Backups.backupdb was on external and I wiped it by accident...trying to drag and drop brings a permissions error...how can I recover?
It's difficult to tell exactly what happened from your description. What do you mean by "subsequent website database"? When you say you wiped the external HD, did you delete the Backups.backupdb folder (i.e., put it in the Trash) or did you erase the external HD? If you deleted the folder, did you try Undo (under the Edit menu)? When you try to drag and drop, what exactly does the error message say?
In order to help, we need more details....
Hi Donna... (thank you so much for replying)
I accidentally placed the Backups.backupdb in the trash while moving files to make space on my external.
The file holds a backup of my website database and now my site is down because of the missing docs to support development there.
When I try to drag and drop from trash to replace, it gives me a "you do not have sufficient permissions" error and I am not able to "undo" from trash placement. Does this help?
I'm not sure if this is a good idea, but you could try control-clicking on Backups.backupdb and choosing "Put Back". BUT if you don't have anything else you want on the external HD, then -- assuming that Backups.backupdb contains only backups, and only things that are already on your computer! -- you might be safer to just erase the external drive and start backups from scratch, to make sure there are no issues with your backups.
The only thing that gives me pause is that you say your website is down because of missing docs. Were the missing docs only in your Backups.backupdb folder?? Normally I'd think that folder would only contain Time Machine backups, which would mean those items were already on your computer....
For additional details, see this conversation with Pondini (a Time Machine expert):
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4668057?answerId=20790675022#20790675022
Another option might be to log in as the Root User. You need to be very careful while logged in as the Root User because you can delete any file and could potentially ruin your system. If you get it in place, log out and use your normal account.
ACCIDENTALLY DELETED Backups.backupdb folder (and subsequent website database) cannot recover from trash!!! Please Help!!!
