After installing Mavericks on a 2009 Quad-core Xeon the only thing (so far) which doesn't work properly is Time Machine. When you enter it a black rectangle is overlaid stopping you selecting anything. It happens even with the second monitor disconnected. I attach a photo:
Time machine seems to be working fine otherwise.
Any ideas?
Kingsley
Mac Pro, OS X Mavericks (10.9), Time Machine
I was having similar issue with dual screen setup, when entering Time Machine primary screen would go blank and secondary screen would not show the Time Machine window.
To fix this, all I had to do was press and hold on Finder in the dock, then under "Options" select "All Desktops". Now, I'm able to enter Time Machine without having to make any other changes, I don't need to log out, or turn off any monitor, and I can still have separate spaces in Mission Control.
I hope this simple fix will help others.
I've had this problem for the past few versions of OS X.
Mirror Display was a horrible workaround, but I finally found a "solution"
Solution for me; Change the Finder window assignment to None.
- Click on the Finder icon in the Dock and hold...
- A menu will appear with "Options"
- This beings up a menu with All Desktops, Display 1, Display 2 and None
- Choose "None".
Now try; Enter Time Machine
No more black box on the main display!
I have found a workaround. It seems the dual monitor setup is the problem. The black rectangle is exactly the same size as the second monitor.
I found that Mavericks cannot tell if the second monitor is on and the finder is drawing the desktop on the second monitor even though it is off.
If you turn on mirroring and then launch time machine there is no black rectangle.
I am using two differently-sized monitors (1920x1080 and 1440x900).
That can't be it because it happens on my MBA with 1 screen.
It doesn't happen on my dual screen Mac Pro!
The turning on mirroring worked for me also. Macbook pro with external monitor.
I have this problem with a new Time Machine and iMac, and no second monitor.
I have found a solution. Mentioned by John Siracusa (http://arstechnica.com/apple/2013/10/os-x-10-9/11/) and cited by someone at Stack Overflow you can switch off independent monitor behaviour in the Mission Control preference pane. Uncheck 'Displays have separate Spaces' and restart.
Time Machine now works properly (blanking the second monitor) and you can split a window between two displays as you used to.
You also loose the two menubars and prevent problem with the focus not changing with a cursor click.
I tried this and still have my Time Machine backup screens black.
This has nothing to do with 2 screens. It happens on my MacBook Air!
Suggestion by kingsleyoxon works but only after re-booting once you've turned on mirroring
Kingsleyoxon's solution worked for me with just a logout/in and mirroring unchanged (off). I have dual different sized monitors.
After my first time machine backup the UI showed but nothing was selectable. The second time both monitors completely black.
iMac with mavericks, time capsule for time machine backups. Worked in the past.
Today, I was playing around with second dislay (TV with AppleTV) and tried mirroring, but left it set to "extend". Turned off airplay. Later, I tried to restore a file I screwed up from time machine backup, got a black time machine file window. Any file, any directory showed nothing in backup. After reading above posts, I went back into airplay, turned it on, turned on Mirroring, and time machine now displays the past in its windows on both screens, just like it should. Turned off airplay (leaving it set to Mirroring), and time machine works as expected on the single screen.
What a bug. Thanks, Kingsley.
Thanks, I was having the same problem, I just went into time machine and it shows a black screen, I turned on mirroring and it shows up, just won't show on dual monitor wihtout mirroring turn on. At least I know I can get in there if needed.
I guess it's a bug related to the new screen management system. Simply unplugging my second monitor, I could make Time Machine work again.
My Air does it. Problem is it's only attached to ONE monitor.
black screen time machine mavericks
