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Time Machine Restore from Disk Drill Data Recovery

I encountered a Time Machine problem (error code 69485) and resorted to using Disk Drill for data recovery. Thankfully, I was able to retrieve my lost data successfully.

Now, I'd like to restore my Mac to its previous state using the data recovered by Disk Drill. However, I'm unsure how to proceed with creating a new Time Machine backup using this data.

Could someone kindly guide me through the steps to achieve this? I want to ensure that my system is restored with the recovered data appropriately.


Here are some specific points I'd appreciate clarification on:

  1. Can I use the data recovered by Disk Drill as the source for a new Time Machine backup?
  2. If so, how do I set up Time Machine to recognize this data as the backup source?
  3. Are there any precautions I should take before starting the restoration process to avoid potential issues?
  4. Are there any best practices for handling a Time Machine restore from a third-party data recovery tool?


I'm relatively new to Time Machine and data recovery, so any detailed instructions or insights from experienced users would be incredibly helpful.


MacBook Pro 14″, macOS 12.6

Posted on Jul 22, 2023 1:18 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jul 22, 2023 9:03 PM

I believe that the Disk Drill recovered version of the backup will not be usable from within the Time Machine interface. It is probably equivalent to a copy of the Time Machine backup drive and we know that copies or clones of those backup drives do not function properly. The intricate snapshot architectures intrinsic to Time Machine backups under APFS do not duplicate properly.


You can try to use Time Machine with the Disk Drill recovered drive but if it does not work properly, you can still manually copy files from that version of the backup drive back to your computer.

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jul 22, 2023 9:03 PM in response to scliu

I believe that the Disk Drill recovered version of the backup will not be usable from within the Time Machine interface. It is probably equivalent to a copy of the Time Machine backup drive and we know that copies or clones of those backup drives do not function properly. The intricate snapshot architectures intrinsic to Time Machine backups under APFS do not duplicate properly.


You can try to use Time Machine with the Disk Drill recovered drive but if it does not work properly, you can still manually copy files from that version of the backup drive back to your computer.

Time Machine Restore from Disk Drill Data Recovery

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