Use Time Machine on an external HD to back up multiple computers

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Use Time Machine on an external HD to back up multiple computers

I keep searching the community but I can't find the answer to my question. So here goes. I have a Mac Mini M1 running Big Sur and a MacBook Pro running Big Sur. The external HD is connected to the Mac Mini M1 and is currently taking care of Time Machine just fine. So now I'd like to use that HD to back up my Macbook pro as well. I can connect the two computers but I can't gain access to the Mac Mini M1 with Time Machine. I set up file sharing on the Mac Mini M1 with Time Machine in the shared folders. Under users, it's set to read-write. Then on my MacBook Pro when I connect to the Mac Mini M1 I can select Time Machine but I get an error message: There was a problem connecting to the server "xxx.xxx.x.x." You do not have permission to access this server.

Posted on Jun 7, 2021 2:49 PM

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Answer 1

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woodmeister50

Level 6

19,981 points

Jun 8, 2021 5:32 AM in response to Toyboy

In this article:

Backup disks you can use with Time Machine - Apple Support

scroll down to:

Mac shared as a Time Machine backup destination

Noting that the "remote Mac" needs a folder on

a drive dedicated to the Time Machine backup.

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Answer 2

Toyboy Author

Level 1

79 points

Jun 8, 2021 7:27 AM in response to woodmeister50

Thanks for your help but when I get to Time Machine on the remote it tells me I don't have the necessary read write but on the main computer I have selected Time Machine in Shared Folders and in users I have system administrator as read write, system group read write and Everyone read write so that's my hangup. Maybe someone else has the answer to that.

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