Merge Time Machine Backups

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Merge Time Machine Backups

I had to have my MacBook repaired. When I did I brought it home and did a restore using TM to return the HD to the state it was in when I took it in for the repair. All was good. Well, almost all was good.

When my MacBook started to back up again with Time Machine, it started a new backup. I could not get it to continue using the backups that where already there. So I now have two separate folders which take up double the space.

Is there any way to merge these two backups? They are on the same drive. I just could not figure out a way to get the Mac to use the old Time Machine files. Problem is, it was not a real problem so I sorta forgot about it. Now my drive is full and I really need them merged 🙂

Anyone got any ideas?

Thanks!

MacBook Pro 17", Mac OS X (10.6.2)

Posted on Feb 2, 2010 6:55 PM

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Answer 1

V.K.

Level 9

56,174 points

Feb 2, 2010 7:03 PM in response to miataman95

no, there is no way to merge backups. your logic board was replaced during the repairs which is why this happened. but TM should have offered you to continue the old backup sequence on the first backup. at least it does this after you use migration assistant, maybe not a full system restore as you did, I'm not sure. in any event, it's too late now. you can continue the new backup sequence. you can still access your old backups. to do that control-click on TM in the dock and select "browse other TM disks". of course, you can also erase the TM drive with disk utility and start backups from scratch.

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Answer 2

miataman95 Author

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Feb 2, 2010 7:25 PM in response to V.K.

Well, that's a bummer.

Is there a way to throw away some of the older backups & keep the newer one. Say maybe I want to throw away the 2 or 3 oldest weeks of the back up that I can not use any more. That way I can keep as much of the backups as I can. Then every week or so I just throw away another old weeks worth of backup.

It would be like manually pruning out the old data.

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Answer 3

V.K.

Level 9

56,174 points

Feb 2, 2010 7:29 PM in response to miataman95

you can manually delete old backups as follows. first enter browse mode as described earlier and navigate to some backup in the old backup sequence. click on the "gears" action" button in Finder's toolbar and select "delete backup". this will delete the entire system backup for that time point. but really, that's quite a hassle. i would just erase the drive and start backups from scratch.

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Answer 4

miataman95 Author

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Feb 2, 2010 7:51 PM in response to V.K.

Yeah, I could do that, but I have backup all the way back to 2007. If this problem would not have happened I would probably continue w/o removing old backups for a couple more years.

Not that I need them, but that's just awesome!

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