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macrumors newbie
Original poster
Feb 20, 2009
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I have a new MackBook Pro and all of my storage is on my home network. I have no issues accessing the drives, one being a WD MyBook live the other being a 3TB redundant server. No matter what i do, what drive i have the time machine backup on, Every once and a while(as soon as every back some times a week or two in between) i get the message "after verifying time machine needs to create another back up." then it proceeds to take 8 hours to make a new backup. I would like my backups to be on a network drive but that means access via wifi and i have been told by several that i will keep having this issue unless i use a usb drive to backup. i would like to keep backups but this is a PITA to hard connect to a non networked drive that i then have to backup to the server. Does anyone have any suggestions?
 
Time Machine backups to non-Apple wireless devices is generally known to be a little troublesome.

With the newest AirPort Extreme, Time Machine backups are officially supported to drives attached via its USB port. And I believe older AEs could do it as well.
So that's an option.
 
I have a new MackBook Pro and all of my storage is on my home network. I have no issues accessing the drives, one being a WD MyBook live the other being a 3TB redundant server. No matter what i do, what drive i have the time machine backup on, Every once and a while(as soon as every back some times a week or two in between) i get the message "after verifying time machine needs to create another back up." then it proceeds to take 8 hours to make a new backup. I would like my backups to be on a network drive but that means access via wifi and i have been told by several that i will keep having this issue unless i use a usb drive to backup. i would like to keep backups but this is a PITA to hard connect to a non networked drive that i then have to backup to the server. Does anyone have any suggestions?

My experience has been that TM backups to non-supported work better over a wired connection than a wireless one. My Synology NAS works well over wifi though. I usually only use wifi when traveling, I have lan ports all around the house.
 
Thanks for the info guys. I guess i am going to have to toy around. My MBP doesn't have a network plug so i would have to buy one to connect via thunderbolt, plus my modem/router is in my living room and not where i work on my laptop (upstairs).
 
Time machine doesn't like Wifi

Other posts online show that Time Machine doesn't like to back up with Wifi, and also doesn't like to back up to non-Apple devices.

In my case, I have a WD MyPassport drive attached to my Mac Mini server, and have been backing up my MBA over Wifi. I get the dreaded "To improve reliability we have to (delete all your backups)" message about once a month.

Looks like I'll have to change backup software.
 
The error you note occurs with my current-model Airport Express with its array of USB drives, too. Same symptoms, same eight-hour fresh-backup process.

Best to have more than one USB drive attached and have Time Machine back up alternately between them. That way if a backup becomes corrupted (which is what the message is telling you) then you always have another current backup.

This would be good practice even without the occasional glitch. Drives fail, and usually when you need them most. Even more ideally, you'd supplement your home backups with an encrypted remote backup just in case of burglary or other home or office disaster. I use Crashplan.com for that... spectacular service.
 
I don't think I've ever gotten that message, but I use a 2tb Time Capsule for TM backups. If I'm doing a major restore or initial backup, I'll plug it in and use gig-e for the bandwidth, but my standard incremental backup is over wifi with no issues.
 
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