Level 1

9 points

Time Machine doesn't recognize existence of oldest backups

My external Time Machine drive is a 3 TB drive. My internal Mac HD is also 3 TB but it has 2.06 TB free.

Tonight, and last night, when Time Machine ran, it deleted the most recent backup to make room for a new backup instead of deleting the oldest backup. It then reported that the backup it had just made was the oldest backup.

Here's the message I got from Time Machine after the backup tonight:

I went into Console to see what had happened and found this:

10/23/15 6:40:33.052 PM com.apple.backupd[184]: Starting automatic backup

10/23/15 6:40:43.499 PM com.apple.backupd[184]: Backing up to /dev/disk3s2: /Volumes/WD My Book 3TB/Backups.backupdb

10/23/15 6:42:54.167 PM com.apple.backupd[184]: Will copy (252.91 GB) from Macintosh HD

10/23/15 6:42:54.168 PM com.apple.backupd[184]: Found 922 files (252.91 GB) needing backup

10/23/15 6:42:54.171 PM com.apple.backupd[184]: 290.36 GB required (including padding), 73.96 GB available

10/23/15 6:42:55.345 PM com.apple.backupd[184]: Error: Error Domain=NSOSStatusErrorDomain Code=-36 "ioErr: I/O error (bummers)" deleting backup: /Volumes/WD My Book 3TB/Backups.backupdb/iMac/2015-10-12-004055

10/23/15 6:42:55.600 PM com.apple.backupd[184]: Error: Error Domain=NSOSStatusErrorDomain Code=-36 "ioErr: I/O error (bummers)" deleting backup: /Volumes/WD My Book 3TB/Backups.backupdb/iMac/2015-10-13-000222

10/23/15 6:42:55.896 PM com.apple.backupd[184]: Error: Error Domain=NSOSStatusErrorDomain Code=-36 "ioErr: I/O error (bummers)" deleting backup: /Volumes/WD My Book 3TB/Backups.backupdb/iMac/2015-10-14-003055

10/23/15 6:42:56.166 PM com.apple.backupd[184]: Error: Error Domain=NSOSStatusErrorDomain Code=-36 "ioErr: I/O error (bummers)" deleting backup: /Volumes/WD My Book 3TB/Backups.backupdb/iMac/2015-10-14-061446

10/23/15 6:42:56.417 PM com.apple.backupd[184]: Error: Error Domain=NSOSStatusErrorDomain Code=-36 "ioErr: I/O error (bummers)" deleting backup: /Volumes/WD My Book 3TB/Backups.backupdb/iMac/2015-10-17-041048

10/23/15 6:42:56.739 PM com.apple.backupd[184]: Error: Error Domain=NSOSStatusErrorDomain Code=-36 "ioErr: I/O error (bummers)" deleting backup: /Volumes/WD My Book 3TB/Backups.backupdb/iMac/2015-10-17-111900

10/23/15 6:42:56.983 PM com.apple.backupd[184]: Error: Error Domain=NSOSStatusErrorDomain Code=-36 "ioErr: I/O error (bummers)" deleting backup: /Volumes/WD My Book 3TB/Backups.backupdb/iMac/2015-10-17-170323

10/23/15 6:42:57.219 PM com.apple.backupd[184]: Error: Error Domain=NSOSStatusErrorDomain Code=-36 "ioErr: I/O error (bummers)" deleting backup: /Volumes/WD My Book 3TB/Backups.backupdb/iMac/2015-10-18-002113

10/23/15 6:42:57.351 PM com.apple.backupd[184]: Error: Error Domain=NSOSStatusErrorDomain Code=-36 "ioErr: I/O error (bummers)" deleting backup: /Volumes/WD My Book 3TB/Backups.backupdb/iMac/2015-10-18-175811

10/23/15 6:42:57.657 PM com.apple.backupd[184]: Error: Error Domain=NSOSStatusErrorDomain Code=-36 "ioErr: I/O error (bummers)" deleting backup: /Volumes/WD My Book 3TB/Backups.backupdb/iMac/2015-10-21-004455

10/23/15 6:42:57.912 PM com.apple.backupd[184]: Error: Error Domain=NSOSStatusErrorDomain Code=-36 "ioErr: I/O error (bummers)" deleting backup: /Volumes/WD My Book 3TB/Backups.backupdb/iMac/2015-10-21-201017

10/23/15 6:42:58.091 PM com.apple.backupd[184]: Error: Error Domain=NSOSStatusErrorDomain Code=-36 "ioErr: I/O error (bummers)" deleting backup: /Volumes/WD My Book 3TB/Backups.backupdb/iMac/2015-10-22-175216

10/23/15 6:42:58.094 PM com.apple.backupd[184]: Error: Error Domain=NSOSStatusErrorDomain Code=-36 "ioErr: I/O error (bummers)" deleting backup: /Volumes/WD My Book 3TB/Backups.backupdb/iMac/2015-10-12-004055

10/23/15 6:42:58.097 PM com.apple.backupd[184]: Error: Error Domain=NSOSStatusErrorDomain Code=-36 "ioErr: I/O error (bummers)" deleting backup: /Volumes/WD My Book 3TB/Backups.backupdb/iMac/2015-10-13-000222

10/23/15 6:42:58.100 PM com.apple.backupd[184]: Error: Error Domain=NSOSStatusErrorDomain Code=-36 "ioErr: I/O error (bummers)" deleting backup: /Volumes/WD My Book 3TB/Backups.backupdb/iMac/2015-10-14-003055

10/23/15 6:42:58.102 PM com.apple.backupd[184]: Error: Error Domain=NSOSStatusErrorDomain Code=-36 "ioErr: I/O error (bummers)" deleting backup: /Volumes/WD My Book 3TB/Backups.backupdb/iMac/2015-10-14-061446

10/23/15 6:42:58.103 PM com.apple.backupd[184]: Error: Error Domain=NSOSStatusErrorDomain Code=-36 "ioErr: I/O error (bummers)" deleting backup: /Volumes/WD My Book 3TB/Backups.backupdb/iMac/2015-10-17-041048

10/23/15 6:42:58.105 PM com.apple.backupd[184]: Error: Error Domain=NSOSStatusErrorDomain Code=-36 "ioErr: I/O error (bummers)" deleting backup: /Volumes/WD My Book 3TB/Backups.backupdb/iMac/2015-10-17-111900

10/23/15 6:42:58.107 PM com.apple.backupd[184]: Error: Error Domain=NSOSStatusErrorDomain Code=-36 "ioErr: I/O error (bummers)" deleting backup: /Volumes/WD My Book 3TB/Backups.backupdb/iMac/2015-10-17-170323

10/23/15 6:42:58.108 PM com.apple.backupd[184]: Error: Error Domain=NSOSStatusErrorDomain Code=-36 "ioErr: I/O error (bummers)" deleting backup: /Volumes/WD My Book 3TB/Backups.backupdb/iMac/2015-10-18-002113

10/23/15 6:42:58.111 PM com.apple.backupd[184]: Error: Error Domain=NSOSStatusErrorDomain Code=-36 "ioErr: I/O error (bummers)" deleting backup: /Volumes/WD My Book 3TB/Backups.backupdb/iMac/2015-10-18-175811

10/23/15 6:42:58.114 PM com.apple.backupd[184]: Error: Error Domain=NSOSStatusErrorDomain Code=-36 "ioErr: I/O error (bummers)" deleting backup: /Volumes/WD My Book 3TB/Backups.backupdb/iMac/2015-10-21-004455

10/23/15 6:42:58.118 PM com.apple.backupd[184]: Error: Error Domain=NSOSStatusErrorDomain Code=-36 "ioErr: I/O error (bummers)" deleting backup: /Volumes/WD My Book 3TB/Backups.backupdb/iMac/2015-10-21-201017

10/23/15 6:42:58.120 PM com.apple.backupd[184]: Error: Error Domain=NSOSStatusErrorDomain Code=-36 "ioErr: I/O error (bummers)" deleting backup: /Volumes/WD My Book 3TB/Backups.backupdb/iMac/2015-10-22-175216

10/23/15 6:42:58.120 PM com.apple.backupd[184]: No expired backups exist - deleting oldest backups to make room

10/23/15 6:43:26.629 PM com.apple.backupd[184]: Deleted backup /Volumes/WD My Book 3TB/Backups.backupdb/iMac/2015-10-23-044326 containing 252.3 GB; 326.27 GB now available, 290.36 GB required

10/23/15 6:43:26.629 PM com.apple.backupd[184]: Deleted 1 backups containing 252.3 GB total; 326.27 GB now available, 290.36 GB required

10/23/15 6:43:26.629 PM com.apple.backupd[184]: Backup date range was shortened: oldest backup is now Oct 23, 2015

10/23/15 6:43:35.070 PM com.apple.backupd[184]: Error: (-5000) SrcErr:NO Copying /Applications/CrashPlan.app to /Volumes/WD My Book 3TB/Backups.backupdb/iMac/2015-10-23-184217.inProgress/D0FF3402-A684-4B9E-9F0A- 3806DE89959B/Macintosh HD/Applications

10/23/15 7:42:44.485 PM com.apple.backupd[184]: Copied 183.66 GB of 252.91 GB, 1592 of 1592 items

10/23/15 8:00:24.846 PM com.apple.backupd[184]: Copied 1026 items (252.91 GB) from volume Macintosh HD. Linked 3244.

10/23/15 8:00:29.820 PM com.apple.backupd[184]: Created new backup: 2015-10-23-200029

10/24/15 12:40:47.533 AM com.apple.backupd[184]: Backup completed successfully.

If I'm interpreting this correctly, Time Machine recognized that there are backups dated 10/12, 10/13, 10/14, 10/17 etc. but couldn't delete them, so it deleted the most recent backup. Am I reading it right? Why didn't it delete the older backups to make room on the disk? Why didn't it delete the 10/12 backup, which would have made room for tonight's backup?

iMac (27-inch, Late 2013), OS X El Capitan (10.11.1)

Posted on Oct 23, 2015 10:23 PM

33 replies

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makzrh

Level 1

9 points

Nov 7, 2015 8:52 AM in response to Gilby101

There is an simple solution to avoid the problem, btw. Simply exclude CrashPlan.App from being backed up in TM preferences.

Obviously, this only avoids the problem until a fix is available. But it's good enough for me now.

Gilby101

Level 1

68 points

Nov 7, 2015 12:01 AM in response to makzrh

Yes, I agree the workaround is simple enough, though it doesn't clean up existing backups.

My worry is for the average user who does not look at system.log and would be unaware of the issue.

Nov 7, 2015 7:42 AM in response to Gilby101

For what it's worth, yesterday, I deleted fifteen backups, going back to January, that had captured CrashPlan.app. With a direct wired ethernet connection between Mac and the Time Capsule, it took over twelve hours to delete the 1.4 millions files trapped in those backup sets.

mitchwnyc Author

Level 1

9 points

Nov 7, 2015 8:42 AM in response to Gilby101

Gilby101 wrote:

And for the CrashPlan app:

sudo chflags noschg /Applications/CrashPlan.app

Do I run this command on the Backup Set or on my actual Mac HD?

mitchwnyc Author

Level 1

9 points

Nov 7, 2015 9:00 AM in response to Gavin Eadie2

Gavin Eadie2 wrote:

For what it's worth, yesterday, I deleted fifteen backups, going back to January, that had captured CrashPlan.app. With a direct wired ethernet connection between Mac and the Time Capsule, it took over twelve hours to delete the 1.4 millions files trapped in those backup sets.

I'm trying to delete the old backups. I was able to successfully delete the oldest one (from Oct 12) after running the aforementioned command to change the schg flag on the CrashPlan.app file. However, when I tried to delete the Oct 13 backup without first changing that flag, I wound up unable to remove the CrashPlan.app file from the Trash -- the OS reports that I don't have permission to do that!

mitchwnyc Author

Level 1

9 points

Nov 7, 2015 9:38 AM in response to Gavin Eadie2

Gavin Eadie2 wrote:

Alternatively, Time Machine could just reset the flag and delete the app.

Do you think it's worth reporting this problem to Apple in the hope that they could make the appropriate changes to Time Machine to allow Time Machine to deal with misbehaving apps like CrashPlan?

Gilby101

Level 1

68 points

Nov 7, 2015 1:33 PM in response to mitchwnyc

My intentions with:

sudo chflags noschg /Applications/CrashPlan.app

was to do it exactly like that - fixing the CrashPlan app for future backups.

But it is just as easy to exclude CrashPlan from TM backups.

For old backups, simplest to clear the schg (and I have now discovered uchg) flags with:

sudo /System/Library/Extensions/TMSafetyNet.kext/Contents/helpers/bypass chflags noschg,nouchg your-date-time/your-disk/Applications/CrashPlan.app

as in my earlier post for ALL your backups. Then TM should clean it up next time it does its thinning.

I have reported this to Apple as being present in the public beta of 10.11.2. The more that do report (by whatever method is availlable) that the better. If you have current Applecare, that is perhaps the best method.

Nov 7, 2015 4:23 PM in response to Gilby101

Bingo! This took care of it for me.

mitchwnyc Author

Level 1

9 points

Nov 7, 2015 4:40 PM in response to Gilby101

Thanks - I've excluded it from the TM backup as that's simpler.

I will remove the schg flag in the old backups as you suggest.

One other question: How can I remove the schg flag from the copy of CrashPlan that is now in my Trash and that I cannot empty?

Nov 7, 2015 4:48 PM in response to mitchwnyc

You can perform the same operation on files in the trash:

sudo chflags noschg "/Volumes/Time Machine Backups/.Trashes/501/2015-10-31-220749/BOOT/Applications/CrashPlan.app"

with various members of that path adjusted to fit your circumstances. The trick is know that the trash is the directory ".Trashes" on the volume in question.

mitchwnyc Author

Level 1

9 points

Nov 7, 2015 5:12 PM in response to Gavin Eadie2

Thanks. I couldn't figure out the path to Trash. I found another discussion that suggested typing "cd" followed by a space followed by dragging the folder from the Finder to the Terminal window, which inserted the full path. Then I was able to use chflags and finally emptied the Trash.

timneyb

Level 1

7 points

Dec 18, 2015 10:33 AM in response to Gilby101

Excellent help, as I just noticed I have the same problem with CrashPlan borking thinning of my backup set. However, I have a small problem changing the flags.

Perhaps it is because my backup is on a network server (QNAP). I mounted the backup disk image through Disk Utility to modify the troublesome CrashPlan instances, but when I run sudo chflag as suggested I get "Read-only file system" bonked back at me. What to do about that? Is it to do with the way I have mounted the backup disk image?

MyComputer:Time Machine Backups/Backups.backupdb/MyComputer] user% sudo /System/Library/Extensions/TMSafetyNet.kext/Contents/helpers/bypass chflags noschg year-month-day-time/HD/Applications/CrashPlan.app

Password:

chflags: year-month-day-time/HD/Applications/CrashPlan.app: Read-only file system

Daghis

Level 1

4 points

Jan 4, 2016 3:13 PM in response to Gilby101

Thank you very much for these instructions. I was encountering the same problem as mitchwnyc and following your steps solved the problem on my two El Capitan Macs.

jane0

Level 1

0 points

Jan 9, 2016 11:40 AM in response to mitchwnyc

While running sudo will fix the flag, it will reset. It has happened to me 4 or 5 times. It also eats up about 50GB on my drive each time that clears with the flag reset. I contacted Code 42 and got this totally unhelpful reply:

Thank you for reaching out to Code42 support. The schg flag is set intentionally on CrashPlan and related files in order to prevent users from incorrectly removing CrashPlan from their systems and causing larger issues for themselves. If this flag is causing problems for you on your OS, I would suggest reaching out on our Feature Request page.

Having found the sudo fix months ago, it's clear this in not an El Capitán problem. I'm investigating Amazon's backup options: www.arqbackup.com and wondering if anyone has tried that. The price seems the same, about $60 a year. Feedback?

Gilby101

Level 1

68 points

Jan 20, 2016 2:15 PM in response to jane0

You received a typically useless response from Code42. At least when I contacted them I did get an acceptance of there being a problem. See this Crashplan thread: https://helpdesk.code42.com/entries/97701857-Issue-with-Time-Machine-and-CrashPl an-on-El-Capitan

And there is now another CP thread related to Mobile Backups: https://helpdesk.code42.com/entries/98698418-Crashplan-Updates-Causing-Problems- with-Mac-mobilebackup-feature

Re Arq: Cost really depends on where you store your data and how much there is. Works very well with Amazon S3/Glacier storage. Arguably easier to use than CrashPlan, but less flexible. I also find CP's restore better (if you can stand the ugly interface).

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Time Machine doesn't recognize existence of oldest backups

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Time Machine doesn't recognize existence of oldest backups