Time Machine Verification Issue

Question

Level 1

11 points

Time Machine Verification Issue

A window just popped up saying: "Time Machine completed a verification of your backups. To improve reliability, Time Machine must create a new backup for you." It goes on to say, "Click Start New Backup to create a new backup. This will remove your existing backup history. This could take several hours."

What is this??? Does this indeed mean that I will lose ALL my backups over the past year? When I selected my Time Capsule icon and chose "Get Info", the "Sparse Disk Image Bundle" says that it is 317 GB. Since my Time Capsule is 500 GB, I assume this is not a full disk issue.

If I click on the "Start New Backup" button, will that mean my Time Capsule will be totally erased, and I will start over with a full 500 GB drive?

One clue: This afternoon I did perform an update from the "Software Update" menu item, and I installed OSX 10.6.4. Could this upgrade be the culprit? If so, have there been any other such reports of a Time Machine issue with the upgrade?

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.4), 2.53 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 320 HD, 4 GB RAM

Posted on Jun 17, 2010 8:12 PM

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Answer 1

Pondini

Level 8

38,863 points

Jan 9, 2011 10:42 AM in response to peterparker

peterparker wrote:
Pondini, thanks for the excellent guidance and documentation. For Time Machine to a shared drive on another Mac, is a separate partition for each source computer required?

No.

If the Mac it's connected to is also being backed-up to that drive, it's recommended, but not required, that those backups be in a separate partition. See #4 in [Time Machine - Frequently Asked Questions|http://web.me.com/pondini/Time_Machine/FAQ.html] (or use the link in *User Tips* at the top of this forum).

If multiple Macs are being backed-up over the network, they can each have their own partitions, or they can all share one. See #22 in the FAQ.

With network backups, the only problem to sharing a partition will be if you want or have to delete all of one Mac's backups and start anew. In that case, if the drive is already full, the new backups may tend to be "squeezed" into less space than the old ones.

The reason for that is, each Mac's network backups are in a separate sparse bundle; ordinarily they'll all share and compete for the space on the volume. Once it gets full, though, each Mac will delete the oldest of it's own backups to make room for new ones -- but it won't delete backups for a different Mac.

Thus the size of each sparse bundle will remain roughly the same. That's fine until you delete one; then the others will grow into the vacated space, leaving less for the new one to "grow" into.

Message was edited by: Pondini

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Answer 2

Jan 9, 2011 10:50 AM in response to Pondini

Got it. I re-read #22 before you posted and found the right sentence 🙂

Thanks for the further description. I'd rather forgo the partitioning for each source Mac ideally. Mainly if I decide to add another computer and didn't account for when I first partitioned. I'll give some more consideration to the deleting with shared space issue.

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Answer 3

Kaleberg

Level 1

9 points

Mar 6, 2011 12:05 PM in response to Infomaniac

I think the problem is with the phrasing. It is surprisingly cryptic. I know that there is only so much space on the alert, but the alert as currently presented is unnecessarily scary and doesn't explain the options well. The choice presented is between deleting all of one's old backups and never backing up again. Worse, it states, incorrectly, that all of one's existing backups have been effectively deleted already.

The old backups may be compromised, but not worthless. Odds are that most of them are accessible, but continuing to back up to the same sparseimage is likely to make the entire archive worthless.

If the message said something to that effect and offered a more detailed set of options, this would be much less controversial. The system should be working with you, not presenting scary and cryptic messages. It should present the situation clearly. If it can't keep updating the old archive without likely damaging it further, it should say so.

It should suggest looking at the old backup, with a suitable warning that not everything is likely to be accessible or usable. It should explain how to do this.

It should offer a useful set of options:

(1) discard the old archive and start a new one on the same disk
(2) if there is room, start a new archive and leave the old one around
(3) suggest you move the old archive to another disk and then do (1)
(4) suggest you get a new disk drive and use that instead

A corrupted backup isn't a great situation, but there is no point in making it worse.

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Answer 4

Mar 11, 2011 6:14 AM in response to Kaleberg

Hello. Having same problem. Have been backing up on my ReadyNAS+ successfully with a 1TB partition for Mac backups since i bought my Air in December wirelessly. two weeks ago, I got the verification error so many other seem to get. Went as far as turning of TimeMahine support on the NAS and rebooting it with verification and then restarting it and re-enabling TimeMachine support. Regardless of whether I connect by Airport or a USB Ethernet adapter, it seems to backup and then along comes the message again. I can successfully do TimeMachine backups to external USB drives with no problems but the NAs is easier as it can be on autopilot whenever i log in at home. Any help or advice appreciated.

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Answer 5

Mar 13, 2011 8:01 AM in response to Infomaniac

Just lost ALL my Time Machine backups since Aug 2009.

Got the unexpected pop up: "+Time machine completed a verification of your backups... must create a new backup for you.+"

Didn't click "Start New Backup". Restarted Mac, entered Time Machine on Time Capsule to check out the scene. Did a few ancient-file restores. Everything seemed fine.

So, since new backups were not going to happen until I allowed the creation of a new backup, I then clicked "Start New Backup". 4 hours later, I discover that my last backup is the only backup!

Now, I trust Apple. What I thought was a routine housekeeping task turned out to be something else altogether.

*Post Mortem:*
+Time Machine Buddy:+

+QUICKCHECK ONLY; FILESYSTEM DIRTY+
+Runtime corruption detected on /Volumes/Name's Time Capsule/Name's iMac_0016cb8d20b9.sparsebundle (fsck_hfs -q termination status: 3)+
+Network destination already mounted at: /Volumes/Name's Time Capsule+
+Backup verification failed for image /Volumes/Name's Time Capsule/Name's iMac_0016cb8d20b9.sparsebundle!+
+Moved previous backup image to /Volumes/Name's Time Capsule/Name's iMac 0016cb8d20b92011-03-12-150349.sparsebundle+
+Recovery backup declined.+
+Backup canceled.+
+Ejected Time Machine network volume.+

Losing the previous backups doesn't really matter (I have secondary backups), except that it takes the boast out of the bragging to my Windows friends without Time Machine/Time Capsule of how to magically restore long-deleted files.

What's worrying now, though, is that I got another backup error after my new laundry-fresh TM backup:

+NetAuthConnectToServerSync failed with error: 64 for url: afp://Dxxxx%20Cxxxx@Name%20Time%20Capsule. afpovertcp.tcp.local/Name's%20Time%20Capsule+
+Failed to resolve network service using name = Name Time Capsule type = afpovertcp.tcp domain = local.+
+Backup failed with error: 19+

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Answer 6

Mar 19, 2011 9:13 AM in response to Infomaniac

So my TM just failed.

Was running very, very hot... enough to fry an egg atop it.

Apparently a known issue.

Talking with Apple for a suitable replacement.

Very worrisome failure rates for Time Capsule!

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Answer 7

May 24, 2011 8:17 AM in response to Infomaniac

TC 2TB backing up 3 macs, the old iMac has had a few Verification Failed lets start a new one issue. Or the other issue just before TM gives up using the existing image for the iMac on the TC, it will offer the MB's backup to start using going forward - with the caveat the MB can't use that back anymore. All macs have SL .7 on them. This other problem - apart from losing your backups is that it doesn't delete the old "corrupt" ones and its mission to delete the bands to make room to get the backups happening again, without blowing away the whole TC.

Tried DU and DW to fix up the image but no luck. Kind of pointless though.

Here is my point - once the backup is tarnished there is nothing you can do except verify that it is tarnished.

It would b nice to determine when it goes bad and at least roll the backup back to prior to that point.

Wouldn't a TM repair utility be great?

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Answer 8

Jun 4, 2011 7:17 AM in response to gordonfromperth

Found this by the way - still struggling to get this work seemlessly. Even with a new iMac.

http://web.me.com/pondini/Time_Machine/Troubleshooting.html

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Answer 9

WayneAM

Level 1

0 points

Jan 21, 2012 7:38 AM in response to Infomaniac

I have an original Time Capsule that had a 500GB HD in it, I replaced it with a 2TB drive, 3 times (it's currently running now a total of 378.54GB) I've gotten the message

"Time Machine: About "Time Machine completed a verification of your backups. To improve reliability, Time Machine must create a new backup for you."

Do people with larger capacities get this message or is it just because I through in another Western Digital drive like one that was already in there but doesn't have the apple logo? I have the latest Lion OS and the Time Capsule was updated as soon as the firmware came out. Maybe one day I can afford a new Time Capsule but this was the next best thing as the HD was given to me.

I wanted the TC because it was a very easy and reliable solution and I loved being able to go back far in the history. Since I bought my 27" BTO iMac a few months ago with the bigger HD it only made sense to put the bigger drive in the TC.

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Answer 10

Jan 24, 2012 5:33 AM in response to WayneAM

I have been having this error message every week now for the last month or two and just thought it was me. I have no idea why. I am not terribly technical. I have two MBP connected to a WD Mybooklive. One MPB is my new one, the other is my old one.

This verification really hacks me off. I even connected my new MBP via usb to the WD Mybooklive last week to see if that made a difference. I have used disk unitlity during the week when I saw that a TM machine backup was in process and it reported all good?

We have 5 different Macs connected to this external drive and it seems mine is the only one each time that falls over.

I am just sick of starting again... luckily for me I am not losing anything!

HELP I don't know where to start. I have the TM widget - but it is all gobbledygook to me ...this is the output from the last attempt

Starting standard backup

Attempting to mount network destination using URL: afp://;AUTH=No%20User%20Authent@MyBookLive.local/TimeMachine

Mounted network destination using URL: afp://;AUTH=No%20User%20Authent@MyBookLive.local/TimeMachine

QUICKCHECK ONLY; FILESYSTEM CLEAN

Disk image /Volumes/TimeMachine/Alex.sparsebundle mounted at: /Volumes/Time Machine Backups

Backing up to: /Volumes/Time Machine Backups/Backups.backupdb

Event store UUIDs don't match for volume: Macintosh HD

Waiting for index to be ready (101)

Node requires deep traversal:/ reason:must scan subdirs|new event db|

Error (256): fetching properties: Error Domain=NSCocoaErrorDomain Code=256 UserInfo=0x106e085d0 "The file “IMG_3092.JPG” couldn’t be opened." Underlying Error=(Error Domain=NSPOSIXErrorDomain Code=5 UserInfo=0x1001e8bd0 "The operation couldn’t be completed. Input/output error")

No pre-backup thinning needed: 182.55 GB requested (including padding), 200.16 GB available

Copied 3.0 MB of 151.6 GB, 342 of 2221 items

Copied 263.7 MB of 151.6 GB, 1251 of 2221 items

Copied 266.3 MB of 151.6 GB, 1251 of 2221 items

Error writing to backup log. NSFileHandleOperationException:*** -[NSConcreteFileHandle writeData:]: Input/output error

Error: (-36) SrcErr:NO Copying /Users/alex/Laura's Backup/Iphoto2/iPhoto2/iPhoto Library Alex/Modified/2011/Turkey/IMG_5137.JPG to /Volumes/Time Machine Backups/Backups.backupdb/Alex/2012-01-20-124921.inProgress/B38C86C4-9C09-4FD3-B 776-F2F24B39F694/Macintosh HD/Users/alex/Laura's Backup/Iphoto2/iPhoto2/iPhoto Library Alex/Modified/2011/Turkey

Error writing to backup log. NSFileHandleOperationException:*** -[NSConcreteFileHandle writeData:]: Input/output error

Error: (-36) SrcErr:NO Copying /Users/alex/Laura's Backup/Iphoto2/iPhoto2/iPhoto Library Alex/Modified/2011/Turkey/IMG_5138.JPG to /Volumes/Time Machine Backups/Backups.backupdb/Alex/2012-01-20-124921.inProgress/B38C86C4-9C09-4FD3-B 776-F2F24B39F694/Macintosh HD/Users/alex/Laura's Backup/Iphoto2/iPhoto2/iPhoto Library Alex/Modified/2011/Turkey

Stopping backupd to allow ejection of backup destination disk!

Stopping backup.

Error writing to backup log. NSFileHandleOperationException:*** -[NSConcreteFileHandle writeData:]: Input/output error

Error: (-8062) SrcErr:NO Copying /Users/alex/Laura's Backup/Iphoto2/iPhoto2/iPhoto Library Alex/Modified/2011/Turkey/IMG_5138.JPG to /Volumes/Time Machine Backups/Backups.backupdb/Alex/2012-01-20-124921.inProgress/B38C86C4-9C09-4FD3-B 776-F2F24B39F694/Macintosh HD/Users/alex/Laura's Backup/Iphoto2/iPhoto2/iPhoto Library Alex/Modified/2011/Turkey

Error writing to backup log. NSFileHandleOperationException:*** -[NSConcreteFileHandle writeData:]: Input/output error

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Answer 11

DDONOVAN

Level 1

10 points

Feb 1, 2012 5:39 AM in response to Infomaniac

I am having the same issue ever since i upgraded from Snow Leopard to Lion. I have a Readnas Duo that i have been using for 2 years for backups with no issues, and i am sick and tired of having to restart my backups every week to 2 weeks.

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Answer 12

Feb 5, 2012 6:22 PM in response to Infomaniac

I got this once a week with a backup to a NAS and then started turning on my NAS, running exactly one backup and then turning it off. Sigh.

Then I accidentially turned it off in mid backup and got this message again.

I found the following link helpful (though I haven't yet done what they propose).

http://www.garth.org/archives/2011,08,27,169,fix-time-machine-sparsebundle-nas-b ased-backup-errors.html

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Answer 13

@leph

Level 1

0 points

Feb 15, 2012 11:14 AM in response to Infomaniac

I've got the same problem. Backing up by way of airport extreme to a new WDLIve drive, every two weeks TimeMachine reports some "verification error" and wants to make a new backup. I'm utterly fed up with that. Bought the WD because it's known to work with TM in the first place.

The advantage of TM is that you can go back to a specific file over a long period of time. This advantage is taken away by the thing not working right. As TM is a nice concept but Aplple never managed to execute it well, I revert to SuperDuper and let it run twice a week. Wont bother with TM anymore. Pitty that this rubish software obviously escaped Steve's attention to perfection somehow.

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Answer 14

Feb 17, 2012 5:09 AM in response to Paul Bailey3

Well I have tried an tried to follow the instructions in this link

http://www.garth.org/archives/2011,08,27,169,fix-time-machine-sparsebundle-nas-b ased-backup-errors.html

it asks me for name of your network share... not sure I know what that is but had a good guess... and took me to the next element....

where it asked me to

From the command line


chflags -R nouchg /Volumes/{name of your network share}/{name of}.sparsebundle

well couldn't get that to work AT ALL... are the { necessary... and should they be around the name of the sparse bundle.

Really fed up because ONCE AGAIN I get the message that Time Machine wants to

Reuse the backup /Volumes/TimeMachine-1/Simon.sparsebundle - which is a back up of another MBP on the same Western Digital Mybooklive .. not even mine!

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Answer 15

Feb 17, 2012 8:47 AM in response to Alex Nicholls

Usually, things in brackets and braces require you to fill them in. If you network share were named, "myns" and and your sparsebundle was named, "fedup" you might, for example, submit that line as

chflags -R nouchg /Volumes/myns/fedup.sparsebundle

But you will have to fill in those values, they can't do that for you.

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