First time backup very slow with Time Machine on OS X Mavericks

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First time backup very slow with Time Machine on OS X Mavericks

I have a Mac with OS X Mavericks (10.9.4) installed. I also have a iOmega 4TB NAS used to store data and for system backup too.

Both machines are connected to the home network - Mac on WLAN and NAS on wired LAN.

My Time Machine was configured to backup my system on a regular basis. But since my last move, I setup my NAS only recently, after a gap of about 8 months. Time Machine tried to take a backup - and recommended a new backup - and I agreed to that. Now Time Machine has to backup 597.90GB of data to the NAS. I am facing a couple of speed issues.

Having searched the forum and other sites I tried methods like safe start, repair of the permissions, etc as recommended by other users. This definitely improved the initial speed of the first time backup. Earlier it used to take about a day for 4GB backup. This has improved - now it has taken about 156.70 GB backup in 2.5 days. But still this is painfully slow. What are the reasons? How can I improve the backup speed?

Please help.

iMac, OS X Mountain Lion

Posted on Aug 3, 2014 12:15 AM

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Answer 1

srnair Author

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Aug 3, 2014 4:09 AM in response to srnair

Additional information --> for the last 4 hours the backup is stuck at 156.73GB of 597.90GB!

Please help and guide on how I can resolve this situation.

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Answer 2

Esquared

Level 6

12,385 points

Aug 3, 2014 4:28 AM in response to srnair

WLAN? What kind of transfer rates do you get wirelessly? In my experience it is much better to do the initial backup, especially one of this size, with an ethernet cable: Backing up with AirPort Time Capsule for the first time

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Answer 3

Eric Root

Level 10

684,057 points

Aug 3, 2014 11:38 AM in response to srnair

See D2.

Time Machine Troubleshooting

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Answer 4

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,547 points

Aug 3, 2014 1:51 PM in response to srnair

A third-party NAS is unsuitable for use with Time Machine, especially if it's your only backup. I know this isn't the answer you want. I know Time Machine accepts the NAS as a backup destination. I know that the manufacturer says the device will work with Time Machine, and I also know that it usually seems to work. Except when you try to restore, and find that you can't.

Apple has published a specification for network devices that work with Time Machine. None of the third-party NAS vendors, as far as I know, meets that specification. They all use the incomplete, obsolete Netatalk implementation of Apple Filing Protocol.

If you want network backup, use as the destination either an Apple Time Capsule or an external storage device connected to another Mac or to an 802.11ac AirPort base station. Only the 802.11ac base stations support Time Machine, not any older model.

Otherwise, don't use Time Machine at all. There are other ways to back up, though none of them is anywhere near as efficient or as well integrated with OS X. I don't have a specific recommendation.

If you're determined to keep using the NAS with Time Machine, your only recourse for any problems that result is to the manufacturer (which will blame Apple, or you, or anyone but itself.)

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Answer 5

srnair Author

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Aug 4, 2014 4:05 PM in response to Esquared

Thank you Esquared. Unfortunately I only have one wired ethernet connection available and in order to ensure optimal shared storage usage I have connected my NAS using this connection. Hence my Mac is connected on wireless.

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Answer 6

srnair Author

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Aug 4, 2014 4:07 PM in response to Linc Davis

Thank you Linc. I do not have the infrastructure elements you have indicated and hence would like to explore other options for backup. Although you do not have a specific recommendation, can you provide me the other options available?

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Answer 7

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,547 points

Aug 4, 2014 4:22 PM in response to srnair

In terms of something that would work with the NAS, I don't know. It depends on the capabilities of the device. If it has an rsync server, then maybe you could use something called "Carbon Copy Cloner," which is based on rsync. I can't really tell you any more than that.

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