Time Machine does not automatically performs hourly backups - macOS Monterey

[Andrew.Ro]

Hi!

I am using an external SSD Samsung T7 (2TB) as Time Machine for a MacBook Pro (14-inch, 2021), Apple M1 Pro, having installed macOS Monterey 12.4, and I have certain problems using it.

To be more specific, when the Time Machine SSD is plugged in for the first time after the MacBook is taken out of sleep, it initiates the first backup that it completes completely. Subsequently, sometimes, no hourly backup is automatically initiated, even if it indicates at what time the next hourly backup will be performed. In this situation, the next backup starts only if I ask backup now, or if I unplug the SSD and plug it in again.

The SSD has more than 1TB of free space available and it was not used for other devices and or for another macOS version.

What could I do for my Time Machine to do hourly backups automatically?

 

[Graham Caracas]

Don't put it to sleep.

 

[Andrew.Ro]

Don't put it to sleep.

Yeah, sure ... how come I didn't think of that ...

 

[ignatius345]

I just had a nasty realization that Time Machine had not backed up in like 4 or 5 days. This is on an M1 iMac with a WD HDD that's always mounted. The drive seems to be functioning normally, and when I restarted the Mac it resumed backing up. There was never any kind of error message, just Time Machine silently failing to perform backups.

And yes, like a FOOL (lol) I'm also allowing my machine to sleep when it's idle.