Time Capsule, Looking for backup

It seems to be a typical lion bug.. TM has forgotten where the TC disk is.

Just restart the TC and see if it then works. If not you will need to reset the TC.

If you use wireless it is worse than using ethernet.

Ring apple support and ask them for help.

If the issue is caused by their update.. tell them.. you will not be charged just to ask.. refuse charges and hang up if they are unhelpful.

Download the 5.6 utility..

http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1482

You cannot do anything with the v6 in lion.

Then holding the options key go back to earlier firmware. You might still experience the issue though.. and even a factory reset won't fix.. that is just more lion..

You might also need to reset TM..

Read the Pondini Troubleshooting.

http://pondini.org/TM/Troubleshooting.html

I have had a similar problem with Time Capsule, Time Machine and Mac OS 10.7.

In french, Time Machine was telling "Recherche du Disque de Sauvegarde" which seems to be similar to "Looking for Backup Disk" and couldn't backup anything.

I've resolved it (while keeping the last backup) with following what is described there :

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3638823

Below, what I have done in details :

To your own risks... (risk of erasing everything on the mac and of deactivate some functions... and to be unable to recover anything)

It has worked for me but it couldn't for you.

1/ Deactivate Wifi on the Mac

2/ disabled the backup from the preferences panel

No pending backup.

Open "Terminal" app

3/ disabled spootlight:

sudo launchctl unload -w /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.metadata.mds.plist

(described here : http://osxdaily.com/2011/12/10/disab...mac-os-x-lion/)

4/ delete the following hidden folders from the diskboot and external drive backup (.Fseventsd and. Spootlight-V100)

4.1/ delete .Fseventsd on the mac, enter :

cd /

ls -l

(you must find .fseventsd and .spotlight-vt100)

sudo rm .fseventsd/fseventsd-uuid

sudo rmdir .fseventsd

4.2/delete spotlight-vt100 of mac :

sudo rm -dR .Spotlight-V100

4.3/ delete .fseventsd of Timecapsule :

cd /Volumes

ls -l (you have to look for the backup directory)

cd Cop* (because for my computer : the name is 'Copies de sauvegardes de Time machine' and it is the single directory name begining by Cop)

sudo ls -l (check presence of .fseventsd et Spotlight-vt100)

sudo rm -dR .fseventsd

4.4/ delete .spotlight-vt100 :

sudo rm -dR .Spotlight-V100

5/ Restart Time Capsule and mac

6/ spootlight rehabilitated (details here :http://osxdaily.com/2011/12/10/disab...mac-os-x-lion/) :

sudo launchctl load -w /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.metadata.mds.plist

and index launch (found here : http://www.printedbyerik.com/2011/08...index-on-os-x/) :

sudo mdutil -i on /

It took 4 hours for 500Go

7/ at the end : put an internet cable between Mac and Time Capsule (it is mandatory)

Launch a backup in Time Machine preferences.

For my computer : 15 hours for 70Go.

3 backup since without any problem.

Had a very similar issue where the drive mounted, could see the backup, but Time Machine could not find it.

Actually stumbled across a fix for me - when the drive mounted, it was the actual drive and not the Time Machine.

On the verge of resetting Time Capsule, I entered Time Machine, which then mounted Time Machine.

From that point on, the correct data was found and the backup took place with no hitch.

Don't really know technically why it worked, but it did!

rfj1099 - This was the best advice. Thanks!

It took a long time, but your instructions were clear and concise.

The only problem I encountered was when I couldn't get rid of the hidden /.fseventsd folder on my Mac because it contained items and couldn't be deleted. Since I couldn't open it because it was locked, I just unhid it using terminal or Cocktail, changed it's permissions with info, opened it and emptied it's contents. Then I was able to sudo rmdir .fseventsd

Other than that, wonderful advice which enabled me to maintain a year of previous backed-up data from my Time Capsule rather than reformat it and loose it all.

Thanks so much