Time Machine backing up for no reason

I am running Time Machine on an iMac with OS 10.6.8. It backs up to a 250Gb Time Machine backing uMinimax hard drive via Firewire cable. I have set up about 120Gb to be backed up. However, after doing that, every one of its hourly backups consists of backing up about 20 Gb (even though I haven't touched the computer). I have tried deleting the timemachine.plist preference, erasing the bachup disk, and restarting Time Machine, but to no avail. Help, please!

See #D4 in Time Machine - Troubleshooting for some common culprits, and ways to find out exactly what's getting backed-up.

Similar Messages

How can I remove old Time Machine back-ups for a Mac I no longer have??

So, i am trying to back-up a brand new MBPro to my Time Machine but it says there's not enough room. Only 13.5 GB avail and need 284 GB. Is there a way to go into Time Machine and delete all the old back-ups from my former MBPro? (I've already migrated all the files and data to the new MBP from my iMac, also on the same Time Machine.) If I could wipe out the old MBP back-ups that should create enough room.

Delete the backups.
Q12 here. http://pondini.org/TM/FAQ.html

Time Machine Back Up for External Hard Drive Partition

Hey guys,
I have had my imac connected to an external hard drive which runs time machine for some time now (about a year and a half).
I now wish to partition the external hard drive with a Fat 32 section so that I can load data (vidoe's, music etc.) from my windows laptop onto it.
The external hard drive is currently not partitioned in anyway so I will have to create a new partition. Is there anyway of doing this without losing the time machine data already saved?
If not is there anyway of saving the time machine data onto the imac so that when the partition process is complete it can simply be 're-loaded' onto the external hard drive?
Thanks for your help!
Philippe

Hi, I've been trying to do that: using Disk Utility to create a partition on my EHD that already has Time Machine running on it. My EHD is 2TB and I have deleted last year's TM backups so now I have over 900GB available space on the EHD (previously was 750GB) but when I ran the Partition, after hours of processing ("modifying partition map...") - and I mean like 12 hours no kidding, it resulted in "There is no more space" error! What a waste of time!
Is there any way to find out how much space is needed for partitioning beforehand? I wished DU could tell me that before the "modifying partition map" process begun.
FYI I am running on 10.5.8 and the partition I want to add is to be in Mac OS Extended (Journaled) format, the same with the current format.
Any help is appreciated. Thank you very much in advance.

Using old time machine back ups for new mac

I have upgraded to a new intel macbook pro from a g4 powerbook. I was able to move my files and apps to the macbook pro. How do I get time machine to use the old back up data on my new laptop. I have selected the hard drive that has the back up data from my powerbook but the macbook does not pull up the info.

First a couple of things you're posting in the iMac forum not the MacBook Pro forum. In addition there is a Time Machine Forum. I'd recommend reading the Time Machine FAQ's there. You can find the TM forum at:
http://discussions.apple.com/forum.jspa?forumID=1342
and the MacBook Forum is at:
http://discussions.apple.com/category.jspa?categoryID=190
Roger

Can I use One Hard Drive for 2x Time Machine Back Ups and another partition for all my data?

Hi Forum,
I am planning to but a RAID disc set up, but if i get a 2 disc set up, on one disc, can i have:
Time Machine back up for one Mac
Time Machine back up for 2nd Mac
Anothe partition for all my data.
then have that RAID'd to second disc?

no one?
and if this set up was on one disc, and one partition for one TM was for the Mini that has this drive attached, would TM back up this whole drive 2x TM Partitions and 1x partitions with data on, ok? it wouldn't get confused by trying to back itself up

How do I change permissions for the documents and files on my Mac Book Pro after I re-instaalled the HD using a Time Machine back-up?

I had to re-install the HD on my Mac Book Pro. I used a Time Machine back-up for all the apps and files. Most were restored, However, I cannot unlock a number of them. I tried changing the permissions using Get info but it is not working. I am using the latest version of Moutain Lion OSX.

Linc:
Very helpful suggestion and response, Thanks for pointing out that it is a permission issue. I am working through the issue and resolving my problem.

Is it possible to make 2 time machine back-ups on the same disk

Hi, i have 2 MacBook Pros, I have a time machine back-up for the newer one on my 500GB hard drive
I went to boot camp my other mac and it says I have to format the hard-drive, so I want to back everything on the old mac up, is it possible to make a seperate time machine back-up on the same external hard drive as I don't want to overwrite the back-up for my new mac? How can I do this
Thanks

andy.lawrence wrote:
you might have mentioned this before, but once I have partitioned my external drive, how can I go about re-formatting the old mac hard drive and then restoring my data back onto it?
You don't have to re-format it first; you need to erase and restore to "pack" everything into the first part of the drive so there's enough room on the rest of it for +Boot Camp+ to make a partition.
See #14 in [Time Machine - Frequently Asked Questions|http://web.me.com/pondini/Time_Machine/FAQ.html] (or use the link in *User Tips* at the top of this forum).
Then use +Boot Camp+ to make the second partition.
Also, would it be better to run the OS X install disc, re-format the hard drive, and then when running setup assistant migrate all my information from the time machine back-up?
No. You'd have to install OSX, then use +Setup Assistant,+ then download and install the "combo" update (and other updates) to get back to the version of OSX you're running. And you might have to re-authorize and/or reinstall some 3rd-party apps.
If i do this, at the moment Im running snow leopard but the install disc is simply leopard, will this matter once I've migrated all my data across?
Do not use a Leopard Install disc to restore a Snow Leopard backup. It can copy everything, but the result either won't start or will kernel panic on startup. You must use a Snow Leopard Install disc.
(And please update your signature, via the +My settings+ link at the right.)

Time machine back up very slow

Hi folks: I'm running my mac book pro (new this year) with 10.7.5 and found tonight that my time machine back up (for 20gb) is taking FOREVER. Any suggestions?
thanks.

Install the 10.7.5 update, which address the very S-L-O-W TIme Machine backups that 10.7.5 introduced. If it doesn't download via Software Update, you can download it from here.
You'll still be at 10.7.5 after the update. The only thing that changes is the build number, which should be 11G63 after the update.

EHD recommendations for Time Machine back-up?

Hi!
I need to buy a 2 or 3 TB EHD, preferably Firewire, for Time Machine back-ups of my iMac and EHD. Can anyone tell me what's a good reliable brand at a reasonable price? I've found several Western Digitals, Seagates, Iomegas, and LaCies, but none of them get stellar reviews. Frankly, I'm afraid to trust any of them based on what I've read.
I currently have a 1 TB Seagate GoFlex Desktop that's a huge pain in the tush because it powers down regularly and then ejects from my desktop giving me an error message. I get sick of this happening all day long, so now I don't trust Seagate at all.
I've had an internal WD hard drive fail after a year and a half in my previous iMac. So, any suggestions? I want to pay $150 or less, so if I can only get a USB one for that, it's okay as long as it gets great recommendations.
I'd love to hear what others have had good luck with.
TIA!

i have actually very good experiences with LaCie drives, particularly the d2 Quadra.
however, the Mercury Elite line by OWC is also recommended often.

I have 2 macbooks each with an account for me and one for my wife. I use one Macbook logged in with my account and my wife uses the other Macbook only loged in on her account. We both make regular time-machine back-ups each on a separate external disk

I have 2 Macbooks each with an account for me and one for my wife. I use one Macbook logged in with my account and my wife uses the other Macbook only logged in on her account. We both make regular time-machine back-ups each on a separate external disk. Is it possible to update her account on my macbook using her external disk without overwriting my stuff on the same Macbook and vice versa?

Time Machine does not do individual accounts. It records the complete drive. So if you were to use her TM backup on your Mac it would make your Mac just like hers. Both yours and her account on your MAC.
Just copy the missing files over from her Mac to yours. If there are differennt programs on each then they would need to be installed on both.

Can I use my time capsule for time machine back ups and as an external storage device?

I have a time capsule and have set it up so that my time machine back ups are saved on it, but I would also like to use it as an external hard drive. Is this possible?
I know nothing about computers so please tell me in very basic terms. thankyou!

By external hard disk we usually mean one plugged into the computer by USB or Firewire or Thunderbolt.
None of those works on the TC.. it is plugged in by ethernet or use wireless connection.. that means it is a network drive.. not an external drive. The difference might not mean much to you.. but it is totally different to the computer. In the former case the computer has full control of the disk. In the case of the network drive, the disk is controlled by the TC firmware and the files are stored and accessed by network. This has large implications.
So here is my standard response.
Store files on the TC.
This is asked several times a day.. obviously people are struggling with their latest SSD being too small.
The TC is not suitable for network file server.. but many people having no choice press it into service as such.
Major issues.
1. No backup.. no way Time Machine can backup a network drive. No place to backup to.. So all your files will be at risk. And you will need to buy a third party like CCC to do backup.
2. The TC cannot be partitioned and mixing TM backups and data is not great. It was and is and ever shall be a backup device for Time Machine.
3. The drive is slow to spin up and quick to spin down.. there is no control. In fact the TC is so lacking in controls for even the router side.. that you cannot do more than the most basic of setups.
The following are controls on the hard disk side.
Reformat it. You can name the share. You can do a full archive of the whole disk. This will go at a speed of aprox. 30-50GB/Hr so calculate how long an archive of a full 2TB will take.
4. iPhoto in particular can easily corrupt its entire library with wireless networking causing a disconnection to one photo. Even if you do this;;; do not move your photo library... you have been warned!!
Even apple btw say don’t do it.
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS5168 Although mostly about FAT32 it adds network drives.
5. iTunes can constantly lose connection to the library. The disk is slow to respond.. itunes on the computer will constantly spit out errors. Even in the midst of streaming the TC can spin down the disk due to caching.
6. Do not use any live files on the TC no matter what else you do.. if you edit files in whatever program the file must be on the local hard disk.
7. The only suitable location for most libraries is a computer. You can plug in an external hard disk.
Read pondini for some work arounds.
Q3 here. http://pondini.org/TM/Time_Capsule.html

Just got Prosoft drive genius 3 software, and it's telling me that the external hard drive that i am using for my time machine back up drive needs to be defragmented. is it wise to do this or should i not??

just got Prosoft drive genius 3 software, and it's telling me that the external hard drive that i am using for my time machine back up drive needs to be defragmented. is it wise to do this or should i not??

Let's hope a couple things: that you have bootable clones of your drives also; that the backup drive for TimeMachine has over 3x capacity of the data you plan and are storing. I would also switch TM backup drives so you have a 2nd.
Fragmented free space affecting performance happens when the drive is too full which may mean there isn't enough free space for a full backup set.
1.5TB for backing up 500GB, while WD Green 3TB is $140 and WD Black 1.5TB is, about the same price.
I'd be worried about the integrity and directory, and whether you can afford to lose that drive. Defragging is also a very slow operation. the ideal: to just clone a drive, or start over with another drive and wait. cloning TM volumes has not been done or has it? SuperDuper hoped to but I don't think they or Bombich's CCC made it there.
Trouble with highly fragged is when free space gets to 20% normally, 1/3 or so though for TM volumes, and finding where and a chunk of space for the file being written. Does TM use large spare image files of like 2GB?
Best would be to ask in the TimeMachine section Snow Leopard
https://discussions.apple.com/community/mac_os/mac_os_x_v10.6_snow_leopard?view= discussions#/?tagSet=1009
where there are some good FAQ and tutorials, and people that know the ins-and-outs and shortcomings.

My external hard drive is 'seen' by my iMac and I can go into the Finder and open files and folders. I am using the hard drive for Time Machine back up. However Time Machine says it can't find the drive. Same thing has happened with Final Cut Express.

My new LaCie external hard drive is 'seen' by my iMac and I can go into the Finder and open files and folders. I am using the hard drive for Time Machine back up. However Time Machine says it can't find the drive.
The same thing happened recently between Final Cut Express and my other LaCie external hard drive used as the Scratch disk. It fixed itself.
I've run out of ideas. Help would be very much appreciated. Thanks.

have you done some searches on FCPx and time machine? Is there a known issue with using a TM drive with FCPx? dunno but ...wait...I'll take 60 sec for you cause I'm just that kind of guy.... google...." fcpx time machine problem" Frist page link
http://www.premiumbeat.com/blog/fcpx-bug-best-practices-for-using-external-hard- drives-and-final-cut-pro-x/
You cannot have time machine backups on your hard drive if you intend to use it in FCPX.
booya!

I have partitioned my time capsule, but I can't get it to work as a Time Machine back up and permanent media server for both mac and PC. What format do I need to partition the drive to so that it works for both mac and windows and so that it will be visab

I have partitioned my time capsule, as I want part of it to act as a media server for both mac and windows. However I don't know what format that I need to partition it to. I also can't make it a permanently accesible drive. I want to restore the drive to the original format (which I don't know) and start again and re-partition the drive in a format that can be used for media by both mac and PC and for time machine back-ups and make the media part of it permanetly accesible so I can add and acccess my files.
Thanks

You are mixing up a couple of things here.
The TC drive cannot be partitioned without removing it.. did you do that?
If you partition it you must use a Mac disk utility and use the HFS+ ie standard Mac format. And GUID partition table not windows type.
You can select erase disk in the airport utility.. that will take the disk back to original format. No partitions. TC is deliberately not partitioned as it is not a media server.. it is a backup device for TM. Over time .. the disk will be filled with TM backups so you have a long history of file changes to your computer.
There is no media server in the TC.. it is merely disk storage.. you can serve files from it to a media device.. but the TC itself is dumb as dumb.
Now the actual format of the drive is irrelevant to the PC.. The TC offers SMB file services to the network. You can copy files to and from the TC as if it was a local disk without caring one iota about the format. The TC handles that .. it is not a local disk .. it is a network drive.
Although you cannot partition the TC. you can still copy files to it.. this does have implications for TM.. but as long as there is plenty of free space should not be a major issue.
You can create a disk image via the disk utility in a Mac.. and as stated you can create partitions if you do it on a Mac with the disk directly connected which means breaking warranty if any exists on the TC.

After upgrade to mavericks: time machine keeps asking for my back up disk and won't open unless i plug in the disk. any solutions?

after upgrade to mavericks: time machine keeps asking for my back up disk and won't open unless i plug in the disk. any solutions?
before the upgrade, i could open time machine without the need for having the back up disk plugged in.

Ok. I got it to work, sort of....
As I mentioned before I tried the "disk password" and the "Time capsule Password" options to see if I can start the back up again or start a new backup. Neither worked. So I tried the firmware down grade, but like you said that did not work. I then decided to try the "Account password" option and I have never used this option before becasue it states that if there is data on the drive it would not be acessable after creating an account. Since I wiped out the disk that was nno problem. When I created the new account and choose the drive it asked for the user name and password. I entered the info for the new account I just created(FYI this has nothing to do with your login username and password), bingo! It worked!
Now I have two partitions on the TC disk. The old one and now the new account. I am guessing this is to be used if I have multiple computers, which I don't.
I any case, I am going to wipe out everything again and try again to do a backup the way I had it before.

Time Machine backing up for no reason

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