Billy Dye

Q: Time Machine "could not create backup folder" error

I recently changed to a new Time Machine drive (external LaCie Porsche 1TB) connected via USB to my early 2009 iMac running Lion.  I set up the drive with a single GUID partition, MacOS Extended (Journaled ) format, and copied my old Time Machine backups over from an older drive via the disk utility restore function.  The disk worked fine for a while, then after several backups I get recurring Time machine errors that tell me it cannot create a backup folder.  When I run Disk Utility to repair (after turning off Time Machine), it cannot unmount the disk.  After a force eject (required because I am told the disk is in use when trying to eject after a Time machine fail), the disk mounts, no problems are found by disk utility, and Time Machine works for awhile.  Then more of the same "cannot create backup folder" error.  The backups work fine a few times, whether the iMac is put to sleep or not, then the error occurs again.  Any suggestions on how to make this work without error and without constantly unmounting/remounting the disk?  I had previously used a different, smaller LaCie drive via firewire 800 without any problems ever.

 

Thanks

iMac, Mac OS X (10.7)

Posted on Aug 10, 2012 1:38 PM

Close

Q: Time Machine "could not create backup folder" error

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

  • by Kenneth Lipman,

    Kenneth Lipman Kenneth Lipman Sep 1, 2012 10:28 PM in response to Billy Dye
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Sep 1, 2012 10:28 PM in response to Billy Dye

    I have been wrestling with the same problem for a few weeks.

    I eventially solved the problem after determining that the problem is not in the Time Machine program.

    It does not seem to exist in Snow Leopard but in Lion and Mountain Lion.

    I have several drives on my system: firewire and USB 3.

    I observed that one or more of my USB 3 drives become read only after some time even when the Time Machine is off. Firewire and USB flash drives are allright.

    I am now running all three USB 3 drives off a Targus USB 3 hub. I got mine from Office Depot.

    The power supply for this hub is rated at 4 amperes. Maybe the USB 3 drives need more power.

    Some other steps I went through may be of interest:

    I updated the firmware on my Wester Digital 1TB drive for the Mac form downloads fron WD sites. I also downloaded the WD Smartware.

    However, I found an article that recommended partitioning the drive as journaled case sensitive.

     

    Prior to doing this, the Time Machine would sometimes backup as much as 40 GB even when nothing had been added to my computer. Now  backups without activity by me add only a few megabytes.

     

    I noticed that under system profile beginning with 10.7 that the drive storage is shown by category with the sizes listed. This goes on in background all the time. It is possible he USB 2 ports and hubs may not be able to handle this activity.

    I have had my computer, a late 2007 iMac with 4 GB of ram, checked by Apple.

    This worked for me,

    Ken Lipman

  • by Billy Dye,Solvedanswer

    Billy Dye Billy Dye Sep 6, 2012 9:16 PM in response to Billy Dye
    Level 1 (34 points)
    Sep 6, 2012 9:16 PM in response to Billy Dye

    I found the solution for myself: The drive needed a firmware update.

     

    The problem appears to have come from a PC-centric feature present in the firmware that was shipped on it that spins down the drive regardless of the settings in the energy saver preferences.  The wierd sleeping of the drive was causing some mounting/unmounting issues leaving Time Machine unable to write to it.  After the update, I have been using the drive as my Time Machine disk continuously for 27 days witn no recurrence.

     

    I had previously used LaCie drives effortlessly and was surprised to find this problem.  I can recommend them again now--just be sure to update the firmware.