Update wants to delete Time Machine backup app copies

cmfrazier

This is new for me. I'm updating to the latest beta and it's complaining about copies in my Time Machine backup.

---

1Password Version: Beta before 7.5B1...
Extension Version: Beta before 7.5B1...
OS Version: 10.15.5 Beta
Sync Type: 1Password

Ben

Hi @cmfrazier

You should be able to avoid this moving forward by excluding the 1Password app from your backups. Your data will still be backed up, as it is stored independently of the application. If you want to have your backups include the 1Password application itself, I'd suggest zipping a copy of it and backing up the zip. The problem with having multiple copies of 1Password is that launchd (a system process) can get confused as to which is which, which will lead to undesirable consequences.

Ben

cmfrazier

@Ben Why have I not had this issue before? Is it really expected for an end user to know how to do that? Does not make for a great user experience. Is the problem with launchd and out of your control?

I know how to do it, but I just got my family going on 1Password. I can tell you I would be getting a call from my mother if this popped up.

Ben

Why have I not had this issue before?

Is your Time Machine backup normally mounted to your system when updating 1Password?

Is it really expected for an end user to know how to do that?

There is a 'learn more' button at the bottom left of the screenshot that explains in more detail.

Is the problem with launchd and out of your control?

That is my understanding, yes.

Ben

rctneil

Hey,

I keep getting this error when updating. The copies it is finding are part of the Mac's native Time Machine backup. There is nothing I can do about this. How can I stop it from complaining about them?

---

1Password Version: Not Provided
Extension Version: Not Provided
OS Version: Not Provided
Sync Type: Not Provided

Ben

@rctneil

Because of the issue with launchd that I mentioned above it isn't possible to suppress this error - the duplicate copies of the 1Password app should be removed and the 1Password app should be excluded from your backups, and/or you should eject your backup volume before attempting to update 1Password. Otherwise launchd may cause one of the backup copies of 1Password to be updated and launched, which will break 1Password.

Exclude files from a Time Machine backup on Mac - Apple Support

Also worth noting - this doesn't appear to be an issue when Time Machine backs up to a network volume, instead of a locally attached one, as Time Machine then stores everything inside of a sparseimage package. In my experience with backing up to a Time Capsule, I have not encountered this issue.

Ben

rctneil

Hmmm, this doesn't seem to sit right with me. No user should be expected to have to exclude a specific application from their Time Machine backup? It isn't a complete backup if it doesn't contain a copy of what is on the user's system. I backup to a locally connected USB disk as well as a Time Machine on a network attached drive. It's only the local backup that causes this issue.

There's got to be a better solution to this? No other mac app has this issue?

Ben

It's only the local backup that causes this issue.

That is my experience as well, because of the sparseimage situation I outlined.

There's got to be a better solution to this? No other mac app has this issue?

I mentioned the only solutions I'm aware of: excluding the 1Password app from the backups, backing up (exclusively) to a network volume, or ejecting the local backup when updating 1Password. If you exclude the 1Password app from your backup you can still back it up by making a zip of it and backing up the zip.

I'm not sure it is true that no other Mac app has this issue, though admittedly I can't point to another off-hand. I suspect other apps do experience the symptoms, but they aren't trying to securely communicate with browser extensions, and as such it may not be much of an issue for them. The problem is with how launchd works. It is possible that when multiple copies of the app exist it will cause the wrong one to be updated and subsequently launched, which will break integration with the browser extensions.

Ben