Computer shuts down when backing up

Question

Level 1

20 points

Computer shuts down when backing up

Hello,

I am using an iMac with Mountain Lion 10.8.3. My Apple Airport Extreme is about one year old (fully updated and current). I am on a DSL connection with AT&T. I am backing up to an external 1.5 TB hard drive (non-Apple brand). There is lots of room remaining on that drive (about 700GB).

All backups in the past have been smooth sailing with no problem.

What's happening now are two things (but one of them I think I fixed). At first, Time Machine would try to back up but it would never succeed because it would give a message that there is not enough space available in the drive (it was saying that it needed 10 more GB of free space). But I know that's wrong. I could not figure out how to fix that issue, so I erased the drive completely and started over. Now, I no longer get the "full" message and all appears to be going well----UNTIL......(see next paragraph).....

Now what happens is that it begins doing the backup process like normal (this would be the first/initial backup since I erased the drive and started over), however, once it gets about 100 GB or so (very rough estimate), the computer SHUTS DOWN. It turns itself OFF. No error window, no warning, no nothing----it just "POOF" turns off. To get it working again, I have to push the power button to turn it back on. There is no error message when I turn it back on.

I am copying (below) the two most recent Time Machine messages from last night from that neat widget/app that I think pondini invented. I sure hope this helps to diagnosis what is wrong, because I'm stumped.

The backup log that says "Automatic" is the first one that failed where it claimed there was not enough space to complete the backup. Once I erased the drive completely and started "fresh", that is what the second "Manual" backup is.

___________________________________

Friday, April 5th

Starting automatic backup

Backing up to: /Volumes/Time Machine/Backups.backupdb

Event store UUIDs don't match for volume: Macintosh HD

Event store UUIDs don't match for volume: 2TB HD

Deep event scan at path:/ reason:must scan subdirs|new event db|

Finished scan

Deep event scan at path:/Volumes/2TB HD reason:must scan subdirs|new event db|

Finished scan

Found 433286 files (625.62 GB) needing backup

751.26 GB required (including padding), 741.14 GB available

Deleted backup /Volumes/Time Machine/Backups.backupdb/ScottPeavler’s iMac/2013-04-04-110906.inProgress/D11ECC13-2EB1-4975-A041-8EEA74F1339B containing 4 KB; 741.14 GB now available, 751.26 GB required

Removed 1 expired backups so far, more space is needed - deleting oldest backups to make room

Deleted 1 backups containing 4 KB total; 741.14 GB now available, 751.26 GB required

Backup date range was shortened: oldest backup is now Apr 5, 2013

Backup failed with error: Not enough available disk space on the target volume.

Friday, April 5th, 7:58PM

Starting manual backup

Backing up to: /Volumes/Time Machine/Backups.backupdb

Forcing deep traversal on source: "Macintosh HD" (mount: '/' fsUUID: 7267FE51-06B9-318F-80B2-EC5D94A925E2 eventDBUUID: DBDDEE41-0BFF-4DB0-AB1A-F7D152B9E065)

Forcing deep traversal on source: "2TB HD" (mount: '/Volumes/2TB HD' fsUUID: B4DDE136-9D38-302F-A81E-4645F23F6D09 eventDBUUID: B8E29F6D-A35B-4E34-B733-7C2983BD24D9)

Found 1331692 files (837.62 GB) needing backup

1.01 TB required (including padding), 1.49 TB available

_____________________________________

Can anyone kindly help? Thanks!

Time Capsule 802.11n (3rd Gen)

Posted on Apr 6, 2013 3:55 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Apr 6, 2013 4:15 AM in response to smitty195

Do a verify of the local disk. The sudden complete failure sounds like a hard disk or memory issue.

A5 http://pondini.org/TM/Troubleshooting.html

So the hard disk is plugged into the computer directly?? If not, then I think you should do it that way. Backup to Extreme USB drive is not reliable.

YOu don't have an error message for the manual backup.. and I am uncertain what the problem is.

Do a reset of Time Machine. A4.

And try again with the hard disk plugged into the computer directly.

You can look at other suggestions on the troubleshooting page.

eg http://pondini.org/TM/C4.html

But if you are doing it with the usb drive in the Airport Extreme please read this.

http://pondini.org/TM/Airport.html

Reply

Answer 2

smitty195 Author

Level 1

20 points

Apr 6, 2013 4:22 AM in response to LaPastenague

Can you please clarify what you mean by the hard disk plugged into the computer directly? I'm not sure I understand the question.

If this helps to explain it, here is my setup:

-An external hard drive (non-Apple brand, 1.5 TB) is connected via USB cable to the back of my iMac

-Apple's Airport Extreme is wireless and is not plugged into my computer. It's in another room.

Does this help?

Message was edited by: smitty195

Reply

Answer 3

Apr 6, 2013 2:14 PM in response to smitty195

Yes, I was concerned you were using the hard disk plugged into USB on the Extreme... the extreme has nothing to do with the problem.

Do the disk verify from disk utility of both the internal and external drive.

Reset TM as suggested and see if it works if the verify clears the drives.. if not fix the problems.

Reply

Answer 4

smitty195 Author

Level 1

20 points

Apr 6, 2013 2:38 PM in response to LaPastenague

Just to clarify (because I can read the above two different ways, I just want to be crystal clear here)----my backup 1.5 TB external hard drive is *NOT* plugged into Airport Extreme. The Airport Extreme is just sitting there by itself, in another room totally separate from the computer. The 1.5 TB external hard drive is plugged in with a USB cable to the rear of my iMac. I am not using a Time Capsule (I know my profile says I am, but I'm actually talking about a different computer system here).

I've run Disk Utility and did the "Verify" operation---all is well---no problems. Also ran it on the hard drive inside of the iMac itself, and again, no problems---all is well.

I have not reset the TM application yet (trying to figure how how to do it). I just have a sneaky suspicion that it's not going to do anything. This problem is in another area I'm guessing. Any other ideas on what is causing the computer to shut down during TM backup?

Reply

Answer 5

Apr 6, 2013 2:52 PM in response to smitty195

There can be loads of issues that cause a shut down..

And yes, I agree a reset of the TM will not likely do anything, as I doubt the issues is the TM.. rather it is the Mac is faulty.

Here is where I am out of my depth.. but there must be a system log that shows you what and why the computer shut down. I cannot tell you where it is.. but if TM triggered it, then normally it is a fault in the hard disk.. either source or target. Since you verified both then let me suggest you do the backup with another utility.

You can download and run a full disk image from superduper for free.. without paying for the software.. you need to pay to use incremental backup function. I would recommend you try that. Then you have a full backup.. or if it fails you know the issue is the Mac hardware and you should post in an area related to your model Mac.

Reply

Answer 6

smitty195 Author

Level 1

20 points

Apr 6, 2013 2:59 PM in response to LaPastenague

Okay, thank you for that info! This is really frustrating because it's like going fishing without really knowing what you're looking for. I wish that the computer would at least give me an error message so I'd know what direction to go in, but it's not doing that. When I start it back up, all it tells me is that I "impropertly shut down" the computer (even though I'm not the one who shut it down---it shut itself down).

Hmmmm.....I'm still open for other suggestions if any other experts see this message. Thanks!!

Reply

Answer 7

smitty195 Author

Level 1

20 points

Apr 13, 2013 4:13 PM in response to LaPastenague

Well, I know this is a little late, but I wanted to let you know that resetting TM actually worked. Who'da thunk it?? 🙂

Thanks for the help!

Reply

Answer 8

Apr 13, 2013 4:22 PM in response to smitty195

Great you did find the fault.. and I did list it as part of the normal fix procedures.. way back in the first reply.

Did you upgrade the computer OS to that wonderful Mountain Lion?

Frankly an upgrade install is never a great idea.. not just talking as old windows man.. but any OS..!!

It's about equivalent to an elephant dancing in a shoe box.. it sure will step on its own toes so best to keep the old shoes out of the box.. so the cleaner the install the less obstacles the elephant has to trip over.. (bull in a china shop might be a similar analogy.. if you release the bull, best to pack away the china beforehand).

Reply

Answer 9

smitty195 Author

Level 1

20 points

Apr 13, 2013 4:29 PM in response to LaPastenague

Yup---upgraded to Mountain Lion 10.8.3 now. I wish I was back on Snow Leopard---NEVER had an issue with anything there!!

Elephant dancing in a shoe box. LOL!!

Reply