Time Machine Back-up loss

Baldie 752 wrote:

Can I recover my Time Machine Back-up? Time Machine wiped it all out and restarted with a new back-up, all this on a 2 TB disc, rather than just overwriting the oldest files.

?

I will say you should only interface through the TM >"Browse Time Machine Backups.".. not Finder.

It is not a user friendly database inside Finder and you can corrupt what's there.

You can try holding the Option key when clicking on the TM icon upper right menubar...

"Browse Other Backup Disk" and see if you have access to missing backups here.

Depending on history of the drive/ old macOS/...etc Starting a new backup will side step issues as you go forward.

Note:

One indication of a drive working in a state of failure is getting the message:

"Time Machine has completed a new backup for you" or "can't create the backup "or“failed to complete the backup, ” or stuck “Preparing backup”

The main advantage of TM is that it creates recursive backups—enabling you to restore a specific file or the entire drive— from a certain point in time; and the fact it can be very user friendly...

Time Machine is not considered a permanent backup...

If you value your user data

3-2-1 Backup Strategy: three copies of your data, two different methods, and one offsite.

More than one device, more than one backup methodology.

If you do not have access to the full extent of the 2 TB and need to start a new, ref—

Erase and reformat a storage device in Disk Utility on Mac

Erase and reformat a storage device in Disk Utility on Mac - Apple Support

Open the Time Machine Backup drive in the Finder. What do you see?

I have never heard of Time Machine wiping out an entire Time Machine volume like that without user command to do so.

In the Finder, can you see folders or files pertaining to older back ups?

Baldie 752 wrote:

Thanks, and have tried but no luck - the files are gone. I have retried Disc Utility and now get an error, so suspect that may be where the problem lay. Anyway, thanks for the response. I do have an on-line back up as well, but, though I don't need it now (hope never again) I have had to use it in the past and it is slow and rather painful!

I am now going to a new on site back up anyways.

Yes. Replacing the drive is your best option.

good computing Baldie 752