What does Time Machine actually back up?

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Level 1

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What does Time Machine actually back up?

Will time machine back up documents I restore from an external hard drive? I just restored an account from my previous backup drive (also time machine) and they don’t show in my new backup, only the files I created since I use this new drive.

I had turned time machine off, wenn I restored the files. I thought it would back them up at the next backup, when they were actually on the computer.

My new software is Mojave, on the old computer it was High Sierra.

iMac 21.5", macOS 10.13

Posted on Apr 17, 2020 6:37 AM

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Answer 1

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rkaufmann87

Level 10

141,490 points

Apr 17, 2020 8:29 AM in response to margalina

Once the first backup is completed, it will only backup new and updated information. For example let's say you edited a MS Word letter today that you originally wrote a week ago. TM will have both copies, if you go to today's date in TM you will find today's edits, if you go to the original date it was created you will find that version.

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margalina Author

Level 1

18 points

Apr 17, 2020 8:10 AM in response to BDAqua

Thank you very much for your prompt response.

I recently installed a new iMac and a new external backup drive. Time Machine was turned off when I restored the account from the old backup drive to my new computer.

.

After the restore was complete, I turned Time Machine back on again and thought it would back up everything that I had restored from the old drive. But it didn't. Maybe the reason is, dass Time Machine was turned off when I restored from the old drive?

I guess, this sound pretty confusing.

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Answer 3

BDAqua

Level 10

240,833 points

Apr 17, 2020 7:46 AM in response to margalina

It should backup everything that is connected & isn't excluded.

What is missing exactly?

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What does Time Machine actually back up?

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