You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Gardenlady88 Author

Level 1

12 points

Time Machine

HELP! I just went through a lengthy process of downloading the OS again when my MacBook Pro came back from repair with a new logic board. This then caused me to download a back-up using Time Machine (off an external HD) to get all my data back and now I find that it is not the most recent back-up! I attempted to force it to use the most recent back-up by deleting all the older back-ups off the Time Machine drive (That took over 2 hours!). But Time Machine still tries to restore from the older back-up which isn't even there any more!

There is a 5 month difference between the back-up it chose and the most recent back-up on Time Machine! I was able to replace files, but I really want to get back my EMAIL which is buried somewhere in there, but can't access it like I can for my files!!

Below I am showing a picture of the Time Machine window when I click on the icon on my desktop (after the older ones were deleted). The back-up I want is the last one listed under the folder "Patricia's MacBook Pro 2". The back-ups I deleted were in another folder named "Patricia's MacBook Pro". Is it possible the Time Machine cannot read the back-ups under the " . . . Pro 2" folder? I tried to change the name, but it won't allow me to do so.

This was the second time in the last year that my "Hard Drive (SSD)" was replaced in my laptop. It's the only reason I can think that there was two different HD folders in the Time Machine drive. All the ones listed under the ". . . Pro 2" folder were dated from August until December 2021 when I did my last back-up before the laptop ended up in the shop to be fixed this time. The ones I erased were all dated before August. It keeps trying to back-up a file from July 28th!

Please help!

MacBook Pro 15″, macOS 11.6

Posted on Jan 19, 2022 6:02 PM

Top-ranking reply

Grant Bennet-Alder

Level 10

133,141 points

Posted on Jan 19, 2022 7:39 PM

Time machine backups files are double-locked. Trying to manipulate them with Finder should result in nothing actually deleted, just making a mess.

If you were successful at deleting a backup, it would ruin the integrity of your backup SET, because files are not duplicated in later backup versions, pointers to the older one are used instead.

When Time machine runs out of space, it does a consolidation, NOT a deletion of old data.

Apple expected you to use Migration Assistant or the Star Wars interface in TimeMachine.app, (not to be confused with Time machine control panel, which is only for saving backups):

View in context

Similar questions

6 replies

Top-ranking reply

Grant Bennet-Alder

Level 10

133,141 points

Jan 19, 2022 7:39 PM in response to Gardenlady88

Time machine backups files are double-locked. Trying to manipulate them with Finder should result in nothing actually deleted, just making a mess.

If you were successful at deleting a backup, it would ruin the integrity of your backup SET, because files are not duplicated in later backup versions, pointers to the older one are used instead.

When Time machine runs out of space, it does a consolidation, NOT a deletion of old data.

Apple expected you to use Migration Assistant or the Star Wars interface in TimeMachine.app, (not to be confused with Time machine control panel, which is only for saving backups):

Gardenlady88 Author

Level 1

12 points

Jan 19, 2022 7:43 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Thanks for you prompt reply!

So, does this mean there is no way I can retrieve the emails in the most recent back-up which is in the list? I have not tried to create another back-up yet for fear this will totally screw things up! Or are you saying I have already done so by my deletion?

Is there any "back door" way in? Or should I give up?

Jan 20, 2022 7:47 AM in response to Gardenlady88

I posted an old screenshot of the Star Wars interface, with the different backups by date receding back, back, back in time. To get that screen, launch TimeMachine.app, the tool intended for your use when recovering files off your backup.

Gardenlady88 Author

Level 1

12 points

Jan 20, 2022 10:19 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Grant, I thank you for giving me the hint about using Migration Assistant.

I had tried using the Star Wars interface (just did not know that’s what it is called), and was frustrated that the most recent back-up was not showing up, even though it was visible in the folder, as I shared as a screen shot. But, when I tried Migration Assistant, it went right to the latest back-up and in a short bit of time I had it all back! So, happy to get it back! I have only been using Time Machine for about 8 months and this was the first time I needed it to recover all my data. I thought the only way to recover was using the Star Wars interface. Now I know about Migration Assistant!

Gardenlady88 Author

Level 1

12 points

Jan 19, 2022 7:46 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Also, what is the Star Wars interface to which you refer?

Jan 20, 2022 10:35 AM in response to Gardenlady88

Migration Assistant is great, but it will only restore the latest versions of files.

Time Machine