Transfer Time Machine backups to new external hard drive

[Mannheim62]

As stated back in my post #2 unless you need the old backups you could just put the old backup drive aside and start a new one.
I erase my old TM backups at each major upgrade of macOS so I never have a TM backup older that about a year. What with the changing nature of macOS, the move from the HFS+ to APFS filing system, formatting for external HD's the increased popularity of external SSD's etc there seems no point in maintaining a TM backup for much longer than a year.
If however you regard your TM backup as a sort of archive where unique files (files that are not on your computer) or versions of files can be stored permanently for restoration at any time my experience is you may be disappointed. TM backups can become corrupted and/or the EHD's they are stored on can simply crash. Add to this the unique filing structure of TM backups which are pretty much only readable by the TM app they are pretty much unretrievable if they get damaged.
So I only regard them as short term restore files for which they are very useful but they are not the only form of backup I have and I would not rely solely on TM for this purpose.

All very good points, thank you.

 

[frankmezz]

Why not use both? I have 3 external drives of which only one is always attached (a server partition used for backup of 2 laptops [second laptop is older and infrequently used] , yes both laptops use the same server partition). I alternate the second and third drive at least monthly on my main laptop to have backups off line should something happen that destroys the computer and what's attached to it. READ - ransom ware attack and backups are corrupted also.

OR connect them both all the time. TM will alternate each backup to the attached drives.

 

[Mannheim62]

Very sorry for the late reply. I think for me, less is more. I'll use my current drive til it's full, then start a new one. I do appreciate your input though .

Thanks, Mike