Time Machine BackUps

[Larry_G1664882113]

<p>Since Mavericks, OS X 10.9; I am using 10.9.2, I have been frustrated with the poor performance of TimeMachine backups. It now takes forever to prepare the backups when they work. And, the menu icon no longer turns to show when it is working. What have your expereinces been with these TimeMachine backups in Mavericks? How can I get it to work better? Thanks for your tips. Larry</p>

[keith_b1]

<p>I miss the backwards rotating clock icon very badly, just like you.<br>

One thing I've noticed with TM is that if it's a really old TM that you set up a year or two ago, it'l start taking a long time for just a routine daily backup. My solution: Wipe the TM drive, and start with a fresh, new TM. It'll take a good amount of time to initialize, but your daily or similar frequency backups should be short.</p>

[james_de_h]

<p>Second what Keith B says. I too found my pre-10.9 back ups a bit on the tardy side of really slow. A fresh one made under 10.9.1 in November is just fine under 10.9.2. The caveat is you need to let the material load before trying to access a past date. Wait for the stack of past screenshots white out before trying to go back in time. I used to just expect it to all work instantly but it doesn't. Wait half a minute and in my experience it works with very decent speed for what is a very different back up to CCC etc. </p>

[howard_m]

<p>I found a TM widget for Dashboard that shows what TM is doing but yes, removal of the rotating menubar icon is unfortunate</p>

[sknowles]

<p>I agree with the spinning wheel showing the Time Machine is working but the widget works as well. Over the interations of Mavericks, the TM backups have been working as expected, far better than previous versions of OS-X, taking under 10 mintes most time and only longer during periods of work. I agree to start over but expect the initial backup to take most of a day or more depending on the amount of use of the primary (only) HD, less for the newer TM's (mine's an early model). I would suggest adding additional other HD's in stages over weeks so the TM doesn't run too long and bog the Mac down. My only complaint is the TM's user software being very slow, but there are third-party apps to access the TM's files (just turn the backup off first).</p>

[CharlesBecker-Toronto]

<p>Not only does the menu icon not rotate under Mavericks during backups to Time Machine, it no longer rotates during backups to my Buffalo external hard drive. It's not a major item, but it is an unnecessary annoyance. cb</p>

[Spearhead]

<p>While the wheel doesn't spin in the menu bar, it does in a finder window. Creeping inconsistency is not a good thing, and there is no reason not to have it spin in the menu bar.</p>

[sknowles]

<p>I agree but the menu bar has the little arrow in the 8 o'clock position. I've just gone to the widget which allows you to view the log which is also in the console window. </p>

[CharlesBecker-Toronto]

<p>"the menu bar has the little arrow in the 8 o'clock position"<br>

<br>

interesting-mine is at the 4 o'clock position. cb :-)</p>

[Larry_G1664882113]

<p>Thanks all for your responses. I realize that TimeMachine has nothing to do with PN. As I write this, I have been waiting for TimeMachine to run my backup. It's been over an hour, and nothing has happened. I guess Apple doesn't need to get everything right. Thanks. Larry</p>