Lacie drive Time Machine errors

Hello,
In spending a few minutes looking over this discussion board I've seen similar problems but I didn't see a good solution, unless you know of one.
A few months ago I bought a 500 gig Lacie drive to use with Time Machine. I plugged it in and it successfully backed up my iMac (I am using Snow Leopard OS).
However, intermittently, I received these problems:
1. Error messages saying the drive "was not ejected properly."
2. Error message saying "Time Machine could not complete backup" to the drive.
3. When I shut down the computer with the Lacie drive turned ON, the computer will not shut down completely. It hangs in the Finder but needs to be manually (with button on back) shut down. This does not happen when the Lacie drive is powered down.
After trading out the power and USB cables, Lacie replaced the drive with a new one.
I reformatted and partitioned the drive but continue to get the same error messages and hanging up when I try to shut down (the latter doesn't happen when the drive is disconnected).
Lacie suggests I use Google for an answer.
Any ideas?
Thank you.

Apple Joe503 wrote:
A few months ago I bought a 500 gig Lacie drive to use with Time Machine. I plugged it in and it successfully backed up my iMac (I am using Snow Leopard OS).
I'll ask a host to move this to the +Snow Leopard - Time Machine+ forum. Please update your profile -- it says you're running Tiger on a G5.
After trading out the power and USB cables, Lacie replaced the drive with a new one.
I reformatted and partitioned the drive but continue to get the same error messages and hanging up when I try to shut down (the latter doesn't happen when the drive is disconnected).
Lacie suggests I use Google for an answer.
It sounds like they sent you a drive with another defective power supply (there have been a whole passel of such reports here). As I understand it from some posts here, if you put the power supply to your ear, it should be absolutely silent; if it makes a "squishing" noise (whatever that is), it's bad.
How is this drive connected to whatever sort of Mac you have? If it's through a hub, see how it performs when attached directly. Also try it with all other USB devices (except keyboard and mouse) disconnected.
It's a long shot, but try de-selecting the +Put the hard disk(s) to sleep . . .+ option in System Preferences > Energy Saver.

Similar Messages

Lacie external drive time machine error

I'm using my Lacie external drive (2TB) for my time machine. And it has this problem that every time after I put my macbook to sleep, the time machine won't work, it keeps showing this message "error occurred during back up" (but it doesn't not specify what kind of error). And the time machine can't recognize the history backup from the drive.
However, it will function again if I eject the drive and replug it in.
It's not a major problem, but it's kinda annoying and I wanna know what's causing it.
Thanks yall.

Hi George,
The one way I found to get the TM back on the rail is to access my back up disk from finder, choose the sparse disk image. Hit cmmd-delete and banish it.
Start over again. Be sure to be connected by a wired connection as on a wireless network it will take a while. But I guess you have the HD attached via firewire or usb so it should not be a major issue.

HT3275 Lacie external drive/Time Machine errors

I am using Lacie external drive with Time Machine and now have an "invalid node structure." Wants me to back up and restore...again. I have had problems in the past and have restored twice so far. Other problems include "Incorrect number of thread records" and "Invalid directory item count." Why does this keep happening? Is it normal to keep restoring your external hard drive? Where else should I back up my hard drive?

Terriodo wrote:
I wonder if this is a problem with Time Machine or my external hard drive.
Hard to tell, unfortunately. As posted earlier, that can be caused by lots of things.
Our Lacie hard drive is backing up everything that is on our computer. Meaning there isn't anything getting backed up that has been deleted. But it is annoying to erase the darn thing every couple of weeks and load it all on again.
My advice would be to get another drive. Since you have a desktop Mac, get a desktop drive, with it's own power supply. Plug it (and your Mac) into a same good-quality surge suppressor; or, better, U.P.S. (battery backup) system.
It's always prudent to keep secondary backups. See Time Machine - Frequently Asked Question #27 for an explanation and some suggestions.
That recommends using a different app, but in your situation, you might want to use both drives with Time Machine temporarily; you'll have to switch back and forth manually via the TM Preferences panel (Mountain Lion allows multiple destinations, but Snow Leopard doesn't). If the new drive works fine, but the old one doesn't, that will implicate the LaCie, or it's connections, etc.
If you determine it's ok, then use one (probably the desktop) with Time Machine, and the Rugged with another app. Consider taking it off-site, as mentioned in #27.
If it's not ok, replace it.
I am running 10.6.8 and have Lacie 1T Rugged external hard drive connected by firewire on my Mac desktop.
I have a smaller version of that drive, as do several folks here. It gets good reviews, but like any drive, won't last forever. If it's over about 3 years old, it could be starting to develop a problem.

HT3275 Time Machine error. Unable to complete backup. An error occurred while copying files to the backup volume. Tried restarting, remounting external WD drive. Still cannot backup.

Time Machine quit backing up files. Bought a new WD external drive. Worked for awhile, then quit backing up. Tried restarting computer, remounting drive. Message: Time Machine Error. Unable to complete backup. An error occurred when copying files. Suggestions?

Thanks so very much for your help!! I'm boggled by it and now just about ready to dump the whole idea of Time Machine and backup using a cloning program. Maybe TM is only guaranteed to work well with Time Capsule these days?
Today there again was no backup. I did as you suggested, looked into Console. It showed many lines of "(Error) DiskStore: No block in wakeup" and also repeatedly "(Warning) DiskStore: Ignored bogus fetch...".
So I created a marker and attempted to initiate a backup, keeping Console open and refreshed. Here's what I got:
8/19/13 5:18:40.385 PM Console: Marker - Aug 19, 2013 5:18:40 PM
8/19/13 5:19:48.844 PM com.apple.backupd: Starting standard backup
8/19/13 5:20:00.484 PM mds: (Error) DiskStore: No block in wakeup
8/19/13 5:20:00.484 PM mds: (Error) DiskStore: No block in wakeup
8/19/13 5:20:00.484 PM mds: (Error) DiskStore: No block in wakeup
8/19/13 5:20:00.494 PM mds: (Error) DiskStore: No block in wakeup
8/19/13 5:20:00.494 PM mds: (Error) DiskStore: No block in wakeup
8/19/13 5:20:00.494 PM mds: (Error) DiskStore: No block in wakeup
8/19/13 5:20:00.494 PM mds: (Error) DiskStore: No block in wakeup
8/19/13 5:20:00.494 PM mds: (Error) DiskStore: No block in wakeup
8/19/13 5:20:00.494 PM mds: (Error) DiskStore: No block in wakeup
8/19/13 5:20:00.494 PM mds: (Error) DiskStore: No block in wakeup
8/19/13 5:20:00.494 PM mds: (Error) DiskStore: No block in wakeup
8/19/13 5:20:00.494 PM mds: (Error) DiskStore: No block in wakeup
8/19/13 5:20:00.494 PM mds: (Error) DiskStore: No block in wakeup
8/19/13 5:20:00.502 PM mds: (Error) DiskStore: No block in wakeup
8/19/13 5:20:00.502 PM mds: (Error) DiskStore: No block in wakeup
8/19/13 5:20:00.502 PM mds: (Error) DiskStore: No block in wakeup
8/19/13 5:20:00.502 PM mds: (Error) DiskStore: No block in wakeup
8/19/13 5:20:00.502 PM mds: (Error) DiskStore: No block in wakeup
8/19/13 5:20:00.502 PM mds: (Error) DiskStore: No block in wakeup
8/19/13 5:20:00.502 PM mds: (Error) DiskStore: No block in wakeup
8/19/13 5:20:00.502 PM mds: (Error) DiskStore: No block in wakeup
8/19/13 5:20:00.502 PM mds: (Error) DiskStore: No block in wakeup
8/19/13 5:20:00.502 PM mds: (Error) DiskStore: No block in wakeup
8/19/13 5:20:00.506 PM mds: (Error) DiskStore: No block in wakeup
8/19/13 5:20:00.506 PM mds: (Error) DiskStore: No block in wakeup
8/19/13 5:20:00.506 PM mds: (Error) DiskStore: No block in wakeup
8/19/13 5:20:00.506 PM mds: (Error) DiskStore: No block in wakeup
8/19/13 5:20:00.506 PM mds: (Error) DiskStore: No block in wakeup
8/19/13 5:20:00.506 PM mds: (Error) DiskStore: No block in wakeup
8/19/13 5:20:00.506 PM mds: (Error) DiskStore: No block in wakeup
8/19/13 5:20:00.507 PM mds: (Error) DiskStore: No block in wakeup
8/19/13 5:20:00.507 PM mds: (Error) DiskStore: No block in wakeup
8/19/13 5:20:00.507 PM mds: (Error) DiskStore: No block in wakeup
8/19/13 5:20:00.507 PM mds: (Warning) DiskStore: Ignored bogus fetch for <MDSQueryWithBlockTask: 0x7fd15ce03400>{taskID:0x0000103a age:37ms} (not live not complete) _kMDItemQueryPath=418546
8/19/13 5:20:00.507 PM mds: (Warning) DiskStore: Ignored bogus fetch for <MDSQueryWithBlockTask: 0x7fd15ce03400>{taskID:0x0000103a age:37ms} (not live not complete) _kMDItemQueryPath=418546
8/19/13 5:20:00.507 PM mds: (Warning) DiskStore: Ignored bogus fetch for <MDSQueryWithBlockTask: 0x7fd15ce03400>{taskID:0x0000103a age:37ms} (not live not complete) _kMDItemQueryPath=418546
8/19/13 5:20:00.507 PM mds: (Warning) DiskStore: Ignored bogus fetch for <MDSQueryWithBlockTask: 0x7fd15ce03400>{taskID:0x0000103a age:37ms} (not live not complete) _kMDItemQueryPath=418546
8/19/13 5:20:00.507 PM mds: (Warning) DiskStore: Ignored bogus fetch for <MDSQueryWithBlockTask: 0x7fd15ce03400>{taskID:0x0000103a age:37ms} (not live not complete) _kMDItemQueryPath=418546
8/19/13 5:20:00.508 PM mds: (Warning) DiskStore: Ignored bogus fetch for <MDSQueryWithBlockTask: 0x7fd15ce03400>{taskID:0x0000103a age:38ms} (not live not complete) _kMDItemQueryPath=418546
8/19/13 5:20:00.510 PM mds: (Warning) DiskStore: Ignored bogus fetch for <MDSQueryWithBlockTask: 0x7fd15ce03400>{taskID:0x0000103a age:40ms} (not live not complete) _kMDItemQueryPath=418546
8/19/13 5:20:00.511 PM mds: (Warning) DiskStore: Ignored bogus fetch for <MDSQueryWithBlockTask: 0x7fd15ce03400>{taskID:0x0000103a age:41ms} (not live not complete) _kMDItemQueryPath=418546
8/19/13 5:20:00.511 PM mds: (Warning) DiskStore: Ignored bogus fetch for <MDSQueryWithBlockTask: 0x7fd15ce03400>{taskID:0x0000103a age:41ms} (not live not complete) _kMDItemQueryPath=418546
8/19/13 5:20:00.511 PM mds: (Warning) DiskStore: Ignored bogus fetch for <MDSQueryWithBlockTask: 0x7fd15ce03400>{taskID:0x0000103a age:41ms} (not live not complete) _kMDItemQueryPath=418546
8/19/13 5:20:20.000 PM kernel: USBF:          58091.976          AppleUSBEHCI[0xffffff800a927000]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 7, EP: 1)
8/19/13 5:20:51.000 PM kernel: USBF:          58122.985          AppleUSBEHCI[0xffffff800a927000]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 7, EP: 1)
8/19/13 5:21:22.000 PM kernel: USBF:          58153.992          AppleUSBEHCI[0xffffff800a927000]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 7, EP: 1)
8/19/13 5:21:53.000 PM kernel: USBF:          58185. 2          AppleUSBEHCI[0xffffff800a927000]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 7, EP: 1)
8/19/13 5:22:24.000 PM kernel: USBF:          58216. 14          AppleUSBEHCI[0xffffff800a927000]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 7, EP: 1)
8/19/13 5:22:55.000 PM kernel: USBF:          58247. 25          AppleUSBEHCI[0xffffff800a927000]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 7, EP: 1)
8/19/13 5:23:26.000 PM kernel: USBF:          58278. 41          AppleUSBEHCI[0xffffff800a927000]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 7, EP: 1)
8/19/13 5:23:57.000 PM kernel: USBF:          58309. 51          AppleUSBEHCI[0xffffff800a927000]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 7, EP: 1)
8/19/13 5:24:28.000 PM kernel: USBF:          58340. 59          AppleUSBEHCI[0xffffff800a927000]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 7, EP: 1)
8/19/13 5:24:59.000 PM kernel: USBF:          58371. 68          AppleUSBEHCI[0xffffff800a927000]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 7, EP: 1)
8/19/13 5:25:30.275 PM xpchelper: for uid: 501 -- timeout while waiting on FSEvents flush; clearing cache.
8/19/13 5:25:30.000 PM kernel: USBF:          58402. 82          AppleUSBEHCI[0xffffff800a927000]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 7, EP: 1)
8/19/13 5:26:01.000 PM kernel: USBF:          58433. 96          AppleUSBEHCI[0xffffff800a927000]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 7, EP: 1)
8/19/13 5:26:32.027 PM com.apple.backupd: Backing up to: /Volumes/TMBackups/Backups.backupdb
8/19/13 5:26:32.000 PM kernel: USBF:          58464.112          AppleUSBEHCI[0xffffff800a927000]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 7, EP: 1)
8/19/13 5:27:02.653 PM com.apple.backupd: Error: (22) setxattr for key:com.apple.backupd.HostUUID path:/Volumes/TMBackups/Backups.backupdb/David‚Äôs iMac size:37
8/19/13 5:27:02.657 PM com.apple.backupd: Error: (22) setxattr for key:com.apple.backupd.HostUUID path:/Volumes/TMBackups/Backups.backupdb/David‚Äôs iMac size:37
8/19/13 5:27:03.000 PM kernel: USBF:          58495.121          AppleUSBEHCI[0xffffff800a927000]::Found a transaction past the completion deadline on bus 0xfd, timing out! (Addr: 7, EP: 1)
8/19/13 5:27:12.668 PM com.apple.backupd: Backup failed with error: 2
During this 9-minute timeframe Finder also was inoperative - according to Activity Monitor: "Not Responding".
I'm thinking it's the standalone Buffalo backup drive not waking up, and so everything comes to a screeching halt. Do you also think I should abandon TM and just do manual backups every day using a clone program?

Time machine error when backing up iMac with internal flash and sata internal drives.

will appear to be backing up and then as just about done, shows Time Machine Error message and ask you to
try again later, if problem persists, repair backup disk with disc utility. Neither solution works.

Bump for a monday, and hopeful for some replies.

Restore iPhotoLibrary specifically from EXTERNAL Hard drive Time Machine back up?

My laptop Photo Library is corrupted somehow. I tried to restore from a prior in Time Machine on laptop and made the mistake of not saying to keep BOTH copies, but after trying for 3 hours of telling me it was doing it through various windows, a little one popped open saying something about permissions and it opened an old iPhotoLibrary from 2 years ago! ... I do have that one now and am copying it off my laptop as fast as I can to FLICKR
cuz APPLE has become a PHOTO sinkhole... (We are talking 20,000 pics folks with scanned in family pics from 100 yrs ago!)
I think I have a good copy on my External Hard Drive Time Machine back up from about 3 weeks ago. How do I use that to Restore from
or should I just wait for this PHOTOS thing to come out?
NEXT Question is there a convenient way to split it into MULTIPLE ones..eg KEEP old stable photos in one or more.
and use another for all the new ones not editted or sorted yet? I do see there is a new Option under iPHOTO/File menu to just switch
libraries but, of course, you cant even see that if your Library wont open!

For TM help post in the forum for your OS - and see https://www.apple.com/support/timemachine/ and http://pondini.org/TM/FAQ.html and http://pondini.org/TM/Troubleshooting.html
Depends on undisclosed information
With the current OS and iPhoto you switch library using the switch library command - with any version you can switch libraries by holding the option key down while you launch iPhoto which brings up the select library window
And generally it is not a smart idea to have multiple iPhoto libraries - it generally has no advantages and makes things much more difficult and complicated and often leads to user errors that cause major problems
If you want to anyway the most convent way to split libraries is to use the paid version of iPhoto Library Manager - http://www.fatcatsoftware.com/iplm/ -
LN

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

Hard drive failure! New hard drive/Time machine backup/iPhone questions

Hello,
I have a 2011 MacBook Pro who's hard drive failed (rather acutely too, I do use disk utility to check it's health regularly) and I bought a replacement to install (SSD!). I have a bunch of questions but have only found partial answers in searches. Maybe it's best to list them:
1. I'd like to do a fresh install of the OS X using OS X Recovery because I'm concerned my Time Machine backup is partly corrupted. I hadn't updated to Mavericks, will I be able to install Mountain Lion? If not: will this be a problem with my backup files?
2. Say the OS X Recovery works, how do I use Time Machine to restore things like my iTunes library/iMessages/email/iPhoto library etc? In other words: just the data I can't get any other way (I hope it's not too corrupted). And/or should I use my iCloud backup on a few of these (iMessages/contacts)?
3. Do I need to set up the new OS X install with the same account names/home disk name etc. for the restored backup files to function?
4. Is this going to f'up iCloud or vice versa?
5. Finally, how do I sync my iPhone to the "new" computer without erasing the iPhone (which had an iOS update since my last backup to Time Machine). Or do I have to restore the iPhone too.
6. How come Apple doesn't have a mobile theme for their website yet?
Any help would be much appreciated,
Matt

Do you still have the original System Reinstall DVD set that came with your Mac?
If you created that Lion external drive you have from YOUR Mac, when Lion was installed on it, and it also contains a Recovery HD partition you can use that to boot to the Recovery HD and reinstall Lion on the new drive. And or Clone that external to the new internal drive you installed.
Right since your Mac came with Snow Leopard you can't use the Online Internet Recovery system to reinstall Lion, as your system didn't originally come with Lion, but you should still be able to boot to it to do diagnosic things like using Disk Utility, going to the Net to get help and even Restoring the system from a Time Machine backup. But you will get an error if you select Reinstall Mac OS X. The firmware update is usually applied with system updates.
If you created a New Time Machine Backup when any of the Download Only version of OS X were installed on your internal drive Time Machine, the system, Copies over the files needed to boot the system from that backup drive. If it was a care over backup from when Snow Leopard was installed is might or might not be bootable. Only way to tell is to connect it and at startup hold down the Option key to get the Boot selection screen, IE The Boot Manager screen, and see if it shows up as a Boot Source. If it does thenn it contains the files needed to get to the Mac OS X Utilities, IE the Recovery HD files.
What you should do is Boot the system from either the Time Machine backup, if it is bootable, or your External that has Lion on it, The Recovery HD if that drive contains a Recovery HD, or your Original Snow Leopard reinstall DVD that came with your Mac and then try to Restore from your Time Machine backup drive.
If that fails to restore your system properly then nyou should reinstall Snow Leopard and the iLife Apps from the Original Discs then upgrade to Mt Lion which will be in the Mac App Store under your Purchases area. Then maybe you can restore your files from that Time Machine backup.
scardanelli wrote:
I've had a bunch of issues with my computer (you can look at some of my other questions on these forums) which, to my mind anyway, seemed to be finally given a diagnosis when my HD crashed. It may be paranoia but there have been enough problems that I'd rather do a clean install to be on the safe side.
I have an early 2011, shipped with Snow Leopard.
I was under the impression that Time Machine can't be used as a boot drive and the OS X Recovery is a firmware update (on my computer) or hard wired in (on later computers). I might be wrong. I was planning on using the internet recovery, the HD failed right after I got some password protected files unencrypted and onto an external drive (was that necessary?) but wasn't sure if it's a problem if it installs Mavericks.
So Setup Assistant will configure my accounts the same and I don't need to worry about that? That's a relief.
Thanks for the lengthy response.

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

I purchased my iMac 24" in February.
After I had set up the machine I configured an IceCube Firewire 300 GB (Seagate) Hard Drive as a backup volume and flicked the switch in Time Machine. All went as expected. I even restored my whole hard drive from the Time Machine volume about a month ago after I repartitioned the boot volume to set up Boot Camp. No problems.
About a week ago I purchased a 500GB WD HDD and set it up inside the IceCube enclosure (I remembered to make it the "Master" disk too!!). I partitioned it with Disk Utility with a GUID Mac OS X (Journaled) partition for my Leopard boot partition, and as MS-DOS FAT32 for my Boot Camp external partition. I used Carbon Copy Cloner to copy all the Windows files across from Boot Camp to the new FAT32 partition and set up Time Machine to make a backup of the Leopard boot partition.
After several hours Time Machine stopped with the error message above. ("Time Machine Error. Unable to complete backup. An error occurred while copying files to the backup").
I have spent days formatting the new WD drive, repairing permissions on the boot drive, excluding large files and cache files from the backup in Time Machine to no avail. Every time I get the same message. I even set up another 200GB firewire drive to see if it was anything to do with the enclosure of WD HDD. Same result!!
I have searched these forums for any ideas, and have done wide searches with Google but nothing has worked.
I can not understand why my Mac worked perfectly with Time Machine before I installed the new Western Digital Hard Drive.
What have I missed?

I keep getting the Time Machine backup error too, like many others. Was fine until just the other day, now, nothing. Although my husband's backs up just fine. I assume it's the 10.5.3 bug everyone else has. I've tried reselecting the drive, running the disk utility, shutting everything on and off... help!
Here's the console log- anyone know what this means?
Jun 10 08:37:27 Tiffany-Dankos-computer-2 /System/Library/CoreServices/backupd[1683]: Starting standard backup
Jun 10 08:37:27 Tiffany-Dankos-computer-2 /System/Library/CoreServices/backupd[1683]: Network mountpoint /Volumes/Library not owned by backupd... remounting
Jun 10 08:37:27 Tiffany-Dankos-computer-2 /System/Library/CoreServices/backupd[1683]: Network volume mounted at: /Volumes/Library-1
Jun 10 08:37:43 Tiffany-Dankos-computer-2 /System/Library/CoreServices/backupd[1683]: Disk image /Volumes/Library-1/Tiffany Danko’s Computer (2)_001b63baf698.sparsebundle mounted at: /Volumes/Backup of Tiffany Danko’s Computer (2)
Jun 10 08:37:43 Tiffany-Dankos-computer-2 /System/Library/CoreServices/backupd[1683]: Backing up to: /Volumes/Backup of Tiffany Danko’s Computer (2)/Backups.backupdb
Jun 10 08:37:48 Tiffany-Dankos-computer-2 /System/Library/CoreServices/backupd[1683]: Failed to create progress log file at path:/Volumes/Backup of Tiffany Danko’s Computer (2)/Backups.backupdb/Tiffany Danko's computer (2)/2008-06-09-065427.inProgress/.Backup.234797868.792920.log.
Jun 10 08:37:48 Tiffany-Dankos-computer-2 /System/Library/CoreServices/backupd[1683]: Event store UUIDs don't match for volume: Macintosh HD
Jun 10 08:37:48 Tiffany-Dankos-computer-2 /System/Library/CoreServices/backupd[1683]: Error: (-36) Creating directory 77B4FA27-3E65-4B81-897C-610DEE7BB187
Jun 10 08:37:48 Tiffany-Dankos-computer-2 /System/Library/CoreServices/backupd[1683]: Failed to make snapshot.
Jun 10 08:37:53 Tiffany-Dankos-computer-2 /System/Library/CoreServices/backupd[1683]: Backup failed with error: 2
Jun 10 08:37:58 Tiffany-Dankos-computer-2 /System/Library/CoreServices/backupd[1683]: Ejected Time Machine disk image.
Jun 10 08:37:59 Tiffany-Dankos-computer-2 /System/Library/CoreServices/backupd[1683]: Ejected Time Machine network volume.

Question on Time Machine error log

I have a program (Time Machine Error Log) that keeps track of the message log entries that occurr after you do a Time Machine backup.
I am getting two messages each time Time Machine completes a backup.
Here are the two message from the last log:
Jan 13 17:39:29 xxxxxx-iMac.local com.apple.backupd[36854]: Error: Error Domain=NSOSStatusErrorDomain Code=-36 "The operation couldn‚Äôt be completed. (OSStatus error -36.)" (ioErr: I/O error (bummers)) deleting backup: /Volumes/Time Machine Backups/Back
Last Successful Backup Message:
Jan 13 17:39:37 xxxxxx-iMac.local com.apple.backupd[36854]: Backup completed successfully.
How can there be an error reported stating "deleting backup", then a message stating "Backup completed successfully"?
If I didn't check the log, I wouldn't know that there was a problem, because the Time Machine preferences pane tells me the last backup time, and the next backup time, indicating all went well.
I just need some verification that my backups are completing successfully.
Thank
Len

There is a lot of rubbish messages that TM produces.. if the final message is that all is good, then I would say all is good.. it is pretty quick to decide when something isn't good.
But I would say.. there is only one way to know a backup is good. Restore it.
You don't need to test restore over current drive.. plug in an external drive and restore.
You can do a verify.. hold the option key whilst clicking the TM icon in the top menu area.. and the option verify will appear.. click that. It really doesn't test more than files are readable though, AFAIK.
Do a disk image occasionally.. Disk Utility can create an image.. but superduper even free download version can do a full disk image. Makes me feel safer knowing that I have a backup TM doesn't actually have anything to do with.

Is there a solution for Time Machine error?

I got an error in Time Machine saying backup had failed, a couple of days ago. Spent the next day or two trawling the web and found thousands of postings from people with the same error, but no solution.
(At least, some people had a solution - they were using PC-formatted hard drives.)
I've been using Time Machine for a few weeks, and it has only now taken a dislike to my external hard drive, which is connected by FireWire.
Is there a solution to this problem, or should I revert to using SuperDuper, which I was using successfully before?
I haven't put in lots of information about the apps I'm running, because this is a general query rather than a specific one. If there's a solution, I'll use it; otherwise I'll wipe the drive and go back to using SuperDuper.

OisinOg wrote:
Pondini - Thank you for your slightly hostile reply.
On the contrary. The statement was: +"found thousands of postings from people with the same error, but no solution."+ I don't know where you found thousands of posts -- there are many here, but certainly not thousands. If you're talking about, say, a Google search, if you actually look at them, many are duplicates, unrelated to your problem, or unrelated to Macs at all -- and there are a number of solutions that seem to have fixed many of the real ones.
The error message was the standard one: "Time Machine Error - Unable to complete backup. An error occurred while creating the backup directory."
There's most likely another, better message in your logs. Thus the suggestion about Time Machine Buddy. You can also use the Console app (in your Applications/Utilities folder). Click on Show Log List, then navigate in the sidebar to your system.log (or system.log.0.bz2, etc. for previous ones). You can filter for backupd to get the same TM messages as the widget, but I prefer to view the full log at the date/time in question, as messages from other concurrent processes may have a clue.
I've gone through the suggestions in some of the helpful replies to those thousands of postings, by wiping my drive, erasing it and reformatting it, first in two partitions using the GUID method in Disk Utility, then in a single partition. But Time Machine still doesn't want to back up to it.
Sounds a bit like a problem communicating with the drive. The logs may clarify that.
The hard drive of my computer is 250GB; the external drive is 300GB. Both are SATA drives; the external is connected by FireWire.
How full are they?
Thanks for your suggestion of downloading the Time Machine Buddy widget; I'll give it a last try tonight.
What is the difference between a SuperDuper clone and a Time Machine backup?
The initial backup of both copies almost everything on your HD, excluding only some caches, temp files, etc., although you can exclude other things. This takes quite a while, of course. Thereafter, only the items that changed are backed-up.
SuperDuper (and CarbonCopyCloner, which I use, and other, similar apps) are most often used to make bootable "clones" identical copies of your HD -- if your HD fails, you can boot and run from them immediately. With TM, once your HD is repaired/replaced, you restore your system to it from your TM backup.
Score one for the clones, but TM has it's advantages, too (which is why many of us run both).
First is, CCC and SD look at every file and folder on your HD to see what changed. This is quite time-consuming and CPU-intensive, so most of us run it once a day (or less often), usually automatically at, say, 3 am. TM, however, runs hourly, but uses an internal File System Event Log of changes, so it is far quicker and less intrusive. There are exceptions, but most users rarely even notice the backups unless they see the icon revolving. On my small system, for example, TM rarely runs over 30 seconds; CCC is at least 15 minutes.
Second, not only does TM keep previous versions of changed files, but it manages the space and backups for you. It keeps those hourly backups for 24 hours; except the first of the day becomes a daily backup which is kept for a month; one per week becomes a weekly backup that is kept for as long as there's space (it will fill the drive/partition). But it's smart enough, as it deletes the old weeklies, that it won't delete it's copy of anything that still exists on your HD.
There isn't room to have two 250GB sections on a 300GB drive. I suppose I could get another 250GB drive - I have an IDE enclosure somewhere - but I don't fancy the expense right now.
Your CCC or SD partition only needs to be as large as your HD, although in a pinch it only needs to be somewhat larger than what's actually used on your HD. If you don't have room for both on the one drive, an even better solution might be to get a pair of smaller portable HDs for CCC/SD. Use one daily for, say, a week, then take it to your safe deposit box, workplace, relative's house, etc. and start with the other. Now you're also protected against fire, flood, theft, direct lightning strike on your power lines, etc.

HT201250 Time Machine Error

Just bought a new 1 TB external hard drive specifically for a Mac and time machine error: unable to complete backup. An error occurred while copying files to the backup volume. messages keeps appearing. Tried to restart and that didn't help. Please advise.

Hello, I don't use TM myself.
Have you looked through Pondini's extensive TM help site?
http://Pondini.org/TM/FAQ.html
http://pondini.org/TM/Troubleshooting.html
I can't imagine anything TMwise not covered.

Time Machine error 13 sparsebundle?

Hello - my Time Machine wireless backup was working flawlessly for months from my Seagate GoFlex Home wireless hard drive, backing up my iMac and my MacBook. Now suddenly I'm getting the following message - but only on my MacBook: "Time Machine Error: The backup disk image “/Volumes/GoFlex Home Backup/Rolf's Macbook (2).sparsebundle” could not be created (error 13)."
Does anyone know what this means and, more to the point, how I can fix it? Thanks for any suggestions!

Rolf Asphaug wrote:
Yeah, I've pretty much had it with Seagate and their WONDERFUL GoFlex drives.
Actually, backup isn't working on EITHER of our computers - the iMac or the MacBook - so now I know it's the drive. If anyone does have any suggestions I'd appreciate them - but I suppose the answer will be "get a Time Capsule."
You might consider taking the Seagate HD out of the GoFlex enclosure and plugging it in one of these: http://eshop.macsales.com/item/NewerTech/FWU3ES2HDK/. I've had plenty of trouble with GoFlex HD drives overheating inside their enclosures but found that the drive mechanisms themselves are really quite good, at least at the 3TB level. Obviously, you couldn't have Time Machine run automatically but you can run it manually between the two computers. And with the drive mechanism half uncovered, it'll stay a lot cooler.

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.

Lacie drive Time Machine errors

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