I use an iMac with BigSur OS and I use an external hard drive to store my files. I use Time Machine for backing up. Recently my external drive failed (the iMac is OK). I tried to restore the files that were on the external drive using Time Machine, but there is a problem. When I enter Time Machine, I can see the external drive listed, but it’s greyed out and not allowing a Restore. Is it possible to get these files back?
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How to restore an external drive using time machine, drive contains only files, no OS.
- Thread starter fhoffart
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Time machine isn't going to be able to work with "loose files" stored on a drive (that weren't created by tm itself).
You're probably going to have to restore those files by copying them "by hand" from the external drive to the boot drive, a little-at-a-time.
If you run into permissions problems, do this:
- connect the external drive, let the icon appear on the desktop
- click on the icon ONE TIME to select it
- bring up the get info box (command-i)
- at the bottom of get info, click the lock and enter your password
- put a check into "ignore ownership on this volume" (sharing and permissions)
- close get into
Now, you can copy files from the external drive, and they'll "come under the ownership" of the account that you're copying them into.
You're probably going to have to restore those files by copying them "by hand" from the external drive to the boot drive, a little-at-a-time.
If you run into permissions problems, do this:
- connect the external drive, let the icon appear on the desktop
- click on the icon ONE TIME to select it
- bring up the get info box (command-i)
- at the bottom of get info, click the lock and enter your password
- put a check into "ignore ownership on this volume" (sharing and permissions)
- close get into
Now, you can copy files from the external drive, and they'll "come under the ownership" of the account that you're copying them into.
The "external drives" are not available since they were damaged. The iMac boot drive and Time Machine drives are fine. What I want to do is to restore the 2 external drives data from the Time Machine onto new external drives. When I enter Time Machine I can see the 2 drives, but they are greyed out and I can't select them. See the attached PDF.
I also tried copying the latest backup files (1/20/2021) directly from Time Machine, which worked OK, but when I tried opening my PHOTOS file, the latest pictures were from 12/25/2020. All the pictures I added to PHOTOS between 12/25/2020 & 1/20/2021 were not there, also all the Peoples names were missing. There must be a way to get the latest 2021 data from the time machine because it shows the date of the last backup.
I also tried copying the latest backup files (1/20/2021) directly from Time Machine, which worked OK, but when I tried opening my PHOTOS file, the latest pictures were from 12/25/2020. All the pictures I added to PHOTOS between 12/25/2020 & 1/20/2021 were not there, also all the Peoples names were missing. There must be a way to get the latest 2021 data from the time machine because it shows the date of the last backup.
By default, Time Machine excludes external drives from it's backup. Unfortunately, you may not be able to access those files on TM if you did not include those drives in TM backup options.
Out of curiosity I looked this up a few years ago as I was wondering how I would restore an external drive from TM when that drive fails. I believe the key was to make sure the new drive has the same name as the old drive had. Then in time machine it should not be grayed out.