The most frequent error written to the log during my backups concerns a rogue RTFD that went recursive on me 4 years ago, and has come back to haunt me.
backup
Detailed account and explanation of the sequence of phases during an automatic backup in Sonoma 14.0 and 14.1, with tear-out chart.
First released 16 years ago, it was destined for Time Capsules, and relied on hard links in HFS+. It soon used APFS snapshots, and now uses them as the basis for its backups.
Sonoma’s changes to iCloud can result in very large and protracted syncs, that can block Time Machine backups from completing. Here’s what you can try, and what you shouldn’t do.
Do you need to back it up when the problem is minor? Should you erase its internal storage? Anything else you need to do?
Using local Time Machine backup, iCloud Recovery, and saved versions to recover previous and current versions of files in iCloud Drive, and their limitations.
How to plan and assemble faster backup systems for Time Machine, whether to change I/O policy, and how to minimise their size using exclusions.
Save space on your storage and backups by removing all copies. But does it work if they’re APFS clone files? And does that housekeeping utility detect clones for you?
T2 and Apple silicon Macs always encrypt the Data volume in internal storage. So why bother with enabling FileVault? And can you do that on external bootable disks?
Detailed account from the decision to start making an automatic backup to its final reporting and completion, for Ventura 13.2.1 to local storage.
The Eclectic Light Company 