I am no longer able to back up via Time Machine to my Airport Extreme hard drive. Time Machine preferences does not list the hard drive, yet Airport Utility shows the hard drive listed in the manual set up. Anyone with a remedy, please let me know.
Mac Pro, Macbook Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.4)
I have the same issue. Time Machine to an airport extreme with usb drive works fine, upgraded to Lion from Snow Leopard and now it doesn't work. Rats.
I had a brief dialogue with an Apple Care tech who informed me that this configuration is not supported by Apple for use with Time Machine...that's why they created Time Capsule. Not much help.
Subsequently, I discovered that the reason the drive was not recognized in Time Machine preferences was because the finder was no longer automatically connecting to the drive. Once I re-established a connection to the drive in the finder, the drive appeared in Time Machine preferences...problem solved.
How did you re-establish the connection in Finder?
I am assuming that you have already chosen the hard disk through Airport Utility. If so, the hard disk you are using for a Time Machine backup should be visible either on the desktop or in the side bar of the window when you double click on your home hard drive (Mac HD or some similar name). If it is not visible in the sidebar, click on the window or desktop, pull down the Finder menu and choose Preference, then choose Sidebar, and make sure that External Disks is checked. The name of your USB hard disk plugged into your Airport Extreme should now appear in the sidebar. Click on the disk and connect.
The Airport Extreme doesn't appear in my sidebar. It originally did when I upgaded to Lion, but now no matter what I do it will not appear. Airport Utility however can see it and the hard drive attached to it.
I have a similar problem. My external HD in airport extreme is shown in time machine preferences. But when I the backup starts I get the following error (translated from dutch):
TIME MACHINE CAN NOT FINISH THE RESERVE COPY.
THE DISKCOPY FILE '/VOLUMES/BACKUP PETER-2/IMAC OF PETER JANSEN.SPARSEBUNDLE WHICH IS USED FOR RESERVECOPY, IS ALREADY BEIING USED.
What does this mean? How can I fix it?
peterwillem
Did you check the box for Connected Servers in the Shared menu in Finder Preferences?
Finder>Preferences>Sidebar>Shared>Connected Servers
Lol. I was about to give you guys advice on how to get it working, but it looks like I'm having the same problem.
However, I can enter time machine okay. So, the fact that TM can't find my backup disk is suspicious. My GF, though, on her MPB still runnning Snow Leopard is also unable to find the disk for a TM backup, so maybe it's ... I don't know what it is. That doesn't make any sense.
Okay, I went to the Airport utility and "disconnected all users" and then walked over and unplugged the power source for the drive connected to my Airport. I plugged it back in, and I was able to see it in the Lion finder. And, after a long time "preparing the backup" it is now backing up.
I do worry that Lion will "loose" the TM Airport Disk in the future ... but see if unplugging and replugging the Airport Disk will work for you.
RickCamp wrote:
I had a brief dialogue with an Apple Care tech who informed me that this configuration is not supported by Apple for use with Time Machine
That is correct. Backing-up that way is unreliable. If you really want to do it, it may work for a while, but most likely the backups will turn up corrupted, often beyond repair, sooner or later.
So make "secondary" backups periodically. See #27 in the FAQ for some suggestions.
Or, if you have a desktop Mac, you can back up to a shared drive on it over your network. See #22 in Time Machine - Frequently Asked Questions.
Huh. I've been backing up this way for over a year with Snow Leopard and have not had a problem. Granted, I filled up one drive and then changed it out with a new one, so its possible that that change cured any impending problems.
I have the same problem only since upgrading to Lion. My Airport USB TM has been working fine for a year, till now. Will Apple respond to this? This is a real problem and a step back. I think they have to fix this. It's the main reason I bought the Airport.
Pondini wrote:
RickCamp wrote:
I had a brief dialogue with an Apple Care tech who informed me that this configuration is not supported by Apple for use with Time Machine
That is correct. Backing-up that way is unreliable. If you really want to do it, it may work for a while, but most likely the backups will turn up corrupted, often beyond repair, sooner or later.
So make "secondary" backups periodically. See #27 in the FAQ for some suggestions.
Or, if you have a desktop Mac, you can back up to a shared drive on it over your network. See #22 in Time Machine - Frequently Asked Questions.
I can confirm this. I bought an Airport Extreme for the express purpose of using it for Time Machine backups, and when my backups got corrupted, I called Apple and was told it was not a supported configuration.
The last thing you want is untrustworthy backups, believe me. It's a bitter pill to swallow that Apple did not make this restriction clear in the product description, but I'm relieved to hear that Time Machine has finally been told that it's not a supported configuration.
I wish it had been that way when I bought the Airport Extreme, because I would have found out soon enough to return it to Apple, and I would not have been exposed to the risk of data loss.
Working for now. I tried what Endenger suggested, disconnecting and unplug Airport. After plugging it back in TM was able to find the the drive. We'll see how long it continues to work. I did turn off the new "Restore" feature, to see if that will have any effect.
How did you come to realize the backup was corrupted?
Lion prevents Airport disk Time Machine back up
