Time Machine backups

[Morrile]

Hi,

For unknown reasons my time machine has developed a fault in backups that I cannot restore anything successfully. I can manually browse backups by date and copy files manually, everything seems to be visible. I have verified the drive with Disk Utilities but it reports that I must run Repair Disk (whilst aborting verifying well before its fully completed.) However Repair Disk is constantly greyed out, so I cannot run Repair Disk.

Reported errors:
Incorrect block count for file permStore (should be 6 instead of 0)
Overlapped extended allocation (ID = long hex value/shutdown_time)
Overlapped extended allocation (ID = long hex value/permStore)
Overlapped extended allocation (ID = long hex value/.fseventsd/long number)
Volume bitmap needs minorrepair for under-allocation
The volume Time Machine Backups was found corrupt and needs to be repaired.
Error: This disk needs to be repaired. Click Repair Disk.

The .sparcebundle is 1.3TB in size (on a 2Tb drive, was originally 500Mb but I replaced the drive years ago) so what can I do to fix this? I believe something can be done via Terminal, but I have no idea how. Please post very clear instructions for Terminal as my knowledge of Terminal can be written on a pin head. I need the data from one of many backups as it’s the only backups I have.

On another note, what is best to use for backups other than Apple's Time Machine software? I have heard that CCC is an ideal app…

Morrile

 

[Brian33]

This may be infeasible, too time-consuming, or just naive, but how about copying the (admittedly huge) sparsebundle file to another drive, erasing (reformatting) the TC disk with Airport Utility, and then copying the sparsebundle back?

Worse case you'll have wasted a lot of time but have another copy of your important data, just in case... Actually, I'd make such a copy, if at all possible, before pursuing any other remedies.

The open question would be do you do the copy by using Airport Utility's "Archive" function, or just use finder to copy it? What would be the difference, I wonder?

 

[Morrile]

This may be infeasible, too time-consuming, or just naive, but how about copying the (admittedly huge) sparsebundle file to another drive

The problem is with the sparcebundle so it cannot be copied, but I may have a solution which if works I shall disclose the solution later in the week

 

[Not a clue]

Sparsebundle

Im running version 10.8.2 OSX.

Suddenly time machine cant complete a backup because it tells me that sparsebundle is already in use.

Bear in mind my name of Not a clue is relevant entirely to computers.. can anyone help?

 

[New2012MacForMe]

That sparsebundle already in use error is an easy one to fix. I don't have my machine in front of me, so I may not have this exactly right, but if memory serves, you go into Airport Utility, select your Time Capsule, click on one of the four tabs (I can't remember the name) - if you picked the right one there is a checkbox that says something like Enable Wireless Sharing - unclick it, let the TC recognize the change, then go back in to Airport Utility and reselect Enable Wireless Sharing. Once it runs through it's recognizing process, it will be fine. The next time it backs up, you wont get that sparsebundle error. Also note, that some folks when trying this have had to reboot their machine before they went back in to reslect Enable Wireless Sharing (I didn't have to). For me the whole process takes about 1-2 mins to do.

 

[throAU]

Whatever backup solution you use, if your backup drive is corrupted you will lose your backups.

An option that won't be a major change to your setup may be to alternate between two time machine locations.

 

[HazyCloud]

I had some problems with Time Machine and decided to go with an online backup. I like a cloud storage called MyPCbackup which automatically updates for me and can be accessed from any place with internet. It's free, intuitive, and has the best-priced upgrades I've come across. Here's the site: http://goo.gl/8vQDs

All of your posts seem to be selling MyPCBackup. Hmm... Also, having one backup is none. You always want to have something like Time Machine plus something like CrashPlan+.

OP, I'd try what New2012MacForMe suggested.