notebook Geek

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    This can explain the space it takes on my external hard drive after several backup, not the space asked for the backup at first.
    am I clear? :s
     
    snowfree52, May 14, 2009
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  10. hydrocyanic

    hydrocyanic Notebook Evangelist

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    you are saying the weight of your past shouldn't have weight as much?

    how sad :p

    about time machine though... i have no clue, sorry :)
     
    hydrocyanic, May 14, 2009
    #10
  11. snowfree52

    snowfree52 Notebook Geek

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    Nice one :)
     
    snowfree52, May 15, 2009
    #11