Time Machine Backup issues with AXE7800/AXE95

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Time Machine Backup issues with AXE7800/AXE95

This thread has been locked for further replies. You can start a new thread to share your ideas or ask questions.
Time Machine Backup issues with AXE7800/AXE95
Time Machine Backup issues with AXE7800/AXE95
2023-11-05 17:57:57 - last edited 2023-11-05 18:22:30
Tags: #USB Sharing #Time Machine
Model: Archer AXE95  
Hardware Version: V1
Firmware Version: 1.1.2 Build 20230804 rel.64045(5553)

Installed the new router on 11/3/23 and have been trying to get Time Machine backups to work reliably with an attached USB drive to the router. Here's my findings so far. First off, the drive cannot be formatted with APFS as it is not supported. So I reformatted the drive with Mac OS Extended (Case-sensitive, Journaled, Encrypted). Using this article, I set up the TM on the router

https://www.tp-link.com/us/support/faq/2729/

 

I was then able to connect to the drive from my MacBook Pro using SMB -- turned out this is unnecessary for TM to find the disk. When I started the backup, it appeared to work initially but upon checking it in a few minutes, it failed. I tried this multiple times and couldn't get it to complete the backup. Upon further research, I came across this article about disabling journaling 

https://community.tp-link.com/us/home/forum/topic/253936

 

This seemed to have allowed the backup to work and continue. However, it was doing the backup over 12 hours (around 250GB of data) and it just stopped with a message saying it's waiting to complete the first backup when power is plugged in, turned out I needed to enable "Back up on battery power", so I need to start all over again. 

 

I have also read that the sparsebundle can get easily corrupted and I'll have to redo this all over again. Is this a battle I can't win in the long run?

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4 Reply
Re:Time Machine Backup issues with AXE7800/AXE95
2023-11-06 01:20:57

  @whataboutbob 

 

Others have reported that it takes a very long time for the first backup and later backups are slow. I do not  connect my time machine to the router. I just use a USB cable from my iMac to the drive as I use multiple time machine drives that get switched out. One back up is not enough. 

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Re:Time Machine Backup issues with AXE7800/AXE95
2023-11-06 01:42:22

  @ArcherC8 

 

Yeah, I have read on some articles that it is slow, I just didn't know how slow it is. The main issue is that it does not work with APFS or OS Extended w Journaling, so I am now trying the ExFAT and it is also very slow but seems to be backing up so far, just another 13 hours to go sad Will see if it actually finishes. Do you happen to know if there is any functional difference, other than speed, for TM to back up on ExFAT vs APFS vs OS Extended w Journaling?

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Re:Time Machine Backup issues with AXE7800/AXE95
2023-11-07 00:35:43

  @whataboutbob 

when I seen others having issues including speed, I opted to just use USB. I have not tried other formats. Since my iMac is connected to the router, I would worry about a router attached drive if lighting or other power surge could take out both the iMac and drive at the same time. I use multiple USB drives that I attach to back up and I rotate them. Also have multiple USB drives for our WIFI connected MacBook. I do have a USB drive attached to the router to aid in manual backups and move data between devices. 

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Re:Time Machine Backup issues with AXE7800/AXE95
2023-11-07 01:47:53

  @ArcherC8 thanks for your feedback.

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