Recover Address Book in Time Machine

I am using an iMac running Lion (not mountain Lion)
I accidentally deleted my address book which quickly synced to my iOS devices and iCloud so I have no contacts. This should not be a problem as I have been using Time Machine regularly and have been backing up using Time Machine to my Drobo FS. As luck would have it, when I open Address Book (with no contacts in it) and then click on Time Machine to get to my backups, Time Machine cannot find the backup drive.
If I go into Finder, I can 'see' the Drobo FS drive and even get to the partition that Time Machine is supposed to backup to. I can even 'mount' it so I can get to all the data that Time Machine is backing up. 
I clicked on the 'Latest' folder and again, no go. Something is wrong. No worries, there are plenty of backdated folders and I can just get my Address Book data from that. I thought it would be as simple as finding the data in Finder and drag it over. When I click on one of those backdated folders, it works but I'm having trouble finding where the Address Book data is backed up.
I go to 'library/application data' and Address Book is not in there.
Does anyone know how I can restore the lost address book using Time Machine and Finder? Or is there another thing to try?

address book is integrated with Time machine so you can start Time machine when address book is active and restore the contacts you need one by one. alternatively, quit Address Book and restore the directory homedirectory/Library/Application Support/Address Book to a prior state (delete the current directory first). when you start address book it will be exactly as it was at the time of the backup you restored it from.

Similar Messages

  • How to restore my address book from Time Machine?

    First I know there are other threads with this (Properly) but non of them seemed to be specifically what i needed!
    So by accident I deleted all my address contacts on my mac by accedeint. (I was trying to stop my Mac user account picture from changing all the time). I knew I had deleted them but didnt think anything of it. I came to text someone today and half my contacts have gone from my iPhone and my iPad . But i dont know how to get them back on to my address book via time machine.
    I have tried the simple going back to where the last backup was and hiting restore, but nothing happens. I can i get them off iCloud if timemachine wont work? or have i truly lost them?

    Open Address Book and then go to File > Import and select the most recent Address Book backup from your Time Machine Backup > Users > Your Name > Documents and import that should work.
    Pete

  • Help with restoring Address Book from Time Machine

    Problem: I really, really need to retrieve someone's number. I know it'll be in an old version of my Address Book. I can see when I open time Machine that my address book is backed up, but no matter the date I go to, it says the Address Book was last modified in 2012! I know for a fact I've updated (and backed up) the Address Book many times since then.
    Whenever I try to restore the Address Book, I do Time Machine > Applications > Address Book > 'restore'. But whenever I do this, the mac refuses to open the restored Address Book because it's 'required by mac OS X'.
    I don't understand.
    Please, how on earth do I dredge my Address Book from the depths of Time Machine?
    Please help!
    M

    Hello mb9236,
    Thank you for the details of the issue you are experiencing with restoring a contact from Time Machine. 
    It sounds like you are trying to restore the Address Book application.  The Address Book application is just the application and does not include the content in Address Book. 
    Instead, you will want to open Address Book and then launch Time Machine and restore your contacts from there.  Use the steps below to restore your contacts form a previous date (in step one instead of opening Mail or Finder, be sure you have Address Book open and in focus):
    If you use Time Machine to back up your computer, you can easily bring back one or more items you’ve lost, or recover older versions of files you’ve changed.
    Open a window for the item you want to restore. For example, if you accidentally deleted a file from your Documents folder, open the Documents folder. If you want to recover an email message, open your inbox in Mail.
    If you’re missing an item from the desktop, you don’t need to open a window.
    Click the Time Machine icon in the Dock, or open the Time Machine menu in the menu bar and choose Enter Time Machine. If you back up to a Time Capsule or other network disk, a message briefly appears while Time Machine connects your computer to the backup disk.
    Use the arrows or the timeline along the right side of your screen to browse through all the snapshots and backups Time Machine created. Gray tick marks on the timeline represent snapshots stored on your internal drive (portable computers only). Pink tick marks represent backups stored on your backup disk.
    If you need more information about an item, double-click to preview it. The windows in Time Machine behave just like Finder windows, so you can open folders, click items in the sidebar, and use the search field in the upper-right corner of the window.
    When you find the item you want to restore, select it, and then click Restore. You can restore individual items, multiple items, folders, or your entire hard disk. The restored item is returned to its original location. For example, if the item was found in the Documents folder, it is returned to the Documents folder. Time Machine may ask if you want to re-create one or more folders in order to return a restored item to its original location.
    If an item you restore has the same name as another item on your computer, you’re asked if you want to keep the current item, the restored item, or both.
    You can use Time Machine from within many applications. For example, you can open Address Book and then click the Time Machine icon in the Dock to recover contacts you may have accidentally deleted, or open iPhoto and then click the Time Machine icon in the Dock to view past versions of your iPhoto albums.
    OS X Lion: Restore items backed up with Time Machine
    https://support.apple.com/kb/PH4256
    Thank you for using Apple Support Communities.
    Best,
    Sheila M.

  • How on earth do I restore my old Address Book from Time Machine?

    Problem: I really, really need to retrieve someone's number. I know it'll be in an old version of my Address Book. I can see when I open time Machine that my address book is backed up, but no matter the date I go to, it says the Address Book was last modified in 2012! I know for a fact I've updated (and backed up) the Address Book many times since then.
    Whenever I try to restore the Address Book, I do Time Machine > Applications > Address Book > 'restore'. But whenever I do this, the mac refuses to open the restored Address Book because it's 'required by mac OS X'.
    I don't understand.
    Please, how on earth do I dredge my Address Book from the depths of Time Machine?
    Please help!
    M

    Look at Q15 here. http://pondini.org/TM/FAQ.html
    There are separate sections for iphoto and itunes.
    It has to be so complicated because Apple made TM to do too much and be too many things to too many people.. a horse designed by a committee. It has become flakey in later editions.
    If you still have the iMac you can move the files directly from the source.. you don't need to use TM backups at all.

  • Restoring my address book from Time machine

    Hello. I am not very technical. I backed up my old computer files on a Time Machine back up and can access my old documents but not my former address book contacts.   My old computer has been wiped by my daughter who has set it up with a new account and cannot recover anything of mine.
    The Address book appears in the applications folder of the TimeMachine back up in the applications folder -  but has a locked symbol and error message 'You can’t open the application “Address Book” because it is in a Time Machine backup"
    I am worried I have lost 20 years worth of contacts!

    Ok, due to the changes in Mail the old address book is not able to be used in the new OS.
    If your daughter wiped your Mac and changed the OS you won't be able to restore it either.
    The trick is to restore the entire backup to a different location. Get a USB and plug it into your computer.
    Then do a full restore of the old OS to the hard disk.
    See the instructions in pondini to manage this. Same reference as above the Q14-17 covers restore. Restore the entire backup to the USB drive.
    From there your new version of the software can hopefully translate the addressbook into readable form.
    If that doesn't work on your computer, then it should work on your old one. Do a simple disk clone using a software like CCC or superduper so you can wipe the computer.. and do the full restore, assuming the trick of using the USB doesn't work. Once you have a full restore of the OS, including your address book with mail, you should
    A. Be able to make a clone of disk.. NOT TM BACKUP.. from the Clone you have real files as they exist in a working OS.. not a TM backup where files do not work until restored. 
    B. Export the data from the address book.
    Export and email it to yourself.
    http://email.about.com/od/macosxmailtips/qt/How-To-Export-Your-Mac-Os-X-Mail-Add ress-Book-Contacts-To-A-Csv-File.htm
    I always export mail contacts to a database or spread sheet before doing major computer changes or upgrades.. it keeps these kind of problems at bay.
    If the problem is simply you cannot open the old contacts in the new version of mail, copy the address book to a stick and use it on another computer running the correct version of mail.
    If it is just permissions issue then fix permissions.
    After a restore permissions can be very messed up. See.
    http://pondini.org/TM/E10.html

  • How can I restore my Address Book from Time Machine, iCloud keeps overwriting

    This was all done on my MacBook Pro, using Mavericks updated.  With the Address Book, and iCloud.
    Ok, this is really a mess.  I have close to a 1,000 contacts in my address book.  I'm not going to manually sort them.  I have a bunch of groups in my address book.  These groups are very important, and not something simple to sort out.  I have already read this thread:  https://discussions.apple.com/message/18790074?searchText=How%20can%20I%20restor e%20my%20Address%20Book%20from%20Time%20Machine,%20iCloud%20keeps%20overwriting# 18790074 
    My situation is similar, and yet a little different.
    I accidentally deleted a group in my address book.  So, with my handy dandy Time Machine backup, I quickly went into Time Machine, and restored the group.  However, I was connected to the internet, and iCloud promptly deleted the nicely restored group.  So I went into Time Machine again, and restored the username/Library/Application Support/Address Book folder.  Again, opened the Address Book, was content to see my group was intact and there.  After about 20 seconds it disappeared before my very eyes.  I was now starting to get frustrated.  iCloud had again erased my ‘restored’ group.
              I promptly disconnected from the internet, restored my address book, and exported a copy in abbu format.  I then reconnected to the internet, and as I expected, iCloud once again deleted my ‘restored group’.  I then imported my abbu ‘backup’ file, and everything was once again intact… for about 20 seconds before iCloud again deleted my group. 
              Ignorantly, I deleted everything in my address book (while connected to the internet).  I then allowed iCloud to update everything.  After it seemed like it was done (it doesn’t tell you what is going on).  I went ahead and imported my abbu file.  This again resulted in nothing in my address book.  I again disconnected from the internet, and imported the abbu file.  I then exported all my contacts and each group in the vcf format.  I started importing each group into iCloud.com online, and everything was working smoothly.  Then, it started getting errors, and not importing all the contacts. 
              OBVIOUSLY there is a bug, or problem, or something wrong here.  iCloud is being extremely stubborn, and extremely un-friendly to it’s user.  I’m kind of at my wits end with this.  If anyone has any ideas, I really could use some help  I think that iCloud could use some help too.  Perhaps some lessons in politeness.  Perhaps a lesson in ‘restoration.’ Perhaps a compatibility with Apples own Time Machine???  Please any help would greatly be appreciated!
    Shane

    I don't know why you moved the app. Move the application back into your "Applications" folder which is where it belongs and should always stay. Then drag the app down to your Dock, if the Dock icon is not there already.
    Now, open AddressBook. The click on the TM icon on your Dock. Now do you see the TM screen with AB open? Good. Use the TM time arrow back button until AB appears the way it used to be. Then click restore.
    -mj
    [email protected]

  • How do I import address book from time machine backup

    My address book was populated on an imac running Lion and I used time machine to back up to an external hard drive.
    The imac crashed and I've purchased another one running  Mavericks.
    How do I import the contents of my address book from the backup on the external drive to the address book on the new imac?
    Whenever I try to select or open an earlier version of the address book in the backup applications folder on the external drive, I get a message saying that I can't open the file because it is a time machine backup.
    There is also a diagonal line going through the address book thumbnail icon and various other applications in the backup applications folder and I get the same error message informing that these apps are time machine backups.
    If you have a solution please be as clear and precise as possible with instructions as I am not a computer boffin.

    Here's the situation:
    I have a G4 with Tiger OS that has 2 years of saved emails and Address Book entries. I just got a G5, installed brand new drives, and did a fresh install of Leopard. I did not use Migration Assistant during the install, because I have no router.
    Then I connected the 2 'puters with firewire, and started the G4 in Target Mode, and attempted to Import my old mail and Address Book. I diddled around and was able to import my old mailboxes. I did just realize, though, that only about half the emails were imported; there's a huge gap of nearly a year up until I stopped using the G4.
    Also, when I go to the Address Book and try to import my old one, it shows up not as a solid icon that I can select, but a ghostly icon, for lack of a better word, and it will not let me select it.
    I really thought this should be easier and less painful. I'm open to suggestions, including whether I should try to use the Leopard install DVD to try the Migration Assistant with a Firewire connection or an ethernet cable.
    Thanks.

  • Restoring Address Book with Time Machine

    I am trying to restore my Address Book contacts all but one of which vanished a couple days ago - but when I look at it in Time Machine it reads "last update 5/11/12" even as far back as Sep 2011.  I've checked other files and TM has saved the correct older versions.  Thoughts?

    Boy, I really wish I could help, but I don't use , like, or trust TM.
    Oh wait, maybe try the free demo of this...
    http://www.tri-edre.com/english/backintime.html
    http://www.tri-edre.com/english/products/backintime_tm.html

  • Where is Library/Application Support/Address Book in Time Machine backup ???

    I made a fresh install and wanted to copy the file http://www.marco.org/2011/09/10/adding-to-apple-mail-autocomplete  to save nuisance with no autocomplete with new mail (as I did last time). But why there is no Address book folder in Library/Application Support as is in the original Library (as I backuped yesterday) ??
    Similarly - where is Skype folder (it is in the laptop system/library Application Support but not in the same folder in Time Machine (to copy the chat history).
    Where can it be found ? Why Apple makes things so uneasy ?
    original Library with the file I need from yesterday backup:
    Library from yesterday backup as found on Time Machine:

    The ~Library folder effective with Lion 10.7.x
    See
    http://pondini.org/TM/15A.html
    Apple hides the ~/Library folder (meaning the Library folder inside your home folder), from users, apparently to protect us mere mortals from messing with it.  That's kind of a problem when we needto.
    To see it on a Finder window before entering Time Machine, hold the Alt/Option key while selecting the Go item in the menubar.  That will produce a list of common places, including Library (about halfway down).  Or, press Shift+Cmd+G and type ~/Library in the prompt.  That will show it in the Finder window, and also in the Finder windows once you're in the "Star Wars" display.
    If you forget to to do that first, once you're in the "Star Wars" display,  press Shift+Cmd+G and type~/Library in the prompt.
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  • Restore entire Address Book from Time Machine?

    Mac Mid 2011, OSX Lion 10.7.5, Time Machine
    After enabling iCloud my address book got "replaced" with an outdated version.  Time machine allows me to update individual records but I want to
    replace the entire Address Book.   Can this be done and if so then how?  Thank you.
    Dan from New York

    I SOLVED this problem:
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    2.  Selected ALL entries from a good version in Time Machine, then restored.
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    Piece of cake..I made this issue more complicated than it needed to be...all is well. 

  • Restored address book from Time machine no images on contacts

    hello all
    had an issues with my address book
    unfortunately i deleted my contacts from adress book fom my macbook and lost al my contacts even from iphone (so propably deleted the icloud contacts)
    now thank god i found a way to restore them from Tiem Machine
    everythin is good and have al contacts back
    BUT
    not contact images
    is thetre any way to get them back?
    thank you!

    This worked for me:
    From Time Machine, restore a good backup of the entire  "/Users/james/Library/Application Support/Address Book"  folder to a different location, like to a folder on your desktop.   
    (note: the Library folder typically won't show up in Finder. To make it visible, in Terminal, issue this command:
            defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles YES     
            then restart Finder:  killall Finder  )
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    Delete the real folder:  /Users/james/Library/Application Support/Address Book
    Copy your restore (at the different location), to the real location ( /Users/james/Library/Application Support/Address Book )
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    Go online again.  iCloud will wipe out your Address Book with what's on iCloud. Re-import contacts as needed from your Export.

  • How to restore Address Book with Time Machine -

         hello, I'm quite desperate beacuse the new version of iTunes has cancelled all my contacts and does no longer sync with Outllok for Mac.
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    please

    It looks to me like this other discussion from last year may offer you some useful suggestions:
    https://discussions.apple.com/message/17891606#17891606
    Hope that helps.
    Ivan

  • Restore Address book using Time Machine

    Hello all.
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    Your question has nothing to do with the AirPort Express (AX) nor with wireless networking. You probably should ask this question in the Time Machine discussion area.

  • Trying to restore Address Book from Time machine

    I lost all but 32 0f my 1200 address book entries recently.  I know not why.  I tried to restore from my Time Machine back up in line with other posts I have found.  The machine shows the 1200 entries as having been restored but as I watch they all disappear and go back to the orginal  32.  I have tried a number of times and using differet back ups but the same thing happens.  Any ideas would be gratefully received.
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    Leicasnap wrote:
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    iCloud, by definition, thinks it has the "master copy."   So when you restore your 1200 entries, iCloud immediately overlays it with the contents of the cloud, which is, apparently, the 32.
    See the 5th post here for a possible workaround:  https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3453735

  • Restore Address Book from Time Machine

    if i lost all my address book data, is there a way to restore it from a date in time machine that has my data?
    shouldnt there be a simple way in addres book to select a time machine backup?

    To restore address book data from Time Machine, launch the Address Book application, then click on the Time Machine icon in the dock. Within the Time Machine user interface, you'll be looking at an Address Book window that displays the data it had at the time of the Time Machine backup. You can go back in time to find a particular contact to restore, or you can choose the Restore All option.

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