What should be excluded from Time machine backups?

I was looking at the Time Machine options and it is showing my external hard drive( Seagate) as being excluded from backups. Is that correct? If not, how do I correct. Seagate is grayed out & does not appear it can be changed. I recently added SuperDuper to my Mac, so not sure if that is the reason.
I appreciate any help to my question. Thanks!

For some guidance see:
11. What should I exclude, and what should I not exclude?
http://pondini.org/TM/11.html

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What files are excluded from time machine backups in Mavericks?

Is it mainly Cache files?
I had a report from Dr Light virus scanner that it had found a virus in my safari cache. To which I have had to reset safari to delete the cache. I am worried that time machine might have backed up the rouge file to my time machine.
Thanks

Time Machine backs up those files that are needed to recover the system.
Swap, Trash and cache are not required to recover the system so they are not backed up.
Allan

What files can I exclude from Time Machine backups?

I'm running Firefox on OS X Mavericks. I use Time Machine to back this computer. I know that Time Machine will automatically avoid backing up my web cache. But which of the files in my profile directory can I not back up? I'm particularly interested in webappstore.sqlite, cookies.sqlite, and healthreport.sqlite since these are on the large end and seem to change frequently.
I already have excluded bookmarkbackups and places.sqlite. I have the browser set to automatically export my bookmarks so if I need to restore my machine I'll get back my bookmarks but not my browsing history, which seems reasonable.

What kind of data is valuable to you?
A reset for instance preserves personal data like bookmarks (places.sqlite, JSON backups), history (places.sqlite), cookies (cookies.sqlite), passwords (signons.sqlite and key3.db), form data (formhistory.sqlite), open tabs (sessionstore.js)
See these articles about information on files:
*http://kb.mozillazine.org/Transferring_data_to_a_new_profile_-_Firefox
*http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_folder_-_Firefox
*https://support.mozilla.org/kb/Recovering+important+data+from+an+old+profile

HD Excluded from Time Machine Backup

In time machine options, my main drive (actually a SSD that replaced HDD) shows up as excluded from backups and is grayed out. How can I reverse the exclusion so I can again do backups to my TC?

Ok.. that is weird.. So the SSD was cloned from the original HDD??
Try deleting TM preferences and start over.. it should automagically select the boot drive to backup..
It is a bit old but the details here for fixing TM problems can still be helpful.
See A4 on TM reset. http://pondini.org/TM/Troubleshooting.html

I recently lost access to external hard drive connected to my iMac (no icon visible). My iTunes and iPhoto files are accessed from this drive. I can't seem to get the time machine to restore these two. that drive was NOT excluded from time machine backup

Hi.
help! recently I noticed the external drive icon missing from my desktop...the one with my huge itunes and iphoto libraries. I tried several things but couln't get it back. So I tried to restore to an older date in time machine with no success. I'm sure the drive was not set for exclusion from the backups. Any thoughts as to where i'm going wrong? I was under the impression that external drives were also backed up with time machine...am I delusional?

Frequently doing a SMC reset will help this issue, for directions please click the iMac SMC and PRAM reset link. Also check the obvious such as cables and connections. Or it's even possible the EHD has failed, they can and do.

HT1379 I had to restart by resetting the NVRAM/PRAM. Now I have a window showing OS X Utilities. My options are restore from Time Machine Backup (which I could do), Disk Utility to repair or erase, get help online or reinstall OS X. What should I do?

I had to restart by resetting the NVRAM/PRAM. Now I have a window showing OS X Utilities. My options are restore from Time Machine Backup (which I could do), Disk Utility to repair or erase, get help online or reinstall OS X. What should I do? The problem began when I tried to restart my computer and the only thing I saw was the grey screen, Apple logo, and the timer; the computer wouldn't restart from there.

I searched through trouble shooting options on the Apple Support page and was able to make it this far.

My MacBook Pro recently shut down on me all of a sudden. When I restarted it, it popped up with a gray box with 'OS X Utilities,' then listed various options such as 1. restore from time machine backup, 2. reinstall OS X, etc. what do I do now?

My MacBook Pro recently shut down on me all of a sudden. When I restarted it, it popped up with a gray box with 'OS X Utilities,' then listed various options such as 1. restore from time machine backup, 2. reinstall OS X, 3. get help online and 4. disk utility. what do I do now? I have not backed up to Time Machine in a few days, so I'm not sure I should restore from time machine backup, is there something else I can do? Help!

Guitar21,
your MacBook Pro has booted into its Recovery mode. From the OS X Utilities menu, select Disk Utility. On the left-hand side of the Disk Utility window, select your internal disk’s boot partition (typically called “Macintosh HD”). On the right-hand side, press the Verify Disk button if it’s not greyed out; if it is greyed out, or if it reports that errors were found, press the Repair Disk button. Once the verification/repair is completed, exit Disk Utility and select Restart from the Apple menu to restart in normal mode. Does it get to the login screen now?

Unable to exclude VMware disk image from Time Machine backup

In Time Machine Preferences, I elected to exclude home\Documents\Virtual Machines folder in my home directory. Whether I use the "+" button to add the exclusion or dragged it in from Finder, the exclusion list only shows [Virtual Machine]. Coming from a Windows world, I am concerned that I don't see the fully qualified path for the "Virtual Machine" folder name. Even the folder property doesn't show the full path information. Since I do not exclude Documents folder, it is included in all Time Machines backup. Unfortunately, so is my home\Documents\Virtual Machines folder.
Question #1: What am I missing?
This question is related to this next issue.
Question #2: If I have a folder called "Users Guide" in addition to the built-in "Documents folder in my home directory, and they each contain the sub-directory "Preliminary", how do I tell Time Machine I want to exclude the folder \User Guide\Preliminary from TM backup?

Thanks for the tip. Hovering does show the path. Now the mystery is a little worst than before, and I'm back to trying figure out how to exclude the home\Documents\Virtual Machines folder (where he VM disk images are stored) from Time Machine backups while it's allowed to backup home\Documents (as intended).
When I get back home tonight, I'm going to try excluding some other sub-folders (which I created) of [Documents] from Time Machine while I allow [Documents] to be backed up. I'll post the results, and hopefully can ask a smarter questions.

Re: Migrating my IPhoto from Time Machine Backup to my just-installed Snow Leopard OSX... the program is there, all my photos are there..... but my photos had all been neatly arranged in folders, and there is absolutely no sign of my folders. What a mer

re: Migrating my IPhoto from Time Machine Backup to my just-installed Snow Leopard OSX... the program is there, all my photos are there..... but my photos had all been neatly arranged in folders, and there is absolutely no sign of my folders. What a mess, 20,000 photos. How can I restore my folders?
(iphoto 08)

Restore the library from Time Machine as shown in this screenshot:
Then open the library with iPhoto. No importing necessary.
OT

Exclude Movies from Time Machine backups

Is there a way to exclude iTunes movies from Time Machine backups? The "Movies" folder is visible and can be selected, but the "exclude" button grayed-out. I ask this question because I add TV shows and movies to iTunes really just for a short term, maybe a day or two, until I can watch them using AirPlay on my TV, and then they're deleted. For example, four 1-hour TV episodes equals about 20GB of mp4 files, and it's a waste of Time Capsule space to back them up. I can exclude individual movie files, but I need to exclude the entire folder because the file names are always changing.
Is there a terminal command I might be able to enter to exclude the "Movies" folder? Thanks in advance.

Exposing the /Home/Library/ Folder
Pick one of the following methods:
A. This method will make the folder visible permanently. Open the Terminal application in your Utilities folder and paste the following at the command prompt:
chflags nohidden ~/Library
Press RETURN.
B. Click on the Desktop, press the OPTION (⌥) button, select Library from the Finder's Go menu.
C. Select Go To Folder from the Finder's Go menu. Paste the following in the path field:
~/Library
Press the Go button.

HT201250 How can I exclude mail from Time Machine backups?

How can I exclude mail from Time Machine backups?

Welcome to the Apple Support Communities
Mails are stored on ~/Library/Mail, being ~ your user folder. As you are running Snow Leopard, it's easy to exclude your mails from your Time Machine backup.
Open System Preferences > Time Machine > Options, and add ~/Library/Mail to excluded items, so the next backup won't include mails. Note that you have to go to your user folder, in order to access to this directory

HT5096 Transferred from time machine backup to a new computer and screen went white. What did I do?

Transferred from time machine backup to new Mac desktop and screen went white on me. Did I do something wrong.???

How did you transfer the data?

I'm having a problem with logging into a FileVault-protected user account after restoring from Time Machine backup.

Hi all,
My computer had been running really slowly for a while, so I decided to erase the whole hard drive and reinstall the operating system, and then I was going to restore the files I cared about from Time Machine. The main account, which had all my documents and photos, was FileVault-protected. The last thing I did before erasing the hard drive was to run one last Time Machine backup. As far as I remember, I always ran Time Machine backups with the FileVaulted user logged in.
I don't remember whether I was using FileVault 1 or 2. I had been using FileVault 1, but I installed Lion as soon as it came out and I thought I had migrated to FileVault 2 at that point.
Once I erased the hard drive and reinstalled the operating system, I browsed the Time Machine disk and, within the Users folder, there was no folder for the main user account. When I tried to reinstall everything by restoring from Time Machine backup, I'd get the option for all the user accounts, but when I tried to log in with the main one I'd get the dreaded "You are unable to log in to the FileVault user account "User" at this time. Log in failed because an error occurred." Finally, when attempting to restore from the Time Machine backup again, I noticed something strange: After the computer got to about 10% done restoring, it declared itself completed successfully and rebooted.
I've tried a number of tips that came up from questions about similar issues on the Apple support forum, but had no luck. Is there any way to get these files back? Did they ever even get backed up?
Thanks.

Hroodbwai wrote:
I can't find it! not sure what's going on but the only folder shown is the " Shared" folder.
Did you have only the one user account? If there were others, they should also be in the "Users" folder. You probably won't have access to the files inside them, but they should be there.
From what can make out, it looks like it's not backed up any of the files for the filevault account. Can't see user folder when looking through previous backups in Time Machine galaxy view.
Are you doing that from a Finder window set to your internal HD, or your computer name? It should look something like this (with the Finder in List view):
|
|
I'd been logging out and backing up manually on a regular basis.
Scheduled backups should run normally; but they won't back up the File Vault sparse bundle, nor will any run manually.
The only time it's backed-up is when you actually log out.
You should have seen this window on logout:
|
|
followed by this one:
|
|
If you didn't see the second one, or cancelled it, the account wasn't backed-up.

Imac won't restore from time machine backup after HD (hard drive) recall replacement

I have an imac bought in 2011, running Snow Leopard. It required an HD replacement due to the 1 TB Seagate recall - the replacement was done by a certified Apple repair station yesterday. Before the guy left he started a backup/restore from my latest time machine backup set. It failed. I attempted it two times and got error messages that it failed and the computer needed to be restarted to try it again. No luck. I called the guy back and he told me to call Apple Care. Not thrilled about that response since the guy had just left my house I did what he told me to do. (A quick sideline here: I recognize that a time machine backup should be no big deal and SHOULD work everytime, but it doesn't. It irks me that Apple is replacing my HD through no fault of mine and yet they don't allow the restore of data to be a "covered" expense in this process - this isn't just because this was an authorized repair guy - the Apple store would have done the same).
Back to the issue. When I called apple care they pretty much had me try the same thing again with an earlier back up set. To my knowledge, it didn't work. I say this because it looked like it was working and when I came back to the imac later, it had restarted and once again booted to the OSX install. (The boot disc is still in the imac). When I tried to boot from another location, one did not show up to boot from so I assumed that the data didn't transfer and it forced another restart. So, I tried something else. I tried to re-install the snow leopard OSX without using the restore function. That appeared to work and then when the machine restarted it asked if I had another mac and I chose the option to get the files/apps/etc. from my time machine backup. The computer chose what I can only assume is the most recent backup set (It chose what I know to be a subfolder that appears under the dated backup folder - Macintosh HD--which btw is confusing seeing as that's always the name of the HD on the imac). I again stepped away from the computer so it could do its thing for two hours. When I returned, I was back to the MAC OSX screen that asks you to choose a language. There were no more options to choose DISK UTILITY or RESTORE FROM BACKUP, etc. When I clicked on English it took me right back into the screen where you say whether you have another Apple that you want to transfer data from. I realized that the imac must have restarted and I assumed maybe it was because the boot disk was still in - except how do you get the disc to eject? I also initially assumed that the backup had somehow failed again and triggered a restart. I tried to choose the option to just set up the machine without transferring data and when I got to the choose a name for your HOME folder message I tried to enter the same name I had it as before and it wouldn't allow me to do so, saying that that name was already in use. I also tried a different name and that didn't work either - got the same message (I assume if it is not the same name that it won't sync up with the time machine data from the backup set). So, I almost tried the "select time machine backup" option again until I looked at my HD space. Clearly, there is space that has been used. HD space was 997 at the start and now it's 636. My initial thought is to somehow get back into the setup area where I can use disc utility and erase the whole thing and then start over but 1) I don't think it's going to work even if I could get back there 2) I have no idea how to get this thing to reboot into that mode 3) I can't get the boot CD out to even try to restart to see if this thing did what it was supposed to, SO NOW I AM TOTALLY STUCK! I have not called Apple Care back because quite frankly they were useless the first time. I have a call into the repair guy but who knows how much help he will be. In the mean time, I have a million things to do and a computer that isn't working - Whoever said Apples never have issues needs to be seriously censored!
A few other notes: I use Time Machine Editor to run my backups weekly. It was set up that way from the get go by an Apple rep who came to my house to get us up and running. Editor should not effect the way that time machine does its work, so I doubt there is relevance but thought it worth mentioning.
One other note is that the Apple Care agent tried to have me do something called a "Source" something or other from the disk utility screen but when she realized that my backup file (shown by date) contained many other sub files (11-27-12/MacintoshHD/MyNamesIMAC/etc.), it was not possible to run this operation - thus we aborted. Sorry I don't remember the name of the process and unfortunately now can't access that option to go find it.
If you can help me, I would be eternally grateful! I am open to having a phone conversation if you are willing to give me your email to mail you my number. I have so much work to do this week and this was the last thing I needed. Did I mention this was supposed to be EASY?
I used to be quite the geek with my PC - still on the learning curve with the mac but not enjoying it. I am fairly tech savvy and I can follow instructions for a step by step solution if you've got one.

I got a recall and had the drive replaced. I have retored 3 timesa dn even had apple do the job and it is still not right. I still can't get a simple ghost of the data from time machineback tot he new drive.
This is Apple's explaination as taken from their web page.:
Restoring your entire system from a backup
If you are restoring a backup made by a Mac to the same Mac
With your backup drive connected, start up your Mac from the Recovery system (Command-R at startup) or Mac OS X v10.6 installation disc. Then use the "Restore From Time Machine Backup" utility.
Note: If "You can't restore this backup because it was created by a different model of Mac" appears when restoring a backup that was made on a different Mac, follow the onscreen instructions.
I even posted this information on the community and apple removed it... because they don't like the:
Off-topic or non-technical posts
Non-constructive rants or complaints
But here is my experieince:
Take in 27iMac running 10.6.8, 5-7 days, what a joke, my boss will be happy to pay for a week without working. Finally get, "if you have TM back up, 3 days." Get machine back with 10.6.3, hit the R recovery, click TM back up, runs for 2 hours, reboots, looks great. Box up take back to office... update to install - OH NO, still running 10.6.3. Updates crash with no specific error on install, BUG PROBELM, nothing runs.
Call Apple... after hours, tells me to boot using 10.6.2 disk, wipe, reinstall OS, udate to 10.6.8, THEN do the restore. GREAT! Only thing 10.6.2 DVD won't read... now back on phone... take back to the store, Genius says, he'll ix it just like it was. PROMISES it'll be fixed.
Pick up next day, supposedly, booted to disk, wiped drive, reinstalled, updated to 10.6.8 and THEN did the RIGHT restore... Looks GREAT... apps run and 10.6.8 OS. Back to the office... NOT RUNNING right!!!... fonts messed up, drop box app needs new install, cocktail needs upgrade, Fetch not working, memorized paths gone... back ups locked out of permissions... ***!!
4 hours on phone with apple and still no rsolution - to missing "settings". Seems there are THREE WAYS TO RESTORE (according to apply tech)... Running MIGRATE ASSISTANT and being able to choose your files, including settings, "R" RESTORE after they load a new OS... or NOW WAITING for them to send me a bootable 10.6.3 disk and then boot from disk, w/o installing OS and doing a restore from TM. I think this is done via the disk Utilties application.
So now can't back up without doing a full 400 GB back up since permissons are screwed and possibly destroying any good back ups... can't work, like having hands tied behind back. WAITING for solution! Very upset!!!
I did my first restore just like they said and now an 10 days without proper machine. Just FYI. I thnk I am going to make the store do the tech work so I have somthing to fall back on.

Resore From Time Machine Backup after Reinstall OS X (Maverick)

Hi all
I have a MacBook pro mid 2010, after reinstalled OS X(maverick) from command + R (disk utility), I try to Restore from TIme Machine Backup, and then after 2 hours, the computer turn off and now I try to turning it on, but only last 5 seconds on and then turn off by it self.
Then I try to Reintall OS X(Maverick) again, and it work fine, I can turn the mac on, navigate to all windows, use the internet, I can turn it off and then turn it on, not problem. Then I need to restore from time machine again so I can get all my data from my last backup. I turned off the mac, then turn it on hold command+R then go to Disk utility Restore From TIme Machine Backup, wait for 2 hours, and again the computer turn off. I try to turn it on but only last 5 second on and then turn it off by it self.
I need help please.
thanks

Do you know which OS version it had originally and which version was on it before the seller wiped it?
That's important because, unless he did the right thing, his Apple ID and password may still be associated with it. You can easily fix that by booting into Internet Recovery (hold down Command + Option + R keys), choose to erase the drive using Disk Utility, and then reinstall the OS. That should resinstall the original OS version (if Lion or later) and then you can upgrade using your own Apple ID.
I'd recommend doing it that way to avoid any possible problems since we don't know what the seller did or didn't do.

What should be excluded from Time machine backups?

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