Time Machine "Waiting to Compete First Backup" but looked like it did create the backup in ".inprogress" folder, and is running hourly and creating ".interrupted" folders

Surely this must be a bug with macOS Monterey 12.0.1 running on Apple Silicone? It's working perfectly fine from my Intel X86 MacBook Pro, but ever since macOS Monterey it has never worked on my Apple Silicone Mac mini.

I even tried to restore my Mac mini using the 12.0.1 IPSW through Apple Configurator and setting it up completely fresh. No Rosetta2 enable or anything. Still getting:

2021-11-11 15:08:40 Failed to acquire device lock assertion for /Volumes/com.apple.TimeMachine.localsnapshots/Backups.backupdb/Anduril-Macmini/2021-11-11-150305/Macintosh HD - Data/Users/ramguy/Library/Containers/com.apple.findmy.FindMyWidgetPeople/Data/Library error: Error Domain=NSPOSIXErrorDomain Code=22 "Invalid argument"

2021-11-11 15:08:40 Failed to acquire device lock assertion for /Volumes/com.apple.TimeMachine.localsnapshots/Backups.backupdb/Anduril-Macmini/2021-11-11-150305/Macintosh HD - Data/Users/ramguy/Library/Containers/com.apple.findmy.FindMyWidgetPeople/Data/Documents error: Error Domain=NSPOSIXErrorDomain Code=22 "Invalid argument"

2021-11-11 15:08:40 Failed to acquire device lock assertion for /Volumes/com.apple.TimeMachine.localsnapshots/Backups.backupdb/Anduril-Macmini/2021-11-11-150305/Macintosh HD - Data/Users/ramguy/Library/Containers/com.apple.findmy.FindMyWidgetPeople/Data/tmp error: Error Domain=NSPOSIXErrorDomain Code=22 "Invalid argument"

2021-11-11 15:08:46 Failed to acquire device lock assertion for /Volumes/com.apple.TimeMachine.localsnapshots/Backups.backupdb/Anduril-Macmini/2021-11-11-150305/Macintosh HD - Data/Users/ramguy/Library/Containers/com.apple.findmy.FindMyWidgetIntentsPeople/Data/Library error: Error Domain=NSPOSIXErrorDomain Code=22 "Invalid argument"

2021-11-11 15:08:46 Failed to acquire device lock assertion for /Volumes/com.apple.TimeMachine.localsnapshots/Backups.backupdb/Anduril-Macmini/2021-11-11-150305/Macintosh HD - Data/Users/ramguy/Library/Containers/com.apple.findmy.FindMyWidgetIntentsPeople/Data/Documents error: Error Domain=NSPOSIXErrorDomain Code=22 "Invalid argument"

2021-11-11 15:08:46 Failed to acquire device lock assertion for /Volumes/com.apple.TimeMachine.localsnapshots/Backups.backupdb/Anduril-Macmini/2021-11-11-150305/Macintosh HD - Data/Users/ramguy/Library/Containers/com.apple.findmy.FindMyWidgetIntentsPeople/Data/tmp error: Error Domain=NSPOSIXErrorDomain Code=22 "Invalid argument"

2021-11-11 15:08:47 Failed to acquire device lock assertion for /Volumes/com.apple.TimeMachine.localsnapshots/Backups.backupdb/Anduril-Macmini/2021-11-11-150305/Macintosh HD - Data/Users/ramguy/Library/Containers/com.apple.findmy.FindMyWidgetIntentsItems/Data/Library error: Error Domain=NSPOSIXErrorDomain Code=22 "Invalid argument"

2021-11-11 15:08:47 Failed to acquire device lock assertion for /Volumes/com.apple.TimeMachine.localsnapshots/Backups.backupdb/Anduril-Macmini/2021-11-11-150305/Macintosh HD - Data/Users/ramguy/Library/Containers/com.apple.findmy.FindMyWidgetIntentsItems/Data/Documents error: Error Domain=NSPOSIXErrorDomain Code=22 "Invalid argument"

2021-11-11 15:08:47 Failed to acquire device lock assertion for /Volumes/com.apple.TimeMachine.localsnapshots/Backups.backupdb/Anduril-Macmini/2021-11-11-150305/Macintosh HD - Data/Users/ramguy/Library/Containers/com.apple.findmy.FindMyWidgetIntentsItems/Data/tmp error: Error Domain=NSPOSIXErrorDomain Code=22 "Invalid argument"

I've tried First Aid. I have tried to complete the first run in Safe Mode etc. Nothing seems to fix it for me. Just for fun I used the IPSW for macOS Big Sur 11.6 and then I have no issues with Time Machine Backups at all.

Yes, it does seem like a bug in the 12.x OS. I reported it to apple using the feedback assistant, probably would be good if as many people do that as possible to encourage them to look into it. The fact that we have a workaround doesn't mean they don't have anything to fix on their end.

OK, now it's broken again... today's incremental backup did not finish, and the log contains the same errors:

2021-11-11 08:36:47  Failed to acquire device lock assertion for /Volumes/com.apple.TimeMachine.localsnapshots/Backups.backupdb/Dmitry’s MacBook Pro/2021-11-11-081040/Macintosh HD - Data/Users/dima/Library/Containers/com.apple.findmy.FindMyWidgetIntentsItems/Data/Library error: Error Domain=NSPOSIXErrorDomain Code=22 "Invalid argument"

2021-11-11 08:36:47  Failed to acquire device lock assertion for /Volumes/com.apple.TimeMachine.localsnapshots/Backups.backupdb/Dmitry’s MacBook Pro/2021-11-11-081040/Macintosh HD - Data/Users/dima/Library/Containers/com.apple.findmy.FindMyWidgetIntentsItems/Data/Documents error: Error Domain=NSPOSIXErrorDomain Code=22 "Invalid argument"

2021-11-11 08:36:47  Failed to acquire device lock assertion for /Volumes/com.apple.TimeMachine.localsnapshots/Backups.backupdb/Dmitry’s MacBook Pro/2021-11-11-081040/Macintosh HD - Data/Users/dima/Library/Containers/com.apple.findmy.FindMyWidgetIntentsItems/Data/tmp error: Error Domain=NSPOSIXErrorDomain Code=22 "Invalid argument"

2021-11-11 08:36:52  Skipping further sizing for finished volume CBE706D6-8277-436A-B095-D361CED744E6

2021-11-11 08:36:52  Finished copying from volume "Macintosh HD - Data"

2021-11-11 08:36:53  Saved back-up-later cache (Protected:3) at /Volumes/Backup/2021-11-11-081042.inprogress/.reservations.plist

2021-11-11 08:36:53  Records for BULRecordType

2021-11-11 08:36:53  Failed postflight for destination <APFSDestination /Volumes/Backup>

2021-11-11 08:36:53  Unmounted '/Volumes/com.apple.TimeMachine.localsnapshots/Backups.backupdb/Dmitry’s MacBook Pro/2021-11-11-081040/Macintosh HD - Data'

2021-11-11 08:36:53  Unmounted local snapshot: com.apple.TimeMachine.2021-11-11-081040.local at path: /Volumes/com.apple.TimeMachine.localsnapshots/Backups.backupdb/Dmitry’s MacBook Pro/2021-11-11-081040/Macintosh HD - Data source: Macintosh HD - Data

2021-11-11 08:36:54  Unmounted '/Volumes/com.apple.TimeMachine.localsnapshots/Backups.backupdb/Dmitry’s MacBook Pro/2021-11-10-152101/Macintosh HD - Data'

2021-11-11 08:36:54  Unmounted local snapshot: com.apple.TimeMachine.2021-11-10-152101.local at path: /Volumes/com.apple.TimeMachine.localsnapshots/Backups.backupdb/Dmitry’s MacBook Pro/2021-11-10-152101/Macintosh HD - Data source: Macintosh HD - Data

2021-11-11 08:36:54  Backup failed (104: BACKUP_DELAYED_UNFINISHED_PROTECTED_FILES)

The problem also came back for me after fixing it by doing one backup in safe mode, and then another 1-2 in normal mode completed the same day, but the next day backups failed again for the same reason.

I confirm: Same here, after safe mode all went fine and after 3 backups in normal mode autoswitch back to not working...

So it must be a bug with 12.0.1, i report back to support.

Again with: "Backup failed (104: BACKUP_DELAYED_UNFINISHED_PROTECTED_FILES)"

I ran into the same problem. First Aid did not help, but what definitely worked was excluding the Containers folder from backup. After doing that it backed up just fine, so it's something funky about the "FindMyWidget" for whatever reason.

So yes, after disabling backup of the Containers folder, backups worked perfectly. I tried adding it back in after I got a successful backup and it goes back to silently failing. So something is wonky with those files but not sure what.

Also, it does not seem to be affected by having FindMy on or off. It was failing either way.

Thanks to everyone who reported this directly to apple as a bug. I checked my bug report just now, the status says more than 10 people reported a similar issue, and a potential fix has been identified for a future OS update. Hopefully the next update will include a fix.

Hi

Just an update from my side and to confirm most of your ideas.

I reported the fact to Apple support and did several test runs and was transfered to their senior support dept. During the test runs I did a lot of of stuff discussed here in this thread and provided Apple also with logfiles excerpts. The senior was open to and wanted to fix that thing;-)

Result: The only thing that helps currently was the exclusion of the FindMy folders in time machine. Since it works now, Apple left this and that said it is a workaround until a potential fix arises in a future update. Have a nice backup;-)

@Apple, this is really frustrating!

I noticed that my backups no longer work. Then I looked for the problem on my NAS, then repaired the hard drive several times and then I found this report.

It took me many hours of time!

Mistakes can happen, but then I expect you to tell us: "Hey folks, backups are not working right now, we are working on it. An update will follow". Communication!

Yes apple seems scared to communicate certain issues properly. I routinely find bugs in new updates that are never told to the public, and never reported as fixed in new updates that end up fixing them just like this one is not reported as fixed in 12.1 despite it fixing it.

It worked for me as well, with 12.01, after starting in Recovery Mode and running the Disk Utility / First Aid from there. It hadn't worked running the Disk Utility from normal mode. This was with a GDrive mobile USB-C.

I have the same problem. AppleCare has been working on it for two weeks.

I finally googled with the TM error message, and after going through numerous sites and threads I found this one.

I excluded Containers (I had to change the permission of other users so TM could load the directories into Preferences).

The backup ran in Safe mode. I rebooted into normal mode and did another backup. That worked. Let's hope it works until Apple fixes the problem. THANKS FOR YOUR HELP!

Okay, I have tried all the workarounds in this thread (like the hard drive first aid in recovery mode and backing up in safe mode) with no success. I have a M1 Max 14 inch MacBook Pro. Each backup takes >8 hours and results in a backup that is not visible in a finder window, but that exists when one uses a terminal window and searches through the /Volumes. Disk space is used (in my case about 1.1 Tb per backup). No backup is officially listed as completed in Time Machine, which is "Waiting to complete the first backup". In the /Volumes folder, the backups are typical listed as *.interrupted or *.incomplete folders. It looks like one could restore files (via terminal) from this folder that is invisible to finder. It seems silly to start deleting files or moving containers to make a back program work (apparently only temporarily at best). Apple support will hopefully have a fix soon. Until then, I recommend moving to other backup software. I'm using SuperDuper to clone my drive, but if others have suggestions, I am open to them.

I updated to 12.1 yesterday and ran Time Machine. Same result as before. I reformatted an external hard drive used for Time Machine [APFS (Case Senstive)] and started Time Machine. About 12 hourse later it completed the backup. Over 1 Tb of space is used on the backup drive (that equates to the content of my internal hard drive), and the drive contains a file 2022-01-02-111115.inprogress that can be viewed using terminal. . However, Finder shows no files on the drive and Time Machine says "Waiting to complete first backup". Unfortunately, Time Machine is still broken in Monterey 12.1.

i finally solved it via assistance. I did two operations, 1: I deleted the LULU Helper app (firewall) and I deleted a time machine file from HD-Library-Preferences-com.apple.TimeMachine.plist

I think it was useless to delete lulu, for me this worked after doing all possible tests above (formatted mac and external hd, booted in safe mode, excluding find me etc).