Time Machine restore problem

[baxlobs]

I accidentally deleted an entry in the Notes app a while ago, and have been trying to restore it using Time Machine.

I may be going about it wrong, as when I go back to an earlier date, select the Notes app and restore it it still only has the latest notes without the one I deleted.

I do not seem to be able to find the individual notes to select the one I want. Perhaps I am looking in the wrong place, or doing it entirely incorrectly?

 

[Switchback666]

Hmm if you have icloud notes enabled, try restore the backup with no internet connection so it doesnt update/sync.

 

[baxlobs]

Thanks for reply, I didn't have icloud notes enabled.

I think I need to know where in the filing system iMac keeps the individual notes entries and what the filenames might be?

 

[Weaselboy]

Thanks for reply, I didn't have icloud notes enabled.

I think I need to know where in the filing system iMac keeps the individual notes entries and what the filenames might be?

There are not stored individually, but rather in a core storage file in the below folder. Open Finder then hit shift-command-g and paste in the path below and enter. You will see three notesV1 files there. This is what you are after.

I turn off iCloud and copy the existing files to the desktop as a backup before you mess around in there though.

~/Library/Containers/com.apple.Notes/Data/Library/Notes/

 

[baxlobs]

Thanks I will give that a go, do i look on that path in the Time Machine backup for a date before my accidental deletion?

 

[Weaselboy]

Thanks I will give that a go, do i look on that path in the Time Machine backup for a date before my accidental deletion?

Yes, exactly. If you go to that folder and while still in Finder launch the Time Machine app (the star field interface) it will take you right to the correct spot in Time Machine with the dates along the right side.

 

[baxlobs]

Yes, exactly. If you go to that folder and while still in Finder launch the Time Machine app (the star field interface) it will take you right to the correct spot in Time Machine with the dates along the right side.

Many thanks, that has worked and I have got back to prior to my stupid deletion. Result!!!

 

[Weaselboy]

Many thanks, that has worked and I have got back to prior to my stupid deletion. Result!!!

Excellent!

 

[AnorexicPig]

Excellent!

Hey there,, I just lost my notes, and when I try to restore them from the time machine backup using the method you listed above, they appear in the notes app for 1 second, it says updating and then they disappear again .

Any help ?

Never mind- Solved it .

 

[Tumbleweed666]

Hey there,, I just lost my notes, and when I try to restore them from the time machine backup using the method you listed above, they appear in the notes app for 1 second, it says updating and then they disappear again .

Any help ?

Never mind- Solved it .

How about saying what the solution was so that others who hit the same problem can fix it also?

 

[CodeJingle]

Yeah when I need to use my Time Machine to restore the past it doesn't always go as planned

 

[AnorexicPig]

How about saying what the solution was so that others who hit the same problem can fix it also?

I am sorry, I thought it was just me. What I did was I double tapped on each of the three files in the "~/Library/Containers/com.apple.Notes/Data/Library/Notes/" and clicked get info and then locked them.

Then when I opened notes, all my notes were there, but I could no longer add any new or delete. I opened iCloud.com, and copy pasted everything there, and then unlocked the notes.

This worked, as though the notes were deleted, they came back as soon as I turned Notes on in iCloud, since I had copied them in iCloud.com. Hope this helps.