Time Machine did not finish backing up because some files were unavailable. Backups will resume when your Mac is unlocked.

I've had no trouble with Time Machine until updating my Mac Mini M2 to OS 15.0.1. After the update, I constantly get the message "Time Machine did not finish backing up because some files were unavailable. Backups will resume when your Mac is unlocked." The backups seem to run fine until reaching about 80% then stall before the message appears. I've tried different ports, different USB C hubs, different cables etc. with the same result. I've scann the resources here and found nothing current or helpful on this issue.

Mac mini (M2, 2023)

Posted on Oct 25, 2024 5:25 AM

Top-ranking reply

Kerry Kinkade Author

Level 1

35 points

Posted on Oct 25, 2024 2:50 PM

After my initial post, I tried erasing my backup drive and starting over with a new time machine backup, but I still got the same message.

After exhausting everything I could think of, I called Apple Care. I spoke with a representative who let me explain everything I had already tried and he indicated that I had covered most of his solutions matrix, so we didn't waste time going over that again (GREATLY APPRECIATED!). I was put on hold for a short time by the rep then asked to do the following:

Eject my backup drive and disconnect it from my Mac;
Open time machine and tell it to forget my backup drive;
Restart my Mac in Safe mode;
Reconnect my backup drive;
Open time machine and tell it to use my backup drive for a new backup;
Let time machine format the backup drive and complete an initial backup to my backup drive;
Confirm the initial backup finished without errors;
Restart my Mac in normal (not safe) mode.

I completed the above steps in pretty short order and have since had 5 hourly backups with no errors. This seems to have solved the problem.

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46 replies

dbrewood

Level 1

84 points

Nov 16, 2024 11:19 PM in response to envoy510

That isn’t what I posted. You need to get spotlight to reindex.

to do this add the main hard drive to the Spotlight ignore list, wait maybe 30 seconds and then remove it. This will start Spotlight reindexing on the drive.

You should be able then to check this by opening Finder and viewing most recents, you should see that list starting to populate.

Once that is there TM backups should now work with the Mac locked.

If your backups are screwed you may need to reinitiate them. Hopefully though you should be good after that is done.

Nov 19, 2024 3:13 AM in response to dbrewood

The reinitialisation of Spotlight indexing, after 2 attempts is working this morning. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this will continue work. But I have had intermittent Time Machine performance before, using other methods of remedy. Thank you for your suggestion.

Nov 19, 2024 3:44 PM in response to dbrewood

Well my TM machine backup failed again tonight. Reindexing is not working for the long term. But a restart will always get it working again. Just installed OS 15.1.1, which included the usual restart. TM working again and will see how long it keeps working now.