IMac, MacBook Pro, 750GB USB Hard Drive and Time Machine

I have my external hard drive partitioned and directly connected to my iMac. Time Machine mounts and backs up one partition. I have the other partition configured to share off of the iMac. The MacBook Pro sees the partition in time machine but the back up fails every time. I understand that the drive won't allow the two Macs to back up at the same time, so I've shut off Time Machine on the iMac....still no success. Could someone please point me in the right direction.

So I have made some head way regarding this odd problem. Turns out my memory card reader is fine I think. My memory card reader will eject on the right port using a 4GB Lexar 133X professional CF card but NOT on the left USB port. However ALL 3 of my sandisk CF cards work fine in the reader on both USB ports. These 3 cards range from all different speeds from 15MB/sex to 30MB/sec. My lexar is 20MB/sec rated. Go figure!?
As for the Western Digital My passport USB 3.0 drive I have come to the conclusion its the drive and not the port. Reading through various forums on Anandtech, Apple Support and the Western Digital website forum many people have had issues with these drives on USB 3 ports on both Windows and on the Mac.
http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2302617
http://community.wd.com/t5/External-Drives-for-PC/My-Passport-2TB-USB-3-0-keeps- randomly-disconnecting-HELP/td-p/477224

Similar Messages

  • Backing up photos on iMac using external hard drive and time machine

    How do i back up photos from my imac using an external hard drive and time machine
    Thanks in advance

    Apple explains how to use Time Machine in http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1427.
    Setting up and using TM is very simple to do, connect any external HD (format as Mac OS Extended (Journaled) using Disk Utility ) and your computer shoudl ask if you want to use that EHD for a Time Machine backup. If you have any questions visit your local Apple Store or reseller and they can answer how to setup and use TM and also should be able to offer suggestions on EHDs. My personal preference is OWC (www.macsales.com) Mercury Elite Pro due to the build quality and OWC's level of support.

  • I just replaced the hard drive on my macbook pro, reformatted new hard drive and copied over a backup from time machine now I have a kernel panic message (you must restart) - what do I do now?

    i just replaced the hard drive on my macbook pro, reformatted new hard drive, installed a back up from time machine and now have kernel panic ( you must restart your computer) what do I need to do?

    If you're able to boot, 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, press the key combination shift-command-U. The application is in the folder that opens.
    ☞ If you’re running Mac OS X 10.7 or later, open LaunchPad. Click Utilities, then Console in the page that opens.
    Select the most recent panic log under System Diagnostic Reports. Post the contents – the text, please, not a screenshot. For privacy’s sake, I suggest you edit out the “Anonymous UUID,” a long string of letters, numbers, and dashes in the header and body of the report, if it’s present (it may not be.) Please don't post "shutdownStall" or "hang" reports.
    If you can't boot in the usual way, try a safe boot. The instructions provided by Apple are as follows:
    Be sure your Mac is shut down.
    Press the power button.
    Immediately after you hear the startup tone, hold the Shift key. The Shift key should be held as soon as possible after the startup tone, but not before the tone.
    Release the Shift key when you see the gray Apple icon and the progress indicator (looks like a spinning gear).
    During startup, you’ll see a progress bar, and then the login screen, which appears even if you normally log in automatically. You must know your login password in order to log in. If you’ve forgotten the password, you will need to reset it before you begin.
    Safe mode is slower than normal, and some things won’t work at all.

  • External Hard Drive and Time Machine questions

    Hello, I am new here to the forums and I have looked all over for the answers to two questions that I have regarding external hard drives and the time machine feature.
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    I am using this guide to help me with this whole process: http://circuitremix.com/?q=content/macbook-pro-solid-state-drive-upgrade-guide-a nd-performance-testing.
    My two questions are:
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    2) After I have cloned everything onto my new SSD and replaced the HDD in my MacBook with it, should I erase everything on my HDD before setting it up with time machine?  I was thinking about keeping the original data on the original hard drive (which would now be my external drive) just in case something goes wrong with time machine but I have read that people recommend solely dedicating the entire external hard drive for time machine backups.
    Thanks in advance!

    Format the new SSD in Disk Utility to Mac OS Extended (Journaled) and that will solve question No. 1.
    After formatting, clone the new SSD using Disk Utility>Restore or Carbon Copy Cloner (down load from the Internet).  Test the new SSD and if it performs as expected, do the physical swap.
    Question No. 2.  Erase the Time Machine HDD using Disk Utility and then install Time Machine.  See this excellent website regarding Time Machine.
    http://pondini.org/OSX/Home.html
    If you want an external boot HHD, get another one and use Carbon Copy Cloner.  This will give you redundancy in backups as well which is a good strategy.  CCC also can update the contents in an incremental manner similar to Time Machine.
    Ciao.

  • 13" MacBook Pro (mid 2009) hard drive and memory upgrade

    So I'm looking to upgrade my hard drive and memory for my 13" MacBook Pro. I'm still wondering just how easy it will be to recover my data, and put it back onto my new drive. I currently have everything backed up to an External drive using Time Machine. If I back it up, and then do the replacement, is it really as simple as it sounds to start it up, put in the Mac OS disk and then restore from a Time Machine backup? I have 150 Gb worth of data and would be ticked off if I can't get it back to my MacBook Pro. Any expertise out there? The actual installation looks easy, but it's the loading the new drive that has me concerned. When I install the new drive, is there anything else I need to do to prep it? And how do I do it if there is? Looking at a 500 gb or even 1 Tb Western Digital drive.

    I would say get yourself an external enclosure. Put the hard drive that comes out of your MacBook pro into the enclosure. Put in the new hard drive. Boot up from the external hard drive, use disk utility to format the new drive. Use Carbon Copy Cloner to move everything as it is from old hard drive to new internal one. Re-boot to internal drive, you are done.
    Carbon Copy Cloner is a freeware get it from download.com

  • Hard drives and Time Machine

    I purchased Super Duper and did a full backup on my Mac Pro (I have 3 hard drives, the main one and Two backup drives that are mounted on the desktop). Everything worked fine, I did the Super-Duper start-up/complete backup to one of the extra hard drives. The problem is when I run Time Machine it backs up everything including the extra copy of my computer that Super-Duper just created. This just filled up the extra hard drive that I use for Time Machine.
    My question...
    1) Is there a way to have the Super-Duper back-up copy of my computer but then not have it re-backed up by Time Machine? Do I need to remove the hard drive (the hard drive with the Super-Duper copy) from the desktop, and how do I do this... they are internal hard drives and not external hard drives.
    2) What is the best way to undo what I have done and get the space back on my extra hard drive that I am using for time machine?
    I know these are basic questions but I am new to Apple
    Thanks for the help

    There is a forum for Time Machine, and a library there of user contributed tips, FAQ, and more. There are 3rd party utilities to modify how and when, but you can always ignore a volume or folder from being watched by TimeMachine. By default it will backup any and all mounted volumes.
    I think the best place for backups, maybe other than T/M, is external and off line.
    http://discussions.apple.com/forum.jspa?forumID=1342

  • Slow external hard drive and time machine un able to back up

    My Western Digital Elements 2 TB USB 2.0 Desktop external hard drive has become very slow to boot. I also use the same drive for time machine, which is now un able to back up. Is there anyway of increasing the speed, and fixing time machine without losing any data, as the drive is not backed up. Thanks.

    If Disk Utility can't repair it, there are some expensive third party products that may be able to do so, strictly for the purpose of extracting whatever files remain intact. I have none in particular to recommend.
    Some data is already certainly gone. The disk should be replaced regardless of any utility's ability to "repair" it.

  • USB Hard Drive with Time Machine/Time Capsule

    Does a USB hard drive connected to a Time Machine volume or a Time Capsule become an extension of that volume for Time Machine's purposes, or does it become just a place to
    copy what's already on the TM/TC, or both?
    And if both, I hope that user procedures for choosing the option I
    want to use is simple and foolproof.

    fanboy512 wrote:
    A USB hard drive if formatted correctly can be used as another source of Time Machine backup destination..or can be used as a networked HD but is not an extension of the the Time Capsule per say.
    Message was edited by: fanboy512
    I am sorry. I do not understand.
    In a Time Machine (without Time Capsule) scenario, I would have Time Machine working with an external hard drive connected via FireWire 800. So, with a USB drive connected to the FireWire drive, would I then see two volumes? Or only one?
    In a Time Capsule scenario, with a second USB drive connected to to the back of the Time Capsule, you say it becomes a networked HD. I have four questions.
    What good is a networked HD to me?
    I cannot use the second USB drive to make the Time Capsule volume bigger - True?/False?
    I cannot use the second USB drive to make a backup copy of the Time Capsule volume - True?/False?
    To backup the Time Capsule volume, I could simply do a Desktop copy/drag to an external FireWire hard drive - True?/False?
    By the way, one objective is to first buy a 500 GB Time Capsule and then find a way to get more capacity later in time if I need it.

  • USB hard drive for Time Machine backup?

    I'm looking for a USB hard drive that actually works with Time Machine. I have a Western Digital 320Gb passport HD. When I try to run TM, currently with Snow Kitty and previously with Leopard, TM seems to hang at 'preparing backup' and then I get error messages that the drive was unexpectantly removed, even though I didn't touch anything.
    Assuming it is the portable Western Digital HD what is a good brand/make to use for TM backups. If the particular drive is not the problem, what should I look at?

    Did you prep the drive before you started using it? Do the following:
    Extended Hard Drive Preparation
    1. Open Disk Utility in your Utilities folder.
    2. After DU loads select your hard drive (this is the entry with the mfgr.'s ID and size) from the left side list. Click on the Partition tab in the DU main window.
    3. Under the Volume Scheme heading set the number of partitions from the drop down menu to one. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Options button, set the partition scheme to GUID (for Intel Macs) or APM (for PPC Macs) then click on the OK button. Click on the Partition button and wait until the process has completed.
    4. Select the volume you just created (this is the sub-entry under the drive entry) from the left side list. Click on the Erase tab in the DU main window.
    5. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Options button, check the button for Zero Data and click on OK to return to the Erase window.
    6. Click on the Erase button. The format process can take up to several hours depending upon the drive size.

  • Can time capsule be use simultaneously as a wireless hard drive and time machine backup?

    Hello, I currently have a macbook pro retina and have about 600 gig of content. I am tired of hauling around an external hard drive with him to hold it all. I was thinking of getting a Time Capsule but wanted to know if it can serve as both an external hard drive for my content as well as the destination disk for a time machine back up. If not, can I attach an external hard drive to the time machine to use as the backup drive. Oh one more thing, will I only be able to see the content if I connect to the same home internet network or will I be able to access it with any internet connection regardless of where I am??

    Hello, I currently have a macbook pro retina and have about 600 gig of content. I am tired of hauling around an external hard drive with him to hold it all.
    Who is him?? The MBPr.. interesting choice of pronoun if it is.
    Do you really need 600GB of content.. ??
    You can buy a 1TB 2.5" drive in a tiny holder now. In terms of the amount of lugging.. I doubt you will feel that much extra.
    I was thinking of getting a Time Capsule but wanted to know if it can serve as both an external hard drive for my content as well as the destination disk for a time machine back up. If not, can I attach an external hard drive to the time machine to use as the backup drive. Oh one more thing, will I only be able to see the content if I connect to the same home internet network or will I be able to access it with any internet connection regardless of where I am??
    We do not recommend the TC as an external hard disk to store your files. It has no.. repeat NO ability to back itself up.. it is a sealed unit without spare parts available.. If it dies.. apple will replace not recover. Say goodbye to all your files.. and frankly that are not that reliable.
    TM cannot backup a network drive.. and you cannot backup without using a 3rd party software and another USB disk or NAS.. so.. to cut the long story short.. buy the right box.. a NAS.. QNAP and Synology make real NAS, with fully integrated backup that can do TM backups.
    If you do decide on the TC for your files.. you can access it locally no problems.
    From WAN over the net using BTMM and iCloud.. remember every file movement is restricted to the slowest speed in the network.. usually your upload speed at each end.. try doing anything at 800kbps which is all most people get. If you have high speed fibre then great.
    A real NAS will be accessed by SFTP directly using dynamic dns or static public IP .. even better.. but the same limitation applies.. speed of the convoy is the speed of the slowest ship.
    A dropbox in the cloud is often a better way although accessing 600GB is still not easy.. and getting it up there.. harder still. But download speed is a lot better than upload.

  • Old FileVault crashed my MacBook Pro, had to delete, reinstall and Time Machine restore failed. Trying to manually rebuild. No iPhoto pics, no iTunes music and NO DOCUMENTS found! Any thoughts?

    Here's the ordeal. I'm running a 2007 MacBook Pro 17 inch with Lion OS. When I converted to Lion, I didn't have enough room on my harddrive to convert to the new FileVault, so I remained on the old system. Less than a week ago I reboot my computer because iPhoto seems to be stuck on "cataloging" my photos, though after days of letting it run, it doesn't do anything. After the reboot, my computer appears as if it had been reset to factory settings with all my programs gone, etc. I'm like, hey, I've got Time Machine, I'll restore it. After the restore is run, when I go to login, I get the dreadful error message, "You are unable to log into the FileVault user "John" at this time. Logging into the account failed because an error occurred". I searched the internet via my iPhone for suggestions and followed everyone of them, all the way down to erasing my harddrive and reinstalling Lion. So I get back into my computer and think I'm golden. I go to restore my computer via Time Machine and wham....I'm right back to that error message. I think, ok, I'll do it again. This time it messes us even more, giving me two login screens, one for the new Lion like before I restored the computer and then a second, as if it were restored, but unable to login. On top of that, I couldn't get back to the Command-R page! I thought I was really screwed! Well, I finally figured a way back, or maybe it was just that it finally decided to cooperate, I don't know, but I erased my harddrive again, and reinstalled again and thought, well, I'll rebuild manually by selecting what I want to restore from the Time Machine drive. I was able to get all my applications back and running, but to my dismay, I seemingly have lost all my iTunes music (except that which Apple has graciously setup to redownload now "thank you!) plus all my iPhoto's and even worse, all my DOCUMENTS!!!! Here I thought Time Machine from backing all this stuff up, but with over a years worth of back-ups I cannot locate any photos, music, or my documents on my drive to extract! Needless to say, I will never be using Time Machine again to back up my computer, I'll find another program or at least do it all manually. But my question is: am I looking in the wrong places for this files? Are they hidden under some unknowning folder that doesn't list it as music, photos or files? I can manage with the music, I can live with the photos because my wife has many of them on her computer and I have many uploaded to Facebook, but my files! My documents, thousands of them, many with information I won't be able to compile again, seemingly gone unless someone out there has any ideas?!!!
    I even had iPhoto search the drive for photos and after hours of the barber shop pole spinning I cancelled the command for I figured it wasn't going to find anything.
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    Also - my battery has been telling me "service battery" for a LONG time and then it switched to "replace soon" som time ago. Can't really see what this has to do with anything but whatever.
    That could conceivably explain all the problems you're describing. Replacing a Mac's battery should not be postponed since a failed battery will cause other problems to occur. It is also possible that its hard disk has failed, which means the information on it may soon become unrecoverable.
    ... my latest TM back up was from April 2014, can I just run this when I have rescued everthing and then it might not be as slow?
    If that Time Machine backup remains intact, it may be the only viable means of recovering that Mac's information. I suggest you do not attempt to restore its contents to your ailing Mac.
    Given that you are having trouble creating a newer Time Machine backup you should stop using that Mac immediately and have it serviced as soon as you are able. Do not take it to anyone other than Apple or a service facility authorized by Apple, for the very reasons you explained. If there are no Apple Stores in your vicinity search for an Authorized Apple Service Provider using the Contact Us link below. Use one of the options that appear under Contact Apple Support. The language on that page will be different for your location.

  • New hard drive and time machine not backing up

    I recently replaced my MacBook Pro's hard drive with a larger HD.  After replacing HD and making sure all my data is operating correctly, I noticed my Time Machine is not backing up.  I was hoping it would continue to backup daily as soon as I was back on my home network but no such luck.  Does anyone know how to re-establish my conncection and hopefully start where I left off with daily backups?  Thx

    Check Pondini's Time Machine Troubleshooting.
    B6 seems to be the topic you are looking for.

  • External Hard Drive and Time Machine Help

    Just purchased WD My Book Essential external hard drive.  I would like to back up the files on my macbook pro, but I am unsure what to do with time machine. How should I go about backing up my files?

    Hi B,
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    Click on “Use for backup.”
    Leave external HD connected, and TM will automatically do its thing.
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  • External Hard Drive and Time Machine no longer recognized

    I recently downloaded the latest software update and upon rebooting the system to install the security update and whatever other update was included, my external hard drive which contains time machine is no longer recognized. I tried to use disk utility to mount it, fix it, but nothing worked. I am led to think that it's gotta be something in the latest update because i haven't had any problems before this. Sometimes the drive shows up as a yellow image sometimes in disk utility, the rest of the time it is a sort of transparent gray. What's wrong with my machine??? Can i simply uninstall the latest update? would that even solve this issue? i NEED to get into this drive and recover these files

    BUMP! Count me in on this one. The last Time Machine back-up was 12/6. I take my machine to the office during the week but am working from home this week. My other external drive (Archives) shows up, but Time Machine is MIA. Looking at System Profiler under USB, I can see the drive on the USB hub and the volume is labeled Time Machine, so the computer sees it, it just doesn't mount it to the desktop so Time Machine can't find its drive.
    I've turned the drive off and on. I've swapped cables with the Archive drive. I've rebooted. Nothing works. Both are Western Digital MyBook Studio editions. Both are plugged in to the same hub. I also switched the cables on the hub, but if it's showing up in the Profiler, the problem isn't with the hub, the drive or the cable.
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  • Upgrade Internal Hard Drive and Time Machine runs first back up as new full

    I recently upgraded my internal hard drive on my macbook to a larger and faster model, my old one is still fine. I went to run a Time Machine back up and it starts a new back up even though its not supposed to. How do I get it to recognize the old / original back up instead of running a new full back up on the new internal hard drive?

    William Beede wrote:
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    Surely you mean you used +Setup Assistant+ or +Migration Assistant+ to transfer the data? Or a "clone" via CarbonCopyCloner, SuperDuper, or Disk Utility?
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