I have three external HD's. Time Machine will back up to them but I am unable to recover or search for select files on any of them if I enter TM from Apple Mail. I can't even go backwards in time.
I'm at a loss, sorry.
Time Machine does not work with Catalina OS when trying to recover Mail items. Broken since 12/19. I have an Apple case since December and have sent GB's of data. Not a priority - may never be fixed. Don't count on Time Machine for retrieving any Mail items.
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Read all repliesIn finder go to...
/Users/YourUserName/Library/Mail/V5
Then enter Time Machine, that is for 10.13, for 10.14 it be V6, & V7 for Catalina.
~ tilde indicates hidden Home Library.
Apple hid the Users' Library folders...
Method 1:
I'll try this. Thank you. But this is not how it should work. Is this a work around to a known glitch?
Of course it's supposed to just work, what we're attempting to do is sort out why it isn't working, it may be a workaround or a dead end.
I went to the folder and opened the V6 & V7 folders (I am using Catalina), then entered Time Machine. I got multiple finder windows of the folder going back several years. Yeah I can open those folders but I am actually trying to access old emails via Mail app (and the search function within the app)
Perhaps I didn't do it right? Also worth noting: I can only go back to older folders via the arrows. The backup dates on the right do the genie effect as I go back in time, but I cannot select a specific backup that way.
Thanks for your help.
So the content in the v6 & v7 folders is not the same on your Mac & on the Backup?
Correct. Different backups have different folders. Pre-Catlina there was a V5 folder and a year prior there was a V4 folder neither of which is in my current mac. However there is a V2 folder that is still lingering.
It looks like when there is a new OS release they move the subfolders into a new folder with a higher V, leaving the older folders with just a MailData folder and an Accounts.plist file.
I tried copying the V4 and V5 folders's MailData folder and an Accounts.plist file from the backups to my mac but it did not rectify the problem. Do you have any suggestions as to how I might rectify this?
Thanks
I'm at a loss, sorry.
Thank you for your help. I think you got me on the right path anyway.
Ok, good luck, please let us know how it's going please.
Time Machine does not work with Catalina OS when trying to recover Mail items. Broken since 12/19. I have an Apple case since December and have sent GB's of data. Not a priority - may never be fixed. Don't count on Time Machine for retrieving any Mail items.
Interesting thanks... it does seem nothing gets fixed, just changed. :(
Thanks, ddminter.
I called Apple support and they told me that you cannot search or restore individual emails through TimeMachine. You can only restore the full email back-up.
I could be wrong, but a few years ago you could do just that. Oh well.
Respectfully, what Apple told you is incorrect. Catalina supports individual email restoration, and it is discussed in Apples own support pages. . And it worked up until late last year. Currently all Time Machine functionally is broken for Mail tho. You can’t restore a “full email backup” or anything else Related to Mail. Not sure if this effects everyone or just some configurations. If you want Time Machine to work with Mail again, call Apple again and get a higher level tech to file a case for you. That is the only way this ever gets fixed.
Thanks for that information.
Question: Unable to Use Time Machine to search, find or restore older emails.
