Can restore completely by using time machine on an external hd?

I plan on getting a bigger hard drive soon so I just used Time Machine to set up and back up everything to an external hd. If I install a new hard drive will I be able to seamlessly restore off of that external hard drive?

Sort of. You will need to install the new drive and prep it:
Extended Hard Drive Preparation
1. Boot from your OS X Installer Disc. After the installer loads select your language and click on the Continue button. When the menu bar appears select Disk Utility from the Installer menu (Utilities menu for Tiger or Leopard.)
2. After DU loads select your hard drive (this is the entry with the mfgr.'s ID and size) from the left side list. Note the SMART status of the drive in DU's status area. If it does not say "Verified" then the drive is failing or has failed and will need replacing. SMART info will not be reported on external drives. Otherwise, click on the Partition tab in the DU main window.
3. Set the number of partitions from the drop down menu (use 1 partition unless you wish to make more.) Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Options button, set the partition scheme to GUID (only required for Intel Macs) then click on the OK button. Click on the Partition button and wait until the process has completed.
4. Select the volume you just created (this is the sub-entry under the drive entry) from the left side list. Click on the Erase tab in the DU main window.
5. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Options button, check the button for Zero Data and click on OK to return to the Erase window.
6. Click on the Erase button. The format process can take up to several hours depending upon the drive size.
Then begin installing OS X. You will have the option to restore the system from a TM backup.

Similar Messages

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    http://pondini.org/TM/14.html

  • How can I restore my data from iCal? I didn't make any backup, but I use  time machine with an external HD. I deleted iCal when I deleted my gmail account. I have tried to restore, but I can only restore the iCal software and not the data.

    How can I restore my data from iCal? I didn't make any backup, but I use  time machine with an external HD. I deleted iCal when I deleted my gmail account. I have tried to restore, but I can only restore the iCal software and not the data.

    So what is your question?
    If you forgot your encryption password:
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    If you can't remember the password and want to start again, you must perform a full software restore and chooseset up as a new device when iTunes prompts you to select the backup from which to restore.
    The above comes from here:
    http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4946

  • I cannot restore my backups using Time Machine - please help!

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    'depeting' is a typo for 'deleting'.  I don't seem to be able to edit this out above

  • How do I restore the iMac using Time Machine?, How do I restore the iMac using Time Machine?

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    Thanks den.thed,
    Apologies for not replying back sooner - I've been away.
    Although your suggestion helped me in getting a copy of Lion that I could use, it didn't help with the restore from Time Capsule issue.  I had to download the Lion app onto my MacBook & then transfer it across but it wouldn't let me upgrade my OS for some reason, so I ended up wiping the iMac completely and restoring via my Snow Leopard install disk.  For some reason, this time, it let me have the option of using Setup Assistant to access the Time Capsule for a complete restore.
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    i got a macbook pro 2008 and can not back up using time machine. it eject my external hard drive everytime. does anybody has a fix???

    Does your external hard drive have it's own power supply?  It should.
    Is your external hard drive formatted with the NTFS file system?  It won't work.
    It needs to be formatted either with Mac OS Extended or FAT32.
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  • I have just upgraded to Mavericks and have been using Time Machine on an external disk with Snow Leopard.  Can I continue to backup with Time Machine on the same external disk or do I need a new disk since the operating system has changed?

    I have just upgraded to Mavericks and have been using Time Machine on an external disk with Snow Leopard.  Can I continue to backup with Time Machine on the same external disk or do I need a new disk since the operating system has changed?

    Hi there,
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  • I am trying to get an answer to whether or not I can successfully use Time Machine with an external HDD connected to an airport extreme?  Some forums say yes, some say no.

    I am trying to get an answer to whether or not I can successfuly use Time Machine with an external HDD connected to an airport extreme.  Some forums say yes, some say no.  I'm also curious about formatting the hard drive to work both on my wife's MacBook Pro and my PC.  Any help would definitely be appreciated.

    You may be going on a recollection, that I share, that at one time Apple stated this would be possible:
    In fact, Apple’s Time Machine Web page touted this very capability as recently as last Tuesday, as you can see from Google’s October 16 cache of the page
    Effortless meets wireless. With a hard disk connected to your AirPort Extreme Base Station, all the Macs in your house can use Time Machine to back up wirelessly. Simply select your AirPort Disk as the backup disk for each computer and the whole family can enjoy the benefits of Time Machine.
    But if you look at the current Time Machine page on Apple’s Web site, that text is nowhere to be found.
    That was a long time ago, it has never been officially implemented, and at present they specifically say it cannot be done.
    In summary, it may work, but probably won't, and even if it does it may not be reliable.
    Reference:
    Disks that can be used with Time Machine
    Time Machine can’t back up to an external disk connected to an AirPort Extreme, or...
    and
    Mac OS X v10.5: Time Machine doesn't back up to AirPort Extreme AirPort Disks

  • HT201250 Can I back up using Time Machine if I have some files already on the ExHD, or do I need a clean ExHD to use Time Machine?

    Can I back up using Time Machine if I have some files already on the ExHD, or do I need a clean ExHD to use Time Machine?

    If you try to use a new disk with time machine, it will try to reformat your EXHD. so I would save the items on your EXHD before backing up with time machine or partitioning your EXHD in disk utility

  • Can you boot up using time machine

    can you boot up using time machine? have continuous grey screen at startup.

    Time Capsule TC = hardware router and hard disk designed to work with Time Machine.
    Time Machine TM = software in the computer designed to run background backup.
    What you buy is a Time Capsule..
    And yes, that is the whole point of the TC..
    Its fundamental design is a backup device for laptops over wireless so they do not need to be plugged in to do backups.
    You are using it exactly for the intended use.

  • Can my Acer laptop use Time Machine wi-fi?

    Can my Acer laptop use Time Machine wi-fi? Is there some Apple proprietary software
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    Chances are, your Time Capsule's wireless security settings are using WPA2 Personal encryption, which is a very popular industry standard used by both PC manufacturers and Apple.
    You can confirm this as follows on your MacBook:
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  • HT201250 Will using Time Machine on my external drive, reformat or wipe my external drive?

    I need to backup my whole computer, and was wondering if I can do this with Time Machine using my external hardrive. The problem is, that I am using this same external hardrive for other things and I don't want to lose that data. Will using Time Machine wipe my external hardrive? Apple did not make it so clear in their guide on using Time Machine, but I have a feeling that it must reformat the hardrive. If my hunch is correct, is their any other way I can backup my computer using an external hardrive without having to wipe it? I was thinking about just dragging Macintosh HD into a folder on my hardrive and letting the file transfer. What are the downsides of doing this?
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    If the drive is not formatted correctly for Time Machine, then it will have to format it. But, it won't do that automatically. It will ask if you want to use that disk for Time Machine when you attach it.
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  • How to use Time Machine with an external drive?

    Hi…I’m new to this, I hope someone can help me=)
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    Ayuphie ~ In your Time Machine Preferences panel, slide the OFF-ON switch to the ON position:

  • I use Time Machine with an external hard disc which has worked perfectly for some years.  Recently Time Machine has aborted backups if the screen saver starts when back-up is in progress. I use a Maxtor OneTouch4 back-up system.  Any ideas?

    I use Time Machine with an external hard disc which has worked perfectly for some years.  Recently Time Machine has aborted backups if the screen saver starts when back-up is in progress. I use a Maxtor OneTouch4 back-up system.  Any ideas?
    Has Apple recently up-dated my OS (Lion) such that every time the screen saver starts it disables Time Machine.  I have to switch-off the computer and re-start in order to undertake  a back-up.  I have now switched of all screen savers.

    Please read this whole message before doing anything.
    This procedure is a diagnostic test. It’s unlikely to solve your problem. Don’t be disappointed when you find that nothing has changed after you complete it.
    The purpose of this exercise is to determine whether the problem is caused by third-party system modifications that load automatically at startup or login. Disconnect all wired peripherals except those needed for the test, and remove all aftermarket expansion cards. Boot in safe mode and log in to the account with the problem. The instructions provided by Apple are as follows:
    Be sure your Mac is shut down.
    Press the power button.
    Immediately after you hear the startup tone, hold the Shift key. The Shift key should be held as soon as possible after the startup tone, but not before the tone.
    Release the Shift key when you see the gray Apple icon and the progress indicator (looks like a spinning gear).
    Safe mode is much slower to boot and run than normal, and some things won’t work at all, including wireless networking on certain Macs.
    The login screen appears even if you usually log in automatically. You must know your login password in order to log in. If you’ve forgotten the password, you will need to reset it before you begin.
    Test while in safe mode. Same problem(s)?
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  • Can't restore Junk Mail using Time Machine

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    I see the same thing - junk mailboxes are grayed out in TM. However, the actual mailbox folders in finder are backed up. in finder go to homedirectory/library/mail and look for junk mailbox folders inside your account folders. start TM while in there and recover the messages you need.

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