Apple Time Machine Usb Drive
Apple Time Machine Usb Drive
Try to repair Time Machine backup when your Time Machine backup/restore failed, corrupted or missing. EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac is helpful to recover a missing or deleted Time Machine backup or disk image on your Mac.
The Apple Time Capsule seemed like a great idea when it was unveiled about a decade ago. It was a Time Machine network backup target that also embedded a Wi-Fi gateway and ethernet sharing. Here's how how to share an external hard drive between Mac and Windows. Even with third-party software, some features, including Time Machine, will not work correctly with an NTFS file system.
Time Machine Backup/Restore Failed
Repair Unrecognized Time Machine Drive. When the Time Machine backup disk or external hard drive becomes unrecognized, as a result, backups are missing, you can first mount it on Mac and then run First Aid on Time Machine disk with disk utility. Step 1: Connect the Time Machine backup external hard drive to Mac. Launch Disk Utility. You can connect a hard drive to your eero network by either Ethernet or over WiFi. The USB port on the back of the eero is currently only for diagnostic purposes. If you need any assistance, feel free to also give us a call at 1-877-659-2347 or email us at support@eero.com. Restore files stored from Time Machine Set up Time Machine: The Time Machine is the best built-in backup feature of Mac OS X. To make use of it, you need some external devices. External hard drive/disk should be connected to a USB, Fire-wire to the Mac External hard drive/disk connected to the USB port of an Airport Extreme base station on the.
Mac users, who're currently running macOS Catalina or Mojave, report that they got an issue with Time Machine. Mainly, it's about Time Machine backup failed to back up the scheduled files to the configured backup disks, let it be the Time Capsule drive or third-party drive. Hence, how to repair Time Machine backup becomes the topic we're going to discuss here.
You can read on or jump to the issue & solution you're most concerned about.
Workable Solutions | Step-by-step Troubleshooting |
---|---|
Issue 1. Can't Backup or Restore | Check Time Machine system requirements > check your Mac...Full steps |
Issue 2. Backup Corrupted | Create a new backup > restart Time Machine > repair with terminal command...Full steps |
Issue 3. Backup Missing | Download software to recover missing backups > repair unrecognized...Full steps |
Issue 1. Can't Backup or Restore Your Mac Using Time Machine
One phenomenon to get Time Machine backup failed is that you can't back up or access an existing Time Machine backup, or restore from an earlier backup won't work. According to Apple's official instructions (https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204157), when you have a problem with Time Machine, check these things if you see an alert that Time Machine is unable to back up your data, or if you can't select your backup disk in Time Machine preferences.
Fix 1. Check Time Machine System Requirements
- External hard drive connected to a USB, FireWire, or Thunderbolt port on your Mac
- Time Capsule or macOS Server on your network
- External hard drive connected to the USB port of an AirPort Extreme Base Station (802.11ac) on your network
Fix 2. Check Your Mac
- Make sure that your Mac software is up to date.
- Restart your Mac and see if the issue continues.
Fix 3. Check your AirPort Base Station
- If you're using an AirPort Time Capsule or a drive connected to an AirPort Extreme Base Station, make sure that your AirPort firmware is up to date.
- Restart your base station and see if the issue continues. To restart, unplug the base station from AC power for 5 seconds, then plug it back in.
Fix 4. Check Your Network Connection
If you back up to a server, AirPort Time Capsule, or drive connected to your AirPort Extreme Base Station, make sure that your Mac is connected to the same network as your backup drive. You can select your wireless network from the Wi-Fi status menu.
Fix 5. Check Your Backup
If you back up to a server, AirPort Time Capsule, or drive connected to your AirPort Extreme Base Station, make sure that your current Time Machine backup doesn't have any issues that could prevent further backups:
- While holding down the Option key on your keyboard, click the Time Machine menu in the menu bar, then choose Verify Backups.
- If Time Machine finds an issue with your backup, it displays a message with details. Follow the onscreen instructions.
Fix 6. Check Your Drives
- If you're using a drive connected to a port on your Mac or AirPort Extreme Base Station, make sure that the drive is turned on.
- If you're using a USB hub or a similar device, try connecting the drive directly to your Mac or base station.
- If you're backing up to an external third-party drive, check with the drive manufacturer to make sure the drive's firmware is up to date.
- If you're backing up to an external drive, check the formatting of the drive. Time Machine requires that an external drive be formatted like a Mac startup disk: Mac OS Extended (Journaled) with a GUID Partition Table (GPT). If you select a differently formatted drive for use with Time Machine, your Mac automatically prompts you to erase it for Time Machine.
- Reformatting a disk erases all data stored on the disk, so you might want to move important files to another disk first.
If your drive is already formatted correctly, turn off Time Machine, then check it for problems:
- To check the drive of an AirPort Time Capsule, follow the steps to verify an AirPort Time Capsule drive.
- To check an external drive connected to your Mac, open Disk Utility from the Utilities folder of your Applications folder. Then use the First Aid feature in Disk Utility to verify your disk. Do this for your startup disk as well.
- You can turn Time Machine back on after your drives are verified or repaired successfully.
Issue 2. Time Machine Backup Is Corrupted
What's a corrupted Time Machine backup? Below are some backup corruption symptoms.
- Fail to complete Time Machine backup
- can't access time machine backups
- Time Machine keeps asking to create new backups
- Searching for time machine backups taking forever
- Time Machine disk or external device becomes unrecognized
How to repair a corrupted Time Machine backup? According to some experienced users and professional geeks, when Time Machine corrupted, it can be fixed by the following four troubleshooting methods.
Fix 1. Create New Backup
If Time Machine keeps asking you to create new backups, click Create new backup to start the new backup then. So that it can work smoothly later.
Fix 2. Restart Time Machine
Restart Time Machine several times may also help. You may need to switch Time Machine to On-Off-On and then reboot the Time Machine again.
Fix 3. Swap out The Hard Drive
Another solution to repair Time Machine is to set up a new external hard drive with Time Machine as a backup drive.
Fix 4. Repair Corrupted Time Machine with Terminal command
If Time Machine stops responding or even not working on Mac, to repair the corrupted Time Machine becomes tough yet still resolvable with Terminal command.
- Notice:
- Before starting the process, You should stop Time Machine: Time Machine Preferences > Toggle Time Machine 'OFF'.
- Step 1: Open Terminal on Mac and type: $ sudo su - and hit Return.
- Step 2: Type: $ chflags -R nouchg '/Volumes/.sparsebundle' and hit Return.
- If you don't know the TM name, go to Time Machine Prefernces and check out. Or type: $ ls '/Volumes/ and hit Return.
- Step 3: Type: $ hdiutil attach -nomount -readwrite -noverify -noautofsck '/Volumes/.sparsebundle' and hit Return.
- Step 4: Type the below command and hit Return each time:
/dev/disk5 GUID_partition_scheme
/dev/disk5s1 EFI
/dev/disk5s2 Apple_HFS - Step 5: Type: $ fsck_hfs -drfy /dev/diskxs2 and hit Return. After this, if you receive 'The volume was repaired successfully', congratulations.
But if Terminal warns you 'The volume could not be repaired', relax and continue with next command. - Step 6: Type: $ fsck_hfs -p /dev/diskxs2 and hit Return.
- Step 7: Type: $ fsck_hfs -drfy /dev/diskxs2 and hit Return. Wait for the process to complete.
- Step 8: Type: $ vi '/Volumes//.sparsebundle/com.apple.TimeMachine.MachineID.plist' and hit Return.
Change the value of integer from 2 to 0 within that file.
Issue 3. Time Machine Backups Missing
When you cannot access to Time Machine or Time Machine corrupted, you are highly recommended to get backup data back first. How?
Fix 1. Recover Missing Backup Image with Software
If the Time Machine backup disk can be opened but nothing appears, the best way is to scan and restore all lost Time Machines' Backups.backupdb files. Here we'd like to recommend you try EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac which supports users to restore all lost data from different situations within only 3 steps. Download EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac and restore Time Machine backups now:
Step 1. Select the disk location (it can be an internal HDD/SSD or a removable storage device) where you lost data and files. Click the 'Scan' button.
Step 2. EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac will immediately scan your selected disk volume and display the scanning results on the left pane.
Step 3. In the scan results, select the file(s) and click the 'Recover Now' button to have them back.
What's more, if you lost files on Mac or external storage devices, you can also apply EaseUS Mac data recovery software to easily recover files on Mac without Time Machine backup.
Fix 2. Repair Unrecognized Time Machine Drive
When the Time Machine backup disk or external hard drive becomes unrecognized, as a result, backups are missing, you can first mount it on Mac and then run First Aid on Time Machine disk with disk utility.
Step 1: Connect the Time Machine backup external hard drive to Mac. Launch Disk Utility, check external hard drive at the left panel.
You'll see that the external hard drive is greyed out, marked as untitled. (Untitled means unmounted on Mac computer.)
Step 2: Select the untitled external hard drive and click the 'Mount' button from the Disk Utility bar.
Step 3: Select Time Machine drive at drive level on the left panel of Disk Utility and run First Aid.
Step 4: Select Time Machine drive at volume level and run First Aid.
Wait for the process completes, check if Mac computer can recognize your backup disk and open it in Time Machine again.
Conclusion
Regarding the topic 'Time Machine backup failed' and 'how to repair Time Machine backup', we gathered all feasible solutions to help you resolve the various issues with Time Machine on your Mac. If you have further Time Machine problems, click for more Time Machine guidelines from the following collection.
Even though this is PC Backup Review, some of us have Macs at home or work. It wouldn’t feel right if we didn’t include a basic article about Time Machine. I mean, it is just so slick, PC users need to know what they’re missing!
Not only does Time Machine keep backups of individual files, it also keeps backups of your entire system at frequent intervals (think of these as restore points.) How frequent you ask? Time Machine keeps hourly backups for the past 24 hours, daily backups for the past month, and weekly backups until your backup drive is full. So you can literally go back in time, pun intended.
In this article I will explain how to back up your personal computer using Time Machine, which is already built into your Mac when you first purchase it. You just need to turn it on.
Setting Up Your Backup In Time Machine
In this first part we’ll talk about setting up Time Machine using a regular external hard drive. It only takes six easy steps.
1. Plug in an external hard drive to your machine via USB, Firewire, or Thunderbolt connection.
2. Go under the Apple menu and choose “System Preferences.”
3. Click on “Time Machine.”
4. Time Machine will likely be set to “Off.” Click to turn it “On.”
5. Select your backup destination from the available list. If you have a second internal drive or a plugged-in external drive from step 1, it should appear on the list.
6. Click “Connect.”
That’s all it takes. A countdown timer will pop up, and when it completes the countdown, your backup starts! It’s so easy!
Using a Time Capsule
Apple Time Machine Usb Drive 3.0
As if Time Machine isn’t easy enough, you can replace the external drive with a Time Capsule – a wireless storage device that’s a perfect match for your Mac, in both function and fashion.
This little white box (think of it as a time capsule) will store your backups safely and securely, too. You can get it in a 2TB or 3TB version for $299 or $499, respectively.
It carries a premium price tag, but it’s not an ordinary drive – it contains a “server-grade hard drive” that’s more durable than a typical external drive (i.e. less likely to crash from constant use.) You can also use it to backup multiple Macs. Thanks to the wireless connection, you can backup virtually every Mac in your house to a single Time Capsule.
Apple Time Machine Usb Drives
The backup process is almost identical to the steps listed above. The difference is when you’re choosing a backup device from the list, select “Time Capsule.” You will probably be prompted to select the Time Capsule if it’s your first time setting up backup. In the alert window that appears, enter the password for your Time Capsule.
Click “Connect” as before, and your backup will begin.
Restoring Backups Using Time Machine
If you would like to restore a backup from Time Machine, it’s simple.
How to restore individual files and folders:
Go under your Time Machine menu and select “Enter Time Machine.” You’ll be presented with the restore interface that includes a timeline on the right side.
Scroll through the timeline until you find your desired date to restore from. Under each date will be a list of the backed up files as they appeared at that point in time.
Select whatever file or folder you want to restore and click “Restore.” It will be immediately copied from your backup device to your computer.
How to restore your entire system:
Once you make sure your backup drive is connected, start up your Mac from the Recovery system (Command-R at startup) or Mac OS X installation disc. Once loaded, use the “Restore From Time Machine Backup” utility. It will do the rest.
How to restore your entire system onto a new Mac:
If your computer was completely wiped out and you’re going to restore the backup onto a new one, the process is slightly different.
You’ll want to go under Applications/Utilities and use the Migration Assistant. Follow the on-screen prompts and your backup will be restored onto the new machine. When finished, simply choose “Inherit Backup History,” and your new Mac will have Time Machine configured automatically.
Apple Time Machine FAQ
Here are common questions about Apple’s Time Machine backup system and the Time Capsule backup drive.
Q: Is it possible to backup to a Time Capsule via Ethernet?
A: Yes. Most people prefer to perform their first backup over an Ethernet cable because it’s much faster than wireless. If you have lots of GBs to back up, it will save a substantial amount of time.
But after your initial backup is complete, all subsequent backups are incremental and occur easily over a wireless connection. So just switch to wireless for the convenience at that point.
Q: How secure is it? What if someone picks up my Time Capsule and walks off with it?
You can use FileVault 2 to encrypt your Time Machine backup on any external drive, and in OS X Mountain Lion, Time Machine itself lets you encrypt Time Capsule backups.
If someone wants to access your backups, they’ll have to figure out how to decrypt them first.
Q: Is a Time Capsule worth the $299? What about getting a regular external hard drive?
Apple Usb C To Usb
A: Well, a high-quality external drive is going to run $100-200. And it will work fine. But you’ll only be able to use it with one computer at a time, whereas the Time Capsule can be used with as many Macs as you have in the house. If you value convenience, the wireless capability and easy integration make the Time Capsule worth the price. (The price is on par with other NAS units.)
Personally, if I had a Mac at home, I’d jump at the opportunity for such simple, streamlined backup!
Q: What if I lose it all in a house fire or flood?
A: You are out of luck… unless you implemented some sort of offsite, remote backup. Local backups on a Time Capsule are great if your computer crashes, but they’re only safe as long as the Time Capsule is.
That’s why everyone should have online backup in place. Most popular backup services these days – BackBlaze, Mozy, CrashPlan, IDrive, and DollyDrive, just to name a few – are compatible with Macs and are very affordable.
Once you get your Time Machine backup set up, sign-up for some online backup, too.
Apple Time Machine Usb Drive