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Show hidden files in a Lion Time Machine backup

I am manually moving files from a Time Machine backup. How do I view the user's home Libray files that are in the backup? I need to move over some of their preferences and bookmarks.


Thanks

Posted on Jun 1, 2012 2:10 PM

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Posted on Jun 1, 2012 3:11 PM

Hold down the option key and select Go Library from the Finder menu bar. Then enter Time Machine.

6 replies

Oct 19, 2012 4:14 PM in response to MoogNinja

MoogNinja wrote:

. . .

All my files are greyed out in time machine.

Do you mean in the Time Machine browser (the "Star Wars" display)? If so, that's different from not being able to see the ~/Library folder at all. If things are shown, but grayed out, it sounds like they're normally-invisible items that you've used either a UNIX command or 3rd-party utility to show. You won't have permission to see or restore some of those.


Or do you mean the "tick marks" in the Timeline of the TM browser are grayed-out and you can't select them? If so, see the pink box in Time Machine - Frequently Asked Question #15A


Please clarify (a screenshot would be great).


I need to dig into the actual backup files and get things inside the Library folder, yet Apple has hidden this and there appears no way to unhide it INSIDE A TIME MACHINE BACKUP file.

If you mean accessing them via the Finder, that's often a problem. If you copy things from TM backups via the Finder, you may have permissions problems with the copied files.


To unhide the ~/Library folder in your backups for access via the Finder, you may have to enter a UNIX command via the Terminal application. And, in this case, it's a bit tricky. We can walk you through it, but it would probably be better if you can clarify the situation.

Show hidden files in a Lion Time Machine backup

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