Time Machine Migration: Files in purgatory?

[feelingsupersonic]

Hello all, checking in regarding my mid-2014 MBP 15". I recently used Opencore Legacy Patcher to upgrade from Big Sur to Ventura, and opted for a clean installation + Time Machine migration to get back to where I was. Time Machine was working perfectly, with daily backups to my NAS. After installing Ventura, I went through the steps to migrate my TM backup. It took around 20 hours (~600 gigs) and was claiming alleged success. I log in to see that literally nothing is there - blank, clean slate OS. Disk Utility shows an almost empty SSD... clearly my 600 gigs are not here, or the files are not registered!


So I open Migration Assistant and repeat everything. This time, after only a few minutes, it again claims success, and prompts me to reboot. As if Migration Assistant can see the files are indeed here, and no further transfer is needed. So I reboot. After an intermediate boot screen and second automatic reboot, I go to log in. Here's the Migration Assistant window again, telling me it was successful and please reboot to complete the process. This is an infinite boot loop! Must have been through this cycle at least 10 times.


The only way out is to hold the power button for a few seconds and select Shut Down. It will kill Migration Assistant and pass me to the normal login screen. Logging in once again shows zero signs of my files.


Anyone gone through this before? I have a lot of settings and other misc. app profiles and configurations that I cannot restore (easily) by manually copying files out of the Time Machine sparseimage. That is my absolute last resort. TYIA!

 

[Fishrrman]

(there Fishrrman goes again, like some broken record playin' over and over...)

I can't help with the time machine problem.
But I CAN give you some advice:

If you had used either CarbonCopyCloner or SuperDuper to create and maintain your backup, I feel confident in saying that you would NOT be having the problems you're having now.

Go forth from this day... and learn.

 

[MBAir2010]

(there Fishrrman goes again, like some broken record playin' over and over...)

🎵Hey Buffalo Bill,
whadda kill?
Buffalo Bil
Hey Buffalo Bill,
whadda kill?
Buffalo Bil
Hey Buff-
hey Buff-
Hey Buff-....🎵



we found the Beatles white album on the street in 1972 while vacationing.
and this part of the song always skipped.

I went to a friends house party in 1996 and sure enough
his White Album has the same skip, same place!

have a nice day, Fishrrnam!

 

[kitKAC]

Hello all, checking in regarding my mid-2014 MBP 15". I recently used Opencore Legacy Patcher to upgrade from Big Sur to Ventura, and opted for a clean installation + Time Machine migration to get back to where I was. Time Machine was working perfectly, with daily backups to my NAS. After installing Ventura, I went through the steps to migrate my TM backup. It took around 20 hours (~600 gigs) and was claiming alleged success. I log in to see that literally nothing is there - blank, clean slate OS. Disk Utility shows an almost empty SSD... clearly my 600 gigs are not here, or the files are not registered!


So I open Migration Assistant and repeat everything. This time, after only a few minutes, it again claims success, and prompts me to reboot. As if Migration Assistant can see the files are indeed here, and no further transfer is needed. So I reboot. After an intermediate boot screen and second automatic reboot, I go to log in. Here's the Migration Assistant window again, telling me it was successful and please reboot to complete the process. This is an infinite boot loop! Must have been through this cycle at least 10 times.


The only way out is to hold the power button for a few seconds and select Shut Down. It will kill Migration Assistant and pass me to the normal login screen. Logging in once again shows zero signs of my files.


Anyone gone through this before? I have a lot of settings and other misc. app profiles and configurations that I cannot restore (easily) by manually copying files out of the Time Machine sparseimage. That is my absolute last resort. TYIA!

I'd be tempted to put Big Sur back and see if you can restore your Time Machine data.