Can not access time machine backups

Hans-Fredrik MG wrote:

. . .

5. Migration Assistant didn't complete as it found a software that wasn't compatible with the new computer. Hence it closed before I could select Inherit Backup.

Ah, I see, sort of -- it probably doesn't matter now, but did it actually fail, or just send a message that one (or more) apps aren't compatible? Usually it just moves them to an "Incompatible Software" folder and continues.

But you don't select "Inherit backup" in either Setup Assistant or Migration Assistant -- that happens later. You (should) get a prompt when the first backup of the new Mac (to the old Mac's backups) starts.

6. In Time Machine preferences I could now see that it had found the right back up (oldest and latest backup with correct dates).

Not really. The preferences file was transferred from the old Mac -- that's where the dates, etc., are kept.

However, it couldn't back up as it couldn't find the disk (don't remember exact error message).

Ok, that's where the real problem must have started.

Also, when I entered TM it didn't display any old backups.

No, it won't yet, since you haven't done any backups of the new Mac, and haven't done the "inherit" (either automatically or manually). Enter Time Machine only shows backups from the Mac that it's running from, and are shown in the preferences file. So even if it could have found the disk, those wouldn't have been shown.

To see a different set of backups, you need the Browse Other Backup Disks option, which Apple hides -- you have to hold the Alt/Option key while selecting the TM icon in your menubar.

8. I looked on your website again and found a post that talked about the option of re-installing OSX via Recovery HD and Disk Utility. I desperately tried this.

So you did erase the disk, then reinstall OSX, right?

10. I finalised the setup by selcting Not Now

11. Finally I tried to repair the disk as per your A5b. When doing this I get the message "expecting DUDisk, but got nil".

A5b? That's for backups on a Time Capsule, not an external HD.

Assuming it really is an external HD, run Repair Disk on it via Disk Utility (per A5a).

If it's a Time Capsule, there may be a clue in the logs. Start Disk Utility again and click the Log icon in the toolbar (or select Window > Show Log from the menubar). That will show the messages in a separate window - each "run" is separated by a row of asterisks. Find the ones (should be at the end) for where you did the repair, and copy and post them here.

I was unclear again (it's late over here) - it's a Time Capsule.

The error message I get when I run Repair Disk via Disk Utility (A5b): "(DUDiskController viewablePartitions) expecting DUDisk, but go nil"

Hans-Fredrik MG wrote:

. . .

it's a Time Capsule.

Ak, ok. Does the sparse bundle appear correctly via the Finder (per the first sample in #A5b)?

If so, when you drag it into Disk Utility's sidebar, does it appear correctly (per the second sample)?

If so, does the "Time Machine Backups" disk image appear under the sparse bundle? If it does, select that and click Repair Disk.

If in doubt, you still might copy and post the messages here -- a clue may be lurking there.

Ak, ok. Does the sparse bundle appear correctly via the Finder (per the first sample in #A5b)?

If so, when you drag it into Disk Utility's sidebar, does it appear correctly (per the second sample)?

Yes to both questions.

If so, does the "Time Machine Backups" disk image appear under the sparse bundle? If it does, select that and click Repair Disk.

I don't see a "Time Machine Backups" under the sparse bundle.

Here's a screenshot that includes Finder, Disk Utility and the Log:

If it's difficult to read the image, here's what the message from the Log: "(DUDiskController viewablePartitions) expecting DUDisk, but go nil"

Is the "Time Machine Backups" disk image mounted on your desktop (or does it appear in the Finder sidebar)?

Do you have any other Macs that might have it mounted?

If so, eject it.

Quit Disk Utility and select the sparse bundle again.

If the Repair Disk button still isn't enabled, double-click the sparsebundle in the sidebar -- that should mount the disk image. if Repair Disk still isn't enabled, select the disk image and see if it's enabled that way.

If not, look at the messages window again -- you may need to scroll up to see all the messages. Copy and post them (or a screenshot, if you can get them all in one).

It was mounted to my iMac...

It's now going through Repair Disk as per your previous post. Still 41min to go so I'm going to bed (over midnight here...). I'll let you know how it worked out.

Many many thanks for your help this far!!

Ah, good. 🙂

But don't necessarily believe the 41 minutes -- those estimates often change as the repair proceeds.

You'll probably be back on before I am tomorrow -- it's only 6:50 pm here now -- if the repair completes normally, you may want to see if Migration Assistant sees the backups, but don't actually start that immediately. Since you've created a new user account, Migration Assistant probably can't transfer the account(s) from your backups without changing a name and/or the UID number(s), and you may not want that. See the pink box in Problems after using Migration Assistant for details.

You may want to use one of the workarounds in the green box there to avoid that (#4 is probably easiest).

Have a good night!

The Repair Disk worked. But it didn't find any problems:

2013-01-25 00:33:07 +0100: Verify and Repair volume “Time Machine Backups”

2013-01-25 00:33:07 +0100: Starting repair tool:

2013-01-25 00:33:09 +0100: Checking file system2013-01-25 00:33:09 +0100: Checking Journaled HFS Plus volume.

2013-01-25 00:33:09 +0100: Detected a case-sensitive volume.

2013-01-25 00:33:10 +0100: Checking extents overflow file.

2013-01-25 00:33:16 +0100: Checking catalog file.

2013-01-25 00:39:04 +0100: Checking multi-linked files.

2013-01-25 00:43:04 +0100: Checking catalog hierarchy.

2013-01-25 00:51:35 +0100: Checking extended attributes file.

2013-01-25 00:56:30 +0100: Checking multi-linked directories.

2013-01-25 01:11:13 +0100: Checking volume bitmap.

2013-01-25 01:11:17 +0100: Checking volume information.

2013-01-25 01:11:17 +0100: The volume Time Machine Backups appears to be OK.

2013-01-25 01:11:17 +0100: Volume repair complete.2013-01-25 01:11:17 +0100: Updating boot support partitions for the volume as required.2013-01-25 01:14:59 +0100: Repair tool completed:

Unfortunately I didn't see your message so I launched the Migration Assistant. The Repair Disk must have fixed something as I could now see the TM backup. The migration Assistant completed as it did yesterday by asking me to log off after having found incompatible software.

Finally I read your message and followed #4 (http://pondini.org/OSX/MigrationProblems.html). Everything looks fine, except that I still get the error message "Time Machine couldn't complete the backup to "Time Capsule". The backup disk is not available".

It never asked me if I wanted to inherit the backup.

What to do?

Many many thanks again for your help!

Hans-Fredrik MG wrote:

. . .

The migration Assistant completed

Yay! 🙂

asking me to log off

It always does that, so you can log on to the transferred account, where your data is.

after having found incompatible software.

That will be in an "Incompatible Software" folder at the top level of your HD.

You may have other incompatible software --if so, it will have a circle with a slash through it over the normal icon, and won't run.

I still get the error message "Time Machine couldn't complete the backup to "Time Capsule". The backup disk is not available".

Be sure the sparse bundle isn't mounted on either Mac.

If that doesn't help, re-select it via the TM Preferences window.

If still no help, try a "full reset" per #A4 in Time Machine - Troubleshooting.

It never asked me if I wanted to inherit the backup.

It won't do that until the backup actually gets started. And, since you already did the "inherit" and "associatedisk" manually, it probably won't need to.

Did you have to rename the transferred account? If so, it will be treated as a new one, and be backed-up in full.

Also note that most likely the transferred account won't have permission to the old backups, per the pink box in Problems after using Migration Assistant. If not, the account you created and were using when you ran Migration Assistant probably will.

Did you have to rename the transferred account? If so, it will be treated as a new one, and be backed-up in full.

Nope, neither when I did the Migration nor the #4 in the green box on the migration problem page.

Be sure the sparse bundle isn't mounted on either Mac.

If that doesn't help, re-select it via the TM Preferences window.

If still no help, try a "full reset" per #A4 in Time Machine - Troubleshooting.

I verified that the sparse bundle wasn't mounted on either Mac, but still no success.

I then reselected the Data drive - with the result that it couldn't identify my oldest or latest backup anymore. I took this as it wanted to start all over again so I tried the full reset (#A4).

I then started a backup (my oldest and latest backup still set to none). It made contact with the disk but the backup wasn't completed as there wasn't enough space available. It wanted to back up 318GB, which makes me think this isn't an incremental back up, but rather a clean new. It also created a new sparse bundle.

I see two alternatives now:

A, Either I start completely over again (#3 on http://pondini.org/OSX/MigrationProblems.html)

B, Or I remove the old sparsebundle and start a fresh new back up. After all, I have all files, applications and setting. Just no backup history.

Do you think option A would have any better chance of success then what we tried above?

Hans-Fredrik MG wrote:

. . .

I then reselected the Data drive - with the result that it couldn't identify my oldest or latest backup anymore.

No, that just means it hasn't checked for the backups and updated the preferences file.

It also created a new sparse bundle.

TM will only create a new sparse bundle if the old one is damaged, or if it thinks it's from a different Mac. Since you didn't get the "inherit" prompt, there may be a problem with it.

B, Or I remove the old sparsebundle and start a fresh new back up. After all, I have all files, applications and setting. Just no backup history.

As long as you don't mind losing the history, that should be fine. If there's nothing else on the TC's HD you want, just erase it via the Disks tab of Airport Utility. Just takes a few seconds. Then connect via Ethernet cable if at all possible for the first, full backup.

Do you think option A would have any better chance of success then what we tried above?

Probably not. Somewhere in all the goings-on, TM seems to have lost track of the old sparse bundle's history. We might be able to fix that, but if you don't mind just starting fresh, that's probably best.

In addition, I'm going to recommend spending a bit of your money. 😉 If there had been a problem with the Time Capsule, you might have lost most or all of your stuff. 😟 I always recommend keeping "secondary" backups. See Time Machine - Frequently Asked Question #27 for some suggestions.

Pondini,

Many thanks for your help!

I think I'll go for the easy option - starting over fresh. I wouldn't want to use more of your time.

My main goal was to back the data from my stolen computer, which I have now managed to do with your help.

I'll defenitely take your advice going for a second back up. Will order another hard drive and carbon copy cloner today.

Many thanks and best wishes.

Hans-Fredrik