Time Machine server on High Sierra

Question

Level 1

9 points

Time Machine server on High Sierra

So on Sierra, I was using the Time Machine function on MacOS Server to backup my girlfriend's Macbook Air on my Mac Mini. She was signed in as a guest since she didn't have an account on my Mini.

Now on High Sierra, the Time Machine server is apparently baked into the OS in the sharing section, so I put the Time Machine folder as Shared.

However, her Macbook (now on High Sierra too) wasn't able to recognize my drive, she had to select it back and Time Machine started creating an entirely new backup instead of updating the previous one. She cancelled the operation since she didn't have the time to do the full backup.

What are the steps needed to make her Macbook syncs with its old backup ?

Thanks!

Mac mini (Late 2012), macOS High Sierra (10.13)

Posted on Oct 4, 2017 4:05 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Nov 15, 2017 9:05 PM in response to jessydmd

I found this:

https://www.kirkville.com/how-to-use-time-machine-server-in-macos-high-sierra/

The new Time Machine server is baked into MacOS now, regardless of the presence of server.app. The process of setting it up is not very intuitive. I ended up renaming my Time Machine server folder, creating a new Time Machine folder, and then following the instructions in the linked document. The reasoning is that this way, I can always go back and have access to the restore point. After completing a full backup from all my systems, I then deleted my old time machine folder.

Reply

Answer 2

AppleJoe

Community Manager

Oct 5, 2017 4:20 PM in response to jessydmd

Thank you for getting back with us regarding our previous recommendation. We'd like for you to contact Apple Support at this point.

Apple - Support - Product Selection -- Apple Support will be able to troubleshoot this issue further.

Cheers!

Reply

Answer 3

MoonJ.

Community Specialist

Oct 5, 2017 3:25 PM in response to jessydmd

Greetings, jessydmd.

After reviewing your post, it looks like you're facing some difficulty backing up a MacBook Air with Time Machine on a MacMini with macOS Server installed. The difference now is, Time Machine is seeing the MacBook Air as a new machine with macOS High Sierra installed on it now. I'm happy to help.

Move your content to a new Mac -- Use Migration Assistant to transfer her data from your Mac mini to her MacBook Air. Time Machine should now be able to back up her data.

Use Migration Assistant to copy all of your documents, apps, user accounts, and settings to a new Mac from another computer.

Let me know how that goes.

Take care!

Reply

Answer 4

jessydmd Author

Level 1

9 points

Oct 5, 2017 4:01 PM in response to MoonJ.

Thanks for the answer !

I'm not sure I get it, wouldn't that imply that she would lose what's currently on her Macbook Air ?

Also, the problem was actually still there when her Macbook Air was still on Sierra, but my Mac Mini got upgraded to High Sierra. The Macbook Air wouldn't recognize its old backup. Maybe there's something I didn't do correctly while setting up the Backup folder for the Time Machine ? I don't find a lot of info about this using the new way in High Sierra, since it's not in MacOS Server anymore.

Reply

Answer 5

JMM404

Level 1

9 points

Nov 9, 2017 8:39 AM in response to jessydmd

Yeah, I had to rebuild all my backups to my Time Machine Server after upgrading to High Sierra. 😟

Local backups (to an external drive) see to be fine, however.

Reply