My time machine never gets beyond preparing backup....

Question

My time machine never gets beyond preparing backup....

Ever since installing Big Sur, my Time Machine has been abnormal. Specifically, the initiating a backup dialog box says, “Preparing backup,” but it never starts the backup. Never.

Posted on Dec 14, 2020 5:28 AM

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Answer 1

Dec 14, 2020 5:37 AM in response to John Galt

I have been waiting three hours. This happens even though I last backed it up three days ago. time Machine is quick if you continually have the external drive connected and have checked backup automatically. However, if I disconnect (safely) the external drive and try a Time Machine a couple of days later, this always happens. I never had this issue with extended journal backups

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Answer 2

Dec 14, 2020 5:45 AM in response to Keith E Kennedy

By the way, the external drive is partitioned, with one partition for time machine in APFS format; the other partition is designated for files, such as photos, in extended journal format. It is a 5 T size.

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Answer 3

John Galt

Level 10

145,928 points

Dec 14, 2020 6:10 AM in response to Keith E Kennedy

Three hours is nothing.

time Machine is quick if you continually have the external drive connected and have checked backup automatically. However, if I disconnect (safely) the external drive and try a Time Machine a couple of days later, this always happens.

Leave it connected. Is that your one and only Time Machine backup drive?

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Answer 4

Dec 14, 2020 6:10 AM in response to John Galt

John, I just got a dialog box that says, Time Machine couldn’t complete the backup to Time Machine Main. An error occurred while preparing the backup.” The only option is a blue OK button. Not helpful. My latest successful backup was Dec 9

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Answer 5

John Galt

Level 10

145,928 points

Dec 14, 2020 6:21 AM in response to Keith E Kennedy

The symptoms you describe are all consistent with drive failure. Buy another backup drive and add it to Time Machine. It will back up to as many backup drives as you provide.

At your option reformat the 5 TB drive and dedicate the entire drive to Time Machine backups. A catastrophic failure can render all partitions useless. Reformatting will delay that eventual outcome, but it may be a year or more before it happens again. Or, it may happen tomorrow.

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Answer 6

Dec 14, 2020 6:23 AM in response to John Galt

John, my MacBook Pro is only 500 GB in size. With Big Sur it seems you cannot use Time Machine along with other photo file backups on the same drive. Why is this so with Big Sur? I used to have external drives with time machine right along with photo backups.

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