Starting Over With Time Machine

My old backup disk died so I replaced it with a new 2 TB disk. Changed TM preferences to use the new drive. Backup starts, takes about 2 seconds and quits. Looks like Time Machine thinks I have a full backup but I don't. I tried reformatting the new drive, changed the name of the drive. Tried deleting all backups from within Time Machine. What do I need to do to force Time Machine to take the initial full backup of my startup disk?

How is that new external drive formatted, both regarding "partition map scheme" and format type?
Launch the Console utility and enter "backupd" (without the quotes) in the search field to see if there are any error messages that might explain the problem.
You might find useful advice in the Time Machine FAQ documents, particularly item 5.

Similar Messages

Starting over with Time machine - as I have been doing it incorrectly

Hello all,
Got some great advice from other posts in this discussion, but I want to clarify a few things.
I started using Time Machine without really setting anything up, and have quickly gotten to about 128 gigs of backup (in a little over a week). I want to start again, and exclude some files (libraries, caches, mailboxes, applications) to see if I can get a more manageable back-up size. I am using the same external drive for back-up that I use to store Final Cut media, so I don't want Time Machine to fill it up. Although perhaps I don't want to use the same drive for media and back-ups...
Is there a way to limit the amount of space on a given disk that Time Machine can use? Perhaps by partitioning my external disk? (500gb WDMybook)
And, at this point can I simply delete all of the back-up folders that Time Machine has created, and start fresh (with my new exclusionary settings)? I have 98% of the data backed up to other sources.
Which brings me to my last question: If I regularly back up my home folder manually, and back my personal data & settings, my iLife & iTunes via Backup, do I really gain that much from using Time Machine? Don't get me wrong - it's elegant, and much easier than manually hunting down lost info, but I've lived without it for 20 odd years of computering...Opinions, anyone?
And does the list of exclusions below look like I'm missing anything important? I've gleaned these ideas from various posts; thought we'd all benefit from a little recap. Any and all advice will be greatly appreciated. Please, weigh in, all of you macsperts..
Thanks to all in advance,
D
List of things to exclude:
Applications
Movies (I back all of these up manually)
Pictures (I back all of these up manually)
Desktop (nothing lives on my desktop)
Libraries:
iPhoto Library
Aperture Library
I keep my entourage and Mail pretty well cleaned out. Not sure how to exclude spam folders, but I think I saw it in one of these posts.
I'm also not clear on where exactly my safari and firefox caches are, but I'll keep looking.

As a part reply, remember that Time Machine performs incremental backups so the only things really worth excluding are areas where large amounts of data change on a regular basis. Also, Time Machine culls its hourly backups down to, eventually, one per week and so files which were present for a short period only then deleted tend to drop out of the backup database over time. While there are some programs and activities which create large amounts of backup data, in general there is little reason to go to great lengths to exclude things, just make sure you've got a big enough backup drive to start with (at least double the amount of data you are backing up). If you have a problem with backup size it's either because Time Machine isn't working properly or, more likely, you have a particular program or activity that is creating huge backup overhead. Better to forensically track that down and exclude it.
In response to particular questions: you can certainly partition the backup drive to reserve part of it for other things and, if you have adequate other backup, the only reasons to use Time Machine would be the ease of finding individual files for recovery and the ability to recover things you recently deleted, maybe before your other backup strategy had saved them.

How to start over with Time Machine (because drive is running out of space)

I have a 500 gig drive attached to my iMac. Time Machine's been running for ages. TM has finally depleted the drive of most space. Should I throw out some of the older folders in the backup folder for TM, or chuck the entire folder and restart TM fresh. (Nothing terribly crucial to save recently.)
Thanks.

Unfotunately my time machine backup gets to near the end and says "there is not enough space to do this backup" Neither excluding files nor waiting for it to kick out old files seems to solve the problem. I am stuck it would seem unless I erase the whole backup and start over. I didn't think I would have to do this.

Steps to start over with time capsule?

i need to start over with time capsule, completely. what are the steps necessary to do this?
erase the TC (I can see how to do that)
remove from Time Machine list (i can see how to do that, too).
reset to factory defaults? would that clear name and password. do they get reset to something?
is this step necessary.
what else is needed?

On an iPad or iPhone.....
Tap Settings on the home screen
Tap WiFi
Under the heading of Setup a new AirPort Base Station, Tap Time Capsule
The setup wizard will guide you through
On a Mac running Lion, Mountain Lion or Mavericks
Open Macintosh HD > Applications > Utilities > AirPort Utility
Click Other WiFi Devices
Click Time Caspule
The setup wizard will guide you through

When you upgrade from Lion to ML, do you need to erase your external backup drive and start over in Time Machine, or does it just automatically pick up from where it stopped with Lion?

This is a 500 GB G-Drive mobile external hard drive that I've been using since I got my MacBook Pro in '09. So I've had it from Leopard through Lion. Should I have been erasing it each time a new operating system comes out and starting over?

No - just continue to use Time Machine as you have always been.
Not only is erasing it unnecessary, doing that would eliminate the only practicable way of undoing an OS X upgrade.

Having Problems with Time Machine

After a meltdown of the ext HD that I had been using to backup files, I made the decision to update to 10.5 & start using Time Machine. Bought a new 2TB ext drive (FW 800), updated to 10.5.6 & started running the backup. It ran a full bkup, & seemed fine doing the incremental additions for a week or 2 & then some odd things started happening.
First iTunes would hang up, then the little Epson scanner software would suddenly launch, & a few other oddities like that occurred. Programs might stop responding & I'd have to force quit (Preview was often affected this way) I noticed whenever these kind of things happened, Time Machine was running.
I occasionally started having trouble shutting down. It would go all the way down to the background image on the desktop and just stay there. After 5 min I'd hit the power button.
I left the computer on the last 2 nites thinking that undisturbed, Time Machine could run an updated bkup but each AM I get the flag that it didnt run due to an error.
After reading some posts here, I verified the ext HD w/ Disc Utility & got this response:
Invalid key length
Volume check failed.
Error: Filesystem verify or repair failed.
Any suggestions?
thanks Duane

Duane Sherwood wrote:
Thanks for the advice. I'm now getting a flag, when I start up, that says 'the ext HD is not repairable by this computer, its now read only & the drive should be backed up & reformatted'.
Do you still recommend trying to fix from the OS disc or should I just wipe it clean & start over w/ Time Machine?
you should just reformat it and start over.
Is this a poss hard drive defect?
that's also possible. but try reformatting it as i said. if it doesn't work the drive is defective and should be replaced.
Thanks, Duane

Suppose I have two identical laptops loaded with my current time machine back up. I take one on a trip and update it with time machine but leave it. I come back w time machine HD and connect the home laptop, will it just update or start over from scratch?

Suppose I have two identical laptops loaded with my current time machine back up. I take one on a trip and update it with time machine but leave it behind. I come back with the time machine HD and connect it to the home laptop, will it just update or start over from scratch? is there a way to make it just update it?

You might have better luck using a clone.
Clone - Carbon Copy Cloner (Often recommended as it has more features than some others)
Clone – Data Backup
Clone – Deja Vu
Clone - SuperDuper
Clone - Synk
Clone Software – 6 Applications Tested
Commonly Used Backup Methods

I want to delete my old account: simon@s.dk and start over with my correct email-account: simon@fonsbo.dk, but every time, I try to by a plan or get a new membership, the site tells me, that Creative sui is not available in my country, the democratic repp

I want to delete my old account: [email protected] and start over with my correct email-account: [email protected], but every time, I try to by a plan or get a new membership, the site tells me, that Creative sui is not available in my country, the democratic republic of Congo!!!!, but I live ind Denmark. Hoew can I buy, and how doo I change my Adobe Id in my CC desktop. Ive tried for several days, but no matter which membership, I ask for, the answer (congo is the same. What to do???

Change/Verify Account https://forums.adobe.com/thread/1465499 may help
-http://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/policy-pricing/change-country-associated-with-adobe-id. html

After restoring backup new macbook with time machine Firefox will not start. says missing profile

after restoring backup on new macbook with time machine Firefox will n to start. It says it is missing profile although profile exists and profile manager will not start. Also reinstalling does not help. Direct after starting Firefox it says profile is missing and then quits Firefox. Please help edit

Create a new profile as a test to check if your current profile is causing the problems.
See "Basic Troubleshooting: Make a new profile":
* https://support.mozilla.com/kb/Basic+Troubleshooting#w_8-make-a-new-profile
There may be extensions and plugins installed by default in a new profile, so check that in "Tools > Add-ons > Extensions & Plugins" in case there are still problems.
If that new profile works then you can transfer some files from the old profile to that new profile, but be careful not to copy corrupted files.
See:
* http://kb.mozillazine.org/Transferring_data_to_a_new_profile_-_Firefox

I need to erase my hard drive and start anew, will time Machine(external drive) and all the discs I got with my computer be enough to restart things

I need to erase my hard drive and start anew, will time Machine(external drive) and all the discs I got with my computer be enough to restart things. And secondly does RAM memory cards go bad. Here's the info on my IMac:
Model Name:          iMac
Model Identifier:          iMac6,1
Processor Name:          Intel Core 2 Duo
Processor Speed:          2.16 GHz
Number Of Processors:          1
Total Number Of Cores:          2
L2 Cache:          4 MB
Memory:          3 GB
Bus Speed:          667 MHz
Boot ROM Version:          IM61.0093.B07
SMC Version (system):          1.10f2

I need to erase my hard drive and start anew
Why do you feel you need to do this? That is such a 'Windows thing' to do!
And secondly does RAM memory cards go bad
Very rarely, but nothing in life is guaranteed (except death and taxes)! If you purchased RAM from a reputable source like Crucial or OWC it will carry a lifetime warranty.

I just fix my macbook air because it was kernel panic. They changed the hard drive. I could not back up with Time Machine, because it did not work and I had over Adobe creative suite 5 design premium student. But I finished my studies last year and I'd li

I just fix my macbook air because it was kernel panic. They changed the hard drive. I could not back up with Time Machine, because it did not work and I had over Adobe creative suite 5 design premium student. But I finished my studies last year and I'd like to know how to get the serial number for me to reinstall Adobe creative suite 5 design premium when I am no longer study because I would still like the used? It is not fair if I do anymore because I really need.

You can download Creative Suite 5 here:
Other downloads
To deal with the issue of the serial number and using it again, you'll have to use Web Chat. Here's a link:
Adobe ID, sign in, and account help
See the bottom of the page for a link

HT201250 I've just used an external drive to back up my Mac with Time Machine. I have Lion, but didn't click and check the "Encrypt Backup Disc". What should I do? Can I delete the external drive and start again, or can I encrypt later?

I've just used an external drive to back up my Mac with Time Machine. I have Lion, but didn't click and check the "Encrypt Backup Disc". What should I do? Can I delete the external drive and start again, or can I encrypt later?

I guess if stolen or lost it would protect my "stuff", and if I'm travelling would protect my privacy.
You must understand the purpose and implications of encryption before deciding whether to use it.
Encryption locks your data with a password. If you forget that password, the data is lost beyond any chance of recovery. Neither Apple nor anyone else will be able to help you recover that data if you don't know the password.
By the same token, the password must be strong enough to provide the security you want. For example, if you're the potential target of industrial espionage by a government or large corporation, you need the strongest possible password. To create and manage such a password safely is a task in itself, not to be undertaken lightly.
If you're only concerned about casual snooping by someone with no special skill, a weak, easily-remembered password is appropriate.
But regardless of the strength of the password, if you lose it, the data is gone forever.
Another point to remember is that if you encrypt your data on one storage device, you must also encrypt it on all other storage devices that would be accessible to the same attacker. Otherwise the data isn't protected. For example, if you keep your computer and your backup drive in the same room, and the internal drive of the computer is not encrypted, then there's no point in encrypting the backup drive.

I have a mid2009 MacBook Pro for which I have been using a USB WD HD for Time Machine. I'd like to get a wireless HD and start a new Time Machine backup for this Mac and retire the 5 year old WD drive. Can I start over?

I have a mid2009 MacBook Pro running Mavericks for which I have been using a USB WD HD for Time Machine. I'd like to get a wireless HD and start a new Time Machine backup for this Mac and retire the 5 year old WD drive. Can I start over?

no archive/ backup is perfect, HD clones can be set to make incremental additions, same as time machine however, though they are more time involved in doing so.
See the + and - of all data backup/ archives below and "spread it around".... or the "dont put your eggs all in one basket" philosophy.
Peace
Data Storage Platforms; their Drawbacks & Advantages
#1. Time Machine / Time Capsule
Drawbacks:
1. Time Machine is not bootable, if your internal drive fails, you cannot access files or boot from TM directly from the dead computer.
2. Time machine is controlled by complex software, and while you can delve into the TM backup database for specific file(s) extraction, this is not ideal or desirable.
3. Time machine can and does have the potential for many error codes in which data corruption can occur and your important backup files may not be saved correctly, at all, or even damaged. This extra link of failure in placing software between your data and its recovery is a point of risk and failure. A HD clone is not subject to these errors.
4. Time machine mirrors your internal HD, in which cases of data corruption, this corruption can immediately spread to the backup as the two are linked. TM is perpetually connected (or often) to your computer, and corruption spread to corruption, without isolation, which TM lacks (usually), migrating errors or corruption is either automatic or extremely easy to unwittingly do.
5. Time Machine does not keep endless copies of changed or deleted data, and you are often not notified when it deletes them; likewise you may accidently delete files off your computer and this accident is mirrored on TM.
6. Restoring from TM is quite time intensive.
7. TM is a backup and not a data archive, and therefore by definition a low-level security of vital/important data.
8. TM working premise is a “black box” backup of OS, APPS, settings, and vital data that nearly 100% of users never verify until an emergency hits or their computers internal SSD or HD that is corrupt or dead and this is an extremely bad working premise on vital data.
9. Given that data created and stored is growing exponentially, the fact that TM operates as a “store-it-all” backup nexus makes TM inherently incapable to easily backup massive amounts of data, nor is doing so a good idea.
10. TM working premise is a backup of a users system and active working data, and NOT massive amounts of static data, yet most users never take this into consideration, making TM a high-risk locus of data “bloat”.
11. In the case of Time Capsule, wifi data storage is a less than ideal premise given possible wireless data corruption.
12. TM like all HD-based data is subject to ferromagnetic and mechanical failure.
13. *Level-1 security of your vital data.
Advantages:
1. TM is very easy to use either in automatic mode or in 1-click backups.
2. TM is a perfect novice level simplex backup single-layer security save against internal HD failure or corruption.
3. TM can easily provide a seamless no-gap policy of active data that is often not easily capable in HD clones or HD archives (only if the user is lazy is making data saves).
#2. HD archives
Drawbacks:
1. Like all HD-based data is subject to ferromagnetic and mechanical failure.
2. Unless the user ritually copies working active data to HD external archives, then there is a time-gap of potential missing data; as such users must be proactive in archiving data that is being worked on or recently saved or created.
Advantages:
1. Fills the gap left in a week or 2-week-old HD clone, as an example.
2. Simplex no-software data storage that is isolated and autonomous from the computer (in most cases).
3. HD archives are the best idealized storage source for storing huge and multi-terabytes of data.
4. Best-idealized 1st platform redundancy for data protection.
5. *Perfect primary tier and level-2 security of your vital data.
#3. HD clones (see below for full advantages / drawbacks)
Drawbacks:
1. HD clones can be incrementally updated to hourly or daily, however this is time consuming and HD clones are, often, a week or more old, in which case data between today and the most fresh HD clone can and would be lost (however this gap is filled by use of HD archives listed above or by a TM backup).
2. Like all HD-based data is subject to ferromagnetic and mechanical failure.
Advantages:
1. HD clones are the best, quickest way to get back to 100% full operation in mere seconds.
2. Once a HD clone is created, the creation software (Carbon Copy Cloner or SuperDuper) is no longer needed whatsoever, and unlike TM, which requires complex software for its operational transference of data, a HD clone is its own bootable entity.
3. HD clones are unconnected and isolated from recent corruption.
4. HD clones allow a “portable copy” of your computer that you can likewise connect to another same Mac and have all your APPS and data at hand, which is extremely useful.
5. Rather than, as many users do, thinking of a HD clone as a “complimentary backup” to the use of TM, a HD clone is superior to TM both in ease of returning to 100% quickly, and its autonomous nature; while each has its place, TM can and does fill the gap in, say, a 2 week old clone. As an analogy, the HD clone itself is the brick wall of protection, whereas TM can be thought of as the mortar, which will fill any cracks in data on a week, 2-week, or 1-month old HD clone.
6. Best-idealized 2nd platform redundancy for data protection, and 1st level for system restore of your computers internal HD. (Time machine being 2nd level for system restore of the computer’s internal HD).
7. *Level-2 security of your vital data.
HD cloning software options:
1. SuperDuper HD cloning software APP (free)
2. Carbon Copy Cloner APP (will copy the recovery partition as well)
3. Disk utility HD bootable clone.
#4. Online archives
Drawbacks:
1. Subject to server failure or due to non-payment of your hosting account, it can be suspended.
2. Subject, due to lack of security on your part, to being attacked and hacked/erased.
Advantages:
1. In case of house fire, etc. your data is safe.
2. In travels, and propagating files to friends and likewise, a mere link by email is all that is needed and no large media needs to be sent across the net.
3. Online archives are the perfect and best-idealized 3rd platform redundancy for data protection.
4. Supremely useful in data isolation from backups and local archives in being online and offsite for long-distance security in isolation.
5. *Level-1.5 security of your vital data.
#5. DVD professional archival media
Drawbacks:
1. DVD single-layer disks are limited to 4.7Gigabytes of data.
2. DVD media are, given rough handling, prone to scratches and light-degradation if not stored correctly.
Advantages:
1. Archival DVD professional blank media is rated for in excess of 100+ years.
2. DVD is not subject to mechanical breakdown.
3. DVD archival media is not subject to ferromagnetic degradation.
4. DVD archival media correctly sleeved and stored is currently a supreme storage method of archiving vital data.
5. DVD media is once written and therefore free of data corruption if the write is correct.
6. DVD media is the perfect ideal for “freezing” and isolating old copies of data for reference in case newer generations of data become corrupted and an older copy is needed to revert to.
7. Best-idealized 4th platform redundancy for data protection.
8. *Level-3 (highest) security of your vital data.
[*Level-4 data security under development as once-written metallic plates and synthetic sapphire and likewise ultra-long-term data storage]
#6. Cloud based storage
Drawbacks:
1. Cloud storage can only be quasi-possessed.
2. No genuine true security and privacy of data.
3. Should never be considered for vital data storage or especially long-term.
4. *Level-0 security of your vital data.
Advantages:
1. Quick, easy and cheap storage location for simplex files for transfer to keep on hand and yet off the computer.
2. Easy source for small-file data sharing.

Can I replace hard drive with Time Machine backup?

I couldn't phrase this right to see if some already asked. I have MacBook with a 250gb HDD and I have a new 500gb HDD. I bought a USB Hard Drive enclosure and have been backing up with Time Machine. So my question is, can I take out my 250gb HDD and put in my Time Machine Backed Up 500gb, and boot up like normal? Or are there some steps I need to do?

No, you cannot do what you've asked.
What you can do is this.
1) using your install DVDs or an install USB, install OSX on the external 500GB drive. When setup assistant starts, point it to your 250GB drive so all your settings and files get migrated over.
2) now you can swap drives and it should work. Have your install USB handy incase something goes wrong. Put the 250GB drive in your external enclosure so you can access it if needed for a reinstall.
good luck

Problem using a WD hard Drive with Time Machine

A couple weeks ago I bought a 1TB Western Digital "Elements" Hard Drive and configured it with Time Machine on my MacBook Pro (running Mountain Lion OSX version 10.8.3). The drive was working fine until last night, when it was in the process of backing up and it got the following error:
Time Machine Error
Unable to complete backup. An error occurred while creating the backup folder.
Now whenever I try to unlock the drive, it freezes up like this:
I've tried restarting the computer and reconnecting the drive several times, and it always gets stuck in the same place. I know my password is correct, because I've tried incorrect ones, and it shakes and rejects them like it should. It's only when I enter the correct password that it freezes.
I went into the disk utility to try to verify the disk, but it gave me these two popups:
I notice it says the drive is almost full, though last night it was somewhere around a third full. I don't know what to make of that.
I had to eject the disk and reconnect it before I could try to repair it. When I did try to repair it, it worked for several minutes, then gave me this:
I notice here that the disk utility looks to have ejected the disk when it couldn't repair it. After that, I don't know what to try.
The one thing I did differently last night that may have contributed to the problem was that before I got the initial Time Machine error, I added a couple of folders to the WD drive and backed up some pictures and music manually. Does Time Machine not work if you have other things on the external drive you're using?
At any rate, I'd rather not erase the drive and start over. Is there anything else I can do at this point? Thanks.

Sounds like your drive may be failing. Test it on another system first, but if the problem persists, get it replaced under warranty.

Starting Over With Time Machine

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