What is the exact message?
Are you running Sierra? If not which OS?
IF you have AV software on the computer with Sierra it will block the Time Machine backup.
You could also have corrupt files on the local hard disk.. do a verify from the recovery.
You do need to give a load more info.. then it doesn't work.
Running OS Sierra and have just transferred data to my new iMac 27" 5K Retina, successfully via my Time Capsule, from my late 2009 27'iMac which was also running Sierra. I have had some issues previously on my 2009 iMac with Time Capsule/Time Machine Backups failing to backup but nothing in the last three months. The 1TB AirPort Time Capsule was purchased February 2010. The Time Machine message is as follows:- "Couldn't complete the backup to Airport Time Capsule. An error occurred while copying files. The problem may be temporary. If the problem persists, use Disk utility to repair your backup disk." The backup always fails at 120GB into a 570GB total. My new system storage is a 1TB Fusion Drive plus iCloud.
I have reset, verified HDD via Disk Utility First Aid, stopped the Norton AV and done so many resets that I am losing hope! Time Capsule itself failing? Just wondering whether the time is due to change to a different back up process with dedicated software.
Would welcome your comments and views.
Norton AV.. hmmm.. I think you need to remove it not just turn it off. A lot of security software does not turn off completely.
As far as using third party is concerned.. yes.. I agree. I use Carbon Copy Cloner as well as Time Machine and have done so for some time. Time Machine has become flakey. (Whether directly or due to network issues on top).
Chronosync is another recommended backup although I haven't used it.
I would do a test using a USB drive plugged into the Mac and try a Time Machine backup.. If you buy a 2TB disk or larger you can do a CCC bootable clone on the main partition and TM to a secondary partition. To give you best of both worlds. Time Machine seems to work more reliably to local drive.
Many thanks and will let you know how it turns out.
Great advice and appreciate all your help.
Having taken Norton AV off completely, bought a 2TB external drive I then tried a Time Machine backup and low and behold it still failed at 120GB. Desperation stakes I then downloaded a 30 day Trial of Carbon Copy Cloner and after two hours it had completed a full backup without a hitch. Much quicker than the Time Capsule. Can only assume that somehow the Time Machine software has become corrupted. Certainly like the flexibility of CCC which seems to cover all bases as far as I am concerned. Many thanks for your input.
Having taken Norton AV off completely, bought a 2TB external drive I then tried a Time Machine backup and low and behold it still failed at 120GB. Desperation stakes I then downloaded a 30 day Trial of Carbon Copy Cloner and after two hours it had completed a full backup without a hitch. Much quicker than the Time Capsule. Can only assume that somehow the Time Machine software has become corrupted. Certainly like the flexibility of CCC which seems to cover all bases as far as I am concerned. Many thanks for your input.
Having taken Norton AV off completely, bought a 2TB external drive I then tried a Time Machine backup and low and behold it still failed at 120GB. Desperation stakes I then downloaded a 30 day Trial of Carbon Copy Cloner and after two hours it had completed a full backup without a hitch. Much quicker than the Time Capsule. Can only assume that somehow the Time Machine software has become corrupted. Certainly like the flexibility of CCC which seems to cover all bases as far as I am concerned. Many thanks for your input.
Assuming you did a bootable clone on the external drive.. let me recommend you now boot from the backup.. that way you will know pretty well instantly that you have a working backup. Just hold down the option key when you hear the boot chime.. and a menu of boot drives will come up.. There should be your main drive, the recovery partition plus the external drive.. select the external and boot.. although it takes a lot longer to boot from it than internal drive, that might mean 1-2min and then you know you have a working OS.. !!
Thanks. Yes did a bootable so will ensure all ok
Bootable drive worked well so all matters complete. Will be interesting at some time to understand why the Time Machine/Time Capsule set up failed but that's for another day.
Many thanks for all your input.
time capsule fails with error message regsrdingfiles
