How to restore/retrieve my files from external HD backed up by Time Machine

I'm recently a victim of car theft and my MacBook Pro, iPad 2 and external hard drive was stolen from the car. A friend of mine is lending me his MacBook Air to temporary use until I get a new MBP. I use Time Machine and Time Capsule to do frequent back up of all my files. I am attempting to restore my files on this MacBook Air, but I need assistance in trying to retrieve files/information from the external hard drive that I have attached to my MacBook Pro. My previous research on Time Machine/Time Capsule is that it will also back up external hard drive as long as they are attached/mounted to my MacBook Pro during back-ups.
How do I restore/retrieve the files or folders from my external hard drive using Migration Assistant. Do I need to get another external hard drive? Should I get the same exact brand and type of external hard drive?
I hope that someone can help me with this? Like most of us, my entire life's work in on my computer and hard drive. I need to be able to retrieve this valuable information.
Thank you everyone for taking the time to help m

Sorry you had such an experience.. not the first I have heard..
Having your entire life on the laptop is a concern!!
The pondini knowledgebase will give you an excellent starting point. as recovery is not necessarily simple in this scenario.. as the external drive might or might not have been backed up depending on the settings..
http://pondini.org/TM/FAQ.html
Look at Q14-20
Particularly 16 to restore to alternative location.
You will probably need another disk, just because the disk in the air is small. It does not have to be the same size or model.. just get one big enough to restore everything.

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After a Lion clean install, how do I retrieve my data from external back-up? Following Apple advice for use of Migration Assistant did not work creating similar issues leading to clean install.

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Thanks.

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Click that date
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Click on the file to highlight it
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Linc Davis wrote:
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How do I retrieve multiple files from my trashcan?

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Debbie
Don't tell God how big your storm is. Tell the storm how big your God is!
From: Pat Willener <[email protected]>
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Sent: Wednesday, October 8, 2014 12:56 AM
Subject: how do i move multiple files from acrobat.com to my pc?
how do i move multiple files from acrobat.com to my pc?
created by Pat Willener in Adobe acrobat.com services - View the full discussionActually, if you go to https://cloud.acrobat.com/files you can check the checkboxes on the left of your files list, then click on the Download button to download multiple files. https://forums.adobe.com/servlet/JiveServlet/downloadImage/2-6802984-681636/900-380/acroba t.com.png Please note that the Adobe Forums do not accept email attachments. If you want to embed a screen image in your message please visit the thread in the forum to embed the image at https://forums.adobe.com/message/6802984#6802984 Replies to this message go to everyone subscribed to this thread, not directly to the person who posted the message. To post a reply, either reply to this email or visit the message page: To unsubscribe from this thread, please visit the message page at . In the Actions box on the right, click the Stop Email Notifications link. Start a new discussion in Adobe acrobat.com services by email or at Adobe Community For more information about maintaining your forum email notifications please go to http://forums.adobe.com/thread/416458?tstart=0.

How do i retrieve deleted data from external hard drive

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So you deleted all the files and then emptied the trash already with them in there? Are they backed up anywhere for you to restore from?
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ElRay (Amazingly, not the 1st) wrote:
SharonZ wrote:
Time Machine finds that file, and not other files that meet the criteria. BUT...
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Thanks in anticipation, Ernest.

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Ok. Add me to the moron list. I guess I am an over zealous trash emptier. Can I retrieve those images from the vastness by entering my time machine and restore the library from a previous date (when I wasn't a moron?)

Ok. Add me to the moron list. I guess I am an over zealous trash emptier. Can I retrieve those images by entering my time machine and restoring the Iphoto library from a previous date (when I wasn't a moron?)

Masters is where you want to be. They'll be in there in folders based on the date and time they were imported.
Regards
TD

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Hi,
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Message was edited by: Pinocioh

HI,
Many small drives you buy can be formated in a variety of ways that are not Time Machine Friendly. For example, the Western Digital Passport, a very nice small drive, is usually in the FAT(32) format. To use such a drive you only need reformat it for Time machine (really for the Intel Mac).
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How to restore/retrieve my files from external HD backed up by Time Machine

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