Time Machine failing on Snow Leopard

Hi all
For some weeks now Time Machine has been telling me that it is unable to back up because there isn't enough space on the allocated hard drive. I am on OSX 10.6.8 and am backing up to a 500GB internal hardrive, which I appreciate isn't large (I am a photographer and shoot around 20-30GB per job), but I regularly remove the work to two other backups to keep the main hard drive (that I'm backing up with Time Machine) free for current work only. I have now excluded almost everything from the backup apart from my images, my documents and the library - a total of only about 400GB according to the information on folder sizes. And I have even completely cleared the back up hard drive using Disc Utility, and renamed it. Yet it is still refusing to back up. It is telling me the following:
Time Machine Error. This backup is too large for the backup disk. The backup requires 509.65 GB but only 499.32 GB are available.
Yet it has estimated itself that the backup is only 450GB, (even though the folders are actually only 400GB in total).
It's almost as though Time Machine needs its own cache removing - but nothing I do seems to work.
Anyone come across this before?
Thanks for any advice.
Rob

Hi there,
You may find the troubleshooting steps in the artilcle below helpful.
Time Machine: Troubleshooting backup issues
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht3275
-Griff W.

Similar Messages

I just restored my 13" MBP i5 at the apple store to the newest version of Lion after issues with a previous Time Machine backup from Snow Leopard- this time I created a new account and just ported files and folders, and now MS Office doesn't work. Help?

I just restored my 13" MBP i5 at the apple store to the newest version of Lion after issues with a previous Time Machine backup from Snow Leopard- this time I created a new account and just ported files and folders, and now MS Office doesn't work.
^^ that's the main problem. Here's the full history.
I bought a new 13" i5 MBP, early 2011 edition. I had an old white Macbook 2.14 ghz core2duo on Snow Leopard. I attempted to port over my time machine backup, but encountered problems in that my User was inaccessible from the new computer after the import finished, and I had to go in and change the root password, etc, and for some reason or another, I couldn't install any programs at all from that administrator's account. By "couldn't" I mean I could install them, but upon installation they would never boot. So, I took it to the apple store and did a clean install from the most up to date Lion OSX. Then, I created a brand new admin account, instead of trying to import the old one, and things seemed great. Then, I just imported my old files from the TM backup, but not any system settings, permissions, or user data. Just my Docs, pics, vids, apps, and itunes stuff.
Here's where things get weird again. I imported this stuff under the name "old", but all of these folders have a red negative sign on them, marking them as restricted. So, from my main admin account, I cannot even peruse these folders. Since I didn't import user data, I can't sign in to the "old" account to change permissions. I already tried to change the permissions from system preferences, but that didn't change anything. And now, for whatever reason, of all the apps that were imported then, MS Office is the only set of apps that does not work. When I click on it, it just says there was a problem and asks if I'd like to send a report to apple. I tried reinstalling it to no avail. I'm an English student, so i really need access to Word. Can anyone help? The Apple store is a major detour for me and would like to fix this issue myself.

Most likely you have Office 2004 which are PPC-only applications and will not work in Lion. Upgrade to Office 2011. Other alternatives are:
Apple's iWork suite (Pages, Numbers, and Keynote.)
Open Office (Office 2007-like suite compatible with OS X.)
NeoOffice (similar to Open Office.)
LibreOffice (a new direction for the Open Office suite.)

I have a mid 2010 Macbook Pro running Snow Leopard and foolishly upgraded to Yosemite. Is it possible to go back in time with Time Machine and reinstall Snow Leopard. Then upgrade to Lion or Mavericks? Any other ideas on how I can exit Yosemite?

I have a mid 2010 Macbook Pro running Snow Leopard and foolishly upgraded to Yosemite. Now have numerous problems. Is it possible to go back in time with Time Machine and reinstall Snow Leopard? Then upgrade to Lion or Mavericks? Any other ideas on how I can exit Yosemite?

Once you get yourself back to Snow Leopard, if you still want to upgrade somewhat, I would suggest the following:
1. Get an external hard drive that you can use for experiments with new OS versions. You could partition it into 2 or 3 partitions. You could then clone your existing Snow Leopard system to one partition using Carbon Copy Cloner (well worth $40) or SuperDuper ($25).
2. Buy OS X Mountain Lion for $20, through the Apple online store (I don't think it's available through the App Store). Apple has decided to make it very difficult for anyone to get Mavericks unless they have already downloaded it.
You will receive two e-mails from Apple, one containing a PDF with a redemption code, and one with the password you will need to unlock the PDF. Using the code, you will download Mountain Lion from the App Store, where it will appear among your Purchased items.
After ML finishes downloading, its installer app will launch itself. When you see this launch screen, QUIT the install app immediately! Go to your applications folder, find the Install OS X Mountain Lion app, and copy it to a safe location outside of your Applications folder. Keeping one or more copies will allow you to reinstall without unnecessary aggravation if you later need or want to do that. At this point, you can re-launch the Installer in the Applications folder and let it run. You can install it on a clean partition on your external HD, or you can allow it to upgrade the Snow Leopard clone you created on your external drive, or you can do both. This should allow you to test how everything works for as long as you like.
3. If you left yourself a free partition on your test drive, try a clean install of Yosemite and set everything up from scratch (do not migrate anything). This will allow you to see whether your problems with it were related to something in your Snow Leopard system.

Can i do a time machine back to snow leopard from Lion?

After hearing lots of good and bad about Lion, i've re-considered paying the 29 and doing an upgrade. Mostly because of the full screen two finger swipe feature.
would you agree that feature alone is worth the upgrade?
if i didn't like it, could i do a time machine back to snow leopard no problem? I don't have any installation discs.
Thanks for your feedback.

Lion has lots of good features, but the trouble is it has lost nice features too. You can ONLY tell what you think after a week or so of use.
"Going Back To Snow Leopard" is a LOT of work - you will have to use the DVD install disk that came with your computer to erase Lion and install SL from scratch. That means saving your valuables in SL first (Time Machine or some other external drive export like Carbon Copy Cloner). It takes hours of your day, but can be done.
Lion needs a lot of care (adjustments) to make it behave the way you like it - it is REALLY different at first, but there are ways to make it behave a LOT more like SL by tweaking options in System Preferences and so on. It also takes hours to index - leave your machine on for 24 hours after you first install Lion - it will speed up a lot quicker that way.

Time Machine Backup of snow leopard

Can i restore a Snow Leopard Time Machine backup using the Leopard Installation disks?
I screwed up some mac's at the office and need to repair it before anyone finds out :P
thanks

Again, since Snow Leopard has not been released, we cannot discuss any aspect of it except the feature information Apple has officially announced. If you are a registered Apple developer or authorized participant in an Apple seeding program, you have special forums available to you where you can ask questions about Snow Leopard.

Mac will not log in after time machine restore. Snow leopard

I managed to delete 6000 photos by accident on my mac (it can be done), luckily iv kept up to date back ups with time machine, so I bottled off the snow leopard cd, followed utilities and did a system restore. Everything sempt to have worked well till I got to the log in screen, I typed in my password and it just keeps saying 'you are unable to log into the file vault user account "Alex" at this time, Logging in failed because an error occurred'. I know for a 100% fact my password is correct and I went through the reset options and it still wouldn't work after completing it. Iv googled a few fixes but nothing seems to have worked correctly, I'm not exactly the biggest wiz with macs so I'm not 100% sure if iv done any of them correctly. Please if anyone else has had the same problem and found and fix can you help this is a huge inconvenience
Thank you
Alex

something may be wrong with the backup you used to restore. something can also be wrong with the file system. i suggest you boot from the SL install DVD (make sure it's snow leopard, not leopard one btw). then start disk utility and reformat (not just erase) the whole drive using the partition tab. then quit disk utility and do a restore from an earlier time point. see if it works then.

Struggling to restore from Time Machine (2007 MacBook; Snow Leopard)

The hard drive failed on my 2007 MacBook. I had it replaced and the shop also installed Snow Leopard (this was what I was using prior to the fail).
I tried a restore from Time Machine and while a huge chunk of my new hard drive disappeared, I couldn't locate the files. I have since found them in the hidden /Volumes folder.
I have also learned that to do a full restore, I should have used my Snow Leopard install disk alongside the drive with Time Machine backups.
So...
1. Should I delete the restored file in the /Volumes folder and start again using the Snow Leopard install disk?
2. I want to upgrade to Lion (this is the furthest I can go with this MacBook). Can I do step 1 using a Lion install disk even though the Time Machine backup was created in Snow Leopard? (Confession: I'm not sure where my Snow Leopard disk is and I'm trying to avoid going through cupboards and boxes to find it)
3. is it laborious and risky to try to restore everything manually from the /Volumes folder? Where do I start if I decide on this route?
Thanks in advance for any advice.

I would try recovering the files manually first. If the result is unsatisfactory, then I'd boot up using the Snow Leopard DVD, run Disk Utility/Repair disk, erase and reformat the drive, and then install Snow Leopard. Reboot normally, and use Setup Assistant to restore from Time Machine. Completely update to 10.6.8 and then consider if you want to upgrade to Lion. There are no Lion disks - it is a download.
10.6.8 Combo Updater

Migration Assistant in Lion won't recognize Time Machine backup from Snow Leopard

I just got an iMac with Lion. I am trying to use the Migration Assistant to move my files/apps etc from a Time Machine backup to the new computer. The MA will not recognize the backup drive - (external firewire 800). I can see the backup drive on my desktop but it does not show up as an option to choose in the Migration Assistant. Any idea what might be wrong. The backup is from an iMac running Snow Leopard and all the system software was last updated on Dec 9th. It think it is as current as I could get with Snow Leopard. Any ideas what is wrong?
Thanks,
Chad

This happened to me after hard drive replacement under the Seagate Drive Recall at the local Apple Store. Here's what I learned from the process:
I Wagged the Mac home, fired it up (with naked OS installed at the Apple Store), and it wouldn't see my Time Machine drive with Setup Assistant - not on firewire 800 nor USB. Just a grey spinner that lasts forever. When I try just continuing anyway, it offers me something that looks plausible, but then puts up a dialog about duplicate user name, and no matter what I enter, it always says "that user already exists". So I think - maybe Migration Assistant. Complete the setup, create an account, watch the nice welcome movie. BAM - there's my Time Machine drive on the desktop. OK - it has to work . . . but no. Same behavior in Migration Assistant, plus the new OS offers to start making backups on my Time Machine disk - it's not recognizing it at all.
So - back to the Apple Store - let the genius figure it out. It turns out there are multiple problems. First, the "genius" who imaged my new machine picked 10.7.2 but my machine had 10.7.5 - turns out, it's not enough just to have right cat. Even a point release older OS may not recognize a newer Time Machine drive. The guy at the desk said "We have images of everything but the 10.7.2 has free iLife in it, so they like to use that one". What the heck? They don't image what you had originally as a matter of sane process?
Having figured that out, we re-image 10.7.5 at the store thinking we've fixed it. But no - Setup Assistant still won't see the Time Machine drive. Not on USB, not on Firewire. Not in a box, not with a fox.
So here's the second trick - newer machines have a recovery partion. see: http://www.apple.com/osx/recovery/ Boot with the option key held down, pick that partition, then you'll get a "system restore" option, to restore your whole system from a Time Machine backup. My drive was recognized by the recovery partition restore process when neither Setup nor Migration Assistant would. Obviously, there's something broken in Setup/Migration Assistant.
Takeaway:
- if you're getting a drive replaced by Apple, make sure they image *exactly* the same OS
- if Setup Assistant fails, use the recovery partition for system restore
- Use Recovery Disk Assistant http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1433 NOW to make yourself a recovery thumb drive just in case. With Apple's new "no media" approach to the OS, you're hosed without it.

Missing iPhoto files after time machine restore from Snow Leopard

My Snow Leopard machine HD failed the day after my new MacBook Air (Lion) arrived. Migration assistant allowed me to use Time Machine to restore my iPhoto files from my external HD. However, many of the photos are apparently gone, although the thumbnails remain (selecting the thumbnail results in a big exclamation point in a triangle). I've tried repairing the iPhoto Library and updating the thumbnails, but still many photos can't be found. I think I may have to fix the old machine, then try to restore that way, but would like to access the photos now. Any suggestions?

Back up no matter what, then
either way with time machine and restore or
Target disc mode. You should be able to move the entire iPhoto Library

Time Machine Backup from Snow leopard

My old Macbook died. It was rurning Snow Leopard, and fortunately i had everything backed up with time machine on an iomega network drive. I just bought a new Macbook pro with Mountain Lion and i get an error when i try to access the time machine backup: "The version of the server you are trying to connect to is not supported. Please contact your system administrator to resolve the problem."
Any ideas?
Thank you

See Pondini's Excellent information here...
Setting-up a new Mac from an old one, its backups, or a PC
But am not sure about TM and your iomega network drive
More Info here...
http://pondini.org/TM/Troubleshooting.htm

Upgrade HDD using Time Machine, but no Snow Leopard DVD, only Leopard installation DVD = kernel error on startup

Hi guys and girls.
Background
I have a MacBook Pro (March 2009 vintage). It was loaded with OS X Leopard on a 250GB HDD. When Snow Leopard was released, I upgraded using a DVD bought from Apple. In time, I added an external USB HDD to use for Time Machine Backups. I am now, however, knocking up against the capacity limit of the original hard drive.
Given the above, plus the fact that I no longer appear to have the Snow Leopard DVD (upgrade version I believe) - what is the recommended way to get back to my old setup (files, OS, settings etc), but with my new, larger HDD?
So far I have tried:
1. Formatting new HDD as Mac OS Extended (journaled), GUID partition having booted using my original (Leopard) installation DVD. I then selected the latest Time Machine (Snow Leopard) backup. After a couple of hours of restoring from that backup, the system restarted, but had kernel errors on bootup.
2. As above, but when formatting, chose to zero all data. This had the same end result.
Questions:
1. Are the kernel errors I'm experiencing due to the mismatch of booting off Leopard and restoring a Snow Leopard backup?
2. Would finding my (or even a) Snow Leopard upgrade DVD help? If so, how?
3. What am I doing wrong generally? I do like to try to understand these things!
4. As above, what is the recommended way of doing what I'm trying to do, given the limitations of release DVDs etc.
Many thanks

Simplest thing would be to buy the retail SL installation disc ($20 USD) and use it to do the migration. There might be an issue trying to use a SL TM version with Leopard.

External hard drive & time machine (updating to snow leopard)

I have just bought a non-Apple external hard drive, but haven't used it yet (still packed up!). I am about to update to Snow Leopard and wondered what was best to do with backing up my hard drive (mixture of music, important files etc.).
Is it worth using time machine, or just back up the files myself, or a mixture of both? Also what about partitioning etc?
Guidance would be appreciated to a new Apple user, and moderately literate computer user!

definitely back up the whole system. do not back up piece meal. that's bad for a number of reasons. First, it's VERY easy to miss something important that way. second, if your snow leopard install goes bad or you want to go back to leopard for a while for whatever reason (say, some apps you use are not yet SL compatible), it's very easy to do if you have a full backup and quite unpleasant if you don't have one.
You can use Time Machine or make a bootable clone using CCCloner or Superduper.
Both Time machine and a clone give you an easy way to restore your old system exactly as it was at the backup time.
the external drive should be formatted mac os extended journaled with GUID partition scheme. most new drives are formatted with MBR partition scheme so you'll likely have to completely reformat yours with disk utility.
For more info consult FAQs link at the top of the TM forum page.
Message was edited by: V.K.

Can I restore my system after replacing my hard drive with the original leopard discs, then use my time machine backup (with Snow Leopard) to finish the restore?

I am replacing my original 100gb hard drive for a 500gb. I am currently running OS X.6.7. I understand the process of how to install the new drive and restore the system from the disc. What I am unsure of is whether I need the Snow Leopard disc or can I use the original Leopard discs and then plug in my time machine backup to complete the restore?

How do I restore my entire system?.
or, use Carbon Copy Cloner to clone your current system to an external HD, replace the HD, then clone the clone back to the new drive.

Lion can't see Time Machine drive that Snow Leopard does

We just set up a backup system for our group. It's a 8 Tb Pegasus drive attached to a Mac Mini Server. I have set up 4 Macs running Snow Leopard with no problems at all. Two systems are running Lion and I can not get Time Machine to see the backup drive. We are connecting via AFP on a network.
Any ideas or remedies? Thanks!

If I'm understanding correctly, your 4 SL machines work fine with the drive. Your Lion machines do not seem to able to see the drive in TM.
But your Mini server is a Lion server correct? It can browse and backup to the Pegasus on its own right?
The link Linc cited is related to an issue with older storage devices that use legacy AFP and no longer work properly with Lion machines. Even if the legacy is enabled you can only browse the drive and can set the drive for TM, but will not be allowed to use it for TM (TM errors will say as much). But this Promise Pegasus? is a brand new Thunderbolt using product entirely which subsequently makes me think that can't be the case at all.
Random thoughts:
How about LAN traffic firewall? Any chance you have the AFP port blocked internally?
I briefly flipped through a manual on the Pegasus... and it doesn't even offer any hints on time machine or shared usage. I guess there isn't anything particular on the disk side to do besides plug it in and the disk arrangements.
OS side... buggy sharepoint setups? TM usage is a selectable function for any particular sharepoint. I'm not sure how you are setting it, but have you tried to create a sharepoint on the Pegasus (a folder stored on it and not the root) and share it out with TM allowed? You should be able to see that at least.

How do I reinstall Lion after having to revert to previous Time Machine Backup of Snow Leopard?

After upgrading to Lion, had to revert to a Snow Leopard Time Machine backup in order to transition my Quicken data to a newer version of Quicken compatible with Lion. Now not sure how to get back my upgrade. Command-R during restart does not work, I'm sure because system is now running Snow Leopard. App Store does not show my purchase. Don't want to pay for Lion again. Don't want to restore Lion Time Machine Backup as I will lose my new Quicken Essentials version and data file.

If you are running Snow Leopard 10.6.6 or later open App Store and sign in with the same Apple ID you used to purchase Lion. Click on Purchases icon in the toolbar. You should see an active Install button to the right of your original Lion purchase entry.

Time Machine failing on Snow Leopard

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for