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Buhtwheat

macrumors member
Original poster
May 6, 2014
83
36
Zanesville, Ohio
The HD died in my Mac Mini. I have installed the new drive and OS X 10.4.11. What's the easiest way to transfer the data from my backup to the new drive? It seems like everything I see online is using Time Machine, and I don't have that. Help!
 
The HD died in my Mac Mini. I have installed the new drive and OS X 10.4.11. What's the easiest way to transfer the data from my backup to the new drive? It seems like everything I see online is using Time Machine, and I don't have that. Help!
One of the ways I've done this (multiple times) is to use Carbon Copy Cloner to a disk image stored on another Mac or external HD. Then you just use CCC to clone the drive back from the disk image.

If all you have right now is the bare drive (the one with your data) you're going to need some kind of external enclosure so that you can mount the drive to your new Mac and then use an app to clone the data or drive back.

It's always better to copy your data somewhere else first before you replace drives.
 
How did you back up your data?
I use Prosoft Data Backup3 to a Newer Technology external 500GB HD. The software came with the drive. I also have a copy of Carbon Copy Cloner, but its not installed. Could I use that to clone the backup to my Mac? I just don't want to screw things up.

The last time this happened I transferred every file one at a time (or it sure seemed like it), and that was very time consuming.
 
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I use Prosoft Data Backup3 to a Newer Technology external 500GB HD. The software came with the drive. I also have a copy of Carbon Copy Cloner, but its not installed. Could I use that to clone the backup to my Mac? I just don't want to screw things up.

The last time this happened I transferred every file one at a time (or it sure seemed like it), and that was very time consuming.
Ok, well from this page it looks like you can restore using the software you used to back up. So that is likely what would be the best option.

 
I feel like an idiot. These damned senior moments are getting too close together!

Thank you Roger, for pointing out the obvious that I completely overlooked.

One more dumb question: When I restore the drive, will that reinstall all the software, too, or will I still have to do that?
 
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I feel like an idiot. These damned senior moments are getting too close together!

Thank you Roger, for pointing out the obvious that I completely overlooked.

One more dumb question: When I restore the drive, will that reinstall all the software, too, or will I still have to do that?
No problem! As for the software, it will if it is part of the backup. Otherwise you'll have to install it manually.
 
OK. I backed up the whole drive, not just certain files.

And the questions just keep on coming. Should I install Data Backup 3 on my new drive, and use that, or should I open the one on the backup drive and use that? I'm deliberately trying to make it harder than it probably is...
 
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OK. I backed up the whole drive, not just certain files.

And the questions just keep on coming. Should I install Data Backup 3 on my new drive, and use that, or should I open the one on the backup drive and use that? I'm deliberately trying to make it harder than it probably is...
Ok, I'd recommend these:

  • Running from the backup if possible
  • Restoring your user data (but not your entire user directory unless they're under the same name)
  • Restoring your applications directory

Feel free to ask any more questions! :)
 
Things did not go well. Nothing was copied to the Mini. Instead, I think my backup restored itself from an earlier backup, because there are no files on it newer than 2015. I'm getting too old for this crap.
 
Things did not go well. Nothing was copied to the Mini. Instead, I think my backup restored itself from an earlier backup, because there are no files on it newer than 2015. I'm getting too old for this crap.
Oh oof, I'm sorry to hear that >.>

You might want to copy your files over to your Mini manually then.
 
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