Transferring external drive backups on MacBook Air

Just received a warranty replacement 1TB My Passport external drive from Western Digital for one that was working erratically (won't backup/open from time to time).
I use the external drive for my mid-2011 MacBook Air (1.7 GHz, 13"0, to include running my entire iTunes library through the external drive.
I have both of the external drives visible on my MacBook Air. My question: How do I transfer the info, or at least the latest backup, from the old drive to the new drive?

If you are speaking of a Time Machine backup, you don't.
Make a new backup on your new drive, from scratch.
The likelyhood that a transferred TM backup will not be usable, when you need it, under these circumstances is way too high of a risk.
My suspicion is that you are using Time Machine for archiving. You should not have, and you definitely should not continue the practice. Use Time Machine only for emergencies. You should use Finder for the purpose of archiving (moving files from disk to disk), to a dedicated drive for such.
You should never use Finder to manipulate Time Machine files. While it is conceivable that an app like Carbon Copy Cloner, may work to transfer these files, I would not trust it. Anytime you buy a new drive to use with Time Machine, start with a fresh backup.

Similar Messages

Is there a way to access my iTunes Library, which is stored on a (PC) External Hard Drive, on a MacBook Air (through an Apricorn Universal Hard Drive Adapter), without transferring the music files off of the external hard drive?

Is there a way to access my iTunes Library, which is stored on a (PC) External Hard Drive, on a MacBook Air (through an Apricorn Universal Hard Drive Adapter), without transferring the music files off of the external hard drive?
In other words, because the MacBook Air only has 120 gbs of hard drive space & my old hard drive, from a Lenovo, has 500 gbs of hard drive space (and I have over 120 gbs of music), I’m looking to manage my iTunes music from the external hard drive permanently. Upon attempting to access the iTunes library held on the external hard drive the following message comes up: “The iTunes Library.itl file is locked, on a locked disk, or you do not have write permission for this file”. Is there a way to get around this?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated, thanks so much!

You will have to engage a split library which means you will have to start answering questions on this forum because you will need to learn a lot about how iTunes works in order not that have a big mess at the end of it all. It also won't be easy when the time comes to relocate it all to different drives.
You can go to advanced preferences and turn off organize media and copy to items to media folder when adding items to library. Next read about how to selectively consolidate items to the external drive.
Sept. 2010, Consolidate selected content - https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2589812 and April 2014, https://discussions.apple.com/message/25414357
"...selected the new tracks directly in iTunes, Control-clicked on the selection, and saw that now you can consolidate selected items." - http://hints.macworld.com/article.php?story=20090919000326840
Remember that when you start iTunes without the external drive turned on iTunes will present you with a bunch of broken links. If you have automatic downloads enabled with iCloud you may have to turn that off to prevent iTunes from repopulating your drive trying to deal with those "missing" tracks.
If you add tracks in bunches to iTunes and want them to go to different media folders you will need to either add them by holding down the option key while dragging if the desired media folder is not the one set in preferences, or by changing the media folder in preferences. Changing media folder preferences only applies to new files added, not old ones.
Okay, I am going to stop typing because you might just reply to me, "Oh, okay, forget it," and I don't need the exercise.
What are the iTunes library files? - http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1660
More on iTunes library files and what they do - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ITunes#Media_management
What are all those iTunes files? - http://www.macworld.com/article/139974/2009/04/itunes_files.html
Where are my iTunes files located? - http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1391

I need to buy an external hard drive for my MacBook Air as it is almost full. Which one should I buy?

Do I need to buy an Apple external Hard Drive for my MacBook Air?

There is no such thing as an Apple hard drive, ...Apples doesnt make same.
avoid western digital if possible.
Yes, having an external HD is necessary for data backups and keeping large media files for packing around etc.
you need data redundancy.
best options for the price, and high quality HD:
Quality 1TB drives are $50 per TB on 3.5" or $65 per TB on 2.5"
Perfect 1TB for $68
http://www.amazon.com/Toshiba-Canvio-Portable-Hard-Drive/dp/B005J7YA3W/ref=sr_1_ 1?ie=UTF8&qid=1379452568&sr=8-1&keywords=1tb+toshiba
Nice 500gig for $50. ultraslim perfect for use with a notebook
http://www.amazon.com/Toshiba-Canvio-Portable-External-Drive/dp/B009F1CXI2/ref=s r_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1377642728&sr=1-1&keywords=toshiba+slim+500gb
Best small HD for the money:
2.5" USB portable High quality BEST FOR THE COST, Toshiba "tiny giant" 2TB drive (have several of them, LOT of storage in a SMALL package) $117
http://www.amazon.com/Toshiba-Canvio-Connect-Portable-HDTC720XK3C1/dp/B00CGUMS48 /ref=sr_1_4?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1379182740&sr=1-4&keywords=2tb+toshiba
*This one is the BEST portable external HD available that money can buy:
HGST Touro Mobile 1TB USB 3.0 External Hard Drive $88
http://www.amazon.com/HGST-Mobile-Portable-External-0S03559/dp/B009GE6JI8/ref=sr _1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1383238934&sr=8-1&keywords=HGST+Touro+Mobile+Pro+1TB+USB+3.0+7 2 00+RPM
Most storage experts agree on the Hitachi 2.5"
Hitachi is the winner in hard drive reliability survey:
Hitachi manufacturers the safest and most reliable hard drives, according to the Storelab study. Of the hundreds of Hitachi hard drives received, not a single one had failed due to manufacturing or design errors. Adding the highest average lifespans and the best relationship between failures and market share, Hitachi can be regarded as the winner.

Advice on how to format an external hard drive for a MacBook Air

I have an external USB hard drive plugged into a 64GB MacBook Air. How should I format the hard drive so that when I run out of room on the small 64 GB SSD drive on the MacBook Air, it will start putting some iTunes or other files onto the external hard drive? I only put iTunes and other small music files on the MacBook Air in order to save room. I do have iTunes set for iCloud.

You cannot format a drive so that files will be automatically put on that drive when you run out of room on another drive. Transferring the files must be done specifically by you. You will need to learn how to manage free space on the SSD because 64 GBs is a bit small for much more than OS X.
Drive Partition and Format
1. Open Disk Utility in your Utilities folder.
2. After DU loads select your 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.
3. 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.
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 Security 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.

How to use an external hard drive on a MacBook Air?

Hi there.
Recently I bought a portable USB external hard drive for my MacBook Air due to my full startup disk. I also bought multiple disks for the hard drive. I inserted the disk, hooked up the USB, and did everything properly. When I first hooked it up, I lost all internet files that I had saved. All images, videos and downloads (such as Minecraft and other gaming downloads) from the internet were gone and unable to find.
Now, I don't want to make the wrong move and lose all of my internet files again, so I am asking how to transfer files SAFELY to the USB without any files being deleted. I tranfered files before, but they were just short cuts to the original file, so I am also asking how to fix that as well. My Dad was a computer technician, although he didn't work for Apple, so he doesn't know how to use the USB.
I've tried everything to find my internet files, but nothing. If there is a way to get them back, I'd be glad if you shared that with me. My dock files aren't working due to this insanely full startup disk, so I'd appreciate it if you could tell me ASAP how to use the USB, how to SAFELY transfer files without them turning into shortcuts, and how to get my internet files back.
Thank you very much.
P.s My OS X version is 10.8.3 (Not with Mountain Lion)

You cannot format a drive so that files will be automatically put on that drive when you run out of room on another drive. Transferring the files must be done specifically by you. You will need to learn how to manage free space on the SSD because 64 GBs is a bit small for much more than OS X.
Drive Partition and Format
1. Open Disk Utility in your Utilities folder.
2. After DU loads select your 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.
3. 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.
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 Security 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.

Hi, I have a macbook pro with a new hard drive installed. My WD external drive backup on time machine now wont let me access the files. I get a prompt saying 'you do not have permission to access the files'

hi, I have a macbook pro with a new hard drive installed and restored. My WD external drive backup on time machine now wont let me access the files. I get a prompt saying 'you do not have permission to access the files' After my new drive was installed I plugged in time machine and it started backing up. I paused it when I realised that it was running for more than a few minutes. I now realise that it probably started backing up the new hard drive all over again. Which makes me think that the original back up must be on the WD back I cant seem to access it. Any ideas would be helpful.

See E-10 in the first link.
Time Machine Troubleshooting
Time Machine Troubleshooting Problems

HT204350 New Macbook Pro bought December 2013. Transferred everything from Timemachine backup from Macbook Air with 10.6.8. Failed to transfer "network settings". PROBLEM: neither account can log in. It shakes and refuses (the correct) password. Help

New Macbook Pro bought December 2013. T
ransferred everything from Timemachine backup from Macbook Air with 10.6.8.
Failed to transfer "network settings".
PROBLEM: the two accounts from the Macbook Air cannot log in. It shakes and refuses (the correct) password.
Cannot redo the setup.
Stuck! (With a dead as a doorknob $3000 machine.)
Help!!

New Macbook Pro bought December 2013. T
ransferred everything from Timemachine backup from Macbook Air with 10.6.8.
Failed to transfer "network settings".
PROBLEM: the two accounts from the Macbook Air cannot log in. It shakes and refuses (the correct) password.
Cannot redo the setup.
Stuck! (With a dead as a doorknob $3000 machine.)
Help!!

How do I configure my timecapsule to back up an external drive connected to macbook?

How do I configure my timecapsule to back up an external drive connected to macbook?

First, insure that the external drive has been formatted in Mac OS Extended Journaled
If it's not, and you already have data on the drive, you will need to move that data to another temporary storage location....as the format to Mac OS Extended (Journaled) will erase everything on the drive. Once the drive has been formatted, move the data from the temporary storage location back to the external drive
Click the Time Machine clock icon at the top of the screen
Click Time Machine Preferences
Click Options
Click the name of the external drive to highlight it, and then click the - (minus) button at the bottom of the list to remove the drive from the list of "excluded" items for backup
The drive will now be backed up by Time Machine on the next and all subsequent backups

Using TimeCapsule to backup 4 Macbook Airs, that are hardwired (ethernet) to office network

Our current setup includes 4 MacBook Airs that are hardwired to an office network that services 100+ office personnel. We are simply looking for an efficient way to backup all MacBook Airs "automagically". If we continue to hardwire to the existing network, is it possible to also "wirelessly backup" using Time Machine while connected through ethernet? How might we go about this?

Hardwiring Macbook Airs must be fun.. they don't have proper ethernet ports only usb to ethernet adapters.
If there is a file store somewhere in the network that can be formatted HFS+ or create a drive image that is HFS+ you might be able to backup using Time Machine without doing anything. Even with a Time Capsule you could ethernet connect it to the network and point TM backups to it.
Generally it is better for your setup to stick to one setup.
But you can do what you want if you must!!
You need to run two different network IP address ranges.. so for example if your ethernet network is 192.168.x.x then the TC on its default address 10.0.1.1 will be fine.. You cannot use this if the main network is the same ip range so you might need to fix the TC to another network range.
It is easier to leave the TC in default router mode.. don't worry about errors that it cannot get wan connection. Just set to ingore.
In each air, set a static IP for wireless.. so using the example at default.. each air would have ip address, eg, 10.0.1.10 for the first one.. 10.0.1.20, for the second and so on.
Set the subnet to 255.255.255.0
Do not set gateway (router) or dns.
The air can now reach the TC.. if you are close enough it should connect on the 5ghz band.. you can force this with using a different wireless name for 5ghz.
Or split them to have some on 2.4ghz and some on 5ghz.
It will then work happily without affecting their connection to the main ethernet network.
Point Time Machine to the TC and start the backup.. do each one, when the last one completes.. as the initial backup will take a few hours and it is pointless simply getting them all to fight together to get access. Once the initial backup is done further backups are fairly small incremental assuming the computers are not changing lots of big files.
Also remember this is a backup in a single disk device.. it has no backup itself.. anything you delete from a computer will delete on the backup eventually.. when TM is good and ready.

Graphics driver bug on MacBook Air late 2010

I saw a graphics driver bug on MacBook Air late 2010.
The problem is that some programs that uses graphics card will not display some drop down menu correctly.
For example this will happen on Windows Live messenger and Firefox 4 beta.
Problematic WLM screen shot: http://a-fung.net/files/scr1.png
Correct WLM screen shot: http://a-fung.net/files/scr1_correct.png
Problematic Firefox 4 beta screen shot: http://a-fung.net/files/scr2.png
It does not happen when I ran it in VMWare fusion or other machines. So I am sure this is a graphics driver problem.
Does anyone know how often Apple push driver updates?
Or does anyone know anyway to solve this problem?
BTW, I tried to force-install a later nvidia driver from the official website. The drop down problem goes away but I lose the ability to change screen brightness.

Hi Tom,
Thanks for your quick reply. I am not convinced it is a hardware problem. For if I hold the key that is faulty pressed for a few seconds it works, and the also works for a while before it stops working again. This to me seems like it is software based. Is there a secure way to test software vs. hardware e.g. by booting from an external image into a shell only? I do not think I have an image on a usb, is there any online server that I can connect to to try it?
Thanks again
Tobias

I clearing space on hard drive,wheel deleted.I'm told it's important,how do I return this user called 'wheel',on hard drive.On my MacBook air 11(Late).

HELP! In attempt clearing space on hard drive,user called 'wheel' got deleted.I'm told it's important,how do I return this user called 'wheel',on hard drive.On my MacBook air 11(Late).

Back up all data.
Boot into Recovery by holding down the key combination command-R at the startup chime. Release the keys when you see a gray screen with a spinning dial.
Note: You need an always-on Ethernet or Wi-Fi connection to the Internet to use Recovery. It won’t work with USB or PPPoE modems, or with proxy servers, or with networks that require a certificate for authentication.
When the OS X Utilities screen appears, follow the prompts to reinstall the OS. You don't need to erase the boot volume, and you won't need your backup unless something goes wrong. If your Mac was upgraded from an older version of OS X, you’ll need the Apple ID and password you used to upgrade, so make a note of those before you begin.

How do I connect an external monitor to my MacBook Air?

How do I connect an external monitor to my MacBook Air?

With a minidisplay port to VGA or DVI or HDMI adapter:
http://store.apple.com/us/product/MB570Z/B/mini-displayport-to-dvi-adapter?fnode =53

I have replaced my faulty hard drive on my macbook air 1.1 and need to reinstall the original software where can in find this on the apple web site?

I have replaced my faulty hard drive on my macbook air 1.1 with a new ssd, I need to reinstall the original software,where can I find this on the apple site?

There is no download for the software. The factory software that you are looking for is called ilife. It is all of the software that would have came preinstalled with your mac on your original hard drive when you first bought it. You will have to get new software on your computer. This might actually be a great opurtunity to upgrade to Lions. Search the Lions software in the mac store and it will come up. Click add to cart and check out. The price for it is $20. I defientely recomend Lions, it has alot of new great features. Then wate for the install disk to come in the mail. when it come just pop it in and follow the step by step instructions. If you dont want to upgrade to lions however you can download the ilife package from apple.com for a small price. Hope this helps.

Does anybody knows how to install Windows 7 from a USB drive on 2010 MacBook Air running Lion?

Does anybody knows how to install Windows 7 from a USB drive on 2010 MacBook Air running Lion?

Tell my wife that!
This is the best I can do. This way you can use the 2011 MBA way to do things.
Look for the post from @jacktourist. (on page 2 about half way down) This seems to be the easiest.
There are a couple of more similar to this with pictures I've seen around but can't remember where.
Here's another search with added info. It's easier then it sounds.

I had to install a new hard drive on my macbook air and now I am getting unkown error whenever I try to login to itunes

I had to install a new hard drive on my macbook air and now I am getting unkown error whenever I try to login to itunes. Apple support suggested I reset my password so I did that and still the problem is occuring. Itunes and the app store are working normally on my ipad and iphone. Does anyone know what the problem is. The new disk was installed in France coz I am on holiday there. could there be something I need to change in my settings? I need help urgently as I am trying to finish an assignment and need to be able to access and download from icloud.

Hi Stacey,
Thanks for visiting Apple Support Communities.
You may find the tips in this article helpful with resolving the error you're seeing:
iTunes Store: "An unknown error occurred (-9808)"
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS2753
Best,
Jeremy

Transferring external drive backups on MacBook Air

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