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Is this how time capsule works? I am running out of space on my laptop so can I just delete all the files and then if I need them I can go back into the time capsule and restore them?

I have a time capsule and it has been backing up automatically. I am now running out of space on my laptop so I was wondering if I can delete the files on it and then if I need them I can just go back into the time capsule and restore them right?

MacBook Pro with Retina display

Posted on Feb 28, 2015 2:14 PM

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Posted on Feb 28, 2015 2:15 PM

You can but shouldn't; as with all drives, the Time Capsule's internal one may fail at any time. Get a regular external drive, put your files on it, and set Time Machine to back it up as well.


(123280)

4 replies

Feb 28, 2015 2:17 PM in response to josh 220

Not if you are putting them there with Time Machine.


If you are backing up your file to the Time Capsule using Time Machine, once you delete them off you Mac they are a candidate for Time Machine to delete them the next time it needs any addition disk space.


A much better solution would be to get an external disk drive and connect it directly to your Mac.

Feb 28, 2015 2:24 PM in response to josh 220

Time Machine backs up the changes on your Mac.


So, if you delete files from your Mac, then Time Machine will delete them from your backups as well. This might not happen immediately......you do not know when it might happen....other than to know that it will happen.


Even if Time Machine could store the files for awhile, what will happen if the Time Capsule has a problem and you cannot get to your files?


If you are running out of space on the your Mac, the solution is to connect a USB or FireWire drive directly to your Mac.....then move files over to that drive and delete them from your Mac. Once you do this, Time Machine can back up both your Mac and the hard drive connected to your Mac with a few clicks of your mouse in Time Machine Preferences.

Is this how time capsule works? I am running out of space on my laptop so can I just delete all the files and then if I need them I can go back into the time capsule and restore them?

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