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Can I restore Time Machine backup to Macintosh HD?

iMac late 2013 10.13.6


I’d like to restore from a Time Machine backup (which is on an external hard drive) and it’s asking me which disk I want it to be restored to.


The only disc available is Macintosh HD, which has 999.35 GB space, as I have just reinstalled my operating system.


There is a warning when I choose this disk however, and I wanted to know if I should use an external hard drive instead?


Will it essentially delete my operating system if I restore the backup to Macintosh HD?


iMac 21.5″, macOS 10.15

Posted on Oct 17, 2023 10:23 AM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Oct 18, 2023 6:17 AM

You're welcome. 🙂

And, I'm sorry, but you've used up all of your questions so no, you cannot ask more. 😉


Rubydoobydoo wrote:

What’s the difference between using Migration Assistant and restoring via Macintosh HD?

I don't know what you mean by "restoring via Macintosh HD", but Migration Assistant is the prescribed way to do a software restore.


I was advised to do it via Migration Assistant but it didn’t work.

When asked ‘Select the information to Transfer’ everything except my user account just kept spinning and couldn’t calculate the size of:

Applications
Other files and folders
Computer & Network Settings

so I couldn’t go any further.

Does that mean that there’s something wrong with the things that it couldn’t calculate?

This doesn't necessarily mean there is a problem. That's not uncommon. The migration process can take hours and depends on the overall health of the old drive, the amount of data being transferred and a few other things.


I advise that you start the process and then walk away and let the Mac do its thing. Maybe start it before you go to bed and let it run overnight.


Restore your Mac from a backup - Apple Support




16 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Oct 18, 2023 6:17 AM in response to Rubydoobydoo

You're welcome. 🙂

And, I'm sorry, but you've used up all of your questions so no, you cannot ask more. 😉


Rubydoobydoo wrote:

What’s the difference between using Migration Assistant and restoring via Macintosh HD?

I don't know what you mean by "restoring via Macintosh HD", but Migration Assistant is the prescribed way to do a software restore.


I was advised to do it via Migration Assistant but it didn’t work.

When asked ‘Select the information to Transfer’ everything except my user account just kept spinning and couldn’t calculate the size of:

Applications
Other files and folders
Computer & Network Settings

so I couldn’t go any further.

Does that mean that there’s something wrong with the things that it couldn’t calculate?

This doesn't necessarily mean there is a problem. That's not uncommon. The migration process can take hours and depends on the overall health of the old drive, the amount of data being transferred and a few other things.


I advise that you start the process and then walk away and let the Mac do its thing. Maybe start it before you go to bed and let it run overnight.


Restore your Mac from a backup - Apple Support




Nov 22, 2023 8:22 AM in response to D.I. Johnson

Hello DI Johnson 👋🏻


I’m still struggling with the reinstall as I cannot import my emails.


When I open mail, I get the welcome message inviting me to import all of my messages.


There are over 2 million of them and despite deleting 1000s over the last week, it still says there’s 2 million.


I’ve made several attempts to import the messages, but just before it reaches the end, it fails and I get the notification:


“Your system has run out of application memory”


But when that message pops up, I’ve only had one application open.


I hope you can help 😊


I have 8GB RAM

305.79 GB storage available of 1TB

10.13.6 High Sierra



Oct 17, 2023 10:36 AM in response to Rubydoobydoo

Yes, the normal restore from a Time Machine backup will be applied to the startup drive "Macintosh HD".

The whole point of restoring from backup is usually to wipe the drive and apply the contents of a backup to that drive.


If you don't wish to replace the contents of the startup drive with what is in that backup, then by all means, apply the restore to an external drive. If you are happy with the external drive as a boot drive after that, then you could run the restore process again and apply it to the startup drive, if you wish.

Oct 17, 2023 12:23 PM in response to ku4hx

Yes, senator, I'd like to revise my previous testimony. 😉


A TM backup will allow you to restore only user data, files, folders, system settings and apps on a Mac running macOS Big Sur or newer. The macOS remains untouched if already installed. If the OS is not already installed, it must be reinstalled using Recovery and then the restore backup would be applied to that.


If the Mac is capable of running macOS Catalina or older, then the TM backup can restore the whole kit and kaboodle, including the macOS, provided the full backup was made under that earlier, machine compatible macOS version.

Oct 18, 2023 5:45 AM in response to D.I. Johnson

Thank you ☺️


Can I ask you another question before I proceed?


What’s the difference between using Migration Assistant and restoring via Macintosh HD?


I was advised to do it via Migration Assistant but it didn’t work.


When asked ‘Select the information to Transfer’ everything except my user account just kept spinning and couldn’t calculate the size of:


Applications

Other files and folders

Computer & Network Settings


so I couldn’t go any further.


Does that mean that there’s something wrong with the things that it couldn’t calculate?


Can I restore Time Machine backup to Macintosh HD?

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