Time Machine Excluded Files have no effect?

So, I cleared out one of my 200GB external drives, hoping to at least just backup my photos and MP3s if nothing else.
Time Machine says it needs about 365GB to do a backup. I purchased a 320GB drive today for $88 (hard to pass up a good deal on external drives) and I excluded system files, other external drives, temp folders I used for Photoshop/FCP caches, downloads folders, and a whole lot of other things. TM is STILL telling me that the backup is going to require 365GB. No matter how many items I add into the exclusion list, that size never changes.
My question is three-fold :
1. Is there a known bug with excluding files from backup, where TM has to at least backup everything once, and THEN it'll allow exclusion?
2. "Do Not Back Up" exclusion list, at the bottom, it says "Total Included : 272.4GB". Is that 272.4GB that I've chosen to NOT include, or is it saying that the backup should only take 272.4GB?
3. If the latter of my 2nd question is true, then why does TM fail every time, saying I need 365GB?
I've searched up and down these forums, Apple's own support docs, and in every TM-related help file in OS X and I haven't found an answer to any of these questions yet.
Also, if anyone knows how to span disks with TM (I have 4 internal and 3 external drives) to use for backups, that'd be great.

That's what's really confusing me. I excluded all those files before I'd ever attempted a backup. Then, I added more and more to see if I could get it working with a 200GB external drive.
However, once I purchased the 320GB drive, I figured I could just exclude a few more files and use that drive. Obviously, I reformatted it prior to even opening TM. It's a completely fresh drive.
Are you saying that TM would recalculate the space required if I were to remove all the excluded files from the list, THEN re-added them, and THEN turned it on?

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Time Machine Excluding Files for Backup

The issue I'm having seems to be that any file created while the Time Machine external drive is offline will not be backed up or updated if later changes to the file are made. Any assistance would be appreciated, as I currently have a slew of files that aren't being backed-up regularly and would be lost if my laptop died.
Steps to Reproduce Problem:
1. Disconnect Time Machine external drive.
2. Create a new file in any folder that is regularly backed up. (Say, in "~/Documents")
3. Reconnect Time Machine external drive.
4. Open a new Finder window, Command-Click on the Time Machine drive, click "Back Up Now."
5. Open the Time Machine application. Navigate to the backup just created.
6. Observe that the file does not exist. (!!)
7. Exit out of the Time Machine application. Modify the file with the drive still connected.
8. Repeat Steps 4-6.
Also, I'm pretty sure this shouldn't have an effect, but my external drive is partitioned into a "Time Machine Only" section under HFS and an "Other" section under FAT32. Just thought you should know.

I am having a similar problem. During a vacation, I uploaded a variety of photos, which were saved into my iPhoto library. During that time, my computer was never plugged into the external hard drive and never ran Time Machine.
However, I've since come home and have kept my computer plugged into the hard drive for several days. Even when I hit the "Back Up Now" button, I navigate to the new picture files within my iPhoto library in the present mode, only to find that the files do not exist in any of the backups. The computer has continued backing up an older version of my iPhoto library.
I've also noticed that several new CDs I've recently added to my iTunes library are also not being backed up in each new Time Machine backup.

Time Machine plist file excluded external volumes

Mac OS 10.8, 10.9, Time Machine.
Posting here is my final step after a few hours of research. I am trying to find out whether Time Machine stores the names of excluded external volumes anywhere -- those volumes that one enters manually in the Time Machine exclusions options window. They are not in /Library/Preferences/com.apple.TimeMachine.plist. I have searched my Mac via "find" in Terminal as superuser and not found any other plist files that contain the name "timemachine" that contain this information, either. I've seen several apparently erroneous comments online that the com.apple.TimeMachine.plist file contains this information, but in my own systems, at least, it does not.
Nor does the following command reveal this information:
mdfind "com_apple_backup_excludeItem = 'com.apple.backupd'"
Pondini's excellent Time Machine resource states, with regard to the Time Machine GUI: "Excluded External Volumes (shown in black) are placed there automatically unless removed by the user, and do not appear in the plist."
My guess is that because Time Machine excludes external volumes by default, that it doesn't need a plist to store that information, and only cares about them if you delete them from the excludes list in the preferences window.
ADDITIONAL INFO: I am also aware of the com.apple.metadata:com_apple_backup_excludeItem metadata. I haven't been able to determine for certain what creates it, but my guess is Time Machine, at least as regards volumes.

Hi! I am a bit of a nerd when it comes to Mac OS, I have used True Crypt for a long time, you seem to know what you are talking about and I was just wondering if you have an easy answer for me, as I understand only 1/2 of what you wrote on your first post and other wise am lost.
I just want to know if TM works for my needs or if am doom to find another back up software.
I have a simple backup partition in my Mac Book and I store sensitive data in it, TM is backing up my computer now and that is fine, it also seems to back up my encrypted (with True Crypt) partition, but I read and read and read posts and now am confused and not sure if TM will actually back up the changes I do in the files inside the encrypted partition in my Mac Book. Or does it just back up the encrypted file without modifications inside?
If you could explain me this with an easy answer it would be fantastic! thank you!!

I have a time machine backup file on a USB hard drive. I bought a time capsule / airport extreme, flat 3TB. I wish to transfer the backup file from the usb hard drive to the time capsule hard drive. 10.6.8

I have a time machine backup file on a USB hard drive. I bought a time capsule / airport extreme, flat 3TB. I wish to transfer the backup file from the usb hard drive to the time capsule hard drive. 10.6.8

Unfortunately, Time Machine backups that are stored on a drive that has been connected directly to a Mac are completely different than Time Machine backups that are stored on a Time Capsule.
Frankly, it is not worth the effort and trouble to try to transfer the old backups to the new Time Capsule.....my opinion....having done this in the past.
It is possible though, but I would not recommend it due to the complexity and downsides involved with this. To give you an idea of how to do this, check out this support article.
http://pondini.org/TM/18.html
Even if you transfer the "old" backups over to the Time Capsule successfully, Time Machine will not simply "add on" to the old backups.
Time Machine will make a new complete backup of your Mac and then add incremental backups from that point.
My advice.....start a new backup on the Time Capsule and move forward. Keep the USB hard drive around for a month, maybe 2 or 3 in case you need to go back to an old backup for some reason. At that time, you will not likely need the old backups at all since you will have a current 2-3 month history of new backups. At that point, you can erase the USB drive and use it for another purpose.

My mac 10.8 does no have the file, com.apple.desktop. plist I wentto lIbrary, preference and look for it and it is not where in my mac. I also launch time machine and file is no where on my Mac. How do I get this file back?

My mac 10.8 does no have the file, com.apple.desktop. plist I wentto lIbrary, preference and look for it and it is not where in my mac. I also launch time machine and file is no where on my Mac. How do I get this file back?
thanks

System files are hidden by default in Finder now, search for what you want then click the little + button on the top right of the bar that appears when you do a search. A new bar comes up and click the first box (that says "Kind"), change it to "System Files". Then change the box that says "aren't included" to "are included" and your file should show up.
http://osxdaily.com/2009/02/25/show-hidden-files-in-os-x/

HT201250 Can I back up using Time Machine if I have some files already on the ExHD, or do I need a clean ExHD to use Time Machine?

Can I back up using Time Machine if I have some files already on the ExHD, or do I need a clean ExHD to use Time Machine?

If you try to use a new disk with time machine, it will try to reformat your EXHD. so I would save the items on your EXHD before backing up with time machine or partitioning your EXHD in disk utility

Both my husband and I have our Macs backed up on Time Machine. I have a new Mac and want to download my files,etc. from Timeline to my new Mac. How do I ensure that Time Machine downloads only MY files, and not my husband's files?

Both my husband and I have our MacBook Pros backed up to Time Machine. I have a new MacBook Pro and want to download my files, etc. from Time Machine to my new Mac. I do I ensure that Time Machine downloads only MY files to my new Mac, and not my husband's files?

OS X uses a unique identifier so there will be no problems.

HT201250 I have done my back up using time machine, now I have a new mac and I need to access the files that I had saved from my old mac. How can I do that?

I have done my back up using time machine, now I have a new mac and I need to access the files that I had saved from my old mac. How can I do that?

Use Migration Assistant on your new Mac:
Click Continue:
On the next screen, choose your Time Machine backup disk.
Don't bother to migrate Applications unless you know they will work on your new Mac. For example, PowerPC applications won't work. Just migrate your user account which will copy all your photos, music, movies, and other documents.
Note: you will not be able to migrate the information to same account in which you are already logged in. Migration Assistant will tell you that and recommend what to do. It can migrate the information to a new account, but you will have to give it a name you might want to change later. One way around this is to create a temporary account, log in to it, and run Migration Assistant which will replace your normal account. Then, log out of the temporary account, log in to your usual one, verify everyting works as you expect, and delete the temporary one.
All this can be avoided when you set up a brand new Mac by running Setup Assistant which essentially does the same thing to create your new account, but most people are too excited to do that and elect to migrate later.

Time Machine temporary file location?

I couldn't seem to find information regarding this anywhere but does anyone know where and if TIme Machine stores temporary files as it is backing up. I use an online backup service as well as time machine and I have excluded the temporary files that the online program uses from Time Machine. I want to exclude backup time machine's temporary files (i guess it makes some sort of index too) from the online backup.

As far as any of us mere mortals can tell, there aren't any on your internal HD; they're apparently in temporary files that other apps can't reach. The indexing it does is on your TM drive.

MAC OS 10.7 Trying to Delete from TRASH Time Machine FOLDER (file)

Trying to delete time machine Folder(files) from TRASH. even used secure option, goes through ok. but will not delete from TRASH. files delete from
Time Machine Drive ok, deletion gives you more space on TM DRIVE Time Machine runs ok, How to Delete the Folder (Files) From TRASH?

Hello Mtaff,
Thank you for using Apple Support Communities.
For more information, take a look at:
You can't empty the Trash or move a file to the Trash
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1526
press Shift-Option or Option key combination while emptying the Trash
Have a nice day,
Mario

How can I choose the volume which I want to restore by Time Machine? I have two volumes.

Does anyone know how to restore one of two volumes from Time Machine?
I have been using SSD and HDD on my MBP.Today, I replaced an old HDD to a new HDD and tried to restore from Time Machine.
Unfortunately, Migration Assistant couldn't choose which volume I want to restore.
On Time Machine, I could choose the location, but it was just a copy, not a restore.
Some files address has been changed, so I have to correct the location for every apps on SSD.
For example, "/Volumes/Macintosh HD/Users/" has changed to "/Volumes/Macintosh HD//Macintosh HD/Users/"
I want to make a new HDD be exactlly same as an old HDD, so I don't need to adjust file locations or rename the address.
Thank you in advance.

In SCORM-compliant LMSs the "mechanism" for transferring interaction data is via JavaScript variables. SCORM uses a standard JavaScript API that all compliant LMSs are supposed to understand and interpret correctly. (I use the words "supposed to" because the reality tends to be that they all interpret the standard a little differently.)
If this is a "locally developed LMS" then all bets are off. You should in theory be able to transfer quite a bit of information, but with a home-grown roll-your-own system at the other end, you have no way of knowing how it will handle that information.
You need to talk to whoever built or is currently in charge of this LMS, hopefully someone with technical knowledge and expertise. Get them to tell you how much of the SCORM standard is actually supported. Only then will you know if you can use some more advanced Captivate functionality to pass more scoring information (e.g. interaction data as well as score/pass/fail).
If your current LMS is truly only able to accept a couple of values, and your customer wants more than this, handball the issue back to them. They'll either have to upgrade their LMS or revise their requirements.

Time Machine backup file corrupted and locked

This morning when I switch on my Mac there was a dialogue box telling me that my Time Machine backup file was corrupted and that Time Machine would have to create a new backup file.
I am backing up my Macs to a disk connected to my Airport Extreme. It's been working for months without any problems. Other than this morning. Time Machine buddy had the following message:
+Starting standard backup+
+Attempting to mount network destination using URL: afp://[email protected]/MyBookHome+
+Mounted network destination using URL: afp://[email protected]/MyBookHome+
+QUICKCHECK ONLY; FILESYSTEM DIRTY+
+Runtime corruption detected on /Volumes/MyBookHome/iMac27.sparsebundle (fsck_hfs -q termination status: 3)+
+Attempting to mount network destination using URL: afp://[email protected]/MyBookHome+
+Mounted network destination using URL: afp://[email protected]/MyBookHome+
+Backup verification failed for image /Volumes/MyBookHome-2/iMac27.sparsebundle!+
+Moved previous backup image to /Volumes/MyBookHome-2/iMac27_2010-11-01-032949.sparsebundle+
+Recovery backup declined by user.+
+Backup canceled.+
+Ejected Time Machine network volume.+
Has anybody seen something like this before?
I now have a locked and renamed sparsebundle on my disk and backups are not working anymore.

aschmid wrote:
Yes you are right, I know it isn't supported - as so many other things but they work!
This one is notorious for working for a while, then . . . not.
In addition to the problems above I got a pop-up from Time Machine saying the backup file is broken and it needs to create a new one. I told it to go ahead and what happened is that it actually proceeded to DELETE the old backup file before creating a new one - there goes my several months of backup history!
Yes, just as it says in the message. See #C13 in [Time Machine - Troubleshooting|http://web.me.com/pondini/Time_Machine/Troubleshooting.html] (or use the link in *User Tips* at the top of this forum).
All I can say do now is connect my drive directly to my iMac and figure out a way how I can backup my other iMac and the MacBook I have. On the AE this just worked remotely.
Yeah. Until it didn't.
Really not much options here to backup a home with 3 Macs!?!
Sure there is. Back the others up to the same drive, over your network, via sharing. See #22 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), for details and setup instructions.

I am having trouble installing. downloaded Mavericks but it will not let me install to hard drive, says that is reserved for Time Machine. I have an external hard drive, but disconnected that before download.

I downloaded Mavericks but can't get past the install; it thinks my hard drive is reserved for Time Machine. I have an external hard drive but dis-connected that before download.
I have Time Machine turned off.

Check to see if you have a file name Backups.backupdb on the disk drive.
If the installer sees such a file it assumes that the disk drive is being used by Time Machine.
Allan

Time machine excludes other items in /Library/Preferences/com.apple.TimeMachine.plist??

Hey. I heard that time machine excludes some items even if they are not selected by you in time machine preferences. The items time machine excludes "secretly" are located in /Library/Preferences/com.apple.TimeMachine.plist Is there any way to remove these items. Things like calendars and iphoto show up on this exclusion list. I want to make sure I dont lose those.

The only items excluded by default are cache and index files that will be regenerated automatically if deleted.

HT201250 Does Time Machine delete files in back-ups that are deleted on my Mac?

Does Time Machine delete files in back-ups that are deleted on my Mac? IOW....if I need to restore a whole back-up, I don't want to restore previously deleted files.

Does Time Machine delete files in back-ups that are deleted on my Mac?
Not immediately. When space starts to get tight, Time Machine will start to delete the oldest file(s) to make more room, but this won't occur for some time.
if I need to restore a whole back-up, I don't want to restore previously deleted files.
You won't if you choose to restore from a backup that occurred after the date that you deleted the file.
If you absolutely do not want to keep the file in your Time Machine backups at all, you do have the option to go into Time Machine, find the file, and manually delete all versions of the file from past dates.

Time Machine Excluded Files have no effect?

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