Time Machine: Can I access files from a PC that are on my external drive?

If my iMac were to crash or die, I cannot afford to get it fixed or buy a new iMac, and the only computer I can then use is a PC, could I connect it to the external hard drive Time Machine had backed up to and access files, photos and music? Thank you in advance for your feedback.

Ok, thanks. Yikes, that is extremely limiting. I guess I need to buy a separate external hard drive to backup important stuff in a way accessible from other computers like a PC. What about accessing files and photos from the current Time Machine hard drive from another Mac, say a friends, where I am not restoring everything to the Mac?

Similar Messages

  • My time machine backup disc has apps from Mountain Lion that won't open now that I have Yosemite.  They all say need to be upgraded to Yosemite. Go to app store. But app store sees that I have yosemite so doesn't even show me an udate option. How can

    My time machine backup disc has apps from Mountain Lion that won't open now that I have Yosemite.  They all say need to be upgraded to Yosemite. Go to app store. But app store sees that I have yosemite so doesn't even show me an udate option. How can Update these files??

    How do you know they won't run in Yosemite? You're not trying to fiddle with stuff in your backup from the Finder, are you? If so you are likely to render that backup unusable.
    WHen when you restore them from your backup, they should be updateable.

  • Would it be possible for time machine to back-up files from 3rd party software such as windows platform using parallel?

    I'm wondering if it would be possible for time machine to back-up files from 3rd party software such as Windows XP using parallel software especially if it is isolated from mac?  Any advise would be greatly aprreciated.

    Short answer - yes Time Machine will backup everything within the Mac OS system.
    Longer answer - Parallels creates a pvm disk image "Parallels Virtual Machine" which Time Machine backs up.
    Due to the changes to the pvm file Time Machine is unable to read the minor changes and will somtimes do a full backup of it each time Time Machine runs and can chew through Back up drive space quite quickly.

  • How can I access files from a flash drive that were previously saved using a Windows computer? When I attempt to open the file on MacBook Pro, it is asking to "convert file to"; I also have Microsoft Word installed on the Mac as well.

    How can I access files from a flash drive that were previously saved using a Windows computer? When I attempt to open the file on MacBook Pro, it is asking to "convert file to"; none of the options I choose work. I also have Microsoft Office (with Word) installed on the Mac as well.

    Format the external drive as FAT32 or ExFAT. Both computers will then be able to read and write to it.

  • I just downloaded the latest version of firefox (5.0). Can I delete all the older versions that are still on my drive? 2) When I call up some web sites sometimes the web site comes up 3 or 4 times...how do I stop this from happening?

    I just downloaded the latest version of firefox (5.0). Can I delete all the older versions that are still on my drive?
    When I call up some web sites sometimes the web site comes up 3 or 4 times...how do I stop this from happening? For example if I click on a link the exact same link comes up 3 or 4 times and I have to manually delete all of them but one.

    Do you organise your email into separate folders, or do you just let it accumulate in the Inbox?
    I would strongly advise you not to let it sit in the Inbox.
    When you see this happening, try right-click on the affected folder, select '''Properties''' then '''Repair Folder'''.
    Large folders (actually, a folder in Thunderbird is stored as a file, so it is sensitive to file size limits set by the underlying file system) can be problematic. This is one reason not to let messages collect in one folder. I use Thunderbird's Archive folders so that accumulated mails over several years can happily coexist because they are effectively stored in many small folders. No single mail store folder then exceeds the 2GB or 4GB sizes that have been known to stress the OS. I appreciate that current builds of Thunderbird and a modern 64-bit OS should be able to cope, but practically I find it slows down when given huge files, so I err towards a pragmatic solution; a large number of not very big files.
    Archives are searchable, and a Saved Search folder can give you a virtual composite folder allowing access to the entire Archive.

  • I have an IMAC and I'm running OSX 10.9.2.  I'd like to store my Aperture /IMovie Libraries to an external hard drive.  In addition, I'd like to partition the external hard drive so that Time Machine can use it to both back up my IMac and the externa

    I have an IMAC and I'm running OSX 10.9.2.  I'd like to store my Aperture /IMovie Libraries on an external hard drive.  In addition, I'd like to partition the external hard drive so that Time Machine can use it to both back up my IMac and the external library drives.  Is this possible? Can I set up a RAID 5 format for redundancy?

    I'd like to store my Aperture /IMovie Libraries on an external hard drive.
    That is fine and recommended.. use the fastest disk you can afford.. ie Thunderbolt>USB3>FW800>USB2.
    In addition, I'd like to partition the external hard drive so that Time Machine can use it to both back up my IMac and the external library drives.
    Let me be clear.. you want to partition the one disk.. use it for TM and move your files to the external disk.. and then backup to the same disk.. You can do it.. but that is not a backup.. that is an experiment in how long you can get away with running files and backups on the same disk before you lose everything.. like Russian Roulette.. pull the trigger enough times and laws of probability will do you in.
    You must have backups on a different disk .. otherwise it is pointless.
    Can I set up a RAID 5 format for redundancy?
    No.. you can buy special USB and Thunderbolt external drives that support RAID..
    BUT that is still not a backup.. let me show why.. you make a silly move and corrupt your file in aperture.. it is not that rare.
    Raid will corrupt all copies of the files.. it is replicated across all disks.
    Delete a photo it is deleted across all disks.. you have no recovery.
    Alway, always consider RAID system one disk.. backup onto another disk.. and if the photos or movies are at all important to you.. ie your family .. make another copy and store in a relatives house.. There is no such thing as too much redundancy.

  • Itunes is copying/converting 500gb of music from .wma to .m4a files that are on an external drive onto my laptop which doesnt have enough room. how do i reroute these newly converted files somewhere with enough space for them?

    itunes is copying/converting 500gb of music from .wma to .m4a files that are on an external drive onto my laptop which doesnt have enough room. how do i reroute these newly converted files somewhere with enough space for them?
    new to itunes, used windows media player before that and always ripped music directly to an external hardrive and accessed it through the player. now that i downloaded itunes it is taking from the external hardrive and copying a second file for each song onto my lap top hard drive which does not have the capacity for all my music. as itunes converts music files i want them saved back onto my external drive or another location i have space for rather than the lap top. how do i change the setting to move the itunes media folder to another location. assuming that hitting copy and past and dropping it in a random location will cause a few errors.

    When I have done this, all I did was network the two machines and copy the contents of the iTunes folder to the other machine, and that's it.
    My understanding (which may not be 100% correct) is that the one file that is absolutely necessary is iTunes Library, and that the XML file is actually a copy auto-generated from the iTunes Library, appearing in a different format only for non-iTunes apps that take advantage of the iTunes Library data.
    As far as I know, if you simply have the Library (database) file and all your original music files, iTunes on that computer should operate as it did on your old computer. I believe that the Album Artwork, Genius Data, and XML files can be regenerated from the Library file. Not sure about the Extras file.

  • Does Internet Explorer (specifically a version 7 through 9) work on a MAC 10.8.4? I would like to access documents from my work that are only supported on Internet Explorer.

    Does Internet Explorer (specifically a version 7 through 9) work on a MAC 10.8.4? I would like to access documents from my work that are only supported on Internet Explorer.

    Joni2b wrote:
    ...I would like to access documents from my work that are only supported on Internet Explorer.
    I don't know how successfully this will be but you can turn on the Developer menu (Advanced tab in preferences) in Safari and change the User Agent to trick the documents into thinking you're using IE. You can also do that by adding the User Agent Switcher extension to Firefox.
    Otherwise, you need to run Windows in BootCamp, as a Windows Virtual Machine in software such as VMware Fusion, Parallels, or Virtual Box, or the Windows environment of CrossOver Mac, as Niel says.

  • How can you back up files that are on an external drive?

    How can you back up files that are on an external drive?

    hw999 wrote:
    How can you back up files that are on an external drive?
    Easy way, CLONE IT to another HD
    HD cloning software options:
    1. SuperDuper HD cloning software APP (free)
    2. Carbon Copy Cloner APP (will copy the recovery partition as well)
    3. Disk utility HD bootable clone.
    Methodology to protect your data. Backups vs. Archives. Long-term data protection
    https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-6031
    hw999 wrote:But all I want to do is include the data that I store on an (second) external drive (internal drive getting too full) part of the auto back up process using timemachine.
    BAD IDEA
    You want one backup (ie Time machine) and one (or more) data archive of just all your raw files (drag and drop, or cloned etc.)

  • How do I get files from multiple DVDs that are using thesame file names?

    How do I get files from multiple DVDs that are using thesame file names? Message says "file already exists in catalog"
    Message was edited by: marcr56

    marcr56
    I am viewing your question from different perspective, that is, the issue that you face when you are ripping VOBs from a second DVD-VIDEO on DVD disc using Premiere Elements,
    It is best to give the Premiere Elements version and computer operating system that it is running on. In the absence of that, I will generalize.
    Assuming that you are using
    Premiere Elements 12
    Add Media
    "DVD Camera or Computer Drive"
    Video Importer
    Typically the Video Importer Save In: is C:\Users\Owner\Videos
    Each of your DVD discs is going to have the same names for the ripped VOBs (VTS_01_1.VOB and so on depending on the duration of the movie). Consequently, after the ripping of the first DVD's VOBs and their save to Videos, you will end up with that "files already existing..." block for the ripping of the VOBs from the second DVD.
    The answer is, for each DVD disc VOB ripping, to plan ahead and create and set for different folders in Videos in the Save In field of the Video Importer.
    Please review and then let us know if that works for you. Please do not hesitate to ask if you need clarification on anything that I have written.
    Thank you.
    ATR.

  • I can only play songs from the cloud that are checked with a dark checkmark-I have many other songs with a faint check that don't play

    I can only play songs from the cloud that are checked with a dark checkmark-I have many other songs with a faint check that don't play

    Restoring from backup will result in the iPod being like it was when the backup was made. If you restore via iTunes, you have to have all the synced media in your iTunes library since those are not included in the iPod backup.

  • Time machine can not access time capsule after upgrade from snow leopard to mountain lion

    Two days ago I upgraded my 2009 17" MBP from Snow Leopard to Mountain Lion. That evening my time capsule/time machine combination worked fine and did an incremental backup of about 12 gigabyte. Yesterday - only one day later - the time machine backup did not work anymore.
    It appears that the system can not find the time capsule - even though it shows the remaining free space on the time capsule (so it did find it after all).
    The message is always the same:
    Time Machine can not complete the backup "Time Capsule"
    The image of the backup volume "/Volumes/Data/Pauls MacBookPro.sparsebundle" is not accessable (Error -1).
    I also can not delete the backup image on the time capsule since it is read-only. And I do not want to format the time caspsule yet since my wife's MBAir is also using the same time casule.
    I tried out all kinds of suggestions (hard and soft resetting both the MBP and the TC, entering the password again, setting the TC up again) all to no avail. No backup is possible anymore.

    Mr. Zooot wrote:
    Time Machine can not complete the backup "Time Capsule"
    The image of the backup volume "/Volumes/Data/Pauls MacBookPro.sparsebundle" is not accessable (Error -1).
    I also can not delete the backup image on the time capsule since it is read-only.
    Sounds like you got this message earlier:
    If so, see #C13 in Time Machine - Troubleshooting.
    Offhand, I don't recall anyone not being able to delete one via the Finder (but most were only backing-up one Mac, so just erased the disk).
    You may have to wait for that message to appear again (24 hours later), or you might try holding Alt/Option with the TM icon in the menubar, and select Verify Backups if it will let you.

  • Can's access files from time capsule

    I have a 2TB Time Capsule that is about 2 months old.  The wifi works however, when I go to access the files on the drive, the time capsule boots itself off of the network.  I use the time capsule to store my musics, movies, and pictures on.  Only a couple of gigs of space is being used.  I've done a soft reboot on the time capsule and on the ATT uverse box that it is bridged through.  Problem still persist.  Issue is happening on my macbook pro and windows laptop.  Machines can see the drive, back either the files or empty or time capsule goes off line.  Any thoughts. 

    Yes, unless it's been deleted from the Time Capsule, which may happen when it runs out of space. Don't use the backup as a storage place for files you intentionally delete from the computer; it's designed for recovery of accidentally deleted content, and if desired, for use with the Migration Assistant when setting up a new Mac.
    (56666)

  • Time Machine Can't Access Home folder

    I am using OS X 10.8.3 and my home folder seems to have been deleted without saving (malicious activity by family memeber with somehow gained access to his mother's account that has admin privledges).  I've tried restore via Time Machine (TM) which has worked in the past for minor file recovery issues but, I cannot access the "home" folder on the backup (external) drive any longer; I can "see" the home folder, but it is lightly shaded.  I also am having trouble rebuilding my iTunes library - I can see most, but not all of my tunes - other cannot be found on either the iMac-HD or the TM Backup.  Finally, not all of the iTunes purchased material is accessible via the iCloud download (tunes and app downloads).  So I am pretty much dead in the water.  I hate bringing up  stupid questions but I am not a tech sorrt of guy - I can use a hammer without having to know the physics of inelastic collisions, so my apologies.  Any suggestions?

    Boot into Recovery (command-R at startup) and select Restore From Time Machine Backup from the OS X Utilities screen. Select the snapshot you want to restore from. All data on the volume will be erased and replaced with data from the snapshot.

  • Time Machine can't access to WD Mybook WE backup

    I'm getting a little bit foul with Time Machine and Wester Digital MyBook World Edition 1TB disk!
    I’ve the TM working fine till I made some Mac OS update, it was here that the TM stop working!
    In Finder I’ve 2 file servers mapped, MyBookBack and MyBookBack-Backup.
    I can access to the folders and files at MyBookBack, but I can’t access to the MyBookBack-Backup, which is normal.
    But now the TM don´t work! When I acess to Sistem Preferences > Time Machine, I’ve TM disabled and when I choose a disk the TM list the WD_Backup at MyBookBack-Backup, then I choose to use it to security copy, he asked for User and Password of the TM user at WD, and then… start thinking with the color wheel running indeterminably!!!! I Just left it by 48Hours connected and nothing happened! I have to force to quit the Sistem Preferences to stop it!
    The same happens when I tried to reach to TM data using the Migration assistant and select MyBookBack-Backup
    Can anyone help me? I haven’t any backups since almost 2 months ago!
    Many thanks and have a Happy New Year free from BUGS!

    I have a similar issue with the 1Tb Mybook World Edition that it decides to go offline for an unknown reason.
    I a running version 01.02.05 on the MyBook (latest version) and OSX 10.6.6 on my MacBook Air.
    Following a series of test the issue seems to be with OSX 10.6.6.
    The reason for this statement is the following:
    - I have a Mac Mini G4 running 10.4.11 and it never looses the NAS. Never.
    - If you reboot the Mac Air it will re-register the NAS and all works normally (Time Machine and File Sharing) until the next 'glitch'
    - I installed 10.6.4 on the Mac Air and low an behold the issue with the NAS has disappeared.
    - After running the Mac Air on 10.6.4 for 3 weeks I proceeded to update to 10.6.5. After 24hr the inaccessibility issue resurfaced.
    My interpretation on the above is the some thing has been modified in the AFP following 10.6.5 which is 'incompatible' with MyBook NAS

Maybe you are looking for

  • Can two iphones on different accounts sync from the same itunes account?

    I have an iphone through work. The iphone along with four other various types of ipods sync with my accounts on iTunes, including thousands of purchased songs. My wife is getting an iphone but she had to do if through her work. How do I make sure she

  • Link to httpd.conf instructions

    I'm having some issues in my test environment when I'm attempting to coordinate the configuration of AMS and Apache. I'm having to try to adjst my httpd.conf with a trial-and-error approach, and it's a big time waster. Has anyone found a resource tha

  • Help~Help,about agent question

    Hi , I'm using BIEE11.1.1.6.0, when I using agent to sent email,I faced a problem. the BIEE login security authentication by external table, If one user 'test' in table,its email is '[email protected]', I login in analytics by 'test' and set email in

  • RGB of PNGs changing in Keynote

    The company I work for has a specific branded color that they want to use in presentations, and they wanted a branded keynote. I made all PNGs and text and boxes a certain RGB color (in this case, 146, 200, 62) but then when I view the Keynote on oth

  • MESSAGE ATTACHMENT BUG ON LOLLIPOP

    I'm experiencing this bug too. I'm not able to attach anything to text/sms messages. Any resolution?