Restoring selected stuff from Time Machine

[Silly John Fatty]

select the folder you want to restore and then click Enter Time Machine from the Time Machine menulet at the top right. Then select the point in time on the right you want to restore that folder from and click restore at the bottom right of the screen.

I’ve just done this with a few folders to test it and see how it works, and it works fine.

I’ve got a question now, since I’m doing a fresh install, how would I restore only certain things from Time Machine, such as my iPhoto Library or my iTunes Library? Do I have to go to their respective folders and do the same technique there? If yes, which ones would that be?

Thanks

 

[Weaselboy]

I’ve just done this with a few folders to test it and see how it works, and it works fine.

I’ve got a question now, since I’m doing a fresh install, how would I restore only certain things from Time Machine, such as my iPhoto Library or my iTunes Library? Do I have to go to their respective folders and do the same technique there? If yes, which ones would that be?

Thanks

Yes, exactly. Once you are setup with your account just go to the start field TM interface and select the Pictures and Music folder under your user name and restore.

 

[Silly John Fatty]

Wait, when I am in the Time Machine window (with the stars), whatever folder I click on, this is the only thing that will be restored right? (Side-question, what would I have to click on to restore everything? “Macintosh HD”?)

So if I wanted to restore my iTunes library, I would click go to the Time Machine stars window, go to Macintosh HD > Users > [Username] > Music > iTunes and then select restore? Which would restore the whole iTunes folder then.

I’m really scared of this. But since I have a complete backup I don’t believe anything can go wrong. (please tell me if I’m wrong! very nervous here)

 

[Weaselboy]

Wait, when I am in the Time Machine window (with the stars), whatever folder I click on, this is the only thing that will be restored right?

Exactly.

(Side-question, what would I have to click on to restore everything? “Macintosh HD”?)

No.. to do a full restore you would want to either boot from recovery (command-r) or option key boot to the TM disk, then click restore. That would erase everything on the target drive and put the entire OS and all your data back like it was at the time of the last backup.

You would not be able to do a full restore by click restore from Macintosh HD because the OS cannot copy over itself while it is running.

So if I wanted to restore my iTunes library, I would click go to the Time Machine stars window, go to Macintosh HD > Users > [Username] > Music > iTunes and then select restore? Which would restore the whole iTunes folder then.

You got it.

I’m really scared of this. But since I have a complete backup I don’t believe anything can go wrong. (please tell me if I’m wrong! very nervous here)

As long as you don't write anything new to the TM disk, everything will be on there and you can just restore back form it if you get sideways.

 

[Silly John Fatty]

Awesome, thanks for all the answers!! That’s exactly what I needed

I’ll disconnect the Time Machine drive while I’m reformatting the Macintosh hard drive to make sure it “has nothing to do with it”