Time Machine help - Can't find my stuff after restore

I've backed up from Time Machine but can't find of my stuff. all applications are bare, no vid/pics etc. My macintosh hd stoage is showing mainly as 'other'. Can anyone help me get my computer back please?!

Hi there, thank you.
I'm guessing not as there is no other user account. I'm at a total loss, is there a way of finding it all or would it be better/easier/quicker to wipe the computer of it's contents and restore from time machine using Migration assistant this time? I did try to use it after you suggested it but there is not enough free space on the iMac, it's being taken up by my hidden files. This is so frustrating

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Time Machine suddenly can't find network drive (WD MyBook)

I have a Mac Mini running OS X 10.5, with a 2 TB external USB drive (Western Digital MyBook) which my family uses for Time machine backups. It has worked fine for months. Suddenly, about 3 weeks ago but unnoticed until today, my wife's MacBook (OS X Lion) stopped backing up, complaining that the backup volume could not be found. It says her last baclup was 20 days ago.
"That's odd," I said, "I haven't been getting any errors..." and then I looked at Time Machine on my MacBook Pro (Lion), and discovered my last successful backup was 15 days ago.
Both of us were getting "The backup volume is unavailable."
Sure enough, I found myself unable to mount the two external USB drives on the Mini from my MacBook Pro. I could mount the internal hard drive, but couldn't see the external drives even when connecting as admin.
So I rebooted the Mini, and now I can mount the drive via Finder, but Time Machine still can't fint the volume. If I click Setect Disk, all I get is "Set Up Other Time Capsule." No network drives appear at all. I rebooted my MacBook Pro, and now Time Machine has turned itself off, and I still can't see the Mini's external drives in Time Machine, although I can access them just fine in Finder.
The Mini itself backs up to the Green Drive with no problem.
I've run DU and clicked Repair Disk. No problems were found. Repair Permissions is greyed out.

Apologies for the typos above. Also, it's apparently a MyBook Elite. So says the latest firmware updater from WD, which I ran to make sure my drive firmware was up to date.
I'm also going to try upgrading the Mini to Lion. Will post the results.

Time Machine: Macbook can't find external network hdd

Hi,
I'm want to backup BOTH my Macbook Pro (Retina) and my Mac Mini (Late 2012) to an external hard drive (Western Digital My Passport) USB-connected to the Mac Mini.
Alas, this doesn't work. I can't figure out why. The Mac mini finds the disk with no problems and can backup to it via Time Machine. But when I open Time Machine on the Macbook Pro, it can only backup to the Mac Mini. That's the only location it finds; it can't find the external disk.
I've enabled file sharing and shared the external disk, and set it to be available for guests to read/write. I've even bought OS X Server and used the same configuration there (although it seems to sync it from the Mountain Lion config anyway). Still nothing, the macbook can't find the external disk, only the Mac mini itself.
What could be the problem? All guides I find is about backing up to the Mac Mini over wifi. I don't want the backups on the Mini, but on the external disk connected to it.
Thanks!

Nope, but I see the Mac Mini as a network volume. And from it I can access the external drive (and everything else on the Mini).
So I can only see the "first step" (the Mini) but not the second (the external drive). And from Time Machine I can't specify where to save my backups, OS X will create that automatically.

Time Machine/AirPort can't find my Time Capsule

I have a Time Capsule; I have had it for a year or so working fine with Time Machine backing up onto it. Abruptly it stopped working: the light flashing amber slowly, and Time Machine saying "could not complete backup". I tried disconnecting the Capsule from the power supply and turning off and restarting Time Machine. At this point Time Machine and AirPort Utility stopped being able to "find" the Capsule. I tried soft- and hard-resetting it; after a hard-rest it would show up in AirPort Utility again but when I went through the setup and it tried to restart the Capsule it lost the connection again. After another hard-rest, Time Machine could find it as a nameless Capsule but when I try to back up to it Time Machine asks for a password and the one I'd previously set up no longer works. I've tried several times now. Connecting the Capsule via Ethernet cable or wirelessly makes no difference. Please, can anybody help? ...Thanks.

Time Machine could find it as a nameless Capsule but when I try to back up to it Time Machine asks for a password and the one I'd previously set up no longer works. I've tried several times now. Connecting the Capsule via Ethernet cable or wirelessly makes no difference. Please, can anybody help? ...Thanks.
What role and how does it connect to your broadband??
If you did a hard reset you cannot use it until you complete the setup.. and the previous password will be wiped.. so you cannot use it anyway.
Isolate the TC completely from the network.. plug in ethernet LAN port to a single computer.. which is also totally isolated from the network. Press the reset and start again..
Are you using Snow Leopard as per your list of products or have you updated recently to ML.. this is a common issue after an update.

HT4927 Using Time Machine but can't find iphoto library anywhere for replacement

I'm having issues with a few wierd duplicate iphoto Events so I thought I would use my Time Machine for the 1st time and just restor the Library ONLY (not all of iphoto, just the library) to sometime last month and go from there. BUT....................
Nothing I have seems to match any useful info I can find on this forum. My iMac is OSX 10.8.2/iphoto 11 vs9.4.2 (everything is latest-updated)
I go into Time Machine, pick a date from early last month, and I see....."All My Files/ Desktop/Applications/Documents" then in Devices are
my external drives. Thats it. Where is the "iphoto library"? I feel like I'm missing something. When I look up the subject in this forum under Time Machine, it says to open Finder 1st (why I don't know), then open Time Machine (of course) but the sample picuture of Apples Website of Time Machine doesn't look like my Time Machine as I've just described.
Even in FINDER I see All My Files/Desktop/Applications/Documents: nothing that says "iphoto Library" (I can find "iPhoto" in Applications, but the application is fine, it's just the messed up 4 or 5 events I want to fix by going back to my library from last month, which was fine).
I assume that I need to:
1-close iphoto (done)
2-open Time machine and pick my date (done)
3- here is my problem (i think): I don't see a "iphoto library" to click on and then click on something that says "replace". I've never had to use time machine so I don't know what it will look like.
Please help,

By default the iPhoto library is in your pictures folder
you choose the one you want from a "finder looking display" and click restore (there is no "repalce")
althought the Mac is great and easy to use, every software program does have a learning curve and it is worth reading the instructions - http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1427?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US
LN

I need to restore my email settings using time machine but can't find the mail.plist in the backups

Hi, i can find my mail.plist by opening library/preferences holding the option key, but I can't replicate this when i'm searching for the same file in time machine. I have somehow deleted my mail settings and am trying to restore using time machine. Any ideas? Thanks

In Finder under Library/Preferences/ i found the following which I think is what you are looking for:
I "highlighted" this file in Finder FIRST, and then leaving Finder Open, I also opened Time Machine and when TM opened, Finder was displayed in it as seen above and I could then select dates going back to Restore this file from just fine.
Hope this helps

Time Machine: How can I find the size of each individual backup?

When I look in the Time Machine external hard drive under Backups.backupdb, I see all of the backups. I also see the total space remaining on the Time Machine. However, I would like to know the size of each individual backup file. Is there a way to get this information? It does not show in the "Get Info" window of the backup.
Thanks

The question is ambiguous, because a snapshot may consist almost entirely of references to other snapshots and thus take up almost no space on the backup volume. There is a shell command that enables you to see how much data was copied from the sources in the last snapshot. An example of how to use it is below.
Triple-click anywhere in the line below to select it:
tmutil compare
Copy the selected text to the Clipboard (command-C).
Launch the Terminal application in any of the following ways:
☞ Enter the first few letters of its name into a Spotlight search. Select it in the results (it should be at the top.)
☞ In the Finder, select Go ▹ Utilities from the menu bar, or press the key combination shift-command-U. The application is in the folder that opens.
☞ Open LaunchPad. Click Utilities, then Terminal in the icon grid.
Paste into the Terminal window (command-V).
The command will take at least a few minutes to run. Eventually some lines of output will appear below what you entered.
Each line that begins with a plus sign (“+”) represents a file that has been added to the source volume since the last snapshot was taken. These files have not been backed up yet.
Each line that begins with an exclamation point (“!”) represents a file that has changed on the source volume. These files have been backed up, but not in their present state.
Each line that begins with a minus sign (“-“) represents a file that has been removed from the source volume.
Files that you’ve excluded from backup, or that are excluded automatically, are ignored.
At the end of the output, you’ll get some lines like the following:
Added:
Removed:
Changed:
These lines show the total amount of data added, removed, or changed on the source(s) since the last snapshot.

Time machine doesn't show older backups anymore after restoring one

After restoring a backup, my older backups are not shown anymore in my Time Machine. Although it's said that the oldest one is from 2010.
how ca i get them back?
thank you for helping!

Try right-click on the Time Machine "clock" icon on the dock
Click Browse Other Time Machine Disks
See if your old backups are there

Time Machine: Where can I find the "Gear" menu?

When I open TM there is a row of restore points but I don't see the options to delete old back ups, etc.

gears menu is in finder's toolbar and it does look like a gear. once you click on it in TM you'll see the options to delete backups.

Time Machine - how to save work and mail after 'restore to' date

OK, things have gone seriously wrong on my girlfiends almost new 21" iMac.
First Excel wouldn't open a week ago, and now Quark won't launch and Word seems to be corrupted.
Time to go back in time.... (cue wibbly wobbly special effect)
We reckon it was definitely ok about a month ago. She backed up regularly.
1- Is there a way to just go back with the apps and OS and leave everything else alone?
2 - Failing that, she can back up all her recent work, but how to keep the mails in the Outlook mailbox that have been recieved since the 'go back' time?
Many thanks.

Install [https://addons.mozilla.org/en-us/thunderbird/addon/importexporttools/ ImportExportTools] and adjust the Options (see picture).
http://chrisramsden.vfast.co.uk/3_How_to_install_Add-ons_in_Thunderbird.html

TS4036 I can not find my pictures after restoring my phone

How do i find my pictures???

You might try restoring your iCloud backup again. Sometimes it's successful the second time.

I signed into icloud to find my iphone. icloud tried to upload my calendar, froze my desktop calendar and then erased it when I unchecked the box. I use time machine. Can I restore my desktop calendar and how to I keep everything but my phone locator off.

I signed into icloud to find my iphone. icloud tried to upload my calendar, froze my desktop calendar and then erased it when I unchecked the box. I use time machine. Can I restore my desktop calendar and how do I keep everything but my phone locator and mail off? I do not want to sync my desktop with icloud except for mail.

This the Activation Lock. Read here: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5818
The only way is to login to iCloud with your computer browser and wipe the iPhone.
If you can't then you have a brick, Apple won't help and AL cannot be bypass.
https://www.icloud.com

Hello, since I actualized my Mac with Maverick it doesn't recognize any external hard disk ,... only the one to make copy on the time machine. Can anybody help me? thank you!!!!

hello, since I actualized my Mac with Maverick it doesn't recognize any external hard disk ,... only the one to make copy on the time machine. Can anybody help me? thank you!!!!

Hello Laurabcn,
Thank you for using Apple Support Communities.
For more information, take a look at:
USB and FireWire Quick Assist
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1151
Have a nice day,
Mario

I have an issue with time machine, it doesn't find the Lacie external driver it use to use. it is the same drive that I usaly use for time machine back ups. It is corectly plugged. What can I do ?

Hi,
I'm trying to back up my macbook with time machine on the Lacie external driver I usualy use for this, but today my computer doesn't find the driver. I haven't done back up in 6 month.
Today, the Lacie driver is pluged and running, but the computer just does'nt find it.
what shall I do ?

Some things to consider:
Is the drive mounted, i.e., visible via Finder and/or on the Desktop?
Is the drive still selected in System Preferences, Time Machine? If not, use the "Select Disk" button.
Is Time Machine still turned on (System Preferences, Time Machine)?
Can you see the drive (and mount it) using Disk Utility (in your Utilities folder)?
charlie

Time Machine can't find external drive after installing Lion

Time Machine can't find external drive after installing Lion. I have a Laice 1 terabyte external drive that worked fine with Snow Leopard and now no show ... tried connecting it to front port and Mac Pro can't see it. Also lost Office,Quicken, and Final Cut Pro says: " You can't open application because Power PC apps are no longer supported" this is Not a good surprise!

Does the drive work when just directly connected? If so, have you prepped the drive?
Extended Hard Drive Preparation
1. Open Disk Utility in your Utilities folder. If you need to reformat your startup volume, then you must boot from your OS X Installer Disc. After the installer loads select your language and click on the Continue button. When the menu bar appears select Disk Utility from the Installer menu (Utilities menu for Tiger or Leopard.)
2. After DU loads select your hard drive (this is the entry with the mfgr.'s ID and size) from the left side list. Note the SMART status of the drive in DU's status area. If it does not say "Verified" then the drive is failing or has failed and will need replacing. SMART info will not be reported on external drives. Otherwise, click on the Partition tab in the DU main window.
3. Set the number of partitions from the dropdown menu (use 1 partition unless you wish to make more.) Click on the Options button, set the partition scheme to GUID (only required for Intel Macs) then click on the OK button. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Partition button and wait until the volume(s) mount on the Desktop.
4. Select the volume you just created (this is the sub-entry under the drive entry) from the left side list. Click on the Erase tab in the DU main window.
5. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Options button, check the button for Zero Data and click on OK to return to the Erase window.
6. Click on the Erase button. The format process can take up to several hours depending upon the drive size.

Time Machine help - Can't find my stuff after restore

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