japhythegrey

Q: How to access purple time machine back ups with fresh Mavericks install

A little trouble restoring from my time machine back ups. I had a fresh SSD fitted by shop and Mavericks installed by them (10.9.1) (no installer left and no recovery partition). I've attempted restoring from my Time Machine back ups, but all ones i need to access from connected external drive are in purple and cannot be selected. Is this because these back ups were from an earlier than Mavericks OS ? -- I would like my settings how they were previously also, hence full restore.

 

How do i easily make these purple back ups selectable for full restore ?

 

Thanks!

 

Japhy

MacBook Pro, OS X Mavericks (10.9.1), null

Posted on May 25, 2016 12:09 PM

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Q: How to access purple time machine back ups with fresh Mavericks install

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  • Helpful answers

  • by macjack,

    macjack macjack May 25, 2016 12:10 PM in response to japhythegrey
    Level 9 (55,682 points)
    Mac OS X
    May 25, 2016 12:10 PM in response to japhythegrey

    Follow the steps in this apple support topic - see Restore Time Machine from a backup.

    How to reinstall OS X on your Mac - Apple Support

  • by japhythegrey,

    japhythegrey japhythegrey May 25, 2016 12:42 PM in response to macjack
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Desktops
    May 25, 2016 12:42 PM in response to macjack

    Thanks macjack.. I did follow these instructions, but i would not like to re-install the OS. It's a totally fresh install. The control-R boot up option doesn't work as there's no recovery partition, nor booting holding option. I cannot make a new recovery partition without a copy of the mavericks installer, which i do not have in my app store purchases as the shop who fitted the SSD installed Mavericks and so, i go round in circles.

     

    The fresh install of Mavericks seems perfect, just need to get the time machine to restore from the purple back ups . Any clues?

     

    Thanks!

  • by macjack,

    macjack macjack May 25, 2016 12:56 PM in response to japhythegrey
    Level 9 (55,682 points)
    Mac OS X
    May 25, 2016 12:56 PM in response to japhythegrey

    What model and year is your MacBook? If it shipped with install discs then you will need them.

  • by japhythegrey,

    japhythegrey japhythegrey May 25, 2016 1:00 PM in response to macjack
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Desktops
    May 25, 2016 1:00 PM in response to macjack

    This is a 2011 macbook pro, which came pre-installed from new with Lion i think, there were therefore no OS install discs.

  • by K Shaffer,

    K Shaffer K Shaffer May 25, 2016 1:10 PM in response to japhythegrey
    Level 6 (14,274 points)
    Desktops
    May 25, 2016 1:10 PM in response to japhythegrey

    If a copy of the OS X 10.9 Mavericks installer would be of help, either for

    this issue, or independent for future use, you could try & create one by

    using the DiskMaker X utility, that should gather bits from a present OS X

    installation and be able to use that to re-install the same one later.

     

    DiskMaker X: http://diskmakerx.com/

     

    Some information in FAQs may or may not be helpful. Elsewhere there

    are actual instructions for use, perhaps once product is downloaded(?)

     

    DiskMaker X FAQs: http://diskmakerx.com/faq/

     

    For older versions of OS X there are earlier versions of DiskMaker X.

    However the current one for El Capitan should also be the correct one.

     

    You could also try to create a new installer or fresh installation on another

    local drive, one that could be used to start & run that same computer. See:

    OS X: About Recovery Disk Assistant - Apple Support

     

    The original OS X probably won't be of much help, except to try & add

    the OS X Recovery partition to the hard drive, as it would be there if

    the computer (original HDD) was never erased or replaced.

     

    There may be a few ideas among several good ones here:

     

    • Apple OS X and Time Machine Tips:

    http://www.pondini.org/OSX/Home.html

     

    Sorry to not be of much help.

    Good luck in any event!

  • by japhythegrey,

    japhythegrey japhythegrey May 25, 2016 1:11 PM in response to K Shaffer
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Desktops
    May 25, 2016 1:11 PM in response to K Shaffer

    Thanks! Certainly something to consider, but essentially Mavericks is installed and fine, shouldn't i now just be able to restore from time machine without the headache?

     

    I did pay the computer shop to install Mavericks and was told restore from time machine would be a simple process.

     

    Japhy