Time Machine stuck on 'Preparing Backup', and having stopped and moved "in progress" file to Trash, now Trash won't empty.

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AC191015 Author

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6 points

Time Machine stuck on 'Preparing Backup', and having stopped and moved "in progress" file to Trash, now Trash won't empty.

My Time Machine stuck on "Preparing Backup". I tried several times. Restarted - still wouldn't do it (even though the backup disk connects and reads is fine). So, having Googled, I followed recommendations to delete the 'In progress" file from the backup disk. So now, it and some previous ones, are in Trash, which means that Trash won't empty because such files are protected by SIP. I gather turning off SIP to get rid of them then turning it back on, might work, but I'm still left with the problem of Time Machine sticking on "Preparing backup"! Any ideas, please?

Posted on Jul 16, 2021 7:43 AM

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Answer 1

AC191015 Author

Level 1

6 points

Jul 16, 2021 7:53 AM in response to AC191015

Update - now it's backing up! Presumably because I've just had the hard disc erased and restored, it's decided to back up the whole hard disk! So my remaining problem is - how to empty the Trash, including the "In progress" files that I put there earlier! Any good advice on that? I've done the most obvious recommended things, but it looks like I might have to turn off SIP to do it. Is that wise?

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Time Machine stuck on 'Preparing Backup', and having stopped and moved "in progress" file to Trash, now Trash won't empty.

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