Error: Unable to complete backup

hey
I got an error while time machine was backing up and it keeps reappear every time it does backup (i'm using 2 partitions in the EHD one for time machine and the other for file storgae)
Unable to complete backup. An error occurred while creating the backup folder.
Is there any solution for this problem?

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Time Machine Error Unable to complete backup. An error occurred while ...

Hi,
I've looked all around the forums for the answer to this one and I'm still unable to get it. So I'm getting this error "Time Machine Error Unable to complete backup. An error occurred while linking files on the backup volume". This started happening after I turned off and on FileVault. I was having a problem with it and turning it on an off got rid of that problem, but created this one. I've noticed that when I shut down the computer and filevault accesses the TM hard drive, it can back up.....but then when I'm logged on, or I want it to back up I get the error. I've tried fixing the drive, removing the in progress file and resetting the PRAM (i think that's what it was called). I'm starting to run out of options and have no other drive to back all this info on to reformat it.
I really don't want to loose all my stuff.
Please help!
Daria

nautical_stars wrote:
Hi,
I've looked all around the forums for the answer to this one and I'm still unable to get it. So I'm getting this error "Time Machine Error Unable to complete backup. An error occurred while linking files on the backup volume". This started happening after I turned off and on FileVault.
Usually this message happens when you replace an external disk that was being backed-up by Time Machine with another one of the same name.
Since File Vault works by making a sparse image of your home folder, and it's treated as a volume just as a HD is, that's probably what's happening here: the new sparse image has the same name as the old one, but isn't the old one.
First, consider whether you really need File Vault. It doesn't work well with Time Machine: you can't see or restore individual items in your home folder, and it only gets backed-up when you log out.
If you have a lot of other things, say photos, videos, and/or music that don't need to be encrypted, perhaps there's an easier way to secure our sensitive data. You can create an encrypted disk image via Disk Utility (in your Applications/Utilities folder), then copy the sensitive documents into it. Then the rest of your home folder is backed-up normally, and individual items can be viewed and restored in the usual fashion.
But if you do continue using FileVault, you may have to use TM to delete all backups of it, via the instructions in item #12 of the Frequently Asked Questions *User Tip* at the top of this forum. That should then allow the new version of your encrypted home folder to be backed-up by TM.

Time Machine Error "Unable to complete backup"

I have not backed up my hard drive for about 30 days. When I plug my external hard drive in, Time Machine "prepares backup" for a while, then gives me the following message:
*Time Machine Error*
Unable to complete backup. An error occurred while copying files to the backup volume.
I tried unplugging and re-plugging, rebooting my computer, trashing the ".inprogress" backup file and restarting. It did not help. While it time machine is preparing the backup, my computer runs crazy slow, with the rainbow pinwheel spinning for about 5-10 seconds just about every time I click the mouse, in any program.
Per someone's suggestion, I put "sudo grep backupd /var/log/system.log" into terminal, and this is what came up:
"No pre-backup thinning needed: 4.98 GB requested (including padding), 70.16 GB available
Waiting for index to be ready (906 > 0)
Unable to rebuild path cache for source item. Partial source path:
Indexing a file failed. Returned -12 for: /Applications/iChat.app, /Volumes/Time Machine Backups 1/Backups.backupdb/My Computer (2)/2011-01-13-113417.inProgress/CB0D491E-EF04-48A0-9AE9-32AE43E9209C/Macintosh HD/Applications/iChat.app
Aborting backup because indexing a file failed.
Stopping backup."
This time, it was apparently iChat, but in each of the three times I've tried to backup and gotten this error message, a different file has been the culprit for the indexing error.
Any suggestions?

orchestr wrote:
Indexing a file failed. Returned -12
see [this_|http://web.me.com/pondini/TimeMachine/C3.html] user tip by Pondini.
JGG

Time Machine Error: Unable to complete backup. An error occurred while creating the backup folder.

Hi,
I'm using time machine to do my backups but now is not working.
I'm getting the following error:
Unable to complete backup. An error occurred while creating the backup folder.
Thanks for your help

See #C10 in Time Machine - Troubleshooting.

Time Machine Error: Unable to complete backup. An error ocurred while copy

Hi.
Everytime Time Machine tries to update my backup copy is gives me the same error: "Unable to complete backup. An error ocurred while copying files to the backup volume."
What's going on and how can I solve this?
Thanks.
Regards,
Telmo

I have had this problem and solved it. It began when I upgraded to Snow Leopard server after a hard drive failure under Leopard Server. My problem was caused by a number of bad files.
To locate the files that are stopping the backup, open the Console utility in the Utilities folder. On the top left, show the Log List, and select the ALL Messages. Then in the search box, top right, enter .backup , this will locate all the backup logs. Go to the bottom of the log and locate the log that reads "stopping backup." Then, look at the log directly after "stopping backup," this log should contain the error message. In my case the log had an error -41, and the file path and name were listed. After locating and removing the bad file, run your backup again. If you have this problem again, repeat this process.
I had about 15 files with this problem, and oddly they all came from either a very old Mac OS X backup or had been moved from a Window XP computer using file sharing.
Hope this helps.

Time machine error unable to complete backup. an error occured

Hi All,
I have a question: i try to set up timemachine. Everything seems to work. but i cant get the first backup, it gives me the follow error: time machine error unable to complete backup. an error occured while copying files to the backup volume
My setup: an internet wireless router with a ethernet connection. On the ethernet connection i have a FreeCom Network Drive.
The Freecom Network drive have fat32, i think i cant format the netwerk drive cause there is some software on it, that give me access to my network drive via lan.
I configure that i can have acces to my netwerk drive. I can setup it from Time Machine, and Time Machine starts to put data on my network drive. After a while (mostly between 500mb-1,2 GB) it gives me the follow error: time machine error unable to complete backup. an error occured while copying files to the backup volume.
What to do???

Hi Norm,
Could be many things, we should start with this...
"Try Disk Utility
1. Insert the Mac OS X Install disc, then restart the computer while holding the C key.
2. When your computer finishes starting up from the disc, choose Disk Utility from the Installer menu at top of the screen. (In Mac OS X 10.4 or later, you must select your language first.)
*Important: Do not click Continue in the first screen of the Installer. If you do, you must restart from the disc again to access Disk Utility.*
3. Click the First Aid tab.
4. Select your Mac OS X volume.
5. Click Repair Disk, (not Repair Permissions). Disk Utility checks and repairs the disk."
(Repair both Drives)
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106214
Then try a Safe Boot, (holding Shift key down at bootup), run Disk Utility in Applications>Utilities, then highlight your drive, click on Repair Permissions, reboot when it completes.
(Safe boot may stay on the gray radian for a long time, let it go, it's trying to repair the Hard Drive.)

Time Capsule Error: Unable to complete backup...

For the past two days I've been getting the following Time Capsule Error message whenever it attempts to back up my system, "Unable to complete backup. An error occurred while creating the backup directory." I can't get any more information about the error than that. If I reset my TC, will it lose all of my previous backups? Restarting my Mac didn't help. All other functions are fine, i.e. WiFi is good and I can still print to my printer hooked up to it. Any ideas?

I'm having the exact same problem. If a b/u does kick off, it shuts down the Mac. I get the darkened screen with the window that says a reset is required.
Anyone know how to fix this?

Time Machine Error-Unable to complete backup. An error occurred while copyi

My son played the video game Spore on my iMac Saturday. An hour or two later I sat down at the computer and the Time Machine Error message box was in the middle of the screen:
Unable to complete backup. An error occurred while copying files to the backup volume.
I downloaded Time Machine Buddy and this is my error: Error (-36) No Copy/Users/iMac/Library/Application Support/Firefox Profiles

norauc wrote:
I am having the same issue, I got the latest security update and then Time Machine just gets stuck for hours and then says error, run Disk Utility, which I have and it says everything is fine. Run Time Machine again and same thing.
As posted above, see #C3 in Time Machine - Troubleshooting (or use the link in *User Tips* at the top of this forum).

Time Machine Error Unable to complete backup... I haven't solved yet

I have an iomega ultramax 1TB HD (firewire) that this company has used to backup this computer for some time before I came here. It continued to backup this Mac (OS X 10.5.8) for about 8 months until it kept failing. We replaced the power cord and it seemed to work again but failed to complete any backups. I can copy files directly to the drive so it seems ok. It will run all the way through a backup, for example it will say it is copying xMB of 132.3MB and go until it reaches 132.3. Then it seems to try to restart but only to do the same thing. Then I get the error message "Latest backup: failed" and the message as in the title of this post. I tried starting some backups manually but that got the same result.
I installed the Time Machine Buddy widget and sometimes I don't get a complete error message but then I got one that said it had an error copying a specific file. I deleted that file and now just get incomplete error messages again but it keeps "failing" in the same way. The buddy does say it copied x number of files (one time ~1300 files, another time ~700 files) but I don't find any files or backup data on the external HD. There is plenty of space available. It almost seems as if it just can't finish the backups but I can't be 100% sure on that until I catch it in progress a few more times.
Does anyone have any ideas or just how I can take the next step in diagnosing the problem?

Start with the Time Machine - Troubleshooting *User Tip,* also at the top of this forum.
Depending on what the messages are, you'll probably end up in #C3 there. As you'll see, lots of things can cause that, so you may have to try several fixes.
If that doesn't help, post back with details, including all the messages, your setup (especially the destination for the backups), what you've done, and the results.
To eliminate some possible conflicts and problems, do all the things in #D2 there.

Time Machine Error - Unable to complete backup. An error occurred while crk

As the subject states i am getting this error and am not sure what to do, i have an external firewire drive which has capacity. Please help !!! Many thanks Peter.

Hi, and welcome to the forums.
Start with the Time Machine - Troubleshooting *User Tip* at the top of this forum.
It will show you how to locate the message(s) that describe the problem, then help you fix it.
If that doesn't help, post back with details, including all the messages, your setup (especially the destination for the backups), what you've done, and the results.

Time machine Error "unable to complete backup. An error occurred while creating the back up directory."

I had the above error and used Time machine Buddy to get the log:
"Starting standard backup
Backing up to: /Volumes/Home Back UP/Backups.backupdb
Error: (-50) Creating directory 2011-10-08-114232.inProgress
Failed to make snapshot container.
Backup failed with error: 2"
Anyone know what could cause this sort of error?

File System Errors
-50 paramErr Error in user parameter list
Open Disk Utility after turning off TM, Verify or Repair both Drives, (not Repair Permissions).
Safe Boot from the HD, (holding Shift key down at bootup), run Disk Utility in Applications>Utilities, then highlight your drive, click on Repair Permissions, then trash this file & reboot...
/Library/Preferences/com.apple.TimeMachine.plist
And this file if it exists...
/Users/YourUserName/Library/Preferences/ByHost/com.apple.TimeMachine.<12digitHex Number>.plist
Setup TM again.

Time Machine Error - unable to complete backup. An error occurred wile copying files to the backup volume. What do I do?

Looking for help in how to get things up and running again. Time Machine has worked great since February 2010. Then two weeks ago, I stared getting this message and the backups are failing to take place as they had before. I have tried scanning for viruses and deleting a few files, but noting seems to be the trick. I would welcome some ideas, guidance or expertise.

Suggest that you start with Pondini's excellent Time Machine - Troubleshooting guide.
See # C3
http://web.me.com/pondini/Time_Machine/Troubleshooting.html

I keep getting a Time Machine error: Unable to complete backup. An error occurred while creating the backup folder. Any advice?

I've tried:
restarting
shutting down, starting up
running Disk First Aid
running Disk First Aid in Safe Mode

Are you able to see the disk that Time Machine is backing up to in Disk Utility?

"Time machine unable to complete backup, Error while copying files"

MacBook Pro, 10.5.5, 500Gb Time Capsule. Backups have stopped working, I get an error message " Time Machine Error, Unable to complete backup. An error occurred while copying files to the backup volume." Nothing I am aware of has changed with my system, updated to 10.5.5 a few days after it was out, backups just stopped working a few days ago.
The backups stop after a different amount of time/data transfer, never completes, always get the same error message. I am able to copy my entire Home folder to the Time Capsule drive (not the Time Machine sparse bundle) successfully.
Steps I've taken: Latest Time Capsule firmware. Repaired permissions. Tried to backup by ethernet and wireless. Deleted "In progress" backup file and started again. Erased entire drive and started fresh. Made a Genius Bar appt today and they gave me a brand new Time Capsule, no go.
What can I do?
Thank you for any help

does this happen on every backup? if so check the console log at the backup time. filter for messages involving backupd. it should give more extensive info on what the error is. sometimes TM chokes on a particular file. excluding it from TM or deleting it altogether might solve the problem.

Unable to complete backup error message

Im getting this message while trying to backup my portable USB drive
"Time Machine Error Unable to complete backup. An error occurred while linking files on the backup volume"
any ideas how i can fix this?
Ive been backing it up fine for about a month and a half but its started doing this today..
cheers

The suggestions here are great. I did this before I read the posts here. First I deleted the backups on TM. Than reformatted the TM external FW drive. The next backup went but stopped. I found that the external drive for IPhoto was backed up but my primary HD was not. I than repaired permissions on the main drive. At this point I deleted the log on TM and tried the back up again. After several attempts it has begun to work again. So far so good. Hope this is of some use to you.

Error: Unable to complete backup

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