Sparse Bundle In Use

Question

Sparse Bundle In Use

In the last few weeks ever since I upgraded to High Sierra (10.13.1) Time Machine backup on my DROBO NAS over WiFi keeps giving me an error message that says 'Back up Failed, sparse bundle in use.' This sparse bundle is specific to my MBA (MBA3) and no other computer uses it. I even turned of Time Machine in my Mac Pro which had it's own sparse bundle. The only way to get backups to start working again is to reboot my MBA but after a day the issue returns. My MBA accesses my DROBO using afp://ComputerName.local/MBA3

Any idea what's happening. Everything was fine with Sierra, this just started (coincidentally or not) when I upgraded to High Sierra.

Thanks

Alan

MacBook Air, macOS High Sierra (10.13.1)

Posted on Nov 18, 2017 4:20 AM

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Answer 1

Nov 19, 2017 6:47 AM in response to John Galt

John

This from Apple

Backup disks you can use with Time Machine

You can use Time Machine with a drive connected to your Mac, a drive built into or connected to a Time Capsule, or a supported network volume.

Time Machine can back up the data on your Mac to these backup disks:

An external USB, Thunderbolt, or FireWire drive connected to your Mac
An AirPort Time Capsule's built-in drive (any model)
An external USB drive connected to an AirPort Time Capsule (any model) or AirPort Extreme (802.11ac model only)
Network volumes connected using Apple File Protocol (AFP)

I connect to my network drive using this:

afp://ComputerName.local/MBA3

Isn't the fact that it connects using AFP (Apple File Protocol) meet the last bullet point. The problems I encountered before as when I was connecting to my DROBO using a Share on the DROBO dashboard. I was advised to not use the Share but to connect direct using the above. I Chatted with Apple's tech support and after doing First Aid on the DROBO everything seems to work okay. The tech didn't once say that the NAS wouldn't work, in fact he said that he'd seen a lot of issues that a disc repair fixed and he never said that connecting using AFP doesn't work.

Alan

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Answer 2

John Galt

Level 10

141,126 points

Nov 18, 2017 5:09 PM in response to English Rebel

That is how I connect to my network drive.

No you don't. Unless that network device is using an Apple AirPort Time Capsule, an Apple AirPort Base Station, or a Mac, it's not running AFP.

AFP is a proprietary protocol that Apple licenses to no one. Apple does not manufacture a Drobo and it is not running AFP. It is running a third party imitation of it that has never been reliable, and breaks with practically every macOS update or upgrade.

It's been working fine for two years and I only had the issue with High Sierra.

Also untrue. Your post history indicates problems with your non-Apple NAS and Time Machine that predate High Sierra by at least a year:

Backup Software

Time Machine

Network Attached Storage unit

Add to your experience daily reports from others still hoping against hope that their unsupported NAS devices will work with Time Machine a full decade after its release, when they have never been supported.

Learn from them. It won't work. It will never work. Sadly, you have not learned, and you won't learn this time either.

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Answer 3

John Galt

Level 10

141,126 points

Nov 20, 2017 11:29 AM in response to English Rebel

Isn't the fact that it connects using AFP (Apple File Protocol) meet the last bullet point.

No. Please re-read what I already wrote, and then read these Apple Support documents:

If you can't back up or restore your Mac using Time Machine - Apple Support:

"If your backup drive isn't connected using one of these methods, Time Machine might not work. Check with the device manufacturer for compatibility and connection information."

macOS Sierra: If you see a message that you must create a new backup

"You may get a backup verification failure message if you use network backup solutions from manufacturers other than Apple or you have a hardware problem with the backup disk."

Apple will not tell you that non-Apple NAS devices won't work, have never been reliable, and will never be reliable. I just did.

John Galt wrote:

Non-Apple NAS devices are unsuitable for use with Apple's Time Machine. To learn how to use Time Machine please read Use Time Machine to back up or restore your Mac - Apple Support.

It's been a decade since Time Machine was introduced. The problems you are encountering are as old, with thousands of reports similar to yours memorialized on this site including yours. Move on.

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Answer 4

Nov 18, 2017 6:47 AM in response to John Galt

It's been working fine for two years and I only had the issue with High Sierra. Time Capsule is okay but with a single disc failure wiping out all my data it's not an option. Also the link you cited shows this:

Network volumes connected using Apple File Protocol (AFP)

As an accepted method. That is how I connect to my network drive.

Alan

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Answer 5

John Galt

Level 10

141,126 points

Nov 18, 2017 4:46 AM in response to English Rebel

Non-Apple NAS devices are unsuitable for use with Apple's Time Machine. To learn how to use Time Machine please read Use Time Machine to back up or restore your Mac - Apple Support.

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