TimeMachine: Restore incremental backup

Ok, I've put up a skeleton page, but no link to it yet from the main one (#D10).

As you'll see, it needs many additions and clarifications, especially for novice users (all the "(INSERT..)" notes, and no doubt others). Since you seem pretty experienced, it's probably workable for you.

It assumes you have the same user accounts now as on the backup you restored. If you added (or deleted and re-created) any since that backup, you'll have to create them again, and those accounts may not have permissions to the old backups.

I won't update it for a while (unless I find something really bad), but will replace it when I get it to a more-finished state.

So, obviously, proceed with caution!

Here's the direct link: http://pondini.org/TM/D10r.html

Good luck, and keep me posted . . .

How are you doing?

I changed my mind a bit about that web page (and iWeb has been cantankerous today). I just updated it with most of the instructions and samples less-proficient users will need.

I haven't figured out how to organize it to include other situations, such as no complete backups, changed user accounts, etc., so need to clear my head first.

Keep me posted, please.

Pondini:

To start I have a \Users\Shared folder on my Mac that I created. It houses my iTunes directory that is shared amongst 2 of the 3 of my user accounts.

I went in to Terminal and renamed the folder to Shared-ORIG just in case the copy from the external backup didn't work.

Instead of doing a drag and drop (move) from the backup, I did a Copy, so that the original would still be on the backup hard drive. Its in the middle of the copy job, and doesn't look like it preserved the original group ownership. I'll change it (through terminal) just as soon as the copy finishes.

I have a similar directory created for my pictures to share across accounts.

I will delete one of my user directories and try the copy job in your link when the copy jobs finish.

Thanks for taking the time to put the instructions up. I'm sure they will be helpful to all.

motosf wrote:

. . .

Instead of doing a drag and drop (move) from the backup, I did a Copy, so that the original would still be on the backup hard drive.

Drag & drop between volumes via the Finder is a copy; and OSX won't let you delete anything inside a TM backup folder anyway.

I have a similar directory created for my pictures to share across accounts.

Another thing I'll need to add -- thanks (sort of). 😉

I've come to the conclusion that I need a whole separate page for those who have no complete backup at all, so have revised the main page and put links to the partial page for those with a compete backup, and to a placeholder for those who don't.

That at least gets the outline there. I need a break for a while, but will be working on them.

I've updated the "Recover with complete backup" page. I think it's now adequate for most users, covering most circumstances. I know you used some more advanced techniques, but would appreciate any comments or suggestions you might have on it.

I'll be working on the other one -- should be simpler.

Thanks!

Here's something else to watch out for during the restore process.

I had the same issue as the original poster, i.e. most recent complete backup was dated about a month ago despite having all my recent automatic daily / hourly Time Machine backups showing when mounting the sparsebundle via Finder.

I was in the process of following Pondini's instructions to restore the complete backup, then remove & replace the /User directories from my most recent backup manually. What I didn't count on was the restore of the complete backup finishing during the night when my Mac was unattended, at which point it automatically rebooted and then proceeded to start an automatic Time Machine backup. When I discovered the backup was underway I selected "skip this backup".

It's here where I encountered an issue. My latest Time Machine backups are all listed when mounting the sparsebundle, but the files which changed after the those which I had just restored but before the automatic post-restore backup that I halted, no longer have the right versions. They all refer to the "newest" backup which are actually the files from a month ago from backup that I had just restored!

I'm guessing that this would suggest the files in my backups prior to the restore have been overwritten by the files automatic backup that took place after the full restore completed. Which means I've probably lost a month of data ... unless anyone has a suggestion how to recover from this predicament ;-)