Time machine restore errors

Hi Everyone,

I've just completed a full system restore using time machine. I have OS X 10.6.8 installed on my IMac.

I was under the impression that my system would be restored exactly the way it was at a particular point in time, only to discover that time machine has deleted the downloads folder on my internal hard drive! In addition, I'm unable to use my web browsers (Safari and Opera). I'm sending this post from my tablet! I get an error message: "The application Safari can't be opened" when running Safari and Opera generates a lengthy error report.

Please can someone let me know what went wrong and how to fix it (if at all possible). I've just lost all my data using an application that's supposed to back up and restore data accurately and safely!

Any help will be much appreciated.

It depends on what you backed up. Did you setup Time Machine to backup everything or did you exclude some things? Were there any errors when you made the backups? I've used my TM backup on several occasions to do a complete restore and it has never failed to do so.

Hi chscag,

Thanks for the feedback. Time machine is set up to perform hourly backups of all files. It's also set up to auto delete the oldest backups. I've not received any error messages following a backup to date.

In addition to my browsers not working, I've also discovered that iPhoto and iTunes aren't working. Any advice you can offer will be gratefully received.

Obviously something went very wrong. I suspect that one or more of your backups was corrupt and during the restore it overwrote some of the applications with bad data. Instead of trying to do the restore over (which normally I would suggest) I think it may be best to reinstall Snow Leopard over itself. Snow Leopard automatically does an intelligent reinstall. It won't overwrite or delete any of your data files and documents.

As for any third party applications that are not working because of the restore, you'll need to reinstall them from the original images.

Hi chscag,

Thanks very much for your advice! I've managed to get my web browsers, iPhoto and iTunes working but have unfortunately lost all data that was in the Downloads folder, which seems to have been completely deleted by the time machine restore.

This folder was not excluded from being backed-up. I think I will look for alternative back-up software; unfortunately I've lost confidence in time machine's ability to do what it says on the tin!

Thanks again for your advice though.

I've just downloaded an app in an attempt to re-create the Downloads directory on my hard-drive.

I then checked Time Machine options and saw that the Downloads directory has been automatically added to the items to be excluded from being backed up!

My advice to other Time Machine users are to check the Options setting in Time Machine carefully and regularly. Really disappointing that this software automatically selects files to be excluded from being backed up with no prompt or warning!