Even here, however, it remains relatively painless to use. This is where Time Machine focuses on functionality more than flashy interfaces. While the sci-fi interface of Time Machine is great for using your backups as a safety net for individual files, the true test of a backup solution is its ability to restore from a catastrophic failure, such as the loss of a hard drive, severe operating system problems or even outright theft of a computer. In the case of iPhoto, this means that restored photos are grouped as a new event rather than being restored to their original events (though they can then be merged into the original events after being restored). More accurately, contacts and photos seem to be copied out of the backup versions and then imported into the current version. IPhoto has always relied on a database to manage photo information, and in iLife '08, the entire iPhoto library, database and photos were consolidated into a single package file.Īs such, Time Machine can be accessed from within either application, and contacts or pictures can be browsed in the same manner as files. This seems to be because both applications store information in a database or package format that would prevent users from restoring individual items to them from a file-level tool. Only two other applications, Address Book and iPhoto, interact with Time Machine directly. If a newer version of the file (or a different file with the same name) exists, you will be asked if you want to keep the newer version, replace it with the version from the backup or keep both.įor the most part, Time Machine is designed as a file-level tool that mimics the Finder.

The item will be copied from the backup to the location on your hard drive where it existed when the backup was made. When you've found an item or items that you want to restore, the process is as simple as selecting it in the window and clicking the Restore button at the bottom of the screen. Note, too, that using Spotlight from the Finder won't directly search Time Machine backups to do that, you must launch Spotlight after you've launched Time Machine. Slide forward or backward through your backups, and you'll again see only a single set of results, appropriate to the newly selected backup.Īlthough Spotlight searches all backups, since it displays the results for only the currently selected backup, you may need to scroll through backups to locate a file if you aren't sure exactly when it was created, deleted or modified.

A single set of results is displayed for the backup you're currently viewing.

Search for an item within the Time Machine interface as you normally would. Even Spotlight searching is integrated with this approach.

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