Time machine fail

[Papillioman]

Since the latest OS update my Time machine tells me that it needs to backup 503.43GB but only 2TB is available. Choose a larger disk. So I have put a 8TB disk in the Time Machine and is states the same. All updates available have been installed. The Time machine is a 2016 A 1470. The desktop is an iMac Retina late 2014. I have tried using a 2TB and a 8TB hdd in an external caddy with same results.

Any suggestions would be really appreciated!

 

[Cory Cooper]

Hello and welcome.

-Which version of OS X/macOS on the iMac?
-You have a 2 TB AirPort Time Capsule 802.11ac (A1470), correct?
-How are the drives attached via USB to the Time Capsule formatted - GUID and Mac OS Extended (Journaled)?
-Did you enable File Sharing on the Time Capsule using AirPort Utility > your Time Capsule > Disks?

C

 

[PaBear]

Papilloman,
I am having my own Time Machine/Time Capsule issues so I sympathise. But look at the maths. The ratio your machine is telling you between space required and space available doesn't stack up. A terabyte (Tb) is 1000 times bigger than a Gigabyte (Gb) so your i-mac or your Time Machine is telling untruths!

I think the problem is not on the Time Capsule. Regret I am unable to make suggestions about mending the software. Perhaps the problem is with Catalina 10.5.5? Could well be at the bottom of my problem. See my post: Is my Mac Time Capsule dying?

Over to you Cory!

 

[Papillioman]

Hello and welcome.

-Which version of OS X/macOS on the iMac?
-You have a 2 TB AirPort Time Capsule 802.11ac (A1470), correct?
-How are the drives attached via USB to the Time Capsule formatted - GUID and Mac OS Extended (Journaled)?
-Did you enable File Sharing on the Time Capsule using AirPort Utility > your Time Capsule > Disks?

C

iMac is on Catalina v 10.15.5
Correct re Time capsule The firmware last update was 7.9.1.
Capsule connections via Ethernet - usb does not enable time machine to work
Formatted as GUID Mac OS Extended (Journaled) and File Sharing enabled.
This capsule will complete a backup with my MacBookPro. however the iMac backup fails both on this capsule (new hdd correctly formatted) and it also fails on Synology NAS always showing insufficient space in the reason details.

 

[Papillioman]

Papilloman,
I am having my own Time Machine/Time Capsule issues so I sympathise. But look at the maths. The ratio your machine is telling you between space required and space available doesn't stack up. A terabyte (Tb) is 1000 times bigger than a Gigabyte (Gb) so your i-mac or your Time Machine is telling untruths!

I think the problem is not on the Time Capsule. Regret I am unable to make suggestions about mending the software. Perhaps the problem is with Catalina 10.5.5? Could well be at the bottom of my problem. See my post: Is my Mac Time Capsule dying?

Over to you Cory!

Yes correct. First time I found the problem the details report indicated that the time capsule had 4PB available! I think it is an OS error. In the process of erasing the iMac and making a clean re-instal. So time consuming tho.

 

[Papillioman]

Hello and welcome.

-Which version of OS X/macOS on the iMac?
-You have a 2 TB AirPort Time Capsule 802.11ac (A1470), correct?
-How are the drives attached via USB to the Time Capsule formatted - GUID and Mac OS Extended (Journaled)?
-Did you enable File Sharing on the Time Capsule using AirPort Utility > your Time Capsule > Disks?

C

I have superblock copied the iMac onto a spare hdd and then erased the iMac and reinstalled the original os. Updated to Catalina 10.15.5 and used the migration facility to copy over all data to the new instal excluding the applications. When setting up the migration assistant it calculated the applications as being 1.6PB in size - crazy! So I guess there was a problem with either the new os not able to process correctly or that incompatible applications were causing erroneous results.
I have installed all the original applications- but only from the relevant websites or from the AppStore - hoping that the latest versions will be compatible with Catalina
Time machine is now functioning correctly with the original 2TB hdd.
I can only assume that Catalina is not able to accommodate incompatible applications