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User profile for user: Garpster
Garpster Author
User level: Level 1
9 points

Time Capsule Backup is "Freeing space" for hours now.

I use a Time Capsule to backup my 2015 MacBook Pro (which is itself a backup of my newer 2019 MacBook Air). Once a week I copy all the files from my Air to my Pro, then manually backup my MacBook Pro using Time Capsule. When I did it today, there was 40 GB of space on the Time Capsule, for what is a 31 GB backup up. After backing up 17 GB, the Time Capsule progress window showed "Freeing space..." and has been doing that now for almost 5 hours.


Is this typical for freeing space? Or is it stuck in some loop? I have to leave for a trip in the morning and wanted to have my backups completed, but now I'm worried it will continue to free space through the evening. Is there something I can do speed up the process?

Also, there appeared to be space for this backup, so not sure why it stopped backing up and started freeing space. Currently I have about 2 years worth of backups on Time Capsule, but honestly only need a single instance of the MacBook Pro incase it crashes AND the MacBook Air does too. Is there another way to use my MacBook Pro and Time Capsule to provide redundant backups for the Air?

MacBook Pro 13″, macOS 10.15

Posted on Dec 12, 2021 4:27 PM

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User profile for user: LaPastenague
LaPastenague
User level: Level 9
67,226 points

Dec 12, 2021 4:52 PM in response to Garpster

Time Machine is exceedingly slow and inefficient once a disk gets near full.


It does not put the files directly into the backup.. it first of all creates a progress file and stores the files there.. so you always need to multiply the space required by two. ie your 31GB of files need at least 62GB of space.. and some working area as well so that could amount to 100GB all up.


It is also extremely inefficient at removal of old backups. Especially when they extend over different versions of Mac OS.. so if you upgraded the Mac and continue to backup on the same sparse bundle it will contain full versions of both OS.. between which it is near impossible to pick which file is safe to delete and what isn't.


Best plan.. wipe the TC now. Stop the backup on Time Machine.. Open your airport utility.. click on the icon of the TC.. click edit on the summary and go to disk tab.. thusly.



Click erase disk.. use the quick erase.. takes only about 2min..

Then start a new backup. Yes all your old backups will be gone.. if you had time you could use archive function.. but that takes about a day to backup the whole TC to a USB drive.


Alternatively plug a USB3 disk into the MacBook Pro and start a backup to this drive.. Disk must be 50% larger than all data on the MBP disk. For most recent versions Time Machine will format the disk correctly for you.. but from Big Sur it should be APFS. Earlier version still the old Mac HFS+.

That will be much faster than backup over a network and should backup at >60GB/hr.


Is there another way to use my MacBook Pro and Time Capsule to provide redundant backups for the Air?


Possible to use the MacBook Pro as a permanent backup device with USB drive hanging off it.. then use the Time Capsule as well.

Just note the confusing terminology..

Time Machine = Backup app in your Mac OS

Time Capsule = Hardware router with onboard hard disk as backup target for wireless computers.

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Time Capsule Backup is "Freeing space" for hours now.

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