Time machine stopped backing up to network disk

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Level 1

10 points

Time machine stopped backing up to network disk

Hello!

I've been backing up my MacBook pro to a disk connected to my Mac Mini since I got the MBP in late 2021. However, my last successful backup was 12/22/2022, well over a month ago. Now, while the network disk is accessible, I've even removed and re-added the time machine backup disk (time machine sees the disk, notices it has backups already, and asks me to sign in to the network share/disk, which I do), but nothing can get time machine to start a backup. it will sit for hours or even days as "connecting to backup disk..." in time machine preferences. The backups are also not accessible, entering time machine to retrieve files shows no snapshots, nothing to go back to.

I'm at my wit's end on this, the disk is healthy, the backups exist, but the machine won't backup no matter what I do.

Currently running 13.0.1 on the MBP, and updated the Mac Mini to 13.2 yesterday. Will update the MBP as soon as I finish copying data from a possibly failing external disk to another external disk. Also currently running disk first aid on the disk from the MBP, it already came back clean from the Mac Mini it is directly attached to.

Any help would be appreciated, would rather not start over with a new backup disk, but getting close to going that way just so I can have a backup again.

[Image Edited by Moderator to Remove Personal Information]

MacBook Pro 16″, macOS 13.0

Posted on Jan 31, 2023 11:26 AM

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Answer 1

Feb 2, 2023 9:08 AM in response to Stevenyo

Hello Stevenyo,

Thanks for choosing the Apple Support Communities. If you're unable to back up using Time Machine, we suggest following the steps below to resolve the issue.

If you can't back up or restore your Mac using Time Machine - Apple Support

"Make sure that you're using a backup disk supported by Time Machine.
Unless you're using a network backup disk, make sure that your backup disk is connected directly to your Mac, not through a USB hub or other device.
If your backup disk is connected directly to your Mac, use Disk Utility to repair the disk.
If you're using a network backup disk, make sure that the network connection is good and your Mac is connected to the same network as the backup disk. If you completed a previous backup successfully, verify that backup: Press and hold the Option key while choosing Verify Backups from the Time Machine menu in the menu bar.
Make sure that the firmware of your backup disk is up to date. Check with the manufacturer of the backup disk for details.
If no other solutions work, start over: Erase your backup disk, then use Time Machine to select it as your backup disk again. "

We hope this helps.

Cheers!

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Answer 2

justin_900

Community Specialist

Feb 2, 2023 9:29 AM in response to Stevenyo

Hello Stevenyo,

Welcome back to Apple Support Communities!

We want to help get the backup working normally again.

Since you've tried to repair the disk and the issue remains after the steps you've taken, we suggest to erase the disk and start a new backup as the last bullet suggests.

We're unable to determine exactly what has caused the issue.

Here are those steps again if needed: If you can't back up or restore your Mac using Time Machine - Apple Support

If the issue continues, you can also reach out to an Apple Support Advisor for further assistance: Get Support

We hope this helps.

Cheers!

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Answer 3

Stevenyo Author

Level 1

10 points

Feb 2, 2023 9:17 AM in response to justinb2603

Thanks. But as I shared in my post, everything is working properly, except Time Machine won’t complete a backup. I’ve already verified everything in all but your last bullet point. I’m just trying to avoid deleting all my old backups due to a software bug. What’s the point of backups that can’t be accessed if the backup utility just decides not to see them anymore?

the data is there, the disk is accessible, but Time Machine won’t backup. What should I do other than delete the backups, which isn’t a realistic option? Like what are the terminal commands related to Time Machine these days? I would love to go into terminal and set thing right, has to be more intuitive than the train wreck that is “system settings” in Ventura. Honestly I’m so close to giving up on MacOS, long-standing features get worse or disappear for no reason every year, and there’s really been almost no useful additions since at least snow leopard (yes, I’m one of those that thinks Lion and beyond have all been downhill, the App Store was a mistake on Max and I’ll die on that hill)

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Time machine stopped backing up to network disk

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