An error occurred while copying files.

Question

I am backing up a MacBook Pro Retina display to a 3TB TC and six days ago the backups just stopped and I get the following message:
Time Machine couldn't complete the backup to Time Capsule.
An error occurred while copying files. The problem may be temporary. If the problem persists, use Disk Utility to repair your backup disk.
I looked at the log in Time Machine Buddy and it shows the following:
Starting automatic backup
Attempting to mount network destination URL: afp://Max%20Evjen;AUTH=SRP@Endor._afpovertcp._tcp.local./Data
Mounted network destination at mount point: /Volumes/Data using URL: afp://Max%20Evjen;AUTH=SRP@Endor._afpovertcp._tcp.local./Data
Disk image /Volumes/Data/Max’s MacBook Pro.sparsebundle mounted at: /Volumes/Time Machine Backups
Backing up to /dev/disk5s2: /Volumes/Time Machine Backups/Backups.backupdb
Deep event scan at path:/Users/HippieMBAMA/Pictures/iPhoto Library/Database/apdb reason:contains changes|must scan subdirs|fsevent|missed reservation|file event|
Running event scan
Finished scan
Not using file event preflight for Macintosh HD
Found 3060 files (1.13 GB) needing backup
zero date not marked for delete: /Volumes/Time Machine Backups/Backups.backupdb/Max’s MacBook Pro/2015-02-20-171344
3.37 GB required (including padding), 1.52 TB available
Stopping backup.
Error: (-43) SrcErr:NO Copying /Users/HippieMBAMA/Library/Mail/V2/[email protected]/[Gmail].mbox/All Mail.mbox/86E53377-3EAB-46ED-ADF7-46E0C68CD404/Data/2/6/2/Attachments/262783 to /Volumes/Time Machine Backups/Backups.backupdb/Max’s MacBook Pro/2015-02-26-140223.inProgress/A4533EFE-AAE4-4EDD-A542-1BDD6672E951/Macintosh HD/Users/HippieMBAMA/Library/Mail/V2/[email protected]/[Gmail].mbox/All Mail.mbox/86E53377-3EAB-46ED-ADF7-46E0C68CD404/Data/2/6/2/Attachments
Copied 1358 items (15.1 MB) from volume Macintosh HD. Linked 25141.
Copy stage failed with error:11
Backup failed with error 11: 11
Ejected Time Machine disk image: /Volumes/Data/Max’s MacBook Pro.sparsebundle
Ejected Time Machine network volume.
I tried going back to the gmail settings to ensure the trash settings were set to SHOW and SHOW IN IMAP, and I unchecked "Store deleted messages on the server" for the gmail account in the mail.app, as I was also getting messages about not being able to move messages to trash(null), and I thought that might be the issue, but while that fixed the mail issue, it did not fix the Time Machine issue.
Any help with this would be greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

The TC in and of itself is running ok.. otherwise you would not have internet.. so the issue is the OS in the computer.. however the combo is worse than the sum of the parts.. ie Somehow TC is less reliable with Yosemite than it would otherwise be..
here is the normal fix list.. but it is far from foolproof.
Factory reset universal
Power off the TC.. ie pull the power cord or power off at the wall.. wait 10sec.. hold in the reset button.. be gentle.. power on again still holding in reset.. and keep holding it in for another 10sec. You may need some help as it is hard to both hold in reset and apply power. It will show success by rapidly blinking the front led. Release the reset.. and wait a couple of min for the TC to reset and come back with factory settings. If the front LED doesn’t blink rapidly you missed it and simply try again. The reset is fairly fragile in these.. press it so you feel it just click and no more.. I have seen people bend the lever or even break it. I use a toothpick as tool.
N.B. None of your files on the hard disk of the TC are deleted.. this simply clears out the router settings of the TC.
Setup the TC again.
ie Start from a factory reset. No files are lost on the hard disk doing this.
Then redo the setup from the computer with Yosemite.
1. Use very short names.. NOT APPLE RECOMMENDED names. No spaces and pure alphanumerics.
eg TCgen5 and TCwifi for basestation and wireless respectively.
Even better if the issue is more wireless use TC24ghz and TC5ghz with fixed channels as this also seems to help stop the nonsense. But this can be tried in the second round.
2. Use all passwords that also comply but can be a bit longer. ie 8-20 characters mixed case and numbers.. no non-alphanumerics.
3. Ensure the TC always takes the same IP address.. you will need to do this on the main router using dhcp reservation.. or a bit more complex setup using static IP in the TC. But this is important.. having IP drift all over the place when Yosemite cannot remember its own name for 5 min after a reboot makes for poor networking. If the TC is main router it will not be an issue.
4. Check your share name on the computer is not changing.. make sure it also complies with the above.. short no spaces and pure alphanumeric.. but this change will mess up your TM backup.. so be prepared to do a new full backup. Sorry.. keep this one for second round if you want to avoid a new backup.
5. Mount the TC disk in the computer manually.
In Finder, Go, Connect to server from the top menu,
Type in SMB://192.168.0.254 (or whatever the TC ip is which you have now made static. As a router by default it is 10.0.1.1 and I encourage people to stick with that unless you know what you are doing).
You can use name.. SMB://TCgen5.local where you replace TCgen5 with your TC name.. local is the default domain of the TC and doesn't change.
However names are not so easy as IP address.. nor as reliable. At least not in Yosemite they aren't. The domain can also be an issue if you are not plugged or wireless directly to the TC.
6. Make sure IPv6 is set to link-local only in the computer. For example wireless open the network preferences, wireless and advanced / TCP/IP.. and fix the IPv6. to link-local only.
There is a lot more jiggery pokery you can try but the above is a good start.. if you find it still unreliable.. don't be surprised.
You might need to do some more work on the laptop itself. eg Reset the PRAM.. has helped some people. Clean install of the OS is also helpful if you upgrade installed.
Tell us how you go.
Someone posted a solution.. See this thread.
Macbook can't find Time Capsule anymore
Start from the bottom and work up.. I have a list of good network practice changes but I have avoided Yosemites bug heaven.
This user has had success and a few others as well.
RáNdÓm GéÉzÁ
Yosemite has serious DNS bug in the networking application.. here is the lets say more arcane method of fixing it by doing a network transplant from mavericks.
http://arstechnica.com/apple/2015/01/why-dns-in-os-x-10-10-is-broken-and-what-yo u-can-do-to-fix-it/