Time Machine – reformatting drive problem

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Time Machine – reformatting drive problem

Hi,

I have recently started using a new external drive for Time Machine with encryption. I would like to encrypt another drive that I have been using for Time Machine for several years without encryption. So, I went to Disk Utilities etc. and reformatted the drive. Everything seemed to go ok, except that when I open Time Machine (and it does that 1970s “Dr Who” thing!), it seems to be “remembering” some earlier back-ups, although it won’t let me access them. Surely, the drive could not have been formatted properly.

I notice that in Utilities, is shows the disc has two “levels”, both of the same name – as if “a folder in a folder”. I suppose this relates to the disc having one partition, but I'm not sure. The "lower” item can be reformatted, but the top item cannot. I want to delete the whole disc and start again. Please can anyone advise me on what to do / what I am doing wrong?

Related to this: I noticed that the disc can be encrypted in Disc Utilities when being formatted, although I had ignored that and encrypted it in Time Machine instead. Does it make a difference?

Thank you!

OS X Mavericks (10.9.5)

Posted on Feb 6, 2016 6:36 AM

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Answer 1

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Eric Root

Level 10

684,015 points

Feb 13, 2016 2:28 AM in response to McBrain

While in Time Machine, to see all mounted volumes shift - command - c. Information learned from Linc Davis.

What happens when you select the top drive?

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Answer 2

McBrain Author

Level 1

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Feb 7, 2016 2:08 AM in response to Eric Root

Hi Eric, how are you? I recall you helped me before, thanks!

I am attaching 2 screenshots showing the differences. I should have attached these to my original post.

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Answer 3

Eric Root

Level 10

684,015 points

Feb 7, 2016 9:11 AM in response to McBrain

I'm well. I hope you are.

Try erasing the lower partition. That is where your data is stored. I'm not an encryption expert, but I don't think it matters when/how you encrypted the drive.

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Answer 4

McBrain Author

Level 1

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Feb 11, 2016 7:50 AM in response to Eric Root

Hi Eric,

Thanks for your comments and suggestions. It was the lower partition that I was trying to erase. Actually, I tried both but originally was only able to erase the lower partition.

Update: A couple of days ago I deleted all the contents of the drive via Finder, and then went to Disc Utilities and was able to erase both levels. See the first two screenshots below. The higher level lost the name assigned by me (a good sign) but the lower level remained with the name assigned by me.

But when I enter Time Machine, there still seems to be a lot there (please see the third screenshot below) even though I can’t access any of it. It’s not like a new drive at all, even though when I open the drive in Finder it is empty.

I now use 3 different drives for Time Machine. I’m wondering if what is shown in the third screenshot below is actually my MacBook’s record of the three drives, and not just this one drive? Any ideas?

Thank you!

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Answer 5

Eric Root

Level 10

684,015 points

Feb 11, 2016 9:29 AM in response to McBrain

Clarification question - the 3rd screenshot is the drive you just erased?

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Answer 6

McBrain Author

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Feb 12, 2016 1:35 AM in response to Eric Root

Hi Eric, Yes, having erased the drive in Finder, and then going to Disc Utilities and erasing it there (re-formatting rather than simply "erasing" as far as I understand, although Apple calls it "erase"), I then opened Time machine and the "third screenshot" above (the screenshot immediately above) is what was shown. It looks to me like it's not been erased / formatted. Unless I am right in thinking that what is shown is actually my MacBook’s record of the three drives that I use for TM.

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