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My Toshiba external drive has stopped executing daily backups since March 26, 2024 upgrade of Sonoma OS. Backup starts but freezes at some point … sometimes at 11% other times at 23%. Plenty of space left on HD. Never had this problem before.
That says a specific file could not be accessed to be included in the backup.
that file looks to be a cache file in use by Bitdefender.
For trouble-free operation, you should remove any and all (other than Apple built-in) virus scanners, speeder uppers, optimizers, cleaners, App deleters or VPN packages you installed yourself, or anything of that ilk.
MacOS shares a lot of the lock-down mechanisms developed for the iPhone. Applications are all sand-boxed with a list of the resources they require, and they cannot ask for anything outside their sandbox without crashing. Signed Applications are checked that they are from legitimate Developers, and Notarized Applications are delivered with the assurance that they have NOT been modified since their release by the Developer.
Recent versions of MacOS completely changed how you should think about malware.
From MacOS 10.15 Catalina onward, the system is on a Separate, crypto-locked System Volume, which is not writeable using ordinary means. Any unauthorized differences that appear to the crypto-locked volume are quickly detected and you are alerted.
So you could store just about every malware known to mankind on your Mac, and your Mac would not get infected spontaneously. Scanning for virus-like patterns might make you feel a little better now, but it is outdated nonsense.
Nothing can become Executable Unless/Until you supply your Admin password to "make it so".
Effective defenses against malware and ot… - Apple Community
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1) Completely uninstall BitDefender as per the developers instruction.
macOS has built-in security and does not require third-party AV-ware.
see > macOS - Security - Apple
2) Then startup the Mac in Safe Mode followed by a normal restart.
see > Use safe mode on your Mac - Apple Support
3) Now if Time Machine doesn't resume backups on it own...?
go to the Time Machine icon on the menu bar and click Back Up Now.
if you connect BOTH, Time machine will alternate backups -- every-other backup goes to every-other drive, until you remove one from the list.
That runs counter to everything I knew in 2018 when I installed Bit Defender and Malaware. But if times have changed and Apple security provides similar protection I can deactivate them in order to get my external backup running again. Appreciate your detailed explanation and the link.
Grant and den.thed, Thank you both for your help. The good news is that after deleting Bitdefender and Malaware, I was finally able to complete a backup of my laptop for the first time since March 26. The odd news is that the Toshiba EXT that I have been using since January 2023 still would not complete a backup after I deleted all external security apps, although it got to about 96% before it again froze. Fortunately, I have a spare Toshiba EXT that stopped completing downloads in January 2023 despite having 3+ TB free room on it ... very similar to what happened to the newer Toshiba EX on March 26 ... and when I made it the prime external drive it work like a champ (and completed a second backup this afternoon). I'm guessing there is a file in the newer Toshiba EXT that is still being blocked and keeping it from communicating with my Apple internal security programs. I will try to troubleshoot it in a week or two since there are lots of backups on it that i'd like to have available. Thanks again for your help. Steve N
sytem preferences . time machine ...
what status is showing?
Time Machine Couldn’t complete the backup to “TOSHIBA EXT” “/Library/Application Support/Bitdefender/avformac/Cache/-961889236” could not be backed up.
Thanks, will give it a try this evening. I was concerned it was Bitdefender-related, but seemed a coincidence that the latest Apple update was March 26 … same day I started having the issue.
👍 Thank for the update. You're welcome.
my Toshiba external drive cannot finish a daily backup since March 26, 2024 after latest Sonoma macOS update. stops part way through every time. Never a problem before.
