Restoring two macs from one time machine backup

A little while ago my mid 2010 MBP's HDD died on me. Whilst I was waiting to sort out my MBP, I restored from time machine to my mac mini so that I had a machine to work from. Then I fixed my MBP by installing new drives (SSD and HDD where the optical drive used to be), and using migration assitant to copy everything over from time machine (as the SSD boot drive was not big enough to do a simple restore). So now I technically have two machines the same, except my MBP is running Lion 10.7.5.
Only problem is when I try to update the MBP with Mavericks it tells me it cannot install on this machine. Is this because I restored the same original mac to two new machines? I cannnot open mac mail either on the MBP. There is about 55 GB of space on my boot drive, and my mac meets all the requirements for Mavericks (it was running it prior to the HDD dying, but because I installed dual drives it has complicated the restore process).
Cheers for any help offered!
Rich

Well I never did find a solution to this specific problem. So I simply went and bought a bigger SSD (the 480GB SSD M500), and did a restore to that drive from time machine, which worked perfectly. Now I shall just remove some of the more data hungry folders to my 1TB HDD installed in the optical drive bay. I shall no doubt be setting myself up for a more complicated restore procedure in the future, but hey ho, right now my machine is blisteringly fast!

Similar Messages

  • Can I restore my mac from a Time Machine backup once I have used BootCamp to partition and set up Windows (without erasing all of the Windows content)?

    A few months ago I partitioned my mac using BootCamp and successfully installed Windows and a few Windows-only programs (games).  I never restored my mac from the Time Machine backup and now I would really like all of my files back on my mac.  I am wondering if I insert the osx install disc and restore from Time Machine backup, will that get rid of the partition I made for Windows?  Will the Windows side of my hard drive stay in tact or will everything on that side get erased when I restore the mac side from the Time Machine backup.  It was a HUUUUUUUGE pain to do the BootCamp partition and get everything Windows set up and I would really like to not have to do that all over again.  I just want to make sure that if I insert the mac osx install disc and restore from Time Machine backup it will only affect the Mac partition, NOT the Windows partition.

    Hi,
    Time Machine does not touch your BootCamp Windows.
    It simply said ignores it completely.
    Nonetheless, I am curious as to why you wanna restore a Time Machine backup.
    Usually during partitioning with the BootCamp Assistant in OSX to make the Windows partition your OSX stays intact.
    Regards
    Stefan

  • What is the correct procedure to follow after restoring a Mac from a Time Machine Backup?

    Hi all,
    I did a Time Machine backup of my entire system (Time Machine Backup 1) before bringing my Macbook Pro to the Apple Store to to have it tested.   After the TM backup I wiped the laptop leaving only the OS (Mountain Lion) on it so that I could determine whether the problems with my system were hardware or software related. The computer passed all tests.
    After bringing my Macbook home I did a fresh intall of all the software and everything worked fine.  At this point I did another Time Machine backup (in the same location as the previous backup) so that if I ever had problems with my system I could revert to this working backup (Time Machine Backup 2.0).  I used my laptop without issue and created a number of new documents.  I did not transfer the documents from the previous time machine backup (Time Machine Backup 1).  As time progressed I did regular Time Machine backups (backups 2.1 etc.) installed a few new pieces of software and started having system issues again. 
    At that point I did another Time Machine backup (in the same location as the previous backups) (Time Machine Backup 3) so that my new documents would be safe.  At this point I could see all of my TM backups in finder.  Then I used Command + R while booting up and restored my system from what I thought was the clean backup (Time Machine Backup 2).  In fact it the TM backup I used was not the correct backup (It was one of the backups between 2.0 and 3 and I needed to go back further).  I was concerned, at this point, because I did not (and still do not) know what type of effect restoring the system from an old Time Machine backup would have on the Time Machine structure going forward  I was unsure whether doing so and having an "old" system backed up might break the structure so I stopped Time Machine from running a new backup. 
    When I attempted to look for one of the older versions of the Time Machine backups I discovered that there were no longer any listings for TM backups in their previous location.  In fact, the only thing I could see was one line in the place where the multiple backups were previously.  I took my laptop and NAS (where the TM backups were stored) to the Apple Store and the "genius" said something about the TM backup being "parsed"?  He also described it as a "broken window" and he "sees the broken glass but has no idea how it broke".  He also said "neither he nor anyone at Apple would be able to assist me" and that I'd have to go to a data recovery place.
    Fortunately I did use a second drive to backup the original system (Backup 1) but I really don't want to lose the files created ater Backup 2 / prior to Backup 3.
    Does anyone know what happened / how I can get my Time Machine backups back without forking out tons of cash?
    thanks
    John
    OS ML 10.8.4, Macbook Pro Retina
    Synology DS412 (time machine backup to a file folder)

    I actually already checked Pondini's and didn't find the answer.  Any other suggestions?
    thanks

  • Restored my mac from a time machine backup but now iCal isn't working?

    There are no calendars listed on the side, not even the ones I had in my backup or the ones that come default in ical. Won't let me create new calendars or sync with icloud to get my cloud calendars.  Any one know how to fix this?  iCal is currently unchecked in iCloud but that didn't help anything.  I tried deleting the calendars folder but it didnt help.  I also tried deleting the com.apple.iCal.plist file but nothing changed in ical and perference generated a new one titled: com.apple.iCal.plist.HPjnF3U
    Does any one have a solution to this problem?  I build multiple calendars for work in iCal so I lost a lot of work and it won't even let me rebuild it. 

    You can add a new local account in Calendar/Preferences/Accounts - + sign and then CalDAV account.
    Do a backup.
    Quit the application.
    Go to Finder and select your user/home folder. With that Finder window as the front window, either select Finder/View/Show View options or go command - J.  When the View options opens, check ’Show Library Folder’. That should make your user library folder visible in your user/home folder.  Select Library/Calendars - enter Time Machine to restore.

  • I had to reformat my OSX 10.5.8 and i can't restore my emails from my time machine backup from an external hard drive - only the latest (post backup) time machine back ups are available to restore. Please can any help

    I had to reformat my OSX 10.5.8 and I can't restore my emails from my time machine backup from an external hard drive - only the latest (post backup) time machine back ups are available to restore. Please can any help? I can find the mail folder in my libraries, but the Restore Button is grayed out

    OSX treats the reformatted drive as a different one; it's the same as replacing it, and the old one is no longer connected.
    See #E3 in  Time Machine - Troubleshooting to see and restore from the "old" drive.
    And, you may not want to restore via the Finder; see the blue box in #15 of  Time Machine - Frequently Asked Questions.

  • I had to restore my system from a time machine backup. It Failed...

    I had to restore my system from a time machine backup. It seemed to go alright up to it asking me to resart to complete the installation, but it would not boot. It forced a panic screen that told me to force quit my computer and resart which did not resolve anything.
    Now I have installed the original Leopard 10.5 but I used to have 10.6.8 on it. How can I get it back to 10.6.8? or do I have to buy it again?
    Any ideas why the restore failed?
    thanks,
    R.

    It seems you had a kernel panic (see attached link):
    http://support.apple.com/kb/TS3742
    Regarding upgrade to Snow Leopard (10.6.8), you will have to install the disk you used originally.  If you have lost it, then you will have to get a new one.  The Apple online store sells them for about $29.  When you install Snow  Leopard, you should then do a Software update.
    Ciao.

  • After a complete restore of Mac from a Time Machine volume, I don't want a full backup the next time Time Machine backs up.

    After performing a complete restore of my Mac from a Time Machine volume, Time Machine wants to perform a full backup the next time it backs up.This is normal: http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1338
    But I don't have enough free space on my external hard drive to do this because my external hard drive already contains one complete backup. My hard disc on my MacBook is 320 and my external drive is 500 GB, so it doesn't add up. I don't want to delete the original backup in case something goes wrong during the new full backup. What can I do?

    You don't have too many options.  The best approach would be to buy a larger external drive.  The guideline for Time Machine is that you should have 2-3 times as much capacity on the external drive as data you're backing up.  See item 1 of Time Machine - Frequently Asked Questions.  In any case, you can't prevent that first full backup unless you're willing to turn off Time Machine permanently.

  • How to restore just Mavericks from a Time Machine backup

    Macbook Pro 15", (early 2011) 2.0 GHz, 8GB memory
    After having my WD 750GB HD crash, I decided that I would opt for a smaller (256GB) SSD drive and just put Mavericks and my apps on the new drive and keep my user files on an external drive. I've installed and formatted the new drive but I can't figure out how to install just OSX from Time Machine since the entire backup is too big for my new drive.  Before the drive failed, I had installed the latest update for Mavericks (10.9.3?) Thoughts?

    I think you should do the following:
    Install Mavericks, Lion/Mountain Lion Using Internet Recovery
    Be sure you backup your files to an external drive or second internal drive because the following procedure will remove everything from the hard drive.
    Boot to the Internet Recovery HD:
    Restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the COMMAND-OPTION- R keys until a globe appears on the screen. Wait patiently - 15-20 minutes - until the Recovery main menu appears.
    Partition and Format the hard drive:
    Select Disk Utility from the main menu and click on the Continue button.
    After DU loads select your newly installed hard drive (this is the entry with the mfgr.'s ID and size) from the left side list. Click on the Partition tab in the DU main window.
    Under the Volume Scheme heading set the number of partitions from the drop down menu to one. Click on the Options button, set the partition scheme to GUID then click on the OK button. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Partition button and wait until the process has completed. Quit DU and return to the main menu.
    Reinstall Lion/Mountain Lion. Mavericks: Select Reinstall Lion/Mountain Lion, Mavericks and click on the Install button. Be sure to select the correct drive to use if you have more than one.
    Note: You will need an active Internet connection. I suggest using Ethernet if possible because it is three times faster than wireless.
    You can find more about restoring from a Time Machine backup at Pondini's Time Machine FAQ for help with all things Time Machine.
    You

  • I am trying to restore my calendar from my Time Machine backup. I can get through the process, but at the end I get a message that Calendars cannot be amended as it is required by OS 10. There is no facility to authorise a change. How do I get round this

    I am trying to restore my Calendar from my Time Machine back up. I can get through the process but at the end I get a message that Calendars cannot be removed or amended as it is required by OS10, there does not appear to be any option to authorise the backup or change. How can I get round this roadblock?

    I am trying to restore my Calendar from my Time Machine back up. I can get through the process but at the end I get a message that Calendars cannot be removed or amended as it is required by OS10, there does not appear to be any option to authorise the backup or change. How can I get round this roadblock?

  • How do I restore an App from a Time Machine backup?

    My computer has been acting up lately and I have tried many fixes to no avail. I finally decided to just wipe the computer and start fresh, slowly bringing back my files to see if the problem still persist. So far I have been fine. I had to go back to using Mountain Lion because Mavericks wasn't working for me. I now have a blank computer and instead of restoring with my time machine backup, I'm only bringing over necessary files. There are, however, a few apps that I need from my time machine (for example, iPhoto). Is there a way to restore just an app from a time machine back up? Since I wiped the computer, it doesn't recognize my time machine back up as a time machine back up. I don't want to pay $15 for iPhoto when I already have it sitting on a hard drive.

    If you got it by download and are still using the same Apple_ID, it is still sitting on Apple's Mac App store for re-download whenever necessary, such as after you wipe your computer.

  • How do I completly restore my imac from a time machine backup ie, dock settings desktop stuff.

    i have completley messed up my imac and logged in, only to find out that my dock was reset, my desktop blank, and the only stuff i have left is a time machine backup with all the data from my mac, can i use it to reset my mac to a earlier date?
    Thanks.
    Jonathan

    you can open the hard drive>applications>ultitilies and run the migration assistant.  there you can select restore from time machine backup
    -mvimp

  • HT201250 can you have two macs on one time machine

    I just bought my wife a macbook air and want to add her to the system on her own separate backup. when i turned hers on it said it could not complete due to unavailable space... i guess i have been hogging the 500g so what should i do? I want to have it working both machines independently

    johnmacamania wrote:
    when i do succesfully backup my wifes new macair will it keep our data separate without my having to select such a parameter?
    Better to Partiton the TM drive (you won't lose your data), and use the 2nd partiton for the MBA

  • How do I restore Reminders from a Time Machine backup?

    Hi,
    For reasons which are long and unimportant I have to restore my mac from a time machine backup without being able/wanting to use a full migration assistant etc
    I'm currently having issues with restoring my Reminders from the TimeMachine backup I made. I have manged to restore Notes, by going to Library --> Containers and restoring the "com.apple.notes" folder, but this process doesn't work with the similar folder in Containers ("com.apple.reminders").
    Am I doing something wrong here? Where does Mountain Lion store the reminders data?
    Many thanks for any help

    OS  X Yosemite  version 10.10.1
    I recently lost most of the contents of my Reminders. Although I can't be sure of the cause, I suspect a certain Mac cleaning utility.
    I was able to restore my Reminders with the help of Apple Support, but the procedure was not straight forward as the ~/Library/Calendars folder “contains account data and generally speaking it will cause iCloud to activate even if deactivated and remove the data since the time stamp on the data is older than on iCloud”.
    Here is the procedure that I followed:
    1. Disconnect from Internet
    2. Make a backup of your current ~/Library/Calendars folder
    Locate Calendars folder using Finder
    List the folders in your Home folder 
    Click on Go  → Hold down alt key to see Library → Click on Library  → Click on Calendars
    Copy the Calendars folder to Desktop
    3. Locate Calendars folder in Time Machine
    Locate Library folder using Finder
    List the folders in your Home folder 
    Click on Go → Hold down alt key to see Library → Click on Library
    Enter Time Machine
    Locate Library folder for the day/time you want to restore
    Click on Calendars folder
    4. Restore Calendars folder
    Then Restart and check your Reminders to ensure that they are OK
    5. Make a local backup of your Reminders
    Export each Reminders list to (say) Desktop
    Reminders → File → Export
    6. Reinstate previously saved Calendars folder
    Locate Library folder in Finder
    Copy saved Calenders folder from Desktop into Library folder (over-writing previous Calendars folder)
    Restart
    7. Update Reminders from local backup
    Import each Reminders list from Desktop
    Reminders → File → Import → select backup file → select appropriate Reminders list
    8. Reconnect with Internet

  • Restoring from partial Time Machine Backup

    I've backed up all my user files with Time Machine and I'm wondering if I can do a clean install of Leopard (erase the contents of the drive, install a fresh version of the OS) can I re-attach the Time Machine backup that I've created and easily restore, say, my desktop files to the new OS? Appl seems to suggest that the only way to restore your files from a Time Machine backup is to boot from the backup and restore the files using the Migration Tool. Can I just attach the new OS to my old Time Machine backup and restore piecemeil, one folder at a time (e.g. my music folder, my desktop, etc.). I ask because my leopard install is bunk (virtual memory is eating all my hard drive space, continusely, until it's empty) and I want to do a clean install, but I want to make sure I'll be able to restore the user files I've backed up with Time Machine.
    Thanks.

    I would be interested in this too. My 24" is coming back from repair and I'd just like to get my music and photos out of the time machine backup against a fresh OS install.
    Any thoughts?

  • Restore can't find the time machine backup

    I am trying to restore my system from a time machine backup and the Restore option doesn't recognize my time machine backup. Any ideas on how to force it to see it?
    Some background:
    I am running Mountain Lion on a 2008 iMac. About 1 week ago, my internal HD failed. I had the hard drive replaced and then hooked up my external HD time machine back-up to restore my system. I started the computer with the command-R option and selected restore from time machine backup. It recognized the hard drive itself, but when I get to the screen to select the backup, it tells me there are no backups on the selected volume. I have run the repair in Disk Utility and the drive checked out ok. I have since installed Mountain Lion again on the internal drive, but didn't bring any files.
    Also, while the main computer was down I connected the external drive to another computer and used the show hidden files steps to find some files on the time machine backup and copied them to the other computer.
    I don't know if this relates, but I want to share all of the info: Back when the HD originally failed, the computer froze. When my son restarted the computer, it then asked what language he wanted. Then it began a restore process and asked him to select a volume to restore the system to. This is the bad part- He selected a partitioned drive where I had stored some files that didn't fit on the hard drive. It erased that drive and began restoring the system. Of course he didn't tell me about any of this until about 2 hours later, so we lost the contents on that drive. This partitioned drive is the same drive where my time machine backup resides. One partition is the Time Machine backup and the other was external data.
    Any ideas? I know I can manually restore the files, but it would be nice to be able to automatically do it. Also, is there a way to read the excluded list? I found the file that this is on...
    Thanks,

    Inherit a Backup
    Inherit a Backup (2)

Maybe you are looking for