Time Machine backups taking long, after macOS Sonoma update on my MacBook.

OK.

My backups still perform, like before. Huge backups (new video edits) take a long time, small backups (system, texts etc) take a very short time.

All my backups are using the same targets: Encrypted APFS (HDD or SSD or shares on my NAS, that would presumably include at least some overhead costs. The actual speed obtained seems to reflect only target media potential. Give or take.

I feel for you, but I do not experience your specific problem.

I wish I could help, but how?

Regards

I completely agree with your position. If Apple desired to fix the problem it would have done by now. Moreover, the iCloud backup issues are affecting the timeliness of updates to other apps supported by Apple.

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.

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.

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.

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.

I have the same issue. Time Machine is backing up for several hours every day. I do not have that many data changed or added daily that it would need such a long time for backup.

TM is one of the most essential apps of Mac OS. I hope Apple will take this more serious and work on it.

I have exactly the same problem! iCloud is fully synced. I have Carbon Copy Cloner which works without fail. So will stick to that. I also have Sonoma install on a drive that will save time if reinstalling from scratch. Reinstalling over the original did not stop the problem.

Contrary to what I reported earlier, I'm no longer seeing "backup delayed" messages for my backups to two external drives. Backups are proceeding rapidly and normally. I suspect that the problem might have been that I was connecting the backup drives via a USB-C hub that was being powered from via my M1 Laptop. When I connected my LaCie directly to the laptop, backups have been normal. My other drive is USB-3 and needs the hub. When I power the hub directly using the laptop's power adapter, backups are normal.

The only remaining issue is that SuperDuper still fails to complete clone copies to a volume on the LaCie drive. The last three lines in the CC log are:

10:53:38 AM | Info | Completed System Volume replication.  Copied 188.41 GB

| 10:55:43 AM | Info | Replicating Data Volume

| 11:09:44 AM | Info |       Volume replication failed - error 49244

| 11:09:49 AM | Error | ***ERROR OCCURRED: ****FAILED****: result=256 errno=60 (Inappropriate ioctl for device)

Contrary to what I reported earlier, I'm no longer seeing "backup delayed" messages for my backups to two external drives. Backups are proceeding rapidly and normally. I suspect that the problem might have been that I was connecting the backup drives via a USB-C hub that was being powered from via my M1 Laptop. When I connected my LaCie directly to the laptop, backups have been normal. My other drive is USB-3 and needs the hub. When I power the hub directly using the laptop's power adapter, backups are normal.

The only remaining issue is that SuperDuper still fails to complete clone copies to a volume on the LaCie drive. The last three lines in the SD log are:

10:53:38 AM | Info | Completed System Volume replication.  Copied 188.41 GB

| 10:55:43 AM | Info | Replicating Data Volume

| 11:09:44 AM | Info |       Volume replication failed - error 49244

| 11:09:49 AM | Error | ***ERROR OCCURRED: ****FAILED****: result=256 errno=60 (Inappropriate ioctl for device)

I'm assuming there might be a better answer out there already, but I got mine to work. I had an older time machine drive that was showing up on my computer. When I purchased this computer a year ago, I purchased a larger backup drive. Even though I was trying to backup to my new drive, Time Machine was trying to backup to my older one. I went into Time Machine settings and deleted the older Time Machine drive. Then I was able to get an incremental back up very quickly.

(IMPORTANT INFO FOR DEBUGGING TEAM: The problem started after I "upgraded" to Sonoma. I have version 14.2.1 on my Macbook Air. Before I came up with the above fix, when I tried to do a Time Machine backup to my new Time Machine drive, it looked like it was going well. It got to 100% backed up. The error occurred because it was trying to finish/save on the old drive, which it couldn't find because it wasn't plugged in because I had selected the newer Time Machine drive. I think it is a Sonoma problem.)

Apple is moving away from "smart and easy". TM always was one big bonus point for choosing Mac OS instead Windows. But Apple is doing bad not ensuring a flawless working of TM. I have the feeling they simply don't care about it.

I consider going back to Windows. Yes,

Approximately once a year, I have a time machine issue. The last one occurred after a Ventura update -- Time Machine was stuck on "connecting to backup disc". After hours on the phone with Apple (up to 3rd level support), they could not solve it, and told me that they only support time capsules, not other devices. Hey Apple -- you haven't sold time capsules in years, and I outgrew my last one! If you sold them, I would buy one.

So now I've spent hours on the phone with Western Digital. They have determined the backup device is working fine, and suggested I upgrade the OS on the Mac. Upgraded to Sonoma, and voila - the connecting to backup disc problem is resolved. I'm now stuck on "Preparing Backup"

Hey Apple -- either sell Time capsules, or recognize when a Time Machine problem is yours, like in the case of this ventura update. Also, warn us if we are going to have to delete our old time machine backups when there is an OS update, because it is looking like I will need to do this now!

macOS Sonoma 14.5 and Time Machine are still behaving strangely. Either it backs up at incrementally an extremely slow data rate OR re-backs up my entire 1.43TB Pictures folder at a faster data rate. Either way it takes many hours to complete. I upgraded via Migration Assistant from an old mid-2011 iMac running MacOS High Sierra to a new M2 Max Mac Studio running Sonoma. All of my photos are on an external Thunderbolt SSD that tests at 2830MB/s reads. I hope Apple fixes this in an update soon.