Time Machine Not Working after Mojave Update? Figure out the Solution.

You might’ve faced Time Machine not working issue after the macOS Mojave 10.14 update. In this blog, we are going to talk about this problem and its feasible resolution along with discussing solutions for recovering lost data from Mac, iMac or MacBook systems.

After Apple’s introduction of the macOS Mojave, Mac users are elated with the enhancements that the new operating system offers—black mode, dynamic desktop, stacks, apps, and more.

Mojave also introduces some updates to further reinforce the security that mandate apps to get user consent before accessing the data. This provides more protection for private application data.

However, there are a few problems reported with regard to the functioning of the Time Machine utility in macOS Mojave, as follows:

Time Machine Problem & Solution #1

The macOS Mojave update disallows usage of Time Machine utility command from Terminal. For example, the following code throws an error message when executed from Terminal:

$ sudo tmutil listbackups
password:

After verifying the admin password, the OS throws the error: “The operation could not be completed because tmutil could not access private application data on the backup disk.”

The message also suggests a resolution, “Use the Privacy tab in the Security and Privacy preference pane to add Terminal to the list of applications which can access Application Data.”

The resolution is fine for a single-user environment but undermines security in case of multiple user accounts. Even non-admin account holders have the same access privilege as the admin.

In such a shared system, by using the data access rights, if any non-privileged account holder has accessed and deleted data like Mail, Time Machine backups, etc., then it can result in data loss.

Solution: Mac users need to use a software, and Stellar Data Recovery Professional for Mac is an ideal choice in such a situation, as it supports the recovery of lost data from macOS Mojave and Time Machine device.

Time Machine Problem & Solution #2

Another issue faced by Mac users after the Mojave upgrade—Time Machine backs up data to the drive but fails to complete the snapshot with the error:

“There was an error while copying files.”

The issue persists irrespective of the number of trials to back up the data. The problem is not with the storage drive rather there is issue with macOS Mojave and Time Machine.

To resolve this Time Machine backup issue, perform the following steps:

1. Go to Apple menu > System Preferences > Time Machine
2. Turn off Time Machine
3. Go to Macintosh HD > Library > Preferences folder
4. Delete com.apple.TimeMachine.plist
5. Start Time Machine from System Preferences
6. Add the external drive as a Time Machine backup destination
7. Create a backup to the drive

The newly created backup file is now accessible. The above steps help you to resolve the Time Machine corruption bug that was preventing backup in Mojave.

In case there is data loss from the Time Machine backup drive, use Stellar Data Recovery Professional for Mac to recover your lost data.

Free download, install, and launch the demo version of the software to scan the Time Machine storage drive and preview the recoverable files.

To be able to save the recovered files, activate the demo copy. The activated software also provides Drive Monitor, an integrated module to check the health status of your drive and perform other vital tasks.

Conclusion

Apple’s new operating system macOS Mojave 10.14 has brought new top-notch features to Mac users. However, the new OS may cause some issues while working with Time Machine.

The blog has introduced Time Machine not working issue reported after Mojave update. The issue can be resolved by following the methods presented in this blog. Find out more macOS Mojave Commons Issues and Fixes.