Time Machine formatted itself on my external drive despite pressing "Don't Use"

I have an external hard drive that has been in use on/off for years. I even had backups on it (not using Time Machine). I mounted this hard drive, it was taking a while to mount. A prompt came up to ask if I wanted to use this drive as a time machine backup. I said "Don't Use". It hanged. Meanwhile, I opened disk utility twice. Both I had to force quit. After a while I relaunched finder.
Assuming it would cancel the time machine prompt. Only when did the finder eventually relaunch that the drive mounted to see that all my files where gone and looking in Thermal under ls -a to see their we're spotlight and time machine files along with some oddly named thing. About 1GB Is in use on the drive(I had much more that a gig on it). It is a TB drive
Here is the output from the ls -a on the volume
._.com.apple.timemachine.donotpresent
.com.apple.timemachine.donotpresent
.Spotlight-V100
.fseventsd
.Trashes
USBCˆö?␀.␀€␀
._.Trashes
Anyway would a tool like this (http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk) help get back my files and format back to what I had previously? Or I am going in the wrong direction? What should I do?
Thanks. If you have any questions please reply below

Thank you Thomas,
I should have mentioned that the drive is formated as FAT32 and I ran verify disk on the drive and this error keep coming up until I stop the process :
"2013-02-16 12:06:23 +0000: / has entries after end of directory
2013-02-16 12:06:23 +0000: Truncate? no
2013-02-16 12:06:23 +0000: Extend? no"
Will the tools mentioned in you post work with FAT 32? I am looking at Data Rescue 3 becuase of the FileIQ functionality since I know I have obsure file formats on there
Does this help or it is irrelevant?

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You can, but it is not recommended.
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Excerpt from ASC contributor Pondini's Time Machine FAQ:
3. Can I use my TM disk for other stuff?
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I have to move my time machine backup files from one external drive to another. I was planning to simply move it through finder, but it has been "preparing files" for 2 days straight. The number of items sowing in the status bar with the status of "preparing to copy XYZ items" has continued to stadily grow. Is there a better route or should I let it run till it is complete?

Welcome to Apple Support Communities
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Look through the Pondini KB.
http://pondini.org/TM/FAQ.html
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You are welcome.
I don't think there is a need to start a new discussion unless you want to.
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Apple support article. Don't let the title bother you. Look at Additional Information, which explains what happens when a backup gets interrupted. I also am including a link for troubleshooting. C3 explains what you can try if the backup is interrupted.
Time Machine First Backup Interrupted
Time Machine Troubleshooting

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I've been using Time Machine successfully for some time now. Recently I decided to move my iTunes music to an external drive (my internal drive was nearly full.) So I moved 150+ GB of iTunes library to the external drive successfully, but Time Machine seems to completely ignore the external (FireWire) drive. It's formatted as Mac OS Extended (that's HFS+, right?) so I don't understand what the problem might be.
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Dave Troup wrote:
If V.K.s suggestion doesn't work, try excluding the drive, quitting System Preferences, then removing the exclusion.
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Then make some change to the folder, or something within it, so TM will consider it changed and back-up the new (smaller) version.

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I recently got a Time Capsule, and successfully set it up to back up my iMac's primary drive, but for some reason Time Machine won't back up my external drive to the Time Capsule.
I removed the external drive from the exclusion list in System Preferences > Time Machine > Options, and from what I've read this should be sufficient to make Time Machine back up the drive.
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Load the widget.. A1 here... http://pondini.org/TM/Troubleshooting.html
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Axel,
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Time Machine Backup transfer to another external drive

Hi all,
I keep my Time Machine backups on an external HDD drive (portable USB). I have a larger drive with more space, and wanted to copy my the backup to the larger drive.
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Thanks

Although Apple documentation says you can copy Time Machine backups in the Finder, it's very slow and sometimes doesn't work at all.
This technique will only work if the volume you're copying to is the same size, or larger than, the one you're copying from.
First, open the Time Machine preference pane and click the Select Disk... button. You may have to unlock the settings first by clicking the padlock icon in the lower left corner of the window. Authenticate as an administrator.
Delete the volume you're going to copy from the list of backup destinations. Then turn Time Machine OFF.
Launch Disk Utility, open the built-in help, and search for the term "Duplicate." Follow the instructions. All existing data on the destination volume will be erased. That shouldn't be a problem, because you don't want to mix backup and non-backup data on the same drive anyway.
If the volume you're copying was encrypted by Time Machine, you may have to unlock it first. Click the Unlock button in the toolbar of the Disk Utility window.
Turn Time Machine back ON and select the new volume as a backup destination. You can also continue to use the old volume, if you wish. The two will be alternated when both are available.
CAUTION: If the volume you're copying is corrupt, as shown by Repair Disk or Verify Disk in Disk Utility, then that corruption will be copied to the new drive. Don't copy data from a corrupt volume on a malfunctioning drive. Put the drive aside and don't use it until you're sure you'll no longer need the data. Then securely erase it and take it to a recycling center. Do the same if the Restore operation fails with "disk errors."

Unable to complete Time Machine backup to Iomega 1TB external drive

I've read through all the posted topics related to Time Machine failing. I've run Disk Utility without errors; ensured that the external drive is formatted correctly GUID; 1 partition; Mac OS Extended (Journaled); downloaded TimeMachineBuddy; and still cannot get my new Iomega 1TB hard drive to complete a backup. My prior external drive, a LaCie, had no such difficulties but is now full.
Here is the TimeMachineBuddy error report. I am hoping one of you can help me understand what my next steps should be and thank you, in advance:
Starting standard backup
Backing up to: /Volumes/Iomega-BU-02/Backups.backupdb
Ownership is disabled on the backup destination volume. Enabling.
Error parsing SystemMigration.log to determine source volume of system migration.
Backup content size: 82.2 GB excluded items size: 1.2 GB for volume Macintosh HD
No pre-backup thinning needed: 97.28 GB requested (including padding), 930.58 GB available
Waiting for index to be ready (101)
Error writing to backup log. NSFileHandleOperationException:* -[NSConcreteFileHandle writeData:]: Input/output error
Error: (-36) SrcErr:NO Copying /Applications/Adobe Flash CS4/AIK1.1/runtimes/air/mac/Adobe AIR.framework/Versions/Current/Adobe AIR to /Volumes/Iomega-BU-02/Backups.backupdb/Lydia Mann’s iMac/2010-04-06-211444.inProgress/A0522F91-AE77-4536-BE6F-654DA7F2F4B5/Macintos h HD/Applications/Adobe Flash CS4/AIK1.1/runtimes/air/mac/Adobe AIR.framework/Versions/Current
Stopping backup.
Error writing to backup log. NSFileHandleOperationException:* -[NSConcreteFileHandle writeData:]: Input/output error
Error: (-8062) SrcErr:NO Copying /Applications/Adobe Flash CS4/AIK1.1/runtimes/air/mac/Adobe AIR.framework/Versions/Current/Adobe AIR to /Volumes/Iomega-BU-02/Backups.backupdb/Lydia Mann’s iMac/2010-04-06-211444.inProgress/A0522F91-AE77-4536-BE6F-654DA7F2F4B5/Macintos h HD/Applications/Adobe Flash CS4/AIK1.1/runtimes/air/mac/Adobe AIR.framework/Versions/Current
Copied 23.5 GB of 81.1 GB, 36103 of 932234 items

Thanks, Pondini.
I attached a new drive last night. Time Machine prompted me that it needed reformatting, which it did internally, without going to Disk Utility. It then started a backup but hung on "cleaning up" where I found it this morning.
Again, the finder was taken out with the TM hang and I had to hard reboot (on/off button - restart doesn't work nor does force quitting finder).
Here is the sad log from last night's attempt. Since it mentions an entirely new set of failures I am now ready to point to my computer as the faulty party. $180 worth of external drives into this, I am reticent about sinking anymore money into this until I rule out the computer itself. This line "NSFileHandleOperationException:* -[NSConcreteFileHandle writeData:]: Input/output error"
seems to be the essential problem.
Starting standard backup
Backing up to: /Volumes/Time Machine Backups/Backups.backupdb
Ownership is disabled on the backup destination volume. Enabling.
Error parsing SystemMigration.log to determine source volume of system migration.
Backup content size: 176.6 GB excluded items size: 90.1 GB for volume Macintosh HD
No pre-backup thinning needed: 103.69 GB requested (including padding), 930.58 GB available
Waiting for index to be ready (101)
Error writing to backup log. NSFileHandleOperationException:* -[NSConcreteFileHandle writeData:]: Input/output error
Error: (-36) SrcErr:NO Copying / WORK/clientname/pdfs.zip to /Volumes/Time Machine Backups/Backups.backupdb/myname’s iMac/2010-06-29-220723.inProgress/EFF47981-66BF-4C86-BA7F-7F802EC954F2/Macintos h HD/ WORK/KeriGans
Stopping backup.
Error writing to backup log. NSFileHandleOperationException:* -[NSConcreteFileHandle writeData:]: Input/output error
Error: (-8062) SrcErr:NO Copying / WORK/clientname/pdfs.zip to /Volumes/Time Machine Backups/Backups.backupdb/myname's iMac/2010-06-29-220723.inProgress/EFF47981-66BF-4C86-BA7F-7F802EC954F2/Macintos h HD/ WORK/KeriGans
Error writing to backup log. NSFileHandleOperationException:* -[NSConcreteFileHandle writeData:]: Input/output error
Error writing to backup log. NSFileHandleOperationException:* -[NSConcreteFileHandle writeData:]: Input/output error
Error writing to backup log. NSFileHandleOperationException:* -[NSConcreteFileHandle writeData:]: Input/output error
Copied 12301 files (7.4 GB) from volume Macintosh HD.
Error writing to backup log. NSFileHandleOperationException:* -[NSConcreteFileHandle writeData:]: Input/output error
Copy stage failed with error:11
Error writing to backup log. NSFileHandleOperationException:* -[NSConcreteFileHandle writeData:]: Input/output error
Error writing to backup log. NSFileHandleOperationException:* -[NSConcreteFileHandle writeData:]: Input/output error
Error writing to backup log. NSFileHandleOperationException:* -[NSConcreteFileHandle writeData:]: Input/output error
Error: (-36) Creating directory myname’s iMac 2
Error: (-36) Creating directory myname’s iMac 3
Error: (-36) Creating directory myname’s iMac 4
Error: (-36) Creating directory myname’s iMac 5
Error: (-36) Creating directory myname’s iMac 6
Error: (-36) Creating directory myname’s iMac 7
Error: (-36) Creating directory myname’s iMac 8
Message was edited by: lkmweb

Pondini, I beseech thee....Time Machine won't back up external drive partitions

Pondini (or anyone else that would like to help),
I am running Mac OS X 10.7.5. At my edit bay, we utilize a Facilis Terrablock 24D for storage, which connects to our system via fibre cables. Before upgrading to 10.7.5, Time Machine would back up all of our drive partitions on the Terrablock. Since the upgrade, Time Machine still recognizes the drives, we can add or subtract files from the drives, and it appears to make and save the changes, but when Time Machine backs up, it will only back up the local hard drive. No error messages come up. It just does its thing but only for the local HD.
All of the drive partitions are Mac OS Extended Journaled. All of the permissions seem to be in order.
I have contacted Facilis and their technical support claims that they never tested their products with Time Machine (as they sell their own backup equipment) but in theory that it should work.
I'm not sure what other information you might need but please let me know and I'll do my best. I was wondering if anyone else has come across an issue like this? Thank you for your time.

LALB wrote:
Upon including this partition and all of its contents, it disappears from the exclusion list as it should AND its size is reflected in the Estimated size of full backup. But this is the kicker! Upon clicking "Save" and starting Time Machine's backup, I receive the error "Time Machine could not complete the backup. There are no disks available to be backed up." Upon going back into TM Preferences > Options, I find that the external drive / partition has been put back on the Exclusion list. It's like it is automatically rejecting the partition after I have saved my exclusion list.
That's quite strange.
TM does that if you try to back up a USB Thumb drive (I've filed a bug report), but this is the first I've heard of it under any other circumstances. Then again, I don't recall a post by anyone trying to back up from a drive connected this way.
If a drive isn't formatted for a Mac (ie, FAT32, ExFat, NTFS, etc), Time Machine cannot back it up, and will list it in gray on the exclusion list (same as the backup drive), and won't let you remove it from the list, so it's clear.
This sounds like a "cousin" of the way it treats a thumb drive, so sure seems like a bug. TM will back up USB, FireWire, and Thunderbolt drives without a problem, if they're formatted right.
If you have any Macs under 90 days old, or covered by AppleCare, a call to them is free, and the best way to get a quick answer (you may have to escalate to a "specialist" however, and it still may take a few days for something unusual). Otherwise it's $50 U.S.
An alternative is to file a Bug Report, per the green box in Reporting a Problem to Apple. That most likely won't get a response for quite a while, though.
Sorry, wish I had a fix!
Let us know what, if anything, you find out.

Time Machine formatted itself on my external drive despite pressing "Don't Use"

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