Time Machine & Aperture

This seems to be somewhat related to another thread here which talks about how TM repeatedly backs up either the entire HD or large chunks of data. As per a recent OS update, it supposedly is now possible to include my Aperture Library in the regular TM backup routine.
I've done this, and when Aperture is open, it appears that TM skips backing up the Library file. However, after closing Aperture, TM wants to back up the ENTIRE (currently about 29 gb) library file, even though only minimal changes were made to it.
From other conversations, my understanding was that this is not suppose to happen, as TM is only suppose to back up the Aperture library incrementally related to what actually got changed inside of it.
Any ideas as to what has gone wrong, and how to fix?

Hello, Same problem here. I wanted to back it up once, so I enabled it in TM and forgot to disable it. Now I have about 100gigs of the same thing and I cannot delete it.
Is there any way to recover the gobbled up space? Will it compress (meaning, the aperture library will only show up once in the weekly or monthly backup?) with the monthly backup? Does anyone know?
OSX won't allow me to delete the files (unless someone knows a trick?)

Similar Messages

  • Time Machine + Aperture = 1 Fried External Drive

    Hi, I'm really hoping someone can help me. Last week, I set up my first TM update on a partitioned LaCie Mini 250GB. One partition was called "Laptop Backup." I had planned to use SuperDuper for it, but decided to use Time Machine instead. The other partition contained videos and images.
    I set up the partition called "Laptop Backup" as the Time Machine drive. Time Machine successfully renamed the partition and changed its icon.
    I started running Time Machine. It was working fine. So I thought I would also put my Aperture library on the other partition on the same hard drive (it was previously on my internal drive).
    I imported all of my photos (thousands of them) from my internal drive and another external drive into the Aperture library. That seemed to work too. So I deleted the copies of the photos elsewhere and quit Aperture.
    When I quit, Aperture said it was still compiling thumbnails and asked if I wanted to let it do its thing. I clicked "OK." Time Machine was still working merrily along at this point, but both Aperture and Time Machine looked they were going to take time to finish the processes they'd started. It was late, so I let them run while I slept.
    In the morning, I woke up to find that Time Machine had gotten hung-up at around 10GB (of roughly 66 GB). I tried canceling the update, and then turning off Time Machine, but nothing happened. Aperture was also hanging. I tried force-quitting the applications, but no luck. So I shut off the drive.
    Since then, the drive has been really sick. It mounts (though sometimes the partition with Aperture on it doesn't mount completely), but Finder, Disk Utility, and even Activity Monitor, causes it to freeze up completely. The partition set up for Time Machine has no reverted back to its original name, "Laptop Backup." From the sounds the drive makes, it seems like it is performing one task again and again. This will continue for about 15 minutes and then it just spins.
    I have repaired the permissions on my internal HD several times. But attempts to repair or verify the external HD cause the system to crash. Likewise, I tried erasing the contents of the partition with the incomplete Time Machine backup, but Disk Utility cannot unmount the disk, and gets hung up.
    I tried opening the Aperture library on the other partition, through Finder, but that caused Finder to crash. It was unable even to relaunch until I turned off the external drive.
    I tried deleting the Aperture preferences file (~/library/preferences/com.apple.Aperture.plist, or whatever it is), but there isn't one.
    I can't give up on the drive because all my photographs are there, and I need them for work. I'm really hoping there is something I can do to get at the drive, but I'm not familiar with command-line prompts and such.
    Can anyone help me solve this problem? Many thanks,
    ez

    Ah, thanks. Sorry, I misunderstood.
    Well, that didn't do it either, so I guess the answer to my question is that I'm pretty well f-d. I will try data recovery software. If that doesn't work, I'll find out how much a commercial data recovery service will cost and figure out if 190 GB of irreplaceable data is worth it.
    Thank you both again for your helpful suggestions. I really appreciate your taking the time to help. I'll leave the thread open in case someone reading has a brainstorm, but in the meantime, thank you!
    Apple, if you're reading, this is not OK. I lost huge chunks of my record collection with an iTunes update a few years back. Now I've lost all my photographs and dozens of Final Cut Pro projects, the product of years of travel and work, and I need to tell my boss that the dog ate my homework.
    Too late for me, but could you please take a look at Time Machine and/or Aperture to try to make sure this doesn't happen to someone else? Seems like great, useful software, and for many people, I'm sure it is, but in this case it behaved like malware. In retrospect, my own actions were pretty stupid (loading processes like that, not keeping copies of the data elsewhere), but with a few painful exceptions, my Mac has withstood whatever I've thrown at it, and I got used to that. A temporary fix could be to limit the number of items you can add to an Aperture library at a time, or simply to prompt users to close Aperture before beginning Time Machine.
    Nerowolfe, now that I've pretty much given up hope, maybe you could tell me whatever it was you didn't want to tell me I might have done? And you said that any use of the drive will probably overwrite existing data. I assume this doesn't include using data recovery software on the drive?
    Thanks again, both,
    ez

  • Partition of external HD - Time Machine & Aperture

    Good day all,
    I bought an external HD (1TB) and I formatted it in FAT 32, so I can use it for both Window and Mac.
    I also copied all my files in it.
    When I tried to select it as Time Machine disk, I received the message that the HD needs to be re formatted as it is formatted for Window.
    In order to use the same external HD for Time machine, can I make a partition in it and use it?
    If I am going to create the partition, should I be worried about the data in the disk? I do not have a backup of them yet.
    In order to use it also for Aperture 3, should I create a third partition?
    Many thanks
    Marco

    In theory, Time Machine can back up to a Mac-formatted volume on a drive with the MBR partition scheme.
    In practice, it often doesn't work well, if at all. 
    Your best bet may be to get another drive and use it only for Time Machine.  Also note that Time Machine cannot back up the other drive, with the FAT32 format.

  • Yet another Time Capsule /Time Machine / Aperture / Vault Question

    OK - It is recommended that the Aperture Library be excluded from the Time Machine backups, and to create vaults instead. Fine.
    Has anyone tried including the vaults instead of the library in their TM backups? Any issues? Does TM backup only the changes to the vault, or does it see the vault file as one file, and backup the whole thing after the vault has been updated?

    I haven't experienced it personally. That's because I have my Aperture library excluded -- I'm using SuperDuper to clone the entire library once a week (Aperture isn't open when this happens), and I also use vaults.
    There were numerous threads here about it, though. Or, I should say, they were in this forum, or they were in the Leopard/Time Machine forum. There was a fair bit of complaining about it... so I take it that some people have been affected.
    I doubt there's any danger of data loss, given TM won't back up the Aperture library when it's open -- which is when the database is in use and there could be open journal files. But... if you try it, and you notice that TM is taking 2-3 hours of crunching on your drive to back up the whole library, don't come yelling to me. I'll just say "known issue" and point to the Kbase article.
    Deal?

  • Time Machine: Aperture managed

    I have a completely managed Libray with Aperture, totalling around 450GB, I just did a fresh Vaults backup which roughly came to about 430GB, but of my 1TB extHDD this doesn't leave me with enough space to do a system backup (I need around 600GB of free space) for Time Machine to backup my system. I was threfore wondering if ii could make the Library on my machine exempt from the backup, do I need to back that up as I have Vaults and the Library is managed?
    Also, why do I need Vaults anyway, can't I just copy the HDD and everyhing would be fine?
    Thanks in advance.

    If you're satisfied with the way Vaults works, and if you have copies on at least two external drives, at least one of which is off site at all times, then you should be OK. Of course, if anything goes wrong, you may lose all changes more recent than the last backup.
    Aperture 3 User Manual: Planning Your Backup System

  • Aperture referencing files to time machine HD instead of from 'working' HD

    Every once in a while I will go into a project see the "broken link" icon on my previews. In Finder I check the location I have all my images stored (and initially referenced) on an external HD. They are there.
    I go to File>>Locate Referenced Files and see the referenced images have been changed to a location on my separate Time Machine external HD. I locate them and everything is fine but it's annoying.
    I don't not have Time Machine on automatic because I have a laptop and like to choose when it backs up. I've looked through other Time Machine/Aperture problems and couldn't find anything. Does any one know of a setting, advice, or have experienced this at all?
    Thanks.

    Thanks. Sorry, for the delay to answer your questions:
    I'm the only one managing the files, and it has happened quite a few times now. The files are in multiple projects ranging from recent imports to projects from a few years ago.
    I didn't need to use "File→Relocate Master ..." just the "File→Locate Referenced Files" because my masters are still intact on my working HD. It says that my previous location was on "Volumes/Time Machine/photography/...etc." when I always import masters to "Volumes/My book/photography/...etc"
    Does Aperture notice if I move master files because my thought is that Aperture is noticing my TM copying files to another HD and then referencing those instead of my original working HD I import to. Then, the next time I open Aperture it cannot reference the Time Machine files.
    Is it because I have TM (USB) backing up my internal HD and my external working HD (FW800)?

  • I have been storing my Aperture and IMovie Libraries on an external hard drive that recently died.  Fortunately I've been using Time Machine to back up to a 2nd external drive.  How do I restore my libraries to a new external hard drive?

    I have been storing my Aperture and IMovie Libraries on an external hard drive that recently died.  Fortunately I've been using Time Machine to back up to a 2nd external drive.  How do I restore my libraries to a new external hard drive?

    This is a tricky one.
    Open up Time Machine and go back to a date using the timeline on the right side of the window when you know the drive was working and was backing up as part of Time Machine backups.
    Click on the name of your Mac under the Devices heading on the left side of the window in Time Machine, and if things are working correctly you will see Macintosh HD (or whatever you have named it) and the name of the external hard drive that was backing up in the past.
    Right-Click on the name of the external hard drive and then click on "Restore (name of drive) to....."  You may be asked for your adminstrator password at this point.
    It might be easier to restore the drive contents to your desktop if you have room on your Mac, and then copy things over to the new external drive where you want to store the Aperture and iMovie Libraries.
    Once the libraries have been moved over the new external hard drive, you will likely need to "point" Aperture and iMovie to the location of the libraries on the new external hard drive.

  • How can I restore a single image from an aperture time machine backup, do I have to restore the entire library? that does not make sense

    I hope there has been found a more efficiant solution for this,  how can I restore a single image from an aperture time machine backup, I really hope I don't have to restore the entire library? that does not make sense
    any suggestions?

    Did you try browsing your backups in the Finder ?  That is, do not go and "Enter Time Machine".  Instead, navigate to your Time Machine backup via Finder and then manually go to the time period (by folder name) you are looking for ... when you find your Aperture library you can then "Show Package Contents" and find the Master you are looking for.

  • After restoring files with Time Machine, I can´t open Aperture

    My HD broke and I had to change it for a new one. I had copy of everything in Time Machine. I restored it with no problem, but now I every time I try to open Aperture, it quits.
    Can anybody help me, please?

    Thanks imigra, I tried the three options and at last I had to install it again. Now my Aperture 2.0 it´s working.

  • If I do a clean install on my MacBook Pro will I be able to re-install apps (FCP, Aperture, MS Office etc.) from a Time Machine backup, or will I need the original install DVDs with authorization codes?

    I have two questions...
    1) If I do a clean install on my MacBook Pro will I be able to re-install apps (FCP, Aperture, MS Office etc.) from a Time Machine backup, or will I need the original install DVDs with authorization codes? (because I don't have them)
    2) Has anyone ever seen anything like this before on their computers?
    The Apple Genius' were stumped by my laptop issues and said they'd never seen anything like it before and recommended I did a clean install. Below you can see my trash bin, and if you look at the "Empty" button it reads "N201" and then there's the "N39" to the left of it. You can also see these numbers over by the folder area--"SD5, SD6, SD7." But that's not all...
    When I right click on items I see the numbers again. Instead of "Open with" I get "N152" and there's an "N35" and "LB1" towards the bottom.
    I have no idea what's going on so I'm just going to do a clean install on my machine but I don't want to lose my apps. I don't have the original install DVDs for them anymore. If you have any suggestions please let me know. Thanks!

    You don't lose them.  You can always redownload them from the app store after you log back in with your Apple ID.
    "Buy, download, and even redownload.
    You can install apps on every Mac you use and even download them again. This is especially convenient when you buy a new Mac and want to load it with apps you already own."

  • I have an external hard drive set up as a Time Machine backup on my IMac. I want to add a second external hard drive and put my Aperture Photo Library on it. Is there a way to have the photos on this second hard drive automatically back up to the Time Mac

    I have an IMac with an external hard drive set up as  a Time Machine for automatic backups. I want to add a second external hard drive and load my Aperture Photo Library on to it so that the library can be shared by both me and my wife. Is there a way to automatically backup the photo library that will be on the second hard drive to the Time Machine hard drive?

    Open System Preference > Time Machine
    Click Options....
    Ckick on external disk in list and hit the - button below the list to remove from the Exclusion list
    Allan

  • How do I stop Time Machine from backing up Aperture thumbnails?

    Hi,
    My 2TB backup drive recently became full, and I became curious as to what was filling it up. I wrote a perl script to analyze the Time Machine backups, and I noticed that over 50% of my backup was filled with AP.Thumbnails and AP.Minis from the Aperture project directory. In particular, the AP.Thumbnails files in the backup consumed 737 GB of disk space!
    The problem with the thumbnails files is that they are a single file that contains all of the thumbnails for all of the 40,000 photos I have in Aperture and it is now 20gb in size. Every time I add a new file to Aperture, the thumbnail file changes, and I get a new 20gb of data added to my backup. I add photos often which means that most of my backups have 20gb of Aperture files (which are easy to rebuild and don't need to be backed up).
    I decided to try and stop Time Machine from backing up these files, and there seems to be no way of doing so (without telling Time Machine to skip backing up my entire Aperture project which I don't want to do). In Finder, you can do a "show package contents", but the Time Machine GUI doesn't allow this.
    I tried to tell Time Machine to exclude the files via the GUI, but Time Machine sees the Aperture Library as a single package and won't let me exclude individual files from within the package.
    I googled around, and found the attribute that Time Machine puts on files to exclude them from the backup. I used xattr to set the attributes:
    xattr -w com.apple.metadata:comapple_backupexcludeItem com.apple.backupd <filename>
    I also used this command on the iPhoto thumbnail files.
    I used spotlight to find all of the files with this attribute using this command:
    sudo mdfind "comapple_backupexcludeItem = 'com.apple.backupd'"
    This command returned the iPhoto files, but did not return the Aperture files.
    However, if I run "xattr" on the Aperture files, the attribute does exist!
    During my next time machine backup, the iPhoto files were skipped as I wanted them to be, but the Aperture thumbnails were backed up again
    I thought that maybe time machine was looking at the aperture package as an atomic unit, but iPhoto is stored as a package as well, and the attributes worked there on files inside the package.
    Does anyone have any idea why time machine is still backing up these files? Is there any way I can get around this?
    It seems to me to be an incredible oversight on Apple's part since both tools are Apple. The thumbnails files are very expensive to backup, and they are not necessary for backup since the are easy to rebuild from the original photos which are also backed up.
    Thanks,
    Ron

    Shadow99999 wrote:
    Hi,
    My 2TB backup drive recently became full, and I became curious as to what was filling it up. I wrote a perl script to analyze the Time Machine backups,
    No need to write your own script for that. there are a couple of already made nice GUI tools for this - TimeTracker http://www.charlessoft.com/ and BackupLoupe http://soma-zone.com/BackupLoupe/
    and I noticed that over 50% of my backup was filled with AP.Thumbnails and AP.Minis from the Aperture project directory. In particular, the AP.Thumbnails files in the backup consumed 737 GB of disk space!
    The problem with the thumbnails files is that they are a single file that contains all of the thumbnails for all of the 40,000 photos I have in Aperture and it is now 20gb in size. Every time I add a new file to Aperture, the thumbnail file changes, and I get a new 20gb of data added to my backup. I add photos often which means that most of my backups have 20gb of Aperture files (which are easy to rebuild and don't need to be backed up).
    I decided to try and stop Time Machine from backing up these files, and there seems to be no way of doing so (without telling Time Machine to skip backing up my entire Aperture project which I don't want to do). In Finder, you can do a "show package contents", but the Time Machine GUI doesn't allow this.
    I tried to tell Time Machine to exclude the files via the GUI, but Time Machine sees the Aperture Library as a single package and won't let me exclude individual files from within the package.
    I don't have aperture but I think most people exclude the whole thing from TM backups and back it up separately. but if you want to exclude a subfolder in a package that's easy too. just select the package in finder, control-click on it and select "show package contents". in the resulting finder window drill to the folder you want to exclude and drag it to the TM exclusion list in TM system preferences->options.
    I googled around, and found the attribute that Time Machine puts on files to exclude them from the backup. I used xattr to set the attributes:
    xattr -w com.apple.metadata:comapple_backupexcludeItem com.apple.backupd <filename>
    I was not aware of this method for excluding stuff from TM backups. could you provide a link to where you found this?
    I also used this command on the iPhoto thumbnail files.
    I used spotlight to find all of the files with this attribute using this command:
    sudo mdfind "comapple_backupexcludeItem = 'com.apple.backupd'"
    This command returned the iPhoto files, but did not return the Aperture files.
    that's because Spotlight never looks inside packages unless you start a search inside a package directly. iphoto seems to be the only exception. I don't know how it's done.

  • Aperture Vault & Time Machine on same external drive?

    I learned from an Aperture ProLab teacher that using Time Machine as a backup for my Aperture library is not always successful (something about the packaged file format?) - and it was recommended that I use the Vault in Aperture.  Is it possible (and how, if so) to partition my external drive to be used with both Time Machine (to back up my entire hard drive) and Aperture's Vault?

    Jessica-
    I don't see why not, if the external is really large. Just partition using Disk Utility.
    However personally I recommend buying additional hard drives rather than partitioning. Mass storage is now cheap. We always grow into hard drive space anyway, and there is a design elegance to having spearate physical drives. Design elegance in backup routines tends to lead to less errors.
    I buy quad-interface drives from OWC
    http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/firewire/
    for connection speed as well as flexibility in repurposing drives, but for backup-only cheaper USB (slower) drives from Newegg or Deal.com also are ok. Just look at cost per GB to find drives of best value.
    HTH
    -Allen Wicks

  • On imac 10.6.8 using current version of Aperture.  How can I access the Aperture Library  on my external hard drive that I use with time machine for backup?  I can only access the application but not the library..

    On imac 10.6.8 using current version of Aperture.  How can I access the Aperture Library  on my external hard drive that I use with time machine for backup?  I can only access the application but not the library..

    Go into Time Machine (the program not the bundle on the extrnal disk) and using Time Machine's browser go to the Folder where the library lives. You could look in the library bundle in Time Machine but that won't really tell you much,
    If you want to make sure it truely has backed up your library you will need to restore it and open the restored library with Aperture.
    If all this still has you confused you need to read up on Time Machine in order to get a feel for how it works, for what it is doing and for how to restore files from it.

  • How can I restore a .aplib Aperture library from time machine?

    When I try and restore my Aperture I get folders instead of a single .aplib file.  Does anyone know how I can restore the .aplib file so I can open it?

    How are you trying to resore it?  If you enter Time Machine, find the version of the library you want to resore select it and click restore you shouke be good to go.
    If a library of the same nae still exists in folder you're restoring to you'll get a window asking what you want to do, keep current, keep both or just keep the restored version.
    If on the other hand you are opening the Time Machine disk and going to the folder with the library in it and trying to just drag it out all bets are off.
    Message was edited by: Frank Caggiano - What OS version?

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