How to Restart Time Machine

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How to Restart Time Machine

Up until several weeks ago, I had been running Big Sur 11.3 on an iMac: Oct 2015, 27” 5K display, Fusion HD.

I used Carbon Copy Cloner to clone that internal Fusion HD to an external OWC SSD and I have been, and plan to continue, running my iMac from that external SSD.

Before updating the SSD from 11.3 to 11.3.1, I detached all peripherals, including Time Machine.

What is the best way to restart Time Machine so it is now making backups from the external SSD and not the internal Fusion HD?

Many thanks.

Posted on May 24, 2021 8:58 AM

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Answer 1

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den.thed

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May 24, 2021 9:24 AM in response to Room101A

Go to Apple > System Preferences > Time Machine > select Options.... > Exclude the internal Fusion Drive > click Saved.
Then back in the Time Machine preference > select Add or Remove Backup Disk... > select your TM backup drive > click Use Disk.

At this point two or three things could happen.

The backups will continue to run normally after a brief time.
The backups will try and start a new set of backups and that's OK if the backup drive has room.
If not, then you may need to erase the backup drive and start over or set that TM backup drive aside and start using a different drive.

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Answer 2

Room101A Author

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May 24, 2021 9:37 AM in response to rkaufmann87

Many thanks - I pretty much already know the ins and outs of TM, having used it for over 10 years but, thinking about it, what I did was to open TM preferences, Options, and dragged and dropped the MacintoshHD into the Excluded list, thereby insuring that TM would be forced to backup the system on the external SSD.

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Answer 3

rkaufmann87

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148,654 points

May 24, 2021 9:06 AM in response to Room101A

It is best to start with the fundamentals. Please refer to https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201250

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Answer 4

den.thed

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May 24, 2021 10:42 AM in response to Room101A

Room101A wrote:

I am with you until Step 2: I am running macOS 11.3.1, and after clicking on Save, the Time Machine preferences do not offer me the choice of adding or removing a Backup Disk.

Nonetheless, all appears to be fine.

If it is currently backing up the cloned external startup disk, then it was able to do so without the intervention of step 2.

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Answer 5

rkaufmann87

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148,654 points

May 24, 2021 10:10 AM in response to Room101A

Den.thed has some good points specifically to ensure the internal Fusion drive is not being backed up. Please pay attention to what he has drafted, it's very good info!

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Answer 6

Room101A Author

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May 24, 2021 12:27 PM in response to den.thed

Roger that, and thanks again.

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Answer 7

den.thed

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May 24, 2021 12:37 PM in response to Room101A

You're welcome.

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Answer 8

Room101A Author

Level 1

134 points

May 24, 2021 9:55 AM in response to den.thed

I am with you until Step 2: I am running macOS 11.3.1, and after clicking on Save, the Time Machine preferences do not offer me the choice of adding or removing a Backup Disk.

Nonetheless, all appears to be fine.

I did my first backup from the SSD 30' ago.

I entered TM, went to the Desktop folder and that folder reflects what is now on my Desktop

I went back two weeks and the Desktop folder reflected the Desktop from the MacintoshHD, so it does indeed look as if I do have access to all those TM backups done while running the iMac from the MacintoshHD.

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How to Restart Time Machine

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