User profile for user: Brian Williams2
Brian Williams2 Author
User level: Level 1
101 points

Time machine - Cannot select file to restore

I don't recall when I previously had to restore a file from Time Machine, but it was pre-Mavericks, and it would have worked or I would have resolved any difficulty. Today, I needed to restore a file (an application). I can enter Time machine, I can move through the dates, but I cannot select (choose) any folder (documents, Applications, etc) or file - Desktop is displayed, and I cannot even select one of the files on the desktop. I was able to restore the file using Finder (selecting file from the backup HD and dragging it into place). I recall a warning that this is not a recommended practice, but I could find no other solution. Does anyone have any insight as to why, within Time Machine, I cannot select the file that I want to restore? Thanks, Brian

Mac Pro, OS X Mavericks (10.9), 3.2 GHz Quad Xeon w/6 GB RAM; PLUS

Posted on Nov 10, 2013 9:59 AM

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User profile for user: Brian Williams2
Brian Williams2 Author
User level: Level 1
101 points

Nov 11, 2013 6:21 AM in response to Eric Root

There is something else in play here. Before following the suggestion (above), there was a short period when I was able to select any file from a past date, but a subsequent attempt foud me stymied again. I performed the recommended purge completely as described (in A4), and rebuilt my Time Machine exclusion list. Note that I use 2 backup drives, which Time Machine automatically alternates.


After two cycles of backup, both drives showed themselves to have the historical data going back to when last I had to start fresh (early October - there had been a backup HD failure).


Attempts to enter TM and select a file found that the situation had not changed. Then a bit later it was OK. Then a bit later, it wasn't again. I have another spare drive, so I was going to swap out one of my BU drives, and go with just a single, to test; but before I got to that, TM was into a full backup (hours long) on one of the BU drives. I left it alone. When that was complete, the full history of backups remained intact, on both drives, and I could select files as if to restore. I left it, and went to bed.


This morning, at different times, I entered Time Machine. Sometimes, I could sect a file, as if to restore it. Sometimes, I could do so after some delay. Sometimes, I waited, and waited, and gave up waiting.


I am begininng to wonder if I have an HD problem. I'm going to shut down, and add a 3TB drive to my Mac Pro, back up to it, exclusively, and see what results.

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User profile for user: photo-web.net
photo-web.net
User level: Level 1
0 points

Nov 13, 2013 7:26 AM in response to Brian Williams2

Hello,


I solved my prob so : I have 2 displays. Time Machine browser start always on the primary display. I try to start the Finder on the primary display, I select a directory, open Time machine and... that work, I can select a file !!


So, it's a bug in Mavericks : if the "Finder" is on the secondary display, I can't select anything in the TM browser.


Hope that help.

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User profile for user: Brian Williams2
Brian Williams2 Author
User level: Level 1
101 points

Dec 17, 2013 7:48 PM in response to Brian Williams2

Following the suggestions found here, I opened System Preferences, then Monitors (I have 3 monitors). I selected Mirror - all 3 monitors identical. I entered TM and was immediately able to restore the file I sought. Thanks to those who found the basis os the problem.

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User profile for user: Frank @ 5280
Frank @ 5280
User level: Level 1
8 points

Jan 4, 2014 12:31 PM in response to Brian Williams2

Thanks all!


I did a Mavericks upgrade recently and the only issue I had (until today) was it removed my Java 1.6.0.jdk. I was able to re-install the jdk file in a minute and all seemed to be back up and running w/o/ any issues.


Then, today I discovered this Time Machine issue as described above while trying to restore some MP3 files. In my case I have a mid-2010 MBP 15" with 8GB Ram and a second monitor attached. This was my first attempt at restoring a file from TM since my upgrade and I was able to successfully restore a couple of files (though very slow response and inconsistently, having to restart TM several times). Then at some point just no luck.


As suggested above, I unplugged my second monitor and TM worked great just as it did before. The only thing I had done prior was trying the "repair disk / repair permissions" others suggested elsewhere but that didn't help. I'm convinced it is a Mavericks issue with multiple monitors (and apparently more specifically based on the Brian's 12/17 comment, it is when the monitors are not mirrored, which is pretty much the way I'd normally work).


I'm going to update my review on Mavericks that I left on the App Store, otherwise though so far so good.

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Time machine - Cannot select file to restore

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