MBA after data migration, recognize TM backups?

[brayhite]

I had to exchange my MBA at Apple (a rare, awful experience at the Apple Store, but that's beside the point) and my apps are having licensing issues now, due to a new computer.

I thought maybe just transferring the app from Time Machine over to the new Air might do the trick, but I can't access Time Machine backups.

Regardless if that works or not, I also want to do incremental backups over the old backups, if possible.

Help, please?

 

[bigbird888]

I upgraded 4 machines. Out of the 4, only 1 could still access its time machine archive. I did the following to fix the remaining 3:
1. Stop time machine
2. Go to the top-most Library folder (not the one in the home folder)
3. Open the Preferences folder
4. Locate the plist file: "com.apple.TimeMachine.plist"
5. Move this file to the Trash and Empty the Trash
6. Repeat step 4 and 5 for "*.TimeMachine.plist"
7. Re-start the Mac
8. Start time machine

I had to exchange my MBA at Apple (a rare, awful experience at the Apple Store, but that's beside the point) and my apps are having licensing issues now, due to a new computer.

I thought maybe just transferring the app from Time Machine over to the new Air might do the trick, but I can't access Time Machine backups.

Regardless if that works or not, I also want to do incremental backups over the old backups, if possible.

Help, please?

 

[brayhite]

I upgraded 4 machines. Out of the 4, only 1 could still access its time machine archive. I did the following to fix the remaining 3:
1. Stop time machine
2. Go to the top-most Library folder (not the one in the home folder)
3. Open the Preferences folder
4. Locate the plist file: "com.apple.TimeMachine.plist"
5. Move this file to the Trash and Empty the Trash
6. Repeat step 4 and 5 for "*.TimeMachine.plist"
7. Re-start the Mac
8. Start time machine

You missed the part about this being a new machine. It hasn't been backed up at all, so there isn't a plist file for Time Machine (I tried this already, hence why I know). The Air I had before was backed up, and I want to access THOSE backups. This machine is brand new and never been backed up though, but I was hoping I could make it recognize the old backups and run as if it has been backed up before.

Like I said, this may not even be possible, but I'm hoping it is.

 

[JonLa]

I thought it asked you, when setting up the new machine, whether you wanted to migrate from a previous machines' time machine backup?

In any case if they're App store apps then just log into the new machine's App store using the same account and you'll see the previous purchases ready for download and installation.

 

[KPOM]

I thought maybe just transferring the app from Time Machine over to the new Air might do the trick, but I can't access Time Machine backups.

Regardless if that works or not, I also want to do incremental backups over the old backups, if possible.

Help, please?

Have you tried running Migration Assistant? Hopefully even if Time Machine itself cannot access the old Time Machine backups, Migration Assistant can.

I think there used to be a trick for resetting a Time Machine backup using Airport Utility 5.6. Unfortunately, while Airport Utility 5.6 will run on Mountain Lion (if it is migrated over from an upgrade or Migration Assistant from a Lion system), it won't install on Mountain Lion from the DMG file.

 

[brayhite]

I thought it asked you, when setting up the new machine, whether you wanted to migrate from a previous machines' time machine backup?

In any case if they're App store apps then just log into the new machine's App store using the same account and you'll see the previous purchases ready for download and installation.

My bad, I should've specified: I took my (old) laptop to Apple and they did a data migration themselves, from the old one to the new one. I didn't set it up at all, nor do I have the old laptop anymore, obviously.

And the apps weren't App Store ones, they were actually purchased in the MacUpdate Bundle. I'm assuming I'll just have to contact each of them individually and ask them for a serial number reset.

Have you tried running Migration Assistant? Hopefully even if Time Machine itself cannot access the old Time Machine backups, Migration Assistant can.

I think there used to be a trick for resetting a Time Machine backup using Airport Utility 5.6. Unfortunately, while Airport Utility 5.6 will run on Mountain Lion (if it is migrated over from an upgrade or Migration Assistant from a Lion system), it won't install on Mountain Lion from the DMG file.

I can use Migration Assistant to only migrate apps? I don't want to restart the entire process if I can avoid it, so if it lets me select what to migrate, that'd be awesome. I'll check it out.