Time Machine won't backup root data

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Time Machine won't backup root data

Hi Apple-Community,

I've a simple question for a weird problem with Time Machine.

I'm using it with Mac OS X 10.8.2 on a MacBook Air (mid 2012).

Creating a Time-Machine Backup works fine. But Time Machine is just creating a full backup of my home-directory. My root-directory, including my applications and so on, is missing.

I've tried to create a full Backup several times, but everytime Time Machine is ignoring all of my top-level root folders. I didn't exclude something and I've not changing any root-permissions or exclusions *.plist

Actually I need a full backup because I'm getting a new MacBook Air and I need all of data and applications.

So what's the problem?

Thank you for your help!

MacBook Air (11-inch, Mid 2012), OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.2)

Posted on Dec 22, 2012 4:00 PM

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Answer 1

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,535 points

Dec 22, 2012 5:43 PM in response to bolobo

From the menu bar, select  ▹ System Preferences ▹ Time Machine.

If there's a closed padlock icon in the lower left corner of the preference pane, you may need to click it to unlock the settings. Enter your login password when prompted.

Click Options. The list of files excluded from Time Machine backup will appear (it may be empty.) If there's an item in the list labeled System Files and Applications, delete it by selecting it and clicking the minus-sign ("-") button at the bottom of the list. Close the preference pane and test.

If the issue isn't resolved, continue.

If you have more than one user account, you must be logged in as an administrator to carry out these instructions.

Launch the Terminal application in any of the following ways:

☞ Enter the first few letters of its name into a Spotlight search. Select it in the results (it should be at the top.)

☞ In the Finder, select Go ▹ Utilities from the menu bar, or press the key combination shift-command-U. The application is in the folder that opens.

☞ Open LaunchPad. Click Utilities, then Terminal in the icon grid.

Triple-click the line below to select it, then drag or copy into the Terminal window — do not type — and press return:

sudo defaults delete /Library/Preferences/com.apple.TimeMachine SkipSystemFiles

You'll be prompted for your login password, which won't be displayed when you type it. You may get a one-time warning not to screw up. If you don’t have a login password, you’ll need to set one before you can run the command.

Reboot and run a backup. Check that the previously excluded files are now included. The backup may take much longer than usual.

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Answer 2

bolobo Author

Level 1

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Dec 23, 2012 9:56 AM in response to Linc Davis

Linc Davis,

first, thank you for your help.

I don't have setup any exclusions at the Time Machine Preferences.

I've follow your tips and deleted the com.apple.TimeMachine SkipSystemFiles, reboot and started (continue) a new backup. Unfortl. it didn't helped.

I've still no full backup. Please see this screenshot to get an idea.

I would really appreciate it if you have more tips how to solve this problem.

Thank you

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Answer 3

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,535 points

Dec 23, 2012 12:01 PM in response to bolobo

Open the file ".exclusions.plist" in that last screenshot in a text editor and post the contents -- the text, please, not a screenshot.

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Answer 4

bolobo Author

Level 1

0 points

Dec 23, 2012 12:54 PM in response to Linc Davis

Hey Linc,

thanks again.

Some important infos first that may help:

I'm working with my OS as admin (the admin-user is the only one)

With the help of the Disk Utility I repaired my ext. backup disk Western Digital My Passport 1TB because of some permission problems

Problems fixed

After that I erased the whole backup-disk new with/in Mac OS Extended (Journaled)

No problems

After that I created a complett new Time Machine Backup

No problems

After that I tried to see what happend when I want to restore my system with the new fresh generated Backup. So I rebooted into the recovery-mode and selected successfully my backup disk. But ...

I was not able select a backup. The list was just empty(See Screenshot)

Here you go: ".exclusions.plist"

/Volumes/My Passport/Backups.backupdb/<user>/2012-12-23-211929/.exclusions.plist

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">

<plist version="1.0">

<dict>

<key>sourcePaths</key>

<array>

<string>/</string>

</array>

<key>standardExclusionPaths</key>

<array>

<string>/.MobileBackups</string>

<string>/MobileBackups.trash</string>

<string>/.MobileBackups.trash</string>

<string>/.Spotlight-V100</string>

<string>/.TemporaryItems</string>

<string>/.Trashes</string>

<string>/.com.apple.backupd.mvlist.plist</string>

<string>/.fseventsd</string>

<string>/.hotfiles.btree</string>

<string>/Backups.backupdb</string>

<string>/Desktop DB</string>

<string>/Desktop DF</string>

<string>/Network/Servers</string>

<string>/Library/Updates</string>

<string>/Previous Systems</string>

<string>/Users/Shared/SC Info</string>

<string>/Users/Guest</string>

<string>/dev</string>

<string>/home</string>

<string>/net</string>

<string>/private/var/db/com.apple.backupd.backupVerification</string>

<string>/private/var/db/efw_cache</string>

<string>/private/var/db/Spotlight</string>

<string>/private/var/db/Spotlight-V100</string>

<string>/private/var/lib/postfix/greylist.db</string>

<string>/Volumes</string>

<string>/Network</string>

<string>/automount</string>

<string>/.vol</string>

<string>/tmp</string>

<string>/cores</string>

<string>/private/tmp</string>

<string>/private/Network</string>

<string>/private/tftpboot</string>

<string>/private/var/automount</string>

<string>/private/var/folders</string>

<string>/private/var/run</string>

<string>/private/var/tmp</string>

<string>/private/var/vm</string>

<string>/private/var/db/dhcpclient</string>

<string>/private/var/db/fseventsd</string>

<string>/Library/Caches</string>

<string>/Library/Logs</string>

<string>/System/Library/Caches</string>

<string>/System/Library/Extensions/Caches</string>

<string>/private/var/log</string>

<string>/private/var/spool/cups</string>

<string>/private/var/spool/fax</string>

<string>/private/var/spool/uucp</string>

</array>

<key>systemFilesExcluded</key>

<false/>

<key>userExclusionPaths</key>

<array/>

</dict>

</plist>

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Answer 5

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,535 points

Dec 23, 2012 2:04 PM in response to bolobo

Your snapshots are incomplete, so you can't restore from them in Recovery.

The first thing you need to do is make a backup that doesn't rely on Time Machine. You can do that in Disk Utility as described in the article linked below, or you can use a third-party tool such as "Carbon Copy Cloner" or "SuperDuper."

How to back up and restore your files

Only after you've done that, proceed as below.

If you have more than one user account, you must be logged in as an administrator to carry out these instructions.

Launch the Terminal application in any of the following ways:

☞ Enter the first few letters of its name into a Spotlight search. Select it in the results (it should be at the top.)

☞ In the Finder, select Go ▹ Utilities from the menu bar, or press the key combination shift-command-U. The application is in the folder that opens.

☞ Open LaunchPad. Click Utilities, then Terminal in the icon grid.

Triple-click anywhere in the line below to select it:

sudo mdfind "com_apple_backup_excludeItem == com.apple.backupd" | grep -v Users

Drag or copy the selected text — do not type it — into the Terminal window and press return.

You'll be prompted for your login password, which won't be displayed when you type it. You may get a one-time warning not to screw up. You don't need to post the warning. If you don’t have a login password, you’ll need to set one before you can run the command.

Post any lines of output that appear below what you entered — the text, please, not a screenshot.

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Answer 6

bolobo Author

Level 1

0 points

Dec 23, 2012 4:54 PM in response to Linc Davis

Creating a full Disk-Image in Recovery-Mode with Disk-Utility

Done √

Scanning the Disk-Image for Restoring

Done √

Using Terminal with code (see below)

Done √

sudo mdfind "com_apple_backup_excludeItem == com.apple.backupd" | grep -v <myusername>

/Users/<myusername>/Library/Saved Application State

/Library/Application Support/CleanApp Log/DatabaseV3.sql

/Users/<myusername>/Library/Calendars/Calendar Cache

/Users/<myusername>/Library/Safari/WebpageIcons.db

/Users/<myusername>/Pictures/iPhoto Library/ThemeCache

/Users/<myusername>/Pictures/iPhoto Library/AlbumData.xml

/Users/<myusername>/Music/iTunes/iTunes Music Library.xml

/Users/<myusername>/Music/iTunes/Album Artwork/Cache

/Users/<myusername>/Pictures/Aperture Library.aplibrary/Thumbnails

/Users/<myusername>/Library/Icons/WebpageIcons.db

/Users/<myusername>/Library/Containers/com.apple.iPhoto/Data/Library/Caches

/Users/<myusername>/Library/iTunes/iPod Software Updates

/Users/<myusername>/Library/Containers/com.apple.Aperture/Data/Library/Caches

/Users/<myusername>/Library/Containers/net.irradiated.PausesLauncher/Data/Librar y/Caches

/Users/<myusername>/Library/Containers/net.irradiated.Pauses/Data/Library/Caches

/Users/<myusername>/Library/Containers/com.apple.Notes/Data/Library/Caches

/Users/<myusername>/Library/Containers/com.apple.FaceTime/Data/Library/Caches

/Users/<myusername>/Library/Containers/com.apple.PassXPCService/Data/Library/Cac hes

/Users/<myusername>/Library/Containers/com.Growl.GrowlHelperApp/Data/Library/Cac hes

/Users/<myusername>/Library/Containers/com.apple.Chess/Data/Library/Caches

/Users/<myusername>/Library/iTunes/iPhone Software Updates

/Users/<myusername>/Library/Containers/com.growl.GrowlLauncher/Data/Library/Cach es

/Users/<myusername>/Library/Containers/com.byteproject.Ascension/Data/Library/Ca ches

/Users/<myusername>/Library/Containers/com.apple.QuickTimePlayerX/Data/Library/C aches

/Users/<myusername>/Library/Containers/com.apple.reminders/Data/Library/Caches

/Users/<myusername>/Library/Containers/com.apple.Preview/Data/Library/Caches

/Users/<myusername>/Library/Containers/com.apple.mail/Data/Library/Caches

/Users/<myusername>/Library/Application Support/Librarian/0BCA651B-B858-5F23-BC27-9B5A055E68FC.txt

/Users/<myusername>/Library/Containers/com.apple.TextEdit/Data/Library/Caches

/Users/<myusername>/Library/Containers/com.apple.ShareKitHelper/Data/Library/Cac hes

/Users/<myusername>/Library/Containers/com.apple.ImageKit.RecentPictureService/D ata/Library/Caches

/Volumes/My Passport 2/Pictures/iPhoto Library/ThemeCache

/Volumes/My Passport 2/Pictures/iPhoto Library/AlbumData.xml

/Volumes/My Passport 2/Music/iTunes/Album Artwork/Cache

/Volumes/My Passport 2/Music/iTunes/iTunes Music Library.xml

Note a) "My Passwort 2" is the second partition of my ext. Backup-Disk. "My Passport 1" is the first partition that's now storing the new backup-disk-image.

Note b) I've replaced my username with <myusername>

PS: Linc Davis, we now have christmas in Germany. I wish you a Merry Christmas and thank you for help.

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Answer 7

bolobo Author

Level 1

0 points

Dec 23, 2012 5:08 PM in response to bolobo

Mh. I'm not sure if I used the code right. Do I've to replace "Users" with my Admin-User-Name?

Like that?

sudo mdfind "com_apple_backup_excludeItem == com.apple.backupd" | grep -v <myusername>

Or simply like that?

sudo mdfind "com_apple_backup_excludeItem == com.apple.backupd" | grep -v Users

/Library/Application Support/CleanApp Log/DatabaseV3.sql

/Volumes/My Passport 2/Pictures/iPhoto Library/ThemeCache

/Volumes/My Passport 2/Pictures/iPhoto Library/AlbumData.xml

/Volumes/My Passport 2/Music/iTunes/Album Artwork/Cache

/Volumes/My Passport 2/Music/iTunes/iTunes Music Library.xml

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Answer 8

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,535 points

Dec 23, 2012 5:58 PM in response to bolobo

Please don't make any changes to the shell commands I post unless directed. Copy them into a Terminal window, exactly as given.

Drag or copy — do not type — the following line into the Terminal window, then press return:

tmutil isexcluded /System

The output will be a line beginning either with "[Excluded]" or "[Included]". Which is it?

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Answer 9

bolobo Author

Level 1

0 points

Dec 24, 2012 5:56 AM in response to Linc Davis

Alright. I'll do so.

tmutil isexcluded /System

gives out

[Excluded] /System

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Answer 10

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,535 points

Dec 24, 2012 8:09 AM in response to bolobo

Now please post the output of this:

ls -@Oaeln /System

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Answer 11

bolobo Author

Level 1

0 points

Dec 24, 2012 8:13 AM in response to Linc Davis

Alright. Output is:

total 0

drwxr-xr-x+ 4 0 0 - 136 3 Aug 16:07 .

0: ABCDEFAB-CDEF-ABCD-EFAB-CDEF0000000C deny delete

drwxrwxr-t 32 0 80 - 1156 24 Dez 17:11 ..

-rw-r--r-- 1 0 0 - 0 20 Jun 2012 .localized

drwxr-xr-x 75 0 0 - 2550 14 Nov 23:42 Library

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Answer 12

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,535 points

Dec 24, 2012 10:06 AM in response to bolobo

sudo tmutil removeexclusion /System

Then repeat:

tmutil isexcluded /System

If you still get "Excluded," please enter this:

sudo tmutil removeexclusion -p /System

Then again:

tmutil isexcluded /System

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Answer 13

bolobo Author

Level 1

0 points

Dec 24, 2012 5:19 PM in response to Linc Davis

Alright.

I got a "[Excluded] /System" again but "sudo tmutil removeexclusion -p /System" helped.

Now the shell command:

tmutil isexcluded /System

generates the output:

[Included] /System

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Answer 14

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,535 points

Dec 24, 2012 5:32 PM in response to bolobo

Well, that's progress. Something seems to be wrong with your TIme Machine preference file. Rather than repeat the above exercise many times for the other excluded folders, I suggest you make a clean start.

Triple-click the line below to select it:

/Library/Preferences/com.apple.TimeMachine.plist

Right-click or control-click the highlighted line and select Services ▹ Reveal from the contextual menu. A Finder window should open with a file selected. Move the selected file to the Trash. You'll be prompted for your password. Reboot and recreate your Time Machine settings, including the exclusions you want, if any. Test.

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Answer 15

bolobo Author

Level 1

0 points

Dec 25, 2012 10:00 AM in response to Linc Davis

Problem solved.

You're a genius! Time Machine is now creating a complett backup with ALL DATA. That's great. And it's fully workable for a complete restoring via recovery-mode.

Can you please explain me what the problem was?

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