Time Capsule not doing incremental backups

My Time Capsule has suddenly started backing up the whole hard drive every time instead of doing incremental backups.
How can I fix this? I am running the latest version of Snow Leopard - I have not installed Lion yet.

see section D in this user tip.

Similar Messages

  • Time machine not doing incremental backups - instead doing full backups

    hi,
    Time machine does a complete full backup, and then instead of doing incremental backups, it wants to keep doing full backups.
    help.

    why do you think it's doing full backups?
    install TimeMachineBuddy widget and see exactly what it says. also install TimeTracker and see what exactly is being backed up every time
    http://www.charlessoft.com/
    but first, verify both the internal and TM drive with disk utility. verify disk, not permissions. if it reports any errors repair both drives. you'll need to boot from the snow leopard DVD to repair the main startup drive.
    also, see Pondini's troubleshooting tips at the top of the TM forum.
    http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2057525
    Message was edited by: V.K.

  • Time Capsule not deleting old backups when full

    I have a number of drives attached for alternating backups through Time Machine. When a generic USB drive I have gets full, it sends out a message saying that it will have to delete the oldest BU, which is fine by me. My relatively new tall Time Capsule just tells me to reduce the number of files I'm backing up or get another drive.
    Also, form the numbers in the screenshot, it looks like it's trying to do a complete backup of my iMac drive when it should just be incremental, as it has been doing all along. Using 10.10.1 on a 2-year old iMac.
    Any ideas why? Thanks to all in advance.

    Incremetnal backups are small, so Time Machine usually does not have any trouble deleting a few of oldest incremental backups to make room for new small incremental backups.....but....450 GB is not an incremental backup, and Time Machine will not be able to delete enough data to make room for the large backup that it is being asked to complete.
    If you want to keep all of the data on the current Time Capsule, you can add another USB drive to the Time Capsule, or another Time Capsule for that matter and continue backups that way.
    Another option....the least expensive.....would be to erase the current Time Capsule drive and start over again with a new backup set.

  • Why is time capsule not doing a full system backup?

    It's only backing my users folder and nothing more. Their is nothing excluded from time machine in the options. Also I have my time capsule set up the right way.

    Reset Time Machine.
    See A4 http://pondini.org/TM/Troubleshooting.html
    Verify local disk and wipe the TC and start over.

  • Time capsule not showing old backups

    i bought the time capsule in the middle of october and set it up.  but when i got into the time machine to find the old backups it only shows the oldest back up as november 13th, and each day it moves to the next. ex tomorrow it will show the oldest as november 14th. and when i look at the time capsule i have only used 1.96 of the total 2 TB.  the "tick" marks on the side of the time machine dont always show the pink, which means it was backed up to the time capsule. it shows grey marks saying it was saved on the mac(as if i was not connected to the time capsule)

    I'm using the Time Machine interface from the original icon in the dock.
    I figured it out. Just a minute ago I went to Time Machine, it mounted the backup and showed it on my desktop but when the "space" view came I wasn't able to browse anything. It didn't show any dates. I exited Time Machine and immediately went back and now I was able to browse all the backups and all the backup dates were shown. I tried it later and again I couldn't browse my backups. This time I waited and finally they showed up and everything worked. It just seemed to take a long time for the backups to be browseable.

  • Time capsule not deleting old backups

    My time capsule is no longer backing up due to lack of space.  How can I get it to delete old backsups?

    If you upgrade installed the OS, Mavericks.. then the TM seems to lose the ability to delete old backups..
    Step in and do in manually.
    See Q12 here.
    http://pondini.org/TM/FAQ.html

  • Time Machine not doing any backups.

    Hello,
    Recently, my TM is unable to do any backups on my Imac. It was working before, however when I initiate the backup now... it starts with the message "Calculating changes" and it sat there the whole night.
    When I verify the log it tells me the following:
    "No space left on device...Waiting for index to be ready".
    Can someone help me resolve this issue... I tried deleteing all old backups but while it got to removing 5 million or so files... it gave me an error on delete..
    Can someone help please?
    Thanks,

    _To erase the Time Capsule disk:_
    Open AirPort Utility (Hard Drive > Applications > Utilities > AirPort Utility)
    Click Manual Setup
    Click the Disks icon at the top of the setup window
    Click the Disks tab just below the icons
    Click Erase. The "Zero Out Data" option will work fine, but may take several hours.
    If AirPort Utility cannot "see" the Time Capsule and you are using wireless for this, try temporarily connecting an ethernet cable from your computer to one of the LAN <-> ports on the Time Capsule.
    _To setup Time Machine backups:_
    Open System Preferences (gear shaped icon on the dock)
    Click Time Machine
    Click Change Disk
    Click your Time Capsule to highlight it
    Click Use for Backups

  • Time capsule not seeing old backups, now its backing up my computer again

    Hi:
    I moved my TC today to a new apartment. Same computer and everything. I can mount the drive and see the macbook pro backup file but i cant connect to it with time machine. Now when I back up my computer again, it is starting a new backup of the entire system.
    would maybe reinstalling leopard and using the other pro backup work? let me know thanks!

    Well I called apple about this and they said i need to reinstall leopard from the latest backup.

  • Reasons for Time Capsule not ejecting after backup?

    Running 2010 17" MBP, 8GB, upgraded to Lion.
    After backups, the TC drive stopped auto ejecting sometime last night.  I can eject it manually, and as far as I can tell backups are still occurring normally.
    After doing some searching I tried using the privacy settings to prevent Spotlight from indexing the TC data folder where the backup sparsebundles go, and rebooting.  Didn't help.
    Anyone have some ideas on what might be causing this, and what I can do to correct it?
    Thanks in advance!

    Okay. I guess any mysterious occurrance is potentially going to have an equally mysterious resolution. It just started ejecting the TC drive normally after backups. I've done nothing, changed nothing--it just started working again.
    I think I'll have a drink now.  Thanks anyway!

  • Time Capsule cannot complete the backup, backup disk not available. Help please!

    Hi,
    I've only ever been able to complete one back up using my time capsule and have been having problems for months! I've tried resetting and restarting the TC, it re-installs successfully and the green light comes onto the TC. However, when I try to backup I get the following message:
    Time Capsule cannot complete the backup. The backup disk is not available.
    I've tried taking it into the Apple store to the genius bar and they seem to think it is working fine. It seems to have connected successfully to my network at home so I'm struggling to work out what to do. Does anyone have any ideas?
    Thanks.

    Have you updated to the latest Time capsule firmware?
    AirPort Utility software and firmware downloads

  • My iphoto library, located on time capsule ( +/- 50G) does not load at all after upgrade to OSX to Yosemite ?

    Dear all,
    I am guessing, this is not the end for accessing to my iphoto (last update) library, my life memories, but after upgrade to OSX Yosemite, my iphoto library, located on time capsule (+/- 50G) does not load at all. I have sent the report to Apple.
    I am, worried to save or see my pictures back.
    Thanks fo your help.
    Clémentine

    eurclem wrote:
    Hi Larry,
    Sorry, for the delay, in the meantime I have restored my previous OS.
    But to answer you, basically , I use the time capsule as both a backup volume and an external drive.
    It's a 1 To Capacity.
    Best Regards,
    Clémentine
    That is a bad idea
    1 - since you have files on the same disk as your backup you have no backup for those files which apparently includes you photos - having no b means it is just a matter of time until you lose them
    2 - The TimeMachine backup grows until it fills the volume it is on - when the TC is full iphoto (and maybe other programs) will stop workig due to lack of space
    You need at least two external hard drives - one for the iPhoto library (this one needs to be directly connected with a fast wired connection like Thungrbolt, Firewire or USB and be formatted Mac OS extended (journaled) ) and a separate EHD for  you TM backup
    LN

  • Time capsule now does not work with Lion just installed.

    Just downloaded Lion to Mac Air. Time capsule now does not work. Where is the problem?

    Restart the TC.. lion is stupid.. it forgets what it is connected to with alarming frequency ... like someone suffering dementia.
    If it continues to have issues, plug the TC directly to the lion computer by ethernet (if not already) and try again. Change the wireless to manual in airport utility and change the wireless name.. to force a new configuration. Once setup you can just use wireless.
    In the end you may need to reset the TC.. just hold in the reset button for about 10sec. It should then become available.. a reset does not do anything to data on the hard drive but you might need to restore any passwords.

  • Time capsule and deleting old backups

    Hi after performing a recent backup to an external drive I don't have much space left on the disk. It says that time capsule will delete old backups. Does this mean that any movies backed up in these early back ups will be deleted as I no longer have them on my MacBook due to the amount of space they take up?

    Time Machine is not an archive, it is a rolling backup.
    If you want to keep files permanently, you must not store them only in Time Machine. If you don't have space for the movies on your main drive, buy a drive to use as an archive, put those movies on it, and make sure that disk is backed up too, since if data exists in only one place it is vulnerable.
    My family digital archive doesn't fit on my internal drive so it is on an external drive. I also maintain two exact backup copies of that external drive. One is in the fire safe at home, the other is in a safe deposit box, and those two backups are rotated periodically. If the original and the backup are lost due to fire, burglary, etc., the off-site backup means there is still a safe copy somewhere. Because I can't afford to lose those photos, movies, and financial records. Online backup is another option for making sure you won't ever lose data you need to keep.

  • Time Capsule/ Endless Preparing - no backup

    I've seen similar threads and I believe that I've tried all of their fixes.
    I'm seeing the following errors in the console:
    Aug 7 10:30:34 HomeMac /System/Library/CoreServices/backupd[191]: Waiting for index to be ready (909 > 0)
    Aug 7 10:30:34 HomeMac mds[33]: (/Volumes/Backup of HomeMac/.Spotlight-V100/Store-V1/Stores/F9F6764C-F1D9-46D4-804E-4CFDC556F1E8)(E rror) IndexCI in ContentIndexOpenBulk:No index
    Aug 7 10:30:34 HomeMac mds[33]: (/Volumes/Backup of HomeMac/.Spotlight-V100/Store-V1/Stores/F9F6764C-F1D9-46D4-804E-4CFDC556F1E8)(E rror) IndexCI in CIMetaInfoCreate:Tried to create index when index already existed /Volumes/Backup of HomeMac/.Spotlight-V100/Store-V1/Stores/F9F6764C-F1D9-46D4-804E-4CFDC556F1E8
    Aug 7 10:30:34 HomeMac mds[33]: (/Volumes/Backup of HomeMac/.Spotlight-V100/Store-V1/Stores/FB0AF823-52BC-455D-9BE4-5267CC68CEB9)(E rror) IndexCI in openindexfile:bad file size: 16, min size 4096, 0.indexHead
    Aug 7 10:30:34 HomeMac mds[33]: (/Volumes/Backup of HomeMac/.Spotlight-V100/Store-V1/Stores/FB0AF823-52BC-455D-9BE4-5267CC68CEB9)(E rror) IndexCI in ContentIndexOpenBulk:0.indexHead invalid, will try to recover
    Aug 7 10:31:00 HomeMac com.apple.launchd[1] (0x109db0.cron[397]): Could not setup Mach task special port 9: (os/kern) no access
    Aug 7 10:31:04 HomeMac /System/Library/CoreServices/backupd[191]: Waiting for index to be ready (909 > 0)
    Aug 7 10:31:04 HomeMac mds[33]: (/Volumes/Backup of HomeMac/.Spotlight-V100/Store-V1/Stores/F9F6764C-F1D9-46D4-804E-4CFDC556F1E8)(E rror) IndexCI in ContentIndexOpenBulk:No index
    Aug 7 10:31:04 HomeMac mds[33]: (/Volumes/Backup of HomeMac/.Spotlight-V100/Store-V1/Stores/F9F6764C-F1D9-46D4-804E-4CFDC556F1E8)(E rror) IndexCI in CIMetaInfoCreate:Tried to create index when index already existed /Volumes/Backup of HomeMac/.Spotlight-V100/Store-V1/Stores/F9F6764C-F1D9-46D4-804E-4CFDC556F1E8
    Aug 7 10:31:04 HomeMac mds[33]: (/Volumes/Backup of HomeMac/.Spotlight-V100/Store-V1/Stores/FB0AF823-52BC-455D-9BE4-5267CC68CEB9)(E rror) IndexCI in openindexfile:bad file size: 16, min size 4096, 0.indexHead
    Aug 7 10:31:04 HomeMac mds[33]: (/Volumes/Backup of HomeMac/.Spotlight-V100/Store-V1/Stores/FB0AF823-52BC-455D-9BE4-5267CC68CEB9)(E rror) IndexCI in ContentIndexOpenBulk:0.indexHead invalid, will try to recover
    Things that I've tried:
    - Erase disk both with "quick" and "zero out" options.
    - Restore defaults
    - Roll back firmware to 7.4.1
    - changed time machine to use different disk, successful backup to that disk, set back to time capsule.
    - tried to add "Backup of HomeMac" and "TimeCapsule" to the spotlight privacy settings. These settings are lost at reboot.... and if I don't reboot it says that it fails to mount "Backup of HomeMac". Likely because it is already mounted?
    - I have 2 macs that backup to this time capsule. It has worked for several months. Now doesn't work for either. One is running 10.5.8.. the other is running 10.5.7.
    - Tried to use DiskUtility on the sparsebundle. It looks clean after a reboot, but then timemachine won't run... possibly because it is already mounted?? It looks corrupted in DiskUtility after I quit the time machine backup. In any case, I keep "erasing" the time capsule hard drive, so if there is a problem with the bundle, it is created from scratch and still has the problem.
    - verify permissions on my Mac's main HD.
    - changed the name of the TimeCapsule.
    I think that is all. I get the same error every time. I don't know if this is a spotlight issue or a time capsule issue. It does affect 2 macs with different OS versions (10.5.7, 10.5.8), so I assume that it is the time capsule.
    One other possibly unrelated issue: When I used to run time machine the backup volume would be mounted with my name. Now it just says the network name. (i.e. it used to say something like "Backup of John Smith's Mac" and now it says "Backup of HomeMac") I assume this is unrelated, but I figured I would mention that too.
    Anyone have any ideas?
    Thanks.

    I think I have finally managed to get this working after 2 days of frustration. It won't be the answer for everyone because it involves opening up your Time Capsule, but this is what I did.
    I noticed on this page (http://www.macfixit.com/article.php?story=20090806095905196) that people were having trouble with file permissions under 10.5.8. When I checked my Console logs during an attempted backup, I noticed chown "Operation not permitted" errors, so I began to suspect that Time Machine didn't have sufficient privileges to do the backup.
    I couldn't find a way to run Disk Utility on the Time Capsule Disk, so I opened up the Time Capsule, removed the HD, put the HD into a USB enclosure and connected it to my Mac. When I ran Disk Utility "Verify" and "Repair" on the Time Capsule Disk partition, it returned the following:
    -----8<------------------------------------
    08/07/09 Friday, August 7, 2009 2:47:34 PM Disk Utility[202] Verify and Repair volume “TimeCapsuleDisk”
    08/07/09 Friday, August 7, 2009 2:47:34 PM Disk Utility[202] Starting repair tool:
    08/07/09 Friday, August 7, 2009 2:47:35 PM Disk Utility[202] Checking Journaled HFS Plus volume.
    08/07/09 Friday, August 7, 2009 2:47:35 PM Disk Utility[202] Checking Extents Overflow file.
    08/07/09 Friday, August 7, 2009 2:47:35 PM Disk Utility[202] Checking Catalog file.
    08/07/09 Friday, August 7, 2009 2:47:35 PM Disk Utility[202] Checking multi-linked files.
    08/07/09 Friday, August 7, 2009 2:47:35 PM Disk Utility[202] Checking Catalog hierarchy.
    08/07/09 Friday, August 7, 2009 2:47:35 PM Disk Utility[202] Checking Extended Attributes file.
    08/07/09 Friday, August 7, 2009 2:47:35 PM Disk Utility[202] Incorrect number of Access Control Lists
    08/07/09 Friday, August 7, 2009 2:47:35 PM Disk Utility[202] (It should be 0 instead of 39)
    08/07/09 Friday, August 7, 2009 2:47:35 PM Disk Utility[202] Checking volume bitmap.
    08/07/09 Friday, August 7, 2009 2:47:36 PM Disk Utility[202] Checking volume information.
    08/07/09 Friday, August 7, 2009 2:47:36 PM Disk Utility[202] Volume Header needs minor repair
    08/07/09 Friday, August 7, 2009 2:47:36 PM Disk Utility[202] Repairing volume.
    08/07/09 Friday, August 7, 2009 2:47:36 PM Disk Utility[202] Rechecking volume.
    08/07/09 Friday, August 7, 2009 2:47:36 PM Disk Utility[202] Checking Journaled HFS Plus volume.
    08/07/09 Friday, August 7, 2009 2:47:36 PM Disk Utility[202] Checking Extents Overflow file.
    08/07/09 Friday, August 7, 2009 2:47:36 PM Disk Utility[202] Checking Catalog file.
    08/07/09 Friday, August 7, 2009 2:47:36 PM Disk Utility[202] Checking multi-linked files.
    08/07/09 Friday, August 7, 2009 2:47:36 PM Disk Utility[202] Checking Catalog hierarchy.
    08/07/09 Friday, August 7, 2009 2:47:36 PM Disk Utility[202] Checking Extended Attributes file.
    08/07/09 Friday, August 7, 2009 2:47:36 PM Disk Utility[202] Checking volume bitmap.
    08/07/09 Friday, August 7, 2009 2:47:36 PM Disk Utility[202] Checking volume information.
    08/07/09 Friday, August 7, 2009 2:47:36 PM Disk Utility[202] The volume TimeCapsuleDisk was repaired successfully.
    08/07/09 Friday, August 7, 2009 2:47:37 PM kernel jnl: disk1s3: journal start/end pointers reset! (jnl 0x72c4930; s 0x44ee00 e 0x44ee00)
    08/07/09 Friday, August 7, 2009 2:47:37 PM Disk Utility[202] Repair tool completed:
    -----8<------------------------------------
    Following the repair, I opened Time Machine preferences, and set it to point to the Time Capsule Disk (which was still connected via the USB enclosure). The backup started working almost immediately. I cancelled the backup, put the HD back into the Time Capsule and rebooted everything.
    After repointing Time Machine preferences back to the Time Capsule Disk (now safely back in the actual Time Capsule), I initiated a backup. The backup started working almost immediately (the most success I've had in 2 days) and has been backing up successfully for the past 1/2 hour. I won't be satisfied that I've solved the problem until it completes and I try a restore, but we'll see...
    To be clear: this is a ridiculous "solution" to the problem. I must have formatted the Time Capsule Disk about 15 times using Airport Utility over the past 2 days, including an incredibly long "zero out" format. I have no idea why this wouldn't have correctly reset the disk with the correct settings. If anyone can figure out how to run Disk Utility on the drive without having to tear the Time Capsule apart, it would certainly be a much better solution.
    Cheers, Ben.

  • Time Machine cannot find Time Capsule after turning auto backups off

    2010 macbook 7,1 OSX 10.6.8.  Brand new rev.4 Time Capsule 2TB (MD032LL/A) just bought yesterday. 
    Everything set up just fine and wireless is working.  Backups are working.
    Issue is that as soon as I turn the Time Machine slider to Off (I can turn it back to On at this point, doesn't matter once it's been in the Off position) in TIme Machine preferences, then try and Enter Time Machine or do a backup, it cannot find the Time Capsule (says cannot find backup volume or such).  I have to reselect the drive even though it's icon is showing right on the preferences screen.  A reboot will enable it to find the Time Capsule without my input.
    If I leave Time Machine turned on, the backups run fine and I can enter the Time Machine.  It is turning off Time Machine that triggers the issue.
    Tried the following:
      -Rebooted Time Capsule
      -Made sure Time Capsule name is less than 27 characters (it is 19)
      -Firewall is off
      -Filevaullt is off
      -Booted into Safe Mode
      -Repaired permissions
      -Trashed TIme Machine plist
      -Updated OSX
    At this point I called Applecare and they had me send them a capture of my TIme Machine data and will get back to me Monday.
    Oddly, my 10.5.8 iMac G5 2ghz is working fine with Time Machine and does not have this issue.  I can turn Time Machine off and on all I want and it can find the Time Capsule with no problem.
    Thanks for any help.

    Apple is still working on the issue but I have now noticed that I cannot VNC into my work PC anymore.  I get a "Could not connect to server, connection refused:5900"
    I am using Chicken of the VNC and it worked fine until I got the Time Capsule.  I know that 5900 is the port used for something and this sounds like it is related to the Time Capsule.
    I can't help but think this is also related to the "Cannot find backup disk" message from Time Machine.  This all sounds like the Time Capsule goofed up the works here.
    Also, I now have tons of reports in the console of it not being able to count items in a file at system/library/StartupItems.  That folder is NOT there. Which is why I assume the errors.  I have seen a few other reports and people are just restoring the file from Time Machine or making it via command line with admin.  When I go back far enough in Time Machine, the file IS there but has nothing in it.
    I asked Apple about that too and they checked a 10.6.8 computer and it had the file so not sure what is up there.  Not sure if it was 10.6.8 update or the bunch of iTunes, etc that I did after that.
    Have not restored that file yet, will wait to see what they say about the Time Capsule mess.
    Any ideas on restoring my VNC connection?

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