Access the Steam user data folder on Time Machine backup

[mrochester]

Hi all.

The only way I can access the Steam folder that contains user data on my Mac is to hold down the option key when looking at the 'Go' menu option and selecting 'Library'.

I need to access this folder on my Time Machine backup so that I can extract some saved games. If I manually navigate on the Time Machine backup to /library/application support there is no Steam folder.

Does anyone know how to get this hidden folder to show when I browse through my Time Machine backup?

Many thanks.

M.
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I've managed to find a way to show hidden files but I still can't see the Steam folder in /library/appplication support on my time machine backup (I've checked numerous dated folders).

Does anyone know where I'll find it?

 

[HDFan]

So if you navigate in the finder to ~/Library/Application Support/Steam and invoke Time Machine do you see the current contents of the folder? Do you see any older versions?

 

[mrochester]

So if you navigate in the finder to ~/Library/Application Support/Steam and invoke Time Machine do you see the current contents of the folder? Do you see any older versions?

This is a brand new install of MacOS (not restored from backup) so when I open time machine (the app) it doesn’t show any of the previous backups (because as far as this installation of MacOS is concerned there has never been a backup).
However I can browse the time machine disk and see all of the dated folders that contain the backups for that day/time. I just can’t see the steam folder in any of those even when I’ve turned hidden files/folders on.

 

[HDFan]

Before you go to bed you can go into terminal:

cd /Volumes
cd [name of mounted TM disk]
cd Backups.backupdb
cd [Mac backup name]
sudo find . -name Steam -print
(enter in your admin password at prompt)

let it run until it finishes. Could take hours or maybe even days depending upon the disk.

./2019-06-29-055724/Macintosh HD/Users/me/Library/Application Support/Steam/Steam.AppBundle/Steam
./2019-07-06-012357/Macintosh HD/Users/me/Library/Application Support/Steam
./2019-07-06-012357/Macintosh HD/Users/me/Library/Application Support/Steam/Steam.AppBundle/Steam
./2019-07-13-010520/Macintosh HD/Users/me/Library/Application Support/Steam
./2019-07-13-010520/Macintosh HD/Users/me/Library/Application Support/Steam/Steam.AppBundle/Steam
/2019-07-20-030305/Macintosh HD/Users/me/Library/Application Support/Steam
...

Then use terminal to cd to the directories that are found.

 

[mrochester]

Before you go to bed you can go into terminal:

cd /Volumes
cd [name of mounted TM disk]
cd Backups.backupdb
cd [Mac backup name]
sudo find . -name Steam -print
(enter in your admin password at prompt)

let it run until it finishes. Could take hours or maybe even days depending upon the disk.

./2019-06-29-055724/Macintosh HD/Users/me/Library/Application Support/Steam/Steam.AppBundle/Steam
./2019-07-06-012357/Macintosh HD/Users/me/Library/Application Support/Steam
./2019-07-06-012357/Macintosh HD/Users/me/Library/Application Support/Steam/Steam.AppBundle/Steam
./2019-07-13-010520/Macintosh HD/Users/me/Library/Application Support/Steam
./2019-07-13-010520/Macintosh HD/Users/me/Library/Application Support/Steam/Steam.AppBundle/Steam
/2019-07-20-030305/Macintosh HD/Users/me/Library/Application Support/Steam
...

Then use terminal to cd to the directories that are found.

Thanks but the line 'sudo find . -name steam -print' doesn't do anything.

 

[HDFan]

No output at all? If you got "Permission denied" errors terminal needs to be added to security preferences
"full disk access". Post your results if you can.