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You are here: MacNN Forums > Software - Troubleshooting and Discussion > macOS > How do you transfer a Time Machine backup partition?

How do you transfer a Time Machine backup partition?
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Simon
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Dec 21, 2007, 03:27 AM
 
Let's say your Time Machine disk just ran out of space and you want to buy a new and bigger disk. I'm wondering what's the easiest way to transfer a Time Machine backup partition w/o losing all the backed up content?

Would cloning (for example with Apple Software Restore in DiskUtility) the TM partition to the new disk and updating the TM pref work? Would TM machine recognize the old backups?
     
CharlesS
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Dec 21, 2007, 03:46 AM
 
I think all you should need is the Backups.backupdb folder. Maybe the invisible directories if there are any (I seem to remember seeing something like .TM_Archived_Directories, but it was empty. Unfortunately, I'm away from my Leopard machine at the moment and can't check).

Cloning it should be pretty safe, especially if you check the "Erase Destination" check box and do a block copy.

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Simon  (op)
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Dec 21, 2007, 01:01 PM
 
Maybe I'm reading too much into your response, but it's tempting to think it's actually that easy.

So you hook up the new disk, copy over the Backups.backupdb folder, and tell TM to use that disk. Done. Really? Even with all the hardlinks and database stuff going on, a simple Finder drag copy is good enough?

Has anybody actually tried this?
     
krove
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Dec 21, 2007, 01:08 PM
 
I'll be trying in a week or so.

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DarkStarRed
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Dec 21, 2007, 02:08 PM
 
Interesting never thought of that but I have Lacie which you can easily connect to another ext-HD by firewire.
I've just backed up my Tiger-HD & will be installing Leopard, I'm just wondering if I activate Time-machine at start, will it partition the Lacie auto' & without problems?
     
CharlesS
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Dec 21, 2007, 10:34 PM
 
Originally Posted by Simon View Post
Maybe I'm reading too much into your response, but it's tempting to think it's actually that easy.

So you hook up the new disk, copy over the Backups.backupdb folder, and tell TM to use that disk. Done. Really? Even with all the hardlinks and database stuff going on, a simple Finder drag copy is good enough?

Has anybody actually tried this?
I haven't tried it, but it seems like it should work. OTOH, I'm pretty sure that doing a block copy would have to work.

Ticking sound coming from a .pkg package? Don't let the .bom go off! Inspect it first with Pacifist. Macworld - five mice!
     
hempcamp
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Dec 21, 2007, 11:23 PM
 
Try using Disk Utility to restore the old Time Machine disk to a new drive as explained on MacOSXHints here.

Hope this helps!

--Chris
Current: iMac 20" 2.4/4/320 / iMac G4 800
Portable: iPhone 3G White/16 / 12" PowerBook 1.5/1.25/80
Former: PowerMac G5 Dual 1.8 / iBook G3 700 / PM 7500, 3G iPod 10GB, 5.5G iPod 30GB
     
CatOne
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Dec 25, 2007, 06:31 PM
 
I don't think it's so simple.

Dave Nanian (who writes SuperDuper!, an excellent utility) has been blogging about his work to get SD! working on Leopard. He has many interesting notes on the transition and what he's done:

Shirt Pocket Watch

Worth a read before beating your head against the wall, and may be worth buying SD! to help you do the move when it's updated.
     
Big Mac
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Dec 25, 2007, 06:40 PM
 
I just want to echo previous posts - a drag and drop will definitely not work, but a Disk Utility Restore just about has to.

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