FCP backup taking forever!

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Level 1

18 points

FCP backup taking forever!

I upgraded to Big Sur and FCP 10.5.4 a couple of months ago. Ever since then, it seems like FCP takes FOREVER to backup my library which it does about every 15 minutes. This wouldn't be so annoying if it would just do it in the background like it's supposed to, but now I often get the spinning wheel of death and I have to stop working to let it finish the backup before I can continue. My library isn't large - it's less than 83 GB. My media and Library are both on an external drive and I leave media in place when I import. My external drive is 6 TB G-Drive Thunderbolt 3 formatted with Mac OS Extended (Journaled) and there's 5 TB free space. My Mac internal drive is a 1 TB with 450 GB free.

Why does this backing up take soooooo long? And why is it getting in my way now. I never used to even notice it before.

I'm working on an iMac (late 2015) with 8 GB of RAM. OS 11.6 FCP 10.5.4

iMac 21.5″, macOS 11.6

Posted on Oct 12, 2021 3:43 PM

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Answer 1

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

152,819 points

Oct 12, 2021 10:32 PM in response to Nordicnorm

I suspect CleanMyMac has broken something. It’s a horrible application on pro apps. It should be uninstalled, but if it has removed a system component the damage has already been done. The usual remedy is to do a clean install of the OS, migrating only users, and reinstalling applications.

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Answer 2

Oct 13, 2021 5:05 AM in response to Nordicnorm

As Tom said: cleanmymac has probably corrupted your system.

Also, there is plenty of very old stuff in there.

At this point you should really make two full backups, erase and install and then migrate ONLY the user accounts.

This will get all your media, documents, etc, in a clean system.

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Answer 3

Oct 13, 2021 8:28 AM in response to Nordicnorm

Before you start the drastic work have you tried deleting the preferences which only takes seconds?

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Answer 4

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

152,819 points

Oct 12, 2021 4:01 PM in response to Nordicnorm

Do you get a message that the library is backed up? Could you post a screenshot?

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Answer 5

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

152,819 points

Oct 12, 2021 4:24 PM in response to Nordicnorm

I meant of the message if one appeared. If it’sa spinning beach ball I’m not sure it’s because it’s doing a backup but something else. You might want to post an EtreCheck report.

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Answer 6

Alchroma

Level 7

23,918 points

Oct 12, 2021 7:00 PM in response to Nordicnorm

If you open the Backgrounds Tasks (command-9) is anything active in the Backups field?

Do you know exactly where your Backups are directed?

Al

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Answer 7

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

152,819 points

Oct 13, 2021 8:46 AM in response to Ian R. Brown

It's a background task. Theoretically about every 15 minutes. Like snapshots not all are held. It's very quick, or should be, as it's just the library database file.

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Answer 8

Nordicnorm Author

Level 1

18 points

Oct 12, 2021 4:21 PM in response to Tom Wolsky

I don’t think I’ve ever had a message that the library was backed up, not even before this started. At least I don’t remember seeing that before. I’m not at my computer right now, but I’ll post a screenshot when I’m back at it. A screenshot of what exactly?

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Answer 9

Nordicnorm Author

Level 1

18 points

Oct 12, 2021 7:17 PM in response to Alchroma

Yes, I can open Background Tasks and watch the slowly moving progress bars. It's backing up to my internal operating drive in my Movies folder which I believe is the default.

I just did a test. I waited for FCP to start backing up and I timed it. It took over 17 minutes from start to finish. It went from 0% to the 80s in about three minutes then slowly crept from 82% to 89% for about 12 minutes then finally finished off within the last minute. At this rate, if FCP is supposed to do a backup about every 15 minutes, it will be constantly backing up. Crazy!

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Answer 10

Alchroma

Level 7

23,918 points

Oct 13, 2021 3:33 AM in response to Tom Wolsky

Not 100% sure if it is.

I do know that iCloud Drive is not as simple as it may seem.

Lots of users get in a tangle without even knowing it, data is either doubled up or lost.

I personally feel it is too intergrated with the System.

One needs at least a basic understanding of where the data is going.

Al

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Answer 11

Nordicnorm Author

Level 1

18 points

Oct 13, 2021 8:05 AM in response to Alchroma

Gentlemen:

It would appear I have some work to do! I did install Cleanmymac many years ago but I thought I had uninstalled it. I guess I need the equivalent to CMM to clean it all out. lol.

As for iCloud Drive, I don’t even use it for anything so I doubt if that’s in play. However I will check into it.

As suggested, I will have to do a clean install of the OS and apps. (Ouch!!). In the meantime, I thank you all for your input and advice. This forum rocks!

I’ll let you know how things work out.

Norm

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Answer 12

Nordicnorm Author

Level 1

18 points

Oct 13, 2021 12:25 PM in response to Tom Wolsky

Hi Tom:

Could you please point me in the right direction for reliable info on doing a clean OS install, migrating users only? There's lots of info online but it all scares the heck out of me. Are there any instructions I can follow?

Thanks in advance.

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Answer 13

Nordicnorm Author

Level 1

18 points

Oct 13, 2021 3:16 PM in response to Tom Wolsky

A couple of questions:

"In Recovery select Reinstall macOS" - will it install the latest version of Big Sur or the OS I bought the computer with?

"formatting it APFS with GUID partitioning, that should be the default for an SSD." - I don't have an SSD drive. My internal is a mechanical 5400 rpm drive with these volumes:

EFI:

Capacity: 209.7 MB (209,715,200 bytes)

File System: MS-DOS FAT32

BSD Name: disk0s1

Content: EFI

Volume UUID: BDC1974F-6B8C-3DAE-9DB2-3AA3C17BF506

disk0s2:

Capacity: 1 TB (999,995,129,856 bytes)

BSD Name: disk0s2

Content: Apple_APFS

Are these the volumes I will be deleting?

Sorry for the dumb questions. I don't do this every day - in fact, I don't think I've ever done it.

Appreciate your help.

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Answer 14

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

152,819 points

Oct 13, 2021 4:32 PM in response to Nordicnorm

What does it come up with? Did you get Internet Recovery?

You can download Big Sur from the App Store and create a bootable USB installer. There are a couple of different ways to do this. Do a internet search for the procedure to build the disk.

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Answer 15

Nordicnorm Author

Level 1

18 points

Oct 12, 2021 7:21 PM in response to Tom Wolsky

Hi Tom:

I ran EtreCheck and it found a bit of adware which I've cleaned up. Not sure what else it shows if anything. I'll attach it so you can take a look if you don't mind. And Thanks!

Etrecheck Report

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FCP backup taking forever!

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