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"Change Disk..." in Time Machine stays grey

I've been using two (identical) external FW400 HDs for backing up two (identical) Macmini's that we have in the house, backing up both Macmini's onto both HDs satisfactorily for the last 3,5 years or so. Today backing up MacMini A and B onto HD#1 went fine, then I couldn't "Change Disk..." (to backup onto HD#2 on MM-A anymore (stayed 'grey', so not 'clickable'), but could still "Change Disk..." on MM-B.

So now I'm 'stuck' with using only HD#1 for MM-A as it still 'recognizes the last used backup drive, I suppose, because eventhough I cannot click "Change Disk..." anymore I can still backup onto HD#1 by rightclicking the TimeMachine ico and then clicking "Backup Now". On MM-2 I can still use both HDs.


Does anyone have a tip how to make "Change Disk..." work again on MM-A? (I did disconnect and unplug the ext HD, with its own power supply, and then restart MM-A and then reconnect the ext HD, but to no avail)

Mac mini, Mac OS X (10.5.8), mid-2007 model (2GB RAM, 120 GB HD)

Posted on Oct 12, 2012 3:04 AM

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Posted on Oct 12, 2012 9:43 AM

Open console in Applications>Utilities, check the system log for the date/time of the last problem & the Startup right after that for clues.

26 replies

Oct 12, 2012 10:29 AM in response to strawbale

some system.log details:


at the end of the first (succesful) backup onto HD#1 (called FW1):

Oct 12 09:13:42 MacPeter /System/Library/CoreServices/backupd[162]: Backup completed successfully.


then when trying to backup HD#2 (called FW2):

Oct 12 10:41:55 MacPeter /System/Library/CoreServices/backupd[442]: Backup requested by user

Oct 12 10:41:55 MacPeter /System/Library/CoreServices/backupd[442]: Starting standard backup

Oct 12 10:41:55 MacPeter /System/Library/CoreServices/backupd[442]: Volume at path /Volumes/Backup FW2 does not appear to be the correct backup volume for this computer. (Cookies do not match)

Oct 12 10:42:00 MacPeter /System/Library/CoreServices/backupd[442]: Backup failed with error: 18


This then repeats itself as I tried to mount FW2 several times.


Does this give a clue?

Oct 12, 2012 10:50 AM in response to strawbale

And then from 10.47 similar logs, with the difference that by then I did manage to backup to FW1 only because the system recognised it 'automatically' as in: I didn't have to choose it through "Change Disk..." which I wouldn't have been able to do as by then that 'button' had become grey/unclickable.


Oct 12 10:47:41 MacPeter /System/Library/CoreServices/backupd[145]: Backup requested by user

Oct 12 10:47:41 MacPeter /System/Library/CoreServices/backupd[145]: Starting standard backup

Oct 12 10:47:41 MacPeter /System/Library/CoreServices/backupd[145]: Backing up to: /Volumes/Backup FW 1/Backups.backupdb

Oct 12 10:47:53 MacPeter /System/Library/CoreServices/backupd[145]: No pre-backup thinning needed: 853.2 MB requested (including padding), 188.69 GB available

Oct 12 10:48:56 MacPeter /System/Library/CoreServices/backupd[145]: Copied 2621 files (29.5 MB) from volume Macintosh HD.

Oct 12 10:48:57 MacPeter /System/Library/CoreServices/backupd[145]: No pre-backup thinning needed: 838.1 MB requested (including padding), 188.65 GB available

Oct 12 10:49:03 MacPeter /System/Library/CoreServices/backupd[145]: Copied 154 files (103 bytes) from volume Macintosh HD.

Oct 12 10:49:04 MacPeter /System/Library/CoreServices/backupd[145]: Starting post-backup thinning

Oct 12 10:49:35 MacPeter /System/Library/CoreServices/backupd[145]: Deleted backup /Volumes/Backup FW 1/Backups.backupdb/Peter’s MacMini/2012-09-20-175829: 188.69 GB now available

Oct 12 10:49:35 MacPeter /System/Library/CoreServices/backupd[145]: Post-back up thinning complete: 1 expired backups removed

Oct 12 10:49:35 MacPeter /System/Library/CoreServices/backupd[145]: Backup completed successfully.


and then unsuccesful with FW2:

similar to above

Oct 12, 2012 10:52 AM in response to strawbale

namely:

Oct 12 11:15:06 MacPeter /System/Library/CoreServices/backupd[261]: Backup requested by user

Oct 12 11:15:06 MacPeter /System/Library/CoreServices/backupd[261]: Starting standard backup

Oct 12 11:15:06 MacPeter /System/Library/CoreServices/backupd[261]: Volume at path /Volumes/Backup FW2 does not appear to be the correct backup volume for this computer. (Cookies do not match)

Oct 12 11:15:11 MacPeter /System/Library/CoreServices/backupd[261]: Backup failed with error: 18

Oct 12 11:15:18 MacPeter /System/Library/CoreServices/backupd[261]: Backup requested by user

Oct 12 11:15:18 MacPeter /System/Library/CoreServices/backupd[261]: Starting standard backup

Oct 12 11:15:18 MacPeter /System/Library/CoreServices/backupd[261]: Volume at path /Volumes/Backup FW2 does not appear to be the correct backup volume for this computer. (Cookies do not match)

Oct 12 11:15:23 MacPeter /System/Library/CoreServices/backupd[261]: Backup failed with error: 18


Hope this helps?!

Oct 12, 2012 10:52 AM in response to strawbale

Hmmm, cookies!???

And not mentioned by Apple:

5- Copied the hidden

.my-MAC-Address
file from the existing backup drive onto the new one. (To make it match my MacBook’s
/var/db/.TimeMachine.Cookie
file, and hence make Time Machine on my MacBook oblivious of which backup volume is actually attached to the mini. So: no need to change the backup disk in the Time Machine preferences when swapping the drives.)

http://rolfje.wordpress.com/2008/09/07/a-bigger-timemachine-without-changing-his tory/

Oct 12, 2012 12:46 PM in response to strawbale

BDAqua,

Are you suggesting I should reformat the unrecognised ext HD#2 and then clone ext HD#1?

I see some problems (apart from whether I'll many to do it at all):

* I can only attach one HD at a time, as they're both FireWire400 disks and my MacMini only has one FW-port

* I'm not backing up exactly the same on both ext HDs: onto HD#1 I backup both internal HDs ànd an ext USB HD (with original pictures and music files); onto HD#2 I backup the same minus the ext USB HD

"Change Disk..." in Time Machine stays grey

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