Time Machine Question using a flash drive

Question

Time Machine Question using a flash drive

I placed flash drive, 32GB into one of two usb slots in back of Studi M1 Max. Selected flash drive on desktop. TM began automatically as I had no other commands to tap. When done up pops a warning, "Drive is almost full?

Opened CleanMyMac X. The install appeared to finish. showing a list of other backups.

At this point can I delete not just the one I've checked, but all of them? Excluding of course the most recent one which is the top one 22-05-02 and still have a full backup? Otherwise I'd end up with a ton of flash drives or extra external hard drives which I don't want

I haven't used a Mac since the mid 80's so this is all new to me

Posted on May 2, 2022 5:44 AM

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Answer 1

dialabrain

Level 10

135,821 points

May 2, 2022 7:03 AM in response to OutsideShooter

Yes. An external drive is what you should use.

Macs do not need so called "cleaning" apps.

Booting into Safe Mode occasionally will clean out caches etc.

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Answer 2

dialabrain

Level 10

135,821 points

May 2, 2022 5:49 AM in response to OutsideShooter

FWIW, you don't want to use a USB flash drive for Time Machine. For one thing, the drive should be 2-3 times the size of your internal drive. For another, flash drives are slow and not always reliable.

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