Time Machine backups on multiple HDDs?

[weaztek]

For years, I've been rotating in 3 HDDs to make [several redundant] Time Machine backups. I started this backup process with a Mac OS that is now several generations old.

I went to restore from a Time Machine backup (long story), but couldn't select the newest backup from some reason (so I gave up and did a clean Monterey install). Any insight if I'm using Time Machine correctly?

 

[maverick100]

Time Machine in Monterey is for me a total mess!!!
1. No read and write right to the drive.
2. Unable to store any additional files on the TM Drive.
3. If you have something store on the drive you select for TM it will be erased when tm is setup on that drive.
4. You can no long copy TM backups to another drive.
Worst TM since Apple introduced TM.

I have been working with TM drives setup in Mojave; tried to do a clean install of Monterey and TM restore from one of those drives. Total failure.
I am sure this doesn't help; but this has been my experiences.

I have used CCC for years. I now have 4 ssd's setup in CCC to do backups 4 times a day.
I no long trust TM as a backup.

 

[Fishrrman]

One more vote for using either CarbonCopyCloner or SuperDuper instead of time machine.

Both have free trials for 30 days.
I suggest you try BOTH of them.

Either one will serve you better in that "moment of extreme need"...

 

[m4v3r1ck]

CarbonCopyCloner is my most valuable bootable backup application I ever bought for my Apple ecosystem. I make them on a RAID-1 eSATA external HDD array 2 times a day.

“It saved my bacon many times!”

CCC = no-brainer application, never looked back at .