Too many huge Time Machine Backup.backupdb files
Hi, I use a Samsung T5 500GB external SSD for Time Machine via USB connection. Sturdy.
Time Machine now says it is 470GB full and effectively unusable, but the source MacBook hard disk (250GB) contains only 193GB ALL UP. (btw: Catalina 10.15.7)
How does TM fill up a 500GB drive with that?
When I looked into the ext.SSD's 'Backups.backupdb' I find 5 instances of very large Backups... 123GB...121GB...118GB ... 125GB ...117GB ...all between May and July 2022. Surely this is not incremental?? (...and how did all those back then fit in a 500GB drive?)
Trying to research what to do, and everybody says Time Machine automatically deletes older backups according to its own wisdom, and that I should not tamper.... That I should just buy a new drive and carry on, as there is nothing good I can do ...Grrr... is this right?
Thank you for considering.
MacBook Pro 13″