Convert Case-sensitive Time Machine Backup?

[epraz]

My old macbook died and the time machine backup I had for it won't work with the new one--it says the time capsule is a case-sensitive file structure and can't be imported. I've copied my important documents over manually but would like to use the time capsule back-up. Does anyone know how to convert this type of time capsule to a case-insensitive format? I've searched around the usual sites but can't find anyone talking about this.

 

[tonyandpals]

Not sure if you tried this, but I turn to reddit in these situation (by adding "reddit "to the search)
https://www.google.com/search?q=time+capsule+is+a+case-sensitive+file+structure+reddit&oq=time+capsule+is+a+case-sensitive+file+structure+reddit&aqs=chrome..69i57.1489j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

This link my be the answer (and not what you want to hear, but maybe you find a work around)
https://www.reddit.com/r/mac/comments/3nalnc/transfer_files_from_casesensitive_to_non_case/

 

[epraz]

Yeah I had seen that but not much else. Seems like Apple has messed up here. I was doing standard backups, not choosing some weird setting, and now it doesn’t work. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[luckiestman]

Bing says it doesn’t look good, brother:


I'm sorry to hear about your macbook and the time capsule issue. It seems like you have a case-sensitive file system on your time capsule, which is not compatible with the case-insensitive file system on your new macbook. According to some web sources¹², there is no easy way to convert a case-sensitive file system to a case-insensitive one without erasing the data. You may have to either restore the backup to a different hard disk and copy the files manually, or use a third-party tool like **iPartition**¹ that claims to be able to do this (for HFS+, not APFS) but costs money and may not work with newer versions of macOS. I hope this helps.

Source: Conversation with Bing, 4/27/2023
(1) Convert a partition from case-sensitive to case-insensitive. https://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/15080/convert-a-partition-from-case-sensitive-to-case-insensitive.
(2) How to convert case-sensitive to extended… - Apple Community. https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4046544.
(3) sql server - SQL Case Sensitive String Compare - Stack Overflow. https://stackoverflow.com/questions/3969059/sql-case-sensitive-string-compare.
(4) Is there any way to convert case-sensitive hashtable into case .... https://stackoverflow.com/questions/75819108/is-there-any-way-to-convert-case-sensitive-hashtable-into-case-insensitive-hasht.

 

[ColdSoxPack]

I have never used the case-sensitive version and now I am glad I have not. However, I have my so-called important documents and other stuff I never really need backed up to icloud. When I signed into my icloud account on the new mac all my stuff came over. I never needed the system files from the time machine back ups.

I would also try using the migration assistant by connecting the old and new macs with a usb c cable. Good luck.

 

[SumnerH]

Unless Apple has completely abandoned any efforts at standards compliance, there's got to be some currently supported case-sensitive filesystem. The POSIX and X/Open standards both require case-sensitive filesystems (though they allow for non-standard case-insensitive filesystems as an alternative, as long as there's a conforming case-sensitive one available with full support).

https://pubs.opengroup.org/onlinepubs/9699919799/basedefs/V1_chap02.html#tag_02_01_01

 

[epraz]

Thanks, everyone. I really have no idea why it did a case sensitive backup. Is this something I could fix by downgrading my OS to a previous version?