Time Machine Frequent "Start New Backup"

As I testified here I had this problem with a Mac Mini 2012 with ethernet and not with a 2009 MacBook on wifi. The Mac Mini was connected to my router via PLC. I have remade my network installation, I have now closer my Synology DS212J and my Mac Mini, both are connected via a Fast Ethernet switch and my switch is connected through PLC to my router for the internet.

I also reorganized my volumes on my NAS, I have 4TB (2x2To) I'm not anymore in a RAID 1, but two separate volumes because I do not have the utility of a RAID system (after thinking about it..). So I have now a single volume / dedicated disk for my backups (2To). Since about 15 days now that is installed like this and I have no more messages for the moment, I find that the "backup" volume mount more easily and faster on my Mac Mini at the Time Machine backup, network access is faster.

No change on the Macbook still in Wifi, backups continues with no errors.

Another thing, since the Synology NAS in the "Services Mac files" I have enabled the service to perform my backups, but I have not indicated the choice of Volume "Time Machine", I do not know if that makes any consequences but my Synology do not know what volume I use for my backup, it just allows the use of all volumes with the mac file system.

I think the simple volume (not RAID system) and the reconciliation of my Mac Mini and the NAS has improved my Backups.

Wait and See on long time..

I never used raid - neither on mq qnap ts-410 nor on my synology ds-1513+.

And _both_ experience problems with timemachine.

I can only advise to not use timemachine - if your data is valuable for you.

Instead, switch to some other way of backing up.

I had a problem with my Synology 412+ using Time Machine. I tried everything in the last months, but couldn't get any good reliable backups.

Because of the problems I eventually bought a 2TB Time Capsule and I am backing up two Macbook Pro Retina's and one Macbook Air over wifi from the 2nd of June without any problems. It seems Time Machine works fine with Time Capsule, but not with a Synology NAS (at least for me).

I have a QNAP TS-212-US with two 3tb WD Red's in it running Raid 1, and a MBP 15" Retina. I was getting the Time Machine error every two days without fail. I took advice from another post and created a dedicated Backups share on the NAS, then connected to that as admin and not another user. I also went and disabled putting hard disks to sleep (don't think this is relevant since it's SSD), and Power Nap.

It's only been a few days, but I haven't received the error yet.

I think it has something to do with Power Nap, but I may be wrong.

Just my two cents after a few months of dealing with this issue. I've switched to Crashplan from Code42 Software.

I went with a Synology 2-bay NAS to provide backup space for multiple computers because I figured in a fire or something awful I could grab the NAS and run. Yes, I have an offsite solution but it doesn't do everything. My virtual machines are too big for that.

My Mac Pro had no trouble with backups to the NAS, but every few weeks my MBA threw the dreaded, "Time Machine completed a verification of your backups," error.

I've tried to repair the backups with assistance from Pondini's site. No joy. Ended up restarting the backup. I've gotten as much as two weeks before the error, and as little as two days.

As has been remarked, Apple's stance is that this is an unsupported configuration. I thought about the Time Capsule, but since I already have an Airport Extreme, the Time Capsules are priced about $200 above the point at which I derive any value from them.

So, I'm using good old Crashplan and have decided to dump Time Machine. Crashplan handles versioning, works with NAS, and runs automatically in the background - all for free. I can also use the same software for cloud-backups, for a fee. Time Machine's interface was great, and I'll miss the ability to go back in time in Mac Mail. I'm also giving up the ability to do a quick and easy restore... But that's better than having an unreliable backup that may or may not go back more than a few days.

And for Apple... Laptops are now so powerful that not everyone needs a desktop. Since the only options for Time Machine backups on a laptop are a Time Capsule or plugging in an external drive (really? Time Machine is supposed to eliminate user intervention), doesn't it make sense to fix the NAS issue? Or at least offer a Time Capsule without Airport.

Aethan wrote:

. . .

Since the only options for Time Machine backups on a laptop are a Time Capsule or plugging in an external drive (really?

No. If you also have a desktop Mac, you can back up to a shared drive on it via your network.

Time Machine is supposed to eliminate user intervention), doesn't it make sense to fix the NAS issue?

It may not be an Apple issue, but the way the NAS's programming works (or not) with Time Machine's requirements. Some NASs seem to work better than others, and the circu. See the pink box in Time Machine - Frequently Asked Question #2 for a possible explanation.

Or at least offer a Time Capsule without Airport.

The new (tall) Airport Extremes announced in June have new hardware innards (apparently the same as the new Time Capsules) and do support backups to a connected USB drive, at least according to the setup instructions. See page 13 here: http://manuals.info.apple.com/en_US/airport_extreme_80211ac_setup.pdf

Unfortunately, Apple still hasn't updated the Help or various support articles yet, in spite of many requests.

I have the same problem (Time Machine frequent re-do of backups) with my MacBook Air backing up to a Synology RS411 NAS. It worked flawlessly for months but started misbehaving soon after I upgraded to Mountain Lion.

Based on suggestions here I am now trying it with a wired connection instead of wireless - we'll see if that's any better. But it's inconvenient to do it that way.

I wonder if it is doing some kind of a precautionary re-do based on the number of times it gets disconneced and reconnected when building the backup (even if the file is not actually corrupted). I do disconnect and reconnect quite a bit because I travel around with my MBA.

I have a similar problem with TimeMachine backing up two latest iMacs (mountain lion) over wired network to a QNAP Turbo NAS. All is OK until a user goes into TM and Restores a file or folder. It restores OK but then the next back-up session fails for that user and a new back-up has to be created. I have just Ordered 2 external HDDs because it's too important to us to get it sorted rather than wait for a fix.

Just like the rest I have simulair problems and I gave up the possibility that this will ever be solved.

So my alternative would be to give in on Apple ;-) and buy an Apple Time Capsule 2TB, but ..........

How do I know for sure that this problem does not occur when buying and using a Apple Time Capsule 2TB for my TM backup?

No more problem for me with my Synology DS212J since I remake my network and use a direct Ethernet connexion through a switch and no more through PLC.

All is fine since many months

I continue to think that's the quality of your connection, wifi or Ethernet play a role into all this. No packet loss or no perturbations

Hi,

Is have a DS412+ with the same problem and switched to a 2TB Time Capsule.

I am making backups for months now without a problem.

I have 2 Macbook Pro Retina's and 2 MacBook Air's that i am backing up over wifi.

Last week I replaced the 2TB Time Capsule with a new 'vertical' 3TB Time Capsule, and this week I have been backing up all the machines, also without any problems.

It's pretty safe to say it works with apple stuff.

Kind regards,

Patrick

The first time I noticed this problem it was with apple time capsules, in two different setups. Eventually both failed due to faulty PSUs (an endemic problem with TC's at that time) and we started using other setups, primarily because they offer raid mirror whereas the apple solution doesn't.

The golden rule to keep a backup from corrupting is *never* shut down your machine whilst the backup is in progress - that has a high chance of corruption. Get the habit of keeping an eye on the clock icon and just leaving running it if it's spinning.

The other rule is treat it as temporary.. TC is not a substitute for proper backups, it is at best a method of recovering files that are a few weeks old. If you have proper backups when it corrupts it's much less of an issue.

Agreed.

Be mindful of backup. Do not put the computer to sleep or shut it down while it is backing up.

I would add, configure Time Machine so it will ONLY backup when you're hardwired to your drive or network.

Steve

I notice some inconsistentie in the answers.

Some people mentioned to be mindful of backup, not to put your computer to sleep, using a wired connection, etc etc.

But that does not explain why people suffer from the frequent 'new' TM-backup on a 'regular' NAS and that when using the Apple TC they don't seem to experience any problems any more.

If it makes no difference in using a regular NAS of Apple's TC, then both should suffer from putting your computer to sleep during backup situations. Appearantly this is not the case.

To me it still seems that there is somewhere something wrong in the TM software which does not manifest on a TC.