Time Machine's Backup Identification

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Level 1

27 points

Time Machine's Backup Identification

I have used Time Machine on a number of OSs and was wondering the why the "backup date locator" on the right side (when you enter Time Machine) is either purple or white. What is the significance of having a backup that is white, not purple?

I can delete a purple colored backup, but not a white colored backup - there is no selection in the tab. I am surmising that the white backup is a non-verified backup that may have issues, and that is why it cannot be deleted.

It would be a nice feature for Apple to add a "Verify Time Machine" database menu item, as some of my backups verify the backups first, but only on a irregular basis.

Mac mini, OS X Mavericks (10.9.2), OS X Server 3.1.1

Posted on Aug 20, 2014 1:43 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Niel

Level 10

726,719 points

Aug 20, 2014 1:50 PM in response to sysx

Purple ones are on an external drive. White ones are snapshots on the computer's internal one; these will be removed when the external drive is connected.

(111278)

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Answer 2

Aug 20, 2014 1:56 PM in response to sysx

Our friend Pondini has gone to great lengths to explain the TM mysteries. Please read the info in his website dedicated to the obscure

Art of TM.

(Where TM stands for Time Machine not Transcendental Meditation. )

Q15A I have taken excerpt to show what the purple and white mean.

http://pondini.org/TM/15A.html

Please take the time to read his FAQ and loads of info.. There is no doubt TM is a mystery bag.

Verify is available under the TM icon, if you hold down the option key.

You can also again read in TM troubleshooting further info about it.

See A5 here http://pondini.org/TM/Troubleshooting.html

The purple"tick marks"

indicate Time Machine backups on an external volume (external HD, Time Capsule, etc.)

If you have a portable Mac, the white"tick marks" indicate Local Snapshots on your startup disk.

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Answer 3

Aug 20, 2014 1:55 PM in response to sysx

was wondering the why the "backup date locator" on the right side (when you enter Time Machine) is either purple or white. What is the significance of having a backup that is white, not purple?

The white colored entries are "local snapshots" or temporary backups that are stored on your Mac. Read all about it here;

About Time Machine local snapshots

It would be a nice feature for Apple to add a "Verify Time Machine" database menu item

Try hold down the option key on your Mac while you click on the Time Machine "clock" icon at the top of the screen. Select Verify Backups. Note that this will not work if your backup disk is directly connected to the Mac, as in a USB or FireWire hard drive.

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Answer 4

sysx Author

Level 1

27 points

Aug 20, 2014 1:57 PM in response to Niel

The external drive is always connected to a network server, but my MacBook Air is the one that has the issues. So the "white dates" are only temporary and will be incorporated within a few days. My issue is that I have "white dates" from early August on my Time Machine and I was attempting to clean them up. I guess that i should not be as anal wanting a neat organization structure.

Thanks you answered my question.

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Answer 5

Aug 20, 2014 2:00 PM in response to sysx

You can stop the Mac doing local snapshots. Especially on the air with small SSD this probably makes sense although only a percentage of the drive will ever be used.

See Q30 http://pondini.org/TM/FAQ.html

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