Time Machine says "You are backing up an Encrypted disk to an Unencrypted Disk"

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Time Machine says "You are backing up an Encrypted disk to an Unencrypted Disk"

Time Machine says "You are backing up an Encrypted disk to an Unencrypted Disk".

Except, I DID encrypt the Time Machine disk when it was new. Disk Utilities is telling me that the Time Machine disk is encrypted. Disk Utilities says my Time Machine disk is, APFS encrypted.

If I eject the Time Machine disk and turn it back on it requires it's password.

Any ideas on why I would receive the notification, "You are backing up an Encrypted disk to an Unencrypted Disk"? OS 10.15.5 (with the supplemental)

Thanks

Posted on Jun 2, 2020 12:51 PM

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Answer 1

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db24401

Level 4

1,564 points

Jun 2, 2020 2:11 PM in response to Ziatron

Ziatron wrote:

" Disk Utilities says my Time Machine disk is, APFS encrypted. "

Time Machine can not backup to a disk formatted APFS.

Backup disks you can use with Time Machine - Apple Supportsupport.apple.com › en-us

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Answer 2

Ziatron Author

Level 5

4,193 points

Jun 2, 2020 1:39 PM in response to sberman

When I do that it says: Time Machine (Encrypted)

There is a checkbox below asking me if I want to encrypt the back ups!? I've heard nightmare stories from other people that this can take DAYS. I don't know if checking this box would give me an encryption within an encryption?

Remember, I encrypted this drive when I originally formatted it out of the box.

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Answer 3

sberman

Level 10

268,263 points

Jun 2, 2020 2:11 PM in response to Ziatron

Ziatron wrote:

I don't know if checking this box would give me an encryption within an encryption?

I don't believe that's possible.

I've heard nightmare stories from other people that this can take DAYS.

If so, you may always abort the backup. ("Skip This Backup" from the menulet.)

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Answer 4

Ziatron Author

Level 5

4,193 points

Jun 2, 2020 2:46 PM in response to db24401

Time Machine can not backup to a disk formatted APFS.

Backup disks you can use with Time Machine - Apple Supportsupport.apple.com › en-us

Very interesting. My Solid-State APFS encrypted Time Machine has been working perfectly until this encryption question "popped up".

FROM APPLE: "Time Machine supports all Mac OS Extended (Journaled) formats and Xsan

formats. If the disk isn't using the correct format, Time Machine automatically prompts you to erase it when you connect it to your Mac: "

I have never been prompted to erase this APFS encrypted drive!? It has been unplugged, and plugged back in several times.

I have been under the impression that APFS was the way to go with Solid-State drives. Is this wrong?

I have been formatting USB thumb drives as APFS. Is this OK?

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Answer 5

sberman

Level 10

268,263 points

Jun 2, 2020 1:32 PM in response to Ziatron

If this happened to me, I would go to:

System Preferences > Time Machine > Select Disk...

Is "Encrypt Backups" checked in the lower left? It should be.

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Time Machine says "You are backing up an Encrypted disk to an Unencrypted Disk"

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