I am using Time Machine with two backup drives. One of the drives will no longer recognize and TM is telling me backups are failing. But the backups directed to the second drive are registering OK. Am I still fully backed up with only the second

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I am using Time Machine with two backup drives. One of the drives will no longer recognize and TM is telling me backups are failing. But the backups directed to the second drive are registering OK. Am I still fully backed up with only the second

I am using Time Machine with two backup drives. One of the drives will no longer recognize (not showing in Finder) and TM is telling me backups are failing. But the hourly backups directed to the second drive are registering OK. Am I still fully backed up with only the second drive? I have removed the first drive from backups so all subsequent backups will go to the good drive. Am I OK or exposed here?

Mac Mini Server (Late 2012), OS X Yosemite (10.10.5), 2TB memory

Posted on Oct 7, 2015 2:40 PM

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Answer 1

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lllaass

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Oct 7, 2015 5:30 PM in response to MobyMojo

If you use Rotation, then each drive is independent. See Dual Time Machine Backup topic of::

http://pondini.org/TM/27.html

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Answer 2

MobyMojo Author

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Oct 7, 2015 5:40 PM in response to lllaass

Thanks for the quick reply. The link you supplied clarified it -- so it appears I am completely backed up on the remaining disk, as long as that one doesn't fail. Very good to know, and I'll swap in a new second disk to stay covered.

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Answer 3

lllaass

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Oct 8, 2015 8:07 AM in response to MobyMojo

Yes, However, as the article says. I would use a different method for a second backup.

I use both TM and them periodically clone my HD to an external drive.

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Answer 4

MobyMojo Author

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Oct 8, 2015 8:10 AM in response to lllaass

Good point. And to be really safe, keep the clone in another location in case of natural disaster. Or, I suppose, make the second backup an online one. Thanks again.

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