External Hard Drive woes (possibly Time Machine related)

Hello everyone,
I am using one of the partitions on my WD My Passport for Mac (1 TB) partitioned into two sepaprate partions (both Mac OS Extended Journaled) of 500 GB each as my backup disk for Time Machine.
Now, Time Machine seems to work fine on it for some time. However, after a period of time (~5 hours) time machine stops working. Here are the relevant logs.
2/2/12 5:35:26.221 AM com.apple.backupd: Starting standard backup
2/2/12 5:35:26.424 AM com.apple.backupd: Backing up to: /Volumes/Mridanga/Backups.backupdb
2/2/12 5:35:27.351 AM com.apple.backupd: 2.52 GB required (including padding), 243.30 GB available
2/2/12 5:35:39.920 AM com.apple.backupd: Copied 1408 files (49.3 MB) from volume Macintosh HD.
2/2/12 5:35:40.073 AM com.apple.backupd: 2.46 GB required (including padding), 243.25 GB available
2/2/12 5:35:43.099 AM com.apple.backupd: Copied 876 files (199 bytes) from volume Macintosh HD.
2/2/12 5:35:43.631 AM com.apple.backupd: Starting post-backup thinning
2/2/12 5:35:43.631 AM com.apple.backupd: No post-back up thinning needed: no expired backups exist
2/2/12 5:35:43.655 AM com.apple.backupd: Backup completed successfully.
2/2/12 6:35:26.125 AM com.apple.backupd: Starting standard backup
2/2/12 6:35:26.379 AM com.apple.backupd: Backing up to: /Volumes/Mridanga/Backups.backupdb
2/2/12 6:37:30.081 AM com.apple.backupd: Error: (-50) Creating directory 2012-02-02-063730.inProgress
2/2/12 6:37:30.081 AM com.apple.backupd: Failed to make snapshot container.
2/2/12 6:37:43.118 AM com.apple.backupd: Error: (22) setxattr for key:com.apple.backupd.HostUUID path:/Volumes/Mridanga/Backups.backupdb/googly size:37
2/2/12 6:37:53.131 AM com.apple.backupd: Backup failed with error: 2
2/2/12 7:35:25.953 AM com.apple.backupd: Starting standard backup
2/2/12 7:35:26.129 AM com.apple.backupd: Backing up to: /Volumes/Mridanga/Backups.backupdb
2/2/12 7:35:26.190 AM com.apple.backupd: Error: (22) setxattr for key:com.apple.backupd.HostUUID path:/Volumes/Mridanga/Backups.backupdb/googly size:37
2/2/12 7:35:26.192 AM com.apple.backupd: Error: (22) setxattr for key:com.apple.backupd.HostUUID path:/Volumes/Mridanga/Backups.backupdb/googly size:37
2/2/12 7:35:36.207 AM com.apple.backupd: Backup failed with error: 2
2/2/12 8:35:25.847 AM com.apple.backupd: Starting standard backup
2/2/12 8:35:26.020 AM com.apple.backupd: Backing up to: /Volumes/Mridanga/Backups.backupdb
2/2/12 8:35:26.076 AM com.apple.backupd: Error: (22) setxattr for key:com.apple.backupd.HostUUID path:/Volumes/Mridanga/Backups.backupdb/googly size:37
2/2/12 8:35:26.078 AM com.apple.backupd: Error: (22) setxattr for key:com.apple.backupd.HostUUID path:/Volumes/Mridanga/Backups.backupdb/googly size:37
2/2/12 8:35:36.091 AM com.apple.backupd: Backup failed with error: 2
When this happens, the Hard Drive makes beeping noises (each time Time Machine tries to access it). It refuses to unmount, and Disk Utility refuses to either verify or repair the hard drive. Forcibly unplugging the hard drive and replugging it does not help either. It makes beeping noises for about half a minute and then goes quiet. However, neither is it mounted nor is it visible in the disk utility.
The only way I have managed to fix this is to plug the hard drive in another mac, where it mounts without any problem. I then run disk utility to verify the hard drive (on that mac) and then when I replug the drive to my laptop, it works. Until it breaks again.
The only other "error" related to my external hard drive that I have found in system logs is also pasted below:
2/2/12 12:50:07.161 AM com.apple.backupd: Error (256): fetching properties: Error Domain=NSCocoaErrorDomain Code=256 "The file “objects.nib” couldn’t be opened." UserInfo=0x7f9097807460 {NSURL=file://localhost/Volumes/Mridanga/Backups.backupdb/googly/2012-02-01-222347/Macintosh%20HD/System/Library/ColorPickers/NSColorPickerWheel.colorPicker/Resources/ar.lproj/NSColorPickerWheel.nib/objects.nib, NSFilePath=/Volumes/Mridanga/Backups.backupdb/googly/2012-02-01-222347/Macintosh HD/System/Library/ColorPickers/NSColorPickerWheel.colorPicker/Resources/ar.lproj/NSColorPickerWheel.nib/objects.nib, NSUnderlyingError=0x7f9097833650 "The operation couldn’t be completed. Not a directory"}
2/2/12 12:50:07.289 AM com.apple.backupd: Error (256): fetching properties: Error Domain=NSCocoaErrorDomain Code=256 "The file “objects.nib” couldn’t be opened." UserInfo=0x7f9097096050 {NSURL=file://localhost/Volumes/Mridanga/Backups.backupdb/googly/2012-02-01-222347/Macintosh%20HD/System/Library/ColorPickers/NSColorPickerWheel.colorPicker/Resources/hu.lproj/NSColorPickerWheel.nib/objects.nib, NSFilePath=/Volumes/Mridanga/Backups.backupdb/googly/2012-02-01-222347/Macintosh HD/System/Library/ColorPickers/NSColorPickerWheel.colorPicker/Resources/hu.lproj/NSColorPickerWheel.nib/objects.nib, NSUnderlyingError=0x7f9097095f40 "The operation couldn’t be completed. Not a directory"}
2/2/12 12:50:07.294 AM com.apple.backupd: Error (256): fetching properties: Error Domain=NSCocoaErrorDomain Code=256 "The file “objects.nib” couldn’t be opened." UserInfo=0x7f9097359940 {NSURL=file://localhost/Volumes/Mridanga/Backups.backupdb/googly/2012-02-01-222347/Macintosh%20HD/System/Library/ColorPickers/NSColorPickerWheel.colorPicker/Resources/ko.lproj/NSColorPickerWheel.nib/objects.nib, NSFilePath=/Volumes/Mridanga/Backups.backupdb/googly/2012-02-01-222347/Macintosh HD/System/Library/ColorPickers/NSColorPickerWheel.colorPicker/Resources/ko.lproj/NSColorPickerWheel.nib/objects.nib, NSUnderlyingError=0x7f90973598e0 "The operation couldn’t be completed. Not a directory"}
2/2/12 12:50:07.313 AM com.apple.backupd: Error (256): fetching properties: Error Domain=NSCocoaErrorDomain Code=256 "The file “objects.nib” couldn’t be opened." UserInfo=0x7f909772fc90 {NSURL=file://localhost/Volumes/Mridanga/Backups.backupdb/googly/2012-02-01-222347/Macintosh%20HD/System/Library/ColorPickers/NSColorPickerWheel.colorPicker/Resources/sv.lproj/NSColorPickerWheel.nib/objects.nib, NSFilePath=/Volumes/Mridanga/Backups.backupdb/googly/2012-02-01-222347/Macintosh HD/System/Library/ColorPickers/NSColorPickerWheel.colorPicker/Resources/sv.lproj/NSColorPickerWheel.nib/objects.nib, NSUnderlyingError=0x7f909772bcc0 "The operation couldn’t be completed. Not a directory"}
2/2/12 12:50:07.326 AM com.apple.backupd: Error (256): fetching properties: Error Domain=NSCocoaErrorDomain Code=256 "The file “objects.nib” couldn’t be opened." UserInfo=0x7f909709b6f0 {NSURL=file://localhost/Volumes/Mridanga/Backups.backupdb/googly/2012-02-01-222347/Macintosh%20HD/System/Library/ColorPickers/NSColorPickerWheel.colorPicker/Resources/zh_CN.lproj/NSColorPickerWheel.nib/objects.nib, NSFilePath=/Volumes/Mridanga/Backups.backupdb/googly/2012-02-01-222347/Macintosh HD/System/Library/ColorPickers/NSColorPickerWheel.colorPicker/Resources/zh_CN.lproj/NSColorPickerWheel.nib/objects.nib, NSUnderlyingError=0x7f9097095e30 "The operation couldn’t be completed. Not a directory"}
I don't know what the problem is, but I would like to be able to use an external. I also have another external plugged in my computer (NTFS, and I have NTFS write enabled via http://www.paragon-software.com/home/ntfs-mac/) and that hard drive works perfectly. Also, the problem was there before I enabled NTFS write so nothing was harmed in enabling NTFS write.
System Info
OS X 10.7.3 (problem existed with 10.7.2) as well
RAM: 8 GB
Macbook Pro 15" (i7 2.2 GHz, 2011 model)

OSX is having trouble reading or writing to the drive. That's usually hardware (the drive, port, or cable).
Try different ports, cables, and combinations of the two (a plug that works fine in one port may not make good contact in a different one).
Be sure it's connected directly to your Mac -- no hubs or daisy chains, and not a port on your keyboard.
Also, what Partition Map Scheme does the drive have? (Check via Disk Utility - select the top line for the drive -- it should show at the lower right.)

Similar Messages

I have an IMAC and I'm running OSX 10.9.2. I'd like to store my Aperture /IMovie Libraries to an external hard drive. In addition, I'd like to partition the external hard drive so that Time Machine can use it to both back up my IMac and the externa

I have an IMAC and I'm running OSX 10.9.2. I'd like to store my Aperture /IMovie Libraries on an external hard drive. In addition, I'd like to partition the external hard drive so that Time Machine can use it to both back up my IMac and the external library drives. Is this possible? Can I set up a RAID 5 format for redundancy?

I'd like to store my Aperture /IMovie Libraries on an external hard drive.
That is fine and recommended.. use the fastest disk you can afford.. ie Thunderbolt>USB3>FW800>USB2.
In addition, I'd like to partition the external hard drive so that Time Machine can use it to both back up my IMac and the external library drives.
Let me be clear.. you want to partition the one disk.. use it for TM and move your files to the external disk.. and then backup to the same disk.. You can do it.. but that is not a backup.. that is an experiment in how long you can get away with running files and backups on the same disk before you lose everything.. like Russian Roulette.. pull the trigger enough times and laws of probability will do you in.
You must have backups on a different disk .. otherwise it is pointless.
Can I set up a RAID 5 format for redundancy?
No.. you can buy special USB and Thunderbolt external drives that support RAID..
BUT that is still not a backup.. let me show why.. you make a silly move and corrupt your file in aperture.. it is not that rare.
Raid will corrupt all copies of the files.. it is replicated across all disks.
Delete a photo it is deleted across all disks.. you have no recovery.
Alway, always consider RAID system one disk.. backup onto another disk.. and if the photos or movies are at all important to you.. ie your family .. make another copy and store in a relatives house.. There is no such thing as too much redundancy.

I would like to connect an external hard drive to my time machine and use it as a network drive to store itunes and iPhoto how do i do this

I have just purchased a new my book hard drive and would like to connect it to my time capsule and store my itunes and iphoto contentent there to free up space on my internal hard drive . Can this be done and what is the process?

I'd like to store my Aperture /IMovie Libraries on an external hard drive.
That is fine and recommended.. use the fastest disk you can afford.. ie Thunderbolt>USB3>FW800>USB2.
In addition, I'd like to partition the external hard drive so that Time Machine can use it to both back up my IMac and the external library drives.
Let me be clear.. you want to partition the one disk.. use it for TM and move your files to the external disk.. and then backup to the same disk.. You can do it.. but that is not a backup.. that is an experiment in how long you can get away with running files and backups on the same disk before you lose everything.. like Russian Roulette.. pull the trigger enough times and laws of probability will do you in.
You must have backups on a different disk .. otherwise it is pointless.
Can I set up a RAID 5 format for redundancy?
No.. you can buy special USB and Thunderbolt external drives that support RAID..
BUT that is still not a backup.. let me show why.. you make a silly move and corrupt your file in aperture.. it is not that rare.
Raid will corrupt all copies of the files.. it is replicated across all disks.
Delete a photo it is deleted across all disks.. you have no recovery.
Alway, always consider RAID system one disk.. backup onto another disk.. and if the photos or movies are at all important to you.. ie your family .. make another copy and store in a relatives house.. There is no such thing as too much redundancy.

HT201250 how do i add external hard drive to my time machine back up

how do i add external hard drive to my time machine back up so that I may view the files independently on apple tv please?

To elaborate on above. I am looking to add about 300gig of photos on an external hard drive to TC.
Once I do this I believe I can then have itunes source its photos from TC without having them stored directly on my iMac?
Then I am assuming once I keep itunes on with home sharing I can stream these photos through Apple TV?
My inital problem is getting the photos onto TC in an individual folder not just a backup folder....is that possible or what would you suggest please?

Trying to use a new, larger external hard drive for my Time Machine backup. However, every time I start the backup, it gets started then fails. And, I can't delete the few files that did save on the external. Sort of a catch 22. Any ideas?

Trying to use a new, larger external hard drive for my Time Machine backup. However, every time I start the backup, it gets started then fails. And, I can't delete the few files that did save on the external. Sort of a catch 22. Any ideas?

Is it a USB hard drive? USB hard drives have the problem of not giving full speed if they are hooked up on the same bus as keyboards and mice. Double check your profiler to make sure that is not a problem. If it is Firewire, make sure there aren't other firewire devices in use at the same time. I recommend not only keeping a Time Machine backup, but also a clone, and if you do use Time Machine, to make sure the Time Machine drive or partition is at least twice the size of the original drive.

I have a 250GB western digital external hard drive for my time machine backups. if i just want to backup and recover my photos and movies how do i do that with time machine?

I have a 250GB western digital external hard drive for my time machine backups. I did not download the software that came with the external HD. If I only want to backup my photos and movies from my Macbook how do I do that in Tme Machine with my external HD?

Format the HDD in Disk Utility>Erase to Mac OS Extended (Journaled) and the open System Preferences>Time Machine and set up the external disk as the Time Machine HDD. Then look at the Options, and exclude what you do not want backed up.
Ciao.

How do you remove back up data from the memory storage? my storage data states that i have over 80gb of data used for back ups and i dont know why as i use a external hard drive as a time machine .now my 250gb flash storage is nearly full

how do you remove back up data from the memory storage? my storage data states that i have over 80gb of data used for back ups and i dont know why as i use a external hard drive as a time machine .now my 250gb flash storage is nearly full.. HELP!

When Time Machine backs up a portable Mac, some of the free space will be used to make local snapshots, which are backup copies of recently deleted files. The space occupied by local snapshots is reported as available by the Finder, and should be considered as such. In the Storage display of System Information, local snapshots are shown as Backups. The snapshots are automatically deleted when they expire or when free space falls below a certain level. You ordinarily don't need to, and should not, delete local snapshots yourself. If you followed bad advice to disable local snapshots by running a shell command, you may have ended up with a lot of data in the Other category. Ask for instructions in that case.
See this support article for some simple ways to free up storage space.

How can I reformat my external hard drive from the time machine format to regular format?

Ok so when first starting out I got an external hard drive for my time machine, little did I know I would run out of space really fast and would need to buy a bigger and better hard drive. Now that I did that, I have my old hard drive that I would like to use for copying material form my laptop to my desktop. However, it is still set as my time machine and tries to back up my lap top every time I plug it in. Also, it says that about half of it is still filled with stuff. I erased everything on it. I just want to reformat it so that it is like I just bought it.

Tirrel wrote:
I had the same idea as you however when I tried going to Disk Utility and I tried to erase it an error message came up telling me that it is unable to erase.
Unable to erase, or unable to unmount?
If Time Machine is trying to back up to it, or some other process is using it, Disk Utility won't be able to unmount it. Turn Time Machine OFF; if you have the drive open via the Finder or any other app, close it or quit the app(s).
At worst, start up from your Install disc or other alternate source and erase it from there. If you're not sure how to do that, see the yellow box in #1 of Formatting, Partitioning, Verifying, and Repairing Disks.

External hard drive used for Time machine is full and having a hard time backing up. what should I do?

External hard drive used for Time Machine is full and having a hrad time backing up. What is my best option moving forward? NAS?

For All things Time Machine see Pondini's Excellent Infirmation here...
http://pondini.org/OSX/Home.html
Start with FAQs and Troubleshooting.

I am using a WD My Passport Studio external hard drive as a Time Machine. I get the error that a back up folder could not be created when my iMac has been asleep, any advice.

I am using a WD My Passport Studio external hard drive as a Time Machine. I get the error that a back up folder could not be created when my iMac has been asleep, any advice. The hard drive is set set not to go to sleep.

Were you not plugged in via USB to begin with?
I would recommend performing some resets just to be on the safe side. Unplug the external HD, and try these steps:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3964
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1379

I use an external hard drive as a Time Machine back up, but I want to use another external hard drive to save movies, photos on it, but it won't give me the option to save anything on the new external hard drive. Nothing is wrong with the external hard.

I use an external hard drive as a Time Machine back up, but I want to use another external hard drive to save movies, photos on it, but it won't give me the option to save anything on the new external hard drive. Nothing is wrong with the external hard.

Hi Clarkett99,
To use an external hard drive for your iTunes library, see the steps in this article -
iTunes: Back up your iTunes library by copying to an external hard drive
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1751
iPhoto can be used in a similar way, follow the steps in this previous discussion -
how do I save photos and their albums...: Apple Support Communities
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3744259
Thanks for using Apple Support Communities.
Best,
Brett L

OS is Mountain Lion, upgraded no problems, used an external Hard drive for my time machine, now my iPhoto will not show any of my photo's or ay new ones I import! Help please!!

OS is Mountain Lion, upgraded no problems, used an external Hard drive for my time machine, now my iPhoto will not show any of my photo's or ay new ones I import! Help please!!

Do you get this window when you hold down the Command+Option keys and launch iPhoto?
If not then you're not holding down both keys long enough.
OT

I want to purchase a two terabyte external hard drive to utilise Time Machine on my new iMac....but which one? Western Digital, Time Capsule, Seagate? Any advice would be most welcome please.

I want to purchase a two terabyte external hard drive to utilise Time Machine on my new iMac....but which one? Western Digital, Time Capsule, Seagate? Any advice would be most welcome please. Thanks Phil

If you are looking for high quality drives and enclosures I'd recommend these 3:
http://g-technology.com/products/g-drive.cfm
http://www.lacie.com/us/products/product.htm?id=10330
http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/firewire/1394/USB/EliteAL/eSATA_FW800_FW400_USB
I use the LaCie's, I've got three connected to my system and a 4th acting as my TM drive on my MacBook Air. Any of the above would be welcome on my desk though.

Accidentally converted my external hard drive to a time machine backup

Hi there, got a problem. I accidentally converted my external hard drive to a time machine backup and it re-formats my hard drive. What should i do to get back my data? It happened during my first time using a Mac book Air...
Please help. Thank you.

As Link pointed out in that thread, there's a lot excluded:
Dec 26 12:29:11 Branch-iMac com.apple.backupd[3876]: Backup content size: 340.7 GB excluded items size: 256.3 GB for volume Media Server
Thus there should be about 80 GB that's included.
And part of it WAS backed-up:
Dec 26 15:43:56 Branch-iMac com.apple.backupd[3876]: Copied 3986 files (13.6 GB) from volume Media Server.
He's also shown some things that aren't being backed-up, and suggested a couple of things to do, but you haven't responded to his last post.

Hi, I used an external hard drive as a time machine,now I want to use it on a windows PC as a normal hard drive again. How do I "reformat" the time machine to an normal usb-device?

Hi, I used an external hard drive as a time machine,now I want to use it on a windows PC as a normal hard drive again. How do I "reformat" the time machine to an normal usb-device?

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=how+to+format+hard+drive

External Hard Drive woes (possibly Time Machine related)

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for