LA_Vol
Level 1 (79 points)
Mac OS X

Q: Time machine messages backup missing?

I recently did a clean install on my MacBook Pro. I don't want to migrate my user account from my Time Machine back up, but I would like to transfer my text messages. I know that messages are located in the user/library/messages/archive folder which I can find on my Mac, but there is no such folder on the Time Machine backup?

 

What am I missing?

MacBook Pro, iMac 24, Mac OS X (10.6.4), iPhone 3Gs

Posted on Aug 17, 2016 9:06 AM

by Ralph Johns (UK),Solvedanswer
Ralph Johns (UK) Ralph Johns (UK)
Level 9 (72,957 points)
Applications
A:

Hi,

 

I would be navigating to ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.iChat/Data/Library/Messages/Archive on my computer as that is where my Archive folder is.

Screen Shot 2016-08-17 at 20.49.33.png

See the Path Bar across the bottom.

 

I know that some posters have said there is an Alias here that is connected to /~Library/Messages/Archive as you describe.

 

If you have the two different locations across the Current boot and the Time Machine  you may need to manually open the Backup file and then drag the contents to where you want/need them to be.

 

 

 

 

 

3Sigcopy2.png

8:51 pm      Wednesday; August 17, 2016

 

​  iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (El Capitan)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
 iPhone and an iPad (2)

Posted on Aug 18, 2016 9:13 AM

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LA_Vol

Q: Time machine messages backup missing?

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

  • by Ralph Johns (UK),Solvedanswer

    Ralph Johns (UK) Ralph Johns (UK) Aug 18, 2016 9:13 AM in response to LA_Vol
    Level 9 (72,957 points)
    Applications
    Aug 18, 2016 9:13 AM in response to LA_Vol

    Hi,

     

    I would be navigating to ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.iChat/Data/Library/Messages/Archive on my computer as that is where my Archive folder is.

    Screen Shot 2016-08-17 at 20.49.33.png

    See the Path Bar across the bottom.

     

    I know that some posters have said there is an Alias here that is connected to /~Library/Messages/Archive as you describe.

     

    If you have the two different locations across the Current boot and the Time Machine  you may need to manually open the Backup file and then drag the contents to where you want/need them to be.

     

     

     

     

     

    3Sigcopy2.png

    8:51 pm      Wednesday; August 17, 2016

     

    ​  iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (El Capitan)
     G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
     MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
     Mac OS X (10.6.8),
     iPhone and an iPad (2)

  • by LA_Vol,

    LA_Vol LA_Vol Aug 18, 2016 9:13 AM in response to Ralph Johns (UK)
    Level 1 (79 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 18, 2016 9:13 AM in response to Ralph Johns (UK)

    Thanks Ralph, this helped a bunch. Following your path I was able to locate my most recent Time Machine backup of the Messages Archive folder. I replaced the Archive folder, Attachments folder, as well as the three .db files. After a restart, messages are now all present except for the three days since my backup, and I can deal with that as opposed to three years!

  • by LA_Vol,

    LA_Vol LA_Vol Aug 18, 2016 9:16 AM in response to Ralph Johns (UK)
    Level 1 (79 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 18, 2016 9:16 AM in response to Ralph Johns (UK)

    Oh, one more thing just for clarification. You need to copy the .db files as well as the Archive and Attachments. Only replacing the Archive folder won't display all of the messages.

  • by Ralph Johns (UK),

    Ralph Johns (UK) Ralph Johns (UK) Aug 18, 2016 12:59 PM in response to LA_Vol
    Level 9 (72,957 points)
    Applications
    Aug 18, 2016 12:59 PM in response to LA_Vol

    Hi,

     

    It Should not need the Chat.db items IF the transfer is done before the App is started.

     

    As starting it is the way you find out that the older items are not there then you will have to transfer the chat.db items as well.

     

    When the app is updated or started for the first time then there is a process that "updates" the Archive Folder.

    On some computers this folder can become corrupt and show as a File and not a folder.

    Renaming the "file" and creating the new Archive folder followed by replacing the actual contents and then running the app should see it updated.

     

    There appears to be no way to Update the Archive folder outside of this.

     

    4thanx.gif for the 1helpful.png   Points and for the    2correct.png   Points.  (I see you marked the post twice).

     

     

     

    3Sigcopy2.png

    8:57 pm      Thursday; August 18, 2016

     

    ​  iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (El Capitan)
     G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
     MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
     Mac OS X (10.6.8),
     iPhone and an iPad (2)