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Will my Apple Back Up (at least partially) restore onto a PC?

W

Woodster540

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Nov 5, 2012
1
0
I'm a student, wrote-off my MB P in a liquid spillage incident...
So....
I am in the regrettable situation that I may need to settle for a cheap windows as not really worth getting an ancient Mac.
I had backed up my Mac just before said accident via time machine, but will this restore onto a windows machine?

Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.
I will be sorry if I am forced to leave the mac world...:eek:
 
How did you back it up? If Time Machine, I don't think there is any Windows software that can do anything with a Time Machine image. If it is a backup where you can access the actual files, you can bring them over to a PC but that depends on how the backup is formatted--FAT32--no problem--if MAC OS Extended--well then you will need to get software on your PC that can read that format. I'm sure others can offer more lengthily suggestions.
 
If you have access to another MBP (or Mac in general, but it's best to restore to a similar device), you could use an external drive and your TM backup to restore your files to the external, then either plug in another external formatted as FAT and copy over, or buy software to recognize the drive on a Windows laptop.

In other words, your files aren't lost, but recovering them might take a little effort, and it'll be much easier if you can borrow a Mac.

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Geckotek said:
A few moments Googling turned up the following:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1322935/

Time Machine Backups use HFS+ so you would need MacDrive or HFSExplorer.
Click to expand...
Much better advice than mine.
 
Geckotek said:
A few moments Googling turned up the following:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1322935/

Time Machine Backups use HFS+ so you would need MacDrive or HFSExplorer.
Click to expand...

MacDrive should work. OP won't be able to "restore" the Time Machine backup, but they could view the files to move anything off of it. Apps of course are not going to work on a PC, but if you only need the documents/music/movies that will work.
 
cocacolakid said:
MacDrive should work. OP won't be able to "restore" the Time Machine backup, but they could view the files to move anything off of it. Apps of course are not going to work on a PC, but if you only need the documents/music/movies that will work.
Click to expand...

My thoughts exactly.
 
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