restoring files as another user

The problem is not so much the user name as it is the automatically-assigned User ID number (UID) is different, so the backups belong to a different user.

The situation is a bit different, but see the pink box in Problems after using Migration Assistant for details.

You should be able to recover the backups by using a different user account on your Mac (you may have to create one or more new ones).

Yes, probably, but let me be sure I know what you're seeing:

You're starting with iPhoto, then going into Time Machine, looking for the backups, right? Do you see the Pictures folder (or iPhoto library), but it has the small red icon and you can't access it?

Or are you starting with the Finder?

Or do you not find the backups at all?

A screenprint might help (Shift+Cmd+3).

gilfabian wrote:

I tried in many ways. If I go via Finder, click on T Capsule and find a folder that when I click, it shows blank and with the red icon besides the name

But you do find the right things, correct? For the right user account and date? The only problem is the red badge preventing you from seeing and restoring them?

If so, then yes, another user account should work. Try all the ones you have already; if necessary, create another or so (give them Admin priviledges).

Once you get access, test with a single, small file first, before you try to restore those 5000 photos. Do not use the Restore button at the lower-right of the Time Machine display, as that will try to put it back where it was saved from, and I don't think that's what you want to do. Instead, select the file, right-click it, and select the Restore <item> to .. option. Then choose a destination, such as your desktop.

Once you get that to work, post back with more details about your situation:

Do you want to restore the entire iPhoto library?

Do you want to put it in the place (ie, user account) it was saved from, or a different one?

ou will probably have permissions difficulties restoring

gilfabian wrote:

THanks again...I will try to provide more details after what I did:

1. I still have the old IMac G5 where I moved all files from to TC and the erased the user

I created a user in that machine (still running Leopard), equal to the original name I erased.

The name isn't critical for this purpose; the assigned User ID number (UID) is. The re-cereated account probably has a different one, depending on how many you had, and in what order you created and deleted them.

When I log in as that user, in Finder/Devices I can see an icon of the TC (the green one) with the name Back up of Fabian Gil's iMac G5(2). If I click on it, there is a folder named Backups.backupdb/ImacG5 Desktop/ all the weekly backup folders from 8-9-2012 until 7-14-2011 (the day I made the upgrade to the MBP

That's not the best way to view or restore from your backups (except as a last resort in some unusual circumstances). You need to use Time Machine's "Star Wars" display for that, not the Finder.

Normally, the way to do that is to locate the current version of what you want in the Finder, then Enter Time Machine either by clicking the green Time Machine icon in your Dock or selecting Enter Time Machine from the TM icon in your menubar. See the Time Machine Tutorial for a video demonstration.

But that only shows the backups for the Mac you're currently running on. To see the backups for a different Mac, you need the Browse Other Time Machine Disks option: from a Finder window, then either right-click the TM icon in your Dock, or hold the Alt/Option key while selecting the TM icon in your menubar, and select the Browse... option. See Time Machine - Frequently Asked Question #17.

Try that with different user accounts; one should show you the right user account. Then test restoring a small file, as above.

gilfabian wrote:

Made progress last night on this one. following your guide, I was able to open up the TC backups file and actually access the Pictures folder that was with the red icon before!.

Great! 🙂

now when I open it up, there are several files and one is the Iphoto library. when I click it, it takes me to Iphoto, tries to open it up but I am getting a message that the folder I am trying to open is in a protected volume.

You went too far. 😉 No, you can't open the backed-up files with an app.

What you need to do is restore a file via the "Star Wars" display. But before you try to restore those 5,000 pictures, test with something else first. Pick a different file (a text file if you can find one), not in the iPhoto library, select it, right-click, and select the Restore <file name> to.. option. Choose a location, such as your desktop.

Then see if you can open the restored file.

Then we'll work on restoring the actual iPhoto Library. We'll need to know:

Do you want to restore the entire backed-up iPhoto Library?

Do you want that to replace the current one on your system, or do you need to select some pictures from the restored backups, and "import" them into the current iPhoto Library? If so, is there enough room on your disk for both copies of the iPhoto Library temporarily?

gilfabian wrote:

. . .

I was able to restore to the desktop, small jpeg file..

Were you able to open it? Can you edit it?

Now to the picures... Since I messed up all the iphot library but was able to keep the last 6 months of picture, I would like to restore the entire Iphoto library as it was in July 2011...

The hard disk has enough room. I still have 233 GB free and the entire library is no more of 50Gb..then I would do a clean up (erase the old ones that are messed up)

Thanks..what is the next step?

Is the user account you did the restore with the same one you want to restore the photos to?

If so, it's easy -- similar to the test you did. Go into the Time Machine "Star Wars" display and locate the iPhoto Library you want to restore, right-click it, select Restore iPhoto Libarary to.., and in the prompt select the destination.

If your iPhoto library is in your Pictures folder, that's probably where you want to put the restored version.

If there's one already there, you'll get this prompt:

If you select Keep Both, Time Machine will append "(original)" to the name of the item currently on your system. The restored item will have just the name. Each will retain their Created and Modified dates.

If you select Replace, the current one will be deleted and replaced by the restored version.

gilfabian wrote:

Pondini. ALL PICTURES ARE BACK AND SAFE NOW IN MY MMBP!!!!!.

Yay! 😟

But . . . make sure you can edit them as/if necessary. If not, post back with details.

Now I will check your page for good tips about backing up strategies....do not want to be on this one again.

I'd suggest Time Machine - Frequently Asked Question #27.

I got all pictures until 7-2011 and I have in another user/library the 7-2011 up to date. it is all now about merging the 2.

If you're not sure how to do that, the only way I know is to export from one and import into the other. If you have a lot to consolidate, you might check in the iPhoto forum to see if there's an easier way.

Thanks again!

You're quite welcome -- glad it's sorted out!