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I continue to get the following error message: Unable to complete back up.an error occurred while creating backup folder. It's a brand new drive. When I attempt to repair it using disk utility I get:unable to repair disk cannot unmounted

I have been trying to use time machine on a new lacie 2tb usb 2 drive for back up. I continue to get: "unable to complete backup.An error occured while creating backup folder". When I use disk utility to repair I get another error message: unable to repair disk unmountable.


Help me Obie One Canobie you are my last hope😢

Mac mini (Mid 2011), Mac OS X (10.7.3)

Posted on Mar 27, 2012 1:06 AM

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16 replies

Mar 27, 2012 5:14 PM in response to stinkbug

Be sure nothing else is using the drive -- the Finder, etc. Make sure Time Machine is OFF and no backup is trying to run. If a backup is trying to run, cancel it (see #D6 in Time Machine - Troubleshooting if you have a problem cancelling it).


If that doesn't help, start up from your Recovery HD and use the copy of Disk Utility there to repair it. See Using the Recovery HD if you're not sure how to do that.





By the way, a Time Capsule is a piece of Apple hardware combining a wireless router and hard drive.


Time Machine is the software that performs backups, to exernal HDs like the one you're using, or a Time Capsule or other network location.

Apr 24, 2012 3:14 PM in response to stinkbug

I have the 'zact same error messages both when the back up fails and when I try disk repair. I am also using OS 10.7.3 but using a Seagate something external drive. Yeah, something else is using the external drive. Can't "eject" the drive because something is using it. But what? How can I stop this mysterious user?


I have determined, so far, that I can successfully back-up, at least once, if I restart the computerator each time.

Apr 24, 2012 3:21 PM in response to kellyfromid

Be sure nothing else is using the backups -- such as, another backup attempt running.


When you first got the Seagate, did you erase and reformat it, to get rid of the software that camp with it? Did you install any of that software? If so, that might be what's trying to use it -- uninstall it.


If it still won't unmount, start up from another source (a clone, or your Recovery HD on Lion, or your Install disc on Snow Leopard or earlier) and repair it from the copy of Disk Utility there. This is the same procedure you'd use to repair your internal HD; see the yellow box in #6 of Using Disk Utility if you're not sure how to do that.

Apr 24, 2012 4:25 PM in response to Pondini

Aha! But now you are going to see that I don't know what the Nell I am doing. Got seagate from a fellow that had recovered my data from HD failure and put it on the Seagate . He said after I had transferred my files and such to the new HD I should reformat the Seagate and could then use it for a backup HD.

I transferred stuff wrong ... simply dragged and dropped and then ended up with a lot of unix based files duplicating everything. I have simply been deleting the unix-based duplications whenever I encounter suffixes like .rsc but I think there may have been some applications transferred that I don't know about. Any suspects that I (may have) found, I have left alone because I don't know what they are or what I might screw up. Would there be any searchable clues about what may have been on the Seagate and needs removed?


Meanwhile the Seagate has been reformatted and so I don't know what was on it originally. I think you may have me on the right track. Next problem is that I'm an old fart and can't think my way out of a paper bag! I dang near gave up getting to this sight because I can't seem to master the username-password rigamarole without a long, long, maddening tussle. But every step helps. Thanks much!

Apr 24, 2012 5:13 PM in response to kellyfromid

Ah, then the first question is, has a backup ever completed to that drive? If it's not formatted right, that can be the problem.


Also, does it have more than one partition? Depending on how it's set up, making a second parttion might be the thing to do.


Use Disk Utility (in your Applications/Utilities folder) to display the drive.


First select the top line for the drive (usually with the make and size). You should get a display something like this:


User uploaded file


Tell us what the Partiton Map Scheme is.



Then click the second (indented) line:


User uploaded file


Tell us what the Format is, and whether there are multiple partitions (indented, like the 2 in the sample).


Message was edited by: Pondini

Apr 24, 2012 7:38 PM in response to Pondini

First answer is yes. In fact we had two successful backups today, after restarting this machine. First backup upon request, the second on an automatic basis. Third and fourth automatic backups failed. Saying an error occured while creating the backup folder.


The disk utility yields the same results as your example above, the top line "1.5 TB Seagate GoFle...." says Partition Map Scheme: GUID Partition Table.


Next line (indented) yields Format: Mac OS Extended (journaled) which doesn't say anything about Case Sensitive but I don't believe that has any bearing on things.


Whups. Now a message popped up, all on its own, saying "Unmount failed" even though I didn't request any such thing.

Apr 25, 2012 7:19 AM in response to kellyfromid

kellyfromid wrote:

. . .

Next line (indented) yields Format: Mac OS Extended (journaled) which doesn't say anything about Case Sensitive but I don't believe that has any bearing on things.

Correct. Either is fine in nearly all cases.


Whups. Now a message popped up, all on its own, saying "Unmount failed" even though I didn't request any such thing.

It might be a marginal port or cable. Try different ones, and combinations (a plug that works fine in one port may not make good contact in a different one). If the drive has it's own power supply, be sure those connections are snug and secure, too, and is plugged-in to a known good outlet.


Also, how old is this drive? They don't last forever, of course. It may be starting to fail.



Also used disk repair utility from a Snow Leopard install disk and it reported that my Mac Backup HD (the Seagate thing) is OK. Also goy the same test results when I verified my OS 10.7.3.

It probably doesn't matter in this case, but always use the same version of OSX/Disk Utility to verify/repair/parttion a disk as the version of OSX you're running. If there are changes to the file system, the older version may not handle them properly. So if you're running Lion, use the version of Disk Utility on your Lion Mac, or the Lion Recovery HD.

Apr 25, 2012 1:26 PM in response to Pondini

As I thrash around with this thing, I dectect a reliable pattern: I can alway successfully perform a backup following a restart. The next attempt (or maybe the third) goes bad. I have somehow found your (Pondini's) site and per a recommendation in there I have downlloaded the Time Machine Buddy and captured the error reported at the first backup failure foillowing a restart:


Starting standard backup

Backing up to: /Volumes/Mac Backup HD/Backups.backupdb

Error: (22) setxattr for key:com.apple.backupd.HostUUID path:/Volumes/Mac Backup HD/Backups.backupdb/test’s iMac size:37

Backup failed with error: 2


Note that an Apple tech named my computer "test" when installing a new HD and I have not succeeded in changing it. But following that name, in the second to last line above, what is "Äôs"? Looks wrong to me!


Also Pondini said:

"It might be a marginal port or cable."


I will examine and change port/power connections the next time I shut down power to this machine. Because of the predictable timing of the backup failure, I don't expect the trouble to be due to flakey connections. OTH back when I was a (non-computer) trouble shooter for Ma Bell, I learned that two or more simutaneous trouble conditions can defy logic!


I thank you so much for your attention!

Apr 25, 2012 1:48 PM in response to kellyfromid

kellyfromid wrote:

. . .

Note that an Apple tech named my computer "test" when installing a new HD and I have not succeeded in changing it.

Ah, an easy one! System Preferences > Sharing. Just keep it under about 25 characters, with no symbols or special characters.


But following that name, in the second to last line above, what is "Äôs"? Looks wrong to me!

That does show up in that message sometimes -- why or what it means isn't clear. 😟 But the message means, OS was unable to set an "extended attribute" (a value in an associated file) on the backups, which is usually some sort of I/O problem.


Unfortunately, a number of things can cause that message.


Another possibility is, the disk is "spinning down" after several minutes of non-use, which is fine, but then not spinning back up quickly enough when OSX wants to use it. Most externals have such a feature built in, and some will respond to the setting in System Preferences > Energy Saver to "Put the hard disk(s) to sleep..." So you might want to un-check that option temporarily -- if that stops the problem, then you know that's what it is. If so, check with Seagate to see if they have an update, or if there's a workaround, or if it's a sign the drive is beginning to fail. They are mechanical beasties, after all, with tiny bearings and moving parts.

Apr 25, 2012 5:15 PM in response to stinkbug

I am having the same basic problem with a LaCie T2. Followed your advice to reset the Time Machine several times with same result. Backs up fine, then does two regular backups and then quits. Error 2 ???


Found I had the LaCie backup mounted to also back up so have shut this down completely and am hoping for the best tonight.

Apr 26, 2012 11:48 AM in response to stinkbug

Yo.

I went to eject the LaCie and it said there was something using it.

Went to CleanMyMac and uninstalled integra backup which comes with the HD.

I was then able to eject the Lacie from the desktop, so assumed it was now unencumbered.

Turned EVERYTHING off and went home.


Back this AM. Followed the Pondini instructions and trashed TimeMachine.plist. Turned on the TimeMachine Reselected the HD and TM completed a full backup at 9:18AM Did a scheduled backup at 10:35AM


Starting standard backup

Error loading /Library/Plug-ins/DiskImages/VirtualPCDiskImagePlugin.bundle/Contents/MacOS/Vir tualPCDiskImagePlugin: dlopen(/Library/Plug-ins/DiskImages/VirtualPCDiskImagePlugin.bundle/Contents/Ma cOS/VirtualPCDiskImagePlugin, 262): no suitable image found. Did find:

Cannot find function pointer MacDiskImagePluginFactory for factory 7F1FD83E-6684-11D8-968F-000A957703C0 in CFBundle/CFPlugIn 0x7f8849511210 </Library/Plug-ins/DiskImages/VirtualPCDiskImagePlugin.bundle> (bundle, not loaded)

Backing up to: /Volumes/Lacie Backup/Backups.backupdb

875.8 MB required (including padding), 1.65 TB available

Copied 4636 files (179.8 MB) from volume Macintosh HD.

659.8 MB required (including padding), 1.65 TB available

Copied 886 files (22 KB) from volume Macintosh HD.

Starting post-backup thinning

No post-back up thinning needed: no expired backups exist

Backup completed successfully.


Deleted the old VirtualPCDiskImagePlugin.bundle. (Boy was that old!!)


It has attempted a scheduled backup three times now without success.


Log message was.


Starting standard backup

Backing up to: /Volumes/Lacie Backup/Backups.backupdb

Error: (22) setxattr for key:com.apple.backupd.HostUUID path:/Volumes/Lacie Backup/Backups.backupdb/Walter’s iMac size:37

Backup failed with error: 2


Any Ideas??

Apr 26, 2012 1:02 PM in response to wbaldus

I have confused myself with the facts! Started out keeping track of every step and every variable but have sort of lost it as we progress here. First I quit all applications then swapped connections between mouse port and backup disk port to influence possible bad connections question. Changed power outlet receptacle for the backup disk. Disabled the put-the-HD-to-sleep option. Then powered down the computerator.


Next started up computerator. Turned Time Machine ON and experienced multiple successful backups! Then I started up a few applications, Mail and Text Edit (but not Safari so far). Had a few more successes. After each backup, I used Disk Utility to verify the backup disk is still OK. This because the error about unable to unmount the backup disk seems to go hand in hand with Disk Utility finding the backup disk to be bad.


Put computer to sleep for the night. Upon starting up in the morning, and before doing anything else, I did a backup disk verification... BAD! Did a restart and verified the backup disk... OK.


Did a few Sleep-bad, Restart -OK repetitions.


It seems consistent: Sleeping the computer apparently messes up the backup disk but doing a Restart "repairs" it.

=============================


Now then, I don't understand everything I know here. Methinks that maybe keeping the HD from sleeping during lulls in activity has allowed successful backups through the day but manually putting everything to sleep for the night causes a return to the problem of spinning-back-up-too-slowly (which was explained earlier). Is there any truth in this?


I may abandon this Seagate thing for something more compatible. What's out there that we know works reliably for us?

Apr 26, 2012 1:51 PM in response to kellyfromid

kellyfromid wrote:


I may abandon this Seagate thing for something more compatible. What's out there that we know works reliably for us?

Assuming the problem really is the drive not waking from sleep quickly enough (your analysis seems to implicate that fairly strongly), it's a roll of the dice.


I have a Seagate (a few years old) that's no longer connected to my Mac, but when it was, never did that. I also have a LaCie Rugged (portable) connected via FireWire that doesn't seem to sleep at all (hard to tell, it's so quiet), and recently got an OWC Mercury Elite Pro, also connected via FireWire, and it doesn't have a problem, either. OWC sales gets very good reviews for both quality and support, and that drive has a 3-year warranty. But lots of other drives seem to work well with TM, too.


If/when you get a new drive, if it works better with TM, consider using the Seagate for a "bootable clone," in addition to TM. See Time Machine - Frequently Asked Question #27 for an explanation and some suggestions.

Apr 26, 2012 4:43 PM in response to Pondini

Pondini said re (possibly) slow "spinning back up" of Seagate's disk:

"..... check with Seagate to see if they have an update, or if there's a workaround, or if it's a sign the drive is beginning to fail."


There seems to be an awareness about the sleeping issue within Seagate's Community forums. Found the following message in there (twice):

"Disconnecting, dismounting from Mac, sleeping on Mac - install this software, which will automatically adjust the sleep settings of the GoFlex drive"


It send us to http://www.seagate.com/ww/v/index.jsp?locale=en-US&name=goflex-mac-install-softw are&vgnextoid=77002aaf8cc5d210VgnVCM1000001a48090aRCRD


Yet when clicking on this, I only get a big ERROR message! Har! Do you suppose that's a bad sign?


Well, I think I will keep the Seagate HD and just not use Time Machine on a daily basis. It seems that I will be able to back up stuff, now and then, by restarting the ol' apple, hitting "Backup Now" and then, after the backup, getting out of there before things go wrong.


Thanks much for your attention

I continue to get the following error message: Unable to complete back up.an error occurred while creating backup folder. It's a brand new drive. When I attempt to repair it using disk utility I get:unable to repair disk cannot unmounted

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