Time Machine. Can't find backup disk

Question

Time Machine. Can't find backup disk

The recent Time Machine problems on the forum don't exactly match mine nor do their solutions work. When I select "Backup Now" Time Machine, it looks for Backup Disk for over 5 minutes without finding one. I've done that multiple times.

I'm using a Macbook Pro OS10.8.5. The TC is also my router and the internet connection works fine. My 2 TB Time Capsule, is version 7.6.4. I updated the firmware 2 weeks ago before my last trip to see if that would correct the problem. It didn't, I still can't back up because it says it can't find the disk. In the Airport Utility there is only a green dot and no caution, warning or red numbers next to the TC symbol.

My wife's iMac uses Time Machine also but she has an ethernet connection (T1000 cable I think) and uses a different router for her Wifi. We've used that setup for a couple years without any problems until a month or so ago when I noticed TM was no longer backing up my Macbook. TM works fine for her and regularly automatically backs up her iMac.

I've pulled the plug on my TC, restarted my TC, restarted my Macbook to no help.

Under TM preferences, the name of the time capsule is correct and the file/partion/dis is listed as "DATA," which I think is right but don't actually remember what I called it. It shows 1.57 of 2TB available, Latest Backup "None," Oldest Backup "None." I click on "Select Disk and see the same name "Data" as the Backup Disk and under available disks Data is listed again along with "Other Time Capsule." I "removed" Data then reselected Data from the list of available. Still doesn't work.

I've looked at Airport Utility but there doesn't seem to be anything there that I've figured out.

I appreciate any help you can give. I'm leaving tomorrow so if you have a solution I'll be able to see it but won't be able to work the problem until I get home. I will check back before I go to sleep. Thank you.

Mark

MacBook Pro, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.5)

Posted on Dec 10, 2013 8:36 PM

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Answer 1

Dec 10, 2013 9:42 PM in response to mark from lake elsinore

There is some issue between the TC and later Mac OS.. I certainly don't think 7.6.4 is going to help.. in fact the better one is 7.6.1 .. they went downhill from there.

I recommend a full factory reset for the TC.

The Factory Reset Gen1-4.

Unplug your TC. Hold in reset. and power the TC back on.. without releasing reset for about 10sec. When the status light flashes rapidly; release it.

Be Gentle! Feel the switch click on. It has a positive feel.. add no more pressure after that.

TC will reboot after a couple of minutes with default factory settings and will wipe out previous configurations.

No files are deleted on the hard disk.. No reset of the TC deletes files.. to do that you use erase from the airport utility.

Do the setup again with all short names,, no spaces and pure alphanumeric.. so for example TC name.

TCGen4

wireless name. TC24ghz and TC5ghz (until you get this fixed use as much manual fixed controls as possible).

Disk share name should be data .. leave it at that.

See C9 why name is important.

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

Reset TM sse A4 same reference.

Load the widget to get logs so TM is not working in secret. A1 same reference.

If you continue to have problems manually mount the TC disk. And then reset TM and redo the setup.

In Finder, use Go, Connect to server.

Type in AFP://TCGen4 (or whatever name you used) or AFP://10.0.1.1 (or whatever IP address it has but only if static).

The computer will ask for a password.. public by default or type in whatever you made it.

Try again with TM..

If it fails.. you might need to verify the sparsebundle.

A5 same reference.

Sometimes you need to start afresh.

Delete the old sparsebundle and try again.

Q12 here. http://pondini.org/TM/FAQ.html

Alternatively.. as TM is clearly less and less reliable to network drives.

Plug in a USB drive to the laptop and do a TM backup to that. TM in Mountain Lion can manage backups to multiple locations.. See Q34 http://pondini.org/TM/FAQ.html

Or use a different backup software.. that creates a bootable disk image.. this is hugely superior when it comes to a disk failure. You can immediately boot the computer from alternative.

This is built into drive image but a software like CCC is worth considering.

See http://pondini.org/TM/Clones.html

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