WD Passport just 3 docs after backup

I hope someone can help.

Macbook Air 10.8.2
WD Passport 2 TB

I thought my original backup with the Passport was OK. My daughter put some movies on which worked.
I couldn't find any of the original backups so I erased everything, thinking I'd start again.

When I tell it to back up now, takes only a few seconds- all there is is 3 docs:
AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth Regulatory Certification.pdf
ENERGY STAR.pdf
The FreeType Project License

I did encrypt at one point (told to) which didn't take very long, then I deencrypted (told to) - this took 16 hours!
When I have tried to erase there is no option for FAT etc, just the four MAC OS options - journaled, case-sensitive , encrypted etc.

I did just start to erase again now but it said it would take over an hour - so there must be some stuff there??
I'd just like to start again properly, and be able to use it on a PC at work occasionally too.

This is what is says in the disk utility
Mount Point : /Volumes/My Passport Capacity : 2 TB (1,999,702,540,288 Bytes)
Format : Logical Partition Available : 2 TB (1,998,829,031,424 Bytes)
Owners Enabled : Yes Used : 873.5 MB (873,508,864 Bytes)
Number of Folders : 124 Number of Files : 340


Thanks for any help!

Welcome to the Mac Forums.

I'm trying to understand your questions but am having a bit of difficulty....

First, you're behind one update for Mountain Lion. It's now at version 10.8.3 (if you have not already updated).

You stated that you erased the Passport 2 TB external hard drive which you formerly encrypted but then removed the encryption?

If the backup (assuming Time Machine) is only listing three files, then perhaps you've accidentally excluded the remainder of your computer's drive.

And yes, it appears the Passport has a good amount of data on it as indicated in the Disk Utility report.

Anyway, I suggest going through the complete erasure of the Passport and starting over to make a backup. If you wish to share that drive with your PC at work you will have to partition it and format the second partition to use a file format that the PC understands.

Your PC understands FAT-32 and NTFS but your MacBook Air can not format the drive to NTFS, only FAT-32. I highly recommend you not share the drive but buy a separate external hard drive and use it exclusively for your PC at work.

Thanks for the quick reply!
I did update to 10.8.3 - thank you.

I erased using Disk Utility. Gave it a name and it must have automatically backed up, and now, AGAIN,
I can only see those three documents I mentioned in my first query.

There are several folders in folders, from Backup to Macintosh HD to a folder called User information which has a shortcut arrow on the folder, then the three documents. Does this mean I've only backed up one little folder somewhere?

Should I be doing something in Time Machine preferences?

This is what it said before:
Mount Point : /Volumes/vivvy Capacity : 2 TB (2,000,021,315,584 Bytes)
Format : Mac OS Extended (Journaled) Available : 2 TB (1,998,678,159,360 Bytes)
Owners Enabled : Yes Used : 1.34 GB (1,343,156,224 Bytes)
Number of Folders : 86 Number of Files : 225

Also when I look at TM preferences now, there are two identical icons for this disk - one called My Passport and one called Vivvy. Is this a problem?

There are two different infos for the two in Disk utility - for the higher one (orange colour) called My passport:
Disk Description : WD My Passport 0748 Media Total Capacity : 2 TB (2,000,365,289,472 Bytes)
Connection Bus : USB Write Status : Read/Write
Connection Type : External S.M.A.R.T. Status : Not Supported
USB Serial Number : 575833314143323332393730 Partition Map Scheme : GUID Partition Table


and for the sub icon beneath, green colour , called vivvy:

Mount Point : /Volumes/vivvy Capacity : 2 TB (2,000,021,315,584 Bytes)
Format : Mac OS Extended (Journaled) Available : 2 TB (1,998,678,085,632 Bytes)
Owners Enabled : Yes Used : 1.34 GB (1,343,229,952 Bytes)
Number of Folders : 90 Number of Files : 242

Thanks again for your help! It would be better if you could come over and just do it but I'm in Australia...

I'd love to come to Australia - beautiful country, great people.

I'm not sure what happened to your 2 TB external hard drive? It's now appearing as two drives on your desktop but it's still only one physical drive. The second listing in Disk Utility (vivvy) shows 1.3 GB of the drive being used with 90 folders and 242 files.

The first listing (WD My Passport) shows the drive as bare (no folders or files) which Disk Utility is listing as the full 2 TB. Very confusing.

Here is what I suggest doing: Turn off Time Machine. You can do that from System Preferences, Time Machine or by clicking on the small icon that looks like a clock with hands that resides in your top menu. Once Time Machine has been turned off, eject both of the desktop drives from your MacBook Air.

You can eject them by dragging them to the Trash. Do not unplug them until they have been ejected and have disappeared from the desktop. Once they're off the desktop, reboot your MacBook Air.

After your computer has restarted, plug the Passport back in. It should appear on the desktop as either "vivvy" or "WD Passport" but not both. Use Disk Utility once more to erase the drive and then name it whatever you wish.

After that's done, turn Time Machine back on and let it recognize the drive as its backup. Hopefully everything will work right this time.

As it's almost 2:00 AM Wednesday morning here, I'm going to sleep and won't be back up until tomorrow afternoon.

Thank you chscag for your persistence.

I did erase but then cleverly thought I should erase free space too - this took forever, (overnight) still hadn't finished and was stuck with a message saying 'creating second file'. eventually I decided to hit Skip, and now it's skipping forever.

There seems to be little space available now!!

Because it is skipping I can't do anything, not even close the window.
Can I force quit /shut down and try again.

It's looking like I will have to send it all back to amazon...

Could I have caused this by accidentally not ejecting it properly??

Will let this skipping business go for a while longer then will try to force quit somehow. Will update with any developments.

Hi there again.
The issue has been resolved! I feel stupid about this- there's a box in Time Machine with a list of things to be excluded - or so I thought. In fact they had been excluded - god knows how. So now I've deleted them all from the list, and voila, fully backed up . AT last.

Also, so sorry to hear just now of this explosion in Waco. Sounds really terrible.

Thanks for posting back and letting us know what happened. Sometimes it's the simple things we overlook. Anyway, glad to hear Time Machine is up and running. Backups are important - like money in the bank.

Thanks for your concern about the explosion that occurred near Waco, Texas. I live about 90 miles or so north of there.