"backup disk image could not be created" error

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"backup disk image could not be created" error

I have an Airport Time Capsule 3rd generation that I've recently connected to a Macbook Air running High Sierra. When I try to do a backup, I get the error message, "backup disk image could not be created". Looking online for solutions to this problem, many have recommended that the Mac and the network need to be named with simple names (few characters, no punctuation). Both are named appropriately.

The Mac and a PC are able to see and connect to the Time Capsule.

Any other suggestions on how to diagnose and/or fix this problem?

Time Capsule

Posted on Feb 10, 2019 7:01 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Bob Timmons

Community+ 2024

Level 10

159,170 points

Feb 11, 2019 10:32 AM in response to BrianVogt

Not sure how far that you want to try to go with this, but I would not trust any hard drive that was 5-6 years old with my backups unless I had another backup plan already in place. That being said, here is what I would suggest:

Run First Aid on your Mac's hard drive to make sure that does not have any errors present that would interfere with Time Machine backups. To do that......

Open Disk Utility (Finder > Applications > Utilities > Disk Utility)

Click on the Mac's hard drive.....likely named Macintosh HD.....on the left panel

Click First Aid at the top of the window

It might take 15-60 minutes or more for the process to complete, depending on how much data is stored on the Time Capsule disk.

If you cannot part with the old backups stored on the Time Capsule hard drive, connect a USB drive to the Time Capsule's USB port and use the Archive function in AirPort Utility / Disks tab to copy the data over to the USB drive.

Then, erase the Time Capsule hard drive using the Zero Out Data option to completely erase the Time Capsule hard to wipe the drive clean to hopefully eliminate any disk errors, so you can start over with a new backup. The Zero Out Data erase might take 7-10 hours or more depending on the size of the Time Capsule hard drive.

Once the Time Capsule hard drive erase is complete, try to run a new backup of the Mac.

If you used the Archive function to copy the existing backups on the Time Capsule drive over to the USB drive, you might want to keep those backups around for a month or two in case you need to go back and pick up a file. Chances are, you won't need the old backups after a month or two and you can erase the USB drive and use it as a spare.

Unfortunately, there are no guarantees that erasing the Time Capsule drive and starting over will help to solve your problem. In other words, the only question here will likely be "when"........"not if".......you see the error message again.

If it were me, I would simply stop using the Time Capsule........(its time has passed)......and connect a USB drive directly to your Mac to back up using Time Machine. This method would be far more reliable than trying to back up to a Time Capsule.

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Answer 2

BrianVogt Author

Level 1

11 points

Feb 11, 2019 11:49 AM in response to Bob Timmons

Thanks so much for the detailed instructions. I'll try that, but also understand the concern about trying to maintain this setup with such an old system. I have the time capsule sitting in another part of the house (via powerline) and it serves two purposes for me:

Extends my wifi network to that other section of the house
Provides a local network backup solution that is automatic (using the Mac Time Machine) and not physically near the Mac

Connecting the USB drive to the computer doesn't meet the need of having a remotely located backup. It also doesn't provide the wifi extension.

Another option, of course, is to buy a separate (non time capsule) backup drive that I would use to replace the time capsule. I'd also need to add a wifi hotspot. And then have to deal with a backup drive that might not play well with the Mac time machine. But with the problems I'm currently having, potential hiccups with a non-Mac drive may not be such a big deal, in comparison.

A final option is to just do an online backup but that requires a recurring monthly fee which I'd like to avoid.

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Answer 3

Feb 10, 2019 8:27 PM in response to BrianVogt

I have an Airport Time Capsule 3rd generation that I've recently connected to a Macbook Air running High Sierra.

Sorry, but I am not clear on whether you are saying that the MacBook Air has been able to back up previously and is now having problems......or......whether you are saying that you are trying to back up the MacBook Air for the first time and cannot.

Can you clarify on that please?

Unfortunately, Sierra and High Sierra have basically broken Time Machine for many users and Mojave has not improved things, so a happy ending here will be difficult to achieve. The following message appears far too often:

Even if we can get things working, the 3rd Gen Time Capsule is at least 7+ years old and as much as 10 depending on when it was first placed into service. The average useful life of this model was about 3-4 years so the Time Capsule is well past its time. Hopefully you have an active second backup plan already in place.

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Answer 4

BrianVogt Author

Level 1

11 points

Feb 11, 2019 9:06 AM in response to Bob Timmons

Bob,

It's the first time I've tried to do the backup with the Macbook Air. I had previously been using the time capsule to backup from a different Macbook (a model from around 2010) but recently upgraded to the Macbook Air. There still is the sparsebundle file on the time capsule from the other 2010 Macbook's backup. I assume that shouldn't be an issue because my understanding is that you can back up multiple macs on one time capsule as long as there is adequate space. There is plenty of space available.

I did actually receive the "time machine completed a verification..." message that you identified because I was able yesterday (I thought) to actually do a backup after many "backup disk image can't be created errors". After I emptied the trash folder, that seemed to unexpectedly break the logjam and it seemed that the Macbook Air was actually going to to do the backup. The Macbook Air went through the long process of backing up, it seemed, but then I got that message about completing a verification. It puzzled me because I thought that I had just done the backup (and not a verification) and then when I clicked on the "start new backup" I started getting the "backup disk image can't be created" error again. I checked on the time capsule directory and there was no new backup image there.

My Macbook is asking me to upgrade to Mojave and I'll likely do that soon, but it sounds like, from what you've said, that is unlikely to solve the problem, correct?

Sounds like there are plenty of challenges using the Time Capsule with the newer operating systems, but would certainly appreciate any tips on how I might get this to work.

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Answer 5

Feb 11, 2019 12:15 PM in response to BrianVogt

I understand, but I would not continue using the Time Capsule for backups unless I had another backup plan in place and could afford to lose the backups on the Time Capsule.

One option might be to consider continuing to use the Time Capsule to extend the network and connect a USB drive to the Time Capsule to back up to the USB drive. That way, when the drive fails on the Time Capsule.....(it is overdue)......you won't lose your backups.

But, it's your call. The first order of business is to see whether or not the Time Capsule will even be able to back up at all.

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"backup disk image could not be created" error

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