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Within a very important VirtualBox, which was at the time approximately 400 Gigabytes, Time Machine is not backing many files inside this machine, for even several months, despite them being changed every day. This includes an SQL database and other critical files. I assume, rather unfortunately, there is some kind of buffer space in the VB, and Time Machine is only operating on the basis of the file size of the entire .vdi file--does anyone know a workaround?

This system runs on a RAID0 array, if that is any factor.

Of course, to the praise of Time Machine, by its nature it has limited settings, and I've read completely the opposite in many places that even with minor changes based on the time-stamp it makes too many backups for many people's tastes; not the case here. Any tips are appreciated.

The host is OSX 10.10, and the virtual client-OS is Ubuntu 14.10 LTS; time machine is set with default settings to backup all files in a single folder within the user home, into a RAID1 external drive connected via thunderbolt.

When you try and test the backup, the files in the guest operating system are much newer than what has been backed-up.

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  • @klanomath ok, added
    – forgotstackxpassword
    Mar 24, 2016 at 20:43
  • hmm vdis are contiguous files (either 1 file or file chunks à 2 GB) and no packages like OS X app files. You probably excluded one of the superior directories containing the vdi file from being backed up...
    – klanomath
    Mar 24, 2016 at 20:54
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    You can't include a directory in Time Machine! The + sign only excludes directories - or with other words: to "include" only one directory you'd have to exclude all other directories like /bin, /sbin, /Applications, /System, /Library, all user folders except the account with the vdi etc
    – klanomath
    Mar 24, 2016 at 21:07
  • I'm going to have to reply to you next week after checking 100% to make sure nothing is excluded. I've removed my comment above, the box with a + sign is not in Time Machine, but in one of my other redundant backups. Thanks @klanomath for the help--the famous Apple checkbox to hide things, like startup items in Users&Groups, or a printer in Profile Manager; brings back some old memories :).
    – forgotstackxpassword
    Mar 24, 2016 at 21:31
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    I wouldn't assume Time Machine correctly backs up files. For that to work, the program would need to sync data to all files coherently or you would need to suspend the guest OS / stop it to ensure a consistent state and non-busy file allow Time Machine to make a usable backup of the disk files for vbox.
    – bmike ♦
    Apr 2, 2016 at 15:32

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