Time Machine Backs up same thing again & again. What's wrong?

I'm new to Time Machine so maybe I'm missing something. I set it to back up only my Documents folder. It did that fine. Then it did it again, and every time it was set to back up. Problem is that nothing changed in that folder over that period. It just kept making a backup of 7 gigs of stuff each time. I'll run out of HD space in no time.
Am I doing something wrong, and how do I set the time I want it to back up?

Do you use parallels or VMware? If so, exclude the virtual machine image files-they are huge.
Do you use Entourage for e-mail? If so, exclude its database-it can also be huge.
Look for any large files, and exclude them.
However, just a warning: TM is really meant to back up your whole hard disk-if it fails, you'll be up and running a LOT quicker than you would otherwise-your backup strategy seems lacking to me.
Also, how did you set it to backup JUST your documents folder?
The TM options pane sets what to exclude, NOT what to include
Good luck!

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When i turn on my computer it freezes in the white screen and the spinning wheel and it won't move from there ... I have turned it off and on several times and took out the battery and it keeps on doing the same thing again what can i do ???

when i turn on my computer it freezes in the white screen and the spinning wheel and it won't move from there ... I have turned it off and on several times and took out the battery and it keeps on doing the same thing again what can i do ??? please i need help with this and how can i fix it

Here is some pertinent information and how-to's from Apple:
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS2570
Post back if these troubleshooting steps do not work.

Time Machine Backs Up Same Number Of Files Every Time It Runs

Thought I had TM sorted out on my new iMac (Snow Leopard), but it keeps exhibiting this behavior and I can't get it to stop. It backs up to an external HDD with plenty of space via FW800, connections are all good etc. I've run Disk Warrior on the boot disk, the TM disk and one other external drive that is included in the backup. TM HDD and the other one are both excluded from Spotlight & I've forced a re-index of the main HDD several times as well.
The odd/persistent behavior is that TM backs up pretty much the exact same number of files from the other external HDD every hour. It's always the same whether the machine is idle or in use. Hoping the Great Pondini might be able to tell me why this might be happening or what I can do about it...

Here's the report:
Starting standard backup
Backing up to: /Volumes/Backadoodle/Backups.backupdb
No pre-backup thinning needed: 4.48 GB requested (including padding), 652.13 GB available
Copied 4310 files (436.3 MB) from volume Big Music.
Waiting for index to be ready (100)
Copied 9372 files (3.7 GB) from volume Macintosh HD.
No pre-backup thinning needed: 3.90 GB requested (including padding), 648.42 GB available
Copied 4310 files (0 bytes) from volume Big Music.
Waiting for index to be ready (100)
Copied 9372 files (3.2 GB) from volume Macintosh HD.
Starting post-backup thinning
Deleted backup /Volumes/Backadoodle/Backups.backupdb/Kitch/2012-01-07-091200: 651.65 GB now available
Post-back up thinning complete: 1 expired backups removed
Backup completed successfully.

Wen i close firefox using win 7, and restart it, i get a box that says it is already running and to close it before using--but it wort close and the same thing keeps happening. what is wrong--previous versions on vista did,nt do this?

if i open firefox and use it, when i get to last window and close it, if i try to reopen it, it says already open and to close pages but it will not close--the same box keeps coming back
== This happened ==
Every time Firefox opened
== first time i loaded it onto new computer with win 7 64 bit

Firefox v 3.6.3 running Win 7 Home premium. About every 6th or 7th time I go to open Firefox from my desktop I receive the same msg as the original poster receives. I must restart to clear up the problem. When I select restart it states a forced shutdown is required and asks if I want to proceed. I click yes, the computer restarts and problem is fixed until the next occurrence.
My thanks for any assistance that may be available.
If you require a screenshot let me know, please include instructions on how to do this though.

How to stop Time Machine backing up on a specific external hard drive?

I work on a iMac 2.66 Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo, with Mac OS X 10.6.8. I use two external hard drives that are the exact same model, 2 TB WD My Book 1110 Media: one is intended for back-up, the other for storing video editing files. They're both connected through USB 2.0.
I set the "back-up" hard drive as back-up disk for Time Machine, through the Time Machine preferences. Now, everytime I connect the "video" hard drive, Time Machine recognizes it as a back-up disk, and starts backing up on it. I could delete the "Backups.backupdb" file that Time Machine had created by connecting the "video" hard drive to another Mac and moving it to the Trash, but as soon as I reconnect the "video" hard drive to my iMac, Time Machine backs up on it again.
Is there a way to "de-select" a hard drive from Time Machine's list of back-up disks?
Note: I should mention another thing that might indicate a conflict. When both hard drives "back-up" and "video" are connected to my iMac, if I open Final Cut Pro X, I can only see my "back-up" hard drive. To access the files I am working on, I need to eject the "back-up" hard drive, and suddenly the "video" drive appears.
If you have any idea of how to solve this conflict... I am a bit lost.
Thank you!

Welcome to Apple Support Communities.
Give them unique volume names using Disk Utility.
Then set Time Machine back up to that unique volume name.
For example, I regularly use 4 external drives (though they're not all the same model).
The descriptions quickly tell me which drives I have connected to my MacBook when open Finder:
My Time Machine backup volume is named 'Time Machine 1TB'.
My iPhoto backup volume is named 'iPhoto Backup 320GB'
My iTunes backup volume is named 'iTunes Backup 120GB'
and the last is 'Windows 7 Backup 250Gb' but since it's a Windows volume, it is formatted NTFS.
This likely means that you will have to erase and repartition one of your drives to name it.
You MIGHT be able to rename it using Finder, right-clicking on the volume, and selecting Rename (current volume name).
WARNING: I can't be certain of what just renaming it that way could screw up in the way of permissions and file links.
Within Disk Utility, it seems it is absolutely not possible to change a volume name without clicking the Partition tab, and that involves erasing.
Given the choice, I'd probably choose to rename (erase and repartition) the Time Machine drive. A current backup or two on Time Machine, and I'm good. I don't really need to go 'way back' to recover files, because I really don't ever erase anything. I just keep buying bigger drives!
And I still burn the 'absolutely critical, priceless, can't ever be without this stuff' files to DVD or CD at least monthly or quarterly, in case one of my TM or backup drives fails at the same time as my primary hard drive. Call me paranoid, but I worked in Information Technology for many years: Murphy was an optimist!
Message was edited by: kostby

Time machine back up- not enough space so can't back up?

hi my computer entire hard drive is 2TB and only 1Tb used. and my external hard drive(time machine back-up) is 2TB. and right now Time machine back up failed. and keep saying that hard drive don;t have enough space....
i erase all from external hard drive ,, back up NEW. and still saying that not enough space on back up drive, weird thing is and i have 2.8 TB to back up.. but my entire hard drive is only 2TB .. what is that? and i only used 1.1 TB ish..
somebody help me? how can i use time machine back up with this issue?

What's shown for +Estimated size of full backup+ under the exclusions box in TM Preferences > Options?
If that's over the 1.1 TB used, there are a couple of possibilities:
Another internal or external drive, formatted for a Mac, is connected but not excluded, so Time Machine is trying to back it up, too. Exclude it, per #10 in Time Machine - Frequently Asked Questions (or use the link in *User Tips* at the top of this forum).
Something on your internal HD is corrupted, making Time Machine think it's much larger than it really is. Verify your internal HD, per #A5 in Time Machine - Troubleshooting (or use the link in *User Tips* at the top of this forum).

If I already purchased FaceTime for Mac and recently upgraded my HD. How can I retrieve that app again? I found it in my Time Machine back up, but the files won't work. Please help.

If I already purchased FaceTime for Mac and recently upgraded my HD. How can I retrieve that app again? I found it in my Time Machine back up, but the files won't work. Please help.

Nope. I do the same exact thing. If you have DVD's and blu-rays you can't download a free application called Handbrake. You can set it to Apple TV2 automatic format and they will come out as playable m4v's that can play I'm iTunes. All you have to do is turn on Home Sharing in both iTunes and your Apple RV and you'll be good to go!

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!

When using Time Machine, if I delete items from my computer, will they still be backed up to access later on my external hard drive? In other words, when time machine backs up again, will it delete the files from the back up?

When using Time Machine, if I delete items from my computer, will they still be backed up to access later on my external hard drive?
In other words, when time machine backs up again, will it delete the files from the back up that I have deleted from my computer?

No, I do not believe so. Time Machine would keep all those now-deleted files in previous backups, and as time goes by those backups might be deleted if you needed room, but it would still keep one backup from each day in last month, as well as one from each week forever, as long as you don't start running out of room, then just the oldest would be deleted to make room if needed.
I use a backup drive about double the size of my drive to be backed up, so I would guess it will never get to the point where deleted files being replaced by new ones being backed fill up that drive to the point where backups actually have to get deleted.

TS3243 My time machine back up freezes at a partial backup. I keep cancelling and restarting a new back up and it will again freeze up at a slightly different point. Last freeze shows 485bytes of 246.16 GB. My last backup was Sept. 1 !!!!! Help!!!!

Repeat: My time machine back up freezes at a partial backup. I keep cancelling and restarting a new back up and it will again freeze up at a slightly different point. Last freeze shows 485bytes of 246.16 GB. My last backup was Sept. 1 !!!!! Help!!!!
Also: am running OSX 10.6.8 on an iMac8,1
TimeMachine had be working well on a 1TB WD MyBook Ext. H.D. .
QUESTION: ANY SUGGESTIONS OR SOLUTIONS?????

See Pondini's TM FAQs for starters.

HT201250 My time machine back up does not appear to back up documents and e mails (the most important things for me). How do I get this done?

My time machine back up does not appear to back up documents and e mails (the most important things for me). How do I get this done?

How do you know it's not backing up those things? To check documents, go in the Finder to your documents folder, then go to the Time Machine icon in your menubar and click Enter Time Machine. Scroll back through time and see if previous versions of the documents exist in the backups.
For Mail, same thing. Open the Mail app, go into Time Machine in the same way, and scroll back. Your inbox should change to reflect how it looked when it was backed up.
Matt

I saved a file on my mac on Word, but today when I went to review it, it said the "document could not be found" and then asked if i wished to locate the file myself, but when I went to do so it said the same thing again. How do I find this file?

I saved a file on my mac on Word, but today when I went to review it, it said the "document could not be found" and then asked if i wished to locate the file myself, but when I went to do so it said the same thing again. How do I find this file?

Let's go out and come in again!
What version of Word on what Mac running what version of OS X?
Did you give the file a name? In what location did Word last save a file - because that is where it is likely to be.

Does Time Machine back up my Bookmarks, Favourites, my tool bar etc and that sort of thing ?

I'm backing up my Macbook Pro on Time Machine prior to installing Snow Leopard. Does Time Machine back up things like my internet bookmarks, as well as my Toolbar ones? If not, what should I do?

It backs up everything. If you were to use it with Migration Assistant after a clean install, it should bring everything back. If you have an external drive though, a clone of the existing drive before a major upgrade is always a good idea. That way you could easily go back to exactly what you have now if you had a problem. Carbon Copy Cloner is the best solution for that.

Can Time Capsule be used for both Time Machine back-up and a place to store other things?

I thought I had heard that it was best to keep whatever external drive you use for Time Machine to be exclusive for Time Machine back-ups. Does Time Capsule automatically partition an area for Time Machine. Also, since Time Machine auto deletes some things when the external drive gets full, does it just keep backing up until it fills the Time Capsules 2 TB or whatever the space is? Thanks in advance for help.

It does not partition the drive but creates a sparse bundle which acts as a sealed directory.
You can store other things on the TC. Just create a new directory for your stuff.
The TC needs to have at least 2 or 3 times the space used by your hard disks in all your computers. So it can manage a full backup plus the hourly incrementals.. !! It can take a long time to fill up if you don't change stuff around much.. or it could fill up relatively quickly if you constantly load files in and out.
Remember though a TC is not a NAS, it has no mirror and if the TC is the only copy of some files you are storing on it, and the TC breaks down, then those files are lost.
I have seen others suggest it is better to use a USB hdd connected to the TC to store files you want access to. Balance between storage and backup won't be that difficult. If the TC is becoming full, make a decision about where you want to store those other files.

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 Backs up same thing again & again. What's wrong?

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