restore/migrate TimeMachine backup to different targets

[I'mNotAMerryMan]

[solved, see here]
Hi, I just swapped my previous 500GB HDD for a small SSD and a 1TB HDD in the optibay. Now I want to restore all of my files to the computer, but obviously it won't all fit on the SSD. I managed to install/restore the system to the SSD just fine. Now I'm looking for a way to restore the files that used to be my user folder (Music, Pictures, etc) to the second drive. Is there any way I can do this? I can't seem to find any button to select it as a target; all I get is (of course) complaints that the SSD is too small to restore. Oh, and because I renamed my drives I can't access my old backup via TimeMachine to manually copy data like I would normally to restore single files.

Any ideas? Many thanks!

 

[Weaselboy]

Just "Enter Time Machine" from menu icon then find the folder you want to and scroll back in time to the date you want then select the folder like Music for example. Now right click and select "Restore "Music" to ..." and you will be taken out of the TM interface to the Desktop with a window open asking you where you want to restore that folder to. Just select the second drive the Music folder will be restored to that drive.

 

[I'mNotAMerryMan]

Hi Weaselboy, thanks for helping! As I renamed my disk, then did a clean install and imported personal data from the old TimeMachine backup it seems to look like a new computer to TimeMachine. The oldest backup I get from the menu icon is the one it created right after the fresh install. Still, I know that my old data is still in there as the migration assistant does find it (but won't copy because of the size, as written above).

Is there any way to access the old backup to use your method?

Thanks!

 

[Weaselboy]

Hi Weaselboy, thanks for helping! As I renamed my disk, then did a clean install and imported personal data from the old TimeMachine backup it seems to look like a new computer to TimeMachine. The oldest backup I get from the menu icon is the one it created right after the fresh install. Still, I know that my old data is still in there as the migration assistant does find it (but won't copy because of the size, as written above).

Is there any way to access the old backup to use your method?

Thanks!

Is there just the one backup file on the TM disk? Try opening Finder and selecting Macintosh HD then enter Time Machine and see if it will let you navigate to the folder you want from there.

 

[I'mNotAMerryMan]

solved

OK, sorry for the delay. I managed to copy the data (even though the TM disk contained backups of numerous computers, and numerous drives of the attached computer). Here's what I did:

Option-clicking the TimeMachine menu icon gives an option to "search other backup volumes". For me the window that appears after clicking was empty. But after waiting for a few minutes my former drive for the attached computer (but not the drives of other users) appeared. Then I just selected it, went to the folders I wanted to copy, and using Weaselboy's advice to "right click and select "Restore X to ..."" I was able to choose a new target - my second hard drive.

Thanks for helping, Weaselboy!