Can I retrieve an old itunes playlist from Time Machine?

Something happened, I lost all my playlists. As a DJ, they were kinda important. I cannot find them anywhere on my current hard drive. I keep weekly backup of my system on an external drive using Time Machine. Can I recover just my playlists from the last Time Machine backup?

The detail of the answer depends upon what exactly you want to do. You can either restore your whole library back to the way it was at the time of the last backup (easy) or you really can recover just playlists (very fiddly but possible).

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How to restore *just one iTunes playlist* from Time Machine?

Hi all --
I'm pretty picky about my iTunes playlists. There are several main ones ("Jazz Lite," "R&B," "Jazz Traditional," etc. etc.) and these playlists can overlap in their coverage/share certain songs.
So last Sunday I realized that I had fat-fingered things and had accidentally deleted the R&B playlist.
If possible I'd like to surgically restore *just that R&B playlist* from Time Machine and include it among all of the other existing playlists.
Although I've searched around on the internet for an answer, everything that has turned up so far seems to involve:
- restoring ALL playlists from Time Machine
- older version of iTunes (I'm currently using 11.0.3)
Your help greatly appreciated!

For posterity's sake, since i had this issue too, i thought i'd post my solution.
Locate and save a copy, locally on your computer, of a library.itl file that would contain the playlist you need. I'd suggest saving to your desktop. name it so you'll recognize it as the old library file.
Quit iTunes if open, and relaunch, holding down the Option key immediately after
when prompted, select "Choose Library"
Find the file you saved in step 1. this will launch iTunes with all the old playlists and such. Don't worry, it doesn't touch the actual songs themselves, so nothing is lost of from your current library.
Find the playlist(s) you want, right click on them and export. save them as .txt file (again, suggest desktop for ease)
Once all playlists you want to restore are saved, quit iTunes.
Launch iTunes, again pressing Option immediately after
Select "Choose Library" and select the Music -> iTunes -> iTunes Library.itl file. This will restore iTunes to the most current copy of your library
Select File -> Library -> Import Playlist and find the .txt file for your playlist on your desktop. et voila!

How can I restore an old iPhone backup from Time Machine?

Hi there,
I lost my iPhone 4S but have a extra iPhone 4 (used for travel) that I would like to restore the 4S backup to.
The problem is that the backup of my 4S has somehow disappeared from itunes and the only one that shows up is the iPhone 4 backup even though they are set up as different devices with different names. I know that the backup for my 4S is included with my Time Machine backups (on external harddrive) but I can't find the files. Also very strange is that I don't have the folder "MobileSync" in /Library/Application Support/MobileSync on my computer. I can't find that folder anywhere.
My computer is less that 6 months old and I know that I have not deleted that folder or any other that are preinstalled.
I'm using OS X 10.9.4 and I don't want to restore my hole computer from Time Machine, just the files that hold my 4S backup.
Also note that I have not backed up everything from my 4S phone to iClould so that's not an option.
I've tried everything including:
- Restoring the settings on the iPhone 4 to factory settings and then connecting to itunes.
- Deleting itunes and restoring it from Time Machine at a date that i knew had the original iphone backup.
Who ever can solve this for me deserves a gold medal. I'm truly desperate. I've searched all forums and haven't found a solution for this.
Thanks.

caxx wrote:
Also very strange is that I don't have the folder "MobileSync" in /Library/Application Support/MobileSync on my computer. I can't find that folder anywhere.
Correct.
You need to go to ~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/.
The ~ indicates your User folder not the top level /Library/ folder.
Click on the desktop, then hold Option and go to Finder menu Go and Library will be there (only when holding Option as it is hidden).

HT1553 I want to do a clean install of Mountain Lion. Can I do this without a DVD version of the OS, and can I restore only specific things like iPhoto and iTunes libraries from Time Machine backup.

I want to do a clean install of Mountain Lion. Can I do this without a DVD version of the OS, and can I restore only specific things like iPhoto and iTunes libraries from Time Machine backup.

Mountain Lion is only available as a download, so there is no DVD to purchase. What you can do is download ML and then stop it from installing as soon as it's on your drive. From there you can make your own bootable ML flash drive.
When your purchase and download Mountain Lion, it will end up in the Applications folder and automatically want to install. Press Command+Q to stop the install and exit. The installer will remain on the hard drive.
1) Right click on the installer and choose "Show Package Contents".
2) A folder will open on the desktop. Drill down to Contents > SharedSupport and double click the disk image InstallESD.dmg to mount it on the desktop.
3) From here you can either burn a DVD, or copy the contents to a flash drive. Personally, I would strongly suggest using an 8 GB flash drive formatted as Mac OS Extended. You will be able to boot to it in about 30 seconds instead of at least 10 minutes off of a DVD, and it will install MUCH faster. Make sure the flash drive is empty, or you've copied anything off it it you need as it will need to be erased.
4) Don't just drag and drop the contents you see in the open disk image to the flash drive. It won't boot that way as it will be missing some hidden files. Open Disk Utility. You will something similar to this:
5) To accomplish the above, highlight either the flash drive's single partition (as I did), or the item at the bottom (Mac OS X Install ESD), which is what you will see with the Lion disk image mounted. It doesn't matter which one you pick. You'll then have the option to select the Restore tab towards the upper right. Drag and drop from the left column into the Source and Destination fields as shown above. If you've already erased the flash drive, you can uncheck the box. Click the Restore button.
You've just made your own bootable Mountain Lion USB Flash drive installer. Once you boot to the flash drive, run Disk Utility first to erase the drive you want Mountain Lion on, then continue with the install.
As far as restoring your iPhone and iTunes libraries, I couldn't tell you. So I wouldn't do any of the above until someone else chimes in with a way to do that after a clean install of ML.

I can't restore 'library' with support files from Time Machine

backup - I can't restore 'library' with support files from Time Machine - Ask Different
Due to an accident, my entire applications folder with all the support files, including plists and caches got deleted.
I tried restoring by files from the most recent Time Machine backups but I cannot retrieve my applications with the support files.
I even tried it with migration assistant on a new image.
Is this impossible?
Must I start from scratch?
Details of the ‘accident’
I was using this app called ‘AppCleaner’ that also automatically deletes related support files which are normally left behind if one simply trashes an Application.
In the search view, I typed the app name and I selected all the apps in the results using Command + A. Unfortunately, this selected every single Application in the Applications Folder in the background and I trashed and deleted all files.
Anyway.
I tried to restore the applications and library from my Time Machine Back-ups but failed to do so because I didn’t have enough space to restore. (I have a 11inch Macbook Air 2012 64GB SSD
When I tried to restart in recovery mode, I had the same problem, I was disallowed the option to restore using my time capsule backups because my SSD didn’t have enough space for the backup.
I then tried to restore it to a totally different but new image on a 64GB USB3.0 Sandisk USB Stick, but the process stopped after hours of being stuck around 30.4 percent and the computer was unable to boot, leaving me with a persistent verbose message suggesting it couldn’t identify the os, kernel or anything.
I finally tried restoring the state using migration assistant on the very same SSD that had my files missing. This happened successfully and I have all my applications in the applications folder.
But now I have 13GB free (I had 2GB before) and all my application support files, saved states, preferences, caches and customizations are gone.
Basically, it feels like I just got a new macbook with my documents and itunes folder loaded on to it.
How can I get my apps back to the pre-deletion state or is this impossible? Do I have to start from scratch? I thought my Time Machine Backups would restore it to exactly the same state, am I wrong?
Screenshots:
Message was edited by: Arsenenger

Can you simply navigate to your Time Machine backup with the Finder? Treat it like an external hardrive and just look for your old Applications folder. /Applications/
Also, quite a few apps put config and support files in ~/Library/Application\ Support/
So you may be able to get the files from there as well.

Can I restore a iPhone back up from time machine and if so how?

I have upgraded my iphone to IOS 7 this morning. However as I was backing up my phone, the cable I was using was removed from the macbook.
I now have a iPhone back up that is corrupted, and when i try and restore my settings to the new IOS7 upgraded phone, it will not allow my old settings to be placed on the phone.
I am therefore thinking of using an old back up from Time Machine, but do not know how to access itunes from time machine. Everytime I try and enter iTunes from my Time Machine vault it says Mac OSX requires the application and therefore cannot be restored.
Please help or tell me what I should be doing instead.
I have a feeling I will lose my app data and have to manually sort my home screens. Luckily all my contacts, emails, photos etc are synced to iCloud, but the back up of my iphone isn't as I don;t have the upgraded space on ICloud and have a iPhone thta has 16GB on it.
Cheers in anticipation of your help
Stephen

Hi Lawrence. Thanks so much for that advice - I'm really grateful. I hope you don't mind me asking a couple more questions: I have found that folder via Finder - I clicked on Library then App Support then Mobile Sync and within that, there's a folder called Backup and within that, 4 files. I also tried accessing it via the Go/go to folder method you suggested (in case that revealed more which remain hidden unless I use your route) but I couldn't make that route work.
I presume I'm looking at the correct files but please advise me if it's still possible that I'm not.
I had already tried to look at these backup files in Time Machine. They appear to be backed up, going back a year. If I can restore one from yesterday, that should solve my problem. However I've looked through them randomly going back a month or more, and they all seem to have been created in 2013, and last modified then. Only one of the files has a more recent 'last modified' date. But surely Time Machine has captured each backup of the iPhone going back over time? I'm baffled.
I hope the above makes sense. I'd be really grateful for any further advice.
steve

I restored my safari bookmark playlist from time machine.But it again missing after sometime.Again I restored the same thing happns again.plz help

I restored my safari bookmark playlist from time machine.But it again missing after sometime.Again I restored the same thing happns again.plz help

Triple-click the text on the line below to the clipboard, then copy it to the Clipboard (command-C):
~/Library/Safari/Bookmarks.plist
Quit Safari.
Select
Go ▹ Go to Folder
from the Finder menu bar. Paste (command-V) into the text box that opens, then press return.
A folder window should open with a file named "Bookmarks.plist" selected. Move the selected file to the Desktop, leaving the folder open.
Relaunch Safari. It will open with the default set of bookmarks. Delete them all. Select
File ▹ Import Bookmarks
from the Safari menu bar. Import from the bookmarks file you moved to the Desktop. Arrange the bookmark folders as you wish.
If Safari now performs normally, you can delete the old bookmarks file. Otherwise, quit Safari again and put back the file you moved, replacing the newer one with the same name. Close the Finder window and post again.

How to restore iTunes Library from Time Machine on Mavericks?

Please, can someone give me the instructions on how to restore iTunes Library from Time Machine on Mavericks?

See Pondini's TM FAQs, for details.

How to remove old backup files from time machine? Lion OSx

Hi everyone,
I am just wondering how to efficiently and safely remove the old backup files from time machine? I tried once with command, but it damaged my extra-disk... Does Lion OSx have fixed that?
Many thanks
Hong

Blue-
Time Machine will automatically delete back-ups as the need for space arises. If you want to delete a certain file (application, document, whatever) and have it gone for good you can do that as well.
The best place on the web for information about Time Machine is...
http://pondini.org/TM/Home.html
...it covers everything!
Clinton

I want to restore my iTunes Library from Time Machine

I want to restore my iTunes Library from Time Machine, but when I enter the Time Machine, I don't know where to look for it. Can anyone help?
Thanks,
Paul

Your iTunes Library is typically in…
Your home directory > Music > iTunes
… and if you restore that entire folder it will revert your iTunes Library in total to the state it was as of the date and time you select in Time Machine.

Can i access my old macbook pro's 'Time machine' saved on time capsule with a new laptop

How can i access my old macbook pro's 'Time machine' saved on time capsule with a new laptop.
Also why can i only EITHER have the capsule attched to the internet OR have it as my backup external hard drive?? Things are not running smoothly can someone please help?
Many thanks,
Cirsflan

Answered in your other thread.. keep to one. Just confusing running two threads with the same question.
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4863146?tstart=0

Can you open files on a pc from time machine?

Can you open files on a pc from time machine?

You have to be more descriptive. Partition what?
File sharing can be accomplished many ways,.
Network
Usb flash drive
External hard drive
NAS
DVDs
It is as simple as copying/saving from one computer/drive to another computer/drive.

ITunes Library from Time Machine Backup to Windows 7?!

Hi everyone,
Yeah, I'm switching over to a PC...
Does anyone know how to put an iTunes library from a Time Machine backup to a PC (running Windows 7?)
Thanks!

When I tried to relaunch itunes holding down the option button and select my backed-up itunes folder from time machine
Is this after you restored the iTunes folder from Time Machine? Or were you trying to select the iTunes folder on the Tme Machine drive to use as the iTunes library?
Quit iTunes.
Open Time Machine.
Selct \Music\iTunes\ in Time Machine.
Go back to when you want it restored from.
Click on Restore.
When it asks, select Replace.
After it is finsihed copying, launch iTunes.

Restore iTunes backup from Time Machine?

It all began when I noticed the YouTube app was missing on my 1st gen iPad (iOS 5.1.1). Couldn't figure out how to reload just the app, so I decided to restore the iPad. I did this last week, when I had the iPad replaced at the AppleStore, and had no problems restoring from backup.
This time, however, when the restore operation finished, only a handful of the several dozen apps had been restored (and YouTube was still missing). Now I'm thinking that the backup didn't properly complete before the restore operation was started, and this incomplete backup is now the default.
Is it possible to retrieve an older backup (yesterday) from Time Machine. Is that possible? Hate to think I've permanently lost all my data in all those apps.

It all began when I noticed the YouTube app was missing on my 1st gen iPad (iOS 5.1.1). Couldn't figure out how to reload just the app, so I decided to restore the iPad. I did this last week, when I had the iPad replaced at the AppleStore, and had no problems restoring from backup.
This time, however, when the restore operation finished, only a handful of the several dozen apps had been restored (and YouTube was still missing). Now I'm thinking that the backup didn't properly complete before the restore operation was started, and this incomplete backup is now the default.
Is it possible to retrieve an older backup (yesterday) from Time Machine. Is that possible? Hate to think I've permanently lost all my data in all those apps.

Empty iTunes, then Restore Some Playlists from Time Machine?

My MacBook Pro is full, mainly because of the massive collection of music. Everything is backed up on Time Machine. I want to reduce my iTunes library by about 50% to regain some capacity. Can I delete my entire iTunes library off the MacBook, then reinstall only the playlists that I want from Time Machine? What's the best/safest way to do this?

+I just restored my MBP from Time Machine, everything went fine. But I feel my MBR start up much slower than before. So now I want to do a clean install Leopard.+
Wait on the erase and install. Launch Disk Utility which is in the Applications > Utilities folder and Verify your disk and repair permissions. If Verify shows any errors boot from the Leopard install DVD by holding the "c" key down until the spinning gear appears. Pick a language and choose Utilities > Disk and run Repair until no errors appear. Repair permissions.
If that doesn't work try resetting the PRAM which quite often fixes slow boot times.
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=2238
+Would like to ask you guys who experiences in Time Machine that after installing Leopard, I want to restore some applications from Time Machine such as MS office, Wow, Photoshop...Will they fully function if I restore from TM?+
I don't know about Wow but Photoshop and MS Office install too many files in too many places for it to be practical to restore them from Time Machine backups after doing an erase and install. You need to reinstall those from the original disks for those applications.

Can I retrieve an old itunes playlist from Time Machine?

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