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0 pointsszhu6y ago0 comments

I checked before, and if I recall correctly, Time Machine backups are protected at the kernel level -- you cannot modify them, even with sudo. You can delete the whole backup, but you cannot modify part of it.

> but executing things from the backup directory is another.

Time Machine backups are structured in a very non-proprietary way. Each backup is just a folder, protected from modifications, with hard links used to save space. If anything, I'd say good on Apple for supporting a backup format that works exactly like making a copy of a folder.

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3 comments · 2 top-level

macshome6y ago· 1 in thread

You can also delete items from your backup. So like if wanted to delete Zoom from Time Machine just select it in a backup and then select the option to remove it from all your backups from the Action menu or a right-click.

mulmen6y ago

Ok but why would I do that? The whole idea of a backup is that I can... go back.

Do other apps launch from backups like this? It’s very strange.

My expectation is that if I want to go back to a backup I have to restore that backup first then run the application. Executing from a backup is surprising and frankly difficult to reason about. What version is even running? How would I know?

mulmen6y ago

Sure nothing wrong with the format of the backups, that makes total sense. What doesn't make sense is executing things in those directories.

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