I have an error message:Time Machine couldn't complete the backup to Time Capsule. The backup disk image is already in use.

I'm a single user, no Airport, and the Time Machine has been backing up nicely for several months. Recently, I've been getting the above message. Any help is appreciated.

Restart the TC. If that doesn't work, do as follows.
If you have more than one user account, these instructions must be carried out as an administrator.
Launch the Console application in any of the following ways:
☞ Enter the first few letters of its name into a Spotlight search. Select it in the results (it should be at the top.)
☞ In the Finder, select Go ▹ Utilities from the menu bar, or press the key combination shift-command-U. The application is in the folder that opens.
☞ Open LaunchPad. Click Utilities, then Console in the icon grid.
Make sure the title of the Console window is All Messages. If it isn't, select All Messages from the SYSTEM LOG QUERIES menu on the left.
Enter the word "Starting" (without the quotes) in the String Matching text field. You should now see log messages with the words "Starting * backup," where * represents any of the words "automatic," "manual," or "standard." Note the timestamp of the last such message. Clear the text field and scroll back in the log to that time. Select the messages timestamped from then until the end of the backup, or the end of the log if that's not clear. Copy them (command-C) to the Clipboard. Paste (command-V) into a reply to this message.
If there are runs of repeated messages, post only one example of each. Don't post many repetitions of the same message.
When posting a log extract, be selective. Don't post more than is requested.
Please do not indiscriminately dump thousands of lines from the log into this discussion.
Some personal information, such as the names of your files, may be included — anonymize before posting.

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    Try power cycling the whole network. restart in correct order. modem.. TC.. client computers.
    Otherwise check C12 here
    http://pondini.org/TM/Troubleshooting.html

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    Pull the power cord from the back of the Time Capsule
    Count to ten
    Plug the power cord back into the back of the Time Capsule
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    Hi,
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    Welcome to Apple Support Communities
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    Welcome to the Apple Support Communities
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    If you have more than one user account, these instructions must be carried out as an administrator.
    Launch the Console application in any of the following ways:
    ☞ Enter the first few letters of its name into a Spotlight search. Select it in the results (it should be at the top.)
    ☞ In the Finder, select Go ▹ Utilities from the menu bar, or press the key combination shift-command-U. The application is in the folder that opens.
    ☞ Open LaunchPad. Click Utilities, then Console in the icon grid.
    Make sure the title of the Console window is All Messages. If it isn't, select All Messages from the SYSTEM LOG QUERIES menu on the left. If you don't see that menu, select
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    from the menu bar.
    Enter the word "Starting" (without the quotes) in the String Matching text field. You should now see log messages with the words "Starting * backup," where * represents any of the words "automatic," "manual," or "standard." Note the timestamp of the last such message. Clear the text field and scroll back in the log to that time. Select the messages timestamped from then until the end of the backup, or the end of the log if that's not clear. Copy them (command-C) to the Clipboard. Paste (command-V) into a reply to this message.
    If all you see are messages that contain the word "Starting," you didn't clear the search box.
    If there are runs of repeated messages, post only one example of each. Don't post many repetitions of the same message.
    When posting a log extract, be selective. Don't post more than is requested.
    Please do not indiscriminately dump thousands of lines from the log into this discussion.
    Some personal information, such as the names of your files, may be included — anonymize before posting.

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    If you have more than one user account, these instructions must be carried out as an administrator.
    Launch the Console application in any of the following ways:
    ☞ Enter the first few letters of its name into a Spotlight search. Select it in the results (it should be at the top.)
    ☞ In the Finder, select Go ▹ Utilities from the menu bar, or press the key combination shift-command-U. The application is in the folder that opens.
    ☞ Open LaunchPad. Click Utilities, then Console in the icon grid.
    Make sure the title of the Console window is All Messages. If it isn't, select All Messages from the SYSTEM LOG QUERIES menu on the left. If you don't see that menu, select
    View ▹ Show Log List
    from the menu bar.
    Enter the word "Starting" (without the quotes) in the String Matching text field. You should now see log messages with the words "Starting * backup," where * represents any of the words "automatic," "manual," or "standard." Note the timestamp of the last such message. Clear the text field and scroll back in the log to that time. Select the messages timestamped from then until the end of the backup, or the end of the log if that's not clear. Copy them (command-C) to the Clipboard. Paste (command-V) into a reply to this message.
    If there are runs of repeated messages, post only one example of each. Don't post many repetitions of the same message.
    When posting a log extract, be selective. Don't post more than is requested.
    Please do not indiscriminately dump thousands of lines from the log into this discussion.
    Some personal information, such as the names of your files, may be included — anonymize before posting.

  • Error Warning that Time Machine couldn't complete the backup to disk, an error occurred while copying files.

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    Thanks

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  • Time Machine couldn't complete the backup to "Time Capsule. The backup disk image /Volumes/Data/MacBook Pro.sparsebundle could not be created (error 60)"

    We are Mountain Lion using Time Machine to backup to Time Capsule. When the backup tries to run, an error appears after a couple of minutes saying "The disk you inserted was not readable by this computer." Then an error shows up saying "Time Machine couldn't complete the backup to "Time Capsule.The backup disk image /Volumes/Data/MacBook Pro.sparsebundle could not be created (error 60)"
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    However, after a couple of minutes- it comes back saying that the disk is unreadable.
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    Help!
    Thanks,
    Neil

    neillhowell wrote:
    I've noticed that when Time Machine runs, that a  folder called Data  at /Volumes/ appears while Time Machine is trying to back up. I think it's making the sparsebundle to transfer to the Time Capsule.
    Yes, exactly.  It makes one sparse bundle per Mac.
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    If not, a clue may be lurking in your logs.  Use the widget in #A1 of Time Machine - Troubleshooting to display the backup messages from your logs.  Locate the backup in question (probably the first one displayed), then copy and post all the messages here.

  • HT3275 I am received an error on my Time Capsule   which states the backup disk image  "Volumes/Data/MacBook Pro. sparse bundle? is already in use.  so time machine couldn't complete the backup to time capsule - any suggestion

    I've received an error message    Time Machine couldn't complete the backup to Time Capsule,   the backup disk image  /Volumes/Date/....MacBook Pro.sparsebundle" is already in use.  Any suggestions as to what I can do to fix it?

    I've got mine working again by deleting a partial backup that was on the Time Capsule.
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  • HT3275 What if my error message is the following:  The backup disk image "/Volumes/********'s Time Capsul/****'s MacBook Pro.sparsebundle" is already in use. (I have redacted the name of the computer with asterixes)

    What if my error message is the following:  The backup disk image “/Volumes/********'s Time Capsul/****’s MacBook Pro.sparsebundle” is already in use. (I have redacted the name of the computer with asterixes)

    This is a complex procedure.  
    Pull the power cord from the back of the Time Capsule
    Wait a minute or two
    Plug the power cord back in to the back of the Time Capsule
    This will fix the issue 98% of the time. If you are in the unlucky 2% category, more help is here from Pondini, the Time Machine guru:
    The Backup disk image ... sparsebundle ... is already in use.

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    Has anyone encountered this message on their time capsule/machine? Time Machine couldn't complete the backup because the backup disk image"/Volumes/Patti's Time Capsule/Patti's MacBook Pro.sparsebundle" is already in use"?

    If you reboot the computer it should fix the problem. Also see the first link under More Like This to the right of this page:
    I am received an error on my Time Capsule   which states the backup disk image  "Volumes/Data/MacBook Pro. sparse bundle? is already in use.  so time machine couldn't complete the backup to time capsule - any suggestion

  • TS1550 Time Machine worked fine w. new HD for 16 backups, but started giving this mssg: [TIME MACHINE COULDN'T COMPLETE THE BACKUP TO "TOSHIBA EXT" ...An error occurred while creating the backup folder]

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