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Improved formatting
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jaume
jaume
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Same problem encountered by me as mentioned by OP.

HowsoeverHowever, after doingperforming the following steps, it worked like a charm: -

  1. Do these steps as mentionedOpen your Time Machine drive in this video here. (Follow this video till 50 second mark) (Basically you have tothe Finder, select and delete the .inProgress Filefile:

    enter image description here

    (enter your username and rebootpassword, or an administrator's username and password, if asked to do so) and reboot your computerMac, as mentioned in this video.)

  2. Now beforeBefore connecting your external HDD for backup, go to terminalopen Terminal and execute the following code:

    sudo mdutil -a -i off

    to disable Spotlight, as mentioned in this answer answer. (i.e. Disable spotlight) (Execute only the first line of code)

  3. Now connectConnect your external HDD withto your computer and start the backup.

Now please have patience, be patient, give it around 30 minutes.

Even now if the backup is still stuck onin "Preparing backup" then: -

Execute the second line of code given in the above linked answer above linked answer (Thatthat is, enable the spotlightSpotlight again)  :

sudo mdutil -a -i on

Whilewhile "Preparing for backup" is still running running  .

Now inIn my case, I waited for 45 minutes after following the above steps, and then finally my Mac started its backup.

Same problem encountered by me as mentioned by OP.

Howsoever after doing the following steps, it worked like charm: -

  1. Do these steps as mentioned in this video here. (Follow this video till 50 second mark) (Basically you have to delete the .inProgress File and reboot your computer.)

  2. Now before connecting your external HDD for backup, go to terminal and execute the following code as mentioned in this answer. (i.e. Disable spotlight) (Execute only the first line of code)

  3. Now connect your external HDD with your computer and start the backup.

Now please have patience, give it around 30 minutes.

Even now if the backup is still stuck on "Preparing backup" then: -

Execute the second line of code given in the above linked answer (That is, enable the spotlight again)  While "Preparing for backup" is still running  .

Now in my case I waited for 45 minutes after following the above steps and then finally my Mac started its backup.

Same problem encountered by me as mentioned by OP.

However, after performing the following steps, it worked like a charm:

  1. Open your Time Machine drive in the Finder, select and delete the .inProgress file:

    enter image description here

    (enter your username and password, or an administrator's username and password, if asked to do so) and reboot your Mac, as mentioned in this video.

  2. Before connecting your external HDD for backup, open Terminal and execute the following code:

    sudo mdutil -a -i off

    to disable Spotlight, as mentioned in this answer.

  3. Connect your external HDD to your computer and start the backup.

Now please, be patient, give it around 30 minutes.

Even now if the backup is still stuck in "Preparing backup" then:

Execute the second line of code given in the above linked answer (that is, enable Spotlight again):

sudo mdutil -a -i on

while "Preparing for backup" is still running.

In my case, I waited for 45 minutes after following the above steps, and then finally my Mac started its backup.

deleted 1 character in body
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Swarnim Khosla
Swarnim Khosla
  • 333
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Same problem was happening toencountered by me as mentioned by OP.

Howsoever after doing the following steps, it worked like charm: -

  1. Do these steps as mentioned in this video here. (Follow this video till 50 second mark) (Basically you have to delete the .inProgress File and reboot your computer.)

  2. Now before connecting your external HDD for backup, go to terminal and execute the following code as mentioned in this answer. (i.e. Disable spotlight) (Execute only the first line of code)

  3. Now connect your external HDD with your computer and start the backup.

Now please have patience, give it around 30 minutes.

Even now if the backup is still stuck on "Preparing backup" then: -

Execute the second line of code given in the above linked answer (That is, enable the spotlight again) While "Preparing for backup" is still running .

Now in my case I waited for 45 minutes after following the above steps and then finally my Mac started its backup.

Same problem was happening to me as mentioned by OP.

Howsoever after doing the following steps it worked like charm: -

  1. Do these steps as mentioned in this video here. (Follow this video till 50 second mark) (Basically you have to delete the .inProgress File and reboot your computer.)

  2. Now before connecting your external HDD for backup, go to terminal and execute the following code as mentioned in this answer. (i.e. Disable spotlight) (Execute only the first line of code)

  3. Now connect your external HDD with your computer and start the backup.

Now please have patience, give it around 30 minutes.

Even now if the backup is still stuck on "Preparing backup" then: -

Execute the second line of code given in the above linked answer (That is, enable the spotlight again) While "Preparing for backup" is still running .

Now in my case I waited for 45 minutes after following the above steps and then finally my Mac started its backup.

Same problem encountered by me as mentioned by OP.

Howsoever after doing the following steps, it worked like charm: -

  1. Do these steps as mentioned in this video here. (Follow this video till 50 second mark) (Basically you have to delete the .inProgress File and reboot your computer.)

  2. Now before connecting your external HDD for backup, go to terminal and execute the following code as mentioned in this answer. (i.e. Disable spotlight) (Execute only the first line of code)

  3. Now connect your external HDD with your computer and start the backup.

Now please have patience, give it around 30 minutes.

Even now if the backup is still stuck on "Preparing backup" then: -

Execute the second line of code given in the above linked answer (That is, enable the spotlight again) While "Preparing for backup" is still running .

Now in my case I waited for 45 minutes after following the above steps and then finally my Mac started its backup.

added 50 characters in body
Source Link
Swarnim Khosla
Swarnim Khosla
  • 333
  • 1
  • 3
  • 10

Same problem was happening to me as mentioned by OP.

Howsoever after doing the following steps it worked like charm: -

  1. Do these steps as mentioned in this video here. (Follow this video till 50 second mark) (Basically you have to delete the .inProgress File and reboot your computer.)

  2. Now before connecting your external HDD for backup, go to terminal and execute the following code as mentioned in this answer. (i.e. Disable spotlight) (Execute only the first line of code)

  3. Now connect your external HDD with your computer and start the backup.

Now please have patience, give it around 30 minutes.

Even now if the backup is still stuck on "Preparing backup" then: -

Execute the second line of code given in the above linked answer (That is, enable the spotlight again) While "Preparing for backup" is still running .

Now in my case I waited for 45 minutes after following the above steps and then finally my Mac started its backup.

Same problem was happening to me as mentioned by OP.

Howsoever after doing the following steps it worked like charm: -

  1. Do these steps as mentioned in this video here. (Follow this video till 50 second mark) (Basically you have to delete the .inProgress File and reboot your computer.)

  2. Now before connecting your external HDD for backup, go to terminal and execute the following code as mentioned in this answer. (i.e. Disable spotlight)

  3. Now connect your external HDD with your computer and start the backup.

Now please have patience, give it around 30 minutes.

Even now if the backup is still stuck on "Preparing backup" then: -

Execute the second code given in the above linked answer (That is, enable the spotlight again) While "Preparing for backup" is still running .

Now in my case I waited for 45 minutes after following the above steps and then finally my Mac started its backup.

Same problem was happening to me as mentioned by OP.

Howsoever after doing the following steps it worked like charm: -

  1. Do these steps as mentioned in this video here. (Follow this video till 50 second mark) (Basically you have to delete the .inProgress File and reboot your computer.)

  2. Now before connecting your external HDD for backup, go to terminal and execute the following code as mentioned in this answer. (i.e. Disable spotlight) (Execute only the first line of code)

  3. Now connect your external HDD with your computer and start the backup.

Now please have patience, give it around 30 minutes.

Even now if the backup is still stuck on "Preparing backup" then: -

Execute the second line of code given in the above linked answer (That is, enable the spotlight again) While "Preparing for backup" is still running .

Now in my case I waited for 45 minutes after following the above steps and then finally my Mac started its backup.

Source Link
Swarnim Khosla
Swarnim Khosla
  • 333
  • 1
  • 3
  • 10