After being unsuccesful trying to transfer Time Machine’s backup files from my Passport for Mac 2T to a Passport Pro 4T (tried re-formatting as Ext. Jounaled Case Sensitive, etc.), I’m trying now to copy those files on a separate directory on the new drive. The difference being that before I was trying to transfer the existing backup files to the new/larger drive so Time Machine can keep building on those, and now I started a new backup file in the 4T disk and just want to copy the old backup files (I assume if I need to restore files from the older backup, I can “connect” Time Machine to that backup).
Anyway, I’m getting an error (“The item “xxxx” could not be copied, General error: (-8001)”). I tried creating a new directory in the root of the new ext. HD and then copy subdirectories one by one but I still get the same error.
Does anyone have any idea what this error is/ how to resolve it/bypass it?
Do you encounter this particular error message only when trying to copy this particular file? Do you have the same issue with files of the same size? What happens if you copy the file into your desktop first as a bridge and from there into the other external drive?
You can’t copy Time Machine backups around as they are not only actual files but also special timestamped links as well (easy explained), so if you try the Mac OS will give you errors and prevent you from doing that. If you should be able to do it in some strange way the backup will probably be of no use anymore.
With this fast Tunderbolt drive you should start a new TM backup as it will go very fast.
If your OS X is of the later versions you can just add a new drive to backup to and it will use both drives if present or jut one or the other whichever is in use at the time.
