MacBook Pro Time Machine to Airport TC backup: is it working properly?

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pdc2013 Author

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MacBook Pro Time Machine to Airport TC backup: is it working properly?

This might be just a quick informational question! I have a new MBP 16” with 16GB memory running Monterey 12.0.1. It is set up to backup to an Airport TC (which I’ll be replacing shortly with something else.) I migrated the content from my iMac directly to the new MBP, disconnected the TC from the iMac and had the MBP claim the old backups, the oldest of which is from June 2020. The MBP backed up successfully the first time through (on November 13) and since then it appears to be on an hourly backup schedule (with no error messages), but the Systems Preferences window continues to say, “Latest backup November 13.” When I enter TM, it does show hourly copies, but then why does it say that the latest backup was November 13? Puzzled.

MacBook Pro (2020 and later)

Posted on Nov 16, 2021 8:54 AM

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Answer 1

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pdc2013 Author

Level 1

13 points

Nov 17, 2021 7:23 AM in response to LaPastenague

Thanks so much for pointing me to that discussion. I will take your advice re: other backup solutions (CCC or Direct USB.)

FWIW - I had upgraded my old iMac to Monterey 12.0.1 before migration to the new MBP. I haven’t a wiped the iMac yet! My first (successful) backup of the new MBP was done unencrypted, as the prior backups on that Airport device were also unencrypted, and I was advised not to do otherwise. Subsequent to that backup, though starting three days after the first one, I can see regular backups in my Backup folder, while the Time Machine still says the “Latest Time Capsule Backup” was the first one I did. I’m not very computer literate, but it just seems odd! Easy enough to use another method. Thanks for your response!

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Answer 2

Nov 16, 2021 11:53 AM in response to pdc2013

I migrated the content from my iMac directly to the new MBP, disconnected the TC from the iMac and had the MBP claim the old backups, the oldest of which is from June 2020.

What OS was the iMac running?

It can be extremely difficult to adopt the old backup and expect it to continue working properly. Especially if the iMac was running Catalina or earlier. If it was on Big Sur and you started from a clean erased TC at that time.. it may work ok.

BUT there is a bug in Monterey that is being reported widely.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/time-machine-experiencing-multiple-issues-on-monterey-my-personal-issue-resolved.2319832/

Issues started in beta and not fixed.

https://www.macworld.com/article/351893/does-time-machine-tell-you-the-file-cant-be-backed-up-its-a-monterey-beta-bug.html

Just google.. there are loads of posts.

At this point I would recommend you archive the TC to a USB drive of equal capacity to the TC drive.. still has to be formatted Mac OS journaled. (HFS+)

Download and use Carbon Copy Cloner for the time being. Trust Time Machine (TM) NOT at all.

If you want to use TM after the archive erase the TC and start over with a clean backup.

Or just get a USB drive and backup directly with USB plugged into the MBP.

TM works much better to local target than network drive.

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MacBook Pro Time Machine to Airport TC backup: is it working properly?

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