restore files from time machine to another mac

Question

Level 3

569 points

restore files from time machine to another mac

one of my computers died, an imac. I have time machine on a time capsule -- while I wait for them to fix the imac, can I restore just a folder or two from the backup to another machine?

I am uncertain what will happen if I start time machine and proceed to select the old time capsule for this new computer -- I don't want it to overwrite my real backup.

I tried using the Finder to access the drive, as described in this articlehttp://www.ehow.com/how_8451125_recover-time-machine-another-mac.html

but the contents of the drive are just a Data folder and then a disk image with the name of my old computer. Trying to open that gave me an error.

So should I use Time Machine? It won't overwrite the existing backup with data from this new temporary machine?

Thanks

bob

Powermac G5, Intel iMacs, Mac OS X (10.6.2)

Posted on Nov 13, 2012 12:26 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Nov 13, 2012 12:34 PM in response to Bob Sabiston

The great Pondini to the rescue.

http://pondini.org/TM/17.html

Read carefully at least from Q14-18.. and skim the rest.. he has done all the TM / TC community a huge service.

Reply

Answer 2

Bob Sabiston Author

Level 3

569 points

Nov 13, 2012 1:02 PM in response to LaPastenague

Well according to him, I should be able to see the backup in "Browse Other Backup Disks". I am running 10.8.2.

But I don't see it, and when I try to manually mount the sparsebundle, I get the error "Resource temporarily unavailable".

Any ideas? I will be sunk if the Time Capsule too is gone.

Thanks

Bob

Reply

Answer 3

Nov 13, 2012 1:07 PM in response to Bob Sabiston

That might be just normal Mountain Lion wet string class networking.

Did you upgrade to Mountain Lion instead of clean install?

Since the disk doesn't mount, I recommend radical treatment.

1. Plug the TC into the computer by ethernet. Isolate the rest of the network. ie no wireless in the computer.. no other plug in the TC.. lan TC to computer ethernet.

2. Can airport utility find the TC now?? If not.. you will need to do a reset of the TC.

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3728

Please note the reset will not affect files on the hard disk at all.

3. Set names that are SMB standard for TC and wireless and hard disk.. ie short, no spaces.. pure alphanumeric.

Tell us how that goes.

Reply