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Time Machine Frequent "Start New Backup"

Why does my MBP time machine keep telling me that it needs to create a new backup?😠


It only seems to happen when the system comes out of sleep .... (wireless connection) ...


It happened to backups on my Time Capsule so often that I stopped using my time capsule for that ... it is now happening the same on my synology NAS ...


I cannot try a third option ... I don't have one!!!


I want to prevent it happening ... but do not know the cause ... and do not know how.


Apple's help on this is insulting (http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=Mac/10.7/en/mh34042.html) ... I can read the dialogue box ... how does the help 'help' in any way? There does not seem to be any acknowledgement of this elsewhere from Apple ... and no way to contact them.


It has only been happening since Lion ... th same hardware has been fine for 12 months before that. It only happens on my MBP (17 " Mid 2010) and not on my children's MB, wife's MBP (13") nor my iMac.




Thanks.

Macbook Pro 2010, Mac OS X (10.7.2)

Posted on Jan 25, 2012 9:32 AM

Reply
394 replies

May 19, 2014 1:41 PM in response to Folbo

I'm having these same issues. I build a custom home server running Ubuntu 12.04 LTS Server, and using an AFP share, about once a month I get the message that a new backup needs to be created. So annoying. Since all I really want is for my files to be backed up redundantly, I'm probably just going to switch to using rsync for my important files to the server. This is freaking ridiculous - especially that this problem even exists for Time Capsules.

May 26, 2014 8:09 PM in response to Folbo

I get this error regularly, and I'm doing a *wired* backup over gigabit Ethernet.


The Garth Gillespie fix doesn't work for me, either (even with the alternate "if this fails..." fix):


iMac-3:~ root# fsck_hfs -drfy /dev/disk3s2

journal_replay(/dev/disk3s2) returned 0

** /dev/rdisk3s2

Using cacheBlockSize=32K cacheTotalBlock=81920 cacheSize=2621440K.

Executing fsck_hfs (version hfs-226.1.1).

** Checking Journaled HFS Plus volume.

** Detected a case-sensitive volume.

The volume name is Time Machine Backups

** Checking extents overflow file.

** Checking catalog file.

** Rebuilding catalog B-tree.

Extent records for rebuilt file 4:

[ 19697618, 210 ]

[ 991841, 208 ]

[ 19687630, 344 ]

[ 19697030, 273 ]

[ 61058765, 295 ]

[ 8729268, 305 ]

[ 19689209, 462 ]

[ 64026391, 84431 ]

hfs_UNswap_BTNode: invalid node height (1)

btree file 4: 1000 records

[additional btree file info omitted]

RebuildBTree - InsertBTreeRecord failed with err 35 0x23

RebuildBTree - numRecords = 103001

RebuildBTree - record 50 in node 2397 is not recoverable.


xxxxxxxx BTreeKey (length 8) xxxxxxxx

06 00 3A CB 00 00 00 00 ..:.....


xxxxxxxx BTreeData (length 52) xxxxxxxx

04 00 00 00 39 CB 00 00 15 00 54 00 72 00 61 00 ....9.....T.r.a.

6E 00 73 00 6C 00 61 00 74 00 65 00 64 00 53 00 n.s.l.a.t.e.d.S.

74 00 72 00 69 00 6E 00 67 00 73 00 2E 00 74 00 t.r.i.n.g.s...t.

78 00 74 00 x.t.

** The volume Time Machine Backups could not be repaired.

volume type is pure HFS+

primary MDB is at block 0 0x00

alternate MDB is at block 0 0x00

primary VHB is at block 2 0x02

alternate VHB is at block 5641594414 0x15043e62e

sector size = 512 0x200

VolumeObject flags = 0x07

total sectors for volume = 5641594416 0x15043e630

total sectors for embedded volume = 0 0x00

CheckHFS returned 8, fsmodified = 1

Oct 5, 2014 11:22 AM in response to stevecook3dw

May I suggest code42 software. It allows backups to several different locations at the same time. The software is free. If you back up to their vault you pay for the storage. I do confess that the user interface is confusing. I back up to their vault and to a local mini. I'm also using Time Machine to an apple wireless tower. Between the three options, I seem to be covered. When TM screws up, it is merely irritating vs disastrous.


I think I paid $50 for 3 years of their vault, but the prices have since gone up.


https://www.code42.com/crashplan/

Oct 11, 2014 8:46 PM in response to Folbo

I've got word that this is fixed in 10.9.5 (latest Mavericks). My informal testing seems to agree – I haven't been experiencing it although I have deliberately disconnect the network a few times while Time Machine is running.


If you've upgraded to 10.9.5 and still experiencing the same issue, please collect diagnostics data, file a bug report and mention the original bug number: #15560145.


To collect diagnostics, go to Terminal and then run the following command:


sudo tmdiagnose


It will generate a report on the desktop. You'll need to attach this file on your bug report. It would be best if you run this command before you start a new Time Machine backup (e.g. while the "start new backup" prompt is still showing).

Dec 19, 2014 5:46 PM in response to adib1

No, not fixed for me on 10.95. I've had a new imac + Time capsule (backed up over ethernet) since Jan 2014, and todays "Cannot back up etc..." is the third, so about once every 3 months, regularly. Not good enough obviously; full backup aside I lose the continuity. I haven't had the time, but I'm sick of this and will try calling via Applecare - they've been good in the past. I've got no doubt Yosemite won't be a fix for this.


I'm surprised, as I had two previous TCs running for 5 years under 10.58 without problem, except for one packing up after two years, replaced under warranty. It's interesting to hear the problem is not limited to Time Capsules.


I've missed the boat on the diagnostics this time, but I'll make a note for the next time this happens - no doubt it will.

Jan 25, 2015 5:53 AM in response to Folbo

I just discovered this issue last night.

I'm using a WD drive connected via USB to my MacBook Air with 10.10.1


The 250gb backup finished but somehow corrupted he driver to where it says it needs to be formatted again.


This same thing happened when I attempted to backup via wireless with my Airport Extreme.


The OS/Time Machine def does something to the driver over a period of time that corrupts it.

Nov 27, 2015 4:36 AM in response to Folbo

I have the same issue with only one machine. All others on my network are unaffected. The one difference that I notice is the affected machine ofen runs with a mounted sparsebundle image. I think that time machine may be confused while backing up a mounted volume from an image on the disk. If I make sure that the time machine runs when the sparsebundle is not mounted, I have gone months without a single problem.


To be clear I trigger the time machine failure when:

1. I have an encrypted sparsebundle "SecureDisk"

2. "SecureDisk" is mounted.

3. I allow time machine to backup while "SecureDisk" is mounted.


Question: Are the other people having this issue using mounted volumes from images located on the disk being backed up? Maybe this is something in common for some of the people having this issue?

Time Machine Frequent "Start New Backup"

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