frangipane
Level 1 (4 points)
Mac OS X

Q: Partial access to time machine backup

Hi,

 

I tried to upgrade from Yosemite to El Capitan, but that failed. So the staff at the local store did a clean install for me. Prior to that, my Mac's internal hard drive had been backed up using Time Machine, onto an encrypted external hard drive. However, Time Machine is unable to restore any of back ups (the timeline of previous backups shows up, but the Restore button is grayed out).

 

Still, the backups are visible in the directory structure of the external hd. However, only some, not all of the directories are accessible. For example, I was able to copy Documents from the ext. hd to the internal hd, but Google Drive cannot be accessed. More detail in the attachments.

 

My question is: how can I troubleshoot the the problem just described, and, in particular, obtain access to the directories that are hitherto blocked on the external hdd?

 

reovery-ggdr-2.png

Screen Shot 2016-08-17 at 3.11.08 PM.png

MacBook, OS X El Capitan (10.11.6)

Posted on Aug 17, 2016 12:14 PM

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frangipane

Q: Partial access to time machine backup

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  • Helpful answers

  • by Bob Timmons,Helpful

    Bob Timmons Bob Timmons Aug 19, 2016 11:09 AM in response to frangipane
    Level 10 (105,448 points)
    Wireless
    Aug 19, 2016 11:09 AM in response to frangipane

    In effect, you have a "new" Mac.....since the hard drive on your "old" Mac was erased and a new operating system was installed.

     

    Time Machine will only allow you to restore a backup if you are looking at backups that your current Mac has made. Since you have a "new" Mac.....(which did not make the backups, as far as Time Machine is concerned).....you cannot use Time Machine to restore the data.

     

    Instead, use Migration Assistant on your Mac.  It's located Finder > Applications > Utilities > Migration Assistant

     

    Migration Assistant.png

     

    Things might be a lot easier though, if you take the Mac and your hard drive....containing the Time Machine backups....back to the Apple Store and let the "genius" complete the task that he/she should have done before.

     

    Actually, when you first powered up the new "Mac", Setup Assistant should have appeared and asked you if you wanted to restore from your Time Machine backups.  That would have been the best and easiest way to make your "new" Mac look like your "old" Mac, but fortunately Migration Assistant can perform a similar function.

  • by frangipane,

    frangipane frangipane Aug 17, 2016 12:27 PM in response to frangipane
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 17, 2016 12:27 PM in response to frangipane

    ps: I think this post should be under community/mac_os, not community/wireless. Could a moderator please transfer it, or should I post again?

  • by Bob Timmons,

    Bob Timmons Bob Timmons Aug 17, 2016 12:34 PM in response to frangipane
    Level 10 (105,448 points)
    Wireless
    Aug 17, 2016 12:34 PM in response to frangipane

    See post above. If no help, then repost in the support forum for your Mac's operating system.

  • by frangipane,

    frangipane frangipane Aug 19, 2016 11:08 AM in response to Bob Timmons
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 19, 2016 11:08 AM in response to Bob Timmons

    Reposted here: Migration assistant failed