Time Machine error

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Level 1

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Time Machine error

Hi all

Sorry if i am putting this post in the wrong thread. However I have a mac mini and an external 250GIG HD. It says I have about 12GB available of 250GB. Today I am getting the following message:

Time Machine Could not complete the backup.

Files cant be copied onto the backup disk because it appears to be "read only".

You may need to repair or reformat the disk using disk utility, if the disk cant be repaired, you must use a different disk for backups. Open Time Machine preferences to select backup disk.

I really do not know why I am getting the above message. I don't know why its saying read only, as when I originally set up time machine I got help from Apple care while setting it up and no longer have apple care. Shall I go ahead and do a repair disk on the time machine or what? Please can someone advise the correct thing to do here, as I do not want to make things go from bad to worse.

Thank you in advance.

abed

mac mini, Mac OS X (10.6)

Posted on Apr 7, 2010 12:41 PM

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Answer 1

Pondini

Level 8

38,863 points

Apr 7, 2010 12:50 PM in response to abz latif

abz latif wrote:
. . .
Files cant be copied onto the backup disk because it appears to be "read only".

You may need to repair or reformat the disk using disk utility, if the disk cant be repaired, you must use a different disk for backups. Open Time Machine preferences to select backup disk.

That means your backups are corrupted. 😟

Shall I go ahead and do a repair disk on the time machine

Yes.

If Disk Utility can't fix it (or +*Repair Disk+* is grayed-out, meaning OSX has already figured out that it can't fix it), +Disk Warrior+ or another such 3rd-party heavy-duty app might. DW is about $100, and probably a good investment for the future, but there's no guarantee.

Otherwise, your only option is to reformat the drive and let TM start fresh. If this happens again, the disk is likely failing, especially if it's more than about a couple of years old (they all do, sooner or later).

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Answer 2

abz latif Author

Level 1

0 points

Apr 7, 2010 1:44 PM in response to Pondini

😟 it is greyed out. I am sorry If I am sounding silly. However to reformat the disk do I go to erase in disk utility, and the format should be: mac os extended and then shall i just click on erase?

thank you

abed

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Answer 3

Pondini

Level 8

38,863 points

Apr 7, 2010 3:00 PM in response to abz latif

abz latif wrote:
😟 it is greyed out. I am sorry If I am sounding silly. However to reformat the disk do I go to erase in disk utility, and the format should be: mac os extended and then shall i just click on erase?

Yup, +Mac OS Extended (Journaled).+ You got it!

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Answer 4

abz latif Author

Level 1

0 points

Apr 9, 2010 11:36 AM in response to Pondini

Thanks for that. the external HD is working now for me on time machine, after i erased it. thanks

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Answer 5

Pondini

Level 8

38,863 points

Apr 9, 2010 11:46 AM in response to abz latif

Great! Glad it's working, and thanks for the star!

Keep an eye on it -- if this happens repeatedly, for no good reason, your external HD may be starting to fail. 😟

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