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What causes TimeMachine backups to fail on NAS devices?

The newest fun part: with the latest update the network connections with enabled Firewall are stable, but if you backup your Mac with TimeMachine to a NAS device, the backup is no longer working. Stops between 200 and 400MB.




[Re-Titled by Moderator]

MacBook Pro 16″, macOS 15.0

Posted on Oct 4, 2024 4:35 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Oct 6, 2024 4:39 AM

Tl;dr. This tip also worked for me. Thanks!

Waiting fix from Apple.


Details:

I have Synology NAS and use Time Machine service (all device in same local network). It's working fine for years.

After successful update to Sonoma 15.0.1 i received error message:


The backup disk image was ejected or disconnected from your Mac while backing up.


I tried restart my devices. Also I checked wifi connection. All working fine, but backup not work.

After reading comment I just turn off firewall, and backup ended successfully.





90 replies

Oct 4, 2024 11:22 AM in response to matthias260

I can't even restore to prior time on my Time Machine to prior update. But it says it can't do it because it says the library files can't be modified or deleted because they are needed by mac. It's useless. 2023 expensive MacBook Pro that is now absolutely useless...can't even use both monitors unless I plug them in manually AFTER I turn my computer on.

Oct 7, 2024 8:11 AM in response to twiph

Some success now!


After trying all of the above in my previous post, I was FIRST able to successfully complete a Time Machine backup to the external NAS (a WD 6TB hard drive) on the Airport Extreme. Not sure why it worked this time. But the backup to the M1 had failed again.


Finally, I tried one more setting change on the Mac Mini, in the energy saver section: I switched OFF the option to put hard disks to sleep when possible. Actually, the Mini has external SSDs, no external USB hard drives. Also, the switch for prevent sleep when display is off was switched OFF on the Mini.


This time the backup to the M1 Mini from the MacBook succeeded. Possibly noteworthy is that my MBP has about 750 GB used, and the .sparsebundle file on the Mini is just over 1 TB in size. I do have a Netgear Orbi A3000 mesh wi-fi network with 2 satellites (RBR50 and RBS50 x 2) with Backhaul enabled over which the Time Machine backups occur.


While I'm glad the backups have completed, I'm not really sure if any of the changes I made really helped.

Oct 7, 2024 2:22 PM in response to matthias260

Well, here's the deal:


15.0.1 made some changes and it relies on your firewall to protect you - your provider should have updated the files after the release of 15.0.1. After spending much time with a smart guy at Apple Support, we solved the problem by updating my firewall software (Sophos) and, lo and behold, the backup now works. For me, it was that simple (the hard part was getting it figured out!) Give it a try and holler back...

Oct 9, 2024 11:24 AM in response to matthias260

To be clear, it is not the apple OS firewall that was the problem for me. it was the external firewall (mcAfee, Sophos, etc). For me, I updated my Sophos firewall to the latest version and the problem went away. Sophos had a blurb about this on their support site. try updating your external firewall (not the definitions but the actual program) and see if that fixes it for you. I am now using 15.0.1 TimeMachine with no issues. Have done 5 backups perfectly.

Oct 13, 2024 3:14 AM in response to Rostiar

Same here, the difference: I am in charge managing the devices -> not real fun, but I decided to allow people changing the firewall config unless a fix is provided by Apple.


I know, not the best solution, but my people are IT pros -> they disable the FW in a safe environment and as soon being on the road, everything will get enabled. But still, that's not a solution just a workaround.

Oct 14, 2024 7:58 AM in response to merak7

I'm going to try adding time machine to the exempted apps on firewall settings and see what happens; that would save turning firewall off and on for backing up, even though I also run an intego firewall - and have done for years without any issue for time machine. Like everyone else 15.0.1 has tripped the issue; partner's still on OS 14.6 and working fine to the same backup device.

Oct 18, 2024 8:43 AM in response to matthias260

Even though AFP is not listed as a way to connect to a NAS drive for Time Machine, I did exactly that--turned on AFP on my Synology DS218J NAS, connected to the server via AFP, and *I think* I selected the AFP-connected drive designated in the Synology settings for the Time Machine backups, and so far I'm 10%/10 GB into the initial backup with the firewall turned on.


I'll have to do some more experimentation, but connecting via AFP may be a workaround.

Oct 18, 2024 9:16 AM in response to Dave Minerath

At least I think I'm using AFP...I turned it on in the DS2J settings, then when connecting to an external server I typed in "afp://ds218j.local:5000" and it connected to all the shares on the DS218J. I set up Time Machine to the "Time Machine Backups" share, firewall on, and the backup is progressing...14%/28GB, five hours to go over wifi.


I may try turning off SMB on the DS218J (after the other Macs in the family do their backups) and see if it still works on my 15.0.1 MBA.

Oct 21, 2024 12:20 AM in response to matthias260

Im having a similar issue. We use a Synology Nas to edit footage from. Its been fine for near on 2 years. I updated (mistake) 2 weeks ago and then all of a sudden monday monring the server is disconnecting whenever it needs to do something ie: Exporting a video, reading the timeline, importing photos. It doesnt seem to matter about the file size. It just disconnects. Any ideas here? its only an issue with the NAS. Other drives like the Black Magic Cloud unit is fine. Also transfer speeds have slow right down

What causes TimeMachine backups to fail on NAS devices?

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