error-1 message during Time Machine backup since Lion install

I am getting the same error message brtbackup - hope someone out there can help because its **** annoying that my iMac isnt backing up

I have not found a long-term solution (fix), but in my case the volume where the Time Machine backup should occur usually is mounted on the desktop but not as a shared volume (incidated as a drive with the people holding hands superimposed over the drive icon). If I drag the drive to the trash (unmount it), the next time Time Machine is scheduled to run, it completes successfully.

I upgraded to Lion on both my computers. My iMac Time Machine Backups are fine - it's connected by firewire to an external hard drive.

BUT my Macbook Tim Machine Backups are wireless using our Time Capsule and the backups are stored on the Time Capsule.

Since upgrading, The backups fail & I get this error: The backup disk image “/Volumes/Brunnertime/LittleOne (2).sparsebundle” could not be accessed (error -1).

Just like so many other unhappy Lion users.

One positive abberation - Last night, I went into Time Machine Preferences, re-selected the appropriate backup disk (our Time Capsule), entered the password, started a backup and VOILA it backed up fine. All night long, it did hourly backups.

This morning? Once again, the backups are FAILING with that same error - The backup disk image “/Volumes/Brunnertime/LittleOne (2).sparsebundle” could not be accessed (error -1).

Plus, now there are NO backups on the disk. Huh?

At this point we are disgusted that both Lion and iCloud (that's another longer story) were released before they should have been. Too many bugs.

So...

I actually had the same problem with Snow Leopard, so don't think it's unique to Lion. The problem seems to occur either with Macbooks that close BEFORE a backup has been completed (either power runs down or closed before back up is completed), or iMacs that use dynamic IP addresses (periodically change when reconnecting to the server).

I backup my Macbook wirelessly, and the iMac via USB, but the usual work around is this: go to AirPort Utility, select the connection point for your time capsule (which I'm assuming is an external drive connected to either an airport extreme or express), choose manual setup, then disks, then 'diconnect all users'. After you've done this, physically remove the drive from the AirPort, wait a few seconds, then plug back in. It'll reappear in Finder, then Time Machine should be able to work again.

This is almost EXACTLY what Indiana from Springfield did, but maybe a little more involved? The only other advice I can give (and I know it sounds patronising) is to try to make sure the backups complete before you a) close the screen, or b) have the drive go to 'sleep'.

Hope that helps!

I checked the pondini fixes and ended up doing the following - in case this could help someone else with OSX Lion and Time Capsule... http://pondini.org/TM/Troubleshooting.html

First, I downloaded and used Airport Utility 5.6 instead of 6.1 - BTW, I had to attempt download and installation THREE times before the program actually installed. Be persistant.

Pondini #5: It's possible some names (of all things!) may be a problem. See item C9. I had to re-name my Mac, Time Capsule, network, etc... to remove all apostrophes and spaces.

Pondini #7: If you have WD SmartWare installed on Lion, it's not compatible, per RoaringApps, and there are reports it can cause this problem as well. Use Western Digital's uninstaller, or delete the app from /Applications and the files com.wdc.WDDMservice.plist and com.wdc.WDSmartWareServer.plist from /Library/LaunchDaemons. There may also be a file in Library/Application Support.

I then had to shut down computer, unplug Time Capsule, unplug modem; plug everything in again, then reboot computer; then had to go to Apple- System Preferences- Network- and reselect my Time Capsule to connect to WiFi again.

Then opened Time Machine preferences again and attempted back up - it worked!