Time Machine is creating duplicate HD volumes. Is this normal?!

[nick777vvv]

I am backing up Catalina to an Extended Format external drive.

As expected, the new OS now creates three volumes: System, Data and Recovery.

So far, so good.

What I didn't expect was duplicate System and Recovery volumes being created each time I run a back up.

So, for example, I now have:

Macintosh HD
Macintosh HD 1
Macintosh HD 2

...and so on.

The Data volume is not being replicated, so that's something.

Is this normal? It's not causing me any problems but if I did need a reinstall off Time Machine, I wouldn't want to be importing multiple system files...

Thanks

 

[gilby101]

Normal? In some circumstances, yes. But it is not desirable. It is a consequence of how either a) Catalina TM inherited backups from Mojave TM or b) a new Mac inherited from previous Mac. Have a read of this https://eclecticlight.co/2019/12/16/time-machine-5-changing-macs-and-more/

Best to start afresh with a new TM backup.

 

[nick777vvv]

Many thanks; a very useful link.

90% went over my head but this sentence was particularly clear: "Many users have reported that migration doesn’t work right, or results in strange backups"

My experience exactly!