Q: Trouble recovering latest TM backup to new SSD

Chr1st0f3r wrote:

. . .

TM calculates an entire backup to be 152gb altogether. In ‘About this computer’ I can see that all my data on the hdd occupies about 182gb, which is strange since I’ve not excluded anything from the backup in TM. So, why the discrepancy here?

Time Machine automatically excludes some things, such as system work files, most caches and logs, trash, etc.   It also excludes Local Snapshots ("Backups" on the Storage display), and, on Lion, the Versions database. 

How come TM doesn’t present any backups made after April 9? Also, why is there a text on the screen that says ‘only complete backups of Mac OS X is shown in the list below’? What does that mean?

Three possibilities:

• The backups are damaged.  Try Repairing them, per #A5 in Time Machine - Troubleshooting

• System files were not backed-up, so you can't restore OSX.

• If you erased or restored your HD around April 9, the backups made afterwards may be treated as if they were from a different disk.  Try the restore again, and see if the Restore From item on this screen is actually a "pop up" menu;  if it is, it will show another drive, probably with the same name.  Try selecting the other one and check the dates.

I also get a message stating that I cannot use this drive since there is not enough storage left, which is not true. The ssd has 232gb storage left after formatting to OSX Extended (GUID), while a ‘complete backup’ from TM is between 152-182gb (depending on which number is actually correct here, which I’m really confused about). So, there should be more than enough space left on the ssd, right?

Yes, especially since the SSD will be erased before the restore begins. 

The "complete backup" number is the estimate of what a new, full backup would require;  if something else, like an external HD or some large items that have been deleted since then, had also been backed-up earlier, that backup would be much larger.

More likely, if the backups are damaged, they may appear to be larger or smaller than actual.  The Repair above may fix that.

Another thing I tried was to make a complete TM backup to an external usb drive to try to restore from that instead. The backup started and TM stated that the complete backup would be 164gb, yet another number differing from the other numbers although I haven’t installed anything since I started all this. When the backup was completed I checked to see how big the actual backup was and it seemed to be 100gb instead of 164gb. I then checked to see how big the backup was on my Time Capsule and it also seemed to be 100gb. Now I’m more confused than ever.

Yes, the initial number is an estimate.  They're usually much closer than that, though. 

Look at that backup (and/or the ones on the Time Capsule).  See if the top-level System folder is there.

Besides from the fact that the size of a complete TM backup seems to differ so much, I tried to restore from the USB drive, but when the screen with available backups came up it was empty. No backup to be found on the USB drive…!?

What, if anything, appears if you use the Browse Other Backups option, per #E2 in the above link?

And just to confirm, you're still on 10.7.2, per your profile?

Message was edited by: Pondini

Chr1st0f3r wrote:

. . .

Since my post I've compared the folders included in two of my backups:

My latest Time Capsule backup from May 27 are missing the three folders System, Library and Programs that the April 9 backup has.

That explains why you can't do a full system restore . . . you don't have backups of OSX.   

Do you recall excluding them from being backed-up?

Go ahead with the Repair as above.  That will take some time, but not hurt anything.

Then, let's check to be sure the backups are recognized.  Start the Migration Assistant app (in your Applications/Utilities folder).  Follow the on-screen instructions to migrate from your backups, but don't actually do it.  Just make sure it gets to the window where you select Apps, Users, etc. (see Using Migration Assistant on Mountain Lion or Lion for the gory details).  Then quit the app.  If you didn't get that window, stop here and we'll look for a workaround.

Start from your Recovery HD, erase the SSD, and install OSX on it.  When your Mac restarts, you'll get a Transfer Information to This Mac window.  Select From Another Disk and proceed.  This is Setup Assistant, similar to the above (see Using Setup Assistant on Mountain Lion or Lion for details). 

That should get the SSD set up mostly as before -- user accounts and user data.  Since the top-level Library and Applications folders weren't backed-up, either, you'll have to reinstall all extra Apple apps (such as iLife, iWork, Pro apps), 3rd-party apps, and any new drivers for printers, scanners, etc., and set up system-wide settings.

Once you get it put back together, you may want to start making "secondary" backups.  See Time Machine - Frequently Asked Question #27 for some suggestions.

Chr1st0f3r wrote:

. . .

(I don't know how to use the 'quote' feature, so please bare with me here with my answers to your last post).

The little quote icon in the toolbar will put a box around selected text; or, if you're replying to a post and haven't selected anything, it will bring in the whole post.  I usually start with that, then selectively copy/delete.

1. I have never excluded anything from my backups besides my 'Downloaded files' folder.

That's what I figured.  There may be a bug in Mountain Lion that sets the indicator to skip system files in a few cases, but we've been unable to duplicate it, so can't report it to Apple. 

2. Yesterday evening I ran the 'Repair' on my Time Machine, which seemed to take 5 hours so I left my computer on over night. This morning I checked the status and the only message was a highlighted row of green text stating that 'The unit Time Machine backups' seems to be without any errors (roughly translated from Swedish).

Good. That means the directories, etc., are ok.  That can't check for completeness or files corrupted internally, though.

I then ran a fresh backup of TM and checked the folders of this backup. No change, still missing the folders System, Library and Programs (as well as the folder Private, which I forgot to mention earlier).

Most likely, if you do a "full reset" per #A4 in Time Machine - Troubleshooting, to make a fresh version of the apparently-damaged prefs file, then run a backup, it will get those folders. 

However, instead of deleting the file per those instructions, I'd like you to move it somewhere safe so we can examine it after you get sorted out, and perhaps have you file a bug report with Apple  (I can't file one about your Mac.)  If you're willing to do that, let me know before doing anything, so you can run a diagnostic report to include.

3. I just tried starting the Migration Assistant according to your guide, but I never got to the window where I could select which apps users etc. to transfer. The disk didn't seem to be recognized.

It's the missing private folder.  Deep inside it is the info on each user account.  Migration Assistant needs that to associate user accounts with their home folders, so doesn't recognize the backups at all. 

By the way, you don't think there is any possibility of transferring my entire system thorugh e.g. CCC (Carbon Copy Cloner) to get my entire system including all my data, programs etc. to the new drive?

Yes, absolutely.    Sorry, I was under the impression that you didn't have everything on your system now;  I've been working with a couple of other threads where that's the case, and must have mixed them up.  My apologies. 

If your current OSX volume is complete, then yes, either a full TM backup or a CCC copy will work.

Will this perhaps somehow collide with TM, like if you would try to use two different anti-virus programs simultaneously?

No, not a problem at all.  Many of us use both TM and one of the cloning apps (either CCC or SuperDuper).  CCC is a great product, with great support (better than Apple gives TM, I'm sorry to say).  TM and a clone are complimentary, not contradictory. 

If all other things fail,

Unlikely.  Either CCC or a full TM backup should work without a hitch. 

Chr1st0f3r wrote:

. . .

Ok, I'm willing to send a bug report to Apple since you've been so kind to help me with this so far.

 

So, what do I do now? Run a diagnostics report? How, then?

Ah, great!     Thanks!

Open the Terminal app (in your Applications/Utilities folder). Be very careful with this app.  It's a direct link into UNIX, the underpinnings of OSX, but without the protections of OSX.

In Terminal, the prompt looks like this:  <Computer Name>:~ <your name>$

(where <your name> is your short user name).  It's followed by a non-blinking block cursor.

Copy the following after the prompt:

     sudo tmdiagnose -f ~/Desktop

and press Return. You'll be prompted for your Admin password (which won't be displayed).  Press Return again.

You'll see an explanatory note, then press Return again to actually run the command.

That will run a whole series of commands, and take a few minutes.  Here's a sample of the beginning of what you'll see:

When it's done, it will put a zip file on your Desktop containing all the output.  Keep it somewhere safe so you can attach it to the bug report.

Also, instead of deleting it, please move the com.apple.TimeMachine.plist file in #A4 above somewhere safe.  There's a copy in the diagnostic package for Apple, but I'd like you to email the copy to me so I can take a look, too.

You don't need to do it now (you probably want to get your system set up and running first ), but when convenient, report the bug to Apple, per the green box in Reporting a Problem to Apple, and attach the diagnostic package.

Click the Contact link on that web page (or any of my pages) to e-mail the plist file to me.

Let me know if there are any problems or questions, and keep us posted.

Oh, sorry, no.  When you do the full reset, you'll wipe out the prefs file, and that's what the diagnostic tool uses to know what to analyze.  You need to do that first, please, if you don't mind.

Once you've got the diagnostic package for Apple and file for me, you can submit the bug report and e-mail the file at your convenience.

You must be in the wrong Library (there are at least 3 on every Mac ).  The one at the top level of your drive, not inside your home folder.

Spotlight won't find it, neither will a Finder Search (unless you include System Files).

Open your internal HD via the Finder, then Library, then Preferences.

Message was edited by: Pondini