From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.system

It seems it's been preparting a backup for about 3 weeks now while I
wasn't paying attention.

I did a First Aid check via Disk Utility and it has this:

Checking snapshot 1 of 4 (com.apple.apfs.purgatory.408fef)
error: Cross Check : ExtentRef physical extent (0x194b1f87cd3a8 + 117982902464902) has kind APFS_KIND_UPDATE but was not referenced
previously
Checking snapshot 2 of 4 (com.apple.apfs.purgatory.409046)
error: Cross Check : ExtentRef physical extent (0x17a852d +
444967050956411) has kind APFS_KIND_UPDATE but was not referenced
previously
Checking snapshot 3 of 4 (com.apple.TimeMachine.2020-11-23-012247.local) Checking snapshot 4 of 4 (com.apple.apfs.purgatory.508695)


Any suggestions, input?

-- Gerry

--- Synchronet 3.18b-Win32 NewsLink 1.113

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.system

On 2020-12-16 01:00:47 +0000, gtr said:

It seems it's been preparting a backup for about 3 weeks now while I
wasn't paying attention.

I did a First Aid check via Disk Utility and it has this:

Checking snapshot 1 of 4 (com.apple.apfs.purgatory.408fef)
error: Cross Check : ExtentRef physical extent (0x194b1f87cd3a8 + 117982902464902) has kind APFS_KIND_UPDATE but was not referenced
previously
Checking snapshot 2 of 4 (com.apple.apfs.purgatory.409046)
error: Cross Check : ExtentRef physical extent (0x17a852d +
444967050956411) has kind APFS_KIND_UPDATE but was not referenced
previously
Checking snapshot 3 of 4 (com.apple.TimeMachine.2020-11-23-012247.local) Checking snapshot 4 of 4 (com.apple.apfs.purgatory.508695)

Any suggestions, input?

-- Gerry

In attempting first aid on the timemachine drive, it does a quick
report and tells me:

!First Aid process has failed. If possible, back up the data on this volume.

So am I out of luck with the backup drive? Or is there a way to
salvage, say the last 3 months of backups. Or something else?

--- Synchronet 3.18b-Win32 NewsLink 1.113

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.system

On 2020 Dec 15, , gtr wrote
(in article <rrbm7v$s60$1@dont-email.me>):

It seems it's been preparting a backup for about 3 weeks now while I
wasn't paying attention.

It would help to know your Mac and target type and year, your OS version, whether you are using a HDD or SSD and backup from and to where. With this information, I won´t be able to help you but someone here will.
leo
--- Synchronet 3.18b-Win32 NewsLink 1.113

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.system

On 2020-12-16 01:42:05 +0000, Leo said:

On 2020 Dec 15, , gtr wrote
(in article <rrbm7v$s60$1@dont-email.me>):

It seems it's been preparting a backup for about 3 weeks now while I
wasn't paying attention.

It would help to know your Mac and target type and year, your OS version,whether you are using a HDD or SSD and backup from and to
where. With thisinformation, I won´t be able to help you but someone
here will.

leo

Aid seems doubtful at this point. The TimeMachine drive fails Disk
Utility's first aid check, suggesting I backup the drive. So I assume I
need to wipe the TM drive and start again. Hey, I did backups
continuously since mid-2018. I guess I can't complain.

MacBook Pro (Mid-2015) OS 10.15.7, SSD. Backup drive WD Passport 4T.

--- Synchronet 3.18b-Win32 NewsLink 1.113

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.system

On 2020 Dec 15, , gtr wrote
(in article <rrbp2h$a9e$1@dont-email.me>):

Aid seems doubtful at this point. The TimeMachine drive fails Disk
Utility's first aid check, suggesting I backup the drive. So I assume I
need to wipe the TM drive and start again. Hey, I did backups
continuously since mid-2018. I guess I can't complain.

MacBook Pro (Mid-2015) OS 10.15.7, SSD. Backup drive WD Passport 4T.

Is your TM nearly full? If so, do not listen to me! I have never had TM gracefully erase old files and start anew once the TM disk becomes full. I don´t know how. I always erase and reformat TM. I do things wrong, but many here know how to do it right. They should have enough information. Wait for it...
--- Synchronet 3.18b-Win32 NewsLink 1.113

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.system

On 2020-12-16 02:56:56 +0000, Leo said:

On 2020 Dec 15, , gtr wrote
(in article <rrbp2h$a9e$1@dont-email.me>):

Aid seems doubtful at this point. The TimeMachine drive fails Disk
Utility's first aid check, suggesting I backup the drive. So I assume I
need to wipe the TM drive and start again. Hey, I did backups
continuously since mid-2018. I guess I can't complain.

MacBook Pro (Mid-2015) OS 10.15.7, SSD. Backup drive WD Passport 4T.

Is your TM nearly full? If so, do not listen to me! I have never had TMgracefully erase old files and start anew once the TM disk becomes
full. Idon´t know how. I always erase and reformat TM. I do things
wrong, but manyhere know how to do it right. They should have enough information. Wait forit...

No it is a little over 3T of the 4T capacity.

--- Synchronet 3.18b-Win32 NewsLink 1.113

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.system

On 2020-12-16 02:56:56 +0000, Leo said:

On 2020 Dec 15, , gtr wrote
(in article <rrbp2h$a9e$1@dont-email.me>):

Aid seems doubtful at this point. The TimeMachine drive fails Disk
Utility's first aid check, suggesting I backup the drive. So I assume I
need to wipe the TM drive and start again. Hey, I did backups
continuously since mid-2018. I guess I can't complain.

MacBook Pro (Mid-2015) OS 10.15.7, SSD. Backup drive WD Passport 4T.

Is your TM nearly full? If so, do not listen to me! I have never had TMgracefully erase old files and start anew once the TM disk becomes
full. Idon´t know how. I always erase and reformat TM. I do things
wrong, but manyhere know how to do it right. They should have enough information. Wait forit...

In the past I've seen some oblique message during a back up telling me
that it was removing older files.

Still, I assume this is not a "backup" problem per se. If First Aid
won't even look at the backup drive, I figure I have to wipe it.

Still, from my original message, I'm unsure if my internal SSD doesn't
have an issue necessitating a wipe/reinstall as well;

Checking snapshot 1 of 4 (com.apple.apfs.purgatory.408fef)
error: Cross Check : ExtentRef physical extent (0x194b1f87cd3a8 + 117982902464902) has kind APFS_KIND_UPDATE but was not referenced
previously

--- Synchronet 3.18b-Win32 NewsLink 1.113

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.system

On 12/15/20 8:28 PM, gtr wrote:

So am I out of luck with the backup drive?  Or is there a
way to salvage, say the last 3 months of backups.  Or
something else?

CarbonCopyCloner
or...
SuperDuper.
--- Synchronet 3.18b-Win32 NewsLink 1.113

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.system

On 2020-12-17, Fishrrman <Fishrrman2000@yahoo.com> wrote:

On 12/15/20 8:28 PM, gtr wrote:

So am I out of luck with the backup drive?  Or is there a
way to salvage, say the last 3 months of backups.  Or
something else?

CarbonCopyCloner
or...
SuperDuper.

Nope, neither of those is a solution to this problem.

--
E-mail sent to this address may be devoured by my ravenous SPAM filter.
I often ignore posts from Google. Use a real news client instead.

JR
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From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.system

On 2020-12-17 18:01:55 +0000, Jolly Roger said:

On 2020-12-17, Fishrrman <Fishrrman2000@yahoo.com> wrote:

On 12/15/20 8:28 PM, gtr wrote:

So am I out of luck with the backup drive?  Or is there a
way to salvage, say the last 3 months of backups.  Or
something else?

CarbonCopyCloner
or...
SuperDuper.

Nope, neither of those is a solution to this problem.

The most important key to solving a problem: Knowing what the problem
is before attempting the solution.

I could not access the TM drive with Disk Utilities. It would not
unmount. Then I found that none of my external hard drives would
unmount. Why? Who cares. I did a CCC backup on yet another spare drive.
I ran First Aid on it to ensure it was viable. As with all other
external drives, it wouldn't unmount for the check.

I rebooted in recovery mode and I could then unmount the TM drive. I
ran First Aid on it. After 14+ hours (who knows, I went to bed) it
reported maybe a hundred bad links. It then reparied them and concluded "operation successful".

Delighted, I rebooted, looking forward to my first official backup
since installing Catalina 11/23/20. I got a Mac logo but no progress
bar. Got the same in safe mode. Never got a second chime (or anything
else) while attempting a NVRam reset. Fortunately I could get to
recovery mode. I reinstalled the OS. It booted smoothly and I got back
to my desktop.

First order of business, attempt a TM backup. It's now "Preparing
Backup..." but I have a lot more confidence that it will be able to do
its job. As an Apple techguy explainted that task: It must first index
the TM drive (now at an unwieldy and wholly unnecessary 3.7T of
previous backups) then index my HD, then compare them to assess
necesary backup activity.

I'll give it a few days to complete. If it works, great: I'll wipe my
internal drive, and reload from TM. If not, great: I'll wipe my
internal drive and "migrate" from the CCC backup. I assume that the CCC
drive, and the others, are likely in fine health and that the internal
drive is just wiggy because two extents are posting conflicting
roadsigns.

More later.



--- Synchronet 3.18b-Win32 NewsLink 1.113

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.system

On 2020-12-16 02:56:56 +0000, Leo said:

On 2020 Dec 15, , gtr wrote
(in article <rrbp2h$a9e$1@dont-email.me>):

Aid seems doubtful at this point. The TimeMachine drive fails Disk
Utility's first aid check, suggesting I backup the drive. So I assume I
need to wipe the TM drive and start again. Hey, I did backups
continuously since mid-2018. I guess I can't complain.

MacBook Pro (Mid-2015) OS 10.15.7, SSD. Backup drive WD Passport 4T.

Is your TM nearly full? If so, do not listen to me! I have never had TMgracefully erase old files and start anew once the TM disk becomes
full. Idon´t know how. I always erase and reformat TM. I do things
wrong, but manyhere know how to do it right. They should have enough information. Wait forit...

In trying to address associated issues I ran across this article that indicates pretty clearly you can simple delete older backups to
alleviate space on your own. This might save you some misery:

https://www.imore.com/how-delete-older-time-machine-backups

--- Synchronet 3.18b-Win32 NewsLink 1.113

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.system

On 2020-12-19 07:26:14 +0000, gtr said:

On 2020-12-16 02:56:56 +0000, Leo said:

On 2020 Dec 15, , gtr wrote
(in article <rrbp2h$a9e$1@dont-email.me>):

Aid seems doubtful at this point. The TimeMachine drive fails Disk
Utility's first aid check, suggesting I backup the drive. So I assume I
need to wipe the TM drive and start again. Hey, I did backups
continuously since mid-2018. I guess I can't complain.

MacBook Pro (Mid-2015) OS 10.15.7, SSD. Backup drive WD Passport 4T.

Is your TM nearly full? If so, do not listen to me! I have never had
TMgracefully erase old files and start anew once the TM disk becomes
full. Idon´t know how. I always erase and reformat TM. I do things
wrong, but manyhere know how to do it right. They should have enough
information. Wait forit...

In trying to address associated issues I ran across this article that indicates pretty clearly you can simple delete older backups to
alleviate space on your own. This might save you some misery:

https://www.imore.com/how-delete-older-time-machine-backups

See also Jolly Roger's recommendation of "tmutil" command in the "Time
Machine Question" thread.

--- Synchronet 3.18b-Win32 NewsLink 1.113