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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Jamiefort" data-source="post: 1638890" data-attributes="member: 341071">Many thanks Jake for clarifying this for me. I couldn't find info about sparse bundles and Time Machine anywhere. I initially had the HD hardwired to the iMac but then moved it to the network so that other computers could back up too. I seem to remember it may have asked me if I wanted to keep the same disk. To be honest I can't remember what I said. I did have, however, both a sparse image folder and backupdb as well but thought nothing of it as I didn't know what sparse image was. I then had problem a bit later retrieving a file that I'd lost, which was the start of my problems. I wasn't able to access Time Machine files properly. Initially I tried to fix it over the network but then gave up and wired it to my iMac. Spent hours on the chat with both Apple and WD and after verifying and repairing disks then reformatting the whole lot I backed up successfully with it wired. I then moved it back to the net and that was when I saw the sparse bundles occur. My final act was to hard wire the disk up again, reformat it THEN put it back on the network and THEN do a TM back-up. This has sorted it all out. So Jake, with your great reassuring knowledge of what sparse bundles are I'm in a happy place once again. I've given you the whole 10 shillings in case other readers can benefit from my experiences and adopt the sequence above. Thanks once again. Jamie</blockquote>