Time Machine backups fail after Catalina upgrade. It demands a whole new, additional 2 TB of space - it's trying to do a full backup instead of incremental and/or not deleting old backups like it is supposed to, so it's impossible to run.

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Time Machine backups fail after Catalina upgrade. It demands a whole new, additional 2 TB of space - it's trying to do a full backup instead of incremental and/or not deleting old backups like it is supposed to, so it's impossible to run.

Time Machine backups fail after Catalina upgrade. It demands a whole new, additional 2 TB of space - it's apparently trying to do a full backup instead of incremental and/or not deleting old backups like it is supposed to, so it's impossible to run since the exiting backup already takes up most of the allocated 2 TB on the external HD being used for Time Machine. Can't delete the old backup because when you move it to the trash (there is no way in the Time Machine Settings to delete the existing backup file) and then try to empty the trash it takes forever - been about 10-15 mins. now and it's up to 62,421 items deleted with no estimate time remaining and no visible movement in the progress bar. It's deleting about 1 file per sec.

Mac mini 2018 or later

Posted on Oct 27, 2019 3:32 PM

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Answer 1

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Lurkums

Level 4

1,511 points

Oct 27, 2019 3:42 PM in response to scottfg

Every large OS Upgrade means a large backup. It will be incremental; but it will not feel that way. If you are backup up a large Photos library it will do most of that, too, since Catalina upgraded Photos

Emptying the trash of a deleted TM backup will take a long time.

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Answer 2

scottfg Author

Level 1

17 points

Oct 27, 2019 5:32 PM in response to Lurkums

The only practical solution (aside from doubling the space allocated to TM to 4 TB [to accomplish a 2 TB backup]), it turns out, is a workaround - erase the TM volume and start over with a clean slate. This is a poor design IMHO (TM should be able to delete the existing 2 TB backup if it needs another 2 TB to run the backup after an OS upgrade). and just getting that answer from Apple took far too much time and effort. Never had this problem with a prior OS upgrade. Apple basically just wasted 1/2 of my Sunday.

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Answer 3

scottfg Author

Level 1

17 points

Oct 27, 2019 5:40 PM in response to Lurkums

Apple Support website link to get help:

Get help

goes to a 403 error page

The "Sr. Representative" sent me an email with a new case number and special link to go straight to a "Sr. Adviser". Guess where that link goes? 403 error page too!

Try starting over with no case. no.... agues where support page goes? 403 error!

ok, clear the browser cache.. no dice. Try other browser? No dice. Restart (3x). No. dice. *** apple? This is BS. Evidently my 40 years of brand loyalty means nothing to you.

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Answer 4

Oct 28, 2019 4:37 AM in response to scottfg

I do not reuse my Time Machine drives. When I perform the last backup of Mojave, that Time Machine drive never allows Catalina to back up to it. I start with a new Time Machine SSD for the Catalina backup. In that manner, I never burn my backup bridges and have a way back to Mojave if needed.

I plan to see if I can create a dual-boot Mojave/Catalina internal SSD solution. That means that I have to work some /etc/fstab magic to hide the boot and Time Machine drive from the other operating system, as well as Spotlight indexing.

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Answer 5

dialabrain

Level 10

122,483 points

Oct 28, 2019 5:01 AM in response to VikingOSX

VikingOSX wrote:

I do not reuse my Time Machine drives. When I perform the last backup of Mojave, that Time Machine drive never allows Catalina to back up to it.

Interesting. I have three Macs running Catalina that had no problem backing up to Time Machine drives that had Mojave backups on them. I also have two others running Catalina that had no problems backing up to a Time Capsule that have earlier backups and another iMac that still has Yosemite installed backing up to the same Time Capsule. Just lucky I guess. :)

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Answer 6

mjdindc

Level 1

40 points

Dec 11, 2019 3:27 PM in response to scottfg

Time Machine backup are being made, but even though I have it not backing up mail or lot files, backups are still in the GB's every time. I am backing up about 3 TB. This did not happen when I was on Mojave. All I can think it that every Catalina update is touching quite a few files and they then require a full, not incremental backup. Unfortunately a 6 GB back up takes hours and even with a 4 TB backup drive, it is constantly doing a cleanup which also takes hours so I am only getting a real back-up every couple of days.

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Answer 7

Lurkums

Level 4

1,511 points

Oct 28, 2019 1:46 AM in response to scottfg

Apple knows about the web problem. I was able to use my phone to bypass the rather weird IP address sensitive blocking and make contact.

For me that 403 error cleared last night.

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Answer 8

Oct 28, 2019 10:56 AM in response to dialabrain

It is not that Catalina couldn't back up to the Mojave Time Machine drives, it is my own policy to prevent it by using a new drive.

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Answer 9

dialabrain

Level 10

122,483 points

Oct 28, 2019 10:59 AM in response to VikingOSX

Funny wording.

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Answer 10

scottfg Author

Level 1

17 points

Oct 28, 2019 11:22 AM in response to Lurkums

I had success using my phone instead as well. The interesting thing about Apple knowing about it is that they don’t seem to tell their people who answer the phone.

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Answer 11

Oct 28, 2019 12:47 PM in response to dialabrain

Or funny reading over in PA. 🤓

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Answer 12

dialabrain

Level 10

122,483 points

Oct 28, 2019 12:58 PM in response to VikingOSX

or…

"When I perform the last backup of Mojave, that Time Machine drive never allows Catalina to back up to it".

According to the sentence, the Time Machine drive is not "allowing" it to happen. 😎

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Time Machine backups fail after Catalina upgrade. It demands a whole new, additional 2 TB of space - it's trying to do a full backup instead of incremental and/or not deleting old backups like it is supposed to, so it's impossible to run.

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