Time Machine Problems with Mac OS Sonoma

Ever since I upgraded my M1 Macbook Pro from the immediately previous Mac OS version to Sonoma, I have had nothing but problems using Time Machine to perform backups on an external SSD. No issues at all prior to Sonoma doing incremental backups for about one year - took about 20 minutes per incremental backup. My first backup attempt using Sonoma, I gave up after 3-1/2 hours when Time Machine reported 3 hours still remaining. Tried a second time while Time Machine had been running for some time and while on the phone Apple Support , gave up after 2-1/2 hours. I had other tasks to attend to. On a third attempt at Apple Support's recommendation, I let it run to see if it would error off. It did not error off, but this time it took about 3-1/2 hours for an incremental backup. Apple Support gave me a follow up call after the last backup completed at 3+ hours. They requested that I reinstall Sonoma and run Time Machine again and report back. Spoke with Apple Support after the reinstall of Sonoma and Time Machine backup completed. Time Machine backup completed in about one hour. Apple Support then requested that I initiate a new incremental backup while on the phone with them - an absolute disaster followed. I shared that Time Machine was reporting over 17,000 changes after about 30 minutes of idle time, with no activity, no browsing, no nothing , just sitting idle while charging. While on the phone with Apple Support again, Time Machine reported an estimated backup time of 10 hours! Terminated the backup and communicated such to Apple Support. As a software PM, there is no doubt in my mind that there is a significant flaw in Apple's Mac OS Sonoma and the Time Machine app. It bothers me that I have also wasted many hours over several days trying to resolve this issue. I have zero confidence that my Time Machine backups are correct and usable.

MacBook Pro (M1, 2020)

Posted on Oct 1, 2023 7:44 PM

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Posted on Oct 23, 2023 3:15 PM

Talked with Apple Support 3 times. Ran diagnostics per their request and recorded such. Absolutely zero help from Apple on the looong backup times. Worked fine before upgrading to Sonoma. You can bet the farm that Apple knows there is a problem with Time Machine. Apple Support was courteous but of zero help. Apple Support used to be first class. More like third class now.

47 replies

Dec 23, 2023 1:31 PM in response to rasmaxwell

FIX for "Time Machine cannot back up because some iCloud Drive files have not yet finished syncing"


There may be other causes for this error from the one experienced. However, in my case, I kept getting this error because I have other user accounts (for which I am an executor of their estate) on my computer that have Apple IDs, but are not properly logged in. As soon as I fully signed out of the Apple ID accounts for those other users, Time Machine started backing up for me.


The lesson learned is that Apple ID credentials for all user accounts on your computer must be up to date. Note just for your own.

Dec 23, 2023 11:24 PM in response to rasmaxwell

Possible fix for SLOW TM backups.My TM drives were doing the same thing coming from 2014 27" iMac (Big Sur) to 2024 M3 iMac, 14.2.1, I used TM to get the new iMac up and running. My fix so far is the following:


I started a new Ext HD for TM in APFS, it's a Thunderbolt 3 drive and the backups have been FAST. It's a LaCie D2 which is powered and connected to another identical D2 via daisy chain (thunderbolt labeled cable).


The other TM drive that is SLOW is the D2 Professional USBC (black). That drive was connected to my 27" previously so it has older backups (Big Sur), that drive is what I used to get the 24" up and running. It was so slow doing the TM backups once it was used on the 24" and I wondered if the older backups had something to do with it or the Mac OS Journaled format was the problem, I did delete anything Adobe (as someone previously posted) but didn't notice any difference. *What I did do just a little while ago was change the cable to a new one that was data specific and it has HELPED speed things up (at least the first 62%)! It's not as fast as the Thunderbolt drive, but the cable helped.


If it takes a long time, even with the new cable, then I either erase the drive - leaving the Journaled format and see what happens or change the format APFS and then see what happens..


Hope this helps.


*I use (2) TM drives on my iMac the alternate every hour.





Dec 25, 2023 10:10 PM in response to rasmaxwell

Update to my previous post regarding the speed(s).


The Lacie D2 tbolt3 is fast, no issues - as mentioned it was a new drive (I installed a new 8tb), nothing on it except the new TM's. No issues with speed.


The Lacie D2 Professional usb-c as mentioned had older backups from Big Sur. Changed cable, still very very slow. Used Disk Utility to erase, APFS, started a new TM, the initial backup took a long time (as normal), but going forward it's speed is normal (fast).


Both drives are TM only, alternate backups hourly, no issues.


Hope the helps for now as it seems using a new/clean drive for TM is fix. Hopefully  will be able to do a workaround for people that don't want to purchase another ext HD for TM or delete their current one, etc.

Jan 8, 2024 9:01 AM in response to rasmaxwell

I've been backing up using TM to two APFS external drives, one an OWC 2TB non-partitioned USB3 drive, and the other a La Cie 5TB USB-C drive that was divided into volumes. When I upgraded to Sonoma (14.2.1) I got the "backup delayed" message for the La Cie backup but the OWC backups appear to complete normally (though I haven't tested them yet). Also, Carbon Copy failed to clone my HD to one of the La Cie volumes. So, I'm considering initializing the La Cie drive and trying a new TM backup to it. Not sure whether creating volumes is a good idea.

Time Machine Problems with Mac OS Sonoma

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