User profile for user: Jay Gamel
Jay Gamel Author
User level: Level 1
41 points

TimeMachine disk locked after iMac bricked

How do I access my TimeMachine disk after the 2006 4,1 bricked? Even the lock on the ‘get info’ permissions is grayed out.

Earlier Mac models

Posted on Apr 13, 2025 10:13 AM

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User profile for user: Jay Gamel
Jay Gamel Author
User level: Level 1
41 points

Apr 16, 2025 12:11 PM in response to John Galt

  • Yes to the 4,1 running Snow Leopard, and I’m trying to restore it to an iMac 11,2. I can provide the spx file on it. Running High Sierra. I made a huge mistake erasing it with Find My Mac still on, but I managed to get around that and install 10.10.5 with an apple store installer. When first attached, the machine recognized the 4,1 time machine and went through about 20 minutes of downloading when I first booted the new mac. when it rebooted, nothing had transferred to the new user (same name as old machine) and the new machine was refused access. I cannot access much less change the permissions in any way I know of.

Thank you for your interest.

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User profile for user: John Galt
John Galt
User level: Level 10
151,274 points

May 1, 2025 2:07 PM in response to Jay Gamel

Buying an older Mac is an unattractive option, but it may be the only one if you must use software that only runs on those older systems. I'd try almost anything else. But if you do eventually decide to buy that older Mac, make absolutely, positively sure of the following:


  1. It must be correctly erased, and
  2. It must have its original, grey installation discs (DVDs). Those two discs must accompany the Macs they shipped with from cradle to grave.


Those are absolute no-compromise requirements. If a seller does not have those two discs, walk away. Buying a used Mac, even a much more recent one that does not require installation media, is a task for very experienced Mac users. Good outcomes can result when a very experienced Mac seller meets an equally experienced Mac buyer, but as you can imagine that's a rare occurrence.


I purchased a used version of QB06 with disk and s/n intact and think that will be the easiest route, if it works.


That's a big unknown to me. Hopefully it will work.

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User profile for user: John Galt
John Galt
User level: Level 10
151,274 points

Apr 17, 2025 9:28 AM in response to Jay Gamel

I understand the usual method of restoring a Mac from an older one's Time Machine backup results in no apparent migration of anything. Can you access those backups if you connect the drive and hold an Option key when selecting the TM icon in the Mac's menu bar? That will reveal a previously unseen selection "Browse Other Backup Disks...". Try that and see if anything appears.


Unfortunately I may not be able to offer much more assistance than that because I no longer back up the only Snow Leopard Macs I happen to have around. If they should ever fail and I needed a SL system to test I'd just reinstall SL from disc or other original sources. I could certainly attempt to duplicate your installation in an effort to provide more helpful information, and I apologize for the fact but it would take time I just don't happen to have right now.

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User profile for user: Jay Gamel
Jay Gamel Author
User level: Level 1
41 points

May 1, 2025 11:34 AM in response to John Galt

Been too busy to get back, John, but answer is a 2010 imac running High Sierra which I now know is unsuitable for the task. I think buying another 2006 with Snow Leopard is going to be the best. I purchased a used version of QB06 with disk and s/n intact and think that will be the easiest route, if it works. **** I detest Intuit’s upgrade paths.



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TimeMachine disk locked after iMac bricked

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