Hi guys,
Info:
OS X 10.10.3
Time Capsule version 7.7.3
iMac 21" Mid 2011
Issue:
I use the time capsule as a backup specifically for my massive iTunes library.
When I use a non-apple hard drive for Time Machine backups, I am able to browse the file system of the backup via Finder.
I cannot access the data on the Time machine other than looking at the backup itself.
See pix:
What the heck?!
What the heck?!
The heck is that you are trying to compare two completely different types of drives......a USB or FireWire type of drive that is connected directly to your computer, called a "local drive"....and....the Time Capsule drive, which is a "network drive".....since it connects to the network and shares data with network devices.
Time Machine stores backups differently on a local drive than it does a network drive.
On a local drive, all of the Time Machine backups are stored in a normal folder called Backups.backupdb.
All of the Time Machine backups on a Time Capsule are stored in a special type of container called a sparsebundle file, with the name of your Mac associated with the file. Apple does not really want you trying to get into your Time Machine backup files on the Time Capsule using the Finder, so they make it difficult to do so.
It is also very easy to corrupt a file when you go into the sparsebundle, which may damage all your Time Machine backups and render them useless. For that reason, it is not recommended that you try to access your Time Machine files this way.
We can tell you how to access the files if you want, but we cannot accept responsibility for any difficulties that you might have if you do this, or help if the files are damaged.
It's up to you.
ok cool. So I'm not crazy.
This is the real/potential issue:
When I do migrate to a new iMac, I will have 2 time machines (not shown in pix) - one will be of the SSD with the OS X boot partition (kept on a generic external hard drive) and the other is of the iTunes library exclusively (kept on the time capsule). I really don't care about the SSD back because everything that matters in either in DropBox or iCloud. The real issue is restoring/transferring the iTunes library. In the past I would delve into the file structure of the Time Machine backup and just drag-n-drop.
How would I go about migrating my iTunes library when the time comes?
Sorry if this sounds like a stupid question.
please and thanks
tim
When you first start up a new Mac, Setup Assistant will ask you if you want to transfer files from another Mac or a Time Machine backup. You have options to transfer Applications, System Settings, Documents, Libraries, etc, so you can only choose a general category or two if you do not want the new Mac to look exactly like the old Mac.
If the new Mac has already been running for awhile, you can use Migration Assistant to move data over from another Mac or a Time Machine backup.
Finder > Applications > Utilities > Migration Assistant.
thats what I thought - awesome! thanks.
You can use the Finder to go into the Time Capsule sparsebundle file if you are very careful to only look at files, or copy them, and not modify them in any way.
If you want the steps, let us know.
How to view Time Machine files on a Capsule
