Time Machine not working

Time Machine has suddenly stopped working on my OS 10.5.8 G4. The TM icon in the menu bar has a ! in the middle and it says latest backup delayed. When I go into TM prefs it says latest backup failed and the backup volume could not be found. Can someone please help.

Michael

You don't mention what type of device you're backing up to - but that type of an error would indicate that TM could not locate the volume or could not mount the remote drive.

Take a look here at this troubleshooting section from Apple:

Time Machine: Troubleshooting backup issues

it may provide some insight to what your exact issue is.

Also - what do you back up to? a local USB drive or a timecapsule or what? If it's a local drive, can you see the drive in your Finder? If not, then you may want to make sure the drive is turned on, connected and functional.

I back up onto an external Lacie hard drive which shows up on my desktop as well as internal HD. Both of them now show the TM logo (dark greenish with anticlockwise arrow), which the internal HD didn't yesterday. The Lacie drive's small light is on, it seems to be connected correctly. Will have a look at the troubleshooting section a bit later.

Thanks,

Michael

I've looked at the troubleshooting section but it doesn't seem to have any suggestions for the error message that I get, "Backup disk could not be found".

Michael

Which is the error exactly? Backup Disk Could not be Found or Backup Volume Could Not Be Found? You've listed two different ones now based upon your first message vs your most recent message.

Also - the volume that you see that is green, can you open it? Can you view the files in it? Can you create a file on that drive? (although it's marked as a TM drive, it still works like a normal drive)

Error message is The backup volume could not be found. Yes, I can open the Lacie external drive on my desktop and add stuff to it.

Michael

Try this:

Mac OS X 10.5: Time Machine - "The backup volume could not be found" alert

or

Time Machine can't find backup volume - MacFixIt Forums

Many of the references I've seen to that error relate to hackintosh machines, so assuming you're on a normal Mac (which you say you're on a G4, so you're on a "normal" Mac ), hopefully those links will help.

I went to change disk, unselected and then reselected Lacie and now all is fine. Should have tried that before! And no I did not buy my Mac in the backstreets of Bangkok!

Many thanks your help,

Michael