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kylewritescode@lemmy.world

Can I use a 1T thumb drive for Time Machine backups? (sh.itjust.works)

submitted 11 months ago by paysrenttobirds@sh.itjust.works to c/macos@lemmy.world

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My recent experience is no -- the first backup went just fine, but all subsequent attempts to add to it have failed, giving various errors in the logs, including mounting problems, timeout during the initial write test, bad database, etc. I did rename the drive between backups, maybe that was bad? The log shows Time Machine using the new name and finding the drive just fine.

Googling this I see that people have these same problems with external hard drives, though, so I'm wondering if anyone has been successful using a thumb drive and if there's any trick to it.

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[–] verity_kindle@lemmy.world 2 points 9 months ago (1 children)

I use a 1TB USB drive (Toshiba Canvio Basic) and have been backing up with no problems for years. Maybe it is the thumb drive itself that is the problem. Try another one or get a small guy designed for backups. I think I paid $45, including tax and shipping for mine. Pre inflation, though. Have a good vacay!

[–] paysrenttobirds@sh.itjust.works 2 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Thanks! I did end up using the thumb drive. I just redid the first backup and it never had a problem again. Also I learned you have to make time machine forget about it completely before ejecting it or using disk checker or whatever that things is called it or won't unmount. Otherwise, easy.

[–] verity_kindle@lemmy.world 2 points 9 months ago

Cool! Glad it worked out. Go, enjoy the ski slopes or beach or whatever. I'll remember that tip about time machine.