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?

Similar Messages

  • HT3275 I get the following message - "Time Machine could not complete the backup."  "Unable to complete backup."  "An error occurred while creating the backup folder.""

    I get the following message - "Time Machine could not complete the backup."  "Unable to complete backup. An error occurred while creating the backup folder."" 
    This MAC is partioned with Windows 7 with only  50 gig devoted to Windows so my son can play Flight Simulator X on the machine. 
    I have a WD Passport External Hard Drive for the Back Up
    I have spoken with WD Tech Support and they have been fantastic but I still keep getting this message.  Any thought?
    Maxx

    Reboot the TC.. it sometimes gets lost on the network.. are you still actually using 10.6.8 as the problem is more prevalent on Lion and ML it seems is no better.
    You might find reset of the TC is needed. change the names to short, no spaces pure alphanumeric.
    Reset the TM to the new name.. use the A4 in Pondini's great KB.
    http://pondini.org/TM/Troubleshooting.html

  • I am trying to use Time Machine to back-up to an external hard drive and I get the following message.Unable to complete backup. An error occurred while creating the backup folder. Does anyone know what I should do?

    I am trying to use Time Machine to back-up to an external hard drive and I get the following message.Unable to complete backup. An error occurred while creating the backup folder. Does anyone know what I should do?

    Hello Drake, I suspect one or more of the Drives needs repairing, but...
    Have you looked through Pondini's extensive TM help site?
    http://Pondini.org/TM/FAQ.html
    http://pondini.org/TM/Troubleshooting.html
    Can't imaging something not being covered there.

  • HT3275 The error message I get with Time Machine is 'Unable to complete backup. An error occurred while creating the backup folder.' Any idea how I solve this problem?

    I am a little perplexed. The Time Machine does seem to be backing up my data but I continually get the following message displayed on my screen 'Unable to complete backup. An error occurred while creating the backup folder.' I am using a WD My Passport for Mac portable hard disk drive.

    Hi Peter,
    http://pondini.org/TM/C10.html

  • 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.

  • Hello I bought a G-Raid GR4 4000 4 TB and used it for a backup with my new Imac27. Now this is all I get. "Time Machine couldn't complete the backup to "G-RAID". to complete backup. An error occurred while creating the backup folder.

    Hello I bought a G-Raid GR4 4000 4 TB and used it for a backup with my new Imac27. Now this is all I get. "Time Machine couldn’t complete the backup to “G-RAID”. to complete backup. An error occurred while creating the backup folder."
    Any idea what I should do?

    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 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.

  • HT3275 what do I do when time machine says: Unable to complete backup. An error occurred while creating the backup folder?

    I am trying to back up my imac using an external storage: My passport Studio 1TB.  Each time it trys to back up Time machine says: Unable to complete back up. An error occurred while creating the backup folder.  Does anyone know how I can fix this problem? Thanks

    Plowie,
    Do a search in Discussions, "An error occurred while creating the backup folder."
    Many of us are having this problem and no fix has been offered, that I could find.
    Unless you call "eject the external HDD; turn off; turn back on" a fix.  That's what I have to do every 2 or 3 days; I even have to "force eject", with the concomitant warning message that you could lose data, etc.

  • HT3275 Time Machine Problem? Unable to complete backup. An error occurred while creating the backup folder.

    Time machine is having trouble.  This is the error message... Unable to complete backup. An error occurred while creating the backup folder.
    Ideas?

    Reboot the TC.. if that is not enough reboot the whole network.. from off, restart in order.. modem.. TC.. clients 2min gap.

  • Error: Time Machine couldn't complete the backup to Time Capsule - Unable to complete backup. An error occurred while creating the backup folder.

    error: Time Machine couldn't complete the backup to Time Capsule - Unable to complete backup. An error occurred while creating the backup folder.

    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.

  • Time Machine Issue-Unable to complete backup. An error occurred while creating the backup folder.

    Unable to complete backup. An error occurred while creating the backup folder.

    As usual, backups worked for a few days.  Failed again on wakeup this morning...
    Starting standard backup
    Backing up to: /Volumes/TM Backup/Backups.backupdb
    Error: (22) setxattr for key:com.apple.backupd.ModelID path:/Volumes/TM Backup/Backups.backupdb/David’s Mac Mini size:10
    Error: (-50) Creating directory 2012-02-25-074454.inProgress
    Failed to make snapshot container.
    Error: (22) setxattr for key:com.apple.backupd.ModelID path:/Volumes/TM Backup/Backups.backupdb/David's Mac Mini size:10
    Backup failed with error: 2
    I've searched Discussions and have seen the exact same error messages with all kinds of Macs and ext HDs, both USB and FW.  I can't believe it's a 'failing HD' since it works for a few days; and that it's been going on for months now.  Seems like the ext HD would have actually failed by now if that was the case.
    I wish I could figure out why three different errors are reported: (-50), (22), and :2

  • Time Machine Error: An error occurred while creating the backup directory

    Time Machine Error: Unable to complete backup. An error occured while creating the backup directory.
    I back up to wirelessly to a Time Capsule. I get these errors often. I'll go for a few days with everything working and then encounter these errors. I've even completely erased the Time Capsule drive and started over. It'll work fine for a few days and then start the errors over again. Interestingly, when the errors occur, the Time Capsule drive can not be unmounted even if clicking the eject button. I am on 10.5.8 but it happened in 10.5.7 as well. I have another Mac that doesn't seem to have any issues with the same Time Capsule.
    Here's a log - they all seem to fail with similar errors:
    Starting standard backup
    Backup destination alias resolved to path: /Volumes/AirPort Disk
    Disk image /Volumes/AirPort Disk/Brittney’s Computer_0019e33d4fde.sparsebundle mounted at: /Volumes/Backup of Brittney’s Computer
    Backing up to: /Volumes/Backup of Brittney’s Computer/Backups.backupdb
    2009-08-27 13:52:48.465 FindSystemFiles[2955:713] Querying receipt database for system packages
    2009-08-27 13:52:48.693 FindSystemFiles[2955:713] Using system path cache.
    Failed to create progress log file at path:/Volumes/Backup of Brittney’s Computer/Backups.backupdb/Brittney’s Computer/2009-08-26-212437.inProgress/.Backup.273091970.250248.log.
    Error: (-50) Creating directory 7CCE60DD-ADCC-4004-A0D9-3EC83D892372
    Failed to make snapshot.
    Backup failed with error: 2
    Failed to eject volume /Volumes/Backup of Brittney’s Computer (FSVolumeRefNum: -114; status: -47; dissenting pid: 0)

    Nancy H wrote:
    I used it as it came, supposedly formatted for a mac.
    It may or may not be right.
    I'd be inclined to start over, per #5 in the Frequently Asked Questions *User Tip* at the top of this forum.
    If that doesn't help, go on to #C10, etc., in the Troubleshooting Tip, as in the previous post.

  • Time Machine: Error occurred while creating the backup folder

    Mac Mini 2.53 GHz, 8 GB DDR3
    OS X 10.8.4
    Time Capsule 1 TB, connected via ethernet
    Airport Utility 6.3.1 (631.4)
    "Time Machine Error.  Unable to complete backup. An error occurred while creating the backup folder."
    I believe my Time Capsule is out of space and isn't removing older backups to create space for itself.  Time Machine preferences says only 98 MB available on the 1 TB volume.  I have used Pondini's superb troubleshooting page with the following results:
    A1: Time Machine Buddy Widget.  Partial log from backup attempt:
    Backing up to: /Volumes/Time Machine Backups/Backups.backupdb
    Failed to create progress log file at path:/Volumes/Time Machine Backups/Backups.backupdb/Macmini-34159E18D208 (4)/2013-04-04-223516.inProgress/.Backup.400571203.603238.log.
    Event store UUIDs don't match for volume: Macintosh HD
    Error: (Error Domain=NSCocoaErrorDomain Code=640 "You can’t save the file “598C5622-100E-456A-89AF-DEBC87A6CA89” because the volume “Time Machine Backups” is out of space." UserInfo=0x7f88a330cef0 {NSFilePath=/Volumes/Time Machine Backups/Backups.backupdb/Macmini-34159E18D208 (4)/2013-04-04-223516.inProgress/598C5622-100E-456A-89AF-DEBC87A6CA89, NSUnderlyingError=0x7f88a33056a0 "The operation couldn’t be completed. No space left on device"}) Creating directory 598C5622-100E-456A-89AF-DEBC87A6CA89
    Failed to make snapshot.
    Backup failed with error: 2
    Ejected Time Machine disk image: /Volumes/Data/Macmini-34159E18D208 (4).sparsebundle
    Ejected Time Machine network volume.
    A4: Full reset of Time Machine.  Done, did not change error from occurring on next backup attempt.
    A5b: Verify backups on Time Machine.  Done, successful (no problems).
    C10: Also attempted switching out ethernet cable and tried different ports on the Time Capsule, to no effect.
    I have no exceptions listed in Time Machine preferences (under Options) and the box for "notify when deleting old backups" is UNchecked.
    Any suggestions would be most appreciated!!

    grifftastic wrote:
    I believe my Time Capsule is out of space and isn't removing older backups to create space for itself.  Time Machine preferences says only 98 MB available on the 1 TB volume.
    "You can’t save the file “598C5622-100E-456A-89AF-DEBC87A6CA89” because the volume “Time Machine Backups” is out of space."
    Yes, it's so full it can't get started -- not even far enough to start deleting old backups.
    If you have other data there (not usually a good idea), move some of it elsewhere temporarily, and try again.
    If not, manually delete a couple of old backups, and "compact" the sparse bundle, per Time Machine - Frequently Asked Question #12.

  • HT3275 How do I correct this problem - Time Machine could not complete back up. An error occurred while creating the backup folder? The problem started on 5th March but I had backed up to an iomega HD since I got my iMac in October.

    I have had a problem since 5th March with Time Machine on my iMac. I have had no problem since I got the computer in October backing up to an iomega HD but now I keep getting a message that "Time Machine could not complete the backup. An error occurred while creating the backup folder". Anyone know how to correct this?

    I had the same "Error creating the backup folder" error - many times over.
    I went into the Disk Utility, selected the Backup Disk and ran Verify. It checked out OK. But if not, could have run Repair.
    Then did a complete shutdown and restart of the iMac and then tried "Backup Now" from the Time Machine icon's menu - it worked fine.

  • Time machine says: An error occurred while creating the backup folder

    I noticed the time machine icon showing an error in the menu bar, and it displayed the following error message: Unable to complete backup. An error occurred while creating the backup folder.
    This has happened 2-3 times. If I remount the drive the Time Machine works fine for about a day before giving me the same error again. I have Time Machine set to use one of the partitions on my 2TB external usb hard drive.
    I used Time Machine Buddy to look at the logs and it says this:
    Starting standard backup
    Backing up to: /Volumes/TIME/Backups.backupdb
    Error: (22) setxattr for key:com.apple.backupd.HostUUID path:/Volumes/TIME/Backups.backupdb/grasshopper size:37
    Backup failed with error: 2

    I think this is not just a problem with time machine because I had the same problem with a 4 drive raid array that was created on my MBP, then when I bought my MP i hooked it up and there were immediately problems similar to your description. First the array would spin up but was very slow to copy to. I tried to delete the array but was unsuccessful.  ultimately i had to re boot the array as an incomplete (3 drives instead of 4) then zero the drives and creat a new set. I used 3 instead of 4 this time just in case it was a power issue.  The new array worked fine and copied files at acceptable speeds.  Then after working in itunes for about 2 hours, i started getting spinning balls which is strange for a MP 6 core with 16 gb ram and a 5870 with a striped "0" work disk. It was the raid set again. I realized that it must have something to do with conflicts between a program indirectly using the drive(mds,spotlight,time machine etc.) and the program diirectly using the drive(itunes). Anyway...this worked for me.
    the instructions in the following thread fixed for the time being.
    https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3200951?start=0&tstart=0

  • Time capsule won't back up - Unable to complete backup. An error occurred while creating the backup folder. Any ideas?

    I have tried all the resets, the firmware is the latest version, the green light is on.
    But I get this message "Unable to complete backup. An error occurred while creating the backup folder."
    Any ideas?

    Do setup again.. but make sure both your wireless and your ethernet have ipv6 turned on to local link.
    Done this OK, but no idea about IPv6 - something new to me and rather Appley I think?
    Unplug the WAN for the moment.. Just LAN port TC to the MBPr ethernet via thunderbolt.. (thunderbird was the kids puppet series.. Thunderbirds are go!!). Done - New real people Thunderbirds movie coming out soon I believe!!!
    Reset the TC again.. sorry.. !! You're welcome ... done.
    Make sure the ethernet now has an IP address.. 10.0.1.2 - Yep - done that - on ethernet anyway ...
    You need to open the network preferences to find out. Yep - that's good ...
    ****** I then reconnect the TC WAN to the router - is this right?
    And then I think I start going round in circles ... boot, reboot, restart, reboot again ...
    The final result is green light on TC, but error message when trying TM is "Backup disk is not available".
    Then open the airport utility and you should be able to setup the TC.
    Do as little setup as possible and then run the TM backup and see how it goes.
    I have managed to get Thunderbird to LAN on TC to create a folder on TC and copy a file onto it.
    So I guess the drive is working - it must be the software, settings or perhaps even the operator that isn't quite so clever ...
    I named network RFG, named device RFGTC.  RFG network shown as IP 192.168.0.72
    Wireless router is BT Homehub 3 with IP of 192.168.0.254 - is this issuing new IP addresses when rebooting TC?
    I have three wireless networks here - the BT Homehub3 wireless, the TC wireless, and also a D-link power socket ethernet thingy for an ethernet connection to the telly - DHP-W310AV which is also wireless link.  All are effectively connected to the BT Homehub - is there a conflict there?
    Have several times achieved in Airport Utility schematic with internet shown as green, RFGTC shown as green, light on TC green, but no TM backup run ... "backup disc not available."
    And there are no tall building around here to hurl myself off ... at least you can go to Sydney Harbour bridge - not too far away ... it was my son in Sydney that persuaded me to scrap Windows and go Apple ... it's all his fault ...

  • Time Machine: "An error occurred while creating the backup folder."

    Devices involved:
    • MacBook Pro (Mid-2009, 15-inch, OS X 10.7 Lion)
    • 2 TB LaCie XL Hard Drive
    The issue:
    I've been looking for the answer to this for the longest time on this dicussion fourm and on other sites, but the gist of the issue is this: Whenever I try to backup with Time Machine, I leave the backup going overnight When I see the status in the morning, Time Machine greets me with the message, "Unable to complete backup. An error occurred while creating the backup folder." I backup both Macintosh HD and another external drive for my iTunes library.
    What I've tried:
    I've tried this on both Snow Leopard and Lion. Alleged solutions have ranged from fixing permissions on both the backup drive and the source drives, uninstalling Growl, and erasing the backup drive. I've tried all of them, to no avail. I need a solution.
    Update 1: The backup drive is formatted to Mac OS Extended (Journaled).
    Update 2: The backup drive was verified by disk utility and has no issues.
    Update 2: The backup drive is connected to an LED Cinema Display thru USB, which is connected to my MacBook Pro thru USB.

    I probably can't add any more then. Any time I've had an issue like that, reformatting has done the trick. I'm not familiar with Growl, other than what I just Googled. Just be sure that you've completely deleted it and all it's files from:
    Application Folder
    ~/Library/Application Support/Growl - if it exists there
    ~/Library/Preferences
    If you find any files in those locations, delete them and try reformatting the drive again

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