Time Machine can't complete a backup due to a file

[CC88]

Hi.
I'm using TM for my hourly backup. I have an external raid with all my photos (CR3 format file).

The error is: "It is not possibile to backup file "“/Volumes/Library HD/LR/Immagini/Photo2020/Nature/SantAnna/2024/2024-04-17/_F1A9336.CR3”.

So I have deleted the file.

Next backup the error is “It is not possibile to backup file /Volumes/Library HD/LR/Immagini/Photo2020/Nature/SantAnna/2024/2024-04-17/_F1A9395.CR3"

There are other CR3 and TIF files on the folder with no problem... Why it can't backup those?

 

[Brian33]

Good question -- I've never seen anyone report that behavior or error message.

What format is the drive that contains these files? I'm wondering if it's some non-macOS format like Window's NTFS? (And maybe the files have some odd attributes that TM complains about.)

Do some of the files in the same directory get backed up ok (and these not)?

Can you successfully copy the file in the error message (with Finder or Terminal)?

It sure is odd... wish I had better ideas for you.

 

[CC88]

Good question -- I've never seen anyone report that behavior or error message.

What format is the drive that contains these files? I'm wondering if it's some non-macOS format like Window's NTFS? (And maybe the files have some odd attributes that TM complains about.)

It’s a thunderbolt raid in apfs.

Do some of the files in the same directory get backed up ok (and these not)?

Yes for sure. Not all the files give the error reported. I have around 1tb of CR3 files on that raid with no problem at all.

Also I have others twenty CR3 file on the same folder and they backup correctly.

Can you successfully copy the file in the error message (with Finder or Terminal)?

Sure. I can copy, rename etc also I have it in my Lr library and I can edit it no problem.

It sure is odd... wish I had better ideas for you.

Thank you so much for your help.

 

[Brian33]

Very odd. Could it be permissions, ACLs or some strange flag on the problem files? Probably an ACL could deny read, but they are rare in macOS...

Use Terminal and execute ls -lhFOe in that directory. It will show ACLs and flags that you don't normally see, so compare the problem files to the non-problem files.

 

[CC88]

Dear thank you very much for your help.

I don't know what is changed nor I have done something different from my usual work.

But at time of writing TM is backing up correctly all the files with no errors anymore.

 

[Brian33]

Glad it sorted itself out for you!

 

[CC88]

Dear this morning TM has started again to show the error. This is the file he can't backup:

-rwxrwxrwx 1 tux staff - 22M 20 Apr 08:30 _F1A0179.CR3*

Permissions, user and group same to the other files in the same directory or other directory where he has already backed up CR3 files.

So a doubt: I stopped amazon photos upload process. Eureka!!! TM completed with no errors at all. Maybe Amazon Photos lock the files so the error reported from TM.

 

[Brian33]

I stopped amazon photos upload process. Eureka!!! TM completed with no errors at all. Maybe Amazon Photos lock the files so the error reported from TM.

That's very interesting. It seems like that's what's happening, even though I can't think of what the mechanism would be to prevent TM from reading the file.

Thanks for the report!