Cannot backup older MacBook Pro 2012 using Time Capsule

Question

Cannot backup older MacBook Pro 2012 using Time Capsule

I’ve had tons of problems with my older MacBook Pro late 2012 ever since trying to install MacOS 10.13. I took it to the Apple “Genius Bar”, and they found an error with ‘directory D’ that caused the OS to crash. They had to uninstall this, and I requested OS 10.12, Sierra, to be reinstalled, which they did, erasing my entire internal hard disk in the process. I said I had a Time Capsule at home I used as a backup disk, and could reinstall all my data. However, I hooke up my Time Capsule at home OK, and my MacBook found it, but it stops loading data after about 2 minutes! The ‘next’ button is grayed out so I don’t know if all my data had been properly loaded or not

MacBook Pro (13-inch Mid 2012), iOS 10, 10.12 Sierra OS

Posted on Jan 5, 2018 8:57 AM

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Answer 1

Jan 7, 2018 5:32 PM in response to Sierra Sky Pilot

Your situation is not unusual although I have no explanation for why the backup is missing files.. but loads of people have issues.

Question: If I don’t use Time Machine as a backup, what should I use? I can see the Time Capsule is missing some of my files. Would a different external hard drive be better than using Time Capsule?

Time Machine is simply flawed in later OS.. since Sierra in particular it has gone dramatically downhill. I reached the point after the last corruption of my TM backup to swap to my secondary.. Carbon Copy Cloner.. which I have run once daily since April last year.. it has run flawlessly.. So the day finally came.. TM is now running purely as test to Asus router with external USB drive.. as more functional router to replace the Time Capsule.. it has run fine for a month which is enough of a test.. to say any other failure is not caused by the router but by Time Machine.

CCC can also backup to network drives like Time Capsule.

As far as using Time Machine with External hard disks. That is our recommendation for now.. it does not behave perfectly.. but better than to network targets.

CCC works even better to external hard disk.. that is the dilemma .. you can create a bootable clone.. that means if the hard disk fails or the install breaks like your current experience.. you simply hold the option key at boot and select the CCC bootable clone drive.. and you are back to a computer running exactly as it did when the last backup was made.. that means also you can test backups occasionally which is very useful..

There is no way to test Time Machine until you get into a situation of needing recovery.. at which point after hours and hours of work you discover it is missing files.. !!

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Answer 2

Jan 7, 2018 5:54 PM in response to Sierra Sky Pilot

I use both.. I run CCC to network target for now but occasionally plug in a hard drive and update the clone.

It is really up to you and whichever is more convenient.. but CCC recommends local drive.. like your WD passport.. over network target.

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Answer 3

Jan 5, 2018 10:39 AM in response to Allan Eckert

I don’t know. OS 10.13 was removed from my computer, and OS 10.12 installed. However, they erased my hard drive in doing this. My problem now lies with how to retrieve all my data from my Time Capsule.

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Answer 4

Jan 7, 2018 2:28 PM in response to LaPastenague

Hi Again, forgot to say that yes, we used Migration Assistant, and had to set up my MacBook as if it were new. Then I was able to retrieve my data off of the Time Capsule. As stated, not all of my files were uploading, so I’ve had to manually retrieve some files and applications off of the Cloud.

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Answer 5

Jan 7, 2018 5:47 PM in response to LaPastenague

Thanks so much for your detailed replies! So, if I understand you correctly, you have a Carbon Copy Cloner backup physically connected to your computer, not accessed through Wifi? I would feel better if I had direct connections with an external hard drive as I've done in the past. I was using an Iomega external drive, and WD passport backup prior to the TC, both physically connected via a USB port. I could hook this MacBook up to the WD again. Would this be safer?

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Answer 6

Jan 5, 2018 9:01 AM in response to Sierra Sky Pilot

What is the ‘directory D’?

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Answer 7

Jan 7, 2018 5:57 PM in response to LaPastenague

I will use the WD passport....Thanks a bunch!

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Answer 8

Jan 5, 2018 12:36 PM in response to Sierra Sky Pilot

You should NOT allow time machine to make a backup.. this is important and perhaps too late.

To retrieve your data how are you doing it.. e.g. are you using migration assistant??

Did you get High Sierra installed before it broke the laptop?

Did you get Time Machine in High Sierra to do a backup?

ie before your laptop broke.. did TM wipe out your existing backup with a copy of the Next Flawed OS?

I am having trouble remembering but to my thinking you cannot downgrade from a backup.. ie if the backup was done in High Sierra then the computer must use High Sierra.. it will just stop with Sierra.. but I will need to confirm this.. !!

It is hard to help without specific info.. how are you connecting to the TC.. ethernet is much preferred.

Tell us everything you possibly can about how you are trying to recover your files.

IF the backup is intact it is often better to recover the entire backup to a USB drive not the boot drive of the laptop.

I have given a lot of details in this thread.

Migration Assistant Help

Unfortunately Pondini site is out of action.

In the end using setup assistant from the recovery partition of the laptop to a USB drive plugged into laptop and do the full restore of the OS before you attempted any upgrades is the best.. as you can then migrate from this USB drive.. without the mess.

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Answer 9

Jan 7, 2018 5:48 PM in response to LaPastenague

Hi, finally replying. Yes, you are right. I called Apple support again, and found that I did have to install High Sierra 10.13 in order to retrieve my data off of the Time Capsule. You are also right that I did this last Friday prior to reading your reply! I‘ve been able to upload most applications and data from the TC, but checking my files, some items are missing. Fortunately, I also have a Cloud account and have been able to retrieve the missing files and information from the Cloud. I’m glad I was able to do that! I have another appointment with the ‘Genius Bar’ next Tues, 1/9/18, and will see if this new OS 10.13 will still work on my computer when I RESTART it. I’m afraid to do this here, so decided to let them do it at the Apple store. Restarting my 2012 MacBook Pro was when the uploading problems occurred. If it crashes again, I will reinstall off of a USB drive as you suggest. Question: If I don’t use Time Machine as a backup, what should I use? I can see the Time Capsule is missing some of my files. Would a different external hard drive be better than using Time Capsule?

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