When I first installed Pasta as my Joomla template back in 2016, I made a copy of it and customized the copy. So, if I update the current version of the template Pasta by downloading and installing your most recent version on my website, will it automatically update the files in my installed copy (which I call by another name, but it's just a copy of Pasta?)

Hello,
1.) If you copy the template in Joomla Styles, you just copy the database entry and not the theme itself
2.) You cant copy the theme Style and assign the theme to other menu items. That you have to do with layouts

If you want to backup the theme you have to copy the theme from your server to your hard drive with FTP

PS: If you update the theme, only the org theme will be updated and not the Style!!

Ok, so just dropping the updated Pasta theme zipped file into Extensions > Manage > Install does not update the theme core files that affect the theme copy core files? I am figuring only the settings are really unchanged in the copied theme. I am not someone who knows how to work in the database directly. Is there a paid service here to install or update a theme for a customer?

Hi there,
1.) I told you that you cant duplicate the theme style > see picture attached
2.) Only the default theme will be updated