Time Machine couldn’t complete the backup to “TimeMachine”. An error occurred

I am getting Time Machine backup errors.






Spoke to Apple support, reinstalled Monterey, reformatted my external disk (Mac OS Extended Journal and APFS), reselected backup device for Time Machine Backup.


It will create a couple of backups, and when I click the backup I can see all my folders in the backups



When the backup using Time Machine failes, and I then click on an existing backup, I cant see the folders.




I suspect a bug in Monterey.


5TB External Western Digital Drive using USB-c

USB-c


The only way I can get it working is to eject the backup drive, unplug it, plug it back in then it will create a backup



Can anyone shed some light on why this is happening where it looses connctivity with the external backup drive


Eddie


[Image Edited by Moderator to Remove Serial Number]

Posted on Jan 6, 2022 12:53 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jan 10, 2022 3:08 PM

OK,


I think I found out what was causing the problem.



The 'Put hard disk to sleep when possible' was ticked.


I have un ticked it and the backups seems fine


Eddie

Similar questions

23 replies

Jan 6, 2022 3:02 PM in response to tbirdvet

Hi,


Thanks for the reply.


I have formatted the disk about 6 times via disk utility.


Currently its formated as APFS - all the images above in the thread is from the external disk formatted as APFS



The problem is that it will back up, but then the OS looses connectivity with the external disk


The only way I can get it working is to eject the backup drive, unplug it, plug it back in then it will create a backup


Eddie

Feb 18, 2022 1:26 AM in response to propolis

Thank you for this solution. It has worked for me.


I had a very similar scenario:

  • Latest version of Monterey on an M1 iMac with WD Passport external disk for Time Machine backups.
  • Time Machine errors in attempting to backup for the first time (multiple times)
  • Time Machine errors when attempting further backups when I finally got an initial backup to work!


Not only is Time Machine working properly, backups are now lightning quick!

Mar 23, 2022 10:59 AM in response to JustForComment

The issues with the three different "Sleep" functions (display "Sleep", Apple menu "Sleep", and logon screen "Sleep") in Monterey 12.3 on our week-old M1 2021 iMac (with an Iomega 1 TB Firewire 800 drive for our Time Machine drive and an external LG Ultrafine second monitor) have turned out to be so convoluted that I've logged it as a separate post: Problems with "Sleep" function in Montere… - Apple Community


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Time Machine couldn’t complete the backup to “TimeMachine”. An error occurred

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