Time Capsule backup after OS X 10.6 Clean install & setup assistant

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Time Capsule backup after OS X 10.6 Clean install & setup assistant

I am at my wits end with this problem, so please give me some clear advice. The basic problem is: After an SSD install & clean install of Snow Leopard OS X with using the setup assistant and a restoration of the original hard drives back up on my time capsule, the time machine is running a new full backup to the time capsule.

This past Saturday I replaced the original 160gb hard drive in our old 17" iMac (late 2006, 1.83 ghz core 2 duo, running 10.6.8 OS X) to a 500gb Samsung 840 Evo SSD. The physical process was pretty straight forward with the iFixit guide. However, since I didnt clone my original drive to the SSD previously, I inserted the snow leopard DVD & did an install of the OS X & all updates. But one thing bothered me, I had to set up a new user. So after some searching I found Pondini's web pages & quickly realized if I now ran the migration assistant I most likely would create user id issues & it would be a big pain later. So, I erased the new drive then re-installed the OS X snow leopard but used the setup assistant this time.

ILit looked like it was going well and I stopped any time machine backups so I could do all OS X updates & finally repair permissions in disk utility. Now, I was ready to perform a time machine backup as everything looked good so far with this lengthy process. However, I was concerned about the backup not recognizing the computer & doing a full backup to my time capsule instead of an incremental one. Since I had just rscribed a replacement time capsule because the original hard drive failed, I was somewhat versed in how to locate the sparse bundle files. Since I was worried about the backup, I went into the "get information" for the sparse bundle back up file. I looked at the "Sharing & Permissions", unlocked it & somehow erased the 1st listed & administrator name "Amy" (my wife). I could not figure out how to get it back & everything I tried failed. In desperation I called AppleCare (per our new MacBook Pro) and was absolutely guaranteed that since I still had listed, "everyone" with both read & write ability the backup would work as needed and not as a full new backup. Even though my gut told me otherwise, I turned on time machine & started a backup. As I feared. It started & is currently doing a full (151gb) backup.

What problem have I created & is it fixable?

Note: The original drive was working fine, just too full. My plan was to upgrade to OS X Lion & bump up the ram from 2 gb to 3 gb, by installing the recommended 4 gb. Ultimately using this as the main computer for everyone to store their music, pictures & movies.

iMac (17-inch Late 2006 CD), Mac OS X (10.6.8)

Posted on Mar 2, 2015 10:19 AM

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Answer 1

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LaPastenague

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Mar 2, 2015 1:06 PM in response to HotRodHudson

Pondini which you did well to discover and use.. has some info on inherit of old TM backups.

See B5 and B6 here. http://pondini.org/TM/Troubleshooting.html

However I have to add.. what happened was exactly what should happen when you change disks.

Your old backups represent the history of the old disk OS.. the new disk makes the computer virtually a new computer.

There is nothing wrong with archiving off the old backup.. and wipe the TC and start completely fresh.

Keep the archive (on a USB drive) for 6months or so and then if not needed you can wipe and start using the disk for something else.

My plan was to upgrade to OS X Lion

I think you are going about it the wrong way.

I strongly recommend you clean install Lion. Especially as using SSD with full backup from your old mechanical disk can actually have strange effects.. You are better migrating.. And you can migrate directly from the backup you are making now.

The correct method to migrate is exactly how you started.. use a different name to the original setup.. run the migration which will then install your files and folders, plus apps etc if allowed under Lion.. and you can then do a clean up of moving files from the original user if needed.

Even installing apps although convenient is often better undertaken as a fresh clean install from original sources.

Many ways to skin the cat though.

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Answer 2

HotRodHudson Author

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Mar 2, 2015 8:33 PM in response to LaPastenague

Great News! While my back up was showing it was going to back up the entire drive of approx. 150gb, it didn't. Instead it ended up doing an incremental backup. I believe "Pondini" spoke of this possibly happening on his web page (pondini.org). So for now it looks like all is going well and the time capsule did what it was suppose to in spite of what I was doing!

The late 2006 iMac 5,2 was truly rewarding me for my efforts. With the original HDD start up time was approximately 1minute and 40seconds. After the SSD the start up time is 19.87seconds, but we'll call it 20 seconds. Shut down was at 2 seconds. All the programs start up nice and quick which is really shocking because my wife's 3 month old MacBook Pro takes at least twice as long to load and overall seems sluggish in comparison.

It always amazes me to experience the "Crazy Fast" speed the SSD's provide to an old SATA I computer, it has to be the best performance upgrade one could make to a computer. Last fall I swapped out the hard drive in my wife's old (late 2007) MacBook 3,1 model with a 250gb Samsung Evo 840 SSD and it too was just as shockingly fast afterwards. Our old (late 2006) iMac has served our family well for 9 years and now it looks like it may have many more years left in her!

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Answer 3

Mar 2, 2015 9:00 PM in response to HotRodHudson

100% agree.. I installed SSD in every computer that goes through my hands now.. it is almost a pity as I am going too far.. see pic below.. but at least you know you have the very best your hardware can manage.

Don't forget with 840 evo you will need to use the firmware updater to clean up the fault in the drive. I wrote up somewhere how to do it.

SSD in gen1 Apple TV.

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Answer 4

HotRodHudson Author

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Mar 3, 2015 8:11 AM in response to LaPastenague

When you said; "Don't forget with 840 evo you will need to use the firmware updater to clean up the fault in the drive" Could you explain more? I am not familiar with the "fault" or how to do a "firmware update" with my Samsung Evo 840 inside a Mac? The other thing I believe I will need to do is turn on "Trim". If I am correct Trim helps with clean up of the drive and longevity.

Since I am looking to move up to Lion OSX, do you have suggestions for doing so? I understand a clean install is best, but with everyone's accounts and permissions all over the place, except written down, could I still do a migration after I install the Lion OSX? I do have a fair amount of permission errors which are present and many cannot be corrected running Disk Utility. I'm assuming most of these would follow if I didn't do a clean install and just loaded Lion with what is up and running now 10.6.8.

The other concern I have is with Microsoft Office. When we bought the iMac or perhaps it was the Macbook, the Apple store was selling Microsoft Office 2004 and we bought the 3 computer license pack since the release of 2008 would be a free upgrade. We did install it on both mac's and did the update to the 2008 which I believe was an on line update. Currently on the iMac, Office is working but I found a recovered file in the trash called, "MerpAD Microsoft AutoUpdate" and I am not sure where it belongs or if it belongs at all? So I need to fix that on the iMac. On the old MacBook, I did a clean install of Snow Leopard then the on line update to Lion OSX fall. Afterwards we only moved a few applications and files over to try to keep it as clean as possible. However, now the Office cannot update. Honestly I am not sure if we couldn't update before the clean install or not, but it does worry me that things are not where they should be after years of my kids & wife using these computers. Final thought on Office: Since I have 2004 Office on disk, but not 2008 and not sure if I even have the update keys, is there a way to install the old version on another computer "and" update it to the 2008 version?

Many Thanks!

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Answer 5

HotRodHudson Author

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Mar 3, 2015 8:37 AM in response to HotRodHudson

BTW, I would love to have an old style apple TV like yours with an SSD inside! My brother has an older one but just with the original hard drive. He loads it up with movies and takes it with him when he travels for months at a time away from home.

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Answer 6

Mar 3, 2015 12:34 PM in response to HotRodHudson

It is possible to boot the Mac from USB or CD drive and then use the updater from DOS..

See

Fix samsung evo from mac

http://blog.conradchavez.com/2014/10/30/running-the-samsung-840-evo-ssd-performa nce-restoration-tool-on-a-mac/

http://tech.kateva.org/2014/11/samsung-ssd-840-evo-has-slow-read-bug.html

The bug is firmware related and the disk has to be checked.. so it can take a while if you have lots of files written to it.

Trim should be turned on.. it helps keep the disk working by spreading the demand over the disk.

For Lion install.. if your Snow Leopard is already messy start over. Otherwise you just add to the mess.. but you can trial it..

Before you start,

1. Get a decent size USB drive that can hold the entire contents of the disk at least twice and partition it into two equal parts.

2. make a bootable clone of the Mac boot disk as it is right now.. (CCC can be used for one month free and will do it).

3. And also do a TM backup to other partition on the USB drive.

Then do your upgrade install and see how it goes.

At some point it makes sense to do a clean up.. if everyone has forgotten their login passwords etc.. well now is the time to fix it.

If permissions are wrong, you should still be able to login as administrator and fix them. If not via the main account at least via the recovery.

Perhaps Lion will deal with that better.. anyway if it works out poorly clean install and use the TM backup you made to migrate the accounts.

The work involved in clean up is well spent.. to have a computer working properly.

As far as your office problem is concerned.. hmmm.. I really hate the way Microsoft handles their licenses.

Make a copy of the current app.. to somewhere.. your TC is fine.

It will be contained in a directory.. Microsoft Office 2008.

Paste it into the clean install of Lion under apps..

It has always worked just fine for me.

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Answer 7

HotRodHudson Author

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Mar 3, 2015 7:45 PM in response to LaPastenague

I feel like I struck Gold tonight as I found my 2008 Office software complete with install disks & all 3 keys! One of which I had not ever used. A call to Office for Mac and it was confirmed. Thus, I can use the last key & do full reinstalls if needed to correct any problem that persist. Nothing like waiting 9 years to put it to use!

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Answer 8

Mar 3, 2015 9:26 PM in response to HotRodHudson

Well done.. but if you delete it on one computer they usually allow you to install it on another.. although often they seem to think once is enough.. !!

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Answer 9

HotRodHudson Author

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Mar 4, 2015 7:30 AM in response to LaPastenague

I was reading last night on an Office Mac Help Site:

"Office for Mac 2008 Home & Student
(3 installs - you can install on 3 desktops and 3 laptops but you cannot use on both laptop and computer at the same time)"

In theory, it could be installed on 6 computers if this is correct. Not that it's an issue but I wondering how it's tracked or controlled to not use the same copy on two computers at the same time. Either way, I'm stoked I don't have to shell out another $100 plus. Which means I can put it toward an SSD for the wife's mac.

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Answer 10

Mar 4, 2015 12:58 PM in response to HotRodHudson

It reports back to the mothership.. everything is doing that now.. Apple and MS have built in tons of sneaky background reading of what you are doing.. For MS that will stop you using the license when you hit 6 installs.. but they can see when you have the same install used multiple times..

However you can ring up and say a computer failed and you wish to transfer the license.. as long as you don't do it too often they are ok.

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