Time Machine backup on external drive is Read-Only...

Question

Level 1

108 points

Time Machine backup on external drive is Read-Only...

Hi-I am using an 2020 M1 MBP running Monterey (12.1). I bought a 6T SanDisk external drive for Time Machine backups.

I would like the ability to access Time Machine to recover things that I delete and then realize I shouldn't have deleted them just like I used to do with my dead Time Capsule.

It appears that the disk is Read-Only and I don't see a way to change it-Command+Option doesn't have the option to change it.

The drive is formatted in APFS.

Can someone tell me how to make this drive accessible? Thanks ever so much, Judy

MacBook Pro 13″, macOS 12.1

Posted on Jan 2, 2022 11:17 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Old Toad

Level 10

210,615 points

Jan 4, 2022 11:57 AM in response to mrstee

NO! You want to go into your Documents folder or wherever the file would be located on your boot drive before going into Time Machine. You don't want to go into the TM drive itself before enter TM.

Reply

Answer 2

lllaass

Level 10

210,459 points

Jan 2, 2022 12:50 PM in response to mrstee

mrstee wrote:

I have a couple of screenshots to show what I am seeing when I try to use the drive.... This is what I see.

https://discussions.apple.com/content/attachment/7aa3ea90-502e-4769-a447-d0331c79795e

In the upper right corner of the Finder screen is Enter Time Machine...

https://discussions.apple.com/content/attachment/9bf5299d-033b-4fba-9f1c-b6a8966d097e

I click on that and get into Time Machine BUT Time Machine in the Finder sidebar is grayed out! Therefore I can't access it. Sorry, couldn't do a screenshot of that... That's where I am stuck.

One you "enter Time Machine" you are already in the Time Machine backup. To the right is where you select a date where you want to go in the Backup. You click on the folder/file you want to restore on the date you select. It opens to the last backup

Reply

Answer 3

mrstee Author

Level 1

108 points

Jan 2, 2022 11:32 AM in response to Old Toad

I have a couple of screenshots to show what I am seeing when I try to use the drive.... This is what I see.

In the upper right corner of the Finder screen is Enter Time Machine...

I click on that and get into Time Machine BUT Time Machine in the Finder sidebar is grayed out! Therefore I can't access it. Sorry, couldn't do a screenshot of that... That's where I am stuck.

Reply

Answer 4

Old Toad

Level 10

210,615 points

Jan 4, 2022 9:56 AM in response to mrstee

This is what it's supposed to like when you're in Time Machine:

On the right side of the screen will be the time line which you can choose rather than the up and down arrows to the right in this screenshot.

Reply

Answer 5

lllaass

Level 10

210,459 points

Jan 3, 2022 12:57 AM in response to mrstee

In the cascading view you go to the time you want and then select the file or folder and right click and you have options like restore. There will also be a Restore button at bottom cent labeled restore after you select an item.

Reply

Answer 6

mrstee Author

Level 1

108 points

Jan 4, 2022 7:05 AM in response to Old Toad

I have tried that and nothing looks like it did before when using Time Machine. I appreciate your help, I really do, Old Toad but I think I will give Apple a call and have them walk me through what I need to do. And thank you, lllaass, for your suggestion. I have done a Restore from Time Machine in the past that was easy-peasy but the backups on this external drive don't look anything like they did before. Stay safe! Judy

Reply

Answer 7

Barney-15E

Level 10

116,782 points

Jan 4, 2022 7:18 AM in response to mrstee

I have tried that and nothing looks like it did before when using Time Machine. I appreciate but the backups on this external drive don't look anything like they did before.

I don’t know why that matters. That’s not how you are supposed to access the backups. Never was.

Reply

Answer 8

mrstee Author

Level 1

108 points

Jan 4, 2022 1:24 PM in response to Old Toad

Yeah! You set me straight, Old Toad! That was the step I missed-open the folder I want to restore an item from FIRST and then open up Time Machine. Thank you. Sometimes it takes my brain a long time for something to sink in. Thanks again, Judy

Reply

Answer 9

Old Toad

Level 10

210,615 points

Jan 2, 2022 11:23 AM in response to mrstee

You access those files by entering Time Machine via it's menu in the menubar. This graphic shows how to recover a Photos Library via the TM menu but it would be the same for any file:

Reply

Answer 10

mrstee Author

Level 1

108 points

Jan 4, 2022 11:45 AM in response to Old Toad

Ok. Here are the 2 screenshots...

Reply

Answer 11

mrstee Author

Level 1

108 points

Jan 2, 2022 5:26 PM in response to lllaass

Yes, you are right. I can pick a backup from a certain date but all I see are the folders that are in the screenshot above...

Reply

Answer 12

Old Toad

Level 10

210,615 points

Jan 3, 2022 9:47 AM in response to mrstee

Have you tried double clicking on those folders in TM to open them and peruse the files/folders inside them? You navigate in there just like you would in the Finder.

Reply