Trying to restore from Time Machine and the backup volume is grayed out

Here's my experience: I too could not restore files in Migration Assistant after downgrading to macOS Sequoia using Time Machine backups made in Tahoe. Apple does not support downgrading macOS. However, the solution I found was to navigate my Time Machine backups using Finder. Using Finder, navigate to the folder with the date you want the files from, and within there, you will find the files and folders that were backed up. It is then simply a matter of manually copying the files and folders to their locations on your fresh install of Sequoia. Be careful not to overwrite files or folders you have synced with iCloud (e.g. photos library, documents, etc.). I hope this helps you and others.

68joystick wrote:

For a variety of reasons, I wanted to downgrade from Tahoe back to Sequoia. I've wiped the HD and reinstalled Sequoia. Then I went to Migration Assistant. But when I go to select the Time Machine volume, it's grayed out. The only option it gives me is a much older backup. "Sparky '22" is the current Time Machine backup. Can anyone tell me why it's not letting me access the Time Machine backup and how I can do a full restore from the correct backup?

Thanks so much,

Curt

What you describe is what would be seen if you had made one or more backups under Tahoe to that backup drive. Did you have it connected under Tahoe and did it back up under Tahoe? One has to restore files and folders from a backup made under Sequoia, not Tahoe, if one is moving back to Sequoia. So had you disconnected the backup drive before any backups were conducted under Tahoe, you would be able to restore files and folders and accounts from it to Sequoia.

As jstars describes, you can still manually copy files from that drive in the Finder. But if any have changed format or structure under Tahoe, they might not work back under Sequoia. This MIGHT apply to Photos, Apple Mail, or other Apple-supplied software.

Also a concern: some Macs get firmware updates applied during the OS upgrade, it depends on the model of Mac and year. If that happens, that new firmware supplied in the Tahoe upgrade may or may not work properly when reverting back to Sequoia. For some users, this might make the Mac unusable; for others there might be no noticeable impact. For that reason and the incompatibilities noted above, it is usually better to stay with the later MacOS version and try to work out whatever issues are being encountered. People in these forums can help with that.

In addition, some file formats in your user Library in the Application Support and Preferences folders may have changed formats or content going from Sequoia to Tahoe. If they have, they won't likely work when copied back to be used under Sequoia. This could impact both Apple's software as well as third party software.

Apple once again #ucks up another simple and what should be bullet proof system (Time Machine) and disallows any downgrade..

This is absolutely un forgivable.