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JDinillinois's avatar
JDinillinois
Aspirant
Jun 27, 2020
Solved

R7000 Firmware Version 1.0.9.88 and Time Machine

This may have been covered in other threads, so I apologize in advance, but I'm not sure where else to go. All the information about this update and the inability for Netgear to use Time Machine any ...
  • JDinillinois's avatar
    JDinillinois
    Jun 28, 2020

    Thank you very much for taking the time to reply, and so quickly. This helps since I was scared away from the update due to the warning.
    I appreciate you help.

antinode's avatar
antinode
Guru
Jun 28, 2020

> [...] if I am attaching my backup hard drive directly to my Mac rather
> that the USB port on the router, will Time Machine still work?

 

   I'd assume so.  Depending on how it was done for use on the router,
you might need to re-initialize your (unspecified) "my backup hard
drive" to make it work with a direct connection.  I'd try it.  Then, if
you have trouble, attack it using Disk Utility.

 

   Netgear having yanked the feature from its router(s) does not stop
Time Machine from working; it means only that storage which is attached
to the router(s) can't be used.

  • JDinillinois's avatar
    JDinillinois
    Aspirant
    Jun 28, 2020

    Thank you very much for taking the time to reply, and so quickly. This helps since I was scared away from the update due to the warning.
    I appreciate you help.

  • minorgeek's avatar
    minorgeek
    Tutor
    Jul 23, 2020

    release notes for recent firmware releases says it broke time machine.  &it's true.

    i can't go to earlier firmware without opening up my entire network to hackers.

    i can't live without backup.

    when's netgear going to fix this bug in new firmware release?  what's netgear doing messing with time machine anyway?

     

    i have the r7000, macbook 15" 2019, and set time machine to back up to my seagate NAS.  nothing's connected to usb ports of router.  time machine tries to backup, then says it needs to re-do a full backup to be secure, and loops.

     

    Q1:   will it also fail if i connect the backup disk directly to my mac?  of course then the nas isn't available on the network.  or i use a smaller disk.  

     

    q2:  any recommendations for another incremental backup utility for mac?  does netgear break all backup utilities?  sheesh

     

    thanks for any help.

    • labatt's avatar
      labatt
      Mentor
      Jul 23, 2020

      Time machine support on router  does not matter for a time machine back up to a standalone NAS. Time macine support is only if using a drive connected via USB to the router, My MAC backs up just fine to a QNAP NAS without complaining. 

      • minorgeek's avatar
        minorgeek
        Tutor
        Jul 23, 2020

        unfortunately, as i described in my post, at least for me, it fails when backing up to the stand-alone NAS.  it seems to go through the backup, try to verify, fail and advise starting a new complete backup.  then loops.  the NAS and my macbook are on the router's enet, both hard wired.  although i'm trying it now to a local disk attached to macbook usb port, bypassing the router, and it seems to be workikng and seems to have succeeded.  just lack the mirror image (raid) internal NAS backup.

        the nas supports two enets, so i might try connecting a private enet only between the NAS and the macbook, and see if mac recognizes that as a different disk, in which case backing up to the NAS would totally bypass the router.

    • antinode's avatar
      antinode
      Guru
      Jul 23, 2020

      > [...] when's netgear going to fix this bug in new firmware release?
      > [...]

       

         Probably never.  Netgear intentionally removed some features to free
      storage for more valuable (money-earning) features.  By their reckoning,
      the change is not a "bug".

       

      > [...] nothing's connected to usb ports of router. [...]

       

         Then you were not using the feature that was removed.

       

         You've joined a thread where this was already covered.  Did you read
      it?

       

      > Netgear having yanked the feature from its router(s) does not stop
      > Time Machine from working; it means only that storage which is attached
      > to the router(s) can't be used.

       

         Which part of that was unclear?


      > i have the r7000, macbook 15" 2019, and set time machine to back up to
      > my seagate NAS. [...]

       

         "my seagate NAS" is not a very detailed description of that device.
      An actual model number would be more informative.

       

      > [...] time machine tries to backup, then says it needs to re-do a full
      > backup to be secure, and loops.

       

         What, exactly, does "loops" mean to you?  That sounds like a problem,
      but I doubt that it's related to the router firmware.

       

         Does "loops" mean more than "takes a very long time"?  How big is the
      disk (or equivalent) on the Mac?

       

      > Q1: will it also fail if i connect the backup disk directly to my
      > mac? [...]

       

         How, exactly, would you "connect the backup disk directly" to your
      MacBook?


      > [...] does netgear break all backup utilities? [...]

       

         Netgear didn't break any backup utilities.  As explained above,
      Netgear removed support for Time Machine storage which is directly
      connected to the router.  (Which you claim that you were not using.)

      • minorgeek's avatar
        minorgeek
        Tutor
        Jul 23, 2020
        Re: R7000 Firmware Version V1.0.11.104_10.2.100 and Time Machine

        > [...] when's netgear going to fix this bug in new firmware release?
        > [...]

         

           Probably never.  Netgear intentionally removed some features to free
        storage for more valuable (money-earning) features.  By their reckoning,
        the change is not a "bug".

        oh, so they broke a feature used by most all mac users.  and don't care?

         

        > [...] nothing's connected to usb ports of router. [...]

         

           Then you were not using the feature that was removed.

        but as reported twice above, it's broken.

           You've joined a thread where this was already covered.  Did you read
        it?

        yes.

         

        > Netgear having yanked the feature from its router(s) does not stop
        > Time Machine from working; it means only that storage which is attached
        > to the router(s) can't be used.

         

           Which part of that was unclear?


        > i have the r7000, macbook 15" 2019, and set time machine to back up to
        > my seagate NAS. [...]

         

           "my seagate NAS" is not a very detailed description of that device.
        An actual model number would be more informative.

        it didn't seem relevant.

        NAS OS 4.3

         

        > [...] time machine tries to backup, then says it needs to re-do a full
        > backup to be secure, and loops.

         

           What, exactly, does "loops" mean to you?  That sounds like a problem,
        but I doubt that it's related to the router firmware.

        that means it repeats that cycle of steps; viz., it attempts a full

        backup (again), fails (again), tries to verify (fails), and recommends another full 

        backup.  

         

           Does "loops" mean more than "takes a very long time"?  How big is the
        disk (or equivalent) on the Mac?

        yes, nothing to do with time.  it repeats same cycle attempting backup,

        reporting failure, and recommending retry.  the the same happens.

         

        > Q1: will it also fail if i connect the backup disk directly to my
        > mac? [...]

        i've now answered this.  it seems to succeed.

         

           How, exactly, would you "connect the backup disk directly" to your
        MacBook?

        via usb3.  why?  you have another suggestion?


        > [...] does netgear break all backup utilities? [...]

         

           Netgear didn't break any backup utilities.  As explained above,
        Netgear removed support for Time Machine storage which is directly
        connected to the router.  (Which you claim that you were not using.)

        claim?  did you read my posts?  lol

         

        i have no idea what r7000 does to break the time machine backup to my nas which has worked fine for most of a year.  but it did.  hope that was clear.

        thanks for trying to help.  what you say, problem only exists when connecting disk to router's usb ports, sounds reasonable, doesn't match facts.  sigh.