(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Now i do have some files i lost a while back, that i do want to recover, but if i get a hard drive for TM, will i be able to look all the way back to the start when i got my mac, or will it be from the day i installed the HD?

Thanks

if i'm understanding you right, no your files were only backed up from the time you bought your hard drive and turned on time machine.

Yes, time machine backs up to external hdd, so you do need to setup the hdd first, before u can backup.