How to change or upgrade time machine backup hard disk without loosing your old backups, In simple words how to transfer Apple Macintosh OSX Time Machine backups from a current backup drive to a new high storage capacity backup drive

Mandar Apte Apple, Apple macOS, Tutorials

Here is how to transfer backups from a current backup drive to a new high capacity backup drive

 
i.e. Here by learn how to transfer your existing Time Machine backups to a new drive in five simple steps.

 

Step 01: First check the format of your new backup drive

  1. Connect your new backup drive to your Mac.
  2. Open Disk Utility (located in the Utilities folder).
  3. In Disk Utility, select the new drive’s icon to make sure it has a GUID partition and is formatted as Mac OS Extended (Journaled). Reformat it with option Mac OSX Extended (Journaled) with a GUID partition. At this stage you can format your new backup drive with Mac OSX Extended (Journaled, Encrypted) to password protect your backup drive & there by safe guard your data. Remember & write down what encryption password you set this time for your drive.

 

Step 02: Set permissions on your new backup drive

  1. Open a new Finder window > in sidebar of your Finder window > click the icon of the new backup drive.
  2. Choose Get Info from the File menu.
  3. Make sure “Ignore ownership on this volume” at the bottom of the “Sharing & Permissions” section of the Get Info window is deselected (unchecked).

 

Step 03: Temporarily turn Time Machine off

  1. Go to System Preferences > Time Machine > Slide the Time Machine switch to Off.

 

Step 04: Copy your backup data from your original drive to your new drive

  1. Open a new Finder window for original backup drive.
  2. Open yet another new Finder window for new backup drive.
  3. Copy ‘Backups.backupdb’ folder from the original backup drive to the root / top most level of the new backup drive.
  4. Enter your administrator name and password to authenticate it, then click OK to start the copying process.

 
Note: Copying your backup data might take some time to complete, depending on the size of your backup.

 

Step 05: Now set Time Machine to use your new drive

  1. After the copy has been finished
  2. Go to System Preferences > Time Machine > Click Select Disk in the Time Machine preferences window > Select the new backup drive > then click Use Disk.

 
Following this steps successfully your transfer of Time Machine backup drive is completed,

 
Hope it helps,

 
Thanks & Regards
Mandar Apte

Mandar Apte

This website contains a design articles blog by Mandar Apte. He writes and shares his iOS development, graphic, web, & animation film design experience through articles. Mandar is Mumbai based multi-disciplinary designer with expertise in UI, UX, Logo, Symbol, and Brand Identity design. He is an alumnus of Sir J. J. Institute of Applied Art, Mumbai. He currently runs his studio in the heart of the city of Mumbai.

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