After installing Big Sur, when did you delete your Catalina backup?

[coolbreeze2]

Last year in November I updated from Catalina to Big Sur on my MBP. I backed up Catalina right before updating. After installing Big Sur I started an entirely different backup in order to preserve my Catalina backup in case I needed to revert.

If now after 4 months and I have no issues with Big Sur, it's safe to delete the Catalina backup? Besides, my Big Sur backup should have everything my Catalina backup has except the OS is different?

 

[Nermal]

I went from 10.13 to 10.15 and I kept the backup for about six months. I only deleted it because I was running out of space, otherwise I'd probably still have it.

 

[flowrider]

I have ten SSDs. Four of them contain an OS. Two have Big Sur and two have Catalina. I'll delete Catalina when Big Sur's successor is announced.

Lou

 

[svanstrom]

No real backup to begin with. 🤷

Ignoring the stuff that iCloud etc handles I only push important files to servers, and use git.

Absolute worse case scenario would be a pain, but still easily recoverable within 24hrs.

 

[Jack Neill]

I still have a CCC clone of the 10.15.7 install I had on my 2020 i5 Air. Its just sitting on my storage drive, never know when I might need to roll back to the most disappointing version of macOS ever released. I do keep a version of all my Apple libraries like iTunes, Photos, and Music from Catalina in case Big Sur goes south, and for use on my Hackintosh as its still on 10.15.7. I did the same for Mojave's and deleted when I nuked that hack laptop. Big Sur has been a huge speed boost for all my machines. I would jump to it on the hack but I don't feel like messing with a Clover to OC swap.

 

[coolbreeze2]

My external backup drive is about to start running out of space. Not only does it contain both a Catalina and a Big Sur backup for my MBP but it also has both for my iMac. I see now I should have had the Big Sur backups on a different drive. For now, I'm hoping to delete at least one of the Catalina backups. I am already aware that deleting Time Machine backups on a Big Sur machine is a huge pain in you know what. My way around that issue is to delete the Catalina backup from inside Parallels Windows VM.

 

[ewu]

after I update big sur and do some online algorithm coding, I go back to mac os catalina immediately because vscode are working so lagging and even typing is slowing down. Eclipse crashs and some other IDE has problems as well.

I will wait until big sur is very stable and all software have compatibility with big sur.

 

[HDFan]

If Big Sur is stable for you, if you have a 3-2-2 backup strategy implemented so your data is safe, is there a reason you would want to keep a Catalina backup around? If you have some app that isn't on Big Sur for some reason it would make sense. Otherwise if your system/app files are OK on Big Sur is there any reason you would want to keep them around?

 

[coolbreeze2]

If Big Sur is stable for you, if you have a 3-2-2 backup strategy implemented so your data is safe, is there a reason you would want to keep a Catalina backup around? If you have some app that isn't on Big Sur for some reason it would make sense. Otherwise if your system/app files are OK on Big Sur is there any reason you would want to keep them around?

Yes, I understand your reasoning and I agree. I posted because I wanted to be sure there was no known reason that I was not aware of for keeping the Catalina backup. I like to be extra careful sometimes.

 

[Partron22]

I bought new ext drives for Big Sur. 3 months later, I'm still finding stuff I need to pull off High Sierra.
I'll keep the drive at least a year.

 

[coolbreeze2]

I bought new ext drives for Big Sur. 3 months later, I'm still finding stuff I need to pull off High Sierra.
I'll keep the drive at least a year.

smart move

 

[HDFan]

I bought new ext drives for Big Sur. 3 months later, I'm still finding stuff I need to pull off High Sierra.
I'll keep the drive at least a year.

Is there any reason that you just don't copy everything over? For example I have a folder "From Mac 2" where I put things from my previous Mac 2 that I wasn't sure about. Couple of days ago I found some pictures there from 2003 (actually carried over from an even older Mac 1!).

As time goes on you can remove things, either as you move them to other folders or when you know that you will never use them. Programs which no longer work (such as those with 32 binaries), or which are outdated and replaced with better ones, can be removed.

 

[Partron22]

Is there any reason that you just don't copy everything over?

Applescripts do not copy correctly. A "Tell application "System Events" statement will turn into a "Tell application @%garble" when you open it with the new Script editor. I suppose I could've printed out 180+ Scripts before updating, but that'd be a pain. Likewise shell scripts and their like may or may not get copied.
I've done a lot of customization over the years. If I copy, they may break Big Sur, or not work. I remember these things as I need them, so the original drive, plus a Mac to run it on is essential to do a proper transfer.

 

[coolbreeze2]

With file space being a critical point for me (I am a musician and amateur videographer with huge files) I decided to delete the Catalina backup and rely on my Big Sur backup. So far so good.

 

[HDFan]

Applescripts do not copy correctly.

Nice to know.