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My Time Machine backs-up too much data
Keeps adding 12 GB per day. My ext. drive now full.
I’m frustrated
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imonz,
Do you use vmware or parallels?
Time machine is more than just a copy-to-external-hd agent: it keeps a history of files as they change. As you change a document it will continually backup the new versions.
If it is consuming 12GB every day that means you are probably affecting a lot of large files during your daily use. In most cases I've seen, there are two causes: Downloading lots of video, or using virtualization products. Seeing that we are talking 12GB a day, I would imagine your most likely culprit is a single huge file that is being changed constantly (the virtual hard drive file for a virtual machine fits the bill) rather than video given that 12GB of video to go through per day is a whole lot!
I would recommend tracking down this file and adding it into the Time Machine exclusion list. You can find that under the time machine preferences.
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Inappropriate?It will keep backing up until it fills that external hard drive. Basically, it wants to back up as much as possible -- as many versions of files as possible. But, you can partition the drive and set aside part of it for other files. That's what I do. I have a 160GB drive, and I set aside 60GB as a place where I can store other files. Try it. It works great!
I’m hoping this helps
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this solves the problem
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Inappropriate?Thanks. Good suggestion but doesn't solve the real problem. I have a 300GB external drive and Time Machine has filled it up. Even though I only have 160GB on my main drive. I've solved the problem - until Apple fixes the flaw - by disabling Time Machine, erasing my external drive and manually backing-up all my important files and folders. My ext. drive is now only 40% full and my main drive - free from Time Machine hourly backups - is much faster and more stable.
I’m no longer frustrated.
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Inappropriate?imonz,
Do you use vmware or parallels?
Time machine is more than just a copy-to-external-hd agent: it keeps a history of files as they change. As you change a document it will continually backup the new versions.
If it is consuming 12GB every day that means you are probably affecting a lot of large files during your daily use. In most cases I've seen, there are two causes: Downloading lots of video, or using virtualization products. Seeing that we are talking 12GB a day, I would imagine your most likely culprit is a single huge file that is being changed constantly (the virtual hard drive file for a virtual machine fits the bill) rather than video given that 12GB of video to go through per day is a whole lot!
I would recommend tracking down this file and adding it into the Time Machine exclusion list. You can find that under the time machine preferences.
3 people say
this solves the problem
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Inappropriate?Thanks Scott. And Eric too. I weighed the value of having Time Machine with CPU draining hourly "back-ups" and a full external drive against having a super-fast main hard drive and an external hard drive with tons of free space. And must tell you since I disabled Time Machine my system which was a BMW is now smokin' like a Lamborghini. The difference is amazing.
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Inappropriate?I'm noticing various sizes of backups that don't make a lot of sense. My most recent one was this morning at 375MB. I am using VMWare, but I have already added that to the "Do not backup" list. I have also added the video directory in iTunes and the browser cache in Firefox.
In order to debug this, I simply need to know WHAT files TimeMachine is backing up. I shouldn't have to guess. Is there a way?
(I'm guessing it has something to do with syncing my iPhone. I'll be there are about 375 MB of stuff on my iPhone.)
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This solves the problem
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Time Machine creates a backup of your entire hard disk, with the exception of files and directories that you exclude via its system preference pane. -
Inappropriate?Sloan, iTunes does a full backup of your iPhone whenever you sync, and Time Machine does backup whatever has changed in the iPhone backups, so that could be what you're seeing. Also, if you installed the 10.5.6 update, Time Machine will backup all of the changed system files and core applications. -
Inappropriate?Thanks, James. I'm sure that's what happened.
I would still like not to have to guess. Is there any way to look at a log file of some kind, or in Time Machine to find out exactly which files are being backed up when? The computer knows, it just isn't telling me. If I had visibility into that, I can choose more intelligently what to exclude and I (and many others) would stop having to ask what the heck is going on.
I tried using the finder to identify recently changed files, but it only has a resolution of one day and it doesn't include system files. Perhaps a good ol' UNIX 'find' command will do, but that won't take into account my exclusion list.
Seems like this should be easier info to uncover.
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I too would like to know exactly WHAT files are being backed up by Time Machine every hour. Time Machine is great but it bugs me not knowing this.
Has anyone figured out a way?
Thanks. -
Inappropriate?Well, after posting about wanting to know what files are being backed up, I went and did a google search (yet again for this problem) and this time I have found a solution.
The application is called 'TimeTracker'. This free application shows you exactly what was backed up for each Time Machine snap shot!
Find it near the bottom half of this article. Under 'TimeTracker: A Much Easier Alternative':
http://www.macgurulounge.com/see-whic...
I hope this helps others out.
I’m super happy I found TimeTracker!
