I recently did a clean install of Catalina (2019 iMac) and when I restored from fresh (same day!) Time Machine backup all of my documents and files after May 2020 were absent. When I open enter Time Machine it looks like all of my prior TM backups (done regularly over the many months) also end with that May 20 time frame.
Any ideas why this happened, or how to potentially get back my year-plus of lost files????
I understand that a 'clean install' essentially creates a 'new Mac'. I did follow the steps in the Apple Support document and did indeed use Migration Assistant following the steps in the Apple Support document.
HOWEVER-- I must provide some embarrassing follow-up: I discovered I had used the same external drive for Time Machine back ups from 2 different Macs (both Macs under same user and both still on Mojave at the time) and carelessly selected an incorrect (older) TM back-up from which to migrate. Doh!
My fix: I found my latest pre-Migration back up file in Time Machine (in Locations- latest pre-migration date back up) and retrieved my needed files/folders (by opening the proper back up, locating & selecting the needed files/folders, and using Restore button). It was a bit tedious but I was able to get all my files together on my (clean install) 'new' Catalina mac. I suppose I also could have Restored from that last pre-migration back up, but then I would still have had to back up all my work (files/folders/etc.) since the Catalina install anyway.
FWIW- the individual file/folder Restore process only worked for me by booting the Mojave Mac (which had created the TM back up) with the Catalina Mac connected as a Target Disk. Running the Catalina Mac 7 tying to Restore files from that Mojave-created TM back up gave me a consistent error message---- " 'file name' can't be modified or deleted because it is required by the OS". No idea why (perhaps due to file structure difference between Cat & Mojave???)
I understand that a 'clean install' essentially creates a 'new Mac'. I did follow the steps in the Apple Support document and did indeed use Migration Assistant following the steps in the Apple Support document.
HOWEVER-- I must provide some embarrassing follow-up: I discovered I had used the same external drive for Time Machine back ups from 2 different Macs (both Macs under same user and both still on Mojave at the time) and carelessly selected an incorrect (older) TM back-up from which to migrate. Doh!
My fix: I found my latest pre-Migration back up file in Time Machine (in Locations- latest pre-migration date back up) and retrieved my needed files/folders (by opening the proper back up, locating & selecting the needed files/folders, and using Restore button). It was a bit tedious but I was able to get all my files together on my (clean install) 'new' Catalina mac. I suppose I also could have Restored from that last pre-migration back up, but then I would still have had to back up all my work (files/folders/etc.) since the Catalina install anyway.
FWIW- the individual file/folder Restore process only worked for me by booting the Mojave Mac (which had created the TM back up) with the Catalina Mac connected as a Target Disk. Running the Catalina Mac 7 tying to Restore files from that Mojave-created TM back up gave me a consistent error message---- " 'file name' can't be modified or deleted because it is required by the OS". No idea why (perhaps due to file structure difference between Cat & Mojave???)
Your post did not indicate whether you used Migration Assistant to move data from a Time Machine backup over to your "new" Mac. (If you recently did do a clean install of Catalina......then you have in effect a "new' Mac.)
Follow the steps in this Apple Support document to transfer data from a Time Machine backup over to your "new" Mac.
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203981
Time Capsule problem
