APA1967

Q: Move your Time Machine content - what about using the disk utility feature copy hard disk?

I've tried several ways to get my files from my old time machine to my new time machine - everything failed:

 

- copying under Finder ended in some corrupted files or whatever errors

 

- copying under Linux cp -a seemed to work, but ended in not copying the hard links, but the entire files instead. So disk full...

 

- copying under super duper or similar alternative software failed as well.

 

Currently I'm trying to get it done with the restore image (hard disk) feature in Apples disk utility app.

 

Let's see - another 10 hours to go...

 

@Apple: Make this easier!

MacBook Pro (13-inch Mid 2010), OS X Yosemite (10.10.4), 8GB, 320GB

Posted on Jul 29, 2015 11:48 PM

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Q: Move your Time Machine content - what about using the disk utility feature copy hard disk?

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  • by Eric Root,

    Eric Root Eric Root Jul 30, 2015 2:17 PM in response to APA1967
    Level 9 (71,583 points)
    iTunes
    Jul 30, 2015 2:17 PM in response to APA1967

    Apple doesn’t routinely monitor the discussions. These are mostly user to user discussions.

     

    Send Apple feedback. They won't answer, but at least will know there is a problem. If enough people send feedback, it may get the problem solved sooner.

     

    Feedback

  • by Barney-15E,

    Barney-15E Barney-15E Jul 30, 2015 10:16 PM in response to APA1967
    Level 9 (50,188 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jul 30, 2015 10:16 PM in response to APA1967

    APA1967 wrote:

     

    - copying under Linux cp -a seemed to work, but ended in not copying the hard links, but the entire files instead. So disk full...

    Not that it would have changed anything, but why didn't you just try the built in Unix version of cp?

    ditto will not work, either.

     

    Here is a good site for TM info (specifically, the page on copying): http://pondini.org/TM/18.html

     

    However, I'm not sure of the point of copying it. Just start a new one.

  • by APA1967,

    APA1967 APA1967 Jul 30, 2015 10:43 PM in response to APA1967
    Level 1 (9 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jul 30, 2015 10:43 PM in response to APA1967

    Thanks for all the answers.

     

    The reason for moving the files to a bigger disk is to have one backup available for several years. Of course, I could just put the old disk into the closet and keep it there. May be the only option after all, as all attempts described in all forums that I found failed.

     

    - there are corrupted files on the disk (movies and Lion Install files) which cannot be deleted from time machine (would be too much effort anyway) and which hinder a regular copying or synchronization effort.

     

    - a complete disk duplication with disk utilities fails after 800 GB with an I/O error. For whatever reason.

     

    So I'll give it up. Seems I found the natural limits of Time Machine as a Backup feature.

  • by Barney-15E,

    Barney-15E Barney-15E Jul 31, 2015 6:25 AM in response to APA1967
    Level 9 (50,188 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jul 31, 2015 6:25 AM in response to APA1967

    APA1967 wrote:

     

    Thanks for all the answers.

     

    The reason for moving the files to a bigger disk is to have one backup available for several years.

    Why does it matter? If your Mac is working correctly, the past doesn't matter.

    If you think Time Machine is going to keep items you deleted off your Mac, it won't. Those things will eventually be removed as space is needed. It is not an archival backup.

    If you want to use it that way, you would need to remove it from the backup set before it is full and put it on the shelf.

     

    There may be a problem with the drive if you are getting I/O errors.

  • by Zenith ,

    Zenith Zenith Sep 16, 2015 5:38 AM in response to Barney-15E
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Sep 16, 2015 5:38 AM in response to Barney-15E
    If you think Time Machine is going to keep items you deleted off your Mac, it won't. Those things will eventually be removed as space is needed. It is not an archival backup.

     

    This is the reason to copy Time machine to a bigger disk, so that the old items will never be removed, and Time Machine can indeed be used as an archival, incremental backup system.

  • by Eric Root,

    Eric Root Eric Root Sep 16, 2015 11:40 AM in response to APA1967
    Level 9 (71,583 points)
    iTunes
    Sep 16, 2015 11:40 AM in response to APA1967

    Try using Disk Utility/Restore to copy the backup to a new location. Please note that this will reformat the destination partition.