Will the time machine back up delete all my existing files/apps?

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Level 1

4 points

Will the time machine back up delete all my existing files/apps?

Hey community,

I have a small dilema... I had serious problems with FileVault, to the point where my Macbook got stuck at login/black screen and there was nothing I could do besides starting from scratch and erase the disk!

So now I'm running macOS Sierra 10.12.4 again and have already installed several applications and libraries which are not on my back up... I have a back up of projects, data and what I need on an external hardrive... question is; if I do a restore from that specific back up, will it erase all existing apps and libraries I have already installed?

Do I do it manually instead? What's the proper way to avoid this type of pain in the future?

Posted on Apr 12, 2017 9:03 AM

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Answer 1

BDAqua

Level 10

250,409 points

Apr 12, 2017 1:04 PM in response to BluesKid

Restoring Individual Files from a Backup

Click the Time Machine icon on the menu bar and select “Enter Time Machine” to enter the restore interface. This screen allows you to locate deleted files or previous versions of files and restore them.

Select a date and time at the bottom-right corner of the window to “go back in time” to the point where the file you want to restore existed. Dates in pink indicate the backup is stored on an external drive, while dates in white indicate local snapshots stored on your Mac’s internal storage.

Locate a file you want to restore, select it, and click the “Restore” button to restore it to the same folder on your Mac. If it would overwrite and existing file, you’ll be asked what you want to do.

You can also select a file and press the space bar to preview it with “Quick Look” before restoring it.

https://www.howtogeek.com/192533/how-to-back-up-your-mac-and-restore-files-with- time-machine/

http://Pondini.org/TM/FAQ.html

http://pondini.org/TM/Troubleshooting.html

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