Two Macs backup to one Time Machine

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Level 1

5 points

Two Macs backup to one Time Machine

Hi, I'm not a Mac officionado. I'm a PC user who happens to own a Mac to help relatives and friends who aren't technically minded.

I can see setting up Time Machine is relatively easy. I have come by the Time Machine Editor to adjust the schedule of TM backups too.

I have relatives who backup their two Macs to one Time Machine unit. It has run out of space and one of the Macs is no longer backing up.

I know that at its simplest I can delete some old backups to create space and let both backup again as they were.

I'm simply looking for advice on how to tune such a setup so that backups work (making sure the TM unit has sufficient space to allow for the backups and so on.

Can anyone give me any pointers for this kind of setup, please?

iMac

Posted on Jul 14, 2022 12:17 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

PRP_53

Level 10

85,621 points

Jul 14, 2022 2:13 AM in response to elDuck

Firstly, mucking around on the Time Machine Backup Drive in the attempt to remove Snap Shots is very very risky.

It is so risk to the point, it may damage the Index Files TM Backup Utility Requires to keep takes of all the backed up files.

Should that happen - all the Backup for Both Apple Computer will be lost forever.

Suggestion is to get or for them to purchase two separate External Drives that has a capacity equal to 2 1/2 Larger Capacity than the Internal Drives

Set each computer up to their dedicated One External Drive

Under the present setup - External Drive do fail and in this instance Both computer will not have have anything backed up.

For real protection and have been using the below method for years will good success >>

Do you have a Rescue Plan In-Place. This comprises having 3 Backups using 2 methods and 1 Off Site incase of Theft, Loss or Natural Disasters. A Time Machine Backup is very useful and can be used to Revert to Previous Working macOS.

For addition purposes - two Tested Clones each to separate external drives. This is insurance incase. At least one Tested Clone and / or Time Machine Backup should be Off - Site

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Answer 2

elDuck Author

Level 1

5 points

Jul 14, 2022 7:04 AM in response to PRP_53

Hi, P. Phillips, thanks for that. I did wonder about two backups to one TM device but I figured if a Mac allowed it to be set up like that then it must know best (I figured that it would just be dropping old states on its own when the drive got full).

Their setup has been like this for some considerable time so if it needs adjusting it needs adjusting.

I'll have a closer look at the setup they've got then and tweak it!

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