Time Machine Restore Issue

[jcwsketch]

Hey Y'all,

I am trying to restore files from Time Machine after having to install a new HD. When I get into the TM browser, I go to "users", it only shows "shared" and NOT my home folder.

I tried accessing the backed up files via the finder. Same thing; only the "shared" folder.

I also tried a full system restore from TM which didn't result in my home folder being restored either.

Is it possible that TM only backed up the "shared" folder on not my home folder? Why would it do that?

What do you think?

 

[Weaselboy]

It sounds like the way you are accessing the drive is not giving you the correct permissions to see your users folder. How are your restoring exactly?

If the TM backup was made with OS X 10.7.2 or later, you can just attach the TM backup drive and option key boot to it and restore. That should put the OS and everything on the new drive.

 

[jcwsketch]

It sounds like the way you are accessing the drive is not giving you the correct permissions to see your users folder. How are your restoring exactly?

Thanks for the reply.

I was running Mavericks. When the new HD was installed, I told the tech to install Mt Lion (it seemed to run better than Mav).

I initially started my transfer by booting up in recovery mode. It gave me a time frame of about 4 hours to complete the transfer.

When I returned to check on it after about 45 minutes, it had "completed" and was sitting at a log in screen waiting for my log in info. When I logged in, it took me to a factory Mt. Lion desktop with nothing on it.

So I reinstalled Mt. Lion, and attempted to access my TM through the TM browser. I could not find my user folder. So I accessed the TM files via the finder. No user folder.

I also notice that TM says that the size of my backup is about 80GB. It should be more like 350GB.

Thoughts?

 

[snaky69]

Thanks for the reply.

I was running Mavericks. When the new HD was installed, I told the tech to install Mt Lion (it seemed to run better than Mav).

I initially started my transfer by booting up in recovery mode. It gave me a time frame of about 4 hours to complete the transfer.

When I returned to check on it after about 45 minutes, it had "completed" and was sitting at a log in screen waiting for my log in info. When I logged in, it took me to a factory Mt. Lion desktop with nothing on it.

So I reinstalled Mt. Lion, and attempted to access my TM through the TM browser. I could not find my user folder. So I accessed the TM files via the finder. No user folder.

I also notice that TM says that the size of my backup is about 80GB. It should be more like 350GB.

Thoughts?

You can restore from a Time Machine backup that was made with an earlier version of OS X, not from a later one. That's your problem.

 

[jcwsketch]

You can restore from a Time Machine backup that was made with an earlier version of OS X, not from a later one. That's your problem.

But shouldn't I see my user folder when I access the TM files from a finder window (regardless of my current OS)? They're either there or not, right?

This is what I see starting from double clicking the TM icon:

Backups.backupdb/My MacBook Pro/(list of dates)/Macintosh HD/users/shared

My user folder not there.

 

[snaky69]

But shouldn't I see my user folder when I access the TM files from a finder window (regardless of my current OS)? They're either there or not, right?

This is what I see starting from double clicking the TM icon:

Backups.backupdb/My MacBook Pro/(list of dates)/Macintosh HD/users/shared

My user folder not there.

I'm guessing there is a permission issue there, but usually restoring from TM should be done through migration assistant and not require you to browse your backup at all.

 

[Weaselboy]

I also notice that TM says that the size of my backup is about 80GB. It should be more like 350GB.

Thoughts?

That's not good. When you say TM says it is that size, where does TM day that. If you do command-i (get info) on the Backups.backupdb file, what size is it?

 

[maflynn]

I also notice that TM says that the size of my backup is about 80GB. It should be more like 350GB.

Thoughts?

Mount the sparse image in Finder and manually go into it, via the finder and see if your data is there. Sounds like TM didn't back everything up, or is corrupted