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Chr1st0f3r

Q: Trouble recovering latest TM backup to new SSD

Mission: To change my old 500gb hdd to a 250gb ssd and use Time Machine to restore all data to the new drive.


Main problems I’ve encountered during this (seemingly simple) task:

1) TM not showing the latest backups as a choice when restoring
2) The ‘complete backup’ in my TM seems to differ in size and I’m very confused about it
3) My computer telling me that my new ssd drive doesn’t have enough space to restore from a TM copy although there should be plenty of space left.


So, this is my story:

Before removing my old hdd I performed a last TM backup. When I check to see how big an entire backup is, 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?

 

I removed my old hdd and installed my new ssd, booted my computer with the opt-key (or cmd+r as you also can do from what I’ve read). I choose ‘Restore from Time Machine’, BUT when I get the screen with the list of available TM backups to choose from (I’m using a Time Capsule by the way), the last backup I can choose is dated April 9 although I just performed a backup a minute ago on May 26. 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?

 

Another strange thing is when I click on the backup from April 9 just to see what the next step would be, I can choose my new ssd drive as a target drive, BUT 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?

 

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.

 

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…!?

 

I would be very grateful for any help in this matter, since I don’t know what to do about all this?

Aperture 3, Mac OS X (10.7.2)

Posted on May 28, 2013 4:49 AM

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Q: Trouble recovering latest TM backup to new SSD

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  • by Pondini,

    Pondini Pondini Jun 4, 2013 12:33 PM in response to Chr1st0f3r
    Level 8 (38,747 points)
    Jun 4, 2013 12:33 PM in response to Chr1st0f3r

    PPS:  On your Bug Report, be sure to make it clear that once you replaced the preferences file, the folders were backed-up. 

  • by Chr1st0f3r,

    Chr1st0f3r Chr1st0f3r Jun 4, 2013 12:42 PM in response to Pondini
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 4, 2013 12:42 PM in response to Pondini

    Sure, I will do that.

     

    I plan to get this done tomorrow night, and I will send you the requested info afterwards.

  • by Pondini,

    Pondini Pondini Jun 4, 2013 12:50 PM in response to Chr1st0f3r
    Level 8 (38,747 points)
    Jun 4, 2013 12:50 PM in response to Chr1st0f3r

    Great!

     

    By the way, we've found what may turn out to be a clue -- some other users where it's intermittent, of all things!

     

    See https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5080333

     

    You are, obviously, one of the two mentioned.

     

    And the two of you are the only two, so far, with the prefs file (since it's in /Library, it's not on the backups).

     

    Thanks again.

  • by Pondini,

    Pondini Pondini Jun 5, 2013 7:49 AM in response to Pondini
    Level 8 (38,747 points)
    Jun 5, 2013 7:49 AM in response to Pondini

    PPPS:  If you get a chance, and didn't mention it on your BR, you might want to add a link to the main thread where we've been discussing this: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5080333

     

    As I'm posting some findings there, it should have the most we know . . .

     

    Thanks!

     

    EDIT:  had the wrong URL

     

    Message was edited by: Pondini

  • by Chr1st0f3r,

    Chr1st0f3r Chr1st0f3r Jun 5, 2013 10:09 AM in response to Pondini
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 5, 2013 10:09 AM in response to Pondini

    Okay, so I klicked the link on your website about how to file a bug report.

     

    However, the first questions you have to answer regards things like 'how long have you been a developer' etc etc.

    It seems like you're supposed to be a professional in order to send in a report?

     

    I didn't want to continue when I was asked these kind of questions, because I would have to lie in order to be able to proceed to the next step in the process.

     

    Is there any way that I could perhaps e-mail you my screenshots, that file that I saved before restoring and a short description of my problem and you could then help me to actually file the report?

  • by Pondini,

    Pondini Pondini Jun 5, 2013 10:32 AM in response to Chr1st0f3r
    Level 8 (38,747 points)
    Jun 5, 2013 10:32 AM in response to Chr1st0f3r

    Chr1st0f3r wrote:

     

    Okay, so I klicked the link on your website about how to file a bug report.

    Great!

     

     

    However, the first questions you have to answer regards things like 'how long have you been a developer' etc etc.

    It seems like you're supposed to be a professional in order to send in a report?

    I signed-up (for a free account) long ago, so haven't seen the questions lately.  Just give it gibberish.

     

    it was designed for use by developers (with paid memberships), but opened up so us civilians could use it.  Unless you call AppleCare ($60 per call if your Mac is over a year old or over 3yrs and you paid for AppleCare), there's no other way to supply much in the way of details.

     

    The only other way is the feeback site:  http://www.apple.com/feedback/macosx.html but they never answer, or ask for more info, and you can't submit logs, diagnostics, etc.

     

    Is there any way that I could perhaps e-mail you my screenshots, that file that I saved before restoring and a short description of my problem and you could then help me to actually file the report?

    I don't think sending the copies to me would help, but I'll help with the details if you want.

     

    Did you get far enough to see the window where you describe the problem?  It seems reasonably clear -- the Problem Deails section has pre-defined sections. 

  • by Chr1st0f3r,

    Chr1st0f3r Chr1st0f3r Jun 6, 2013 12:05 AM in response to Pondini
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 6, 2013 12:05 AM in response to Pondini

     

    Did you get far enough to see the window where you describe the problem?  It seems reasonably clear -- the Problem Deails section has pre-defined sections. 

     

    No, since I first had to answer questions about my experience as a developer, which made me hesitant, especially since you first have to agree to these 'Apple Terms' (which I never read of course because it's a mile long).

     

    I don't feel comfortable with posing as a developer after agreeing to the Apple Terms etc., so I'm afraid I cannot be of any assistance in the matter of filing a bug report.

     

    I could still send you that plist-file if you like? If it helps in any way?

  • by Pondini,

    Pondini Pondini Jun 6, 2013 5:33 AM in response to Chr1st0f3r
    Level 8 (38,747 points)
    Jun 6, 2013 5:33 AM in response to Chr1st0f3r

    Chr1st0f3r wrote:

    . . .

    No, since I first had to answer questions about my experience as a developer, which made me hesitant, especially since you first have to agree to these 'Apple Terms' (which I never read of course because it's a mile long).

    That's their standard Non-Disclosure agreement.  Most of it doesn't apply to a free account, since they can't download beta software -- only the paid ones ($99 and up) can do that.

     

    By the way, that's where most of the rumors come from -- the rumor sites pay the $99, ignore the NDA, try the software (bugs and all) and write about it.  Disgusting.

     

    It is meant to allow folks like you and me -- I gave up working for a living (in IT) 15 years ago, but signed-up for that so I could file bug reports.   Any number of us have.

     

    I don't feel comfortable with posing as a developer after agreeing to the Apple Terms etc., so I'm afraid I cannot be of any assistance in the matter of filing a bug report.

    Well, I disagree . . . that's part of what the free accounts are for (also access to the documentation), and you would be helping develop.  But of course it's your call.

     

    I could still send you that plist-file if you like? If it helps in any way?

    Sure, thanks.  Never know what might turn up.

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