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User profile for user: dahveed311
dahveed311 Author
User level: Level 1
35 points

How do I transfer a Time Machine backup from Time Capsule to a USB Disk?

I finally decided to replace my Time Capsule given its age and lack of continued development. I have been using the Time Capsule as a Time Machine target for a MacBook Pro running Big Sur. I have a new USB3 external hard drive that I'd like to use as my new Time Machine backup disk, but I'd like to retain my backup history from the Time Capsule. I spent 5 hours copying my .bundlespare file from the Time Capsule to the drive, only for the Time Machine preferences requiring me to format/erase the drive in order to select it for use. Does anyone know a path forward here?

MacBook Pro 13″, macOS 11.6

Posted on Sep 17, 2021 10:50 PM

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User profile for user: Bruce Michel
Bruce Michel
User level: Level 1
124 points

Posted on Sep 18, 2021 2:26 PM

This may be helpful: https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/types-of-disks-you-can-use-with-time-machine-mh15139/mac


Can you even combine the bundles from the Time Capsule with the future backups using HFS+ or APFS? The requirement for reformatting appears to only be for APFS. Could you partition the new disk to keep your old data in a volume and then add a new volume (HFS+ only??) for the ongoing backups. But APFS is apparently preferred as a format for TM.


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User profile for user: Bruce Michel
Bruce Michel
User level: Level 1
124 points

Sep 18, 2021 2:26 PM in response to dahveed311

This may be helpful: https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/types-of-disks-you-can-use-with-time-machine-mh15139/mac


Can you even combine the bundles from the Time Capsule with the future backups using HFS+ or APFS? The requirement for reformatting appears to only be for APFS. Could you partition the new disk to keep your old data in a volume and then add a new volume (HFS+ only??) for the ongoing backups. But APFS is apparently preferred as a format for TM.


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How do I transfer a Time Machine backup from Time Capsule to a USB Disk?

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