Using Leopard Time Machine Backup after snow leopard install

So I want to install Snow Leopard (and set up bootcamp), and I wanted to wipe my hard drive and do a clean install - because in the past i've had some trouble creating a bootcamp partition.
would i be able to wipe and install snow leopard, and then easily restore my data and settings from a time machine backup?

You may get a better response if you posted your question
in the Snow Leopard forum...
http://discussions.apple.com/category.jspa?categoryID=263
Dave

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Can I restore my system after replacing my hard drive with the original leopard discs, then use my time machine backup (with Snow Leopard) to finish the restore?

I am replacing my original 100gb hard drive for a 500gb. I am currently running OS X.6.7. I understand the process of how to install the new drive and restore the system from the disc. What I am unsure of is whether I need the Snow Leopard disc or can I use the original Leopard discs and then plug in my time machine backup to complete the restore?

How do I restore my entire system?.
or, use Carbon Copy Cloner to clone your current system to an external HD, replace the HD, then clone the clone back to the new drive.

I just restored my 13" MBP i5 at the apple store to the newest version of Lion after issues with a previous Time Machine backup from Snow Leopard- this time I created a new account and just ported files and folders, and now MS Office doesn't work. Help?

I just restored my 13" MBP i5 at the apple store to the newest version of Lion after issues with a previous Time Machine backup from Snow Leopard- this time I created a new account and just ported files and folders, and now MS Office doesn't work.
^^ that's the main problem. Here's the full history.
I bought a new 13" i5 MBP, early 2011 edition. I had an old white Macbook 2.14 ghz core2duo on Snow Leopard. I attempted to port over my time machine backup, but encountered problems in that my User was inaccessible from the new computer after the import finished, and I had to go in and change the root password, etc, and for some reason or another, I couldn't install any programs at all from that administrator's account. By "couldn't" I mean I could install them, but upon installation they would never boot. So, I took it to the apple store and did a clean install from the most up to date Lion OSX. Then, I created a brand new admin account, instead of trying to import the old one, and things seemed great. Then, I just imported my old files from the TM backup, but not any system settings, permissions, or user data. Just my Docs, pics, vids, apps, and itunes stuff.
Here's where things get weird again. I imported this stuff under the name "old", but all of these folders have a red negative sign on them, marking them as restricted. So, from my main admin account, I cannot even peruse these folders. Since I didn't import user data, I can't sign in to the "old" account to change permissions. I already tried to change the permissions from system preferences, but that didn't change anything. And now, for whatever reason, of all the apps that were imported then, MS Office is the only set of apps that does not work. When I click on it, it just says there was a problem and asks if I'd like to send a report to apple. I tried reinstalling it to no avail. I'm an English student, so i really need access to Word. Can anyone help? The Apple store is a major detour for me and would like to fix this issue myself.

Most likely you have Office 2004 which are PPC-only applications and will not work in Lion. Upgrade to Office 2011. Other alternatives are:
Apple's iWork suite (Pages, Numbers, and Keynote.)
Open Office (Office 2007-like suite compatible with OS X.)
NeoOffice (similar to Open Office.)
LibreOffice (a new direction for the Open Office suite.)

I can't install OSX 10.6.3 as it says HD used for Time Machine backup, I can't install OSX 10.6.3 as it says HD used for Time Machine backup

I've just received Snow Leopard disc and tried to install it but nothign is ever that easy. It says that hard drive in use for Time Machine backup so can't install. I've never used Time Machine and settings appear to confirm that. I don't want to set it to restore and lose everything and have to install it again so not sure what to do. Can anyone advise me

Jane Doubleday wrote:
I've got an Intel mac otherwise I wouldn't have bought Snow Leopard.
Please update your profile info, then Jane - we can only go on the info you give us.
Glad you're sorted though

How do I reinstall Lion after having to revert to previous Time Machine Backup of Snow Leopard?

After upgrading to Lion, had to revert to a Snow Leopard Time Machine backup in order to transition my Quicken data to a newer version of Quicken compatible with Lion. Now not sure how to get back my upgrade. Command-R during restart does not work, I'm sure because system is now running Snow Leopard. App Store does not show my purchase. Don't want to pay for Lion again. Don't want to restore Lion Time Machine Backup as I will lose my new Quicken Essentials version and data file.

If you are running Snow Leopard 10.6.6 or later open App Store and sign in with the same Apple ID you used to purchase Lion. Click on Purchases icon in the toolbar. You should see an active Install button to the right of your original Lion purchase entry.

Time Machine Backup of snow leopard

Can i restore a Snow Leopard Time Machine backup using the Leopard Installation disks?
I screwed up some mac's at the office and need to repair it before anyone finds out :P
thanks

Again, since Snow Leopard has not been released, we cannot discuss any aspect of it except the feature information Apple has officially announced. If you are a registered Apple developer or authorized participant in an Apple seeding program, you have special forums available to you where you can ask questions about Snow Leopard.

Using old Time Machine backup after clean install of system

I had a system crash on my G4 iBook running Leopard. Based on advice given at the Apple store genius bar, I reinstalled Leopard from an install DVD, reformatting the drive. During the system installation process I used my Time Machine backup to reinstall the former users (but nothing else). I then installed my needed applications. So far so good.
Now I'm in the situation where I have an external drive with the Time Machine backup of the pre-crash iBook, and I'm not sure how to proceed. Do I start over and do a new backup (effectively erasing all my pre-restore data)? Or can the old backup still be used, and added to? While losing the pre-restore time machine data would not be a major loss, it would be kind of nice to have.
Any suggestions? Thanks!
Dan

DanK wrote:
I had a system crash on my G4 iBook running Leopard. Based on advice given at the Apple store genius bar, I reinstalled Leopard from an install DVD, reformatting the drive. During the system installation process I used my Time Machine backup to reinstall the former users (but nothing else). I then installed my needed applications. So far so good.
You didn't want any of your settings, preferences, data, etc.? The +MIgration Assistant+ app will let you do that, for one or more users. And of course, you can use the +Star Wars+ display to restore selected items.
Now I'm in the situation where I have an external drive with the Time Machine backup of the pre-crash iBook, and I'm not sure how to proceed. Do I start over and do a new backup (effectively erasing all my pre-restore data)? Or can the old backup still be used, and added to? While losing the pre-restore time machine data would not be a major loss, it would be kind of nice to have.
Your next backup will be a full one; everything on your internal HD is considered as changed, so will be backed-up again.
If there's room for that, it will just be a large incremental backup, added to the existing ones.
If not, Time Machine will begin deleting your oldest backups, one by one, trying to make enough room for the new backup (the amount on the internal HD plus 20% for workspace). But it won't delete the latest backup -- if that's the only one left, and there still isn't enough room, the backup will fail.
If there is room, the first backup may appear to be very slow; why is not clear, but as long as it's making progress, let it run. Subsequent ones should be normal.

Cannot install mountain lion keep getting "This disk is used for Time Machine backups" when trying to install, HELP!!!

Ok i currently have Lion on my early 2011 15" MBP. When i try to install Mountain Lion to my mac HD it keeps telling me I cannot because its used for time machine backups. I have done a search and I know I have to delete the backups.backupdb folder but I cannot find it for the life of me. If anyone can help I would really appreciate, thanks!
Nik

If you double-click on your hard drive icon the Backups.backupd folder should be on the root level of your drive. Sometimes OS X gets confused and incorrectly puts a Backups.backupd folder on your hard drive. That folder should only appear on a drive used for Time Machine
If you can't find the Backups.backupd folder try using the free EasyFind with both Package Contents and Invisible Files & Folders checked. Search for "Backups.backupd" without the quotes on your hard drive (default selection), not your Time Machine drive. Right-click on the search result and choose to Reveal in Finder. Click on the link that kisuke3 provided and follow those directions
If you can't find a Backups.backupd folder anywhere try booting into Safe Mode by holding down the Shift key right after you hear the startup chime. Keep holding the Shift key down until you see the Apple Logo. The progress bar that appears indicates the progress of the file check that Safe Mode automatically does. Give it time to finish.
Reboot normally and see if the ML installer will work. If it does wait until Spotlight is finishing indexing before turning Time Machine back on.

Migration Assistant in Lion won't recognize Time Machine backup from Snow Leopard

I just got an iMac with Lion. I am trying to use the Migration Assistant to move my files/apps etc from a Time Machine backup to the new computer. The MA will not recognize the backup drive - (external firewire 800). I can see the backup drive on my desktop but it does not show up as an option to choose in the Migration Assistant. Any idea what might be wrong. The backup is from an iMac running Snow Leopard and all the system software was last updated on Dec 9th. It think it is as current as I could get with Snow Leopard. Any ideas what is wrong?
Thanks,
Chad

This happened to me after hard drive replacement under the Seagate Drive Recall at the local Apple Store. Here's what I learned from the process:
I Wagged the Mac home, fired it up (with naked OS installed at the Apple Store), and it wouldn't see my Time Machine drive with Setup Assistant - not on firewire 800 nor USB. Just a grey spinner that lasts forever. When I try just continuing anyway, it offers me something that looks plausible, but then puts up a dialog about duplicate user name, and no matter what I enter, it always says "that user already exists". So I think - maybe Migration Assistant. Complete the setup, create an account, watch the nice welcome movie. BAM - there's my Time Machine drive on the desktop. OK - it has to work . . . but no. Same behavior in Migration Assistant, plus the new OS offers to start making backups on my Time Machine disk - it's not recognizing it at all.
So - back to the Apple Store - let the genius figure it out. It turns out there are multiple problems. First, the "genius" who imaged my new machine picked 10.7.2 but my machine had 10.7.5 - turns out, it's not enough just to have right cat. Even a point release older OS may not recognize a newer Time Machine drive. The guy at the desk said "We have images of everything but the 10.7.2 has free iLife in it, so they like to use that one". What the heck? They don't image what you had originally as a matter of sane process?
Having figured that out, we re-image 10.7.5 at the store thinking we've fixed it. But no - Setup Assistant still won't see the Time Machine drive. Not on USB, not on Firewire. Not in a box, not with a fox.
So here's the second trick - newer machines have a recovery partion. see: http://www.apple.com/osx/recovery/ Boot with the option key held down, pick that partition, then you'll get a "system restore" option, to restore your whole system from a Time Machine backup. My drive was recognized by the recovery partition restore process when neither Setup nor Migration Assistant would. Obviously, there's something broken in Setup/Migration Assistant.
Takeaway:
- if you're getting a drive replaced by Apple, make sure they image *exactly* the same OS
- if Setup Assistant fails, use the recovery partition for system restore
- Use Recovery Disk Assistant http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1433 NOW to make yourself a recovery thumb drive just in case. With Apple's new "no media" approach to the OS, you're hosed without it.

Time Machine Backup from Snow leopard

My old Macbook died. It was rurning Snow Leopard, and fortunately i had everything backed up with time machine on an iomega network drive. I just bought a new Macbook pro with Mountain Lion and i get an error when i try to access the time machine backup: "The version of the server you are trying to connect to is not supported. Please contact your system administrator to resolve the problem."
Any ideas?
Thank you

See Pondini's Excellent information here...
Setting-up a new Mac from an old one, its backups, or a PC
But am not sure about TM and your iomega network drive
More Info here...
http://pondini.org/TM/Troubleshooting.htm

Can I Install My ML Time Machine Backup on Snow Leopard?

I have a Time Machine backup with Mountain Lion on it. Can I install this straight onto a Mac with Snow Leopard on it? If so, does it install the hidden Lion Boot Partition as well?

No.

Keep last Time Machine backup from Snow Leopard

Recently my 2008 Macbook (aluminum) was running much slower so I performed a backup in Time Machine on my external HD, erased my MacBook's HD and performed a clean install of Mountain Lion. I do not need all of the files from my Time Machine backup so instead of restoring from that backup I manually transferred only the important documents (mostly because I did not want old software, etc.). I reinstalled my software from disks or re-downloaded and am happy that this machine is performing beautifully. I would like to save *ONLY* the last TM backup I made before wiping my HD as a file on the HD and then erase the external so I can set up TM to do backups on the computer again (Ideally, would partition external to contain the last backup of the "old machine" but need to know size of that file to do so.). However because of the weirdness with how TM writes files I am not sure which files must be saved for this to work. Do I just save the file linked in the "Latest backup" alias, and if not what other files need to be saved? Is it even possible to do this?

See Pondini's Excellent information here...
Setting-up a new Mac from an old one, its backups, or a PC
But am not sure about TM and your iomega network drive
More Info here...
http://pondini.org/TM/Troubleshooting.htm

How to keep using existing Time Machine backup after replacing main hard drive

The hard drive in my iMac (Lion) is failing. I cloned it to a new drive and installed it in the iMac. Now the system wants to start fresh with a whole new Time Machine backup.
It seems obvious that there must be a way to keep using the existing Time Machine backup set, but I can't figure out how to do it. Help, please.

If you had done a full system restore from Time Machine, it would have been done automatically. But 3rd-party cloning apps don't leave a "trail" so Time Machine can figure out that the new drive has all the old stuff on it.
Effective with Lion, there is a way to "associate" the new drive with the backups of the old one, but it requires the use of Terminal. See #B6 in Time Machine - Troubleshooting. As noted though, this only works on directly-connected backup drives, not backups made over a network.

Time Machine backups after a clean install

I recently performed a reinstalled Snow Leopard on my Macbook Pro as it was suffering from running quite slow. Since I had upgraded this machine from an old Tiger install, I decided to manually migrate my files from a second backup, rather than restoring from my Time Machine backup on a Time Capsule.
Now I'm up and running, I wanted to be able to view my old TM backup on my Capsule, and restore other files if I needed to, but don't seem to be able to.
When browsing the Time Capsule, there is just the one sparsebundle for my backups, but when I enter Time Machine, it doesn't seem to read the older backups.
I would like to either:
1) Get TM to read my older backups
or
2) Clean them off
I still have my second backup so I'm not worried about losing the old data, but I am hoping to be able to claim back some disk space on my Time Capsule, without having to create a whole new TM backup.
Anyone got any ideas?

Dominic Barnes wrote:
I recently performed a reinstalled Snow Leopard on my Macbook Pro as it was suffering from running quite slow. Since I had upgraded this machine from an old Tiger install, I decided to manually migrate my files from a second backup, rather than restoring from my Time Machine backup on a Time Capsule.
Now I'm up and running, I wanted to be able to view my old TM backup on my Capsule, and restore other files if I needed to, but don't seem to be able to.
When browsing the Time Capsule, there is just the one sparsebundle for my backups, but when I enter Time Machine, it doesn't seem to read the older backups.
Have you tried to click-and-hold (or control-click) on the Dock's Time Machine icon and selecting "Browse Other Time Machine disks..."?

Can't access Time Machine backups after erase and install

Had iMac checked by Apple Authorized Service Provider after experiencing multiple problems I couldn't fix. No hardware problem. He did an erase and install of 10.5.8. The machine accesses my Time Machine backup, but in Time Machine/ iMacHome/ Sharing & Permissions says, "You can only read." If I access a folder in Home, like Desktop or Documents, it says,"You have no access." Permissions are locked and grayed out.
I spent over two hours on the phone with tech support last evening, and he finally said he'd have to turn it over to Apple engineers, which would take a few days.
Migration assistant only allows "all or nothing" migration, and I need to select just certain folders; I do not want to restore anything that might be corrupted.
Is it possible I could have an undetected hardware problem? Has anyone else done an erase and install and been able to use Time Machine backups to pick and choose what they wanted to restore?

Thank you for your reply. The apple support tech should have known this, but he didn't. However, in the course of our two hour discussion he said "Maybe it's because the computer name is different." I hadn't reached the new-set-up stage where I had changed the name of the computer from Apple's default, so I did that. My short name home folder I had already named the same as before, iMacHome.
But changing the computer name didn't help. After reading your reply, I unlocked the preferences (which were locked and grayed out in TM) to my home folder in the finder and assigned read and write to all folders within for everyone. Back in TM, preferences were no longer grayed out, but changing privileges was. I added iMacHome to the names in addition to staff read & write and everyone read and write. But ImacHome(Me) allows read only, options gray, and even though everyone is read and write, it says "You can only read" and I still cannot access Desktop, Documents, etc...
Fortunately I have a SuperDuper user file backup that I am restoring from, so all is not lost. But it seems to me TM backups should be readily available, and I want to solve this problem. I may still want to go back to a previous month to recover something. But mostly I'd just like to know that TM is a functional backup. It certainly isn't in my case right now.
Don't want to migrate the entire home folder. Too risky. Risky enough to bring over Mail and selected Application Support folders and keychains.
Thanks again. I think your answer is right on, but there must still be something else. I know I have those names correct because I see the old computer name on the sparse bundle, and the old home name in the TM backups. (Haven't read the tips yet. Will do so.)

Using Leopard Time Machine Backup after snow leopard install

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