Time Machine cannot back up to TimeCapsule

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57 points

Time Machine cannot back up to TimeCapsule

The last Time Machine backup I have is late last night. Since then, I cannot back up to the drive in my Time Capsule.

One suggested fix was to verify the existing backups. When I try to do this, I get

Time Machine couldn’t verify your backups on “RPG Office AirPort Time Capsule” because verification was interrupted.

Interruptions are usually caused by network problems. Try again after the network problems are resolved.

However, there is no sign of any network issue -- I am connected to the drive, the TimeCapsule looks fine when checked using the AirPort Utility.

I looked in the console for reports about `backupd` and found some information, but I'm not sure what to do about it:

error	13:33:55.648789-0500	backupd	Failed to copy '/Volumes/Recovery/F73440A1-4745-4C78-935F-CA94C4CEF79D'to '/Volumes/Time Machine Backups/Backups.backupdb/RPG MacBook Pro/2020-09-25-130927.inProgress/38E6FDFC-AFD5-46A1-823C-8DC6D27E4A84/Recovery', error: -43, srcErr: NO
error	13:33:55.843749-0500	backupd	Copy stage failed with error: Error Domain=com.apple.backupd.ErrorDomain Code=11 "(null)"
default	13:33:56.106252-0500	kernel	apfs_vfsop_unmount:1681: /dev/disk1: unmounting volume 'com.apple.TimeMachine.2020-09-25-130929.local'
default	13:33:56.313874-0500	kernel	apfs_vfsop_unmount:1681: /dev/disk1: unmounting volume 'com.apple.TimeMachine.2020-09-25-130929.local'
default	13:33:56.552755-0500	kernel	apfs_vfsop_unmount:1681: /dev/disk1: unmounting volume 'com.apple.TimeMachine.2020-09-24-203319.local'
default	13:33:56.804331-0500	kernel	apfs_vfsop_unmount:1681: /dev/disk1: unmounting volume 'com.apple.TimeMachine.2020-09-24-203319.local'
error	13:34:09.403978-0500	backupd	Backup failed with error 11: 11
default	13:34:09.707941-0500	distnoted	register name: com.apple.TimeMachine.LoggingConfigurationChanged object: kCFNotificationAnyObject token: f428f pid: 38797
error	13:34:14.203636-0500	backupd	Failed to unmount '/Volumes/.timemachine/RPG Office AirPort Time Capsule._afpovertcp._tcp.local./FE9F1201-E711-4BB8-AEFB-AF7CB6E9B7AB/RPG Backup', error: Error Domain=com.apple.diskmanagement Code=0 "No error" UserInfo={NSDebugDescription=No error, NSLocalizedDescription=No Error.}

any idea what this might mean?

these:

MacBook Pro 16″, macOS 10.15

Posted on Sep 25, 2020 12:18 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Bob Timmons

Community+ 2024

Level 10

159,614 points

Sep 26, 2020 1:11 PM in response to rpg25

The verfication ran, but reported only that it would have to build a new backup from scratch.

This would confirm that your backup file had become corrupted and was no longer useable, so Time Machine had to erase the existing backups and start all over again with a new backup.

To be honest, I haven't been impressed with Time Machine of late: I have had to rebuild my backups like this enough times over the years, that it doesn't provide the peace of mind it used to: it feels like if my disk fails there's only a "good chance," I'll be able to restore -- there's a disturbingly large chance that my backup will turn out to be corrupt.

Time Machine is no longer reliable as your sole backup plan. Use another backup application like Carbon Copy Cloner or SuperDuper in addition to Time Machine. You can back up to the Time Capsule using these applications, but better yet would be to use a separate USB drive connected directly to your Mac.

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Answer 2

Sep 25, 2020 12:23 PM in response to rpg25

Power off the Time Capsule

Restart your Mac and any other Macs that are backing up to the Time Capsule

Power the Time Capsule back up again

Run the Verify Backups check again. The procedure will take anywhere from a few minutes to 60+ minutes depending on how much data is stored on the Time Capsule hard drive

Post back on your results

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Answer 3

rpg25 Author

Level 1

57 points

Sep 26, 2020 12:18 PM in response to Bob Timmons

Thanks, @Bob. I was able to run the verification after rebooting both my laptop and the Time Capsule.

The answers were -- I guess I'd have to say "meh." The verfication ran, but reported only that it would have to build a new backup from scratch.

So I guess your response sort of solved my problem -- it got me backing up to the Time Capsule again, but it's a pyrrhic victory, since it cost me my entire backup history.

To be honest, I haven't been impressed with Time Machine of late: I have had to rebuild my backups like this enough times over the years, that it doesn't provide the peace of mind it used to: it feels like if my disk fails there's only a "good chance," I'll be able to restore -- there's a disturbingly large chance that my backup will turn out to be corrupt.

I'll post again when the Mother of all Backups completes...

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Answer 4

rpg25 Author

Level 1

57 points

Sep 26, 2020 1:15 PM in response to Bob Timmons

That's good advice. I bought what I hope is a high quality drive from One World Computing, and have been using that with ChronoSync as my "backup backup" plan.

I bought this drive because inexpensive external USB drives have, in my experience, been less reliable than the Apple hardware they are meant to secure.

Thanks for your help.

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Time Machine cannot back up to TimeCapsule

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