Time Machine: Can't Select Files/Folders to Restore

Hi:
Time Machine has always worked superbly for me in the past. However, today, I tried to restore a desktop file from last week. When I open Time Machine and hit the arrows to navigate it takes 10" or so, but eventually gets there. However, when I click on any file or folder that is visible, nothing happens. Thus, I cannot select a file/folder to restore it.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

See if this thread is fruitful:
https://discussions.apple.com/message/10394546#10394546

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Time machine can not select my internal hard drive any more.

Hi all
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I don't know the answer but I have the same thing happen. I have two external drives I use for backup. Sometimes it can see one and sometimes another. Then sometimes it can't see either one. I will take one out for a while then plug it back in and then it may see it. Maybe it's a cable issue or something but I will be curious to hear what someone more knowledgeable says.

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well.... lets see here....
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See if this thread is fruitful:
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to ssis6:
I guess this is something that happens once in a while because Time Machine is backing up files now and I am able to work on Apple Discussions and reply to your post. I just wonder if in addition to your explanation, there is any other explanation as to why what I described happens. Thanks for your help.

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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 the test is to determine whether the problem is caused by third-party software that loads automatically at startup or login, by a peripheral device, by a font conflict, or by corruption of the file system or of certain system caches.
Disconnect all wired peripherals except those needed for the test, and remove all aftermarket expansion cards, if applicable. Start up in safe mode and log in to the account with the problem. You must hold down the shift key twice: once when you turn on the computer, and again when you log in.
Note: If FileVault is enabled, or if a firmware password is set, or if the startup volume is a Fusion Drive or a software RAID, you can’t do this. Ask for further instructions.
Safe mode is much slower to start up and run than normal, with limited graphics performance, and some things won’t work at all, including sound output and Wi-Fi on certain models. The next normal startup may also be somewhat slow.
The login screen appears even if you usually login 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?
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Hello,
http://pondini.org/TM/C6.html

HT201250 When restoring Time Machine after a failure, does it also restore the files to the same order, for example - within iPhoto I have pics/ videos in folders and sub folders organised as family/events etc - will it go back to this exact order after a

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When restoring your entire system from a Time Machine backup, it is restored to the state it was when that backup was made. See this article for reference -
OS X Yosemite: Recover your entire system
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Brett L

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You might post this query on the iPhoto forum and perhaps someone there can provide an answer.
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Not tidy but it seems it will work.
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Purchased a used macbook pro with Mountain Lion. My old Mac runs Snow Leopard is backed up to Time machine. How do I register the operating system to me and how do I use Time Machine to move my files to the new used computer?

If you look at the User Tips tab, you will find a write up on just this subject:
https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-4053
The subject of buying/selling a Mac is quite complicated. Here is a guide to the steps involved. It is from the Seller's point of view, but easily read the other way too:
SELLING A MAC A
Internet Recovery, and Transferability of OS & iLife Apps
Selling an Old Mac:
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Internet Recovery:
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iLife Apps:
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SELLING A MAC B
Follow these instructions step by step to prepare a Mac for sale:
Step One - Back up your data:
A. If you have any Virtual PCs shut them down. They cannot be in their "fast saved" state. They must be shut down from inside Windows.
B. Clone to an external drive using using Carbon Copy Cloner.
1. Open Carbon Copy Cloner.
2. Select the Source volume from the Select a source drop down menu on the left side.
3. Select the Destination volume from the Select a destination drop down menu on the right
side.
4. Click on the Clone button. If you are prompted about creating a clone of the Recovery HD be
sure to opt for that.
Destination means a freshly erased external backup drive. Source means the internal
startup drive.
Step Two - Prepare the machine for the new buyer:
1. De-authorize the computer in iTunes! De-authorize both iTunes and Audible accounts.
2, Remove any Open Firmware passwords or Firmware passwords.
3. Turn the brightness full up and volume nearly so.
4. Turn off File Vault, if enabled.
5. Disable iCloud, if enabled: See.What to do with iCloud before selling your computer
Step Three - Install a fresh OS:
A. Snow Leopard and earlier versions of OS X
1. Insert the original OS X install CD/DVD that came with your computer.
2. Restart the computer while holding down the C key to boot from the CD/DVD.
3. Select Disk Utility from the Utilities menu; repartition and reformat the internal hard drive.
Optionally, click on the Security button and set the Zero Data option to one-pass.
4. Install OS X.
5. Upon completion DO NOT restart the computer.
6. Shutdown the computer.
B. Lion and Mountain Lion (if pre-installed on the computer at purchase*)
Note: You will need an active Internet connection. I suggest using Ethernet if possible because
it is three times faster than wireless.
1. Restart the computer while holding down the COMMAND and R keys until the Mac OS X
Utilities window appears.
2. Select Disk Utility from the Mac OS X Utilities window and click on the Continue button.
3. After DU loads select your startup volume (usually Macintosh HD) from the left side list. Click
on the Erase tab in the DU main window.
4. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Optionally, click on the Security button
and set the Zero Data option to one-pass.
5. Click on the Erase button and wait until the process has completed.
6. Quit DU and return to the Mac OS X Utilities window.
7. Select Reinstall Lion/Mountain Lion and click on the Install button.
8. Upon completion shutdown the computer.
*If your computer came with Lion or Mountain Lion pre-installed then you are entitled to transfer your license once. If you purchased Lion or Mountain Lion from the App Store then you cannot transfer your license to another party. In the case of the latter you should install the original version of OS X that came with your computer. You need to repartition the hard drive as well as reformat it; this will assure that the Recovery HD partition is removed. See Step Three above. You may verify these requirements by reviewing your OS X Software License.

Time Machine can't copy my hard drive

Time Machine can't copy my hard drive, it says that it can't complete the safety copy because an error occured when files were copied to the safety copy. Does anyone recognise this problem? All I could find in System notifications about Time Machine is this: "localhost kernel[0]: Security policy loaded: Safety net for Time Machine (TMSafetyNet)"

John Galt wrote:
... Are you unable to select the external HD as a backup device?
pres92 wrote:
that's the problem -- my hard drive ("startup disk) is not listed, so I can't select it.
The reason is that the startup volume is not a valid selection for its own Time Machine backup.
The only drive listed is the Time Machine external drive. Obviously, I don't want to back up the time machine drive.
By default, a Time Machine backup volume is excluded from being backed up.
The appearance you describe is correct, otherwise I'm completely misunderstanding your problem.

Time Machine v.1 lost file folder names all the way back to "the beginning of time"

I was experiencing some increasingly erratic system problems with my White 2006 iMac running OS 10.5.8. My guess is that these problems were due to power outages cutting power to the iMac while it was in use.
- I tried Disk Utility from the Install Disk and it cleaned the HD but when I ran Verify Disk from Disk Utility off the HD it reported errors and I continued having problems.
-- I decided to wipe the HD and reinstall everything.
--- The first thing I did was backup with Time Machine v.1 and then disconnect the backup drive.
--- After reloading the OS and upgrades I ran Verify Disk from Disk Utility off the HD and it reported no errors.
----   Skipping all the headache a reinstall entailed ... I reloaded my files from the external backup drive Time Machine backups by grabbing the folders and pulling them to the cleaned HD.
-----     I found large portions of files names missing. They look to be exclusively file names starting with a number that I use to order files ( 01. , 02. , 03. ... etc) as opposed to alphabetical listing.
-----     These files - so far - are all located on a single folder branch. Meaning: as I follow the folder tree down I get to a list of project folders and some or all are missing everything but the starting number. I wrote this off as something to do with the hard drive operation problem but ...
------      ... all the same backup folders in Time Machine on my Seagate GoFlex have also lost their names all the way back for 2 years, when I started using Time Machine and the GoFlex.
------      I know for a for a fact the folder names were intact before I cleaned the iMac HD since I regularly use those files.

They aren't what they appear to be on the TM, most are aliases to aliases to aliases when files are changed, I think only TM understands how/where the files are actually stored.
Later versions of the OS with Restore Partitions can Restore also
Do run DU on the TM drive... it certainly can't hurt at this point.
I recommend cloning your drives instead of TM, not only can you copy files/folders over if needed, you can actually boot from your backup & continue working, or even clone back to the Internal...
Get carbon copy cloner to make an exact copy of your old HD to the New one...
http://www.bombich.com/software/ccc.html
Or SuperDuper...
http://www.shirt-pocket.com/SuperDuper/
Or the most expensive one & my favorite, Tri-Backup...
http://www.tri-edre.com/english/tribackup.html

Time Machine: Can't Select Files/Folders to Restore

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