"To improve reliability, Time Machine must create a new backup for you."

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Level 1

7 points

"To improve reliability, Time Machine must create a new backup for you."

Had the dreaded "Time Machine completed a verification of your backups...To improve reliability, Time Machine must create a new backup for you" message.

I have spent several days clicking "Back Up Later" in the hope it fixes itself or I find a fix on this site, but currently no luck with any of the suggestions. Has anyone had any luck with fixing this issue at all? I am using TM on an iMac running High Sierra (10.13.3) and using an Airport Time Capsule. Would creating a wired connection between Mac and TC make the problem go away, or would I still have to erase all previous backups to move forward?

iMac, macOS High Sierra (10.13.3)

Posted on Mar 4, 2018 10:21 AM

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Answer 1

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Rhi10 Author

Level 1

7 points

Mar 4, 2018 11:33 AM in response to Rhi10

The message says "Click Start New Backup to create a new backup. This will remove your existing backup history. This could take several hours. Click Back Up Later to be reminded tomorrow. Time Machine won't perform backups during this time."

So it looks like my options are...don't do any further backups, or start from scratch? Seems a bit extreme!

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Answer 2

Dmello

Level 1

17 points

Apr 3, 2018 4:51 PM in response to Sandra Andina1

I've been this same message/issue for the past two weeks also, since the latest macOS update! Nothing has changed except the update.

There have been other attempts at solutions, but I don't think anyone really knows what the issue is.

Apple, fix this!

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Answer 3

Kappy

Level 10

361,741 points

Mar 4, 2018 11:23 AM in response to Rhi10

Are you sure Time Machine will erase your extant backup rather than to create a new backup on the same drive? If that is your concern then transfer your extant backup to another drive in order to keep it. You only need to use Disk Utility to clone your Time Capsule drive to another external drive before allowing Time Machine to start the new backup. You can do this through Airport Utility.

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Answer 4

Apr 2, 2018 3:02 AM in response to Rhi10

Seems to be happening every week or two lately, with my 2TB Time Capsule. I now have it bridged to a mesh network, since about Jan. 2018. Getting really tired of this. Can't connect via Ethernet because I have only USB-C ports. I could plug in a portable, but that would mean yet another peripheral hanging off what is supposed to be a lightweight laptop (MBPro 13" touchbar late 2017).

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Answer 5

Kappy

Level 10

361,741 points

Mar 4, 2018 10:51 AM in response to Rhi10

What makes you think this is a "dreaded" Time Machine error? Let Time Machine do what it stated. Using an Ethernet connection will just make the network faster.

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Answer 6

Rhi10 Author

Level 1

7 points

Mar 4, 2018 11:04 AM in response to Kappy

Because this error message comes with the fact that to “Start a New Backup” will erase all previous backups...which is obviously not a good thing, I make backups for the very reason of keeping them.

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