Can I restore a complete system to a bare external drive using my Time Machine disk?

My iMac hard drive appears to have gone "belly up"... no system disk found on boot up.   I have a current Time Machine external drive for this iMac.  Can I use the TM Disk to clone my old system onto a new EXTERNAL Disk.  (I have access to several other Apple computers that would allow me to boot an external disk... IF I can re-create the one that died.)
Thanks much for your thoughts and ideas.

You can use the TM backup to Restore it to another External drive.I wouldn't call it Cloning as that is something different than doing a Restore from TM backup. You'll ned to connect both drives to the system and boot the system from the original reinstall DVD that came with it. then there should be an option to restore your system from a TM backup and you would point it to the other external drive. You may want to use Disk utility first to partition and format that othr external Mac Extended (Journaled) before you try doing the restore.

Similar Messages

  • Can I drag files to an external drive used for Time Machine to store them?

    Is that possible without doing partition? if so, what's the difference (with partition and without)? I'm undecided on whether to partition or not. Thanks!

    stellamaris5 wrote:
    Sorry to chip in - I'm having a similar issue.
    Aaargh.
    I want to delete about 8Gb worth of data from my internal HD on my iMac. Will I still have a copy in time machine?
    For a while, until time machine runs out of space and deletes its copy.
    Is timemachine then deleting them from the TM backup disk if they are gone from the internal HD.
    Eventually, yes.
    I have done a similar thing as the OP and cut the 8Gb folder from my MacHD and pasted it into the external disk where TM is doing its backups.
    Then you are wallowing in a state of sin.
    1. Should I leave it like that?
    No.
    or
    2. should I cut and paste it back into my MacHD, leave TM to do a few backups and then completely delete it from my MacHD?
    Neither. If you want to keep it, keep it on your MacHD, if you want to delete it delete it. Leave the Time Machine disk the **** alone.
    Thanks
    Not at all.

  • How do I revert a drive from a Time Machine disk to a completely empty, unused disk?

    Hello,
    I was performing my first Time Machine backup and my SATA controller failed on my Macbook Pro's motherboard, rendering internal drives inaccessible. The backup that was in-progress at the time had only completed a small percentage of the image and is useless. I am trying to install OSX onto the external drive so my computer will function for the time being, but OSX will not allow the installation because the disk has been reserved as a Time Machine only drive.
    I tried erasing the external drive through Disk Utilities, but even after a full erase (went over all data with 0's), it is still showing up as a Time Machine partition. I was able to partition the drive into to two, installing OSX on the second partition and that is how I am running now, but I would like to recover that space that Time Machine has stolen.
    Any idea's on how to release Time Machine's grasp on my disk?
    Thanks!

    There was the one incomplete Time Machine backup. The OS installer says that it cannot install onto a drive used for Time Machine. I have attempted to fully erase everything on that disk through Disk Utilities, even zeroing out the disk, but the installer still recognizes it as the Time Machine drive.

  • I can't install OSX 10.6.3 as it says HD used for Time Machine backup, I can't install OSX 10.6.3 as it says HD used for Time Machine backup

    I've just received Snow Leopard disc and tried to install it but nothign is ever that easy.  It says that hard drive in use for Time Machine backup so can't install.  I've never used Time Machine and settings appear to confirm that.  I don't want to set it to restore and lose everything and have to install it again so not sure what to do.  Can anyone advise me

    Jane Doubleday wrote:
    I've got an Intel mac otherwise I wouldn't have bought Snow Leopard.
    Please update your profile info, then Jane - we can only go on the info you give us.
    Glad you're sorted though 

  • How can I restore my library that was erased off external drive....

    I just accidently erased 90% of my itunes library that was reading off an external drive. The last 10% was recently purchases music that I downloaded directly to my laptop hard drive and remains intact (makes sense?). Basically I wiped out the external drive that my 90% library read to.
    I was able uncover hidden files off my ipod and inturn copy my library back to the external drive but the big question is - is there a way to restore all this without having to start over Itunes? Can I reimport it off the external drive from the ipod copyover? One thing I can't do is copy it back onto the laptop hard drive because there's nowhere near enough space. Thanks for you help!

    OK first thing you might want to do is read this post of mine from the other day...
    http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=6296361&#6296361
    because, well I am too lazy to type much of it again.
    But the part that really is for you is about half way down, just above the link where it starts with "If it was me, " which is what you want to do. In your case, you would use the "Add to library..." command twice. Once to add all the files from the external, and then again to grab all the ones off the internal, if you want everything located in one location. You can then remove the ones from your internal AFTER you verify that they made it to the external ok.
    As noted in that post at the end, but worth repeating, doing it with that method keeps everything all together (database files, media files, etc) in a single folder for your library rather than your database files on the internal and your media on the external or spread across both drives. If you ever need to move the library or want to use your library on other computers, you can simply move the folder or the entire drive and use the above instructions to open your library.
    Patrick

  • How to restore my old hard drive into a new hard drive using my time machin

    My HD in my Mac Book died. Thank to the apple care Apple change it to me.
    Now I have a new HD with nothing on it.
    How do I use the backup in the Time Machine to restore my old hard drive?
    As far as what I knew I am supposed to have all my old data, applications, and more by doing something with Time Machine.
    Thanks

    hi,
    i have been through this. First if apple techs replaced the drive you do have something on the drive. your internal drive can boot the machine although your user settings, network settings and third-party software applications are net set up.
    here's what you do.. connect the time macine drive and turn it on. now boot your macbook. watch the 'welcome movie' and don't panic. you will recieve setup instructions from the macbook. you will of course designate the system language to be english. Now an option screen will appear. there are options for setting up the new computer include using a firewire cable and transfering stuff from another macbook. ignore that option. you will see an option to restore settings from a time machine drive. bingo! choose that.
    get the transfer started and go away. usb restoration of big internal harddrives by time machine is **** slow. (it should be slow for alot of technical reasons. don't blame apple.)
    make sure you have the macbook plugged into an electrical outlet, not running off battery because this can be an overnight process.
    so now you're good to go

  • Can not use my external driver to setup Time Machine

    I just bought a new mobile external driver and I planned to use this for Time Machine back of my Macbook Pro. However I got the following error message when I set up the Time Machine:
    There was an error erasing the Time Machine backup disk
    Is there anybody can help me about this problem?
    Thanks

    Thanks very much for everybody's help in this matter. I have done all the process again exactly the same as the steps above. However after the wait for some time, I got the following errors:
    2010-07-04 21:32:42 +0800: Preparing to partition disk: “Initio MK4006GAL Media”
    2010-07-04 21:32:42 +0800: Partition Scheme: GUID Partition Table
    2010-07-04 21:32:42 +0800: 1 partition will be created
    2010-07-04 21:32:42 +0800:
    2010-07-04 21:32:42 +0800: Partition 1
    2010-07-04 21:32:42 +0800: Name : “Untitled 1”
    2010-07-04 21:32:42 +0800: Size : 40.01 GB
    2010-07-04 21:32:42 +0800: Filesystem : Mac OS Extended (Journaled)
    2010-07-04 21:32:42 +0800:
    2010-07-04 21:32:43 +0800: Unmounting disk
    2010-07-04 21:32:43 +0800: Creating partition map
    2010-07-04 21:32:43 +0800: Waiting for disks to reappear
    2010-07-04 21:32:43 +0800: Formatting disk1s2 as Mac OS Extended (Journaled) with name Untitled 1
    2010-07-04 21:36:30 +0800: Partition failed for disk (null) File system formatter failed
    2010-07-04 21:36:30 +0800: Partition complete.

  • The restore utility fails to find any Mac os backups on my time machine disks, but they are there. Any ideas?

    The Time Machine utility seems to be backing up correctly. The backups appear when I open the backup disk, however, when I try to restore a backup, the utility correctly identifies any disks which contain Time Machine backup files, but when that disk is selected, the utility cannot find any actual backup files.
    I have reinstalled the operating system, and repaired and rebuilt all the disks. Apple support suspects that I have a hardware a problem, in that the motherboard is incapable of communicating with some devices. It doesn't matter whether the backup files are on an internal disk, or an external USB drive.
    It strikes me as a little weird that the utility knows which disk contain backup files, and will display those disk correctly within the utility, but cannot find any actual backup files, once a particular disk is selected within the utility.
    The good news is I have three months to go on my AppleCare plan. The bad news is the closest repair facility is 65 miles away.
    Any thoughts on this?

    Hitachi HDS722020ALA330:
      Capacity:          2 TB (2,000,398,934,016 bytes)
      Model:          Hitachi HDS722020ALA330                
      Revision:          JK0BB37B
      Serial Number:                JK11H1B9K0AE9R
      Native Command Queuing:          Yes
      Queue Depth:          32
      Removable Media:          No
      Detachable Drive:          No
      BSD Name:          disk0
      Rotational Rate:          7200
      Medium Type:          Rotational
      Bay Name:          Bay 1
      Partition Map Type:          GPT (GUID Partition Table)
      S.M.A.R.T. status:          Verified
      Volumes:
    EFI:
      Capacity:          209.7 MB (209,715,200 bytes)
      BSD Name:          disk0s1
      Content:          EFI
    Macintosh HD:
      Capacity:          2 TB (1,999,404,957,696 bytes)
      Available:          1.24 TB (1,242,122,113,024 bytes)
      Writable:          Yes
      File System:          Journaled HFS+
      BSD Name:          disk0s2
      Mount Point:          /
      Content:          Apple_HFS
      Volume UUID:          B2577A0B-FA2F-32CE-B8C5-70B9F0C6EB21
    Recovery HD:
      Capacity:          650 MB (650,002,432 bytes)
      BSD Name:          disk0s3
      Content:          Apple_Boot
      Volume UUID:          02A41955-B1E4-320A-8FB6-D01019433BEB
    ST2000DL003-9VT166:
      Capacity:          2 TB (2,000,398,934,016 bytes)
      Model:          ST2000DL003-9VT166                     
      Revision:          CC3C   
      Serial Number:                      5YD7LBYV
      Native Command Queuing:          Yes
      Queue Depth:          32
      Removable Media:          No
      Detachable Drive:          No
      BSD Name:          disk3
      Rotational Rate:          5900
      Medium Type:          Rotational
      Bay Name:          Bay 2
      Partition Map Type:          GPT (GUID Partition Table)
      S.M.A.R.T. status:          Verified
      Volumes:
    EFI:
      Capacity:          209.7 MB (209,715,200 bytes)
      BSD Name:          disk3s1
      Content:          EFI
    Alternative Boot:
      Capacity:          2 TB (2,000,054,960,128 bytes)
      Available:          1.26 TB (1,262,551,388,160 bytes)
      Writable:          Yes
      File System:          Journaled HFS+
      BSD Name:          disk3s2
      Mount Point:          /Volumes/Alternative Boot
      Content:          Apple_HFS
      Volume UUID:          7295CED3-FC3E-3DCC-BACF-414390B5DBFC
    ST31000528AS:
      Capacity:          1 TB (1,000,204,886,016 bytes)
      Model:          ST31000528AS                           
      Revision:          CC38   
      Serial Number:                      9VP3A6X2
      Native Command Queuing:          Yes
      Queue Depth:          32
      Removable Media:          No
      Detachable Drive:          No
      BSD Name:          disk1
      Rotational Rate:          7200
      Medium Type:          Rotational
      Bay Name:          Bay 3
      Partition Map Type:          GPT (GUID Partition Table)
      S.M.A.R.T. status:          Verified
      Volumes:
    EFI:
      Capacity:          209.7 MB (209,715,200 bytes)
      BSD Name:          disk1s1
      Content:          EFI
    Internal Storage:
      Capacity:          999.86 GB (999,860,912,128 bytes)
      Available:          999.19 GB (999,194,480,640 bytes)
      Writable:          Yes
      File System:          Journaled HFS+
      BSD Name:          disk1s2
      Mount Point:          /Volumes/Internal Storage
      Content:          Apple_HFS
      Volume UUID:          3074E4E5-9A3A-3C5E-81A9-473C36586C7C
    ST32000542AS:
      Capacity:          2 TB (2,000,398,934,016 bytes)
      Model:          ST32000542AS                           
      Revision:          CC95   
      Serial Number:                      5XW29K61
      Native Command Queuing:          Yes
      Queue Depth:          32
      Removable Media:          No
      Detachable Drive:          No
      BSD Name:          disk2
      Rotational Rate:          5900
      Medium Type:          Rotational
      Bay Name:          Bay 4
      Partition Map Type:          GPT (GUID Partition Table)
      S.M.A.R.T. status:          Verified
      Volumes:
    EFI:
      Capacity:          209.7 MB (209,715,200 bytes)
      BSD Name:          disk2s1
      Content:          EFI
    Time Machine:
      Capacity:          2 TB (2,000,054,960,128 bytes)
      Available:          1.3 TB (1,302,342,303,744 bytes)
      Writable:          Yes
      File System:          Journaled HFS+
      BSD Name:          disk2s2
      Mount Point:          /Volumes/Time Machine
      Content:          Apple_HFS
      Volume UUID:          BC10CF45-B06F-3044-A51E-CBB6A85934BB
    And I suspect all of the internal drives are WD, except the start up drive. BUT I also have the same issue if I use a Seagate External drive as my backup location.
    What brand of HD would you recommend?

  • External Drive locked after time machine restore. Please help

    I've restored my Mac OS x (10.6.8) from a time machine backup after reformatting the iMac's hard drive.
    After restoring all my files the external drive that time machine uses is locked and I cannot seem to get it to unlock itself.
    I've tried resetting the permissions on the "get info" panel without any success (Did a restart after every change- it just seems to go back to custom priviledges). I've also toggled the "Ignore Ownership" toggle on and off- again followed by a restart each time.
    I have no idea as to what else I can do.
    The external drive is connected by Firewire 800 and is a RAID 1 configuration using two 2Tb drives.
    I don't want to lose my existing time machine files on that external disc- hense formatting it is out of the question..
    Any ideas or suggestions would be most appreciated.

    Thanks for the reply guys.
    Unfortunately none of what you said was helpful ds store. **** of a lot of effort and risk to go through just to get the drive unlocked. It might work though.
    baltwo, thanks for the link. Those computer lingo sentances scare me big time. I'm a photographer, not some IT junkie! Thanks for the link as that got me reading some other posts and I then came accross other variations of " a+rx" that work for some but not for others. Sounded a bid dubios to me, especially since I'll have absolutely no clue as to what to do if things do go pear shape.
    Nevertheless, I found the best sullution: a small app called BatChmod. (http://www.lagentesoft.com/)
    Yeah, just what I needed!

  • Can I use a single external drive to maintain time machine backups for two Mac computers?

    Hello
    We have an older mac mini and macbook air.  I have one Western Digital external USB drive.  Can I use the same drive to hold and maintain time machine backups for both machines?
    I already have the macbook air time-machined on the WD drive.  I now want to backup the mac mini onto the same drive.  Is it going to over write the time machine backup or is the software smart enough to maintain two separate files, partitions, whatever it does..?

    It will maintain separate backups. Note that it's generally advisable to use separate drives for best practice backup, but yes, it will work for both computers, provided you have enough space (need generally 2-3 times the total used file space for both Macs).
    Matt

  • Can Drobo off Airport Extreme be used as time Machine disk?

    I have my Drobo hung off my Airport extreme so both my powerbook and iMac can access files off it. I would like to choose it as my backup disc for Time Machine but it is not seeing it when I try and point it at it.

    backups to NAS devices are not officially supported. the only exception is Time Capsule and it also works with drives directly attached (via USB) to AEBS. anything else is unsupported. you can try the following hack but you do it at your own risk and with no guarantees of success or assurance that this ability will not be broken by some future update from apple
    http://www.macosxhints.com/article.php?story=20080420211034137&query=time%2Bmach ine%2BNAS

  • Using old Time Machine backup after clean install of system

    I had a system crash on my G4 iBook running Leopard. Based on advice given at the Apple store genius bar, I reinstalled Leopard from an install DVD, reformatting the drive. During the system installation process I used my Time Machine backup to reinstall the former users (but nothing else). I then installed my needed applications. So far so good.
    Now I'm in the situation where I have an external drive with the Time Machine backup of the pre-crash iBook, and I'm not sure how to proceed. Do I start over and do a new backup (effectively erasing all my pre-restore data)? Or can the old backup still be used, and added to? While losing the pre-restore time machine data would not be a major loss, it would be kind of nice to have.
    Any suggestions? Thanks!
    Dan

    DanK wrote:
    I had a system crash on my G4 iBook running Leopard. Based on advice given at the Apple store genius bar, I reinstalled Leopard from an install DVD, reformatting the drive. During the system installation process I used my Time Machine backup to reinstall the former users (but nothing else). I then installed my needed applications. So far so good.
    You didn't want any of your settings, preferences, data, etc.? The +MIgration Assistant+ app will let you do that, for one or more users. And of course, you can use the +Star Wars+ display to restore selected items.
    Now I'm in the situation where I have an external drive with the Time Machine backup of the pre-crash iBook, and I'm not sure how to proceed. Do I start over and do a new backup (effectively erasing all my pre-restore data)? Or can the old backup still be used, and added to? While losing the pre-restore time machine data would not be a major loss, it would be kind of nice to have.
    Your next backup will be a full one; everything on your internal HD is considered as changed, so will be backed-up again.
    If there's room for that, it will just be a large incremental backup, added to the existing ones.
    If not, Time Machine will begin deleting your oldest backups, one by one, trying to make enough room for the new backup (the amount on the internal HD plus 20% for workspace). But it won't delete the latest backup -- if that's the only one left, and there still isn't enough room, the backup will fail.
    If there is room, the first backup may appear to be very slow; why is not clear, but as long as it's making progress, let it run. Subsequent ones should be normal.

  • I have replaced my old hard drive with a new SSD drive. Can I restore a complete Time Machine backup

    I have replaced my old hard drive on a MacBook Pro midyear 2010 with a new SSD drive. I have a complete system backup of my old drive in an external hard drive using Time Machine.
    Questions that I would like to get answered.
    1) Can I connect my external hard drive to the macbook pro and use that to boot up my machine by pressing and holding down the Options key? Once booted up successfully, can I use Disk Utility to format the new SSD and then restore the complete time machine backup?
    2) If that is not possible, can I use my old drive which I can connect using a USB adapter and use that to boot up by following the same strategy as listed in Step#1 above?
    3) If neither options are possible, do I need to use a bootable USB drive for Mavericks OS X to boot up the machine,
    I have Mavericks OS X ( 10.9.6) and I do not have a DVD of the OS.
    Any help is appreciated.

    Let me first document the steps that did not work and then I will document the steps that worked.
    1) Replaced the hard drive with SSD.
    2) Connected the original hard drive using a USB adapter to the MacBook to make it behave like an external device.
    3) Powered on the machine and on hearing the chime pressed Command-R to start in recovery mode.
    4) Chose the Disk Utility option to erase and format the SSD. The format chosen was Mac OS Extended Journaled.
    5) Once the formatting was done, then clicked on the "Restore" tab in Disk Utility
    6) In the Source field, dragged my original hard drive from the left pane and placed it in the field
    7) On the destination field, choose the new SSD drive. Clicked on "Restore". Gave me a warning, accepted the warning and the restore was under way.
    8) I had 236 GB to restore so took 3.5 hours before it was done.
    9) Disconnected the external hard drive ( my original internal HDD), shut down the machine and powered on again.
    10) Heard the chime and after that it was a white screen with no Apple logo.
    Was visibly upset and started thinking what my next move will be. Then tried these steps
    1) Again powered off the machine.
    2) Connected my internal HDD once more as an external drive
    3) Powered on and on hearing the chime, pressed Command-R as before
    4) Once the OS X utilities screen popped up, this time chose Install OS X
    5) Erased the contents of SSD once more and reformatted it using Mac OS Extended Journaled.
    6) Installed OS X by following the prompts.
    7) Once the OS was installed, I was presented with an option on how to transfer data to this new Mac
    8) Chose the option to move the data from my original HDD.
    9) Took another 3 hours to move the data.
    10) Removed the original HDD once the transfer was complete, powered down the machine and started it once more.
    11) Booted successfully and all my content is now accessible on the new SSD.
    Moral of the story - It is the spirit that counts.

  • I am out of space on my Macbook Air and have a Time Machine Backup. I want to complete reset my mac, but wonder if I can pick and choose what I restore to my computer? Can I also use my time machine backup and external storage as well?

    I am out of space on my Macbook Air and have a Time Machine Backup. I want to complete reset my mac, but wonder if I can pick and choose what I restore to my computer? Can I also use my time machine backup as external storage as well for the files I don't need everyday?

    If you are using "Restore from Time Machine Backup" option from OS X Recovery, you can only choose from the broad categories presented.
    ... Can I also use my time machine backup as external storage as well for the files I don't need everyday?
    To be clear, if you are asking if you can use the volume containing your Time Machine backup to store additional, non-Time Machine files, the short answer is yes.
    It's not a good idea though, since the Time Machine backup will eventually fill all available space, after which it begins to remove old, "expired" backups to make room for newer ones. The presence of additional files doesn't change that fact, and Time Machine will not erase them, but you will encounter a dilemma should you want to store additional files on that volume when there is no remaining space. You will have to make room for them on your own, by deleting existing files. Furthermore, since Time Machine cannot back up its own volume, those additional files will not be backed up by Time Machine.
    The easy solution for what you describe is to purchase additional external storage. External USB hard disk drives have become very inexpensive; about $55 will buy a perfectly suitable 1 TB drive.
    You can also choose to replace your MacBook Air's internal storage with a larger capacity one. Look for a suitable replacement from OWC / MacSales:
    http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/SSD/OWC/Air-Retina
    That gets a little more expensive but it is the optimum solution.

  • I had to restore my 2006 MacBook Pro back to factory settings (Tiger 10.4). Can I use my Time Machine back up from Snow Leopard to put it back the way it was?

    I cannot locate my Snow Leopard disks but I was able to use the Tiger disk that came with the computer to restore it. However, it completely erased it and set it back to Tiger. Can I use my Time Machine to put Snow Leopard and my data back on the computer?

    You can't restore a Time Machine backup made with Snow Leopard onto a system with Tiger. You can, but you will damage Mac OS X.
    In order to restore your Time Machine backup, you should have your Snow Leopard disc. Then, insert it and hold the C key while your MacBook Pro is starting. Finally, choose your language, go to Utilities menu (on the menu bar), choose the option to restore the backup and follow its steps, so you will recover Mac OS X Snow Leopard

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