Time Machine did not back up desktop folders?

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Level 1

4 points

Time Machine did not back up desktop folders?

Hello, I've been backing up my mid-2010 iMac 21.5" for over a year and a half every 24 hours to my external hard drive via Time Machine.

Recently, I just got back from a very lengthy and important trip where I was commissioned to take photos and videos. I made sure to do another time machine backup every day for a week until I needed to send the photos and videos in. I keep all of my photos and videos in separate folders on my desktop.

In that week time period, I sold my iMac in order to buy a Macbook Pro (needed the portability). No problem, just boot the Macbook while holding CMND+R to enter rocovery, and restore from my time machine backup on my external drive.

After booting up my Macbook, I noticed there were no folders or files on my desktop that I had originally on my iMac. Actually, there was virtually nothing the same that I had from my previous machine. There are now missing documents, applications, and many other VERY important files that I need to have.

My question is, where are these files? These backups took ages to perform, but what exactly was it even backing up? I desperately need these photos and videos for my job's sake. And they are nowhere to be found. I've tried entering Time Capsule and dating back weeks and months prior, none of which have any traces of files or folders being on my desktop. If anybody could help me out, or fill me in on a missing step perhaps, it would be much appreciated. Thank you.

MacBook Pro, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.2)

Posted on Feb 28, 2013 12:24 PM

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Answer 1

Dec 11, 2013 8:42 AM in response to RoganLigby

I have a similar problem. My hard drive went recently and I replaced it after backing to Tine Machine. When I tried to restore the new drive all my music was lost but most importantly my screenplays that I kept on the desktop as the most important files I have. There is no Desktop folder on my back up drive and no record of the files it contained. My only hope now is to find some geek to try and fire up my old hard drive, otherwise months of work is lost. I was glad to comeacross your post but then looked at the date with no replies- I hope you got sorted.

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Answer 2

Mar 18, 2014 8:57 AM in response to RoganLigby

I'm going to come accross sounding like a bitter old man . . .

Mac user since 1990. At the time, the whole cornerstone of the OS was "People don't want to learn how to use a computer. They just want to do their work." I bought it. Every piece of software (and operating system) I used was intuitive. You'd say "how do I . . ." and within moments, you could figure it out. No manual. No help.

To my dismay I've discovered (just bought 2 new Mac Minis for my business) that this is a thing of the past.

Case in point is Time Machine. I've just discovered, as did RoganLigby, that folders on the desktop are NOT backed up. Fortunately I discovered this (quite by accident) before a drive failure occurred.

My question: Why?

Why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why?

What possible purpose is there to not backup items on the desktop? Perhaps more importantly, wouldn't it be a good idea to tell users that this is the case? Near as I can tell, there is no option to specifically add desktop folders to the backup.

Does anyone at Apple actually use their own creations?

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Answer 3

jencorti

Level 1

0 points

Jun 9, 2014 6:27 PM in response to RoganLigby

This also just happened to me.....except my time machine did not back up my documents or desktop folder....I didn't have a lot in those two folders, but I would like my documents back

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Answer 4

Aug 3, 2015 6:32 PM in response to jencorti

I personally use Snow Leopard and just upgraded to Yosemite 10.10.4. I was just made aware that it won't save desktop files on Snow Leopard. You have to upgrade to at least Lion or above for all the files to be saved. Just in case Apple doesn't have enough of your money.

This was posted in another forum:

If you went from Snow-leopard to Yosemite - that is the problem - when I checked out Maverick I pulled down some of its time machine notes - and apparently you have to be at Lion or above to be able to inherit the Time Machine backup.

Rather rude of Apple - as it is insisting on jumps to the latest without adding necessary conversion steps missed in the intervening levels.

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