addy576

Q: Does / Is the "Shared" folder backed-up in Time Machine?

I want to make sure that the "Shared" Folder is saved on the Time Machine backups. How can I check? My computer's hard drive is getting really full and I don't want to lose several folders that my household shares on the "Shared" folder.

iMac, OS X Yosemite (10.10.4), null

Posted on Jul 26, 2015 9:16 AM

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Q: Does / Is the "Shared" folder backed-up in Time Machine?

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  • by Barney-15E,

    Barney-15E Barney-15E Jul 26, 2015 9:34 AM in response to addy576
    Level 9 (50,483 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jul 26, 2015 9:34 AM in response to addy576

    Open the Shared folder in Finder then Enter Time Machine.

    Can you go back in time and see variations in the files stored in the Shared folder?

    If so, it is backing them up (as it should). If not, you've got a problem.

     

    Your question also makes me wonder if you think you can delete items from your Mac and they will stay on your Time Machine backup.

    If that is the case, don't. Time Machine is not an archival backup. It merely mimics what is on your Mac. The things you delete will remain for some time (quite long depending on usage), but when Time Machine runs out of space, it will delete items from the backup that do not currently exist on your Mac.

     

    If you wish to make space available, move the older files from shared to a couple of external drives, USB sticks, Optical disks, etc.

  • by BobHarris,Solvedanswer

    BobHarris BobHarris Jul 26, 2015 9:53 AM in response to addy576
    Level 6 (19,628 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jul 26, 2015 9:53 AM in response to addy576

    I would like to Emphasize what  is saying.  Time Machine is NOT an Archive.  If you delete, loose or accidentally modify something on the Mac you have a limited time to recover the original, before Time Machine will age out the copy that no longer exists on the Mac and deletes it from the Time Machine backup.

     

    As long as the file still exists on the Mac, Time Machine will always keep a copy.  But once a file in the form you desire no longer exists on the Mac, it will slowly work its way down the age tree in Time Machine until it gets to the tail end, and Time Machine, seeing it no longer has an identical copy on the Mac, will delete it to free up space for new data on your Mac.

     

    Depending on how large your backup device is, this could take weeks, or years (the bigger the backup device vs your Mac's storage, the longer it will take).