HT202321: iPhoto '11: Restoring from Time Machine with iPhoto '11 (9.2 or later) and OS X Lion 10.7.2 (or later)

Learn about iPhoto '11: Restoring from Time Machine with iPhoto '11 (9.2 or later) and OS X Lion 10.7.2 (or later)
TexJo

Q: Why is Time Machine's backup of my iPhoto Library 5 gig smaller than on my computer?

How can it be that when I quit iPhoto and tell Time Machine to do a back up, the 75 gig iPhoto Library on my MacBook Pro shows up in Time Machine as only 70 gig after a back up?  I thought it was supposed to be an exact back up -- what is happening?

MacBookPro 17, Mac OS X (10.6.1)

Posted on Oct 25, 2015 11:07 AM

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Q: Why is Time Machine's backup of my iPhoto Library 5 gig smaller than on my computer?

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  • by LarryHN,Helpful

    LarryHN LarryHN Oct 26, 2015 6:23 AM in response to TexJo
    Level 10 (84,540 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Oct 26, 2015 6:23 AM in response to TexJo

    Time Machine does not make an exact copy - it incrementally backs things up and to use them you must use TM to restore the files - the restored file (or folder) is an exact duplicate of what you backed up - that exact duplicate typically does not exist in the TM backup

     

    Use Time Machine to back up or restore your Mac - Apple Support

     

    http://pondini.org/TM/FAQ.html

     

    LN

  • by TexJo,

    TexJo TexJo Oct 26, 2015 6:29 AM in response to LarryHN
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 26, 2015 6:29 AM in response to LarryHN

    Whaaat?  If you were trying to explain Time Machine and how it works, you didn't.

    I don't understand why the backed-up complete library in iPhoto is 5 gigs smaller in Time Machine than it is on my computer's hard drive.

    My MacBook Pro is 6 years old and I would like to buy a new one.  But how can I be sure I can transfer everything in iPhoto to the new one if Time Machine doesn't make an exact duplicate of the library??

    Please answer in English.  Thanks.

  • by Old Toad,

    Old Toad Old Toad Oct 26, 2015 10:59 AM in response to TexJo
    Level 10 (141,085 points)
    Mac OS X
    Oct 26, 2015 10:59 AM in response to TexJo

    He did answer in English.  Here it is again in the same English:

     

    When Time Machine makes a copy of the library the first time it copies all of the files.  The next backup will use hard links(sort of like alias files) for those files in the library that haven't changed.  Any new or changed file is copied. Since hard links don't take up any space on the drive later copies of the library will not be as large as the restored library would be.

     

    Also when configuring your new Mac be sure to keep a minimum of 10-15 GB of free space for optimal system and application performance. 

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