maverick os x, time machine won't work

Do what I did: get yourself Carbon Copy Cloner and clone your hard drive in your former Time Machine drive. It took me 13 hours to clone about 800GB I have stored, using a 1TB Thunderbolt external drive.

13 hours might sound like a lot but, hey, I had tinkered with all ideas in your list without any results whatsoever.

Suprisingly, Apple seems to be denying there's a problem with Time Machine. So it looks like I'll be using CCC for the next months...

After upgrading to Mavericks, Time Machine would not work correctly using a usb 3 external hard drive and after a few days trying to solve the back up problem I decided to use a usb 2 external hard drive and Time Machine backs up now with no problems.

I think Time Machine is backing up at a slower rate and was causing a problem, backing up to my external usb 3 hard drive.

I just bought a lat 2013 rMBP and I have to say that Mavericks has been one big PITA and has been from the moment I tried to migrate my data from my (very reliable, but slow) Mid-2009 17" MBP. Ihave had hardware problems, and to their credit, Apple was extremely reponsive on that front.

However, and this is the point of this post, I too have been having great troubles with Time Machine. I've lost data, entire backup sessions are missing, spent far more hours than I should have, and most importantly, lost faith in Apple's ability to make things "just work" (e.g. like they did in Snow Leopard). I was in my local Apple Store today, and again, while the "Genius" who was assigned to me did all within her capability to troubleshoot my new rMBP, 3 GB TC, and an intemittently malfunctioning keyboard, in the end she could do noting about the TM backup situation. I have screenshots of the missing sessions. She saw with her own eyes another two missing sessions, yet initially could offer little alternative then the "nuclear" option of erasing and starting over...which is not an option.

After some discussion, with another "Genius" (who, BTW told me that they are not really geniuses and don't have all the answers to all the problems), we together determined that much, if not all, the backups are intact. It is an XML-based index file of some sort (he did not elaborate) that has some minor corruption. We determined that the files themselves as far as we can tell, are intact, but the whole experience has been very unlike the Apple I once knew.

I hold out hope that the Apple I once knew returns soon. :/

I came up with the same fix as fcello, I am now using Carbon Copy Clone and will continue to do so until Apple straightens this issue out.

The only problem with CCC is that it does not recognize only changes in Virtual Machines (Windows 7) and backs up entire virtual machine every time. I will exclude Virtual Machine for most backups and only backup virtual machine monthly as I do not use it frequently.

Ok...I did everything that was suggested and that Time Machine plist folder doesn't exist anywhere...how is this possible? Time machine is backing up but everytime I try to get into it all I get is a black screen and a frozen laptop. I have to hit the power button and then Time Machine shows up for a second and it reverts back to my normal desktop.

I desperately need to get into TM to restore some files.

Well I finally fount the TM plist...but I have two of them. The usual one I expected and anohter com.apple.TimeMachine.plist.GsyAVQk. Now that I have them do I delete them both?

Ok so grab your hard drive and drag all of the files that you need from it as it will be partitioned later. Open Disk Utility and select the hard drive. Click the partition tab and under Partition Layout click 1. Under Options, make sure that GUID is selected. Format as Mac OS X Extended(Journaled) and click Partition. Once the drive mounts back, click the status bar item and select your hard drive. Now it will back up in 118 seconds.

I think you changed a couple of variables, and you've likely glommed onto the wrong one. I've been trying using a USB 2 drive, but little or no luck. It's probably some other variable that changed... or there are multiple causes of this problem, and you only had that one issue, while I have other issues you don't have.

Apple needs to get a grip on this and other similar issues. This is too big a problem to just wish away. One of the reasons I have an Apple is the ease of using Time Machine. Several times, it's saved my butt.

One by one by one, the new post-Jobs Apple is losing its former strengths.

I'm not a geek, nor do I want to be one. I don't need the newest super-duper high tech gear, tuned for maximum performance. I just need good, reliable equipment that does what it's supposed to do, easy to use. If I can't get that at Apple, I'll no longer be willing to pay the premium to avoid the cheaper Microsoft and other alternatives.

Vijay AT, I hope this is very helpful to tilley, and I truly commend you for taking the time to help out. What great community spirit.

But when I read what you wrote, I get hives. Technical verbiage just such as that is what drove me into Apple's arms a decade ago, fleeing Microsoft. Is Apple becoming the new Microsoft?

I see what your saying. I couldn't think of a better way to explain it. And to answer your question NNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOO

I hope you're right Vijay, truly I do, but only time will tell... In the meantime, Apple needs to get on top of this rather significant issue...

How I fixed My Mavericks OS X 10.9 Time Machine Back Up Problem

1 - I spoke to apple care and I was told to change a time machine file to old at the end of the file name then reboot, did not work and I can not remember were the file is located.

2 - Open Disk Utility and verify Disk and repair Disk permissions, then I waited for spotlight to index then tryed to back up using time machine but it did not work.

3 - I shut down the mac & restarted while holding CMD R and open Disk Utility and Verify Disk and repair Disk Permissions again and restarted and waited for spotlight to index again, did not solve the problem.

4 - I erase a 1tb external usb 2 hard drive and then made a 1 partition, formated to extended journaled and then back up using time machine and it now works with no problems.

hope this info helps

Glad I could help...just scroll up in the discussion