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My last time machine back-up to Time Capsule was two weeks ago. Automatic backups have not occurred since (Auto backups are enabled). When I start a new back-up manually the "preparing back-up" runs for a very long time (several hours) and then I get a message that 5.9GB have been backed up, about 1% of the disk total. The system does not recognize this as a back-up.
Airport Time Capsule 802.11ac Gen1
iCloud only backs up the categories that you see listed. It does not back up System Files, so It is not possible to restore an older Mac or set up a new Mac to look just like the old Mac if you are only using iCloud.
Backups to an attached USB drive at a Mac are the simplest, fastest, cheapest and most reliable way to back up your Mac.
iCloud only backs up the categories that you see listed. It does not back up System Files, so It is not possible to restore an older Mac or set up a new Mac to look just like the old Mac if you are only using iCloud.
Backups to an attached USB drive at a Mac are the simplest, fastest, cheapest and most reliable way to back up your Mac.
Power off the Time Capsule and leave it off for a few minutes
Restart your Mac
Power the Time Capsule back up and let it run for a few minutes
Hold down the option key on your Mac while you click on the Time Machine "clock" icon at the top of the Mac's screen
Select Verify Backups
The process might take anywhere from a few minutes to an hour or more depending on how much data is stored in the backup file. Let the process run until it completes or until an error message appears
Post back on your results
If an error message appears, please provide the exact text of the message
Thanks. Followed your instructions, and after 2+ hours it still says it is "verifying backup". I don't know if the extended time indicates a problem. Some additional info which may or may not be helpful. The 27" iMac and the Time Capsule were both purchased 2013. Mac software is up to date, OS Catalina 10.15.6. I did a firmware update on the TC earlier today, so after the problem started but before I began running verification. The TC has 2 TB capacity, and shows 1.3 TB available, which I assume means that all previous back-ups are using 700 GB. Should I let the verification keep running or try something else?
Please let the verification process run until it completes or until an error message appears. If you stop the process, you'll have to start all over again from the beginning and lose all the time that it takes to get to the point where you are now.
You don't indicate whether or not your backups are encrypted....but if they are.....that will always take a lot longer for the process to complete......often 3-5 times longer than if they were not encrypted.
Now, if things are still "Preparing" after 10-12 hours, then you can stop the verification since it will likely never complete, Not a good sign, I am afraid.
The "verifying back-up" process ran for 5 or 6 hours, then stopped with no apparent messages, error or otherwise, but the message when I clicked Time Machine on the menu bar still said last backup was September 21. However, when I entered TM today I found a few backups from yesterday, but nothing for any date prior to yesterday. It looks like all previous back-ups have been lost. Right now it is "preparing backup", but again the process is running long, may be in a loop. Is the TC toast or could this be a software issue?
but the message when I clicked Time Machine on the menu bar still said last backup was September 21.
Got that.
However, when I entered TM today I found a few backups from yesterday, but nothing for any date prior to yesterday.
Time Machine started all over again with new complete backup. The old backups on the Time Capsule are corrupted and no longer usable.
Right now it is "preparing backup", but again the process is running long, may be in a loop.
There are no "loops" in the process. It either completes, or it doesn't.
Is the TC toast or could this be a software issue?
If the TC were toast, the most recent backups could not have occurred.
As it stands now, you still have "old" backups on the Time Capsule hard drive........which are no longer useable........and "new" backups which started all over again in the last day or two.
You can let the new backups continue, but you won't be able to go back and access any of the "old" backups that are still on the Time Capsule hard drive. It might be possible to delete the "old" backup file to free up more space on the Time Capsule, but this is not always an easy thing to accomplish, especially if your Mac is running the Catalina operating system.
It is much easier and faster to simply erase the Time Capsule hard drive using AirPort Utility and then start over again with a new backup. The downside to doing this is that it will take a long time for the first backup.
Not sure which way that you want to go.
It might be another discussion, but Time Machine software is frankly no longer a reliable way to back up your Mac(s). You could continue to use the Time Capsule if you want, but it would be a good idea to also back up to a USB hard drive that is connected directly to your Mac. Use the Time Capsule for Time Machine and another backup application like Carbon Copy Cloner to back up to the USB drive.
Thanks, as usual you have been very helpful. I'll figure out which way to go with the TC. Your last comment may be the most helpful. I'm thinking of upgrading to a new Mac anyway, so it sounds like you would recommend adding a USB hard drive to that for back-up purposes. One last question - does iCloud backup eliminate the need to do hard drive back-ups.
Time Machine back-up to Time Capsule
