Can you use a time machine backup on a fresh install?

[BA88]

Hi,

As I speak time machine is backing up everything onto my new 500Gb portable hard drive. I also have a new 500Gb internal drive which I am going to install after the backup is complete.

I was just wondering what exactly time machine backs up? Does it include things like firefox bookmarks? As I would be annoyed if I lost them.

Also, once osx has bee installed on the new internal drive is there a way to use the time machine backup on the portable drive? I basically don't know how the files are stored on the portable drive when using time machine...i.e. whether it is a backup saved as one individual file, or many files?

Thanks.

 

[Matthew Yohe]

I was just wondering what exactly time machine backs up? Does it include things like firefox bookmarks? As I would be annoyed if I lost them.

Yes, it includes all of this.

Also, once osx has bee installed on the new internal drive is there a way to use the time machine backup on the portable drive? I basically don't know how the files are stored on the portable drive when using time machine...i.e. whether it is a backup saved as one individual file, or many files?

You can use Time Machine on any drive.

When you do your fresh install, you will want to use the menu bar option Utilities in the Installer to restore from Time Machine backup.

 

[BA88]

Yes, it includes all of this.



You can use Time Machine on any drive.

When you do your fresh install, you will want to use the menu bar option Utilities in the Installer to restore from Time Machine backup.

So just to be clear, that is the Utilities on the installer DVD?

 

[Matthew Yohe]

So just to be clear, that is the Utilities on the installer DVD?

Yes, but not the folder, the menu bar option when you run the Install OS X application.


http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=Mac/10.5/en/15638.html

This may have changed in Snow Leopard, I don't recall if it is still in the menu bar before you restart. If not, you just have to click on the button that the installer provides that's on the left of the install window, not the right. Something like "reboot for utilities" or something...

 

[BA88]

Thanks very much