question on time machine- time to 'prepare' files

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question on time machine- time to 'prepare' files

Is there any way to determine how long the 'preparation' may take? Mine has been going on for >1 day!! Yes I aborted a backup since last backup and shut down the computer abnormally. I am thinking that a quicker solution is to abort this and do an initial backup but I'm not sure how to do an initial backup with the current setup I have. Would I need to reformat my external drive? Is there a way to tell time machine to do an initial even though it has done one on the external drive?

thanks...

Posted on Apr 13, 2012 5:50 PM

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Answer 1

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BDAqua

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Apr 13, 2012 6:58 PM in response to dc_in_cc

Have you looked through Pondini's extensive TM help site?

http://Pondini.org/TM/FAQ.html

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Answer 2

dc_in_cc Author

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Apr 14, 2012 5:43 PM in response to dc_in_cc

Thanks...I started to flip through that yesterday. I did try one or 2 items. Nervous to try others given this has been going on 'forever'....just can't tell how close to completion it is.

Thanks for the pointer...will continue to grin and bear it.

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Answer 3

BDAqua

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239,213 points

Apr 14, 2012 5:47 PM in response to dc_in_cc

Let us know if it's still a problem, might have to start over, already seems too long.

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Answer 4

dc_in_cc Author

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Apr 15, 2012 1:57 PM in response to BDAqua

I am ready to give up...it took >2 days to prepare 30,600 ish files....How do I take an existing time machine setup and make a fresh start? Like a first time backup? Is there anything I need to do to the drive like reformat or repartition? Its an external drive. Maybe I should ask, is that the best thing to do, start all over and do a first time backup?

thanks...

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