Apple Event: May 7th at 7 am PT

Newsroom Update

Beginning in May, a special Today at Apple series titled “Made for Business” will offer small business owners and entrepreneurs free opportunities to learn how Apple products and services can support their growth and success. Learn more >

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

linedpaper Author

Level 1

10 points

Time Machine error

I just upgraded my Xserve to 10.6 server (unlimited clients) and configured Time Machine on the server. I am getting an error from multiple 10.6 clients when trying to connect to the Time Machine disk on the Xserve. I tried on an original MacMini (10.6) and a new unibody MacBook Pro (10.6.1). I know it isn't an authentication problem as I get a different error when I input an incorrect password. The error is as follows:

Time Machine can't access the backup disk "Backups".
The operation couldn't be completed. (OSStatus error 2.)

Message was edited by: linedpaper

Xserve, Mac OS X (10.6.1)

Posted on Sep 17, 2009 2:58 PM

41 replies

Mar 6, 2010 5:59 PM in response to fire00

Excellent post! Thank you that fixed my issue.

sspl

Level 1

0 points

Apr 25, 2010 3:26 PM in response to gallai

Where can I find the "Server Preferences" ???
...I couldn't find it on my mac and not at the mybook admin page 😟

Thanks for your assistance!

Jul 19, 2010 8:35 PM in response to fire00

Totally Worked! for WD Mybook.

Thank you.

Aug 2, 2010 6:19 PM in response to Coolkings

Yeah, where is this magic panel you're talking about? Think you could maybe help the rest of us out?

gissell

Level 1

0 points

Oct 10, 2010 12:44 PM in response to Scapegoat78

I believe that gallai is referring to the "System Preferences" panel, which can be found by clicking on the Apple menu->System Preferences.

From there, in the "System" section, click on "Time Machine".

You can also reach the "Time Machine" panel, by clicking on the Time Machine icon in the menu bar that is close to the clock and select "Open Time Machine preferences".

Hope this helps.

Yamiya

Level 1

15 points

Nov 8, 2010 4:34 AM in response to linedpaper

I am getting the following error.

Time Machine can't access the backup disk "WD_Backup". The operation couldn't be completed. (OSStatus error 5.)

Time machine is running well then out of a sudden today, everything just doesn't work. I tried all the methods you guys stated, I still get the same error. Please help.

k3comms

Level 1

6 points

Nov 23, 2010 8:08 AM in response to Yamiya

Hi - I sure hope someone is able to help?

I have just purchased an Iomega Storcenter IX2-200 4TB NAS device.

I have tried to use it as a TimeMachine device but when I select the TimeMachine disk from the preferences panel I receive the error 'The operation couldn’t be completed. (OSStatus error 2.)'

I have not created any users etc, the device is as it came out of the box. The TimeMachine disk automatically appeared in the Finder when I connected the IX2

Is there a 'special' userid/pw I should be using for the TimeMachine? When prompted for those details from the TM preferences I use admin/<password> - any other entry results in a message stating that the userid/password info is incorrect.

I don't want to return it because I see it as a useful device to back up my three Macs.

If anyone is able to help they will be my friend for life!!

Kind regards,

Dave.

Dec 28, 2010 3:27 PM in response to gallai

Thanks this worked - what a crazy solution.
Thanks

joe2low

Level 1

0 points

Jan 4, 2011 8:39 AM in response to k3comms

Have you come across a solution to this problem? I am having the same issues with my mac. I can not get it to backup PC's here at work either.

Jan 6, 2011 5:06 PM in response to gallai

Got a new Snow Leopard Server in November and I've been trying to figure this out.

Finally something that works (sadly in a ~1 year old post). Thank you!

Jan 12, 2011 10:49 PM in response to linedpaper

I had this (OSstatus Error 5) after bringing my MacBook Pro home from work, where I was backing up to a Time Capsule, when I was trying to connect Time Machine to the Time Machine share on my Xserve. I simply stopped the AFP service and started it again. The error went way, subsequently.

Mar 4, 2011 12:23 PM in response to D. Hoffmann

I have a My Book World Edition. I tried connecting it to Time Machine but it failed when I tried to login as WD_Backup.

My own solution was to login to the WD Control Page and go into Advanced Mode to change the password of the WD_Backup user. I had already done this several times and it failed to work. However, on this occasion I changed it to the word "backup" (without the quotes of course!) and it the next time I tried to connect with Time Machine then it finally worked! Phew!

nigelki

Level 1

8 points

Jul 29, 2011 3:01 PM in response to Yamiya

I have exactly the same problem as you had here 9months working and then 2 Macs cannot backup. I have been through all of the fixes mentioned here and in other places without any success. OSStatus error 5 happens after some login activity because if the wrong password is in the WD then it exits quickly. Clearly there is an interaction between the WD and Time Machine.

Does anybody know what "OSStatus error 5." actually means?

Aug 23, 2011 8:35 PM in response to linedpaper

Ok, I was having the same problem.

My resolution was a little different, but I believe I needed to use the same principles:

First things first:

on computer to be backed up
1. "system preferences/sharing" - make sure your machine name is NOT the same as your server (long story)
2. turn sharing off, then back on.
On your server:
1. Go into "Server Preferences" as decribed above
  1. hit "select disk", choose "none" as the option, the "apply"
  2. hit "select disk" again, choose desired backup drive, "apply"
2. Go to "Server Preferences"
  Users/Services tab, and make sure they are enabled for "Time Machine"

Sounds pretty self explanitory in retrospect, but it was plaguing me for hours.

This worked for me, but mine may have been a special circumstance. I am running 10.6.8 on a Mac Mini server. I had "moved" for lack of a better term, my wifes "user profile" from the server to a MacBook, using Time Machine/Restore. So, since my wifes profile happened to be the original profile of the server, it copied all the server's settings when I "restored" her profile to the MacBook.

I didn't even think to check the sharing setup when I tried to connect. I think that is why it kept throwing up the "servers" old short name and not my wifes new one when I tried to connect to the "time machine" drive.

So this is a total success. I am watching the Time Machine Icon happily spin away.

Oh and "yes", I love to use quotations marks......😁

LeWoz

Level 1

0 points

Sep 22, 2011 12:41 AM in response to linedpaper

Bump

SOLVED! MY BOOK WORLD EDITION

You need to chmod 755 the /var and var/lib folders.

You can do this via ssh by using the following:

open terminal

in a new terminal window type

sudo -s

then enter your password (you will need to do this in order to secure root access to your My Book World)

Then type

ssh (the IP address of your MBWE i.e. 192.168.1.10)

Password: welc0me (the o is omitted and replaced with a zero '0')

once you are in, to ensure that you are starting at the root, type 'cd /'

Then type:

chmod 755 /var

chmod 755 /var/lib

then logout.

You will then have access to the WD_Backup using the following credentials (however if you changed the password you will have to use the password you changed the user account WD_Backup to)

username: WD_Backup

Password: backup

There was a permissions issue with the /var and /var/lib folders, the timemachine folder resides within the /var/lib container and timemachine needs specific permissions in order to work.

This is fully tested and I can confirm that we have backed up all of our Macs now.

Many thanks to paulmc.org for the information

Time Machine error