TimeMachine won't connect to previous backup

I connected Time Machine to my backup drive at home, and backed up there.
Now when I come back to work, and try to backup to my drive there, it won't let me connect to it without wiping out the whole disk.
When I choose Select Backup Disk it won't re connect to the huge backup that is there and goes back a long time. It insists I erase it.
I don't have room for a new backup.
It will allow me to connect to it to restore and look what's there, I just can't make it be my backup file anymore.
HELP!!!

If you designated the MacBook as the migration source for your new iMac the correct choice would be to "inherit" its backup. If you don't want to do that, create a new set.
How can I force it to link to the existing Office backup set?
The right way would have been to migrate from the Office Mac instead of the MacBook, but you can still fix it. Read the blue box that follows on this page, courtesy of the late Apple Support Communities contributor Pondini:
http://pondini.org/TM/B6.html

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Iphone 5 won't restore from previous backup

I can't get my phone to restore from a previously synced version. I restored my phone thinking I could fix another issue (text messages not deleting) and now I have a phone that won't restore. I run through all the processes to restore and the phone restarts just like iTunes tells me it will do and then it starts all over again. I have tried this at least 10 times with the same results.

I have the same problem. I upgraded iphone 5 to iOS 7.02 and it went into recovery mode so I had to restore to factory settings. After that it gave me the option to set up as new phone or restore from backup. When I chose restore from backup, everything seems to work fine then it restarts and apple logo comes on and bar underneath never loads/advances. It never gives an error message. So at this point my only option seems to be set it up as a new phone. Very frustrating. Did you ever find a fix for this?
Note: I've tried restoring from both itunes and icloud backup.

Migration Assistant won't connect to TM backup disk

Replaced 'drowned' MacBook Pro with a new one. The old one was using Time Machine to back up onto a partition of a LaCie hard drive plugged into the USB port of an Airport Extreme. Backups appeared to be fine (both on the partition involved here and the other partition on the La Cie which backed up another MacBook Pro), although no prior attempt to restore.
New MBPro arrives (this morning), is connected to the local network (ethernet) and during initial setup I try to transfer from the TM backup of the drowned predecessor. The partition appears as a TM backup disk, I click on Connect, am prompted for and give the partition password (set up through Airport Utility on a network Mac Pro), and the display screen indicates "Connecting". After 40 minutes w/o visible progress (LaCie hard drive display light shows no R/W activity), I switch selection to have no initial transfer. Register machine using same user name, AppleID and password as on 'drowned' MBP, run software update, and then Disk Utiility (repair permissions).
I then open Migration Assistant and attempt to transfer from TM backup disk (partition) again. Again the partition is recognized as a TM disk, again I am prompted for partition password, again the password is given and apparent accepted, again the display indicates "Connecting", and again after 45 minutes there is no status change.
I disconnect the MBP from the network (ethernet), disconnect the LaCie hard drive from the Airport Extreme and plug the LaCie directly into the USB port on the new MBP, open Migration Assistant, and while the Finder shows (both) partitions as hard drives, Migration Assistant does not recognize (either of) them as TM backup disks.
If it makes any difference TM on the new MBP is prompting me to select a backup disk and I have been clicking on Decide Later for fear I would overwrite the backup I need to restore from.
HELP! (and thanks in advance)

It sounds like the backups are corrupted. Try reparing the, per #A5 in Time Machine - Troubleshooting.
If that fixes them, and they're recognized by your Mac, your best bet is to start over, and use Setup Assistant. See How do I set up a new Mac from my old Mac or its backups?, and note the green "Second Chance" box there.

HT201250 My timemachine won't delete my old backups, now it wont make new backups

My older backups are not being deleted and time machine wont back up my computer b/c there is no room. All the support sites say its supposed to delete the old backups. Why wont it?

Hello Vic,
Have you looked through Pondini's extensive TM help site?
http://Pondini.org/TM/FAQ.html
http://pondini.org/TM/Troubleshooting.html
Can't imaging something not being covered there.

Time Machine won't see my previous backups

hi,
for some reason, TM has continually told me there isn't enough space to make a backup to my external usb hd.
it's been backing up to this hd for about 9 months. disk utility checked it out and it seemed okay.
is there a way to get TM to pickup where it left off instead of having to start afresh? i'd like to keep those backups because there's some important stuff in there.
thanks for any help!
cheers,
sean

TM may start a new backup sequence for any of a number of reasons. See #D3 in the Time Machine - Troubleshooting *User Tip* at the top of this forum.
Click here to download the +Time Machine Buddy+ widget. It shows the messages from your logs for one TM backup run at a time, in a small window.
Navigate to the first of the backup attempt that failed, copy and post the messages here. A clue should be lurking in there.
i'd like to keep those backups because there's some important stuff in there.
That's a curious comment. Have you been deleting things from your internal HD, relying on TM to keep it's copies archived?

My ipod touch broke then replaced it with a new one. I already dloaded iOS5 on the old one. When I connected my new unit it says it won't load the previous back because the new one is not up to date... Do I really have to download iOS5 again?

My ipod touch broke then replaced it with a new one. I already dloaded iOS5 on the old one. When I connected my new unit it says it won't load the previous back because the new one is not up to date... Do I really have to download iOS5 again?

Yes, you have to update the iPod in order to retore from backup. The iOS on the "new" has to be aequal to r greater than on the iPod from which the backup was made. The iOS downloads are unique to an iDevice and model (the one for a 3G iPod will not work for a 4G iPod).

TimeMachine won't create hard links for replacement drive if not connected

With TimeMachine, I backup two external drives (let's call them drive A and B). Recently, drive B broke and I restored the data on a replacement drive and gave the volume the same name as the broken one had. I made TimeMachine aware of the fact that this new drive corresponds to the old one by using the "tmutil -a associatedisk" command as described here: http://pondini.org/TM/B6.html
When TimeMachine started the next backup, it did not perform all full backup of the new drive, though still way more than it should. So far so god.
The problem is: if TimeMachine performs a backup while the new drive (the replacement of drive B) is not connected, it does not create the hard links for it. Drive A is not connected either, though hard links for it show up in the Backups.backupdb folder for this backup.
If the replacement drive is connected the next time, TimeMachine will perform a full backup of it ... most likely because the previous backup does not contain any hard links.
Is there a way how to fix this?

paninaro95 wrote:
(To run the command again is actually not necessary in my opinion as the man page for tmutil states that TimeMachine works with the UUID of the filesystem
Correct.
Et voilà 1: The first time, TimeMachine backed up only about 0.5 GB ... which is a fairly reasonable value that is likely due to the changes on the internal disk, not to my external replacement disk where about 170 GB are eligible to be backed up.
Yay!
FYI, there are ways to tell what was backed-up. The log messages show how much was copied from each drive. The widget in #A1 of Time Machine - Troubleshooting displays the backup messages from your logs.
In addition, see #A2 there for a couple of apps that will show the details -- which files were backed-up.
Et voilà 2: When TimeMachine performed the next backup while the external drive was not connected, the hard links for the external data were created in that backup.
Double yay!
To my understanding, I don't understand why renaming the drive makes a difference if TimeMachine uses the UUID of the filesystem.
So I guess there must be a bug somewhere as "tmutil associatedisk" should fix the connection -- no matter what the drive name is.
There must be some other connection, some vestige of the name left over somewhere.
I filed a bug report to Apple! :-)
Great!

Moving previous backups from timemachine to timecapsule

What is the best strategy for moving previous backups done by timemachine on another external drive to timecapsule?
Obviously, some of us will want to keep these backups when we move over to timecapsule.

Cable the Mac (to which the external hard drive is connected) to one of the LAN ports on Time Capsule. Then copy the files. Over an ethernet cabled connection the transfer shouldn't take very long.

HT1766 I lost all my contacts on my iPhone 4S. When I connected to iTunes it automatically synced, so now the backup has no contacts either. How do I restore to a previous backup?

I lost all my contacts on my iPhone 4S. When I connected to iTunes it automatically synced and wiped out my backup. How do I restore to a previous backup?

Do you have your contacts on your computer? You could sync those over: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1386

Backup - time capsule - ethernet - won't connect

I left my time capsule unconnected for a period of time, over a week anyway. I commenced a backup - unsurprisingly, using wireless it was taking a very long time.
I wanted to speed it up. I connected ethernet cable to ethernet ports in Macbook and Time Capsule. However, it won't connect. It says 'back up disk not available'.
I have looked around discussion topics and can't see a solution.
Anyone experience something similar or able to advise? Many thanks

I managed to work it out. You have to disable the wireless operation of the Time Capsule before you can get an ethernet connection to work. Wrongly assumed they might just operate as alternatives.
SO all sorted now ...

HT4859 i have setup an ipad without connecting to computer, i am now connecting for first time to itunes it asks if i want to set up as new ipad or restore from previous backup (my iphone not ipad), i have backed ipad up to icloud when i connect back to i

i have set up my wifes ipad mini wirelesly, i am now connecting for first time to itunes it asks if i want to set up as new ipad or restore from previous backup (my iphone not ipad), i have backed ipad up to icloud when i connect back to itunes will it give me an option to restore from icloud, i dont want to lose the apps and data my wife has already installed through her account... any thoughts

1. set up as new
2. transfer you wife's purchases.
3. Just in case create one computer back up manually.
Enjoy.

Last back up: never . i am connected to a wifi network and phone also pluged in yet my icloud never backs up , i have also deleted previous backup for all applications(although there was never any successful backup)in"manage storage" still no headway

last back up: never . i am connected to a wifi network and phone also plugged in yet my icloud never backs up , i have also deleted previous backup for all applications(although there was never any successful backup) in " manage storage" still no headway

rucchyy wrote:
my Internet is working fine . i also turned the iCloud drive off, could this be the reason I can't back up?
No.
Have you done:
Restart / Reset
http://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201559

Time capsule produces a signal, but won't connect or backup

I have looked at some of the other discussions here; some are similar, but I can't find an answer.
I have a TC, Macbook Pro and an iPhone 4, all between 6-10 months old. My problems started when I turned on all my stuff after being away for 4 weeks over the summer.
My Macbook pro's AirPort recognises the TC - I have a 'full signal' reading at the top of the page. However, when I try and connect to the internet, I'm told it can't connect to the server. If I just keep trying, re-entering addresses (from the scroll-down bar, so always exactly the same), it eventually connects and I have a great connection, which I can use to watch movies/download stuff no problem. Why is it so **** illogical? Why does it connect on the 20th attempt, and not on the first? This happens however long the computer has been on, and regardless of when I last connected to the internet.
The biggest problem is that I have a Vodafone 'Sure Signal' signal booster attached to the TC. Without it, I get no phone signal. The Sure Signal does not recognise the signal from the TC at all. I have done factory resets on both - individually and together, and nothing has changed. I have turned the Sure Signal off, but the TC still doesn't work properly.
My iPhone won't connect either. It too shows a 'full signal', but when I try and connect it says connected/not connected alternately about every 1 second.
The TC is connected to the internet via a cable from my landlord's router, next door. They have perfect signal. They also have a signal booster in their house, which used to interfere with my TC (when it worked). I changed the channel on my TC, and now, when it connects, there is no interference.
Please can someone enlighten me - I have worked though every thing I can, and I can't go any further because I can't see any logic to the problem.
** Since these problems have started, the TC has not backed anything up - I can't get it to back up, whatever I've tried.
** Each time I have re-made my network, when I open Airport Utility, it says 'no wireless devices recognised', and I have to re-start the TC in order to be able to do anything to it.

Try changing the Firewall setting:
mDNSResponder - Allow incoming connections
Background:
My Time Capsule was working perfectly in Leopard.
When I upgraded to Slow Leopard, Airport Utility was no longer able to see the Time Capsule - although my Mac (MBP) was still able to connect to the wireless network and out onto the Internet.
The next day or so I upgraded to Lion (Snow Leopard was only installed to get App store) - the situation remained the same.
From another Mac (MB - still running Leopard) Airport Utility was still able to connect to Time Capsule.
I edited the firewall settings on my Lion MBP:
The mDNSResponder was set to "Block incoming connections".
I changed this to "Allow incoming connections".
Airport Utility was then was then able to see the Time Capsule (I can't recall now if I needed a reboot after changing this).
HTH.

How to restore an iPhone from a previous backup using iTunes

Hi all, I don't have a question - but merely a story of the solution I found to restore a previous backup from my wife's iPhone 5c that had some problems. Long story short, something got jammed with her Exchange email account settings and she lost all of her contacts and emails. Everything was fine on her work server (accessing the account using Outlook or the web app worked just fine). For whatever reason, this would not be fixed by deleting and recreating the Exchange account on the iPhone for some reason.
First let me say that this would never have worked if I didn't have a recent, intentional, manual backup of her phone. Moral of the story: plug your phone in to your computer and back up regularly. However, the trouble always seems to arise (much like it did in this case): with an automatic backup overwriting a good file with bad data.
My last known good backup was on Feb 17th. After that date, something went wrong on the phone. When I connected it to the computer in an effort to restore it from that backup, I was befuddled by the fact that the first thing iTunes does is immediately back up the phone, which automatically overwrites the 'Latest Backup' with today's date (the 20th). I tried restoring the backup thinking to myself that iTunes would fish out the second most recent, but when it was finished I got a restored version of the phone that was broken, not the working copy from the 17th.
Before starting this process it's important to know what on which date your last good backup completed.
I should note that in my study I learned that there is a fundamental difference between backing up and syncing. The former handles all the settings and iOS stuff, the latter is all about apps and music (and stuff). This knowledge proved useful later.
I'm using an iMac with OSX Yosemite 10.10.2, iTunes 12.1.0.50, and a USB backup drive filled daily, courtesy of Time Machine.
The process looked like this:
1. Unplug the phone, double tap the home button and quit all the apps, and turn it off. It's probably not necessary to shut it down entirely, but that's what OCD does - it makes you do irrational things.
2. Quit all the computer's programs, and restart. Again, the wonder of OCD.
3. Once restarted, don't open iTunes. Mouse up to the 'Go' menu in the Finder top bar. Click on 'Go'. Hold down the 'Option' key and you'll notice the 'Library' submenu magically appears. Click 'Library'.
4. A Finder > Library window will open. Double click on 'Application Support'. Double click on 'MobileSync'. You should be staring at a Finder window with a folder called 'Backup'. Don't double click it.
5. From here, launch Time Machine from the Dock or from Mission Control. Ooh and aaahh as the Finder window magically animates itself into file-folder order.
6. Scan back in time to the date after your last good backup. Click 'Restore'. It will ask you if you want to keep or overwrite the 'Backup' folder. I overwrote mine. It was a 25GB folder, so the Time Machine recovery took a while.
7. While the recovery was going on, I learned of a way (here) to use the Terminal application (inside Mission Control > Other) to disable the automatic backup function in iTunes. For sake of not mis-copying the Terminal commands and giving you broken code, I suggest you refer to that page - plus, you should give them kudos and share their work because frankly, I'm not smart enough to have written it. Simply copy in the 'disable' command in to Terminal, wait a moment, and a new Terminal command line will pop-up. That means it's done and good. I thought I might get some fireworks, but alas.
8. With the backups turned off, the phone unplugged, and the Time Machine restore complete, I quit Time Machine and launched iTunes.
9. I plugged in the phone. It booted up. It then synced, but did not backup (which was perfect). The 'Latest Backup' field thankfully read February 17th. Joy. I clicked 'Restore Backup...' and the process began. The phone successfully recovered and I was elated.
10. Now recovered and fully functional again (contacts and mail both intact), I again unplugged the phone and then quit iTunes. I returned to the Terminal application, and punched in the other code that causes the automatic backup to resume. I relaunched iTunes, plugged in a different iPhone (to test objectively), and it both synced and backed up. Huzzah.
To be honest, I won't be following this thread nor replying to questions if any arise. I just thought I should share the solution and thank all of the people who posted stuff along the way that helped me out of a jam. Thank You.
-- Cedric

Hi austinflorida,
Thank you for using Apple Support Communities.
From your post I understand you want to restore your iOS backups to the new iTunes installation. Take a look at the information below on how you can accomplish this.
If you backed your iOS device up to iTunes, back up your devices on the new computer or manually transfer the backups from your old computer. The backups belong in:
Mac: ~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup/
Windows XP: \Documents and Settings\(username)\Application Data\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup\
Note: To quickly access the Application Data folder, click Start, and then choose Run. Type %appdata%and click OK.
Windows Vista and Windows 7: \Users\(username)\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup\
Note: To quickly access the AppData folder, click Start, and then in the search bar type %appdata% and press the Return key.
Windows 8: \Users\(username)\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup\
Note: To quickly access the AppData folder, move the cursor to the top-right, click on the magnifying glass charm, type %appdata% and press the Return key.
iTunes: How to move your music to a new computer
Take care,
Alex H.

My ipad mini suddenly won't connect to wifi

My iPad mini is 2 years old. Today it won't connect to the wifi at all. I've tried shutting it off and turning it back on. Then I go to wifi settings, and it shows my network and asks for password. I know I'm entering the password correctly, but it says *incorrect password*. I've tried resetting the ipad, I've tried resetting the network, I've tried closing out all apps, turning the ipad off and on, etc. My laptop is connected and my smart phone is connected, so that's not the issue. I don't know why the ipad is telling me the password is incorrect! What can I do? Any help would be appreciated!
PS - I have a brand new iPad mini here for my son for Christmas. I'd rather not have to give it to him today but I'm about ready to!

As of yesterday I have the same issue with an iPad Mini bought in November 2012. I have tried resetting the network settings - no good. I have done an entire factory reset - no good. I have restored from previous backups - no good. I have reset to factory and set up as a new iPad - temporarily OK, then added some apps back - no wifi again.
Today I have been to an Apple Store who could connect the iPad to their wifi OK, came home, connected OK for a few minutes and then back to no wifi again.
It is not the router that is the problem, in the house are iPhone 6 plus, iPhone 6, iPhone 5S, iPad Air, Macbook Air, Apple TVs, and other bits of kit that are all successfully connecting. All iOS devices are on 8.1.2.
This problem has effectively bricked my iPad mini... very not happy!!!

TimeMachine won't connect to previous backup

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