There was a Problem connecting to the Server. Can anyone Help.

This issue is definitely NOT limited to Time Machine. I get the same dialog popping up every few minutes since I installed Lion, but I've NEVER used Time Machine (and I verified just now that it's turned off).

In my case, the "server" it's complaining about is my "downstairs" Mac (an iMac), which happened to be visible over the Wi-Fi network at the time I installed Lion on the "upstairs" Mac (a Macbook pro).

Ever since installing Lion, if I try to use the Macbook while the iMac is turned off, I get the alert, "There was a problem connecting to the server, 'Ricks_iMac.'" (If I turn ON the other Mac, the dialog goes away.)

So, it seems like Lion somehow does an inventory of all the "volumes" it's connected to at the time it's installed (even if they're other Mac's on the LAN) and expects them always to be available. Ooops!

Dlamija: The problem I'm having is most similar to yours (complains about failing to find another Mac on the local network). NOT related to Time Machine in my case, because I've never used Time Machine.

Add my machine to the list. It is quite annoying.

I was having the same problem after upgrading to Lion (OSX 10.7) and solved it by doing the following simple steps:

1. unmount/eject your Time Machine backup hard disk

2. launch System Preferences > Time Machine

3. switch Time Machine off

4. remount your Time Machine backup hard disk

5. go back to System Preferences > Time Machine

6. click the Select Disk button and choose your Time Machine backup hard disk

From here on, you'll be able to eject or turn off your Time Machine backup hard disk without annoying error messages popping up all the time. Essentially all that needed to happen was for the system to have its settings refreshed.

Any advice for those of use who are NOT using (have never used) Time Machine but are still getting the alert? In my case, the "server" it can't connect to is my other (downstairs) Mac, which by chance happened to be available via wi-fi at the time I installed Lion on my upstairs Mac. I believe Lion thinks that since my downstairs Mac was available once, it ought to be available forever. :-(

Yes Rick J. Brown ....so now i know that i'm not alone ... Seriously it anoying to have the pop-up every minutes. Hope some body figure it out how to remove that network volume from lion inventory. Still looking in every where to remove it

Same here. :/ When my MacBook is not connected to the TM disk, this message pops out. It wasn't happening under SL, but after I installed Lion it started to pop up. Apple?

You can add me to the list as well.

Like wise. Whenever my Time Machine external is switched off.

Yeah, I get it too. With or without Time Machine.

Somebody will get it. I personally think it has to do with Airdrop. The message will appear on a computer that does not support Airdrop. Yes? No?

I'm getting the same error, "There was a problem connecting to the server. URLs with the type "file:" are not supported"

This message started appearing what seemed to be randomly right after upgrading to Lion. At first my research, as many have posted here, said it was something to do with Time Machine: I didn't have a disc connected but Time Machine in System Prefs was on; my initial research said this was the sole cause of this message. I turned it off and it alleviated the problem...somewhat.

However, whenever I try to use "Versions" I receive the same message. I'm stumped.

I really want to embrace and enjoy Lion. These little bugs need to get ironed out. I'm hoping that happens soon as it's frustrating to embrace while not being able to enjoy the system as intended.

Worth noting, I've got an early 2011 iMac here, more than capable of handling the rigors of Lion.

If anyone can offer any insight or solution, we'd all be greatly appreciative.

Thank you.

It sounds like this error is caused by more than one issue. I can verify that unmounting and remounting the Time Machine drive fixed the problem in my case, as per carlnp's post above.

I don't have my Time Machine backup constantly connected to my laptop; I only connect it once a week or so. It was not connected at the time I upgraded to Lion. It looks like this may be a badly handled hand-off from Time Machine Snow Leopard to Time Machine Lion, which can be repaired by manually forcing the system to re-assign the drive.

That said, obviously there are people out there experiencing this error without using Time Machine at all, so there must be other things that cause it too.

Eric

@carlnp: Thanks mate, your solution seems to solved the problem for me. 🙂

Not using Versions, so don't know how you solve that one.

Do think though that this issue should be raised with Apple. I mean, really, who did the testing on Lion prior to launch?

Rick,

Any luck solving your problem? I have the exact same issue.

I get the same error too! Entirely randomly! And repeats two or three times in a row!

I use time machine once every two or three weeks - external hard drive wasn't connected when I upgraded to Lion...

If I follow the above and have time machine re-assign the drive, will all the backup still be there? (might sound obvious, but have had all my data go from one instant to the next before... so am overly cautious this time around)

Thanks!