Time Machine icon no longer animates to show when it is active in OS X Mavericks

I don't think the icon animation indicated success or failure--only that backup was running. A simple question mark on the icon in future versions would be a very nice addition to warn of failure.

I can't remember exactly what, but I think I get an exclamation point when it fails. Since I replaced my defective drive, it hasn't failed in a while.

I never saw any such symbol, but then I probably never had a failed back-up. But believe me, I have been saved a couple of times by those back-ups!

I use it reliably all the time too 🙂 it's also a good idea to do a "Verify Backup", especially just before installing a major app or drivers.

I may just be remembering a notification, instead of a symbol. Regardless, I'm almost certain it tells you when it fails.