Time Machine/External HDD

I am trying to figure out how time machine works. I got an external drive and hooked it up and ran time machine and let it keep its defaults, updates every hour. All is working correctly, but I have a few questions I can't seem to find answers for...

Can I change time machine to back up say 1x a day? I really don't need it to update every hour, seems like a waste of resources.

Using the external drive, can I manually delete the older backups without messing up time machine?

Last but not least... I formatted it to work on mac...assuming that will not work on PC as well. If I am working on a PC somewhere else, and I want to bring that work to my MAC, what is the best way to get it there? I can not put it on my brand new MAC formatted hard drive, correct?? Would a flash drive have the same limitations as an external hard drive??? I'm just trying to figure this out. I am thinking this hard drive is plugged in and isn't moving unless its moving to my macbook!

that might sound jumbled, but I am just trying to understand how its working. TIA!

iwannamac said:

I am trying to figure out how time machine works. I got an external drive and hooked it up and ran time machine and let it keep its defaults, updates every hour. All is working correctly, but I have a few questions I can't seem to find answers for...

Can I change time machine to back up say 1x a day?

Click to expand...

Yes, using a third party program called Time Machine Editor.

I really don't need it to update every hour, seems like a waste of resources.

Click to expand...

Actually, it isn't. After the initial backup, the hourly should take only a few seconds (presuming you don't change a lot of stuff very rapidly) and will really save your kiester someday when you've accidentally deleted something you spent hours working on.

I can understand the desire to chance the frequency, but I usually advise my clients to not mess with it very much, otherwise you lose a key feature of the whole concept.

Using the external drive, can I manually delete the older backups without messing up time machine?

Click to expand...

No. By this I mean that it's not impossible, but it's not worth doing. The oldest backups will delete themselves automatically.

Last but not least... I formatted it to work on mac...assuming that will not work on PC as well.

Click to expand...

Correct.

If I am working on a PC somewhere else, and I want to bring that work to my MAC, what is the best way to get it there?

Click to expand...

Thumb drive, cloud transfer, local network -- lots of options.