When Time Machine is backing up files, I can't work on other apps

When Time Machine backs up files, I am not able to work on other apps such as Safari. I try to cancel the back up but nothing happens. Then the rainbow-colored wheel appears and I can’t do anything. I have turn off the computer and the external hard drive, restart both and log in. After this happens, I see that Time Machine is no longer backing up anything and I am able to continue work on Safari. What is happening? Should I quit Safari before Time Machine starts backing up files? Please help. Thanks.

to ssis6:
I guess this is something that happens once in a while because Time Machine is backing up files now and I am able to work on Apple Discussions and reply to your post. I just wonder if in addition to your explanation, there is any other explanation as to why what I described happens. Thanks for your help.

Similar Messages

My machine grinds to a near halt when time machine is backing up

My machine grinds to a near halt when time machine is backing up. Is there any way to prevent this?

How much data is it backing-up? Are you making frequent changes to big files? Are you using any 3rd-party apps that store their data in one big file (like a database)? Entourage is one that works that way.
If you're not sure what's getting backed-up, you might want to 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.). Take a look at it for one of the problem backups, to see what's going on.
If you see something you can't identify, post the name(s) here and we'll see if anybody is familiar with them.

When Time Machine is backing up, my computer is so slow that it is essentially useless. Backups occur irregularly, and take a long time.

When Time Machine is backing up, my computer is so slow that it is essentially useless. Backups occur irregularly, and take a long time. How do I get Time Machine to work properly?

Hello,
Have you verified both drives in Disk Utility?
See if the Disk is issuing any S.M.A.R.T errors in Disk Utility...
http://support.apple.com/kb/PH7029
Open Activity Monitor in Applications>Utilities, select All Processes & sort on CPU%, any indications there?
How much RAM & free space do you have also, click on the Memory & Disk Usage Tabs.
Open Console in Utilities & see if there are any clues or repeating messages when this happens.
In the Memory tab of Activity Monitor, are there a lot of Pageouts?

Would it be possible for time machine to back-up files from 3rd party software such as windows platform using parallel?

I'm wondering if it would be possible for time machine to back-up files from 3rd party software such as Windows XP using parallel software especially if it is isolated from mac? Any advise would be greatly aprreciated.

Short answer - yes Time Machine will backup everything within the Mac OS system.
Longer answer - Parallels creates a pvm disk image "Parallels Virtual Machine" which Time Machine backs up.
Due to the changes to the pvm file Time Machine is unable to read the minor changes and will somtimes do a full backup of it each time Time Machine runs and can chew through Back up drive space quite quickly.

Time Machine stopped backing up files 2 years ago!

So... I recently tried to restore my Macbook to an earlier time and discovered that Time Machine stopped backing up my files (documents, music, photos, etc) years ago! When I select a time period (say Sept 24, 2013) the actually files included in the backup are from no later than 2010. Why did this happen? I thought Time Machine backed up everything. I did not exclude anything and it certainly backed them up at one point. I'm not sure if there is some way that I am missing to retrieve information that was "backed up" a week ago.

A backup was listed for a week ago, it's just that when I went into the files looking for what was missing (music, for example) there is nothing new since 2010. That's years worth of new files missing all the while thinking that Time Machine was backing them up. My external hard drive was connected and Time Machine was performing that backups as usual without any indication that something was going wrong. There are dozens of backup slots over that time frame that are missing the new files.

System-wide freeze when Time Machine begins back up - Mac Pro 10.7.5

I have recently upgraded my MacPro Intel Early 2008 to Lion 10.7.5 on an external drive. Overall this nice fresh install has been working very well. The problem is that every 2 hours Time Machine starts its automatic back up and then ...
A) Music playing on Spotify stops
B) Curser freezes
C) Application switching freezes
D) Current app stops working
This freeze typically lasts about 15 to 30 seconds, or until the small incremental back up is finished.
I have verified the cause using the Console and reading the activity. I read the log 4 times yesterday (it has been doing this since I upgraded a week ago) to confirm this activity. Usually the log reports the begin and finish of the backup with no activity in between, but in the freeze I just had there was activity in the middle relating to Spotify. That most recent log is shown below. For the record, nearly all of the log activity is something to do with Spotify unless I am doing some other system level process.
I have studied other threads, but the symptoms don't really match those, or I don't have the same suspect apps installed. I have run Disk Utility and Disk Warrior on the Time Machine internal drive, and it appears ok. In energy settings the hard drive disks are NOT set to sleep when possible, but the computer will sleep after an hour of inactivity.
My Time Machine is getting large and using some 90% of the disc. I think I need to redo it because the old (10.5.8 & 10.6) and new system (10.7) inadvertantly wrote to the same TM backup. Thoughts on that?
Here is the last freeze (I truncated the IP addresses) ... and thanks, I appreciate your help. L
7/12/13 10:54:14.857 AM [0x0-0x1c01c].com.spotify.client: 14:54 I [audio_streamer.cpp:538
] 64k-Latency: 2 ms. Play latency: 484 ms (ap)
7/12/13 10:58:35.743 AM com.apple.backupd: Starting standard backup
7/12/13 10:58:35.771 AM com.apple.backupd: Backing up to: /Volumes/Mac Pro Time Machine/Backups.backupdb
7/12/13 10:58:44.850 AM com.apple.backupd: 6.00 GB required (including padding), 99.59 GB available
7/12/13 10:59:02.068 AM [0x0-0x1c01c].com.spotify.client: 14:59 E [watchdog.cpp:171
] Deadlock detected (Thread: gui)
7/12/13 10:59:07.386 AM [0x0-0x1c01c].com.spotify.client: 14:59 E [watchdog.cpp:191
] The deadlock was a lie! (gui, 10533)
7/12/13 10:59:09.749 AM Firewall: Allow Spotify connecting from 64.55:9907 to port 64429 proto=6
7/12/13 10:59:11.619 AM [0x0-0x1c01c].com.spotify.client: 14:59 E [watchdog.cpp:171
] Deadlock detected (Thread: gui)
7/12/13 10:59:12.739 AM [0x0-0x1c01c].com.spotify.client: 14:59 E [watchdog.cpp:191
] The deadlock was a lie! (gui, 5120)
7/12/13 10:59:16.753 AM Firewall: Allow Spotify connecting from 184.17:65289 to port 64429 proto=6
7/12/13 10:59:16.764 AM Firewall: Allow Spotify connecting from 74.40.0:50925 to port 64429 proto=6
7/12/13 10:59:16.765 AM Firewall: Allow Spotify connecting from 68.41:58285 to port 64429 proto=6
7/12/13 10:59:16.766 AM Firewall: Allow Spotify connecting from 216.23.:1526 to port 64429 proto=6
7/12/13 10:59:16.807 AM Firewall: Allow Spotify connecting from 108.2:59770 to port 64429 proto=6
7/12/13 10:59:16.959 AM Firewall: Allow Spotify connecting from 64.203:62864 to port 64429 proto=6
7/12/13 10:59:16.967 AM Firewall: Allow Spotify connecting from 12.1747:3148 to port 64429 proto=6
7/12/13 10:59:16.986 AM Firewall: Allow Spotify connecting from 76.97.:52319 to port 64429 proto=6
7/12/13 10:59:16.997 AM Firewall: Allow Spotify connecting from 70.114:60921 to port 64429 proto=6
7/12/13 10:59:17.020 AM Firewall: Allow Spotify connecting from 66.214:62861 to port 64429 proto=6
7/12/13 10:59:46.808 AM [0x0-0x1c01c].com.spotify.client: 14:59 I [audio_streamer.cpp:538
] 64k-Latency: 2 ms. Play latency: 31 ms (ap)
7/12/13 11:00:03.592 AM [0x0-0x13013].com.stclairsoft.DefaultFolderX.helper: DFX: Finder query returned error -1701
7/12/13 11:00:12.784 AM Firewall: Allow Spotify connecting from 76.14.156.134:55682 to port 64429 proto=6
7/12/13 11:00:32.831 AM [0x0-0x3a03a].org.mozilla.firefox: NOTE: child process received `Goodbye', closing down
7/12/13 11:00:58.261 AM com.apple.backupd: Copied 2527 files (130.0 MB) from volume OSX Upgrades HD.
7/12/13 11:00:58.779 AM com.apple.backupd: 5.85 GB required (including padding), 99.46 GB available
7/12/13 11:01:04.028 AM com.apple.backupd: Copied 1265 files (2.3 MB) from volume OSX Upgrades HD.
7/12/13 11:01:05.428 AM mds: (Error) Volume: Could not find requested backup type:2 for volume
7/12/13 11:01:05.429 AM com.apple.backupd: Starting post-backup thinning
7/12/13 11:01:05.429 AM com.apple.backupd: No post-back up thinning needed: no expired backups exist
7/12/13 11:01:05.771 AM com.apple.backupd: Backup completed successfully.

Hi Hatter - thanks for the info, interesting. When making these upgrades, which I resisted for as long as possible, I needed to make it as quick and painless, with "minimal" disruption in my work. It still took three weeks to plan and execute, plus it has been a week of fiddling - that is a lot of time to devote to computer maintenance. I kept the original system as a back-up in case things really went south. Also I need 10.5 because I have several active legacy client web sites in GoLive CS2, which I tried in 10.6, but it did not run well.
I agree that doing things off the internal drives is faster to operate, but my approach was prudent. Later I can swap those around. My external 10.7 drive is a WD My Passport Studio, and has had no problems (except the sucker runs pretty hot). I considered the SSD but the price is still high: NewEgg, internal 500GB regular drive today is $60 - 75, 500GB SSD is $340-370. That is a pretty big difference in a small business. I am maxed out on RAM, so that helps a lot.
One last thing though, for the Adobe Creative Suite the scratch discs are the internal drives, so it still runs fast in that sense. Fast is relative ya know, I remember programs taking 40 and 50 seconds to launch, now Photoshop is 19, barely time to drink some coffee.
I have bought a number of UPS over the years, including replacement batteries. It has been expensive frustration, because in a real emergency they seldom do what they promise. In Colorado there are big thunderstorms every summer, and I field tested them a number of times - but was never happy with the protection. Dollar for dollar, investing in a whole house (or whole office) surge arrester at the main utility panel offers protection for the equipment, with about the same amount of time to save your work (which in reality is about 1 second).
I had a ton of connection issues with Spotify working in 10.5, but I am happy to say those have completely gone away with this upgrade. I also like many of the refinements in Lion, such as the improved System Profiler.
Linc, I will will take a look at your suggestion, it is a little vaque. Am I looking for a perticular result ? I don't want to operate for too long with the firewall off.
I think my first step is getting the Time Machine figured out, that could be the whole issue.
Thanks guys for the input -- it is appreciated. L

Does Time Machine actually back up files?

We have a Mac OS X Server on an eMac running for an elementary school. We set up Time Machine to backup to an Intel iMac setting beside it, booted in Target Disk Mode. We had a problem with the Server the other day, and it wouldn't start up. When we booted the iMac in the regular OS (rather than Target Disk Mode), we tried to access the Server's backups in the Backups folder on the Hard Drive. When we accessed the latest backup folder, a little black arrow was on the icon and when we tried to access anything in the folder, it said that it couldn't access the files unless the backed-up computer was on and running or something of the like. Is this normal? Did we do something wrong? Is there any way to get it to backup the actual files in full so that if the Server goes haywire, we could access the files on the iMac, to which we backed up the Server? Thanks for any help provided.
Message was edited by: mattshank

The Time Machine backup is a repository, but requires a restoration location, usually the HD you're backing up. You can't access the TM backup directly. If you want that kind of capability, you need to use something like Carbon Copy Cloner or SuperDuper!.

If I store files in the TimeCapsule's own HD, will i be able to use time machine to back those files up also? (specifically can i store/run my iPhoto library from TC and then have Time machine also make/include a backup up of the iPhoto library?)

I curretly use my iphoto library from an large external HD (2 tb) and then have time machine back it up to my airport extreme (which has an external HD attached, 500gb ) Long story short... I am running out of storage space on the 'large external hd 2tb'. however, I still have space on the HD (500gb) that is attached to my airport extreme.
My question is,
1. If i move my iphoto library over to the HD attached to my airport extreme, Is there a way for Time Machine to also back this up.
2. same question only applied differentliy = If i purchase a Time Capsule. and store files on its HD. (specifically an iPhoto library) would time machine create backups of this 'locally' stored data on its own TC HD?
TC = time Capsule
HD = hard drive
TM = Time machien

1. If i move my iphoto library over to the HD attached to my airport extreme, Is there a way for Time Machine to also back this up.
Sorry, but no. Time Machine cannot backup from network drives.
1. If i move my iphoto library over to the HD attached to my airport extreme, Is there a way for Time Machine to also back this up.
2. same question only applied differentliy = If i purchase a Time Capsule. and store files on its HD. (specifically an iPhoto library) would time machine create backups of this 'locally' stored data on its own TC HD?
Again, sorry, but no. Same reason. The TC's internal HDD is treated as a network drive.

Time Machine not backing up File Vault encrypted iMac

I recently turned on File Vault and performed backups to my Time Capsule via Time Machine. Although slow it did back up several times. However because of it being slow I followed some advice which said to restart my iMac in Safe Mode and then do a normal restart,which should then speed up the back up process. Well, I did this and it did not make any difference other than now it gets to the end of the back up and starts again, with about completing backup!
So, I'm thinking is it because of File Vault, or is there something else I can do to make sure of being able to perform a backup via Time Machine. I am currently using Lion 10.7.5.
I assume that the backup (if it ever does another one) will also be encrypted as the option in Time Machine to encrypt is greyed out. Any thoughts here?
I thought maybe I should turn File Vault off and try again, but that sort of misses the point if I want to protect my data.
Help please.
Much appreciated - Alani

Alani wrote:
I recently turned on File Vault and performed backups to my Time Capsule via Time Machine. Although slow it did back up several times. However because of it being slow I followed some advice which said to restart my iMac in Safe Mode and then do a normal restart,which should then speed up the back up process. Well, I did this and it did not make any difference other than now it gets to the end of the back up and starts again, with about completing backup!
Does it fail, with a message? If so, what message? If you don't remember, see #C2 in Time Machine - Troubleshooting.
If not, a clue may be lurking in your logs. Use the widget in #A1 of the same link to display the backup messages from your logs. Locate the backup in question, then copy and post all the messages here.
Is it any faster if you connect via an Ethernet cable, instead of wirelessly?
I assume that the backup (if it ever does another one) will also be encrypted as the option in Time Machine to encrypt is greyed out. Any thoughts here?
No. Mountain Lion can encrypt network backups, but Time Machine on Lion can only encrypt backups made to a local or directly-connected external HD.
I thought maybe I should turn File Vault off and try again, but that sort of misses the point if I want to protect my data
No, that will take a very long time and won't make any difference anyway.

HT201250 how do I get Time Machine to back up files (e.g. iPhoto) stored on an external hard drive?

Installed a new 3TB external hard drive for Time Machine. I have 2 other external hard drives attached to my iMac that contain iTunes and iPhoto. How can I point Time Machine to those external drives to include in the backup?

What is listed in System Preferences > Time Machine > Options... > Exclude these items from backups:?
Any attached external disk not listed there should be backed up.

Time Machine not backing up files

Hi there,
I have had an external hard drive connected via time machine for over a year now, and it has always performed continual backups on its own. Yesterday, however, it decided to no longer recognize the device and it now claims that time machine is not configured. I have tried restarting, shutting down and plugging everything in again multiple times, but nothing seems to work. It can't recognize the drive anymore, and the most recent thing I did was download the latest Mac OS X 10.5.8 software. Once I did that, it was recognized briefly under Disk Utility and I tried to Verify and Repair it. It couldn't complete the task, however, and now it doesn't show up. Suggestions?

Hi, and welcome to the forums.
If it doesn't show up in Disk Utility, it's pretty likely failed.
Disconnect and power it down for several minutes. Restart your Mac, then reconnect and power the drive up.
Check all the connections; be sure they're snug and secure. Try different ports, cables, and combinations of the two (sometimes a plug that works fine in one port won't quite make good contact in another one).
If Disk Utility still can't see it, it's probably dead. Is it in warranty? If so, contact the maker or store where you bought it.
If DU can see it, but still can't repair it, a heavy-duty 3rd-party disk repair app such as +Disk Warrior+ might. DW is about $100, and a good investment for the future, but there's no guarantee. Otherwise, try erasing it, but click +Security Options,+ then +Zero Out Disk.+ If that fails, the disk is a goner. If it succeeds, it may be ok.

If you use time machine to back up one mac, can you read it on another

I have 2 mac laptops and want to save the data off the old and use on the newer.

option-click and select:

Finder Freezing when time machine back up files

I've an 24 aluminium iMac. The finder often freeze (once a day at least) and I noticed that this is often when Time Machine is backing up files.
It's impossible to relaunch the finder and sometimes other mac apps are freezing (preferences etc..). On the dock I can still see that the finder and the apps are active but in fact there are frozen and it is not possible to force quit.
Then if I shut down the computer through the apple menu it doesn't work and the only solution is to shut down manually my iMac with the back button.
Be that as it may it is less frequent since the iMac last software update (graphic card) before everything on the screen was freezing.

I have a 1tb and 540 tb Ultramax Harddrive to support my Mac Pro G5. I originally bought the 650 when the G5 was running Tiger and it worked without fault on a 800 firewire. I partly purchased this model of drive as they advertised its extendibility. When time machine was announced I purchased a second 1tb version and installed the two drives running daisy chained by 800 firewire and they worked fine. Maybe 2 weeks after installing Leopard which had caused me problems because of the application enhancer i was not ready to use time machine so declined to switch it on.
After a few weeks and after the 650 had dismounted itself i started to find after waking from sleep the mac was frozen. There was no way out other than switch it off on the front switch. I later discovered that on powering down the 650 ultramax I could recover my processes but at the danger of corrupting the drive by not removing it properly. As I tried to work out an exit strategy to save data on the 650 I got a system warning to say the Ultramax was beyond repair and was available only to recover files. Eventually it started hanging after a few seconds so i had no choice but to lose data and reformat the drive. That failed and having already contacted Iomega support for advice with little support they eventually agreed the drive had become damaged and agreed to replace the unit.
With the new unit I expected the problem would be gone.. but it was a matter of hours before the symptoms re-emerged, not as bad as before they seemed to allow other apps to continue to run and work it just disabled the finder so i could open an application from recent apps but not through a finder window and if i asked it to open or save a file it would lock the application so much not even a three fingered quit would solve the problem it would close the app in the finder but in the close app window it would remain listed as not responding.. the only way to recover use of the mac was to power off the ultramax almost on loosing power all hanging functions would re-emerge sometimes i needed to switch the mac off.
I decided to risk setting time machine on and although it worked it hung on the first back up and ever since I have woken up the mac as i run a very eco friendly power management policy I would find the hang accompanied by time machine backing up.
I am sure time machine is part culprit in this problem although i cant work out why only the 650 suffers I have tried taking it off firewire and moving to usb and it still does the same....
Any ideas or pointers to an answer of any sort would be welcome

Why am I unable to connect to my airport whenever I put my computer to sleep while the time machine is backing up?

Ever since I installed Lion (version 10.7), I am unable to reconnected to my Time Capsule and get on the internet after I put my computer to sleep and then wake it back up. This doesn't happen all the time -- just when I put my computer to sleep when Time Machine is backing up. If I put my computer to sleep when it's not backing up, it's fine. If it is backing up though, when I wake my computer up again, it is unable to reconnect to the Time Capsule to allow me to use the internet. I have to wake the machine up, click on "Stop Backing Up", wait 30-60 seconds, click "Turn Wi-fi off", wait another 30 seconds, turn it back on and then I am fine. If I just turn wifi off and on without stopping the backup, it doesn't work and I am still unable to connect to the internet. I currently have 10.7.1 but it still has the same bug. 10.6.x did not have this bug. Other than "don't put your computer to sleep when Time Machine is backing up," any suggestions? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

In this case, that hint may help.
According to Apple support, some configuration files may get damaged or corrupt by time, after updates or upgrades and should get deleted ocasionally.
OK ... switch off wifi on the machine.
Then go on and delete the files mentioned below.
You will find the files on your system drive (not your home folder) as follow:
/library/preferences/com.apple.preferences.accounts.plist
/library/preferences/com.apple.preferences.sharing.plist
/library/preferences/SstemConfiguration/preferences.plist
/library/preferences/SstemConfiguration/com.apple.airport.preferences.plist
If there are files in this folders with the same name but additional .orig at the end, delete them too.
It is possible that not all files are on your system. That will be ok.
The files will get newly created by system on reboot.
For that reboot the machine.
Join your wireless again.
If you are using Lion, the Library is hidden. You have to use (menu bar) "go to" -> "go to folder" on finder to access them.
If the problem (unlikely) persists, report back here.
Lupunus
Message was edited by: lupunus (typo's fixed)

Does Time Machine really restore all files of app?

Hi mac people,
I have done a clean install, then i don't want use migration assistant to move back things, but when i move back garageband 6.0.5, i open it, then i realise that only app is been restore but all the loops and audio is not, then i search online found that i have to move those things by my own,
So this problem make me wondering does time machine really fully restore?
I also wondering how about other apps or files do they really all been restore even they SEEN like no problems?
Thanks for helping !!!!!

then i realise that only app is been restore but all the loops and audio is not, then i search online found that i have to move those things by my own,
If you want everything restored from Time Machine, don't use Migration Assistant but use Setup Assistant - migrate al files when you are first prompted to restore from Time Machine or another Mac, after a clean install.
you can select what to restore - the settings, the libraries, the user data.
Since you do not want to use the assistants - to restore Garageband 6.0.5 manually, you transfer all files and folders in the system library:
/Library/Application Support/GarageBand/
and the loops from
/Library/Audio/Apple Loops/
Your plug-ins from
/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/
and the corresponding folders in your user library ~/Library/

When Time Machine is backing up files, I can't work on other apps

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