Can't get Time Machine backup on new SSD to work in my Macbook Pro 2012

Question

Level 1

8 points

Can't get Time Machine backup on new SSD to work in my Macbook Pro 2012

Hi everyone,

I'm at an absolute loss with my Macbook and it's driving me insane. My hand's slowly hovering nearer to my debit card but really don't want to spend £2000 on a new Macbook....

I have the following spec system:

Macbook Pro 15-inch, Mid 2012

2.3GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7

16GB 1600 MHz DDR3

Intel HD Graphics 4000 1536 MB

macOS Catalina Version 10.15.7

I replaced the hard drive with a 1TB Seagate SSHD some years ago now and I'm trying to install a new Samsung 870 Evo SSD to try and speed it up a bit as it's struggling with programs like Illustrator and Premier Pro, but just can't get it to work. Here's what I've tried so far and the results I'm getting.

1.

Backed up through Time Machine onto an external hard drive.

New SSD in and boot up in recovery mode.

Recover from Time Machine backup on ext.HD.

Says restore successful, gets to the initial loading/startup screen and just never gets passed it, stuck on the full loading bar.

2.

Erased SSD and tried the same process again, same result, stuck on startup screen.

3.

Recovery mode, repair disk.

Same result

4.

Erased SSD and just installed a fresh OS (only option it gives me is Mountain Lion) without the backup. This launches and works perfectly.

Then tried the Time Machine recovery process again once that was installed and running, won't let me install the backup due to the OS on the backup being a newer version (Catalina).

5.

Launched the fresh OS and tried to update it to the newer OS through the App Store.

Error 102, won't update.

This is all on top of the nightmare I had originally to get the system to see the new SSD in the first place which I managed to figure out. I can't find any other options online of other things to try.

It's probably worth mentioning that I had some trouble with the external hard drive initially as after one of the regular backups, before swapping to the new SSD, it disconnected before unmounting and would not show up again (due to a slightly dodgy USB port I believe) so had a nightmare trying to repair and erase that so it would show up and work again. Sorted it in the end and got a fresh backup of the system on it. I haven't bought another ext.HD to try yet because that's just another £100 down the drain if it isn't that. Could this potentially be the issue even though it says it's installing the backup onto the new SSD successfully?

Any help and advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

Sion

MacBook Pro 15″, macOS 10.15

Posted on Feb 24, 2023 6:49 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Feb 24, 2023 8:30 AM in response to slj125

<< Samsung 870 Evo SSD >>

That device has been trouble-prone when used in Mac Pro desktop systems, and you should probably consider a different drive.

You can't update from Mountain lion to anything beyond 10.11 El Capitan is one step. You will need to install El Captain as a waypoint, because it is the first MacOS with modern encryption and includes the modern Mac App Store that allows obtain later versions more easily.

The article that lists the download links for older Mac OS is this one, but it requires a modern browser such as Safari 9 or later because it uses httpS: encryption for the article.

If you need it, I can post the direct download link for El Captain from Apple that does not require modern encryption, but we are discouraged from doing so spontaneously -- you have to ask.

Reply

Answer 2

HWTech

Level 9

69,368 points

Feb 25, 2023 7:27 PM in response to slj125

You can use any newer computer or OS to download the macOS 10.11 El Capitan installer since it is available outside of the App Store. Then transfer the download .dmg file to the 2012 laptop. Mount the contents and run the .pkg file inside which will extract the real installer to the Applications folder. Then you need to unmount the mounted .dmg file, then launch the real installer from the Applications folder.

Once you upgrade to macOS 10.11, then you can download & install macOS 10.15 Catalina from the App Store.

Here is an Apple article for links to various macOS installers (and instructions):

How to download macOS - Apple Support

Here is another Apple article with instructions for creating a bootable macOS USB installer (optional, but sometimes handy to have):

How to download macOS - Apple Support

Another option which may be more efficient is you can either reinstall the old hard drive or boot the old hard drive externally so you can download & create the macOS 10.15 USB installer without needing to resort to multiple OS upgrades.

Theoretically you should be able to boot into the online macOS 10.15 installer by using Command + Option + R for Internet Recovery Mode, however, sometimes it will just resort to booting the online macOS installer which originally shipped with the Mac. I have no idea why some Macs work as expected and others do not. Obviously there are some bugs involved which Apple has never bothered to fix.

Reply

Answer 3

slj125 Author

Level 1

8 points

Feb 24, 2023 8:46 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Thanks for the reply Grant.

I have just been reading that some users have been having issues with the 870. Is it not odd that it works perfectly with a fresh install but not with a backup though?

Do you suggest trying to upgrade in steps as mentioned back up to Catalina on the fresh system and then try to restore the backup to see if that works?

Also if I decide to go with a newer MBP (currently looking at the 2021 and 2023) which will run Ventura, am I likely to run into trouble trying to install a backup that's on Catalina do you know?

Cheers

Reply

Answer 4

Feb 24, 2023 9:16 AM in response to slj125

As far as I can tell, your issues are unrelated to the actual backup/restore.

What does happen rather more than it should is that when older preference files are used with newer versions of many different Applications, they behave in unpredictable ways.

(This may indicate Apple is not doing multiple-level regression testing, and as long as it works with the just-previous version, that's all that gets tested.)

Reply

Can't get Time Machine backup on new SSD to work in my Macbook Pro 2012

Similar questions