How to access Time Machine from Another Computer?

😕 Bufff this is going to be a DIY along with "Mr. Pondini and frineds" Master on How to manage TM and Backups! (thank you by the way for being out there).

I am going to read all the info in those links and learn.

CP2000 wrote:

. . .

I didn't tell you that the backups where supposed to be saved in an external HD that the iMac accesses throu a AirPort Extreme.

Ah, the proverbial "other shoe." 😉

I hate to have to tell you this, but backing-up that way is unreliable and not supported by Apple. See: Using Time Machine with an Airport Extreme Air Disk.

Well, you know what? When I went to buy the AirPort Extreme and when I had to talk to someone at AppleCare Telephone Support regarding other issues, any of the mention that it was unreliable and not supported by Apple. I guess they don't really care as long as you buy stuff from them... Sorry I sound a little grunchy, but it is because I am feeling a little cheated with all what is going on since I bought the Mac mini that was malfuctioning right from the beginning and the way "Apple" show me any real understanding and support.... It has been a nightmare for the past week. Just for at the end, having to buy an iMac.

In any case, thank you very much for your help! I apppreciated.

By the way, quick question: What does really do the "Verifying Backups" feature?

CP2000 wrote:

. . .

Well, you know what? When I went to buy the AirPort Extreme and when I had to talk to someone at AppleCare Telephone Support regarding other issues, any of the mention that it was unreliable and not supported by Apple.

That's surprising -- they're usually very quick to mention that. They'll offer some help, but they normally make it clear up front that it's unsupported.

The AppleStores, however, mostly don't seem to know that. We've seen many folks who were told it would work.

. . .but it is because I am feeling a little cheated with all what is going on since I bought the Mac mini that was malfuctioning right from the beginning

Recently? If so, make an appointment and take it to a Apple Store, or Apple Authorized Service Provider. There's a one-year warranty (and you can buy AppleCare that extends it to 3 years).

In any case, thank you very much for your help! I apppreciated.

Cool. It's late here, so I'll be gone for a few hours of snooze time, but be back tomorrow.

By the way, quick question: What does really do the "Verifying Backups" feature?

That only applies to backups that are on a network (ie, in a sparse bundle). Time Machine does it periodically, or you can do it manually. There's a difference of opinion whether it's different or better than using Disk Utility on a sparse bundle.

robbo™ wrote:

It was defintely ctrl+click for me (using OSX 10.7.1)

Like David Theriaultsaid, defenetly ALT+click, atleast on Mavericks ALT+click is working for me.

My macbook pro recently died and although I can browse my time machine (external drive) on another macbook pro, I can't seem to actually access any of the backed up data. Specifically, although I can use the "browse other backup disk" option to view the drive, none of dates on the right hand scroll is clickable. What is displayed is the functioning macbook's current state. Any ideas why none of the backups are available to me?

Thanks

I had the same issue. I have multiple TM backups on a NAS. 3 different sparsebundle are on the NAS.

When I option click on Time Machine icon and browse other backup disks, i see the 3 TM options. But when I open any of them, they only show the computer that i'm on. And only the current state.

But if it log in as the time machine user on the NAS, and double-click on the sparsebundle I want to open, it opens a "Time Machine Backups" disk and from there i can access the files in the Time Machine backup. I just can't do it from the Time Machine interface.

Actually there is a SUPER simple way to recover individual files, directories, etc manually NOT using Time Machine app but simply browsing a Finder window and copying the files/folders you want:

1. Make sure the Time Machine Disk is plugged in (or connected to network for Time Capsule)
2. Open it in Finder
3. If Time Capsule -> Open the folder 'Time Capsule'
4. You should see a folder "Backups.backupdb" and a file "User's Macbook Pro" (or whatever your user and computer name is) that has a Disk icon.
5. Double click the user-computer file. It will then mount a drive (like when you plug in an external drive or flash drive) that appears on the desktop as well as in the Finder Sidebar.
6. You can now browse that mounted drive and should find the folder "User's Macbook Pro" (or whatever your user and computer name is).
7. Open that and find "Backups.backupdb".
8. Open that and you should see a bunch of folders labeled for each date your Time Machine was backed up.
9. Open that and you should see the computer's hard drive (i.e. Macintosh HD) - NOTE: This may differ depending on your backup settings if you selected only individual folders as opposed to the whole hard drive, etc.
10. In there will be all the drive folders (i.e. Applications, Library, Users, etc)
11. Most likely you will want to recover User files so just open the Users folder and navigate through to your saved files you want to recover.
12. Then just Copy and Paste the files/folders you want to copy to the new computer.
13. IMPORTANT: Make sure you don't "Move" the files or Rename them. If you alter any of them, you may have problems using the native Time Machine app with that backup instance.

Wa-La!

Hi There

I have the exact same problem as you - I can select the backup from my dead machine with 'browse' but then in the TM interface I just see the machine I am currently on.... did you ever get an answer? Thanks

I have to agree with you. I can only see the computer that I am currently on using the "Browse Other Backup Disk" option.

To get the files I needed I just mounted the Sparse Bundle and copied the files.

If anyone that has used the "Browse Other Backup Disk" option and it has worked, please tell us what we are doing wrong.

My setup includes a 3TB Time Capsule and thus the backups are via the network.

Hi, no idea what you're doing wrong or what, but just tried it & it worked here for some files.

G5/10.5.8, Mac Pro/10.8.5 w/dedicated internal for TM.

Networked the two,G5<->Ethernet<->Router<->Airport<->Mac Pro.

Had to enable TM on the G5 as never used it there & point it at the networked drive,had to let TM start.

After that I was able to browse the Mac Pro's TM backups from the G5,only certain files could be used to Restore though. 🙂

Did you ever work this out?