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amagab · Mar 8, 2008, 12:12 PM

My Mac Mini died last night. I have everything backed up to an external drive through Time Machine. Is it possible to restore the data to another computer that is not a Mac Mini? .....for example, to my MacBook or iMac? .....or does the Time Machine restore has to be to the same computer with a new drive?

Thanks!

Cold Warrior · Mar 8, 2008, 12:15 PM

Just give it a shot. See if it'll take. You're mini's system is already hosed, so there's nothing to lose.

amagab · Mar 8, 2008, 12:22 PM

I would try if I could. The only problem is that the backup is bigger than my hard drives in the MacBook or iMac. Which is why I ask before I go out and by a new drive. If you can restore to another computer I would upgrade my hard drive in my MacBook or iMac instead of buying a new hard drive for the Mini.

Thanks!

Art Vandelay · Mar 8, 2008, 12:37 PM

If you're restoring the OS and data, then the OS from the Time Machine backup needs to be compatible with the destination Mac. For example, if the backup is 10.5.0, it won't work on a Mac that requires 10.5.2.

Cold Warrior · Mar 8, 2008, 12:37 PM

It's going to be larger because it keeps various files at various ages. The restore size should be much smaller. But you won't know until you fire it up from the Leopard disc. If for some reason there's really not enough space, it should tell you.

CharlesS · Mar 8, 2008, 12:53 PM

Originally Posted by Art Vandelay

If you're restoring the OS and data, then the OS from the Time Machine backup needs to be compatible with the destination Mac. For example, if the backup is 10.5.0, it won't work on a Mac that requires 10.5.2.

One thing to note is that even if the OS you restore from the backup is incompatible with the machine, you can always do an Archive and Install right afterward and still have all your apps, data, etc. restored.

Art Vandelay · Mar 8, 2008, 01:01 PM

Good point.

gunnar · Jun 3, 2008, 07:16 PM

I'm in a similar situation. My iMac died and I need to access the files from another computer. How can I access the files??? I don't want to restore the whole disk to the 2nd computer.

amagab · Jun 3, 2008, 07:34 PM

Originally Posted by gunnar

I'm in a similar situation. My iMac died and I need to access the files from another computer. How can I access the files??? I don't want to restore the whole disk to the 2nd computer.

I was able to restore my Mini backup to a new iMac running the same OS. However, I noticed it was not running as well as it should have to so manually backed up all my files, clean installed my iMac and then re-installed the software and transferred my files. Anyway, it does work to restore it to another computer but I'm not sure how reliable it will run.

Gunnar> You can hook it up and access the backed up folders but it will be a major pain in the buttocks because it will be all separated in folders by time/date. Maybe someone else has a better answer.

Good luck!

gunnar · Jun 3, 2008, 07:59 PM

I found the file I'm looking for but evidently the hard drive died while Time Machine was doing its backup so the most recent version is a day old, not the current file. A bit of a hassle. Is this just coincidence or did Time Machine screw up the main drive perhaps????

amagab · Jun 3, 2008, 08:01 PM

I hope you don't have the Time Capsule because that has been screwing a lot of people.

gunnar · Jun 4, 2008, 10:01 AM

I just have a LaCie external, no Time Capsule.

OreoCookie · Jun 4, 2008, 10:57 AM

Originally Posted by gunnar

I'm in a similar situation. My iMac died and I need to access the files from another computer. How can I access the files??? I don't want to restore the whole disk to the 2nd computer.

People, have faith in Migration Assistant: you can choose to restore user data only.

gunnar · Jun 4, 2008, 11:17 AM

I don't have room to restore my whole user folder onto the 2nd computer. Why can't Apple just give you a finder-like dialog where you can navigate through all the backed up files, just like if you were backing up to the main computer. I mean, they're all on the drive anyway and they have the Time Machine interface set up to do it already.

OreoCookie · Jun 4, 2008, 11:54 AM

You can navigate your backup drive in the Finder (not just some Finder-like dialog).
Mount it, go to the Backup folder > [name of machine] > [name of volume] > latest > Users > [user name] and restore the files you want. (You can also choose a date instead of latest to restore earlier versions of the files/files that have been deleted.)

The Time Machine interface just shows the backups that are related to your volumes (which makes sense). Restoring from backup via Migration Assistant gives you access to all backups, also those from other volumes.

Drakino · Jun 5, 2008, 02:34 PM

Responding to the older topic:
Time machine restore should be fine. I restored a Time Machine backup made on an Intel Mac Mini to a PowerPC Mac Mini, so different hardware doesn't seem to bother it.

And more relevant:
To browse a Time Machine archive from another machine, Option click the Time Machine icon in the Dock or Menu Bar, and pick "Browse Other Time Machine Disks"