Time Machine question

[lostinforums]

i'm just doing my first time machine backup to a dedicated backup drive, its got nearly 8TB to do, i don't fancy leaving my mac on for about 5 days straight, is it possible to turn it off each night and Time machine will pick up where it left off?

Thanks

 

[CoastalOR]

According to this Apple Support document you can pause the TM for later:
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204412

See the "Your first backup" section;
"If you want to pause a backup and finish it later, select Skip This Backup from the Time Machine menu."

I have not tried this, but Apple Support says that is the way it works.

I normally just leave my Mac on for the first backup until it is done.

 

[jpn]

i'm just doing my first time machine backup to a dedicated backup drive, its got nearly 8TB to do, i don't fancy leaving my mac on for about 5 days straight, is it possible to turn it off each night and Time machine will pick up where it left off?

Thanks

you can shut down your machine at any time.
it is also true, of course, that Time Machine won't run (since your machine is shut down).

the point is:
Time Machine will do its appointed timely backups on its own schedule (while the machine it is on is still running).
and pick up after you turn your machine back on.

other interesting things:
- you can shut down your machine anytime, even if Time Machine is in the middle of a backup. it will find its way next time you turn your machine on.
- if you want to be precise, and do a backup just before you shut down ur machine, just do it manually (Menu bar: Time Machine icon / Back up now ( in Time Machine preferences you can put the icon in the menu bar)
- you can see if the Time Machine is in the midst of a backup by looking at the circle surrounding the Time Machine icon in the menu bar.

 

[lostinforums]

Thanks all, so i tried shutting down my mac - turns out it doesn't pick up from where it left off. It had to start from the beginning again.
Maybe its because it was the first backup?
Anyway, I've found a work around for now, I'm just backing up 1 drive at a time so i can do it each day instead of all drives at once which would take 5 days total.