Weird Time Machine Problem / Conflict With AFP Shares

[ksignorini]

I've just set up this new FreeNAS box using FreeNAS-9.10.2-U1 (86c7ef5) - (latest update). I'm accessing shares using an updated macOS Sierra computer (10.12.2).

Here's what's happening:

1. I create a dataset, mark it to use Mac permissions, and give it a user and group that correspond to the account I'm accessing it with on my Mac. I set it to use the Mac sharing type.

2. I create an AFP share that points to the dataset in 1.

3. On my Mac, I see the freenas server in Network (or in sidebar of Finder) and I can access the share without any trouble at all. I click on freenas in Finder and it authenticates and connects super fast! Yay!

If I hadn't authenticated yet (i.e. I click on the Connect As button) it brings up the authenticate window with two fields...the Name field (already filled out with my Full Name) and Password field (since it's in my keychain, it's already filled in and I just have to click the Connect button). I connect instantly.

...here's where it goes sideways...

4. Now I create a new dataset for my Time Machine backup and set it up with the same user permissions, etc. as the dataset in 1. It's also marked as using Mac permissions and Mac sharing type.

5. I create an AFP share pointing to the Time Machine dataset and mark it with the Time Machine checkbox.

6. Now whenever I try to connect to the freenas box to see the regular share I created in 2., almost every time, I can't connect. Finder tells me that the connection failed. Sometimes it lets me try to authenticate but the authentication window is different than the one in 3. It has options to connect as Guest or Registered user (radio buttons) and has filled in my short name (not my Full Name) and password. Even entering the correct data won't let me authenticate. Finder just shows Connection Failed.

7. However, the Time Machine share is 100% available for Time Machine to connect to. Works like a charm.


Can anyone tell me what's going on here? I've spent hours monkeying with this. I've made dataset after dataset, some nested, some not nested, some on different volumes; I've tried every type of permission and sharing type available, I've created SMB shares (which I need more help with...another thread maybe). Nothing makes this work.

The only thing that let's me reliably (and instantly!) connect to my original shares is to delete the Time Machine share, and boom. Everything works again (but no Time Machine, now).

Please help. I'm going batty.

Sincerely,
Kent

 

[NasFreeMePlease]

Fellow batty person, I'm glad to see someone else is having the same issue that just started happening with my updated installation of FreeNAS. I have to think a bug developed starting in FreeNAS-9.10.2. Since I upgraded to this version, Time machine and trying to connect using network browser names (mDNS names on the sidebar of finder) stopped working giving the same errors you are seeing. I tried to post something in an old thread about similar mDNS issues being resolved several builds ago and have not seen any response.

I've been using FreeNAS for over a year. I use AFP and SMB shares as well as Time Machine, all working fine until I recently updated to FreeNAS-9.10.2. The problem continues in FreeNAS-9.10.2-U1 (86c7ef5). Prior to these updates, I could connect to any of the shares using any connection types; dns name assigned to the server, direct IP address, and network browser names (mDNS names on the sidebar of finder) and had several systems using time machine back ups.

Just for a sanity check that you are setting up the shares correctly, try using the IP address of your server to connect to the shares you created. For me after doing the recent FreeNAS upgrades, the only way I can connect to my shares using AFP or SMB is if I connect directly using the IP address of the server. I don't think TimeMachine will allow direct IP connections for back up since it only uses mDNS to advertise the share (or ZeroConf or whatever this network protocol is called) So for now, my time machine back ups are not working.

I'm sure others using FreeNAS who are more versed on the network and file sharing protocols can break the issue down better than I can. FreeNAS has a great feature that keeps previous installation versions available to roll back to. I rolled my install back to 9.10.1-U4, and these issue work fine.

 

[dlavigne]

Please create a bug report at bugs.freenas.org and post the issue number here.

 

[NasFreeMePlease]

Please create a bug report at bugs.freenas.org and post the issue number here.

I believe bug report 20221 (current) and
closed bug report 19809
are directly related to these issues.