Time Machine: Can I make a backup of the original backup?

I use Time Machine. Once a month, for corporate security reasons, I need to move a duplicate of our company's Time Machine backup hard disk to an offsite storage spot 30 miles away. (Just in case of hurricanes, civil unrest, uncivil unrest etc.)
If I just drag and drop all folders from my Time Machine backup disk to another recently reformatted blank hard disk, will that new 'clone' disk be as good as the original Time Machine backup disk?
Thanks for noodling it over.

Unfortunately, no. but there are utilities like Carbon Copy Cloner or SuperDuper that will do that.
Cheers!

Similar Messages

Used Time Machine to Restore system but now wont recognise original backups

Hello Everyone,
I've had a read through some of the older posts, but I wasn't able to find a answer for my issue.
I've recently restored my system using a Time Machine backup - Everything works wonderfully now, except for Time Machine itself, which is now refusing to use/display my original backups.
I have selected the correct disk, but rather than using the backups on it, it creates a new folder in the Backups.backupdb folder called 'Peter's iMac 2'. I have deleted this new folder several times already.
My actual backups are stored in the 'Peter's iMac' folder.
I can browse my backups using the 'Browse Other time Machine Disks' function, but it does not seem to want to use them as my primary backups.
I do not have the room to hold both my old backups, and a separate new backup.
Does anyone have any idea how I can force/trick/entice Time Machine to accept my old backups?
Thanks everyone.

aussie,
*_Time Machine Always Performs a Full Backup After a Full Restore_*
Actually, this is normal. It's not that any of your hardware has changed, it's that you reinstalled the operating system again. Consider the following according to the KB article below:
*Full Backup After Restore*
Bear in mind that in all cases Time Machine will perform a full backup after a full restore. This is normal. Time Machine will resume incremental backups after the full backup has completed. To view previous backups, Control-click or right-click the Time Machine icon in your Dock or Option-click the Time Machine menu extra and Choose "Browse Other Time Machine Disks," then select your previous backup volume. You will enter Time Machine and be able to browse your previous back ups and restore files. [http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1338]
So even on unchanged hardware, if you reinstall your system software and restore your user data, Time Machine starts anew, and you will not be able to resume backing up with the same history as the previous backups.
While there may be ways to fool/hack Time Machine into recognizing previous backups without performing another full backup, they are likely rather elaborate.
Ultimately, though, in a couple of months, all the effort to preserve old backups may seem pointless. After all, Time Machine will eventually purge away that data anyways as it replaces it with new files.
It may simply be easier to begin a fresh series of backups while saving the previous backups until your satisfied that you have enough history built up. Then delete the old backups.
Hope this clarifies some things.
Cheers!

Time machine can't make backup on external disk

I'm using an external disk to make my backup with time machine. Therefore I formatted the disk for Mac OS Extended initially and the first backups went fine.
Now backup never finishes successful.
The external disk is connected via my airport extreme (wireless). I already did a disk repair but this didn't help either.
What is causing the problem and how can I fix it?

eggann wrote:
I'm using an external disk to make my backup with time machine. Therefore I formatted the disk for Mac OS Extended initially and the first backups went fine.
Now backup never finishes successful.
The external disk is connected via my airport extreme (wireless). I already did a disk repair but this didn't help either.
Technically, that is not supported by Apple, although many folks (including me) are doing it anyway: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=Mac/10.6/en/15139.html
What is causing the problem and how can I fix it?
Start with the Time Machine - Troubleshooting *User Tip* at the top of this forum.
It will show you how to locate the message(s) that describe the problem, then help you fix it.
If that doesn't help, post back with details, including all the messages, what you've done, and the results.

Is Time Machine under Snow Leopard faster only for the initial backup?

A few days ago, I upgraded to Snow Leopard -- via clean install, manual reinstallation of apps, etc. So understandably, the first Time Machine backup to a preexisting store on an original 500 GB Time Capsule is going to be huge and take a long time. Apple claims that TM is 40% faster on the initial backup, but are there speed improvements as well? I was surprised by the slowness; I started it before going to bed, and it wasn't nearly done when I woke up:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1770
Jan 6 01:29:52 Musa com.apple.backupd[438]: Copied 8.3 GB of 59.3 GB, 9299 of 250057 items
Jan 6 02:29:52 Musa com.apple.backupd[438]: Copied 9.6 GB of 59.3 GB, 35209 of 250057 items
Jan 6 03:29:52 Musa com.apple.backupd[438]: Copied 11.5 GB of 59.3 GB, 48441 of 250057 items
Jan 6 04:29:52 Musa com.apple.backupd[438]: Copied 12.9 GB of 59.3 GB, 109846 of 250057 items
Jan 6 05:29:53 Musa com.apple.backupd[438]: Copied 17.4 GB of 59.3 GB, 140388 of 250057 items
Jan 6 06:29:54 Musa com.apple.backupd[438]: Copied 26.1 GB of 59.3 GB, 151723 of 250057 items
Jan 6 07:29:54 Musa com.apple.backupd[438]: Copied 36.9 GB of 59.3 GB, 167431 of 250057 items
Jan 6 08:20:04 Musa com.apple.backupd[438]: Copied 219433 files (38.0 GB) from volume Gigas.
The throughput rate is quite variable, but at its best, it's only about 2.7 MB/sec. Is that to be expected, or would I have to start a new backup to see speed improvements?

Kappy wrote:
i'd say you are concerned over nothing.
Not sure I agree. Look at this system.log output:
Jan 6 19:54:22 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Starting standard backup
Jan 6 19:54:22 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Attempting to mount network destination using URL: afp://odysseus@Time%20Capsule.afpovertcp.tcp.local/odysseus
Jan 6 19:54:30 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Mounted network destination using URL: afp://odysseus@Time%20Capsule.afpovertcp.tcp.local/odysseus
Jan 6 19:54:33 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Disk image /Volumes/odysseus/Musa_002332d5c37e.sparsebundle mounted at: /Volumes/Backup of Musa
Jan 6 19:54:33 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Backing up to: /Volumes/Backup of Musa/Backups.backupdb
Jan 6 19:54:42 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Node requires deep traversal:/ reason:must scan subdirs|
Jan 6 20:00:50 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Compacting storage: 72.07 GB requested (including padding), 58.36 GB available before compacting
Jan 6 20:00:50 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Stopping backup.
Jan 6 20:00:50 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Backup canceled.
Jan 6 20:00:53 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Ejected Time Machine disk image.
Jan 6 20:00:53 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Compacting backup disk image to recover free space
Jan 6 20:01:12 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Completed backup disk image compaction
Jan 6 20:01:12 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Starting standard backup
Jan 6 20:01:12 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Network destination already mounted at: /Volumes/odysseus
Jan 6 20:01:14 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Disk image /Volumes/odysseus/Musa_002332d5c37e.sparsebundle mounted at: /Volumes/Backup of Musa
Jan 6 20:01:14 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Backing up to: /Volumes/Backup of Musa/Backups.backupdb
Jan 6 20:01:20 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Node requires deep traversal:/ reason:must scan subdirs|
Jan 6 20:07:26 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Starting pre-backup thinning: 72.07 GB requested (including padding), 58.36 GB available
Jan 6 20:10:46 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Deleted backup /Volumes/Backup of Musa/Backups.backupdb/Musa/2010-01-03-131536: 58.42 GB now available
Jan 6 20:12:10 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Deleted backup /Volumes/Backup of Musa/Backups.backupdb/Musa/2010-01-04-094152: 58.52 GB now available
Jan 6 20:13:02 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Deleted backup /Volumes/Backup of Musa/Backups.backupdb/Musa/2010-01-04-073331: 58.57 GB now available
Jan 6 20:13:02 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Stopping backup.
Jan 6 20:13:02 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Backup canceled.
Jan 6 20:13:08 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Ejected Time Machine disk image.
Jan 6 20:13:08 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Compacting backup disk image to recover free space
Jan 6 20:13:30 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Completed backup disk image compaction
Jan 6 20:13:30 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Starting standard backup
Jan 6 20:13:30 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Network destination already mounted at: /Volumes/odysseus
Jan 6 20:13:33 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Disk image /Volumes/odysseus/Musa_002332d5c37e.sparsebundle mounted at: /Volumes/Backup of Musa
Jan 6 20:13:33 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Backing up to: /Volumes/Backup of Musa/Backups.backupdb
Jan 6 20:13:41 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Node requires deep traversal:/ reason:must scan subdirs|
Jan 6 20:19:36 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Starting pre-backup thinning: 72.07 GB requested (including padding), 58.57 GB available
Jan 6 20:20:38 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Deleted backup /Volumes/Backup of Musa/Backups.backupdb/Musa/2010-01-04-071252: 58.58 GB now available
Jan 6 20:20:38 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Removed all 1 expired backups, more space is needed - deleting oldest backups to make room
Jan 6 20:25:17 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Deleted backup /Volumes/Backup of Musa/Backups.backupdb/Musa/2009-07-31-231155: 60.81 GB now available
Jan 6 20:25:17 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Deleted 2 backups: oldest backup is now Aug 15, 2009
Jan 6 20:25:17 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Stopping backup.
Jan 6 20:25:20 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Backup canceled.
Jan 6 20:25:24 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Ejected Time Machine disk image.
Jan 6 20:25:24 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Compacting backup disk image to recover free space
Jan 6 20:26:39 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Completed backup disk image compaction
Jan 6 20:26:39 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Starting standard backup
Jan 6 20:26:39 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Network destination already mounted at: /Volumes/odysseus
Jan 6 20:26:41 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Disk image /Volumes/odysseus/Musa_002332d5c37e.sparsebundle mounted at: /Volumes/Backup of Musa
Jan 6 20:26:41 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Backing up to: /Volumes/Backup of Musa/Backups.backupdb
Jan 6 20:26:49 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Node requires deep traversal:/ reason:must scan subdirs|
Jan 6 20:32:46 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Starting pre-backup thinning: 72.07 GB requested (including padding), 60.81 GB available
Jan 6 20:32:46 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: No expired backups exist - deleting oldest backups to make room
Jan 6 20:47:38 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Deleted backup /Volumes/Backup of Musa/Backups.backupdb/Musa/2009-08-15-182619: 65.12 GB now available
Jan 6 20:47:38 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Deleted 1 backups: oldest backup is now Aug 25, 2009
Jan 6 20:47:38 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Stopping backup.
Jan 6 20:47:41 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Backup canceled.
Jan 6 20:47:47 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Ejected Time Machine disk image.
Jan 6 20:47:47 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Compacting backup disk image to recover free space
Jan 6 20:49:36 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Completed backup disk image compaction
Jan 6 20:49:36 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Starting standard backup
Jan 6 20:49:36 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Network destination already mounted at: /Volumes/odysseus
Jan 6 20:49:38 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Disk image /Volumes/odysseus/Musa_002332d5c37e.sparsebundle mounted at: /Volumes/Backup of Musa
Jan 6 20:49:38 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Backing up to: /Volumes/Backup of Musa/Backups.backupdb
Jan 6 20:49:46 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Node requires deep traversal:/ reason:must scan subdirs|
Jan 6 20:55:48 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Starting pre-backup thinning: 72.06 GB requested (including padding), 65.12 GB available
Jan 6 20:55:48 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: No expired backups exist - deleting oldest backups to make room
Jan 6 21:05:11 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Deleted backup /Volumes/Backup of Musa/Backups.backupdb/Musa/2009-08-25-185228: 67.32 GB now available
Jan 6 21:05:11 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Deleted 1 backups: oldest backup is now Sep 1, 2009
Jan 6 21:05:11 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Stopping backup.
Jan 6 21:05:13 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Backup canceled.
Jan 6 21:05:22 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Ejected Time Machine disk image.
Jan 6 21:05:22 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Compacting backup disk image to recover free space
Jan 6 21:06:45 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Completed backup disk image compaction
Jan 6 21:06:45 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Starting standard backup
Jan 6 21:06:45 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Network destination already mounted at: /Volumes/odysseus
Jan 6 21:06:48 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Disk image /Volumes/odysseus/Musa_002332d5c37e.sparsebundle mounted at: /Volumes/Backup of Musa
Jan 6 21:06:48 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Backing up to: /Volumes/Backup of Musa/Backups.backupdb
Jan 6 21:06:57 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Node requires deep traversal:/ reason:must scan subdirs|
Jan 6 21:12:57 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Starting pre-backup thinning: 72.06 GB requested (including padding), 67.32 GB available
Jan 6 21:12:57 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: No expired backups exist - deleting oldest backups to make room
Jan 6 21:25:51 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Deleted backup /Volumes/Backup of Musa/Backups.backupdb/Musa/2009-09-01-060212: 69.89 GB now available
Jan 6 21:25:51 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Deleted 1 backups: oldest backup is now Sep 8, 2009
Jan 6 21:25:51 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Stopping backup.
Jan 6 21:25:53 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Backup canceled.
Jan 6 21:26:00 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Ejected Time Machine disk image.
Jan 6 21:26:00 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Compacting backup disk image to recover free space
Jan 6 21:27:30 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Completed backup disk image compaction
Jan 6 21:27:30 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Starting standard backup
Jan 6 21:27:30 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Network destination already mounted at: /Volumes/odysseus
Jan 6 21:27:33 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Disk image /Volumes/odysseus/Musa_002332d5c37e.sparsebundle mounted at: /Volumes/Backup of Musa
Jan 6 21:27:33 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Backing up to: /Volumes/Backup of Musa/Backups.backupdb
Jan 6 21:27:41 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Node requires deep traversal:/ reason:must scan subdirs|
Jan 6 21:33:37 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Starting pre-backup thinning: 72.06 GB requested (including padding), 69.89 GB available
Jan 6 21:33:37 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: No expired backups exist - deleting oldest backups to make room
Jan 6 21:45:33 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Deleted backup /Volumes/Backup of Musa/Backups.backupdb/Musa/2009-09-08-081225: 72.34 GB now available
Jan 6 21:45:33 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Pre-backup thinning completed successfully: 1 backups were deleted
Jan 6 21:45:33 Musa com.apple.backupd[7571]: Backup date range was shortened: oldest backup is now Sep 15, 2009

I wish to move time machine to a new HD, but keeping the old backups on the new HD. New HD format (mac os plus (with register)). please help?

I wish to move my time machine copies to a new HD, but keeping the old backups in the new time machine HD. The new HD format is Mac OS Plus (with register). When I dragg the backups.backuodb file to the new HD I got an error message "The uppercase and lowercas of the volume....".
Please help

See Pondini's TM FAQs, for details.

Time Machine says it will take months for the first backup.

Time Machine said it would take over a month for the first backup on my new Mac. I figured it would get its act together overnight, but when I got up this morning, it said 160 days.
Here are my specs:
Mac mini 2.3 GHz Intel Core i5 (Macmini5,1)
2 GB RAM, 500 GB internal HD
Mac OS X 10.7.2 (current on updates)
1 TB Seagate
Connected through FireWire 800
614.32 GB available
Disk Utility verifies there are no problems
I used the same drive for Time Machine on the Power Mac with no problems. And it's communicating fine with the Mac mini -- I transferred all of my music, photos, applications, and other documents very quickly. Spotlight has finished indexing -- there is no dot in the magnifying glass in the upper right corner of the screen. Activity Monitor looks normal. Right now, the CPU is between about 70 and 95% idle, inactive memory is about 225 MB, and page outs are at 148 KB.
I started Time Machine again an hour or so ago, and it said "About 3 days" right at first, but the number is going up quickly. It isn't completely stuck -- the number of items is slowly going down and the MB backed up is slowly going up (not as quickly as the number of days is going up).
Right now, it says, "Backing up 760,527 items" and "81.4 MB of 222.37 GB – About 104 days."

Benjamin McDaniel wrote:
Disk Utility verifies there are no problems
Did you run Repair Disk on your backups, and Verify Disk on your internal HD, and both said " . . . appears to be OK"?
If so, Spotlight may be indexing your backups (Lion re-indexes everything, and that may not show the dot in the Spotlight icon).
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. See if there are repeated "indexing" messages. If so, the index may be damaged. See the pink box in #D2 of the same link.

Lion's Time Machine - Can't create a backup?

Time Machine can't make a backup... I even went ahead and wiped out the drive and tried to create a new backup.
All it says is that it couldn't complete the backup and to try later as it might only be temporary.
This is critical for me and a not at all light in importance. Had I known this along all the other issues with Lion existed I wouldn't have upgraded. For now I am keeping my MBP safe from Lion...
I guess I just have to suffer the damage on my 27" IMAC..
I would use a BR Disk to do a back up of my files, but NO.... MACs don't support Blu-Ray disk drives, STILL!!
Apple you need to fix this and other issues.

Apple's ingenuity in their advances can be hailed by millions as I myself give them credit where credit is due, such as devices like the iPad and iPhone/iPod. But when a company only bothers to alert you to a couple of apps that Lion can't run and moves them to a folder for the user to delete or update but leaves devices and other industry standard software packages rendered useless with no warning when they have extensively tested their OS against 3rd party manufactured devices and software, whom they are partnered with, then yes they can share in the blame just as Microsoft takes the blame for operating systems that do the same such as VISTA.
I am sure that with enough time all of the 3rd party companies will undoubtedly get on board at some cost that will get pushed down to the end users. They will either update, upgrade or conform.
Apples mentality in the past hurt their stock prices, they used to only use their own Risc based processors and they refused to adapt and incorporate to the needs of their users desires for better faster chipsets and industry software such as Office. They adapted!
Refusing to incorporate the ability to use Blu-Ray technologies when companies such as Pioneer,LG, and Cyberlink are prepared to release the software for the Mac, Apple just has to give the go ahead, then yes, its their fault again. The industry in general isn't blind, they have a reason. Manufacturers want to create things that work with Apples Operating system and do, but they aren't allowed to release it without approval from Apple. They need Apple's support and acceptance for something like Blu-Ray to make it. Otherwise its just another hack and shunned by any cautious person that wants to make sure that their purchase won't cause them more problems than its worth. Blu-Ray is a matter of licensing and a major reason that Microsoft won't incorporate it into their own media player, but they leave it up to 3rd party software companies to absorb that cost and create their own players that can play back Blu-Ray movies within the Windows platform. Apple wants to keep Blu-Ray off of their machines as they can't obtain an exclusive license to the codec for Blu-Ray movies for Quicktime. The same mentality that they had before with their processors. So even the ability to read and write to the medium is out of the question.

Time Machine won't make a new backup

I just purchased a 500 gig Western Digital external harddrive and formated it using, MAC OS Extended (Journnaled), and GUID Partition Table. It creates the initial image just fine but every back up afterwards is an exact copy of the initial. I downloaded a song and put it on my desk top and waited for my hour to come around and no changed. Waited for hour two with the same result. I have reformatted my hard drive and try starting from scratch with the same result. Love the idea of Time Machine but I would really love for it to work for me.

I have tried to reformat my external harddrive numerous times with the same result. The reason that I know it is not making new back ups is that i will make a new folder on the desk top and then wait for it to do its hourly back up. The now screen shows the correct desktop with folders in all but when i go to the actual back up screen. It is the same as the original back up. I have let it go on for a few hours to ensure maybe it needs a few hours but the back up screen never changes. Time Machine is just making a copy of the original over and over again and not recognizing any changes.

Time Machine not backing up music added to iTunes since the original backup

My girlfriend has a Macbook and I decided it was time for her to back up. I used Time Machine with my Lacie external HD. The original back up got all the music, documents, etc.
This morning was the first time I had hooked up the external HD since the original back up. I manually ran it and wanted to check if it added the new music and documents. My resume, which I updated last night, was there. But when I looked in the iTunes folder the new music I had added was missing.
Will the daily or weekly back up get the new music files? Is there something I did wrong with set up? Of course I could start over but I'd rather fix the issue and make sure everything is being backed up.
Your suggestions or comments are appreciated.

Erik Griffin wrote:
My girlfriend has a Macbook and I decided it was time for her to back up. I used Time Machine with my Lacie external HD. The original back up got all the music, documents, etc.
How long ago was this?
This morning was the first time I had hooked up the external HD since the original back up. I manually ran it and wanted to check if it added the new music and documents. My resume, which I updated last night, was there. But when I looked in the iTunes folder the new music I had added was missing.
How are you verifying whether they were backed-up? Use +Enter Time Machine,+ not the Finder.
Will the daily or weekly back up get the new music files?
The labels of hourly, daily, and weekly backups are just labels. The process is the same with each. The only thing that's different is how long TM will keep them. A TM backup is a TM Backup.
Is there something I did wrong with set up? Of course I could start over but I'd rather fix the issue and make sure everything is being backed up.
First, check TM Preferences > Options. Be sure nothing is listed there that would prevent any iTunes data from being backed-up.
If you still don't see them, download the TimeTracker app, from www.charlessoft.com.
It shows most of the files saved by TM for each backup (excluding some hidden/system files, etc.). That should show what was actually backed-up.

Time Machine can't search

I'm having a problem with Time Machine: it is backing up OK, and I can browse the backups, but the Spotlight search isn't working.
For example, if I start the Time Machine interface and enter something in the search box, it doesn't find any files.
I tried entering sudo mdutil -E /Volumes/Backup\ HD/Backups.backupdb to force it to reindex, but it did not fix it.
There does appear to be a Spotlight index in store for Backups.backupdb, but it seemed to rebuild it pretty fast.
I can't figure out if the problem is that Spotlight isn't actually indexing Backups.backupdb, or if it is indexed but Time Machine can't access it.
Note: The backup drive is in the Spotlight privacy tab.

Pondini wrote:
When you type a search argument in the search field in the Finder window, then use the arrows, the search should be repeated for each window you move to with the arrows.
Yes, that was what I was doing. And also testing by picking specific backup dates while there was a search argument entered. And searching from within the Finder, with a scope set to search the backup drive Backups.backupdb folder or some folder below.
I was able to get it mostly working, by:
1. Remove Time Machine drive from Spotlight exclusion.
2. Force Spotlight to reindex the Time Machine database via sudo mdutil -E "/Volumes/backup drive name/Backups.backupdb"
This time it took several hours to rebuild the index.
Now I can search within Time Machine to some degree, but I'm seeing anomalies. Some files it just can't find at all; meaning they aren't indexed, even by name. One example is a simple Word document in my Documents folder.
I'm suspecting that Spotlight is only indexing some instances of each document -- I think it is looking at the kTimeMachineOldestSnapshot and kTimeMachineNewestSnapshot. And the question is, what happens if the oldest snapshot rolls off? That is, if the snapshot that originally backed up a file no longer exists?
I'm also still having trouble with seaching Mail in Time Machine -- the search box is frozen so I can't enter a search term. I thought it might be fixed by reindexing, but unfortunately that is not the case.
Another thing I haven't figured out is if I can add the Time Machine back to the Spotlight exclusion. The Help and Apple website says that this is OK, it will keep indexing the Time Machine database but just not display results in a Spotlight search. What I'm seeing is mixed results: there is some evidence that it is indexing while excluded, but in other cases it is failing to index files that are created and backed up while the drive is excluded.

Time Machine fails - cannot make backup folder

For the past two weeks I've been having some major issues backing up my computer with Time Machine. It's become quite a process.
iMac 27"
Mountain Lion
I am backing up to a brand new - well bought in February, '14 - 1TB external hard drive and there is NOTHING else in there except the TM backups.
For the past two weeks it's been failing the automatic backups.
There is PLENTY of room on the drive.
The exact error message reads:
"Time Machine Error
Unable to complete backup. An error occurred while creating the backup folder
Latest successful backup: [time and day entered here]"
To remedy this at first it was as easy as un-mounting the drive and then plugging it back in and it was fine.
Now I've got the disk utility open and constantly repairing the drive and this is only a temporary solution.
Below is a small sample of the report from the utility each one is dated.
Can anyone tell me how to fix this without having to purchase a new drive?
In February the old external drive I had started to freak TM out and it just erased ALL my backups which I desperately needed due to the same error / failure. That drive had plenty of space as well but I lost all my stuff anyway.
I searched the forums for a solution and found nothing helpful.
I know the TM isn't for archiving and another question I have is, How can I transfer or even rename the backup folder that TM makes and move it to a 'free drive' to prevent overwriting? Right now I just keep buying new drives which is ridiculous.
JUNE 16, 2014
Verifying volume “Shuttlecraft 2”
Checking file systemJournal need to be replayed but volume is read-only
Checking Journaled HFS Plus volume.
Checking extents overflow file.
Checking catalog file.
Checking multi-linked files.
Checking catalog hierarchy.
Checking extended attributes file.
Incorrect number of extended attributes
(It should be 1355781 instead of 1355778)
Incorrect number of Access Control Lists
(It should be 1355741 instead of 1355738)
Checking multi-linked directories.
Checking volume bitmap.
Checking volume information.
The volume Shuttlecraft 2 was found corrupt and needs to be repaired.
Error: This disk needs to be repaired. Click Repair Disk.
Verify and Repair volume “Shuttlecraft 2”
Checking file systemChecking Journaled HFS Plus volume.
Checking extents overflow file.
Checking catalog file.
Checking multi-linked files.
Checking catalog hierarchy.
Checking extended attributes file.
Incorrect number of extended attributes
(It should be 1355768 instead of 1355765)
Incorrect number of Access Control Lists
(It should be 1355728 instead of 1355725)
Checking multi-linked directories.
Checking volume bitmap.
Checking volume information.
Repairing volume.
Checking Journaled HFS Plus volume.
Checking extents overflow file.
Checking catalog file.
Checking multi-linked files.
Checking catalog hierarchy.
Checking extended attributes file.
Checking multi-linked directories.
Checking volume bitmap.
Checking volume information.
The volume Shuttlecraft 2 was repaired successfully.
Volume repair complete.Updating boot support partitions for the volume as required.
JUNE 17,2014
Verifying volume “Shuttlecraft 2”
Checking file systemChecking Journaled HFS Plus volume.
Checking extents overflow file.
Checking catalog file.
Checking multi-linked files.
Checking catalog hierarchy.
Checking extended attributes file.
Checking multi-linked directories.
Checking volume bitmap.
Checking volume information.
The volume Shuttlecraft 2 appears to be OK.
Verifying volume “Shuttlecraft 2”
Checking file systemPerforming live verification.
Checking Journaled HFS Plus volume.
Checking extents overflow file.
Checking catalog file.
Checking multi-linked files.
Checking catalog hierarchy.
Checking extended attributes file.
Checking multi-linked directories.
Checking volume bitmap.
Checking volume information.
The volume Shuttlecraft 2 appears to be OK.
June 18,2014
Verifying volume “Shuttlecraft 2”
Checking file systemJournal need to be replayed but volume is read-only
Checking Journaled HFS Plus volume.
Checking extents overflow file.
Checking catalog file.
Checking multi-linked files.
Checking catalog hierarchy.
Checking extended attributes file.
Checking multi-linked directories.
Checking volume bitmap.
Checking volume information.
The volume Shuttlecraft 2 was found corrupt and needs to be repaired.
Error: This disk needs to be repaired. Click Repair Disk.
Verify and Repair volume “Shuttlecraft 2”
Checking file systemChecking Journaled HFS Plus volume.
Checking extents overflow file.
Checking catalog file.
Checking multi-linked files.
Checking catalog hierarchy.
Checking extended attributes file.
Checking multi-linked directories.
Checking volume bitmap.
Checking volume information.
The volume Shuttlecraft 2 appears to be OK.
Volume repair complete.
Updating boot support partitions for the volume as required.
June 19, 2014
Verifying volume “Shuttlecraft 2”
Checking file systemJournal need to be replayed but volume is read-only
Checking Journaled HFS Plus volume.
Checking extents overflow file.
Checking catalog file.
Checking multi-linked files.
Checking catalog hierarchy.
Checking extended attributes file.
Checking multi-linked directories.
Checking volume bitmap.
Checking volume information.
The volume Shuttlecraft 2 was found corrupt and needs to be repaired.
Error: This disk needs to be repaired. Click Repair Disk.
Verify and Repair volume “Shuttlecraft 2”
Checking file systemChecking Journaled HFS Plus volume.
Checking extents overflow file.
Checking catalog file.
Checking multi-linked files.
Checking catalog hierarchy.
Checking extended attributes file.
Checking multi-linked directories.
Checking volume bitmap.
Checking volume information.
The volume Shuttlecraft 2 appears to be OK.
Volume repair complete.Updating boot support partitions for the volume as required.
June 20, 2014
Verifying volume “Shuttlecraft 2”
Checking file systemJournal need to be replayed but volume is read-only
Checking Journaled HFS Plus volume.
Checking extents overflow file.
Checking catalog file.
Checking multi-linked files.
Checking catalog hierarchy.
Checking extended attributes file.
Incorrect number of extended attributes
(It should be 1364328 instead of 1364323)
Incorrect number of Access Control Lists
(It should be 1364285 instead of 1364280)
Checking multi-linked directories.
Checking volume bitmap.
Checking volume information.
The volume Shuttlecraft 2 was found corrupt and needs to be repaired.
Error: This disk needs to be repaired. Click Repair Disk.Verify and Repair volume “Shuttlecraft 2”
Checking file systemChecking Journaled HFS Plus volume.
Checking extents overflow file.
Checking catalog file.
Checking multi-linked files.
Checking catalog hierarchy.
Checking extended attributes file.
Incorrect number of extended attributes
(It should be 1364316 instead of 1364311)
Incorrect number of Access Control Lists
(It should be 1364273 instead of 1364268)
Checking multi-linked directories.
Checking volume bitmap.
Checking volume information.
Repairing volume.
Checking Journaled HFS Plus volume.
Checking extents overflow file.
Checking catalog file.
Checking multi-linked files.
Checking catalog hierarchy.
Checking extended attributes file.
Checking multi-linked directories.
Checking volume bitmap.
Checking volume information.
The volume Shuttlecraft 2 was repaired successfully.
Volume repair complete.
Updating boot support partitions for the volume as required.

OK well Time Machine backed up a little bit within the last hour since I posted the above. As I'm sitting here working the backup stops and I get this stupid error again:
So as usual, I go to eject it and I get this ridiculous message. I have no idea what could be 'using' this disk! It's not attached to any programs.
It's got one folder of images and pdf files and the time machine backup on it.
So I force eject it and plug it back in. But if I drop down the little circle at the top task bar for the backup info, It says it backed up successfully at 3:20.
GAH! What the *&^% is wrong with this infernal machine?

I recently did a full reinstall from my time machine and now my MacBook pro won't back up to the time machine. It starts a full backup ignoring the original back up, can anyone help?

I recently did a full reinstall from my time machine and now my MacBook pro won't back up to the time machine. It starts a full backup ignoring the original back up, can anyone help?

Did you follow the instructions on the page linked below?
OS X Yosemite: Recover your entire system

Installed GoFlex 1.5 TB external drive on my iMac running OS X 10.7.4 and error says Time Machine can't create a backup folder. Any solutions?

Installed GoFlex 1.5 TB external drive on my iMac running OS X 10.7.4 and error says Time Machine can't create a backup folder. Any solutions?

Well, to unmount the drive, you can use the Terminal application.
Start in Applications > Utilities > Terminal.
When the Terminal window opens, type - without the quotes and with the space at the end - this:
"diskutil unmount "
Then drag the icon of the unmounted drive from the desktop into the Terminal window - the drive location will be added to the end of the command above. It should look something like this:
diskutil unmount /Volumes/volumename
Then press enter (return).
That should unmount the drive. Now you can try the Time Machine process again with perhaps a different interconnect cable for the GoFlex.

Time Machine - Can't backup or Erase/Restore Disk - Following Mavericks upgrade

Hi Everybody, I have been looking through the internet to try and solve the issue I am having, I have seen people with similar issues but I can't seem to quite find the answer I'm looking for.
A couple of weeks following the Mavericks upgrade, I have started having issues with my time machine partition on my external hard drive (2TB Seagate - 1TB for Time Machine, 1TB for general large files). It started off with "The backup disk ""Time Machine" is not available" which led me to have a look into the issue. I have tried repairing the disk, which gave me the following error:
And "Disk Utility can’t repair this disk. Back up as many of your files as possible, reformat the disk, and restore your backed-up files."
This then lead me to try to erase the Time Machine partition, as far as I can tell, I don't think I need anything from in the past, and I have backed up most things onto the other half of the hard drive. However I can't erase the disk because of this:
"Volume Erase failed with the error: Couldn’t open disk."
The "Time Machine" volume is also grayed out. I'm really at a loss to figure out how to fix this, I'm not worried about recovering all of my time machine files I just want it to work from now on. I also don't want to lose any of the content that is on the other half of the partition.
I have tried putting volumes into spotlight privacy, but not sure what else I can try?
I'm also having issues reading files from an external server, but I'm not sure if this is related to Mavericks or on our side here.
Any advice would be really appreciated

This is exactly what just happened to me. Did anything work for you or did you have to buy a whole new drive? My 1.5tb time machine partition did what you described, while the other 1.5tb extra storage partition is fine.

If you remove a backup from Time Machine, can you add it later?

if you remove a backup from Time Machine, can you add it back later? I have two backup sets active, but only one is connecting to a drive at the moment. It seems to be pausing TM for the inactive one, which is as I would expect, except that the menu icon for TM shows an exclamation point (= "waiting to backup"). I'd rather have that error / pause sign show if the ACTIVE connected drive is experiencing issues. It has zero diagnostic function as currently set up.
The solution would be to remove the backup drive from the TM list and then add it back later. I am just unsure if I can do this (will TM recognize the alternate backup set again if I re-add it?)
tx

Yes, you can re-add it.

Time Machine: Can I make a backup of the original backup?

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