Monterey Time Machine not working

The ~/Library folder contains the problem (somewhere). Re-including it caused the backup to fail. I doubt this is news to Apple engineers. So we'll just have to wait for a version update to solve this.

Like someone else in this thread, Most of the errors were in the findmy... associated folders/files. But not all (though they may be related), eg:

2021-12-20 11:59:18  Failed to acquire device lock assertion for /Volumes/com.apple.TimeMachine.localsnapshots/Backups.backupdb/JIP MBP 14/2021-12-20-112727/Macintosh HD - Data/Users/jiporter/Library/Containers/com.apple.findmy.FindMyWidgetIntentsItems/Data/tmp error: Error Domain=NSPOSIXErrorDomain Code=22 "Invalid argument"

2021-12-20 11:59:27  Failed to acquire device lock assertion for /Volumes/com.apple.TimeMachine.localsnapshots/Backups.backupdb/JIP MBP 14/2021-12-20-112727/Macintosh HD - Data/Users/jiporter/Library/Containers/com.apple.findmy.FindMyWidgetItems/Data/Library error: Error Domain=NSPOSIXErrorDomain Code=22 "Invalid argument"

2021-12-20 11:59:27  Failed to acquire device lock assertion for /Volumes/com.apple.TimeMachine.localsnapshots/Backups.backupdb/JIP MBP 14/2021-12-20-112727/Macintosh HD - Data/Users/jiporter/Library/Containers/com.apple.findmy.FindMyWidgetItems/Data/Documents error: Error Domain=NSPOSIXErrorDomain Code=22 "Invalid argument"

2021-12-20 11:59:27  Failed to acquire device lock assertion for /Volumes/com.apple.TimeMachine.localsnapshots/Backups.backupdb/JIP MBP 14/2021-12-20-112727/Macintosh HD - Data/Users/jiporter/Library/Containers/com.apple.findmy.FindMyWidgetItems/Data/tmp error: Error Domain=NSPOSIXErrorDomain Code=22 "Invalid argument"

2021-12-20 11:59:39  Failed to acquire device lock assertion for /Volumes/com.apple.TimeMachine.localsnapshots/Backups.backupdb/JIP MBP 14/2021-12-20-112727/Macintosh HD - Data/Users/jiporter/Library/Metadata error: Error Domain=NSPOSIXErrorDomain Code=22 "Invalid argument"

2021-12-20 11:59:53  Skipping further sizing for finished volume 7CE1ECA1-9F8B-4B8E-B15C-745BE79B6BF6

2021-12-20 11:59:53  Finished copying from volume "Macintosh HD - Data"

2021-12-20 11:59:54  Saved back-up-later cache (Protected:13) at /Volumes/Time Machine+/2021-12-20-112730.inprogress/.reservations.plist

2021-12-20 11:59:54  Records for BULRecordType

2021-12-20 11:59:54  Failed postflight for destination <APFSDestination /Volumes/Time Machine+>

2021-12-20 11:59:54  Unmounted '/Volumes/com.apple.TimeMachine.localsnapshots/Backups.backupdb/JIP MBP 14/2021-12-20-112727/Macintosh HD - Data'

2021-12-20 11:59:54  Unmounted local snapshot: com.apple.TimeMachine.2021-12-20-112727.local at path: /Volumes/com.apple.TimeMachine.localsnapshots/Backups.backupdb/JIP MBP 14/2021-12-20-112727/Macintosh HD - Data source: Macintosh HD - Data

2021-12-20 11:59:54  Unmounted '/Volumes/com.apple.TimeMachine.localsnapshots/Backups.backupdb/JIP MBP 14/2021-12-20-110659/Macintosh HD - Data'

2021-12-20 11:59:54  Unmounted local snapshot: com.apple.TimeMachine.2021-12-20-110659.local at path: /Volumes/com.apple.TimeMachine.localsnapshots/Backups.backupdb/JIP MBP 14/2021-12-20-110659/Macintosh HD - Data source: Macintosh HD - Data

2021-12-20 11:59:55  Backup failed (104: BACKUP_DELAYED_UNFINISHED_PROTECTED_FILES)

I'll try again to exclude these but have zero confidence that this will work. I tried once earlier.

Since updating to Monterey 12.1 has solved TM for me so far :)

You can use Carbon Copy Cloner to backup your data volume to the external SSD. It can be set to run at a given time or repeatedly throughout the day. If the external SSD is large enough you could partition it and backup each device to a different volume. That way you've wouldn't be driving without a seatbelt so to speak.

It's in my nature (and 50 years consulting, managing in IT and being a CIO on Wall Street). I need to find where a problem is, not just what the problem is. So, I spend a lot of time problem solving and talking with Senior Techs helps solve problems. The continuation of my last post ... 

I removed these files from the "Exclude" list:

/Users/neilcooktriczar/Library/Containers/com.apple.siri.media-indexer/Data/genrenamesdataTable.tdb

/Users/neilcooktriczar/Library/Containers/com.apple.siri.media-indexer/Data/GenrenamesedgeTable.tdb

/Users/neilcooktriczar/Library/Containers/com.apple.siri.media-indexer/Data/GenrenamesfinalTable.tdb

Time Machine Backup again stopped on the first file, saying it could not be backed up.  I excluded these three files again and Backup is working again.  It's worked for more than a full day, so I'm some what confident that it will continue to work. Again, I'm using an Intel chip and the firmware for the M1 chip and the POST probably is different than for the Intel chip. I don't know why this type of problem would be related to firmware or POST processes. Look, Apple has a huge financial investment in this product and this OS. I'm sure they are working on resolving these problems. I know the OS engineers are aware of the problem and are working on resolving it. I also mentioned some other minor problems when I booted this morning, those all resolved themselves after a short period of time with minimal intervention on my part. I've passed that information on to the Senior Tech I was working with, so it will get to the engineers. No one has mention the files that Time Machine Backup stops on. Everyone is looking else where - external drives, WiFi vs Ethernet, type of format used on the Time Machine target drive. From my experience those areas are of less priority than looking at what Time Machine Backup says it's problem is. Sending logs and error reports to the engineers will identify where the problem is. Not sharing all of this information with the engineers and complaining about the problem(s) is just venting, not working towards a solution we all want. After my first two weeks of working with the Senior Tech it took the OS Engineers 2 or 3 days to release an upgrade to Monterey that resolved the problem I was experiencing. I tested it by not excluding those 3 files and the problem returned. I suggest that your note the fiile that Time Machine stops on and exclude it from the future backups. If Time Machine is successful, report that information to Apple. I have a theory of problem solving - The 15 Minute Rule. If you can't identify where the problem lies in 15 minutes, your biases will keep narrowing your search down that same unsuccessful path. You need to start over - describe the problem to someone that knows nothing about it, take a day off, address another problem. Then return to solving the problem with a new approach. This has worked for me and for my IT staff over the years.

continued in my next post..

continuation of my prior post ...

Since the problem occurs on boh the Intel Chip and the Apple M1 chip, I suspect that is not the issue. Since the problem occurs on various target disks - Apple, USB, NAS, and others. I suspect the problem is not the target disk. In addition the problem appears to be the file or folder that Time Machine is attempting to read/copy to the target disk.

I've had problems with USB external HDD over the years. Most of the time it is the USB cable, connector or port on the drive. If the problem is the drive itself, you will usually hear a clicking or not hear/feel the drive spinning. Plug another drive in to the same port, change the cable, check the seating of the cable in the port. Swap out the drive and simply copy a file to and then from that new drive. If that's successful, the problem isn't the drive and probable not the Mac's ability to write and read from an external drive. To me it points at the app attempting to write and read to/from the drive - Time Machine Backup! Since that app identifies the file/folder it is having a problem with, I would start there. Since the file Time Machine Backup stopped on wasn't always the same, but was always in the same area of the MacOS files - hidden Library:/Users/neilcooktriczar/Library/Containers/ and those folders/files are OS and app files written and used according to Apple specs, I'm pretty certain that Apple has changed something about those files, and the apps that use them - the apps all work fine, but the Time Machine Backup app seems not to have been updated to address some change that was made to that category of files.

I'm waiting for, asked for and hoping for some explination of the general discription of the problem - not specifics nor the solution, just were we looking the right place. And, I don't think the problem is completely resolved, as indicated by the new problems I encountered when I booted this morning. In some way - resolution of embbed URLs (which occured when Time Machine wasn't working, and occassionally occured with Big Sur ad the first release of Monterey (it also occurred on my Windows PCs), the resolution of aliases, the resolution of access permissions and such all probablly have the same component (routine) in the OS as the Backup problem uses.

If you've gotten this far, and still are clear-eyed, maybe you'll approach this problem by sharing more of the details of your problem directly with Apple, and not just on this forum.

Thanks and good luck.

I think you are referring to my replies. First, I spoke with a senior tech that was also very helpful. She also said the macOS engineers are aware of the problem and working on it. I thought the very recent upgrade to 12.1 was going to solve the problem, but it didn't, at least not completely. I've added the files and folders that Time Machine Backup has "objected" to (stopped on). Apparently, I removed one (as a test) or forgot to exclude one and Time Machine Backup again stopped with the same message, referring to the file that was not being excluded. What was different this time, unlike in the past, I added that file to exclude, with out closing Time Machine and then clicked on the "Ok" button on the messaged. When I then clicked on the "Ok" button, Time Machine Backup continued and finished without any errors or messages. My MacBook Pro (Intel chip, 2019 version, 16" screen) has not had any other issues as a result of excluding those files. I didn't expect any problems since I just excluded them from the Time Machine Backup.

This was the message I received when Time Machine Backup stopped. I believe if you are getting a message that says Time Machine Backup can't backup a folder or file, you should exclude that file or folder from the backup. I am skeptical that this problem is caused by the target drive, the connection of the target drive (type of connection or problem with the cable(), format of the connection drive (which I believe Time Machine would have objected to when the drive was assigned to Time Machine, cables, connections, drive can all fail, but for the Time Machine app to object and stop to that type of issue I believe that the messaged and action of the Time Machine app would be very different). I also know that many of us have difficulty describing the details of a problem or issue like this, due to the stress it causes, the biases we have about how things work and what is causing a problem and in describing what has happened to others. This belief includes users, support personnel, technicians and engineers - it's just part of our psychology and problem solving process. I have this belief based on decades of IT management and on post graduate research in neuropsychology. It just is the way we are in my opinion.

I do expect the macOS engineers to release another update "cleaning" up this issue so we don't have to wait for a problem to occur and then exclude the file or folder that Time Machine Backup is unable to backup.

Maybe I just have too much faith and too much experience (causing me to have my own bias).

I believe it is in the subfolder "Containers" - /Users/username/Library/Containers/com.apple.siri.media-indexer/Data/artistnamesfinalTable.tdb. Try excluding the offending "Containers" folder or all the "Containers" folders.

jinet, I've had success excluding the container folder and excluding the specific files that Time Machine objected too. This is NOT an unproven guess. And it HAS worked (for me) consistently since I first identified the container file that was being objected to. I've also posted the specific locations and files that Time Machine failed on. I haven't ever said that these may be the only files and only these files/folders need to be excluded. I believe that the files/folders that Time Machine fails on very likely with be different for others. There are too many variables to recommend a specific file/folder. Excluding the Library file probably will work since the container folders are all in the Library folder. I just don't know the consequences of excluding any file or folder would have if you needed to restore that folder or files. I don't know how the apps and OS use what's in the Library or Container folders. Excluding any files or folders in the Hidden sections of the OS will only be an issue if you have to restore the OS. And reinstalling the OS from an image source instead of the Time Machine seems to be Apple's preference. I don't know if the Library or Container folders are deleted or overwritten when the OS is reinstalled, and in many instances I know Apple won't be able to state, since they are mostly third party apps. Reinstalling those apps if they don't work properly after reinstalling the OS probably will be fine. While Senior Tech I worked with expressed concern that the files where in the Container folder, I haven't experienced any issues with the apps who's container files I excluded from the backups - because I haven't needed to restore a backup that contains them. Also, remember this past week a Time Machine backup stopped with the same message as before objecting to the same file in the container it had objected to previously. But when I clicked on "Ok" it continued the backup and competed it with out another error.

According to this article APFS format doesn't work on Time Machine with Monterey. If so, Apple needs to clarify the format required. FYI only, no guarantees. Make sure your existing Time Machine data is backed up independently if you erase and reformat an external drive.

https://www.stellarinfo.com/article/time-machine-not-working-on-macos-monterey.php

If the external hard drive you are using on your macOS Monterey-powered Mac is not correctly formatted, it will become incompatible with the Time Machine feature. This is a probable reason for the Mac Time Machine not working issue. The default file system for most external hard drives is FAT and NTFS (suitable for Windows), but the Time Machine does not support these file systems. Moreover, the APFS file system supported by Mac is also not compatible with Time Machine. Check the file system of your external hard drive as under:

• Connect the hard drive to your Mac system.
• Open Finder and select the drive from the sidebar on left.
• Right-click and select Get Info option. Alternatively, press Command + I.
• The file system format of your hard drive will appear in the Backups Info window.

If the format of your external hard drive is one of the unsupported file system formats, you need to reformat your drive and change the file system. To change the file system format, follow the steps below:

Step 1: Connect the external drive to your Mac system.

Step 2: Open the Finder from Dock and click Applications > Utilities > Disk Utility.

Step 3: From the list on the left side of Disk Utility window, select your external drive.

Step 4: Click Erase button on the top of window.

Step 5: In the pop up window, change the format of your drive to Mac OS Extended (Journaled) and click Erase.

I tried that and leaving the library file out still does not work. Use CCC until Apple sort, this if ever.

Reformat the share or the drive ( ie external) then retry.

I use CCC too: a tool like this is mandatory when you want to back up external drives. And it is oh so fast and efficient. I use it so the separate items on the backup are not erased when changes are made. Great when managing photo's and video's a lot.

Today,

• I erased the whole time capsule disk, by going to Airport Properties,
• changed the name of the disk to a new (different) one,
• set up Time Machine once more

and the new backup started right away without any issues (thus dar)

The problem certainly is limited or restricted to the M1 chip. I have a 2021 iMac with a M1 & a 2020 MBP16 with an Intel. Both were backing up fine to a drive connected to an Airport Extreme under Big Sur. After the upgrade to Monterey, the M1 continued to backup to the Airport Extreme, and the Intel stopped. I reformatted an external drive to APFS & connected it to the iMac via USB as a shared drive. TimeMachine backups are now working fine for both machines. On the bright side, the only reason I haven't replaced my Airport Extreme is due to the TimeMachine backup capability. Since Apple destroyed that capability with the introduction of Monterey I can replace Airport Extreme with something better.

Are you running Monterey 12.1 or 12? You should update to 12.1. When Time Machine stops does it have a message? Exclude the container folder that Time Machine objects to. Also, just click on "OK" when it stops with that message, don't quit or force quit Time Machine. If I just click "Ok" Time Machine continues and completes the backup.

Time Machine Backup has been working for me, for about a month. The backups that initially were attempted when this problem first occurred for me do not exist. I don't know anything about the amount of space on the Time Machine drive, but I do know that Time Machine calculates a percentage of the size of the drive and always leaves that amount free. I don't think it has nothing to do with the size of the source drive, just the amount of disk space Time Machine needs to perform the backup. All the older backups are deleted to create more space for the current backup process. I don't know the purpose of formating the target drive, switching the target drive, unless your are getting an error that points to the drive itself, or the Mac can't see the drive when you boot. In my experience External USB HDD are susceptible to problems with the USB port (changing the cable doesn't help). I'd try "First Aid" first, then copying a file from the drive to another location. If that works, the drive is fine. Create a new file (just a test file, that's of no value to you) saved some place that Time Machine will back it up. Then try to restore it from Time Machine.

It's clear to me that this problem is not simple and obvious. But at the same time the posts I'm reading here seem to be taking a shot gun approach - just trying things that are not based on logic and information that can be gleaned from all these posts. People have formatted, replace HDDs, and cables with no success. Repeating those attempts is frustration and a waste of time and effort. Also, I've asked specific questions about what happens when Time Machine Backup stops/fails, what version of Monterey being used, what level of support tech they are working with, if they are certain that the tech they are working with knows about the problem and has information/confirmation/contact with OS Engineers.

If you can't get a complete backup with Time Machine it is reasonable to use another app to backup critical data. You will have to track/log when (time and date) backups were made with the other app, when Time Machine stopped succeeding at making backups, so that if you need to restore information you know where to restore from.