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Level 2 (455 points)

Q: can't restore files from time machine

Hi all

The hard drive on my MacBook Pro died the other day. I wasn't stressed as I have Time Machine backing up onto a Timecapsule and a network drive hanging off a Mac Mini media server. I aslo did some manual back ups onto a usb drive.

 

I had a local company change out the drive and reinstall Mavericks for me however now I have the computer back and up and running with a clean install of OSX I can't restore any of my files using Time Machine. I can add the drives to Time Machine and I can enter the "twilight zone" scrolling back to see all the back ups I have running back to Jan 13 however they are all "pinked out" and I simply can't see or retrieve any files. The only areas in white are for today.

 

I tried running migration assistant to see if I could retrieve some data that way but I also run into a problem here having selected the back up drive it presents a data source, I select it and then I am unable to proceed and continue is greyed out.

 

I'm stumped and a little bit annoyed that the whole raison d'etre of backups and Time Machine is to provide backups for just this eventuality and yet here I am unable to retrieve a single file.

 

Am I being dumb or is Time Machine or is it Time Machine?

 

thks

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.7.2)

Posted on Dec 4, 2013 1:30 PM

by Linc Davis,Solvedanswer
Linc Davis Linc Davis
Level 10 (207,936 points)
Applications
A:

While in Time Machine, press the key combination shift-command-C. The front window will show all mounted volumes. All snapshots should now be accessible. Select the one you want and navigate to the files you want to restore.

Posted on Dec 4, 2013 2:38 PM

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Q: can't restore files from time machine

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  • Helpful answers

  • by Kappy,

    Kappy Kappy Dec 4, 2013 1:33 PM in response to OWRC
    Level 10 (270,418 points)
    Desktops
    Dec 4, 2013 1:33 PM in response to OWRC

    Please visit Pondini's Time Machine FAQ for help with all things Time Machine. See the item about restoring backups from a different computer or backup drive: Item 17.

  • by OWRC,

    OWRC OWRC Dec 4, 2013 1:44 PM in response to Kappy
    Level 2 (455 points)
    Dec 4, 2013 1:44 PM in response to Kappy

    Thanks for the response. I've already scanned through that FAQ without success. The problem is that I can see the back up points, they are all visible, pink and pulsing. I can select a Finder folder and then go back in time however the finder folder then turns black and there is nothing I can do.

     

    I'm guessing it has something to do with the fact that my new drive and effectively Mac have a differently named Home drive than the previous installation. I don't remember what my previous Home drive was called nor did I configure the name of the new one as a third party repaired the machine.

     

    Stumped and frustrated.

  • by Linc Davis,Solvedanswer

    Linc Davis Linc Davis Dec 4, 2013 2:38 PM in response to OWRC
    Level 10 (207,936 points)
    Applications
    Dec 4, 2013 2:38 PM in response to OWRC

    While in Time Machine, press the key combination shift-command-C. The front window will show all mounted volumes. All snapshots should now be accessible. Select the one you want and navigate to the files you want to restore.

  • by OWRC,

    OWRC OWRC Dec 6, 2013 9:06 AM in response to Linc Davis
    Level 2 (455 points)
    Dec 6, 2013 9:06 AM in response to Linc Davis

    Great thanks, this is just what I wanted thank you. The Time Machine GUI really needs some work to make this easier.

  • by megaram,

    megaram megaram May 25, 2014 9:33 PM in response to Linc Davis
    Level 1 (1 points)
    Applications
    May 25, 2014 9:33 PM in response to Linc Davis

    I would like to thank Linc Davis for the tip. Now we know why Linc is currently at Level 10.

  • by amcbrace,

    amcbrace amcbrace Jun 10, 2014 10:23 AM in response to megaram
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 10, 2014 10:23 AM in response to megaram

    Hi guys,

     

    I'm very new to all of this. However, i am having the exact same problem as OWRC

     

    I recently wiped my mac thinking that it would be easy to restore via my time machine back up on my time capsule. First of all, i tried to restore via the start up instructions immediately after i'd installed a fresh maverick install. I could select the time capsule, enter the password and then nothing; the continue button was greyed and i couldn't go any further.

     

    I then tried via migration assistant and the same thing.

     

    The issue here is that i'm not looking to restore some selected files via time machine, i want to fully restore all my old files via migration assistant.

     

    Any help would be greatly appreciated.

     

    Thanks in advance

  • by megaram,

    megaram megaram Jun 12, 2014 8:53 AM in response to amcbrace
    Level 1 (1 points)
    Applications
    Jun 12, 2014 8:53 AM in response to amcbrace

    You can full restore all your old files using Time Machine. Migration Assistant is only necessary if you purchased a new Mac and want to transfer all of your data over from another older Mac.

     

    From reading your post, you appear to be trying to transfer all of your old data to a fresh install of Mavericks, in which case Migration Assistant is not much use.

     

    To restore all of the old files stored in your Time Capsules internal storage, you could select them all inside the Time Machine twilight view. Alas, time machine doesn't really offer a clean install option.

     

    Alternatively, you restore all your files using Time Machine inside OSx Recover Mode. This option will restore any corrupt system files or problems in the OSx library. Hence, the main reason some Apple users have relied less on Time Machine (see discussion thread: https://discussions.apple.com/message/23797713#23797713).

     

    I personally have no qualms about slectively restoring everything inside Time Machine following a clean install. I performed a clean install some months ago and managed to restore "all my old data", as you are trying to do, from my external disk drive without any problems.

     

    I use Time Machine because it is designed to work seamlessly with Apple's OSx. If you must restore old files using a third party utility App other than TM I recommend Carbon Copy Cloner or SuperDuper!

     

    Carbon Copy Cloner: http://www.bombich.com

    SuperDuper!: http://www.shirt-pocket.com/SuperDuper/superduperdescription.html

     

    These applications work brilliantly with Migration Assistant.

  • by dmaukingbird,

    dmaukingbird dmaukingbird Aug 28, 2014 12:53 PM in response to OWRC
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 28, 2014 12:53 PM in response to OWRC

    I'm having an issue with restoring select files from time machine. I am able to view all back ups and individual files, but once time machine is launched I am unable to click on any icons or sidebar items. I am however able to pass up and down the timeline as well as click on the arrows. I used to be able to select a specific item and restore it.

     

    Any solutions would be greatly appreciated!

     

    Thanks!

  • by felixfrommontreal,

    felixfrommontreal felixfrommontreal Sep 12, 2016 7:05 AM in response to OWRC
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Sep 12, 2016 7:05 AM in response to OWRC

    reply to Linc Davis.

     

    I have the same problem. : ...however they are all "pinked out" and I simply can't see or retrieve any files...

    one of my volumes is "pinked out". My iMAC is divided in 3 volumes. The volume with the files i try to recover shows "unmounted" after shift-command-C . The volume is mounted as i'm working on it when not in Time machine mode.

     

    The reason i want to recover these files is that I've lost some data while consolidating 4 hard drives into one (into the volume that shows unmounted, which i have erased almost entirely). Now all the data on this volume is synced with my dropbox pro 1To. My objective is to use it for my work and have it accessible with my office computer.

     

    Regards

    Felix