Time machine fails, now can't eject any external HDs

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Time machine fails, now can't eject any external HDs

A series of backup related problems have occurred:

Upgraded to Lion and then TM failed to backup: " Error while copying to backup disk" (using Lacie d2 Quadra HD that has been performing well for 2 years)

I also have a second Iomega MiniMaxHD with a carbon copy clone of my Snow Leopard mac on one partition and a second partition with other iphoto/.itunes/ document backup and now I cannot copy my iphoto library to this HD for a backup: " Operation could not be completed because the item "iphoto Library" is in use", even though all applications are off. Tried multiple times and the transfer of the iphoto library always fails midway through.

I have spent ~8 hours websearching and troubleshooting, including just about all of the TM Troubleshooting steps listed by Pondini

(pondini.org/TM/Troubleshooting) and just need some advice on what to do now because now I am afraid that i have lost both my TM backup and my ability to backup to other drives because a new problem has arisen: everytime I try to load an external HD I can't eject it: can't eject because error message says that the "Finder is using" the external HD and then I have to Force Eject, risking data loss.

I have so far tried: restart mac, reset PRAM, unplug/verify and repair disk multiple times for all of the external HDs as well as my Macintosh HD; I have erased the Lacie HD and reformatted it while rebooting from Lion Recovery HD and then TM still failed; I have also tried deleting from the Library my TM plist as well as my iphoto p.list. I even tried using a brand new Iomega Minimax HD and TM still failed

I have Lion 10.7.4, 2.66 GHz Intel Core i5, 8 gb RAM

Thanks for any help you can give me!

27inch quad core imac, Mac OS X (10.6.2)

Posted on May 12, 2012 7:01 PM

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Answer 1

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,547 points

May 12, 2012 7:57 PM in response to kbalcr

Please read this whole message before doing anything.

This procedure is a diagnostic test. It’s unlikely to solve your problem. Don’t be disappointed when you find that nothing has changed after you complete it.

The purpose of this exercise is to determine whether the problem is caused by third-party system modifications that load automatically at startup or login. Disconnect all wired peripherals except those needed for the test, and remove all aftermarket expansion cards. Boot in safe mode and log in to the account with the problem. The instructions provided by Apple are as follows:

Be sure your Mac is shut down.
Press the power button.
Immediately after you hear the startup tone, hold the Shift key. The Shift key should be held as soon as possible after the startup tone, but not before the tone.
Release the Shift key when you see the gray Apple icon and the progress indicator (looks like a spinning gear).

Note: If FileVault is enabled under Mac OS X 10.7 or later, you can’t boot in safe mode.

Safe mode is much slower to boot and run than normal, and some things won’t work at all, including wireless networking on certain Macs.

The login screen appears even if you usually log in automatically. You must know your login password in order to log in. If you’ve forgotten the password, you will need to reset it before you begin.

Test while in safe mode. Same problem(s)?

After testing, reboot as usual (i.e., not in safe mode) and verify that you still have the problem. Post the results of the test.

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Answer 2

kbalcr Author

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May 13, 2012 10:21 AM in response to Linc Davis

Thank you for the help.

Don't know if this matters but Lacie HD (TM backup) is connected via USB and Iomega HD connected via FW.

I also forgot to mention that before I received your response I tried 2 other things:

- tried having Spotlight reindex the entire Mac and that didn't help

- tried trashing Finder plist and sidebar plist and that temporary helped the problem ejecting external HDs but once I retried to copy iphoto library to the iomega HD and that task failed, then the same problem of being unable to eject the HD because the "Finder is using it" returned and had to Force Eject again

So I went ahead and followed your instructions and after booting into safe mode I could then eject external HD easily. I then tried to run Time Machine and it took 3 hours to index the Backup and then just stopped. I tried again to copy iphoto library to Iomega HD and that again failed with the same error message "could not copy because the iphoto library is in use"

So then I restarted the computer (not in safe mode) and tried the same things again and ran into the exact same problems.

I am not sure about what is going on but it seems that the Finder and its preferences are one source of the problem with the inability to eject external HDs.

Not sure what to do about TM not working.

Not sure why the iphoto library can't be backed up but perhaps a corrupt file in the library is the problem. I am afraid to dump iphoto because I do not know if I have any valid backups at this point. I do have a Carbon Copy Clone of iPhoto from a few weeks ago on the iomega HD, from before I upgraded to Lion, so I could consider restoring from that library but I would lose any photos that I stored from the last few weeks. Iphoto works fine but the only unusal thing is that when it is open and I do Expose there are two iphoto library icons at the bottom of the tiled screen ,yet there is only iphoto library in my home folder under Pictures.

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Answer 3

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,547 points

May 13, 2012 11:54 AM in response to kbalcr

Is iCloud synchronization enabled? If so, disable it and try again.

Otherwise, I think you have one or more bad sectors on your source drive that are preventing at least the iPhoto library from being copied, either by the Finder or by Time Machine. In that case, you'll have to erase the boot volume and restore from the latest backup. That may mean that some iPhoto data will be lost. Perhaps you have older Time Machine backups that will contain the missing data.

I suggest that before erasing the boot volume, you first try to clone it using CCC. The operation may fail, but the error messages may be more informative than what you have so far.

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Answer 4

kbalcr Author

Level 1

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May 13, 2012 4:05 PM in response to Linc Davis

iCloud synch is not enabled. I haven't yet mograted to iCloud from MobileME

I used a new iomega HD to try to make a Carbon Copy Clone of my Mac HD and have had all kinds of problems. The first two runs stopped due to hardware problems (even though I formatted the HD first and Verify disk/Repair disk) and then I tried all of the Bombich hardware trouble shooting problems. I made it down the list 4 steps and then reconnected the drive via FW cable not USB and then the process still failed.

I don't think I can erase the boot volume because I don't have any backups since installing Lion- trying to do a backup after Lion is how all of the problems started. I only have a clone of my snow leopard machine.

In the discussions it seems many other people have had trouble with TM since moving to Lion and I'm willing to live without it but now am worried because I can't use CCC to even make a backup.

What can I do now?

Thanks once again for your help and advice.

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Answer 5

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,547 points

May 13, 2012 4:30 PM in response to kbalcr

Your drive is corrupt and may be failing. I think you should replace it. If you don't have current backups and can't back up now, then you're in a data-recovery situation. I have no experience with that and I can't advise you. Any data that you don't back up will eventually be lost, and that time may have come.

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Answer 6

kbalcr Author

Level 1

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May 20, 2012 12:26 PM in response to Linc Davis

Linc:

Some followup on my problem: after your last post I was worried about a disk failure but fortunately that didn't happen. I was able to eventually figure out that a corrupt iphoto library was the source of many of my problems. I rebuilt my iphoto library and then was able to successfully run TM to a new Lacie HD and also successfully run a carbon copy clone of my mac to another new Lacue HD.

My troubles aren't completely over yet because I still can't backup iphoto to my iomega drive but at least I have 2 backups of my data on 2 separate drives. Perhaps the Iomega HD has just gone bad.

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