Is there a way to backup with Time Machine and then eject the backup drive safely and then reconnect it when I want to do another backup? I don't want the remote drive tethered to my MacBook Pro all the time and my usage doesn't require constant backups. Thanks.
Allow it to work in the "usual" way, then Eject the external drive (so that the Directory is checked back in, and written back to the drive).
If you just disconnect, the valid directory is still in RAM, and you get an error message and WILL have trouble later.
Allow it to work in the "usual" way, then Eject the external drive (so that the Directory is checked back in, and written back to the drive).
If you just disconnect, the valid directory is still in RAM, and you get an error message and WILL have trouble later.
You don't need to keep the TM backup disk connected all the time. Time Machine creates "local snapshots" that can be used to restore individual files or folders or even an entire system.
Connect it when it's convenient for you. Time Machine will begin to complain ten days after its absence.
Having said that there should not be a problem ejecting your TM backup drive in the usual manner. You aren't using it for anything other than TM are you?
I worked my way through Apple Support and got to a more senior person this afternoon. To unmount the drive he had me open Finder and select the name of the drive; then go to file at the top of the screen and click that. Under file click eject and note that the disk's icon on the main screen has disappeared and the light on the drive has gone out. It's unmounted. Apparently it doesn't matter whether TM was set to automatic or not. Also it doesn't answer some questions about why TM didn't work to unmount the drive. But this method works. Thanks again for sticking with me on this.
Thanks, that clears up my misunderstanding: TM does not unmount the drive, automatically or not, nor would anyone want it to do that.
To unmount or "eject" a drive requires deliberate user action. In addition to File > Eject, you can secondary-click (control-click) the drive and choose "Eject", click the "eject" button in a Sidebar, drag the disk icon to the Trash... there are a variety of ways — the "usual ways" Grant Bennet-Alder and I alluded to.
But TM does not do that.
That shouldn't have any effect. It is possible to determine what app or process is using that drive, but it's tedious and might not help.
It would involve using lsof in Terminal, but you're definitely asking for a lot of tedium that might not yield any useful information.
Quit every open app that you can find, and determine if you can eject the drive.
You may have to disable automatic backups, essentially disable Time machine.
Thank you for your quick response. I'm still not out of the woods. After the backup runs if I try to eject the drive I get a message that says it can't be ejected because something else is keeping it open. I've tried ejecting inside Time Machine and from Finder and always get to where eject won't work unless I use Force Eject...which has a warning about damage. I must be missing a step or have something set wrong. If I power down the computer will it close all the files and make it safe to unplug the external drive?
I'm not using it for anything except TM, but I am running it with the automatic backup box unchecked. Maybe that's why it won't let me eject the drive. Might be time to take it to Apple if this doesn't work. See if they can show me with the computer right there. Thanks for your help.
OK. I quit what I could and then tried the process again, first with automatic backups checked and then with the automatic box unchecked. In neither case was I shown an eject option. For that matter TM didn't show a choice to skip an automatic backup and yesterday, when I tried what TM says to do to verify files, that didn't work at all. And yet, if I open TM it looks like it's backing up and there are no error messages. I checked to be sure I'm on the latest version of software. I am. The backup drive has only been used on this Mac. It's a new WD "My Passport for Mac." The missing options make me think of a software bug or that I have somehow corrupted something.
How are you attempting to unmount the disk?
Can you explain what an "eject option" is or where you are looking for it.
Using time machine for random backups
