Time Machine Issue

[Dxhound]

Hi:

I am having a problem with Time Machine. I am using Time Machine on Ventura with a MacBook Pro and an iMac. Time machine will not automatically start as it should. I have it set to do weekly backups. The only way I can get it to run is click on the Time Machine Icon on the Menu and then Open Time Machine Settings. Then Time Machine automatically looks for the backup disk and then does the backup. Even though I have it set for weekly automatic backups, it will not do a backup unless I open the Time Machine settings. Am I missing something.

 

[IWT]

Happy New year to you.

Click on the Time Machine (TM) icon on the top menu bar and then Open TM Settings. You should see something like this:



Now Click on Options. Here you can adjust the frequency of the TM backups. This is possibly where the problem lies. Make sure the timing Automatically Every Week is chosen.

Next possible problem is that your TM may not have a permanent link to your External Hard Drive (EHD) which you use for these backups.

As your TM backups are weekly, ideally the EHD should be attached all the time because it can't do "Automatic" backups to the EHD until the EHD is attached.

However, during the time when the EHD is not attached, TM creates Snapshots of the Mac's Drive and stores them until the next time the EHD is attached. It then passes these over to the EHD. That might account for the "delay" that you are experiencing.

If, reasonably enough, you don't have your EHD attached permanently, then make absolutely sure that your Right Click on the EHD and then Click on Eject before removing the EHD.

And really, if weekly or any other interval of BU is chosen, you might be better doing this manually.

My wife has a MacBookPro and I BU her device manually whenever it seems reasonable to do so. In her case, as her use is minimal, I usually do it every 10-12 days.

These are some thoughts to consider. Please post back.

Ian

 

[Dxhound]

Hi Ian:

Once I open the Time Machine Options it states:

TimeMachineBackup - MyCloud-2KKX8T5.local
3.66 TB available
Backups: 2023-10-28, 18:23 - 2024-01-01, 19:18
Next backup: Automatic (weekly)

As noted once I open this window the backup starts. No other action is required by me other than opening this window.

The drive is a network drive and each machine ie MacBook Pro and the iMac have no problem seeing and connecting to the drive.

Thanks Ian.

 

[Rod]

Because I too have a MBP my external HD is not usually connected so I just plug it in, open the TM options in the tool bar from the icon and click Backup Now. Have you tried that command, rather than opening Settings?

 

[Dxhound]

Rod:

Ref the "Backup Now" does work, but that does not solve the original problem of why Time Machine will not backup automatically on a weekly basis.

I set the original day of a Monday to do the backups and unless I open up the setting it will not backup automatically.

That kind of defeats the idea of automatic backups as is what I have set. Automatic backups should be unattended backups.

 

[IWT]

I just plug it in, open the TM options in the tool bar from the icon and click Backup Now.

Exactly as I did it for my wife and suggested same in my earlier post.

I set the original day of a Monday to do the backups and unless I open up the setting it will not backup automatically.

How could it backup automatically if the EHD was ejected - then later reconnected?

Ian

 

[Rod]

Because it's a network drive it's logical that the iMac would stay connected but less likely with a portable device. Personally I have TM's automatic backups turned off, I use Time Machine Editor to perform a backup every 7 days when the device is in situ and the EHD connected. That way I don't get missed backup notifications from TM but mostly, I just initiate a manual backup.



If conditions were different eg, I was processing large volumes of data, creating presentations, creating and editing multiple documents and collaborating with teams then the full gamut of hourly, daily, weekly and monthly backups would be a must. This is where TM's incremental backups really shine. These days this is all I need.

 

[Dxhound]

Exactly as I did it for my wife and suggested same in my earlier post.



How could it backup automatically if the EHD was ejected - then later reconnected?

Ian

The drive is not ejected, it is a network drive and not an EHD.

How come when I open the Options Window it automatically does the backup without me clicking on the backup now.

 

[Dxhound]

Because it's a network drive it's logical that the iMac would stay connected but less likely with a portable device. Personally I have TM's automatic backups turned off, I use Time Machine Editor to perform a backup every 7 days when the device is in situ and the EHD connected. That way I don't get missed backup notifications from TM but mostly, I just initiate a manual backup.

View attachment 39109

If conditions were different eg, I was processing large volumes of data, creating presentations, creating and editing multiple documents and collaborating with teams then the full gamut of hourly, daily, weekly and monthly backups would be a must. This is where TM's incremental backups really shine. These days this is all I need.

View attachment 39108

I agree, but as I get older in age I tend to forget to do a few simple things like backups. I have been burned once with a drive failure and just trying to be cautious. Still trying to figure out why when I open up the options window and touching nothing else that the backup starts automatically. For example Monday is my backup day and it will not do a backup. If on Tuesday I go to the computer and click on the TM icon on the menu and then open the options window without any further interaction, the backup will start.

 

[Dxhound]

I agree, but as I get older in age I tend to forget to do a few simple things like backups. I have been burned once with a drive failure and just trying to be cautious. Still trying to figure out why when I open up the options window and touching nothing else that the backup starts automatically. For example Monday is my backup day and it will not do a backup. If on Tuesday I go to the computer and click on the TM icon on the menu and then open the options window without any further interaction, the backup will start.

I think I found the issue. Can't figure it out though, when I had a time capsule I had no problems, but when the Time Capsule dies I got a new backup drive. At any rate 2 issues came to mind, I had to review Nap settings and on the MacBook Pro I had to ensure that Battery Settings were correct and that Network was not put to sleep. On the iMac had to put Nap on setting on. I will give it a week and see if it works again. Thanks.