HarrisonMG
Level 1 (56 points)
Desktops

Q: Cannot delete Time Machine Backups

I have a MacBook Air and a 128GB usb drive that holds my photos library, so I am always making backups. My system--and I have recently realized how flawed it was--was to create backups on a 500GB HDD, but transfer them to a 2TB HDD when it gets full. So, I finally found out that when I transfer the backups in small amounts to the 2TB, it takes up more space because instead of aliases of files used to represent newer backups, the file care just copied over and over again. Because of this, I set my 2TB as a time machine device and imported all the old backups into the backups.db folder, which my Mac "cleaned up" and saved 135 GB. But 135 GB is not enough, so I went and deleted backups that I dont need anymore. When I looked in the trash to empty it, I saw 2 things: the backups I trashed, and other backups that are sort of paled out. I cannot open the files, even if I right click and select "open in new tab." When I try to "delete immediately" these paled-out files, I always get a message that they are "in use." This is about 300GB, so I must get rid of it. But it doesn't end there, because when I try to "delete immediately" the backups I had trashed myself, I get an error message! This is a total of about 600GB, that I absolutely need to get rid of! If anybody has some advice, it will be greatly appeciated.

MacBook Air, macOS Sierra (10.12)

Posted on Oct 2, 2016 9:56 AM

by dwb,Apple recommended
dwb dwb
Level 7 (24,477 points)
Notebooks
A:

This is encouraging. You will need to move the files that are outside the backups.backupdb off to another location. There's no other solution. Then you'll have to format the TM. Remember what I said, only the TimeMachine application should ever touch the TM backups and that includes the folder itself. Again, it sounds like you have damaged your TM backup and the only solution is to erase and start over.

 

I also need to stress once again that TM is guaranteed only to contain the files that are on your computer at this time. If you have been in the habit of backing up the computer and then removing files from it because you think TM is archiving them - this is not correct. So you may have more files to move to another drive than just those outside of the TM backup.

Posted on Oct 3, 2016 11:31 AM

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HarrisonMG

Q: Cannot delete Time Machine Backups

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  • Helpful answers

  • by Boyd Porter,

    Boyd Porter Boyd Porter Oct 3, 2016 5:23 AM in response to HarrisonMG
    Level 4 (1,058 points)
    Oct 3, 2016 5:23 AM in response to HarrisonMG

    You probably have hosed your Time Machine backup database. The best thing to do is erase the drive with Airport Utility. Then start over with a new backup.

     

    Have a nice day.

  • by HarrisonMG,

    HarrisonMG HarrisonMG Oct 3, 2016 6:49 AM in response to Boyd Porter
    Level 1 (56 points)
    Desktops
    Oct 3, 2016 6:49 AM in response to Boyd Porter

    I cant erase the drive--not only is it tons of precious backups, but also About a TB of photos, movies, and just data and files in general that I. Annoy get rid of and have no other place to store. Could it be because I imported these backups into the backups.db folder that it messed it all up?

  • by dwb,

    dwb dwb Oct 3, 2016 7:23 AM in response to HarrisonMG
    Level 7 (24,477 points)
    Notebooks
    Oct 3, 2016 7:23 AM in response to HarrisonMG

    The best way to describe TimeMachine is "magic" and only the most cunning of mages should even consider touching the TM backup folder. It sounds like your TM backup is corrupt and you have no choice but delete it. It sounds like you have files on the TM drive that aren't on your computer. You should try to move these files using the TM interface onto your computer and then move them to another hard drive. If this fails (and I suspect it will) you can try moving flies manually from the TM drive to another hard drive. Then you'll have to erase the TM drive and start over again. Remember, only use the TM interface to manipulate TM. There are a couple TM utilities that claim to be safe but I was bit hard by one written by a reputable vendor a few years ago. Thankfully I use a two HD TM backup system.

  • by HarrisonMG,

    HarrisonMG HarrisonMG Oct 3, 2016 9:35 AM in response to dwb
    Level 1 (56 points)
    Desktops
    Oct 3, 2016 9:35 AM in response to dwb

    The drive has a backups.db folder, but also other folders outside of the Time Machine folder--and that is where my files are. So they are not the problem, unless I am left to erase the whole drive. I have a bunch of backups inside the TM folder, but if I try to delete them they won't; wouldn't the same thing happen if I tried to delete the backups folder as a whole, just getting a message that I can't or that an error occurred, etc.? While I would be able to copy the files in the backups out of the backups folder, I don't have enough space to do so--which is by I needed to delete some of my backups in the first place. Do you think it would help to rename the entire backup folder, making it not recognized as TM? (I figured out a way to do this.)

  • by Boyd Porter,Helpful

    Boyd Porter Boyd Porter Oct 3, 2016 11:30 AM in response to HarrisonMG
    Level 4 (1,058 points)
    Oct 3, 2016 11:30 AM in response to HarrisonMG

    Airport Utility will erase the entire drive. Do as dwb has suggested. Hopefully, you can move the files outside of the backup folder to another drive before erasing the drive with Airport Utility.

     

    As to the backups, you will have to bite the bullet and lose them. Airport Utility will clear the file tables, so everything on the drive will no longer be accessible.  Try to move the files outside the backup folder to another drive.

     

    Have a nice day.

  • by dwb,Apple recommended

    dwb dwb Oct 3, 2016 11:31 AM in response to HarrisonMG
    Level 7 (24,477 points)
    Notebooks
    Oct 3, 2016 11:31 AM in response to HarrisonMG

    This is encouraging. You will need to move the files that are outside the backups.backupdb off to another location. There's no other solution. Then you'll have to format the TM. Remember what I said, only the TimeMachine application should ever touch the TM backups and that includes the folder itself. Again, it sounds like you have damaged your TM backup and the only solution is to erase and start over.

     

    I also need to stress once again that TM is guaranteed only to contain the files that are on your computer at this time. If you have been in the habit of backing up the computer and then removing files from it because you think TM is archiving them - this is not correct. So you may have more files to move to another drive than just those outside of the TM backup.

  • by HarrisonMG,

    HarrisonMG HarrisonMG Oct 3, 2016 11:32 AM in response to Boyd Porter
    Level 1 (56 points)
    Desktops
    Oct 3, 2016 11:32 AM in response to Boyd Porter

    Okay, thanks for that. However, this is not an airport device--just a WD drive--would airport utility still be applicable?

  • by Boyd Porter,Apple recommended

    Boyd Porter Boyd Porter Oct 4, 2016 6:42 AM in response to HarrisonMG
    Level 4 (1,058 points)
    Oct 4, 2016 6:42 AM in response to HarrisonMG

    Format the drive with Disk Utility.

     

    Move all the files outside the backup folder you can move, then format the drive as GUID Journaled HFS +. Start Time Machine and select it as your backup drive.

     

    Have a nice day.