How to copy Time Machine Backups to another External HD

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How to copy Time Machine Backups to another External HD

Hi,

My WD My Book External 320GB drive needs to be repaired, according to OS X Snow Leopard. I can't write to the disk, as per the warning message. I used Disk Utility several times to diagnose and repair disk permissions for the issue, but it doesn't work.

So, I purchased a new external HD with 1TB of space.

Now, the problem is, I can't copy my Time Machine Backups to the new drive. Are there any instructions on how to do this? I don't want to lose my data from the old drive, and I have gotten this far 🙂

Thx.

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.2)

Posted on Jan 17, 2010 5:56 PM

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Answer 1

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V.K.

Level 9

56,174 points

Jan 17, 2010 6:05 PM in response to Mixmaster1

Mixmaster1 wrote:
Hi,

My WD My Book External 320GB drive needs to be repaired, according to OS X Snow Leopard. I can't write to the disk, as per the warning message. I used Disk Utility several times to diagnose and repair disk permissions for the issue, but it doesn't work.

So, I purchased a new external HD with 1TB of space.

Now, the problem is, I can't copy my Time Machine Backups to the new drive. Are there any instructions on how to do this?

yes, there are. see this link
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1964018#18

I don't want to lose my data from the old drive, and I have gotten this far 🙂

Thx.

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Answer 2

Mixmaster1 Author

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Jan 21, 2010 8:04 PM in response to Mixmaster1

Thanks V.K.

I tried all of the steps, and have unsuccessfully been able to back up the Time Machine Backups onto another drive.

The issue is as follows. I cannot simply drag and drop the Time Machine Backups from the old drive using Finder. It gives me a message that says "The backup can’t be copied because the backup volume doesn’t have ownership enabled." Second, when I try and repair the old disk drive, DU cannot do so. It attempts to do it, but after a few minutes, the repair fails.

What else can I do?

BTW, I also used the Restore a disk image using the OLD drive image onto the NEW drive with dual partition. Still, same issue occurs - "The backup can't be copied because the backup volume doesn't have ownership enabled."

Any advice?

Thanks!

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Answer 3

V.K.

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56,174 points

Jan 21, 2010 8:19 PM in response to Mixmaster1

first you should enable ownership on the target drive. select it in finder and enter command+i. in the resulting popup unlock the lock at the bottom and UNCHECK the box to ignore ownership on this drive. however, if your old TM drive is damaged you may not be able to copy the backups no matter what.

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Answer 4

Mixmaster1 Author

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Jan 21, 2010 9:47 PM in response to V.K.

Hi V.K.

When I do so, in the sharing and permissions section of the Info tab, the names are all shaded in grey. It won't allow me to, even if I click on the lock box.... thoughts?

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Answer 5

Mixmaster1 Author

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Jan 21, 2010 9:49 PM in response to Mixmaster1

Is there anything else I can do as a last resort using Time Machine? Is there any other way to copy the information using a "restore" option onto the new drive? Ie. pointing my most recent of the MacBook Pro backups onto the other new external HD?

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Answer 6

Mixmaster1 Author

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Jan 21, 2010 9:51 PM in response to Mixmaster1

Sorry - my mistake. I was able to ignore ownership on the TARGET drive, but I get the following error when copying the backups.backupdb folder:

"The operation can’t be completed because it isn’t supported."

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Answer 7

V.K.

Level 9

56,174 points

Jan 21, 2010 9:55 PM in response to Mixmaster1

Mixmaster1 wrote:
Hi V.K.

When I do so, in the sharing and permissions section of the Info tab, the names are all shaded in grey.

I'm not talking about changing anything in the the sharing and permissions section. I'm talking about unchecking the box at the bottom that says "ignore ownership on this volume".
If you can't do that then I suggest you reformat the new drive using disk utility. don't just erase it. reformat it as described here:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1964018#5
make sure to make the partition scheme GUID.

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Answer 8

V.K.

Level 9

56,174 points

Jan 21, 2010 9:58 PM in response to Mixmaster1

Mixmaster1 wrote:
Sorry - my mistake. I was able to ignore ownership on the TARGET drive,

NO. do NOT check the box to ignore ownership. UNCHECK it. the ownership on a TM drive should not be ignored.

but I get the following error when copying the backups.backupdb folder:

"The operation can’t be completed because it isn’t supported."

as i said, something may be badly wrong with your old TM drive in which case you can't do anything with it. try repairing it with disk utility. what does it say?

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Answer 9

Mixmaster1 Author

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Jan 21, 2010 10:02 PM in response to V.K.

Just to be clear, on the TM drive, there is no option to UNCHECK the ignore ownership. In fact, there is no checkbox stating that.

When I try to repair the drive using Disk Utility, I get an error message saying the DU was unable to repair the drive, and to backup files and reformat. I've tried everything possible here. Thanks.

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Answer 10

V.K.

Level 9

56,174 points

Jan 21, 2010 10:06 PM in response to Mixmaster1

Mixmaster1 wrote:
Just to be clear, on the TM drive, there is no option to UNCHECK the ignore ownership. In fact, there is no checkbox stating that.

When I try to repair the drive using Disk Utility, I get an error message saying the DU was unable to repair the drive, and to backup files and reformat. I've tried everything possible here. Thanks.

then it's unlikely you'll be able to do anything with that drive. if you have disk warrior or drive genius try fixing the drive with one of those tools. if that doesn't work. consider the old backups lost. just start a new backup sequence on the new drive.

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Answer 11

Mixmaster1 Author

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Jan 21, 2010 10:10 PM in response to V.K.

Tried Drive Genius, won't allow me to select the drive. It has an exclamation mark within a red circle on it, so I can't select the drive for repair. I can still see the Time Machine backups though in TM, and can scroll through them and view the files.....

Any last thoughts before I just give up on a year of data??

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Answer 12

V.K.

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Jan 21, 2010 10:13 PM in response to Mixmaster1

none from here, sorry.

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Answer 13

Mixmaster1 Author

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Jan 22, 2010 2:25 AM in response to V.K.

BTW, the error message I get when attempting to verify the disk is "Keys out of order. The Volume Time Machine Backups was found corrupt and needs to be repaired."

When it attempts to repair and says "Rebuilding Catalog B-Tree," it halts half way through and says "Disk Utility can’t repair this disk. Back up as many of your files as possible, reformat the disk, and restore your backed-up files"

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Answer 14

Király

Level 6

10,017 points

Jan 22, 2010 5:51 PM in response to Mixmaster1

Is there anything on that drive other than Time Machine backups? If so, back that stuff up separately and reformat.

If you have old archived copies of files inside your TM backups that you don't want to lose, you'd be better off to just navigate to those files with Finder and make backup copies of just them. Once you have saved copies of everything you want, reformat the drive and start over.

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Answer 15

Apr 10, 2010 8:38 AM in response to Mixmaster1

I have the same error message reported. Very annoying. I can actually engage TM on my old drive, but when I tried to copy the old stuff to the new drive I get the same message "The operation can't be completed because it isn't supported" even with ignore ownership unchecked. Look like a big Apple bug to me and incorrect instructions on thread http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1427

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