Deleting old backups on Time Machine

CPW wrote:

I have the same question which I don't think you answered. I have backups going back several years and don't need them oldest ones, so I'd like to delete the oldest ones to free up space. But I don't think this will because a given backup is dependent to some extent on earlier backups. Is this correct? I think Time Machine is much less useful than it could be for this reason. My experience is I let TM does its thing until eventually the drive fails. I'm running two TM disks now to try and avoid that.

To be blunt - I was not replying to you but to the Owner of the original question.

If one what's to muck around on the existing Time Machine Backup Drive by manually deleting backups - be prepared for the consequences. The being, the loss of everything. The index TM Backup Utility gets modified or corrupted and presto - all is gone and there is no recovery period.

Follow the good advise by previous posting and save oneself the grief.

I have the same question which I don't think you answered. I have backups going back several years and don't need them oldest ones, so I'd like to delete the oldest ones to free up space. But I don't think this will because a given backup is dependent to some extent on earlier backups. Is this correct? I think Time Machine is much less useful than it could be for this reason. My experience is I let TM does its thing until eventually the drive fails. I'm running two TM disks now to try and avoid that.

Reformat the entire drive

+1 to the post above by @P. Phillips.

Reformat the drive to erase it and begin a new backup set.

Never delete files manually from TM. When TM is full it will auto delete files to make room. Like what others have stated it is good pracatice to make a clean start of backups occasionally.

Welcome and thank you too.

Do come back to the ASC Forums if / or when additional questions my arise