Recovering a file from a time machine backup using a different computer

[DrivinWest]

Hey all,

My iMac is current being moved and won't arrive for a few weeks. I've backed it up with Time Machine and have the backup drive with me.

When I access the backup drive from a 10.4 machine, the directory structure seems intact but the bulk on the folders are aliases. When I click on them (Documents for example) it states, "the Volume for "Documents" cannot be found. Insert the disk or connect to the server volume and wait for it to appear on the desktop, then try again."

Is there any way for me to access the file I need? Any help is much appreciated!

-DW

 

[misterredman]

This may help:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/418219/

 

[bigrell486]

The Time Machine Backup is linked to the computer it came from, I believe.

 

[misterredman]

The Time Machine Backup is linked to the computer it came from, I believe.

That's true, the backup is linked to the MAC address of the machine the backup came from. But that's matter only when you want to use the Time Machine interface or continue the backup on "another" machine (like when the motherboard is replaced during repairs).
When you access the drive directly there should be no problem on a different Leopard machine, while on a Tiger machine you may have problems due to the hard linked directory that are not supported there.