Time Machine doesn't always back up

[dakota]

Just hooked up my new computer the other day, and, as was suggested by all of you helpful people, I used SuperDuper to copy back all my files to the new HD from my firewire drive.  Time Machine then did a backup on another drive. I am finding that periodically, I have a failure of Time Machine to back up.  If I then click on "backup now", it works. I looked in the backups folder on the Time Machine drive, and discovered that there are two folders, one for the original iMac, and one which says iMac 2. One ended with the last day I used it on the old computer, and the other starts with this new computer.  Is this part of the problem, and what do I do?

[Paddy]

Well, Time Machine is intelligent enough to have figured out that there were two Macs involved, even though you no doubt used the same User name. So, it's backing up to the new, iMac 2 folder now. I don't THINK that would cause the problem of sometimes not backing up though, since it seems clear which folder to use. At some point, you can no doubt toss the old folder - once you're sure you won't need any of those old versions. There is apparently no way to merge the two folders.

I can't find any info on occasionally not backing up. Have you looked in the system and error logs in the Console to see if there is anything there that might provide a clue?

[Xairbusdriver]

QUOTE("from your other thread")

Time Machine backup fails. If I click on backup, it goes through. Don't know how to resolve this one.

Easiest way will be to use the Time Machine Pref Panel to reset the desired volume. I'd suggest changing the volume to another one, close the panel, then open it immediately and set it back to the one you really want.

Alternatively or additionally, you might want to simply rename the "~[whateverYourBackupFileIsNamed] backups" file for the one you KNOW is not the one you want to use. Then, double check that you have the 'correct' one selected in the Pref Panel. If you don't intend to use that old backup, you might as well delete it and recover the space.

[RNKIII]

QUOTE(Xairbusdriver @ Jan 19 2009, 02:42 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

..... If you don't intend to use that old backup, you might as well delete it and recover the space.

Now there's a warm soft one to step on....    And how are we to know "If you don't intend to use it"  

Just asking...

Bob K.   rnkiii

[Xairbusdriver]

Same way he knows his "intentions!" I suppose he could look back and see how well he has "paved" his past road? Hopefully, that travel is not becoming warmer!