Time Machine back to destroying computer

[SummerSalt]

New iMac in June 2021- out of the box couldn’t get Time Machine to back up. Went through countless hours of phone calls with Apple. They blamed me. Ended up past the 30 days, insanely long record of calls and reports. Eventually iMac crashing every 5-10 mins and I had no TM backup because it would never work. Had to fight to get a replacement and manually rebuild back to where I needed it. New computer worked fine… until now…

Computer crashing again. Been down this road before. Started same way as the last one. Disk utility reveals it’s a Time Machine issue. Tells me to repair in recovery mode. Attempt this twice and am told it can’t be done and to back up my data.

Time Machine is corrupting the iMac once again… my patience is gone with Apple as I know they will pass it off and blame me despite it being an issue related to their Time Machine software. If anyone has a fix, please let me know. I’m back on borrowed time on this computer and I need to get through my busy season before I deal with rebuilding my Mac again.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

While it clearly seems something relatively unique to you is in play here (for example, I have no trouble at all with Time Machine backups), the obvious solution to any specific app not working well- especially if the app seems to be affecting the computer- is STOP using that app.

Seek out another backup solution. There are whole disc solutions like Carbon Copy Cloner or SuperDuper and there are file-based options like Chronosync, which I also use myself.

If I was wild guessing at what is happening with your Time Machine backups, my first guess is that the external drive you use is one of many that suffer from the "unexpected ejection" bug(s) in macOS for several generations now... and that regular unexpected ejections during time machine backups is corrupting the system. Changing drive enclosure to something else may solve your problem while still using Time Machine.

Apple "blaming you" is likely simply reflecting the numbers: lots of people- like me- have no issues with Time Machine. If a few do, it IS likely something on their end. In your case, the most obvious culprits outside of Apple's control is enclosure + drive + cable. Swapping those out may deliver a TM experience as good as most people have.

Else, switch the backup app so you are no longer using an app you think is buggy/corrupting. There are plenty of alternatives to Time Machine.

 

[SummerSalt]

While it clearly seems something relatively unique to you is in play here (for example, I have no trouble at all with Time Machine backups), the obvious solution to any specific app not working well- especially if the app seems to be affecting the computer- is STOP using that app.

Seek out another backup solution. There are whole disc solutions like Carbon Copy Cloner or SuperDuper and there are file-based options like Chronosync, which I also use myself.

If I was wild guessing at what is happening with your Time Machine backups, my first guess is that the external drive you use is one of many that suffer from the "unexpected ejection" bug(s) in macOS for several generations now... and that regular unexpected ejections during time machine backups is corrupting the system. Changing drive enclosure to something else may solve your problem while still using Time Machine.

Apple "blaming you" is likely simply reflecting the numbers: lots of people- like me- have no issues with Time Machine. If a few do, it IS likely something on their end. In your case, the most obvious culprits outside of Apple's control is enclosure + drive + cable. Swapping those out may deliver a TM experience as good as most people have.

Else, switch the backup app so you are no longer using an app you think is buggy/corrupting. There are plenty of alternatives to Time Machine.

There is an entire thread here from late 2021 dedicated to Time Machine backup issues. This is not unique to me. I was told that I was the only one when the problem started— turns out I was right and they were lying. It is an Apple issue. Back when they replaced the computer after telling me no one else is having the issue, the new one worked fine. Why would I assume to stop using the app when Apple assured me I was the only one with the issue and the new one worked fine?

We move to Ventura… and the computer gets a little buggy. I try to chalk it up to a new OS. Infrequent issues. Disk utility showed nothing. Problem keeps getting worse- now disk utility shows the culprit again.

I can stop using the app (I already have because I’m not a moron) but it has already corrupted the computer. It is too late. It is not the drives. I have zero backup and ejection issues. I use two different drives because of the issues I had in the past. They are brand new drives that were not used on the original problematic machine.

Disk utility clearly shows it is related to Time Machine and reading through this forum—- TM is riddled with issues. Your story of one success doesn’t mean there isn’t a problem.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

Yes, those with issues complain loudest. How many complained in that 2021 thread vs. how many Mac users are there? Happy people aren't complaining about something not working if it is working for them.

If you are just wanting to vent about buggy Apple software, that's fine. However, if you want a solution to your problem, take action. Nobody here can get Apple to fix anything, nor can anyone here adapt Time Machine to work for your situation. So if you want a backup solution, try what I recommended (different backup apps).

Else, if this is just venting, vent away. I too am thoroughly frustrated with the "unexpected ejection" bugs that date back to macOS Big Sur not getting fixed yet. However, while that one really 'bugs' me, I don't expect posts to an online forum to fix it. What did I do? Changed enclosures until I found one that will remain connected... because not ALL enclosures are affected- just SOME of them. Hopefully, some future version of macOS will fix that problem so I can use perfectly fine hardware with my "latest & greatest" Macs again. Affected enclosures work perfectly fine with pre-Silicon Macs so it is clearly bugs with Silicon Macs or macOS since Big Sur.

Certainly my story of "no problem" with TM doesn't mean there is no problem. But I'm not the only one with no TM problems just as you are not the only one with TM problems. I make no claim that TM is bug free. I completely miss "just works" Apple myself. But gripes don't accomplish anything. Take action.

As to your iMac being corrupted: get your unique files onto the externals by a manual method and reinstall the OS as a clean install. Then move your unique files back in place and don't use TM anymore.

 

[SummerSalt]

I'm looking for help. I have obviously been seeking out other forms of back up as TM is no longer reliable and corrupts the system. When I run the first aid, the corruption shows up on the Data part of the drive, which to my understanding, means reinstalling the OS will not fix it?

I have many external back ups, however, the issue is that I use this professionally and so many of my settings are hidden in Library files that you have to track down and when I did this a couple years ago, there were still things missing which means rebuilding systems I had in place which is extremely time consuming. I'm trying to avoid that nightmare again. The problem appears to lie with Ventura. Given I had a new computer, I wasn't able to revert to the older OS.

 

[Mr_Brightside_@]

Carbon Copy Cloner: macOS Backup Software - Bombich Software

bombich.com

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

I'm offering you help.

Unless the disc is physically damaged (highly unlikely), reformatting it will make it like new. TM should not have been able to physically damage the "data drive." Much more likely, files on it are corrupted. Reformatting will wipe all corrupted files and give you a "clean slate." So:

1. Set aside TM with no plan to use it again.
2. If the Mac drive itself is corrupted, plan to wipe it (reformat it), then reinstall macOS on it in what is known as a clean install. That should make the Mac drive fully functional again (because TM would not have been active on that clean install of the OS).
3. Reinstall the apps you use on it.
4. Then, manually bring your photos, music, documents, etc onto the clean install drive to get it back to how you want it.

After it is as you want it, adopt one of the alternative backup options like those linked in post #2, one of which is linked again in post #6. Those will- in effect- take over as your backup app in lieu of ever using Time Machine again.

As to hidden library files, app installations and use should recreate those. Most people should generally NOT be messing around in the Library folder at all. So after you reinstall any applications you use, opening them should create fresh, up-to-date library files those apps use (not you manually moving library files from one Mac to another).

Nutshell: you are confident that TM is the root cause of your problems. So stop using TM completely. If it has already corrupted your Mac drive, format & fresh install that Mac drive so that it is basically like new again. Reload your unique files/data on it from your backups to get it back to how you want it. Reinstall up to date versions of the apps you use. Then use something other than TM for backups going forward. With no more use of TM, there should be no more of this problem on your Mac.

 

[HDFan]

Lots of missing information.

out of the box couldn’t get Time Machine to back up.

What are backing up to? How is it connected? What exactly happens when you try to back up?

iMac crashing every 5-10 mins

Which process is pointed out in the crash reports?

Disk utility reveals it’s a Time Machine issue.

Please explain. What is the exact message that you are getting, and what are you doing in Disk Utillity to get it? Running first Aid? On what disk?

Problem keeps getting worse

What problem?

Although TM volumes can get corrupted I have never heard of an issue where it corrupts the boot volume although it could be related to snapshots. This is not a general problem as even reports of TM corrupted volumes are rare.

 

[Fishrrman]

OP:

My advice (there he goes again, like an old broken record):
STOP USING time machine, forever.

START USING either:
SuperDuper
or
CarbonCopyCloner.

Both are free to download and try out.
SuperDuper has an extremely easy-to-use interface, but...
... CarbonCopyCloner is more "user-configurable".

Try BOTH of them.
Again, STOP using tm if it is causing you problems.
Why keep banging your head against the wall?