Time Machine will not work on MacBook

My Time Machine will not work. I've been trying for about 5 days... even bought a new SSD incase it was my old external HD but it only gets to 0.2% (270mb) copied after 18 hours and then I need to move my computer so I have to stop it. Then when I plug it in again, it says "found 1 change" and does nothing else. I've tried erasing the hard-drive, it's in APFS... I've tried a few different things people have recommended on YT but it's definitely an issue with Time Machine or the CPU... which is a 2017 15-inch Mac running on Ventura13.7.8 - I know this is getting old but it works fine... I use Final Cut Pro X a lot. I will upgrade soon but I need the Time Machine to work obviously...

MacBook Pro 15″, macOS 13.7

Posted on Aug 2, 2026 3:35 PM

Top-ranking reply

PreCognition

Level 4

1,614 points

Posted on Aug 2, 2026 3:46 PM

270 MB after 18 hours isn’t normal, even for the first backup. I’d check the connection before blaming the Mac or Time Machine.

Connect the SSD directly to the MacBook, without a hub or adapter if possible, and try a different cable or port. Also make sure the Mac is connected to power and doesn’t go to sleep during the backup.

Since the same thing happened with two drives, I’d run Disk Utility > View > Show All Devices > First Aid on the internal drive. Start with the volumes, then the APFS container, and finally the physical drive. Apple explains the order here:

Do you have any antivirus, cleanup, or drive-monitoring software installed? Those can interfere with Time Machine. Large Final Cut libraries can make the initial backup take longer, but they wouldn’t explain only 270 MB in 18 hours.

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29 replies

Hog3yB3ar Author

Level 1

4 points

Aug 6, 2026 4:33 AM in response to MrHoffman

What is installed that is odd?

Hog3yB3ar Author

Level 1

4 points

Aug 3, 2026 4:23 PM in response to MrHoffman

It's not centrally managed. It is a personal cpu but I've probably been setting up new computers from back-up which might explain the 2009 apps. I've tried to find CleanMyMac which wasn't in the app folder and have done my best to erase it. I can't ever remember using it tbh. I've manually deleted caches, cleared space and am trying again... looks like it still isn't backing up. Do I need to cut my losses and get a new computer asap and use the backup that is now 35 days old, which isn't ideal but not a catastrophe...

Hog3yB3ar Author

Level 1

4 points

Aug 3, 2026 5:09 PM in response to John Galt

I cannot find a FMM uninstaller on my computer. All remnants of the program I have erased. Sounds like this might not be enough? I guess I could just copy the document/exta files I need to keep from recent use and then do a factory reset and install the latest back-up... but that would just re-install the FMM?!

John Galt

Level 10

159,946 points

Aug 6, 2026 5:40 AM in response to Hog3yB3ar

Then why is an MDM profile installed? Did you install it? Anyway it's up to you, but even if such a profile were not installed, the fact it has been affected by "CleanMyMac" is reason enough to erase it.

MrHoffman

Level 10

159,479 points

Aug 6, 2026 5:55 AM in response to Hog3yB3ar

Hog3yB3ar wrote:

Ok thank you... Yes the image above is accurate. It comes up with an error.

Should I save my recent documents to an external hd and erase the hard-drive and use the most recent back-up?

Yes, assuming macOS still boots. Get your data off this somehow.

If Disk Utility was used while the Mac is booted from Recovery (Recovery from macOS 13), and Disk Utility can’t figure out the volume format, then that volume seems rather corrupted. The photo doesn’t show far enough left to see what volumes and partitions are configured.

That this Mac was managed or supervised and has profiles installed doesn’t help things, either.

Hog3yB3ar Author

Level 1

4 points

Aug 3, 2026 12:03 AM in response to PreCognition

Thanks... I have just done the first aid. I have the app - Omni disk sweeper but I haven't opened it for a long time... years maybe. Should I uninstall it?