Time Machine backup slow (not first backup) - Why?

Hi, I recently purchased a new 3TB backup drive to backup my iMac system (10.9.4).
I set up a Time Machine backup of my system + external HD, and began scheduled backups about a week ago. As expected the first backup took several hours (overnight) since it was backing up nearly 1TB of data. Subsequent backups were fast and everything seemed fine.
Then, last night I ran a backup and Time Machine began to copy ALL the data again. The backup took 6-7 hours. Why would it do this if it uses a cumulative system where most of the data is already on the backup drive? Did this occur because I manually started the backup (by selecting"Back Up Now" in Time Machine on the toolbar). Or is something wrong?
Thanks
Tom

Open Time Machine Preferences>click "Select Disk">click on the appropriate TM disk under the bottom window titled "Available Disks." Force a backup and see if it works. If this doesn't fix it reboot your iMac and/or Time Capsule and try forcing a backup again once the iMac and/or TC have fully booted up.

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Time Machine ERROR: Cannot complete FIRST back up

Hello all.
This is my sis's Mac mini, there was apparently a file or system corruption somewhere that it was not able to boot up, so send in for rescue and the tech was able to rescue all the users' data (sis & dad's)
So Mac mini came home, I reformat the hard disk, ran Disk Utility check and everything OK, and install Leopard 10.5 and iLife 08, and updated them all. Newly-installed apps like Messenger and Skype etc, Time Machine was running OK till now.
Then I started to move my sis's data (user) into the new folders - data of Mail, iTunes, iPhoto, Safari, etc. And TM starts to back up also, and here's where the problem begins:
Time Machine fails to complete back up and give this message:
_Time Machine Error_
Unable to complete backup. An error occurred while copying files to the backup volume. (OK button)
Now this is quite obvious one or more files from the old user folder must be corrupted or "simply bad" that creating this problem. I am suspecting it may be the same problem that was preventing me from previously backing up using SuperDuper while the mini was still in Tiger.
Is there a log file somewhere I can examine to find out which file to delete and not back up? Because the only other way is the start the mac afresh, but I am sure my sis wants her data back.
Thanks and cheers

I seem to be experiencing the exact same issue.
1. I wiped my internal and external HDs and formatted them as MacOS X Extended (Journaled), as per instructions on Support Article: TS1550, with the correct partition schemes for a PowerPC processor.
2. I re-installed MacOS X Leopard from DVD onto the internal HD, created a new admin account, ran Software Update to add all the patches. Re-installed all third party software.
3. I re-created my user account using files restored from a DVD backup.
4. Computer works well, just the same as it always did, except Time Machine cannot complete the first backup.
I have added the +Time Machine Buddy+ widget and got the following report log:
Starting standard backup
Backing up to: /Volumes/Iomega HDD/Backups.backupdb
Event store UUIDs don't match for volume: Macintosh HD
Backup content size: 136.9 GB excluded items size: 311.7 MB for volume Macintosh HD
No pre-backup thinning needed: 163.95 GB requested (including padding), 931.15 GB available
Waiting for index to be ready (-911 < 0)
Error: (-36) SrcErr:NO Copying /Applications/Address Book.app/Contents/MacOS/Address Book to /Volumes/Iomega HDD/Backups.backupdb/David Bailey’s iMac G5/2009-02-08-194015.inProgress/C9E9C68B-9FD6-474C-A2E0-BD60ADF3C011/Macintosh HD/Applications/Address Book.app/Contents/MacOS
Stopping backup.
Error: (-8062) SrcErr:NO Copying /Applications/Address Book.app/Contents/MacOS/Address Book to /Volumes/Iomega HDD/Backups.backupdb/David Bailey’s iMac G5/2009-02-08-194015.inProgress/C9E9C68B-9FD6-474C-A2E0-BD60ADF3C011/Macintosh HD/Applications/Address Book.app/Contents/MacOS
Copied 0 files (1.2 MB) from volume Macintosh HD.
Copy stage failed with error:11
Backup failed with error: 11
The external HD is an Iomega MiniMax 1TB Firewire/USB Hub HDD.
The computer is an iMac G5 1.8GHz (no iSight) with 1GB RAM.
I'm guessing that there is something weird with the Address Book app that is stopping the backup. The app itself launches and runs fine, and also syncs with MobileMe fine.
Any ideas?

My old backups on the Time Machine disk are not accessible.

Hi everyone,
I installed a fresh OS X Mountain Lion yesterday. I tried to use Migration Assistant (in the Utilities folder) for the first time, to migrate my old data from the Time Machine back-up disk.
After almost 6 hours, my data was completely in place from the backup disk. In fact, the data was gotten from the latest version of backups as I expected. But now, when I go to Time Machine to browse my old backups, it seems that all backups are still there, detected by the Time Machine itself, but it is not possible to access any of them.
In fact, selecting one of the past backups from the Time-Line on the right edge of the screen, has no effect. All the windows behind the current finder window in the Time Machine are also dimmed, seems that no backups are there. But the Time-Line on the right edge of the screen displays several items from the first backup on my disk to the latest which was for the day before yesterday.
This is not what I expected from the Time Machine. I was so glad when the Migration Assistant read all my data from the backup disk and put them in place. But I did not expect to lose my old backups which are still there on the disk, but Time Machine behaviour is like the times where there are no backups.
It is important to note that before migrating data using Migration Assistant, I was able to browse all my backups in the Time Machine. This was also one the great features of Time Machine, since I had a fresh OS installation, and all my data from the past were accessible in the Time Machine.
I could also get my data one by one and restore them in-place using Time Machine but it was some how cumbersome.
Now is there any one to let me know why this has happened? I Appreciate your time to write.
Mani Hamedani

Troubleshooting information:
Time Machine Troubleshooting
Time Machine Troubleshooting Problems

Time Machine couldn't complete the backup to "Time Capsule. The backup disk image /Volumes/Data/MacBook Pro.sparsebundle could not be created (error 60)"

We are Mountain Lion using Time Machine to backup to Time Capsule. When the backup tries to run, an error appears after a couple of minutes saying "The disk you inserted was not readable by this computer." Then an error shows up saying "Time Machine couldn't complete the backup to "Time Capsule.The backup disk image /Volumes/Data/MacBook Pro.sparsebundle could not be created (error 60)"
I low level reformatted the Time Capsule and that didn't fix it. I then tried using Time Machine on another computer to back up to that same Time Capsule and it worked- so I'm doubting it's the Time Capsule.
I've noticed that when Time Machine runs, that a folder called Data at /Volumes/ appears while Time Machine is trying to back up. I think it's making the sparsebundle to transfer to the Time Capsule.
However, after a couple of minutes- it comes back saying that the disk is unreadable.
I think it's something wrong with either creating the sparsebundle or opening the disk image that seems to be a part of the Time Machine backup process on the local drive.
I am able to create a disk image with Disk Utilitiy without any problem on that system. I've repaired the disk and disk permissions with Disk Utility and replaced the directory with Disk Warrior. I've trashed what preference files I could find and restarted. I've completely removed the backup destination from the computer and added it back again.
Help!
Thanks,
Neil

neillhowell wrote:
I've noticed that when Time Machine runs, that a folder called Data at /Volumes/ appears while Time Machine is trying to back up. I think it's making the sparsebundle to transfer to the Time Capsule.
Yes, exactly. It makes one sparse bundle per Mac.
It's possible the TC's disk is too full for a new sparse bundle, or there may be some other problem.
Via the Finder, locate the existing sparse bundle (see the pink box in Time Machine - Frequently Asked Question #17 if you're not sure how to do that). See how large it is (plus how large anything else that may be there). If the total is very near the size of the TC, that may be the problem.
If not, a clue may be lurking in your logs. Use the widget in #A1 of Time Machine - Troubleshooting to display the backup messages from your logs. Locate the backup in question (probably the first one displayed), then copy and post all the messages here.

Backing up to a thumb drive - time machine doesn't delete older backups when it's full. I will have to erase and re-do the drive. Why?

Backing up to a thumb drive - time machine doesn't delete older backups when it's full. I will have to erase and re-do the drive. Why?

You are both right.
Time Machine can backup FROM:
It cannot back up a USB thumb drive.
Time Machine can backup TO:
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http://www.apple.com/feedback/macosx.html

HT3275 Using time machine first time and the estimated time says 25 days. Wow! Am I able to use my Mac when Machine is doing its first backup?

Using time machine first time and the estimated backup time says 25 days. Wow!
Am I able to use my MacBook Pro when Machine is doing its first backup?
I can't be without my computer that long. I would have withdrawal symptoms (very painful).

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I first saved the Seagate software to my hard drive just in case I needed it later (which I don't),
By the way, the first time I tried Time Machine it stalled after about 3 GB. The second time I got the message saying 25 days backup time. I stopped that backup after receiving your response.
After reformatting (extended - journaled) I made my third attempt. Success!!! It took about 8 hours, but went through without a hitch..
I bought the SeagateI because a momentary power failure messed up my 1 TB LaCie external, which was divided into 2 partitions. The power glitch completely fouled one partiton and it will not reformat no matter what I try. I did not do a full reformat because I did not want to lose the backup on the good partition. Now that I have a good backup I plan to do a full 1 TB reformat (without partitions) on the LaCie.
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I just had to reformat the external hard drive that houses my iPhoto library, then restore it from a backup. Now Time Machine is telling me my backup hard drive suddenly does not have the space to complete a backup. I also noticed when I go in to Time Mac

I just had to reformat the external hard drive that houses my iPhoto library, then restore it from a backup. Now Time Machine is telling me my backup hard drive suddenly does not have the space to complete a backup. I also noticed when I go in to Time Machine, there are only about 5 backups recorded on the ext. hard drive. There were many more before. Any idea what happened and if I have to buy a new back up hard drive?

Hallo Kieth ,
I am not quite ready to restore the full iphoto library , as I have days of work re - imputting titles,descriptions and enhancement . I hope that your suggestion works , as I use my Macbook basically to work with digital photography. Through time , I will need to delete my library to recover more disc space and I would hate to have to spend more time re - imputting titles and descriptions all over again .
Thanks for your interest and advice.
regards - Alan

Time machine couldn't complete the backup to johns airport time capsule. the backup disk is not available

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You may find answers at Pondini's Time Machine FAQ for help with all things related to Time Machine.

Time Machine couldn't complete the backup to time capsule-the backup disk is not available

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My Final Cut Projects folder were missing some files, I went to my time machine backup to restore and it said I don't have permission to access the time machine folder "Final Cut Projects". Why?

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Jana

You can lose your ability to backup through TM for any number of reasons, but the most common is what happens after a update. If your drive still works, your best approach is to read this:
http://www.chriscolotti.us/technology/how-to-fix-osx-mountain-lion-time-machine/
The attached link contains helpful graphics, so don't worry if you're not tech savvy.

MAC OSX 10.5.8 and 2TB Time Machine would not back up. Saw discussion that suggested you change name without apostrophes etc. Went into Time Machine and did a manula backup without a name and it appears to be backing up now. Does this remove delete the o

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Time Machine backup slow (not first backup) - Why?

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