Initial Backup interrupted couple of times

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Initial Backup interrupted couple of times

Hi,

I have got a Synology 411j NAS attached to the network and when I was trying to take the first Time Machine backup (700GB) it got interrupted 2 times. But every time after it was interrupted I started it again and it picked it up from where it left.

First it completed around 200 GB and when restarted it did show me that 500 GB remaining, then it completed 400 GB and interrupted and when restarted it was showing that it's backing up 100 GB.

I understand that the first backup should be un interrupted, but in this case (700GB) over the network , some problem or other comes up, so will it cause any problem ? at the end when the first backup is completed, is there any way to check that it has backed up all the files it was supposed to ?

iMac, Mac OS X (10.7.4)

Posted on Aug 29, 2012 5:33 AM

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Answer 1

Aug 29, 2012 11:22 AM in response to P.Verma

What is causing the interruptions.. ??

If the computer is set to sleep turn it off. If the computer is using wifi to network.. use ethernet at least for the first backup.

TM should check the backup.. but if you are depending on it.. then IMHO wipe and start again.. You should easily do 700GB in one night via gigabit.

I would also do a disk image.. you can use free software like superduper or clonezilla .. this is far easier to restore a drive and doesn't use the complex structure that TM uses.. it is just a direct image.

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Answer 2

P.Verma Author

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Aug 29, 2012 2:21 PM in response to LaPastenague

Well, really don't know what's causing the interruption. My router is close to the entry of the house and that's where the NAS is connected, so it's really not feasible to keep my iMac there for 1 to 2 days to complete the First Time backup. So what I did was that I used another GigaBit router upstairs in my Study and connected NAS and iMAC to that router thru ethernet wires. That gave me access to NAS thru that router, started the backup but after few hours it stopped with the error that 'There was a network error'.

Also in this process the speed I got was around 8 to 10 MBps, which is much less then what I was expecting from a GigBit router.

Another thing which comes to my mind is that there is 230GB of data in my iPhoto and that's the most important one for me, so I can try the first time backup with only iPhoto folder and everything else excluded and then in next runs I can keep on adding the folders. Does this look the approach you would recommend or this one is also risky.

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Answer 3

Aug 29, 2012 3:32 PM in response to P.Verma

With the latest TC and IMac you should easily manage gigabit.. there is something wrong with a cable or the connection is via a bad port or something.. the Gen 4 TC can do around 50MB/s at peak rates in my network..

I suggest you plug the TC directly into the imac.. so just disconnect the TC and take it to the imac and do the backup.

Another thing which comes to my mind is that there is 230GB of data in my iPhoto and that's the most important one for me, so I can try the first time backup with only iPhoto folder and everything else excluded and then in next runs I can keep on adding the folders. Does this look the approach you would recommend or this one is also risky.

That should not be relevant and no I still would not back up that way.. you can make a copy for sure.. as I already suggested a disk image is much faster and better.

But if you want TM to work then do a single full backup of the disk.. 60GB/hour I can manage on a gen3 or gen4 TC.

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