Why doesn't Time Machine restore apps?

Question

Level 1

29 points

Why doesn't Time Machine restore apps?

Hi guys

I've just restored my latest time machine backup on a new hard drive for the first time but it's missing all my apps like iTunes, iMovie, MS Office and other purchased apps not from the App Store.

Can anyone give me some info as to why I'm missing all the apps?

I was under the impression everything that was backed up would be restored and re-instated just how I had it setup.

The restore was based on Snow Leopard 10.6.8 on an early 2009 iMac 24", 2.93ghz.

Many thanks in advance.

iMac, Mac OS X (10.6.8)

Posted on Nov 19, 2015 4:04 AM

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Answer 1

Nov 19, 2015 11:40 AM in response to cheekyage

Were you restoring a whole disk, using System Recovery or is this using Migration Assistant?

Is it the same computer? If not a much later computer you should be using a clean install of the OS and Migration Assistant..

All the apps should be there and install.. if possible.. some will not work if it is over a later OS.

Explain a bit more for us the actual process used for the restore. And to what computer.

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Answer 2

cheekyage Author

Level 1

29 points

Nov 22, 2015 12:23 AM in response to LaPastenague

I did a restore from time machine backup in recovery mode.

The iMac wouldn't go past the Apple symbol during boot up so I held down the option key and went with the recovery of the partioned disk.

Yes, same iMac. Nothing different at all.

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Answer 3

Nov 22, 2015 12:25 AM in response to cheekyage

Try it now from migration assistant.. no luck then sorry but the TM backup became corrupt.. it happens.

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Answer 4

cheekyage Author

Level 1

29 points

Nov 22, 2015 12:34 AM in response to LaPastenague

How do I get into migration assistant?

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Answer 5

Nov 22, 2015 1:24 AM in response to cheekyage

Open utilities under applications..

Or even easier.. type migration into search box in finder.

Pondini site is operational again.

See http://pondini.org/OSX/Migrate.html

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Answer 6

cheekyage Author

Level 1

29 points

Nov 22, 2015 1:40 AM in response to LaPastenague

So my dock is missing all the OS X icons.

The dock is display blank paper icons across the bottom except for finder and dashboard.

When I click on one of the above icons eg iTunes I get a pop up window saying "Thefe is no default application specified to open document 253_OK .tif."

I have then clicked OK and now stuck with the rainbow spinning wheel.

Help!!

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Answer 7

Nov 22, 2015 2:34 AM in response to cheekyage

You need to restore from original disk.. do not restore from backup..

Once you load the original Mac OS.. you should have disks for snow leopard.. then you can use migrate.

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