Time Machine error "Could not back up OS X Recovery"

When Time Machine runs, my daughter's computer keeps getting an error (in Console) for one of her 2 encrypted backup disks. The error is:
Could not back up OS X Recovery to /Volumes/My Book 2/Backups.backupdb: Error Domain=NSCocoaErrorDomain Code=-50 "Could not find any Apple_Boot partitions corresponding to the encrypted backup volume"
I just upgraded her computer to Mountain Lion. Unfortunately, I don't know whether it was receiving that error before, but I don't think so.
The backups complete "successfully" other than that.
What should I do? Does this signify a true problem? Should I get a new backup disk? Thank you!

If it is successfully backing up and she can enter Time Machine without problems, I wouldn't worry about a Console error.

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Time Machine error: could not backup, Disk Utility Error: Couldn't unmount disk

I recently bought a WD for Mac 1TB external drive which has been set up as Time Machine. This was as a result of my internal hard drive failing and being replaced. Time machine has worked a treat for last 3 weeks, but today I get a message:
Time Machine could not complete the backup.
Unable to complete backup. An error occurred while creating the backup folder.
So I go into disk utilities to verify the disk and I get this message:
Verifying volume “My Passport for Mac”
Checking file systemError: This disk needs to be repaired. Click Repair Disk.
I click on the Repair Disk and get this message:
Verify and Repair volume “My Passport for Mac”
Volume repair complete.Updating boot support partitions for the volume as required.Error: Couldn’t unmount disk.
last backup was at 3.53pm today.
Any ideas?

Why would I need to reboot the whole computer?
However, I did shut it down and restart it and the problem is fixed.

Time machine error could not find passport external drive

Trying to run time machine. At the end of the process i get an error that the back up was delayed until the disk could be found. The passport external hardrive is attached . is formatted for MAc and can be seen in finder. What can I do so Time machine recognized it?

If none of his tips describe the issue, then all I can think of is that there's something amiss with the WD ext HD. Erase and reformat it and don't use the WD SmartWare which isn't. FWIW, I don't use TM, so if this doesn't do the trick, then I'm out of ideas.

"Time Machine Backups" could not be unmounted (Disk Utilities)

Hi there,
I am having an error message when trying to back up time machine. Therefore I went to disk utilities and verified disk.. said it needs to be prepared. When I try to repair time machine, i then get the following message "The disk “Time Machine Backups” could not be unmounted". I tried again and then it says its been repaired. so when i tried a backup of time machine i get "time machine error. unable to complete backup. an error occurred while copying files to the backup volume"
I have installed "Time machine buddy" and I am getting"error reading system logs"
I have a mac osx 10.5.8. No antivirus or spotlight running that i know of.
Any ideas?

One way to test is to Safe Boot from the HD, (holding Shift key down at bootup), run Disk Utility in Applications>Utilities, then highlight your drive, click on Repair Permissions, Test for problem in Safe Mode, see if external Drive can be repaired...
PS. Safe boot may stay on the gray radian for a long time, let it go, it's trying to repair the Hard Drive
Reboot, test again.
Open Console in Utilities & see if there are any clues or repeating messages when this happens.

Time Machine: sparcebundle could not be accessed (error -1)

Hello!
I’ve using Time Machine with my Time Capsule for some time and out of nowhere it started giving me the following error: The backup disk image “xxx/xxx/xxx.sparcebundle”could not be accessed (error -1).
I’ve been searching weeks for a fix without success, already tried http://pondini.org/TM/Troubleshooting.html - #C17 and it didn’t help.
Also tried on my Time Capsule: unplug, reset, factory reset, erase disk, format disk, change password, and on Time Machine preferences tried to remove disk and add again…. no success, error persists.
I discovered the only way for backup to work is to I login as a test user which I created for this purpose (I’m the administrator).
Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Here are the logs:
Backup logged in as Administrator (Backup Failed):
Starting automatic backup
Attempting to mount network destination URL: afp://xxxx%20xxxx;AUTH=SRP@Aar._afpovertcp._tcp.local/Data
Mounted network destination at mount point: /Volumes/Data using URL: afp://xxxx%20xxxx;AUTH=SRP@Aar._afpovertcp._tcp.local/Data
Failed to eject volume /Volumes/Data (FSVolumeRefNum: -166; status: -47; dissenting pid: 0)
Waiting 60 seconds and trying again.
Network destination already mounted at: /Volumes/Data
Failed to eject volume /Volumes/Data (FSVolumeRefNum: -166; status: -47; dissenting pid: 0)
Waiting 60 seconds and trying again.
Network destination already mounted at: /Volumes/Data
Failed to eject volume /Volumes/Data (FSVolumeRefNum: -166; status: -47; dissenting pid: 0)
Giving up after 3 retries.
Backup failed with error: 21
[SnapshotUtilities mountPointForVolumeRef] FSGetVolumeInfo returned: -35
Failed to eject volume (null) (FSVolumeRefNum: 0; status: -35; dissenting pid: -1)
Failed to eject Time Machine disk image: /Volumes/Data/Super’s iMac.sparsebundle
Backup logged in as a test user (Backup completed successfully):
Starting automatic backup
Attempting to mount network destination URL: afp://xxxx%20xxxx;AUTH=SRP@Aar._afpovertcp._tcp.local/Data
Mounted network destination at mount point: /Volumes/Data using URL: afp://xxxx%20xxxx;AUTH=SRP@Aar._afpovertcp._tcp.local/Data
Disk image /Volumes/Data/Super’s iMac.sparsebundle mounted at: /Volumes/Time Machine Backups 2
Backing up to: /Volumes/Time Machine Backups 2/Backups.backupdb
Using file event preflight for Mac HD
Will copy (44.4 MB) from Mac HD
Using file event preflight for Dados
Will copy (Zero KB) from Dados
Found 2280 files (44.4 MB) needing backup
1.5 GB required (including padding), 752.35 GB available
Copied 7285 files (45.2 MB) from volume Mac HD.
Copied 7303 files (45.2 MB) from volume Dados.
Using file event preflight for Mac HD
Will copy (2.6 MB) from Mac HD
Found 58 files (2.6 MB) needing backup
1.59 GB required (including padding), 752.32 GB available
Copied 1122 files (4.4 MB) from volume Mac HD.
Copied 1140 files (4.4 MB) from volume Dados.
Created new backup: 2013-10-02-121637
Starting post-backup thinning
Deleted /Volumes/Time Machine Backups 2/Backups.backupdb/Super’s iMac/2013-10-01-120751 (4.1 MB)
Deleted /Volumes/Time Machine Backups 2/Backups.backupdb/Super’s iMac/2013-10-01-110755 (8.5 MB)
Deleted /Volumes/Time Machine Backups 2/Backups.backupdb/Super’s iMac/2013-10-01-101239 (21.7 MB)
Deleted /Volumes/Time Machine Backups 2/Backups.backupdb/Super’s iMac/2013-10-01-004813 (1.3 MB)
Post-back up thinning complete: 4 expired backups removed
Backup completed successfully.
Ejected Time Machine disk image: /Volumes/Data/Super’s iMac.sparsebundle
Ejected Time Machine network volume.

Please read this whole message before doing anything.
I've tested these instructions only with the Safari web browser. If you use another browser, they may not work as described.
This procedure is a diagnostic test. It won’t solve your problem. Don’t be disappointed when you find that nothing has changed after you complete it.
Third-party system modifications are a common cause of usability problems. By a “system modification,” I mean software that affects the operation of other software — potentially for the worse. The following procedure will help identify which such modifications you've installed. Don’t be alarmed by the complexity of these instructions — they’re easy to carry out and won’t change anything on your Mac.
These steps are to be taken while booted in “normal” mode, not in safe mode. If you’re now running in safe mode, reboot as usual before continuing.
Below are instructions to enter some UNIX shell commands. The commands are harmless, but they must be entered exactly as given in order to work. If you have doubts about the safety of the procedure suggested here, search this site for other discussions in which it’s been followed without any report of ill effects.
Some of the commands will line-wrap or scroll in your browser, but each one is really just a single line, all of which must be selected. You can accomplish this easily by triple-clicking anywhere in the line. The whole line will highlight, and you can then copy it. The headings “Step 1” and so on are not part of the commands.
Note: If you have more than one user account, Step 2 must be taken as an administrator. Ordinarily that would be the user created automatically when you booted the system for the first time. The other steps should be taken as the user who has the problem, if different. Most personal Macs have only one user, and in that case this paragraph doesn’t apply.
Launch the Terminal application in any of the following ways:
☞ Enter the first few letters of its name into a Spotlight search. Select it in the results (it should be at the top.)
☞ In the Finder, select Go ▹ Utilities from the menu bar, or press the key combination shift-command-U. The application is in the folder that opens.
☞ Open LaunchPad. Click Utilities, then Terminal in the icon grid.
When you launch Terminal, a text window will open with a line already in it, ending either in a dollar sign (“$”) or a percent sign (“%”). If you get the percent sign, enter “sh” and press return. You should then get a new line ending in a dollar sign.
Step 1
Triple-click anywhere in the line of text below on this page to select it:
kextstat -kl | awk '!/com\.apple/{printf "%s %s\n", $6, $7}' | open -ef
Copy the selected text to the Clipboard by pressing the key combination command-C. Then click anywhere in the Terminal window and paste (command-V). A TextEdit window will open with the output of the command. If the command produced no output, the window will be empty. Post the contents of the TextEdit window (not the Terminal window), if any — the text, please, not a screenshot. You can then close the TextEdit window. The title of the window doesn't matter, and you don't need to post that. No typing is involved in this step.
Step 2
Repeat with this line:
{ sudo launchctl list | sed 1d | awk '!/0x|com\.(apple|openssh|vix\.cron)|org\.(amav|apac|cups|isc|ntp|postf|x)/{print $3}'; echo; sudo defaults read com.apple.loginwindow LoginHook; echo; sudo crontab -l; } 2> /dev/null | open -ef
This time you'll be prompted for your login password, which you do have to type. Nothing will be displayed when you type it. Type it carefully and then press return. You may get a one-time warning to be careful. Heed that warning, but don't post it. If you see a message that your username "is not in the sudoers file," then you're not logged in as an administrator.
Note: If you don’t have a login password, you’ll need to set one before taking this step. If that’s not possible, skip to the next step.
Step 3
{ launchctl list | sed 1d | awk '!/0x|com\.apple|org\.(x|openbsd)/{print $3}'; echo; crontab -l 2> /dev/null; } | open -ef
Step 4
ls -A /e*/{cr,la,mach}* {,/}Lib*/{Ad,Compon,Ex,Fram,In,Keyb,La,Mail/Bu,P*P,Priv,Qu,Scripti,Servi,Spo,Sta}* L*/Fonts .la* 2> /dev/null | open -ef
Important: If you formerly synchronized with a MobileMe account, your me.com email address may appear in the output of the above command. If so, anonymize it before posting.
Step 5
osascript -e 'tell application "System Events" to get name of login items' | open -ef
Remember, steps 1-5 are all copy-and-paste — no typing, except your password. Also remember to post the output.
You can then quit Terminal.

Time Machine, sparsebundle could not be accessed (error -1)

Hi there,
I keep getting the following message:
Time Machine could not complete the backup.
The backup disk image "/Volumes/ Time Cap Backup/iMac.sparsebundle" could not be accessed (error -1)
Could anyone...PLEASE....tell me how to fix this. And what's the difference between error 119 and error -1
Thanks a million
Best regards,
Tonny (from The Netherlands)

Hi
I had the same problem.
Then, because the problem happened each time I restarted my Imac, I tried to check the apps starting at login.
I went to system preferences - users - login items and I looked at some "apps starting automatically at login",
In my case I deleted "WD Macintosh + Turbo drivers" (an old version incompatible with 10.7.2) and I resolved the problem.
I hope I've been helpuf

Time Machine Error Message Not enough Memory, How to fix?

I've been using Time Machine, backing up onto a hard drive, since last November. All of a sudden it's giving me an error message saying that it does not have enough space. So the backups fail.
The error message offers 2 alternatives: Destroy files or use a different back up location. The preferences offer no assistance, though the error message implies that I can make the backup smaller there.
How can that be? I have saves for the last 30 days, but I can't back up the current files? That seems like flawed software to me.
Does anyone know a work around?
Thanks,
Jemel

Jeanie Marshall wrote:
Yes, I have read through this. Seems very unMac like. There really seem to be no preferences while Time machine is active.
I'm not sure what you mean by that. If there isn't room, there isn't room. As dbsneddon says, we can't help figure out what's happened without some details.
There are several possibilities:
Nothing is wrong. You have the +Warn when old backups are deleted+ option checked in TM Preferences, and that's what it did. That's why I referred you to #C4 in Time Machine - Troubleshooting. See the tan box there for a detailed explanation and simple solution.
Your Time Machine drive isn't well over twice the size of the data it's backing-up, and Time Machine has to do a new, full backup. #D3 in Troubleshooting lists some common reasons for that.
For some reason, Time Machine may have started a new set of backups. A common reason is having the Logic board in your Mac replaced. See #C8 in Troubleshooting.
There are others, of course, but start by checking those out.

Idea: Time Machine errors could be used for telling people everything is OK

In the event of catastrophic good luck, abort.
Just a little levity for all those struggling with Time Machine.
Also, for those having "not enough space" errors on the initial backup, I found that if I excluded the two largest directories and let Time Machine do its thing, it didn't complain when those were taken off the exclusion list on subsequent backups.

Ok, this is getting ridiculous. Anyone else seeing this sort of behavior?
Message was edited by: irowboat

Time Machine error: Disk image could not be mounted

I had two macs 1 and 2.
1 was stolen. I bought a new one (New 1) and it took the place of mac 2.
Mac 2 was reformated and restored from the TimeCapsule with the backup from the old 1.
The new 1 succeeded in continuing the back-up from 2.
But the mac 2 can't get used to backing up on another sparseimage on the Time Capsule. The result is, that both of the computers now makes back-up to the same sparseimage as if they were two users on the same computer. But the TimeCapsule doesn't accept that they can be using the sparseimage at the same time and claims that the backup is used by another.

I was encountering the same problem. I would navigate to my external drive and I would see the folder for the sparceimage and it would have a circled minus sign icon on the folder and it was not possible to mount it using DiskImageMounter. I would get a window stating the "operation not supported on socket". When I looked at the Time Machine preferences, the disk image was not available so I could confirm that it was chosen as the backup disk. However, when it became the scheduled time for Time Machine to do its scheduled backup according to the information in the Time Machine preferences pane, the disk image mounted and the backup seemed to commence. Similarly, when I went to Time Machine and asked it to "Backup Now", the disk image mounted, and the backup proceeded. However, the disk image then dismounted and again it was no longer available to Time Machine. When I ran Time Machine, I could not choose the disk image and restore files from it because it was no longer mounted.

When backing up on time machine is get " The back up disk image'/volume/data/eric balnchard's Macbook.sparbundle"could not be accessed (error-1). what does it mean? it's a new time machine

when backing up on time machine is get " The back up disk image'/volume/data/eric balnchard's Macbook.sparbundle"could not be accessed (error-1). what does it mean? it's a new time machine

Expect to see this error again due to a bug in Lion (and Mountain Lion).
See # C17 in Pondini's excellent support document below, or look over to the right of this web page under the heading of More Like This
http://pondini.org/TM/Troubleshooting.html

I'm having trouble backing up my second macbook to a new time capsule. continue to get an error message -- "Time Machine Error. The backup disk image could not be created." Is there something I need to change in my time capsule or time machine?

I just set up a new time capsule. it worked fine on my first macbook. But now I cannot backup my second macbook. Getting "Time Machine Error" "The backup disk image could not be created." Do I need to change settings on my time capsule to allow the second computer, or do I need to change something on the computer to allow time machine to work right?

Try #C9 in Pondini's Time Machine Troublshooting
http://pondini.org/TM/Troubleshooting.html

My time machine cannot complete my back up saying the "sparse bundle could not be accessed" error -1 Help please

My time machine cannot complete my back up. The message I receive says the "sparse bundle cannot be accessed. (error -1) Help please.

GG,
Please read over Pondini's Time Machine Troubleshooting guide, specifically C17.

Time Machine Error Message: "sparsbundle could not be accessed (error-1)

hi,
I am running snow leopard on my iMac and have a mac mini connected via ethernet running Mac Leopard Server version 10.6.
I backed up my iMac onto my Mac Leopard Server using Time Machine about a year ago and then I turned it off and haven't done it since. I turned it on today and was attempting to back it up, but I keep getting the following Time Machine Error Message: "sparsbundle could not be accessed (error-1) when i try backing it up.
Any thoughts on why and how to fix this? I can access my server via screen share, so i know its accessible and I can get online with it as well, so its connected to the Internet.
Any ideas?
Thanks,
Josh

jnp1 wrote:
not backing up yet, but more progress than before...now its on an infinite loop of "preparing" and "scanning"...just keeps doing that over and over...but never actually backs anything up.
Anything in the log files on either the client or the server?
Usually, when Time Machine is being flaky, the easiest solution is just to delete the backup and start a new one. Since you have a server, you could just move that sparsebundle file elsewhere instead of deleting it. That is, of course, assuming you can still open it. If not, then it doesn't matter because that backup is toast.

Time Machine Error sparse bundle could not be accessed

Issue: Time Machine Error "the backup disk image "/volumes/data/.sparsebundle" could not be accessed (error -1).
Background: I have an '07 iMac with an external WD 1TB hard drive to store video, pictures and music as well as a 1TB Time Capsule to use for my Time Machine back ups. Once I converted to Lion, I started getting the "sparsebundle...counld not be accessed" error message. The Apple support line directed me to take the issue up with my local Apple store (or else they would have charged me $50). I went to the local Apple store and was directed to erase my sparsebundle and start over. My iMac apparently values the sparsebundle as it would not let me delete it...it would just hang up. I finally had to erase the file from the Time Capsule and start over (based upon some recommendations I found within the Apple Support Communities). I did that two days ago and it looked like I was in the clear. I have about a day's worth of backups and now just started getting the same error message as I did before. I am a casual computer user with limited trouble shooting skills. Does anyone have any ideas, tips or suggestions as to the source of the problem and how to properly trouble shoot the issue?

Dirty of Apple.. this is a bug.. that is caused by your upgrade to Lion.
We see loads of issues. Did you upgrade install? I am not sure that that is some of the issue.
Anyway the solution is to restart the TC.. just pull out the plug and reboot it.
Like windows.. first support question. Did you turn it off and on again??
Read C17
http://pondini.org/TM/Troubleshooting.html
You need to use the 5.6 utility so download and install that.
http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1482
Go to the disk page and disconnect all users.. same thing as pulling the plug really.

Time machine error: The backup disk image could not be mounted

Time Machine worked OK for several months. Now I get this error every 10 minutes or so.
I unplugged Time Machine capsule and "Change Disk" in Time Machine options.
Nothing helps, I continue to get this error.
I cannot Enter Time Machine either. "Connecting to Server, Connecting to backup" does not work.
Help please because I will probably have to archive and reinstall Leopard. I need the backups,
Christine

Christ1ne,
Before you reformat the disk, consider these causes of this error.
*_"The Backup Disk Image Could Not Be Mounted" (Console - “Failed to mount disk image”)_*
First, it is important to distinguish this error message from another, similar Time Machine error that states “The backup volume could not be mounted”. This is important as the causes and cures for these two errors can be very different.
Consider each topic below separately. When one option does not resolve your issue, then move on the next one.
*Unmount the Backup Disk Image* (TC)
If, for some reason, you have manually mounted the Time Machine backup disk image (sparsebundle), or Time Machine failed to eject it after the previous backup, subsequent backups may fail. (Console - “Failed to mount disk image”… “Backup failed with error: 21”)
Eject the backup disk image (white drive icon) by either clicking the little Eject icon to the right of the disk image in the Finders’ Sidebar, or Ctrl-Click the drive icon on the desktop and select “Eject” from the contextual menu. Now try backing up again or launching Time Machine to view previous backups.
*“Disconnect All Users…”:*
If your Time Machine backup drive (“Backup of Users Computer”) is mounted on your desktop or in the Sidebar of the Finder window. then Time Machine may think the drive is already in use. Alternatively, if the Time Capsule hard disk has been recently accessed by a Windows machine, it may not have fully relinquished control. Do the following:
Open Airport Utility and select the Time Capsule on the left.
Click “Manual Setup”.
Select “Disks” at top of window.
Click “Disconnect All Users…” at bottom of window.
Close the Airport Utility.
Now try Backing up again.
One poster reported: “I got it resolved. Apparently it had to do with one of the files being open on the disk from the drive. I had browsed the disk with one of my windows boxes here and it must have left one of the folders "open". Anyway, I rebooted the TC and we are good to go now.”
*Proper Computer Name* #
Make sure your computer has a proper name. Go to System Preferences --> Sharing. Time Machine needs to differentiate your computer from others on your network (i.e. "Bills MacBook" or "Office iMac"). If the "Computer Name" field is blank, create a name. Realize that if this step is necessary, you will likely have to start the Time Machine backup process over again and do another full initial backup.
According to this article, [http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1760], Time Machine may experience problems if your computer name includes certain characters. Make sure the computer name only includes ASCII characters from the following set.
(0123456789abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ)
Once a change in the computer name occurs, you should stop and restart Sharing on the affected computer. Uncheck and then recheck Sharing in the Services list on the left.
# Try removing the apostrophe from the disk images name (sparsebundle).
*A Stalled .inProgress Files:* #
It may be that the previous backup attempt was ungracefully interrupted leaving remains that Time Machine can’t deal with.
Stop any current backup attempt. Choose “Stop Backing Up” from the Time Machine menu.
Open the Time Machine Preferences and turn “OFF” Time Machine.
Open your Time Machine drive.
Open the folder labeled “Backups,backupdb”.
Now open the folder containing backups of the computer in question.
Are there any “.inProgress” files there. Delete them by dragging the file to the Trash. Or Ctrl-Click the file and select "Move to Trash" from the contextual menu. (Give this time as deleting a large file on an external disk can take a while.)
Turn Time Machine back “ON”. Now try backing up again.
NOTE: If the above procedure becomes impossible to perform, try accessing the disk image from another Mac. Some have discovered that attempting a repair from another computer succeeds where the original computer failed.
Let us know if any of the suggestions above helped to resolve your issue.
Cheers!

Time Machine error "Could not back up OS X Recovery"

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