Is Time Machine really this dumb???

[LoneWolf121188]

I got my computer back yesterday after Apple replaced the mobo. I tried to do a Time Machine backup, but it kept failing and wouldn't tell me why (there was no error message, just "Failed". So I tried to reset it by switching my backup drive to a different partition on my external and then switching back to my original partition. Now, instead of seeing that there's already a backup for this computer in the the Backups.backupdb folder on the HDD, it tries to create a new folder ("*****'s Computer 2") and start from scratch. How can I get it to recognize that there's already a backup there?

 

[killmoms]

I believe Time Machine keeps track of which computer is which by the MAC address on your Ethernet or Airport interface, which would obviously change if you got your logic board replaced.

 

[clevin]

IDK, serial # sounds like a better ID of computer to me, IF it indeed IDs your computer before operation.

ID computer based on MainBoard? kinda dumb if you ask me.

PS. Im not sure what the problem indeed is, see if anybody else can bring more information..

 

[kolax]

IDK, serial # sounds like a better ID of computer to me, IF it indeed IDs your computer before operation.

ID computer based on MainBoard? kinda dumb if you ask me.

No, using the serial number to ID computers is dumb - the way to identify computers is by MAC addresses.

 

[clevin]

No, using the serial number to ID computers is dumb - the way to identify computers is by MAC addresses.

so if user got their network card replaced, TM won't recognize the new machine?

How is that smart?

IMHO, TM should be able to ID the machine in the situations like this, when users got part of its hardware replaced.

 

[Osarkon]

You should at least be able to point it to the original backups if it doesn't recognise that it's the same machine.

I agree that it's rather useless.

 

[dhd]

I got my computer back yesterday after Apple replaced the mobo. I tried to do a Time Machine backup, but it kept failing and wouldn't tell me why (there was no error message, just "Failed". So I tried to reset it by switching my backup drive to a different partition on my external and then switching back to my original partition. Now, instead of seeing that there's already a backup for this computer in the the Backups.backupdb folder on the HDD, it tries to create a new folder ("*****'s Computer 2") and start from scratch. How can I get it to recognize that there's already a backup there?

We are on the same boat!. My mbp was sent to repair and they changed the logic board as well. When I tried to back up I got the "Failed" message...

Any suggestions?


EDITED:

I have found this:

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=6782596&#6782596
http://davidleber.net/?p=288

I'll give it a try later, I'm scared of the terminal part though!!!

 

[richard.mac]

look here.

 

[LoneWolf121188]

I tried both and neither worked for me. I checked that the file whose name is the MAC address had been changed to my new MAC, and it has, but it still won't work. it might have something to do with permissions...its current permissions are: -r-------- 1 root wheel.

 

[dhd]

Well I just tried to give meread/write access to the external drive with Cmd+I and it is applying privileges since last night!!!, is this normal?, it also says that the folder was created on January 1st 1970...so I don't know if both tips work. In the link of richthomas there is other tip hidden into the comments of the blog...at least we have another alternative!....


EDITED:

This problem also has affected my Itunes purchases, I had to authorize my machine twice!, one for the faulty MoBo and the second one for the new one...

 

[Globetrotter]

Well I just tried to give meread/write access to the external drive with Cmd+I and it is applying privileges since last night!!!, is this normal?, it also says that the folder was created on January 1st 1970...so I don't know if both tips work. In the link of richthomas there is other tip hidden into the comments of the blog...at least we have another alternative!....


EDITED:

This problem also has affected my Itunes purchases, I had to authorize my machine twice!, one for the faulty MoBo and the second one for the new one...

I had to authorise mine just for a re-install.

 

[dhd]

I had to authorise mine just for a re-install.

Well I left the finder working all night long "Applying privileges to..." and it is still working at it!. The drive is a lacie quadra 320gb...Should it take so long?. For the record I left Ichat on at the same time, I dunno if the "Applying privileges to..." action gets bothered by apps running at the same time.
Also, after I authorized my computer on itunes i can indeed listen to my library, but I can't change the titles, artists, etc through the Get Info command???

 

[clevin]

Well I left the finder working all night long "Applying privileges to..." and it is still working at it!. The drive is a lacie quadra 320gb...Should it take so long?. For the record I left Ichat on at the same time, I dunno if the "Applying privileges to..." action gets bothered by apps running at the same time.
Also, after I authorized my computer on itunes i can indeed listen to my library, but I can't change the titles, artists, etc through the Get Info command???

what a mess, I absolutely don't think TM should take a whole night, it can't be right.

Did you call applecare tech support? MAC match is a stupid idea, it just not intuitive at all.

Leopard 10.5.3 should put this on top list, IMHO.

 

[dhd]

what a mess, I absolutely don't think TM should take a whole night, it can't be right.

Did you call applecare tech support? MAC match is a stupid idea, it just not intuitive at all.

Leopard 10.5.3 should put this on top list, IMHO.

It is not TM what was working, it was (is) the finder because I have to set privileges (write/read from my admin account) in order be able to start the change of MAC addresses.
I agree completely...to change a MAC address doesn't semm so difficult, but I dunno what my mummy will do if this happens to her mac...

 

[dhd]

I've left the finder working on applying read&write privileges on my back-up hd for hours and it seems that it will never end the task...and without those privileges I can't apply the terminal workarounds posted above...Is really any other solution that reformat the drive a loose that invaluable TM backups?

Thanks!!!

 

[killmoms]

Is really any other solution that reformat the drive a loose that invaluable TM backups?

Wait. You still have all your data, you're just trying to preserve the backups? Why? By now you could've formatted that drive and successfully re-backed up everything. You're just wasting time for no reason at this point, really.

 

[thechidz]

I have the same problem. three different mac addresses on my TM hdd and I can only access backups from the most recent. Very annoying..

 

[dhd]

Wait. You still have all your data, you're just trying to preserve the backups? Why? By now you could've formatted that drive and successfully re-backed up everything. You're just wasting time for no reason at this point, really.

I know I have all my data on the external drive but it's very annoying to introduce my password every time I rename,move,delete, etc a file on that drive (this includes inability to change any info on my Itunes library, very annoying!!!!). Also I can't use the TM interface because I can't manage to tell the app that the backups belong to my "mbp" (let's assume that's the name of my computer), not "mbp 2". What will happen if I try to re-install/recover my system from my TM backup?, will it choose the 1 or the 2?. There is nothing in that one because there is not enough space to start a fresh TM backup.
I don't have another ext. drive at hand where to transfer the data in order to reformat MY ext. drive and retransfer again the data...

Thanks for reminding that i'm wasting my time for no reason...I take it on the bright side and take it as a first glance to Terminal and intrincacies of osx

Ps. check on the attachment what my trash shows: a file modified on 1904!!!

 

[dhd]

Somehow I managed to be able to browse the TM Backups from the app itself following the terminal commands explained here:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1453471&tstart=150
(see attachment for more info) but I still have the problem that it tries to start a fresh backup
Still I can delete files from other folders from the ext drive...finder keeps telling me that I have insufficient priviliges for that...

 

[dhd]

Any ideas?...I guess I'm missing something...but I can'nt figure out how to tell to MY ext hd that I have write/read permissions on it...I can't delete files from it nothing at all...