Mac – How to change the URL of a networked Time Machine backup

backuptime-machine

The network configuration in my house has changed (new router), so my Linux server (where my networked Time Machine folder is housed) has changed.

'tmutil destinationinfo' yields:

> ==================================================
Name          : 500GB External
Kind          : Local
ID            : DF1F27B7-137D-4AE1-9BAE-CD4B603B74FC
====================================================
Name          : TimeMachine
Kind          : Network
URL           : afp://tmuser@192.168.0.12/TimeMachine
Mount Point   : /Volumes/TimeMachine-1
ID            : 2F2F2AC7-C4E5-4F2A-9E7F-8642D6BB441B

How can I change the 192.168.0.12 to something else without Time Machine thinking that it's a completely new backup target (and not realizing that the existing backup is ours)?

Best Answer

Just add the destination as a new disk in the Time Machine System Preferences GUI. It is smart enough to figure it out since there are identity tokens stored on the Mac and on the Time Machine destination.

It might warn you that the "identity" of the new location has changes and you have to approve before continuing to back up.

Time Machine can handle many destinations from one Mac and just picks up from where it left off for the last backup at that specific destination.

Worst case, you have to manually inherit the backup after associating with the new share. See the tmutil manual page for details if needed.

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