Time Machine backup very slow in Lion

great thread, i tried all possible solutions but my TM on Lion does not want create a backup. Its has in a week backed up everything but it wont creata a usable sparsebundle . After clearing the V100 index file seems going better but it still does not create a usable file. The repair disk did not show any issues . going pretty much insane.

I was able to use an external with USB without issues. But the NAS over LAN is creating the problem (yes i have latest firmware on it that is supposed to work with Lion).

Couple of TMbuddy codes lines:

Starting standard backup

Attempting to mount network destination URL: afp://admin@Enrico_Backup%20(Time%20Machine)._afpovertcp._tcp.local/Macbook%20B ackup%20Syn

Mounted network destination at mountpoint: /Volumes/Macbook Backup Syn using URL: afp://admin@Enrico_Backup%20(Time%20Machine)._afpovertcp._tcp.local/Macbook%20B ackup%20Syn

QUICKCHECK ONLY; FILESYSTEM CLEAN

Disk image /Volumes/Macbook Backup Syn/Enrico Mac.sparsebundle mounted at: /Volumes/Time Machine Backups

Backing up to: /Volumes/Time Machine Backups/Backups.backupdb

Warning: Bytes to copy estimate was negative (-75305038)

100.0 MB required (including padding), 519.35 GB available

Waiting for index to be ready (101)

Error (256): fetching properties: Error Domain=NSCocoaErrorDomain Code=256 "The file “objects.xib” couldn’t be opened." UserInfo=0x7fbd3adbfa70 {NSURL=/Volumes/Time Machine Backups/Backups.backupdb/Enrico Mac/2011-09-02-135921.inProgress/6F08E59E-CE16-4DCD-8C2D-F44FB6040F6B/Enrico/Ap plications/iTunes.app/Contents/Resources/German.lproj/iPodWelcomeOffline.nib/obj ects.xib, NSFilePath=/Volumes/Time Machine Backups/Backups.backupdb/Enrico Mac/2011-09-02-135921.inProgress/6F08E59E-CE16-4DCD-8C2D-F44FB6040F6B/Enrico/Ap plications/iTunes.app/Contents/Resources/German.lproj/iPodWelcomeOffline.nib/obj ects.xib, NSUnderlyingError=0x7fbd3c1245c0 "The operation couldn’t be completed. Input/output error"}

Stopping backup.

Error (256): fetching properties: Error Domain=NSCocoaErrorDomain Code=256 "The file “keyedobjects.nib” couldn’t be opened." UserInfo=0x1096ddfa0 {NSURL=/Volumes/Time Machine Backups/Backups.backupdb/Enrico Mac/2011-09-02-135921.inProgress/6F08E59E-CE16-4DCD-8C2D-F44FB6040F6B/Enrico/Ap plications/iTunes.app/Contents/Resources/German.lproj/iTunesDJSettings.nib/keyed objects.nib, NSFilePath=/Volumes/Time Machine Backups/Backups.backupdb/Enrico Mac/2011-09-02-135921.inProgress/6F08E59E-CE16-4DCD-8C2D-F44FB6040F6B/Enrico/Ap plications/iTunes.app/Contents/Resources/German.lproj/iTunesDJSettings.nib/keyed objects.nib, NSUnderlyingError=0x1096c7fa0 "The operation couldn’t be completed. Input/output error"}

Backup failed because the network destination disk was ejected or disconnected unexpectedly!

Error writing to backup log. NSFileHandleOperationException:*** -[NSConcreteFileHandle writeData:]: Input/output error

Error: (-34) SrcErr:NO Copying /Applications/iTunes.app/Contents/Resources/German.lproj/iPodWelcome.nib/object s.xib to /Volumes/Time Machine Backups/Backups.backupdb/Enrico Mac/2011-09-02-135921.inProgress/0D01FF21-79B2-4A6F-BBC8-58EAA4FF5ECD/Enrico/Ap plications/iTunes.app/Contents/Resources/German.lproj/iPodWelcome.nib

Error writing to backup log. NSFileHandleOperationException:*** -[NSConcreteFileHandle writeData:]: Input/output error

Error writing to backup log. NSFileHandleOperationException:*** -[NSConcreteFileHandle writeData:]: Input/output error

Error writing to backup log. NSFileHandleOperationException:*** -[NSConcreteFileHandle writeData:]: Input/output error

Copied 90669 files (34 KB) from volume Enrico.

Error wri

Starting standard backup

Network destination already mounted at: /Volumes/Macbook Backup Syn

Disk image already attached: /Volumes/Macbook Backup Syn/Enrico Mac.sparsebundle, DIHLDiskImageAttach returned: 35

Failed to mount disk image: Error Domain=com.apple.backupd.ErrorDomain Code=31 "The operation couldn’t be completed. (com.apple.backupd.ErrorDomain error 31.)" UserInfo=0x10cb3df60 {MessageParameters=(

Ejected Time Machine network volume.

Waiting 60 seconds and trying again.

Attempting to mount network destination URL: afp://admin@Enrico_Backup%20(Time%20Machine)._afpovertcp._tcp.local/Macbook%20B ackup%20Syn

Mounted network destination at mountpoint: /Volumes/Macbook Backup Syn using URL: afp://admin@Enrico_Backup%20(Time%20Machine)._afpovertcp._tcp.local/Macbook%20B ackup%20Syn

Disk image already attached: /Volumes/Macbook Backup Syn/Enrico Mac.sparsebundle, DIHLDiskImageAttach returned: 35

Disk image already attached: /Volumes/Macbook Backup Syn/Enrico Mac.sparsebundle, DIHLDiskImageAttach returned: 35

Failed to mount disk image: Error Domain=com.apple.backupd.ErrorDomain Code=31 "The operation couldn’t be completed. (com.apple.backupd.ErrorDomain error 31.)" UserInfo=0x10cb45670 {MessageParameters=(

Ejected Time Machine network volume.

Waiting 60 seconds and trying again.

Attempting to mount network destination URL: afp://admin@Enrico_Backup%20(Time%20Machine)._afpovertcp._tcp.local/Macbook%20B ackup%20Syn

Mounted network destination at mountpoint: /Volumes/Macbook Backup Syn using URL: afp://admin@Enrico_Backup%20(Time%20Machine)._afpovertcp._tcp.local/Macbook%20B ackup%20Syn

Disk image already attached: /Volumes/Macbook Backup Syn/Enrico Mac.sparsebundle, DIHLDiskImageAttach returned: 35

Failed to mount disk image: Error Domain=com.apple.backupd.ErrorDomain Code=31 "The operation couldn’t be completed. (com.apple.backupd.ErrorDomain error 31.)" UserInfo=0x10cb490e0 {MessageParameters=(

Ejected Time Machine network volume.

Giving up after 3 retries.

Backup failed with error: 31

Starting standard backup

Attempting to mount network destination URL: afp://admin@Enrico_Backup%20(Time%20Machine)._afpovertcp._tcp.local/Macbook%20B ackup%20Syn

Mounted network destination at mountpoint: /Volumes/Macbook Backup Syn using URL: afp://admin@Enrico_Backup%20(Time%20Machine)._afpovertcp._tcp.local/Macbook%20B ackup%20Syn

QUICKCHECK ONLY; FILESYSTEM CLEAN

Disk image /Volumes/Macbook Backup Syn/Enrico Mac.sparsebundle mounted at: /Volumes/Time Machine Backups

Backing up to: /Volumes/Time Machine Backups/Backups.backupdb

Warning: Bytes to copy estimate was negative (-3853366630)

100.0 MB required (including padding), 496.41 GB available

Waiting for index to be ready (101)

Stopping backup.

Error writing to backup log. NSFileHandleOperationException:*** -[NSConcreteFileHandle writeData:]: Input/output error

Error: (-34) SrcErr:NO Copying /System/Library/Frameworks/Accelerate.framework/Accelerate to /Volumes/Time Machine Backups/Backups.backupdb/Enrico Mac/2011-09-02-135921.inProgress/E6213496-605C-48CB-AFB9-60C935297EEB/Enrico/Sy stem/Library/Frameworks/Accelerate.framework

Error writing to backup log. NSFileHandleOperationException:*** -[NSConcreteFileHandle writeData:]: Input/output error

Error writing to backup log. NSFileHandleOperationException:*** -[NSConcreteFileHandle writeData:]: Input/output error

Error writing to backup log. NSFileHandleOperationException:*** -[NSConcreteFileHandle writeData:]: Input/output error

Copied 86208 files (1003.7 MB) from volume Enrico.

Error writing to backup log. NSFileHandleOperationException:*** -[NSConcreteFileHandle writeData:]: Input/output error

Copy stage failed with error:28

Error writing to backup log. NSFileHandleOperationException:*** -[NSConcreteFileHandle writeData:]: Input/output error

Error writing to backup log. NSFileHandleOperationException:*** -[NSConcreteFileHandle writeData:]: Input/output error

Backup failed because the network destination disk was ejected or disconnected unexpectedly!

Backup failed with error: 26

[SnapshotUtilities mountPointForVolumeRef] FSGetVolumeInfo returned: -35

Failed to eject volume (null) (FSVolumeRefNum: -153; status: -35; dissenting pid: -1)

Error i get:

Time Machine couldn’t complete the backup due to a network problem.

Make sure your computer and the backup disk are on the same network, and that the backup disk is turned on. Then try again to back up.

enrita wrote:

"The operation couldn’t be completed. Input/output error"}

Stopping backup.

You have severe problems either with your network, your NAS (what kind?) or its disk. In any case it's off-topic for this thread, I suggest you start a separate thread. You then need to specify more details about your NAS.

Despite trying the many suggestions here from some very helpful people, I am still unable to back-up to a USB drive. TM is constanting 'Indexing back-up'. I do wonder if it is a fault in Lion.

Phil

" I do wonder if it is a fault in Lion."

I'm pretty sure it is, there are some very strange behaviours with double backups and taking silly amounts of time for small amounts of data. That never happened under Snow Leopard, it's appeared with Lion.

I think there's further evidence of there being a problem judging by what's in some of the test releases for 10.7.2:

http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/11/09/02/apple_seeds_mac_os_x_10_7_2_icloud _beta_10_to_developers.html

The time machine component only appeared in the last couple of drops so Apple sure are reacting to something.....hopefully it's this.

I decided to turn Time Machine off, during a backup.

7/09/11 5:36:11.069 AM com.apple.backupd: Copied 35.6 MB of 6.8 GB, 8724 of 94472 items

9/09/11 4:13:50.463 AM com.apple.backupd: Copied 39.2 MB of 6.8 GB, 9121 of 94472 items

9/09/11 4:14:05.228 AM com.apple.backupd: Copied 9121 files (39.2 MB) from volume C.

9/09/11 4:14:15.869 AM com.apple.backupd: Backup canceled.

9/09/11 4:14:32.608 AM com.apple.backupd: Ejected Time Machine disk image.

9/09/11 4:14:33.763 AM com.apple.backupd: Ejected Time Machine network volume.

That's right, it took TWO DAYS to cancel the backup. (D/M/Y format where I come from)

Maybe it would be quicker if you reduced your backups to just user folders and apps. Then you wouldn't't be always backup up every single file in the OS that had be accessed or modified.

I'm of the school that believes that, to be useful, a backup needs to be of essentially everything, so doing a partial backup to speed things up has little appeal, especially as it is not the size of the backup that is the problem but rather that TM is sometimes unsuably slow.

Furthermore, if the problem occurs because TM decides to reindex the disk, a partial backup will almost certainly not speed things up.

I'm of the opinion that we have indeed established that there is a bug. I'm willing to assist in zeroing in on the cause so that it can be fixed; my detours however involve alternatives to TM such as rsync.

I'm of the School that says if it hurts don't do it, look for an alternative.

just FYI i have connected my NAS directly to the router instead of airport extreme and so far so good. i am now up to 20 gig backed up without disconnecting the drive. Seems the problem was totally network related.

Hi Thomas. I agree completely with your description. I switched to manual backups because it seemed to prevent long indexes between backups. But that was just an illusion and right now I am re-indexing the entire backup, as evidenced by this line on the console:

11/09/2011 16:49:38.122 mds: (Normal) DiskStore: Rebuilding index for /Volumes/Time Machine Backups/Backups.backupdb

What I'd really like to do is disable indexing of my backup because I just don't care. I especially just don't care because I have never been clever enough to figure out how to search through time machine to find a file I deleted. I've always ALWAYS had to manually look for the file to find it.

I think this is the biggest issue facing Lion because a side-effect of this is slower computer in general. Whether it's slowing down other disk i/o or whether it's creating a larger disk buffer cache, my memory usage on Lion is such that I am now swapping on a regular basis. Never did in Snow Leopard.

Anyway, we'll know more about whether Lion is crap if/when they fix this problem. If everything is slow and bloated after Time Machine/Spotlight is fixed, well all bets are off until they release "Snow Lion", the performance-only release which made Snow Leopard the best OS release I have ever experienced.

Jonathan Payne1 wrote:

Anyway, we'll know more about whether Lion is crap if/when they fix this problem. If everything is slow and bloated after Time Machine/Spotlight is fixed,

My Lion machine is fine and runs TM lightning fast after fseventsd was re-created. Did any of you who still have problems try to delete your fseventsd directories? (I just accidently got mine re-created because of a power outage)

A suggestion (I realise that much of this thread is clutching at straws):

Temporarily suspend automatic backups and don't allow your machine to sleep until the index is recreated.

I have been battling with the "perpetual indexing and heavy CPU issue" since installing Lion and have tried pretty much all of the suggestions in this thread with little success.

It seems that my combination of a large backup set (500GB+), a relatively old machine (2007 MacBook) and a short sleep time (15mins) results in the index creation never completing before the next scheduled backup starts. Result: endless indexing.

This seems to be a clear bug (automatic backups shouldn't start until the indexing is complete!), but the above seems to be a way out of the endless indexing cycle.

The only way to get the indexing process to complete properly was to temporarily suspend both sleep and TIme Machine. Full indexing took a couple of hours. Now I have re-enabled Time Machine and all is well - backups complete in a few minutes (at most) and CPU usage is back down to where it should be.

I'd be interested to know is this fix works for anyone else (and also whether the fix is permanent; I suspect not).

Sometimes I leave my machine on all night and let it finish its endless indexing, and then everything is OK (not great) for a while, and then I get a message on my console saying, "Sorry, redoing your index from scratch".

I suppose I could try deleting fsevents but that is not related to indexing, is it? I thought that was keeping track of what files changed so it knows what to copy into the new backup. Once they copy the new files and delete the old files, they need to update the index. Oh ... ah, is there an fsevents in the backup itself? So that's how it knows what to index? It keeps track of what file operations are performed on the backup partition and re-indexes those ...

Could be.

@clanger9: Like Jonathan's, my index has finished rebuilding countless times in the past two months. Then everything's fine for a while (this weekend, my backups only took 4 minutes over LAN which is the fastest it's ever happened). And then it reindexes everything again.

This past Saturday, however, while it was once again reindexing everthing, backups still managed to complete within 15 minutes. Not sure why that is, suddenly. The Saturday before, that took 6 hours.

So right now it *looks* like everything's finally ok, but I keep my console window open in order to observe. I don't trust it yet ;-)

@Espen Vestre: no I haven't tried that (I saw that suggestion earlier). Right now what I observe I believe to be a bug, and I expect it to get fixed before I start deleting things I'm not sure what they are ;-) Interestingly, 10.7.2 indeed deals with Time Machine.

Hi Jonathan. You are right, I expected to be able to search the backup for a file (or contact) I've deleted, but unfortunately that doesn't seem to be how it works. Instead, you have to manually select a backup, and *then* you can search for the file or contact within that backup. That's not terribly useful, though, unless you forgot where that file was stored.

And that DiskStore message is the same one I regularly get.

Apart from that, Lion has been a great update for me. It definitely feels faster than Snow Leopard, or at least it doesn't feel slower at all. Which is great since my machine is already 3 years old. I can now keep it for another 2-3 years until the next OS comes out.