Time Machine vs Hard Drive

Hey all -

Out of curiosity, why would there be more space taken up on my time machine then what is on my hard drive. I am talking by more then 5gb. Just curious?
Also, while I have this question out there? Where is the proper placement for an external hard drive? I currently have mine on the floor, away from the monitor. I have an iMac. Is there a better place for this??
Thanks,
Hwilensky

Because Time Machine does sequential updates. If you make changes, then it saves those, as well as the original files.

the TM starts on copy number 1 and copies your whole HD. thats why it takes so long the first time (hours usually).

So the first copy is we'll call it 200GB.... thats everything on your computer.. then an hour later it does another copy OF ANYTHING YOU HAVE CHANGED. if you add a couple folders.. songs.. pictures.. what ever.. it 'stacks' those onto the first base copy. and then the next hour it does any changed from the save prior to that.

This happens until the TM drive is filled up.. if you have a 1TB drive for your TM it doesn't copy your 200GB boot drive 5 times it just copies the changes. It just fills up with the additions to the original copy.

So all in all you have added about 5gb of data to your main drive since your TM started backing up.

I hope that helps

One of the reasons prefer SuperDuper. Registered version can do a Smart Backup of say weekly changes in about 2-3 minutes, and has the advantage of being bootable.

Thanks for all the replies so far. Is there or is there not a proper place to put an external hard drive though??

Hwilensky

I wouldn't put on the floor. Too much dust.

chas_m said:

I wouldn't put on the floor. Too much dust.

Click to expand...

Any suggestions? Also forgive my stupidity but, would I shut the computer off first and unplug the drive or can I do it with the computer on?

Thanks,
Hwilensky

You almost never have to turn a Mac off. You can easily eject any device, including hard drives, simply by dragging its desktop icon to the Trash, which changes into an Eject icon. Wait for the device icon to disappear from the desktop, then unplug the device.

External hard drives generally go on the desk near your computer, as most USB or Firewire (or Thunderbolt) cables aren't very long.

I'm not sure I understand why you would unplug the drive at all. Or, for that matter, shut down the computer.

Most hard drives today have a facility that lets them "spin down" or "go to sleep" after a period of inactivity, so I'm not sure there's much reason to unplug them at all, especially since you (OF COURSE) have your computer and drives plugged into an Uninterruptible Power Supply ... right?

chas_m said:

External hard drives generally go on the desk near your computer, as most USB or Firewire (or Thunderbolt) cables aren't very long.

I'm not sure I understand why you would unplug the drive at all. Or, for that matter, shut down the computer.

Most hard drives today have a facility that lets them "spin down" or "go to sleep" after a period of inactivity, so I'm not sure there's much reason to unplug them at all, especially since you (OF COURSE) have your computer and drives plugged into an Uninterruptible Power Supply ... right?

Click to expand...

That I do, taking your advice from a couple of post ago. But since I have the external on the floor, the only way for me to move it is to unplug the drive from the computer and then put it on the desk.

Hwilensky

Why is it that Time Machine back-up is not bootable? I have read something about when you get problem booting up you just press and hold "R" while restarting then you have some choices where to boot up (example HD, Network, Time Machine etc). Sorry I'm still a newbie, new switcher.

Thanx