User profile for user: mathogre
mathogre Author
User level: Level 1
0 points

Cannot Restore Files from Time Machine Backup - No Permission to Access

I have an iMac(24", Nov '08) and a MacBook (white poly, Nov '07), both running Snow Leopard with all of the latest patches.

On my iMac, when I attempt to restore files from a Time Machine backup, I receive the message, "The operation can't be completed because you don't have permission to access <filename>". I have scoured these forums, Google, et al and have found no solution. I have made comparisons between detailed file and directory permissions (to the ACL level) on both my iMac and MacBook. I find nothing apparently amiss with my iMac.

I have tried two experiments. The first was to attempt to restore files from the iMac backup drive to my MacBook. It works just fine. The second was to create a new Time Machine backup for my iMac on a spare drive, and attempt to restore from that. Restoration failed from that drive with the same error message as above ("The operation can't be completed...").

Time Machine seems to be able to create backups on my iMac, but cannot restore anything to my iMac from them. Time Machine can restore files from my iMac to my MacBook.

Time Machine can create backups on my MacBook, and can restore files to my MacBook.

Note that on my iMac, I can use Terminal, enter the backup volume, and copy files and directory structures (cp -R) back to the main hard drive w/o a problem.

For completeness, I booted to my Snow Leopard DVD to run Disk Utility to correct permissions on my boot drive. While there were some minor permission issues, none of these seemed to be causing my machine's problem. Also, I used a couple other modes (Safe and Single User (boot OS X to text mode, black screen and white text)) to attempt to see if I could identify the problem, but recognized nothing.

My sense is that some permission on my iMac became corrupted somehow, preventing Time Machine from restoring files.

I seem to have two options. One is to attempt to use a utility such as OnyX to see if I can somehow repair my iMac. I have almost no reason to conclude this will work. I am also leary of some non-Apple utility creating other problems. The other option is to wipe my iMac and restore it from my backup, with the minor risk that even this will not work.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

iMac and MacBook, Mac OS X (10.6.4), iPhone 3GS and iOS 4

Posted on Aug 25, 2010 10:26 AM

Reply
22 replies
User profile for user: Pondini
Pondini
User level: Level 8
38,863 points

Aug 25, 2010 11:19 AM in response to mathogre

It sounds like you're trying to restore one user's backups to a different user. Time Machine backups carry the same ownership as the originals, so one user (even an Admin user), can't see or restore a different user's data.

Were the backups for the same user account that you're logged on to? If that account was deleted and re-created after the backup, it may not really be the same one, even if it has the same name.
Reply
User profile for user: mathogre
mathogre Author
User level: Level 1
0 points

Aug 25, 2010 11:30 AM in response to Pondini

Pondini wrote:
It sounds like you're trying to restore one user's backups to a different user. Time Machine backups carry the same ownership as the originals, so one user (even an Admin user), can't see or restore a different user's data.

Were the backups for the same user account that you're logged on to? If that account was deleted and re-created after the backup, it may not really be the same one, even if it has the same name.


No I am not. I am backing up from my account and attempting to restore a backed up file to a directory in my account. I get the message as stated in my original post, that I do not have permission. This is abnormal behavior. I have never had this issue restoring files in the past.

Additionally, as I mentioned earlier, I can take the iMac backup and restore files from that to my MacBook.
Reply
User profile for user: Pondini
Pondini
User level: Level 8
38,863 points

Aug 25, 2010 11:45 AM in response to mathogre

I assume you're using the "Star Wars" display for this?

Is this happening on some files, but not others? If so, what's different about them (different type, age, etc.)?

Does it happen, for example, when you restore a folder, and some of the contents get restored but others don't?

Have you done a +*Verify Disk+* (not permissions) on your internal HD?
Reply
User profile for user: mathogre
mathogre Author
User level: Level 1
0 points

Aug 25, 2010 12:16 PM in response to Pondini

Pondini wrote:
I assume you're using the "Star Wars" display for this?

Is this happening on some files, but not others? If so, what's different about them (different type, age, etc.)?

Does it happen, for example, when you restore a folder, and some of the contents get restored but others don't?

Have you done a +*Verify Disk+* (not permissions) on your internal HD?


Yes, this is the "Star Wars" display. I am unable to restore items from recent and old backups.

It is happening on all files, folders, and composites (which are actually directories) such as Aperture Library.

I have done a Verify Disk and everything was reported as fine.
Reply
User profile for user: Pondini
Pondini
User level: Level 8
38,863 points

Aug 25, 2010 12:35 PM in response to mathogre

mathogre wrote:
. . .
It is happening on all files, folders, and composites (which are actually directories) such as Aperture Library.


Ah, sorry, I didn't realize it was everything.

This is a new one; I've not seen a report of this before. 😟

That pretty much leaves it to either something corrupted in your home folder, as you suspect; or in your installation of OSX.

Does this also happen in a different user account, or with files outside your home folder? That should narrow it down. If not, you may have to create a new user account, copy everything to it, and abandon the old one.

But if the same thing happens, I'd suggest downloading and installing the 10.6.4 "combo" update. Info and download available at: http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1048 Be sure to do a +Repair Permissions+ via Disk Utility (in your Applications/Utilities folder) afterwards. But don't delete the download until you see if the problem is fixed.

If that doesn't do it, reinstall OSX from your Snow Leopard Install disc (that won't affect anything else). Then re-apply the "combo."
Reply
User profile for user: mathogre
mathogre Author
User level: Level 1
0 points

Aug 25, 2010 1:04 PM in response to Pondini

I've not tried it from a different user account, so I'll try that tonight. Thank you! If it's just my account, annoying as that might be, it would be relatively easy to remedy.

(Final though before posting. I think I actually did this from another sysadmin account yesterday, and it failed. It was an account I created the last time I reinstalled everything, following a hard drive failure (boot drive) and replacement. Regardless, I'll try it anyway.)

If that doesn't work, I'll try the combo. I considered that last night but was involved in the other backup tests.

On your suggestion to reinstall OS X if the other suggestions don't work, are you talking about attempting to install over the current installation or are you talking about wiping the system and installing fresh? I assume it's the former. I didn't know how the system would react to trying to do that, especially given I'd be installing old code over newer code, though applying the combo should correct things I guess. Regardless of the former or latter, my intent would be to ensure I have TM backups on two separate drives and a system image on yet another drive before doing any reinstallation. (I've done clean installs before, so it's not a problem. I just dread doing it.)

Thank you for the ideas. I'll try them tonight!
Reply
User profile for user: mathogre
mathogre Author
User level: Level 1
0 points

Aug 25, 2010 1:07 PM in response to mathogre

mathogre wrote:
(Final though before posting. I think I actually did this from another sysadmin account yesterday, and it failed. It was an account I created the last time I reinstalled everything, following a hard drive failure (boot drive) and replacement. Regardless, I'll try it anyway.)


Just to clarify, "I think I actually did this" should be, "I think I actually tried this".
Reply
User profile for user: Pondini
Pondini
User level: Level 8
38,863 points

Aug 25, 2010 1:19 PM in response to mathogre

mathogre wrote:
I've not tried it from a different user account, so I'll try that tonight. Thank you! If it's just my account, annoying as that might be, it would be relatively easy to remedy.


There are a couple of ways to try it, but it's rarely easy. 😟

On your suggestion to reinstall OS X if the other suggestions don't work, are you talking about attempting to install over the current installation


Yes. That will get you a fresh version of OSX without disturbing anything else. (If you haven't noticed, the +Erase and Install+ and +Archive and Install+ options are gone from Snow Leopard -- just install. And it's greatly improved, too.)

Regardless of the former or latter, my intent would be to ensure I have TM backups on two separate drives and a system image on yet another drive before doing any reinstallation.


Good plan!

(I've done clean installs before, so it's not a problem. I just dread doing it.)


That's rarely required, and no indication it would help. The problem is almost certainly either in your home folder, or OSX, so once we narrow it down, there's no reason to mess with anything else.
Reply
User profile for user: mathogre
mathogre Author
User level: Level 1
0 points

Aug 25, 2010 9:29 PM in response to mathogre

It's an issue with my account, not with the system. I found I could restore files from other accounts. I also discovered that my main account did not have access control list permissions. Although I added them to be consistent with other admin accounts on the system, I still could not restore files to my main account.

My current plan is to ensure I have the aforementioned backups, delete the account completely, and then restore the account from a TM backup via Migration Assistant. I have a basic admin account I used last November when I needed to rebuild the system after the boot drive failed. (I used that to install applications and then restore accounts.)

Will do this later today (Thursday, now).
Reply
User profile for user: Pondini
Pondini
User level: Level 8
38,863 points

Aug 26, 2010 7:48 AM in response to mathogre

Aha!

That may not work, unless you have a separate set of backups from before all this started. Migration Assistant always uses the most recent backup, so it may migrate the problem, too.

You may have to create a new account, and copy the contents of each sub-folder to it. 😟

Have you done a +*Repair Permissions?+* As I understand it, that affects only OSX files, or files installed by OSX; I'm not sure if it will fix your home folder and the required sub-folders it installs when you create a user account (Desktop, Documents, etc.). If it does, you'd probably have to go into each subfolder via +Get Info+ and apply those permissions to the enclosed items. Worth a try.

Keep us posted.
Reply
User profile for user: mathogre
mathogre Author
User level: Level 1
0 points

Aug 26, 2010 11:09 AM in response to Pondini

It didn't work. Grrr... The problem migrated along with the files. Creating a new account and copying files et al really shouldn't be that bad. In comparison to doing a complete system reload would have been far worse, and in this case would not have solved the problem.

Yes I did Repair Permissions a couple days ago. That didn't work.

Tonight I'll rebuild my account. Will keep you apprised. Thanks for your support on this James!

Graham
Reply
User profile for user: mathogre
mathogre Author
User level: Level 1
0 points

Aug 26, 2010 9:46 PM in response to Pondini

First, it appears to be fixed. Thank you James ever so much! Details follow my response to your comments.

I don't know how long my system had been this way. I discovered the problem last Sunday evening after returning from a vacation to NYC. I was trying to import photo albums to Aperture from my MacBook and decided it wasn't going well so I decided to restore my Aperture Album. When my iMac decided I didn't have permission to restore this item, it turned my previous 12,000+ modified photos to nothing.

I'm vigilant regarding backups, to the point where I will occasionally recover files just to ensure my backups work. Perhaps I'd gotten slack or at least comfortable with how I did things, in part because my Macs work so well. The reality is that I do not recall the last time I recovered a file. Though it was likely within the last couple of months, I couldn't actually say.

Anyway, here's what I did.

After the attempt at restoring my account from TM failed, this evening (Thursday evening technically, as it is now Friday morning) I attempted to create an account and move files from my TM drive (via "Star Wars") to my account. That failed. I took your suggestion and reloaded the OS from the SL DVD. Then I updated it, going through all of the updates. I tried saving a directory from backup one more time, and it worked. W00t!!!!!! At that point, I wiped the account I created manually, and restored my account from backup. A recovery test in that account worked! Now my system is in the middle of recovering the Aperture library I was trying to recover back on Sunday.

Thank you, thank you, thank you. I will finally get a good night sleep tonight.

Epilogue:

My wife suggested that if this didn't work I should simply get a new iMac. Fool that I am, I wanted to make my machine work. What's worse is that on vacation, I had the opportunity to get an iPad, an iPhone 4, and a new poly MacBook from the 5th Avenue Apple Store (the glass cube). I don't need an iPad, my iPhone works just fine, and my MacBook works like a champ even at nearly 3 y.o. Fool. 😀

Thanks again!

Graham
Reply

This thread has been closed by the system or the community team. You may vote for any posts you find helpful, or search the Community for additional answers.

Cannot Restore Files from Time Machine Backup - No Permission to Access

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.
Learn more Sign up