The oldest Time Machine backup accidentally deleted: possible to retrieve files?

[putns]

Hi,

Time Machine deleted my oldest backup from the external hard drive when backing up after the disk got full. It happened unexpected, because TM still showed about 20GB free space after what it would require for the backup, but after checking it again external hard drive had 250GB available space and the oldest backup deleted. Most of the files in the oldest backup are erased from my Mac HD and not in the latest backups. I tried a number of softwares, but little help. Is there any possibility to retrieve automatically deleted backup (which includes documents, photos etc) from the Time Machine? It would be helpful to know if there is an effective way to do so? Thank you

 

[chscag]

Welcome to our forums.

If those files that were in the backup that Time Machine erased were likewise erased by you, then you can only try to recover them from your hard drive. Recovery software may work. "Disk Drill" is good at finding erased files provided they have not been overwritten. Erased files get overwritten when the drive is still in use; reading and writing to it.

Time Machine backups that were erased by Time Machine can not be recovered by normal means. Only a recovery service can possibly get them back.

Disk Drill - Best Free Mac Data Recovery Software in 2024!

Disk Drill: The best data recovery software for Mac OS X. Recover deleted or lost data from any storage device, iOS and Android. Free scanning.

www.cleverfiles.com

 

[MacInWin]

And if the backup was deleted to make room for another backup, the TM backup area was most likely used for the new backup, obliterating whatever was there.

 

[IWT]

I think it would not be straying off topic, if we offered one or two words of general advice to the OP?

The External Hard Drive (EHD) for Time Machine should ideally be 1.5 to 2 times the storage capacity of your Mac. This will ensure that it doesn't fill up too quickly.

TM's principal use is to recover a file or other data which was accidentally deleted (of course it has other uses too). In the OP's case, it seems that the deleted data that was being sought was in the oldest Backup (BU) implying that it had been generated a considerable time ago.

TM should not be seen as a way to store data. Crucial data can be stored in several ways, but TM is not one of them.

Ian

 

[ferrarr]

TM should not be seen as a way to store data. Crucial data can be stored in several ways, but TM is not one of them.

It seems that some users forget what "backup" actually means. One copy of any data is asking for trouble.

 

[Rod]

Time Machine should never be regarded as long term storage of data deliberately deleted from your internal HD.

If you are running short of storage on your primary device but have files you must keep like tax records, manuscripts, media files, etc then a good quality EHD is the best option.

 

[chscag]

Time Machine should never be regarded as long term storage of data deliberately deleted from your internal HD.

I fully agree. However, I continually run into users in our forums and other forums who insist on keeping Time Machine backups for years on end. And then panic when the drive that contains their 1 or 2 year old backups fails.

I'm kind of a pack rat when it comes to keeping old computer and electronic parts around, so I guess in some ways I'm just as guilty.

Anybody need a copy of MS-DOS 3.1 and the MS manual?

 

[putns]

Thanks for your support and clarification! Much appreciated!

 

[Rod]

I too have a lot of obsolete stuff hanging around on the off chance that some day it may be handy, like a retail version of Snow Leopard on DVD that I came across the other day. If anyone wants it I guess I could mail it.

 

[lori5060]

Welcome to our forums.

If those files that were in the backup that Time Machine erased were likewise erased by you, then you can only try to recover them from your hard drive. Recovery software may work. "Disk Drill" is good at finding erased files provided they have not been overwritten. Erased files get overwritten when the drive is still in use; reading and writing to it.

Time Machine backups that were erased by Time Machine can not be recovered by normal means. Only a recovery service can possibly get them back.

Disk Drill - Best Free Mac Data Recovery Software in 2024!

Disk Drill: The best data recovery software for Mac OS X. Recover deleted or lost data from any storage device, iOS and Android. Free scanning.

www.cleverfiles.com

I assuming that links to various app downloaded here are valid and safe..... disk drill!
I sometimes find I have deleted a folder or file and think ive lost it forever. so this would be a good app to have handy.
does it work also on external drives??

 

[chscag]

Disk Drill is safe to download and it does work on external drives. Download the free version not the Pro version which is payware.

 

[lori5060]

great... will try it out!

 

[ferrarr]

I assuming that links to various app downloaded here are valid and safe..... disk drill!
I sometimes find I have deleted a folder or file and think ive lost it forever. so this would be a good app to have handy.
does it work also on external drives??

Exactly what Time Machine was designed for.

 

[lori5060]

Disk Drill is safe to download and it does work on external drives. Download the free version not the Pro version which is payware.

and I discovered that there is a version for windows... will pass that along to my brother who uses Windows

 

[Rod]

It does sounds a little like you delete files/folders a bit which you later regret. Not judging or anything, when you process/create a lot of data that can happen. This is ideally what Time Machine does best, in the short term.

I erase my TM backups about a month after a major macOS upgrade and create a new backup. My CCC clone remains continuous until full although the upgrade to Big Sur changed that this year.

If you have two backups you can allow one to overlap the other meaning they never get full but maybe a one year cycle would not be long enough for you.

Given the low price of "spinner" external HD's why not have one just for the files you would normally delete. Of course you will be running the risk of accumulation.

 

[JohnWickH]

Hi,

Time Machine deleted my oldest backup from the external hard drive when backing up after the disk got full. It happened unexpected, because TM still showed about 20GB free space after what it would require for the backup, but after checking it again external hard drive had 250GB available space and the oldest backup deleted. Most of the files in the oldest backup are erased from my Mac HD and not in the latest backups. I tried a number of softwares, but little help. Is there any possibility to retrieve automatically deleted backup (which includes documents, photos etc) from the Time Machine? It would be helpful to know if there is an effective way to do so? Thank you

Hi, If you erased Time Machine back up the files on your Mac, it's hard to recover files. But may be chance to restore backup from your Mac HD with the help of mac hard drive recovery service like Disk Drill, Stellar Data Recovery, Easeus, etc. Otherwise no ways to get backup files!!