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User profile for user: BiZs
BiZs Author
User level: Level 1
8 points

Time machine back up not permitted to open files

Hi, I'm trying to open my iMac Time Machine back-up disk on my MacBook Pro. The disk is password protected, and I properly entered the password. I can navigate to my files, like Documents, but it reads that I don't have permission to access the files. The back-up files are not very helpful, if I can't get to them. How do I get to my files?


I suspect it has to do with the type of Time Machine back-up is on this disk, but I don't remember how I formatted it. I just followed some Apple article on how to do it.

MacBook Pro (2020 and later)

Posted on Nov 17, 2021 7:58 AM

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User profile for user: D.I. Johnson
D.I. Johnson
User level: Level 7
23,759 points

Posted on Nov 17, 2021 8:55 AM

Hello, BiZs.


Sorry that you're having this trouble with TM and your MBP. I suspect you are trying to access your file by simply browsing through the TM backup drive using Finder. That is not the appropriate way to access that drive and could very well corrupt those backups. The problem you are experiencing has to do with file permissions. The MBP user account does not have permissions to access those files that belong to the iMac user.

Restore items backed up with TIme Machine - Apple Support


You can access those files from the iMac and the user account that owns them, and then transfer them directly to the MBP via USB stick or external drive or sharing.


Or you can use Migration Assistant to migrate the iMac user account and its files to your MBP from the TM backup drive and access the files that way.

Move your content to a new Mac - Apple Support




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User profile for user: D.I. Johnson
D.I. Johnson
User level: Level 7
23,759 points

Nov 17, 2021 8:55 AM in response to BiZs

Hello, BiZs.


Sorry that you're having this trouble with TM and your MBP. I suspect you are trying to access your file by simply browsing through the TM backup drive using Finder. That is not the appropriate way to access that drive and could very well corrupt those backups. The problem you are experiencing has to do with file permissions. The MBP user account does not have permissions to access those files that belong to the iMac user.

Restore items backed up with TIme Machine - Apple Support


You can access those files from the iMac and the user account that owns them, and then transfer them directly to the MBP via USB stick or external drive or sharing.


Or you can use Migration Assistant to migrate the iMac user account and its files to your MBP from the TM backup drive and access the files that way.

Move your content to a new Mac - Apple Support




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User profile for user: BiZs
BiZs Author
User level: Level 1
8 points

Nov 27, 2021 5:48 AM in response to D.I. Johnson

Yes, I had been accessing files on the TM back-up via Finder for years. I use the external drive as a way to portably access some files that I don't want in the Cloud. Your reply reads that I should be using a separate USB for that purpose, yes? But then how do I know that my TM back-ups are working and that there is nothing wrong with TM or the external drive?

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Time machine back up not permitted to open files

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