I think my Time Machine Backups has no "Library" Folder

Question

Level 1

0 points

I think my Time Machine Backups has no "Library" Folder

Hi, I have recently needed a hard drive replacement and thats all done but I did a migration transfer which went well, but my Application data has not been restored. Obviously I knew that the Library folder has not been restored and there is no way I can access it.

Things I tried:

Access the Normal Library Folder on theMac and press the time machine app. But there is no previous windows (or dates) I can select from, just the current display

Terminal command of showing hidden files, I go to my time machine backup into /User/Marc and see all these hidden files, Library not one of them

Terminal Command using cd and open . but says "No such file or directory exists" (the directory was cd (drag "Marc" user folder to terminal) + /Library

I have been backing up since 2009 and I dont see why wouldnt time machine backup the Library Folder?!

If you think there is some hope, please let me know

Thanks!

Marc

iMac, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.2)

Posted on Oct 27, 2012 9:39 PM

Reply

Answer 1

etresoft

Level 8

46,086 points

Oct 28, 2012 8:30 AM in response to Marc180292

Time Machine does backup your library folder. From your description I can't tell if you did a full migration or what exactly you did to try to get to the backed up folder.

In the Finder, choose Go > (hold down option key) > Library

Then, enter Time Machine.

Reply

Answer 2

Marc180292 Author

Level 1

0 points

Oct 28, 2012 8:35 AM in response to etresoft

Hi,

I have tried this before as stated, all the "time lapse" windows behind it are empty as in silver windows to indicate there are no previous dates

Reply

Answer 3

etresoft

Level 8

46,086 points

Oct 28, 2012 8:55 AM in response to Marc180292

Marc180292 wrote:

I have tried this before as stated, all the "time lapse" windows behind it are empty as in silver windows to indicate there are no previous dates

Sorry, I'm not sure what you are saying. Time Machine definitely backs up your library folder. I don't know what you mean by "silver windows to indicate there are no previous dates". When I enter Time Machine from my user Library folder, this is what I see:

No data is indicated by black windows.

Reply

Answer 4

Oct 28, 2012 10:25 AM in response to Marc180292

One possibility is that your User library folder was added to TM exclude list. If you open TM preferences and look at the excluded items what is listed?

Reply

Answer 5

Nov 19, 2012 8:22 PM in response to Frank Caggiano

Hi... I was searching the forum for a similar question.

Though I don't have any issues as of now, I observe the following in my backup.

I don't have the users\library in the exclude list. However, when I browse through my backups (using Finder) I don't see the Library folder. If I use the Alt+GO menu and click on Library it only shows my \users\library from the laptop and not from the timemachine backups.

Can I remain calm assuming that if at all I need to restore the backups, I'd get my library back after restoring?

Thanks for your advice.

Dharma

Reply