Time Machine: inherited backups and freeing space

[robgendreau]

I moved to a new machine, and in or just after the migration process one is presented with a dialog asking if one wants to inherit the old backup. Meaning the backup continues on with the new machine added to the old machines backups, as opposed to starting anew and either keeping or deleting the old machines backups.

Wanting to preserve the old data, I did that, I inherited the old one.

I can't imagine a scenario where I'd want to try to restore the old machine's system, if that's even possible, yet it seems to be part of the backup. So that's a lot of stuff I won't ever need. In the immediate future I can see keeping it, just because there may be some older kexts and other system components I might need in the backup. But once the new machine is fully set up I won't need them either. So I'm wondering what's the most efficient way of deleting all that: just enter TM, select the System, and delete all backups (obviously selecting the older system)?

Normally I just let TM handle the deletions but since this is something I'm absolutely sure I don't need if I could nuke it with a couple of clicks it seems worth doing.

 

[Weaselboy]

But once the new machine is fully set up I won't need them either. So I'm wondering what's the most efficient way of deleting all that: just enter TM, select the System, and delete all backups (obviously selecting the older system)?

What I usually do after an OS upgrade is inherit like you mentioned, then run like that a couple weeks to make sure all is well and I won't need to retrieve anything from the old backups, then I format the TM disk and start a new TM backup.

Much faster and easier than trying to fuss around figuring out what you want to delete manually.

 

[MacDawg]

Much faster and easier than trying to fuss around figuring out what you want to delete manually.

MUCH much faster

 

[robgendreau]

True, but in my case there are user files that I want to have backups of for longish periods of time. I have files, like say a Word document, that might have quite few changes over months and I could conceivably need to go back to a version months old. Same for some databases.

But I suppose the answer then is to just delete everything but ~/user. I suppose there might be something left in say /Library/Application support, but applications aren't really supposed to store anything but settings, profiles, prefs and other similar things, not regular user data. And as you all note, some regular use and testing should verify that that stuff is OK, so nuking that wouldn't be that risky. And I have a second backup, so another month or so and I should be fine.

Thanks for tips and helping me clarify things.