Time Machine could not complete backup

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Level 1

12 points

Time Machine could not complete backup

I recently updated my mac pro 2019 to Sonoma 14.4.1 after a whole year of not using it. When I wanted to back up all my files to my hard drive that I`ve used before, I get an error after 20% saying "Time machine couldn`t complete the backup to .... The backup disk may have been ejected or disconnected from the computer" but I KNOW the hard drive is active because I have access to it (see image).

I also tried to copy all my previous backups to a new hard drive, but it does not allow me to do it. How can I fix this??? The old drive was formatted to APFS (case sensitive) and the new drive is just APFS

MacBook Pro 15″, macOS 10.15

Posted on Apr 29, 2024 2:40 PM

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Answer 1

Apr 29, 2024 4:44 PM in response to josue22

some Bus-powered drives do not respond well if the Mac sleeps. The USB ports transition to USB standby power mode, and some drives can't cope and just disconnect.

When the drive comes back to life, you Mac may report the drive was ejected improperly.

In some cases, the drive needs a disk Utility 'repair disk' to be made well again.

if you have a steady power source for your external drive, that would be better. Otherwise, Make sure your Mac does not try to sleep while a backup is in progress.

in rare cases, the notification is stale, and the drive was re-acquired, the backup has made progress, and possibly even completed. The notification, once issued, can not be retracted.

So check for the current Time machine status before you get too excited.

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Answer 2

josue22 Author

Level 1

12 points

May 12, 2024 7:13 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

I was actually using the browser as it was backing stuff up into the drive. It was going well until it hit 20% and then that notification came up, but I can still had access to the previous backups. I`ve done it before without any issues before upgrading the OS - my last backup was in 2022. I have another hard drive but I would prefer to use this one and I`m scared to delete everything and I cannot even copy all the backups to the new drive.

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Answer 3

May 12, 2024 8:21 PM in response to josue22

This may sound tangential, but read all the way to the end.

Time Machine works very nicely with multiple drives attached. Every-other backup goes to every-other drive, and each drive is independent of the other. Either drive can be removed whenever you choose.

if you start now, it will make a full backup on the new drive, and start to add incremental backups every two hours. By next week you MAY be willing to erase the old drive. Then you are never 'working without a net'.

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Answer 4

josue22 Author

Level 1

12 points

May 13, 2024 6:53 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Yeah, I`m really not sure why I cannot keep doing backups on my older hard drive - it just keeps saying that it might have been disconnected even though it did not and even if I`m constantly using the laptop so that it does not fall asleep. I guess I have to take a trip to the apple store

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