Spotlight seems to be constantly reindexing my Time Machine drive. (i.e.
the drive seems to be thrashing pretty much whenever the computer is
awake and mdsync is the culprit). I'd thought of simply excluding that
drive from spotlight, but apparently you can't do that with TM backup
drives.

This isn't slowing down my system, but I'm worried about unnecessary
wear on the drive.

Any suggestions for how to fix this? None of my other drives are
affected by this issue.

2020 iMac 5K/macOS 12.6.7

André

--
To email remove 'invalid' & replace 'gm' with well known Google mail
service.

On 2023-08-17 10:43, André G. Isaak wrote:
> Spotlight seems to be constantly reindexing my Time Machine drive. (i.e.
> the drive seems to be thrashing pretty much whenever the computer is
> awake and mdsync is the culprit). I'd thought of simply excluding that
> drive from spotlight, but apparently you can't do that with TM backup
> drives.
>
> This isn't slowing down my system, but I'm worried about unnecessary
> wear on the drive.
>
> Any suggestions for how to fix this? None of my other drives are
> affected by this issue.
>
> 2020 iMac 5K/macOS 12.6.7
>
> André
>

I honestly wouldn't worry about wear on the drive.

You may hear the activity, but the heads ride on an air cushion.

On 17/08/2023 18:43, André G. Isaak wrote:
> Spotlight seems to be constantly reindexing my Time Machine drive. (i.e.
> the drive seems to be thrashing pretty much whenever the computer is
> awake and mdsync is the culprit). I'd thought of simply excluding that
> drive from spotlight, but apparently you can't do that with TM backup
> drives.
>
> This isn't slowing down my system, but I'm worried about unnecessary
> wear on the drive.
>
> Any suggestions for how to fix this? None of my other drives are
> affected by this issue.
>
> 2020 iMac 5K/macOS 12.6.7

Perhaps you should simply update to macOS Ventura 13.5 and see if that
situation continues.

Any particular reason why you have not already done so?

On 17/08/2023 20:14, David Brooks wrote:
> On 17/08/2023 18:43, André G. Isaak wrote:
>> Spotlight seems to be constantly reindexing my Time Machine drive.
>> (i.e. the drive seems to be thrashing pretty much whenever the
>> computer is awake and mdsync is the culprit). I'd thought of simply
>> excluding that drive from spotlight, but apparently you can't do that
>> with TM backup drives.
>>
>> This isn't slowing down my system, but I'm worried about unnecessary
>> wear on the drive.
>>
>> Any suggestions for how to fix this? None of my other drives are
>> affected by this issue.
>>
>> 2020 iMac 5K/macOS 12.6.7
>
> Perhaps you should simply update to macOS Ventura 13.5 and see if that
> situation continues.
>
> Any particular reason why you have not already done so?

*NOW* macOS Ventura 13.5.1

On 2023-08-17 17:43:32 +0000, André G. Isaak said:

> Spotlight seems to be constantly reindexing my Time Machine drive.
> (i.e. the drive seems to be thrashing pretty much whenever the computer
> is awake and mdsync is the culprit). I'd thought of simply excluding
> that drive from spotlight, but apparently you can't do that with TM
> backup drives.
>
> This isn't slowing down my system, but I'm worried about unnecessary
> wear on the drive.
>
> Any suggestions for how to fix this? None of my other drives are
> affected by this issue.
>
> 2020 iMac 5K/macOS 12.6.7
>
> André

On my older system I installed a shareware utility called Spotless from
Fixamac Software to turn Spotlight off, and use the EasyFind app in its
place.

I don't think they're in business anymore but it looks like this
utility works on later systems:

https://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/52566/spotoff

On 2023-08-18 13:35, super70s wrote:
> On 2023-08-17 17:43:32 +0000, André G. Isaak said:
>
>> Spotlight seems to be constantly reindexing my Time Machine drive.
>> (i.e. the drive seems to be thrashing pretty much whenever the
>> computer is awake and mdsync is the culprit). I'd thought of simply
>> excluding that drive from spotlight, but apparently you can't do that
>> with TM backup drives.
>>
>> This isn't slowing down my system, but I'm worried about unnecessary
>> wear on the drive.
>>
>> Any suggestions for how to fix this? None of my other drives are
>> affected by this issue.
>>
>> 2020 iMac 5K/macOS 12.6.7
>>
>> André
>
> On my older system I installed a shareware utility called Spotless from
> Fixamac Software to turn Spotlight off, and use the EasyFind app in its
> place.

I might look into that. I already use EasyFind for most searching which
is why I had no qualms about excluding the drive from Spotlight had that
been a possibility.

André

--
To email remove 'invalid' & replace 'gm' with well known Google mail
service.

On 2023-08-18 12:35, super70s wrote:
> On 2023-08-17 17:43:32 +0000, André G. Isaak said:
>
>> Spotlight seems to be constantly reindexing my Time Machine drive.
>> (i.e. the drive seems to be thrashing pretty much whenever the
>> computer is awake and mdsync is the culprit). I'd thought of simply
>> excluding that drive from spotlight, but apparently you can't do that
>> with TM backup drives.
>>
>> This isn't slowing down my system, but I'm worried about unnecessary
>> wear on the drive.
>>
>> Any suggestions for how to fix this? None of my other drives are
>> affected by this issue.
>>
>> 2020 iMac 5K/macOS 12.6.7
>>
>> André
>
> On my older system I installed a shareware utility called Spotless from
> Fixamac Software to turn Spotlight off, and use the EasyFind app in its
> place.
>
> I don't think they're in business anymore but it looks like this utility
> works on later systems:
>
> https://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/52566/spotoff
>

I believe that Spotlight is an integral part of the Time Machine backup
process.

On 8/17/23 1:43 PM, André G. Isaak wrote:
> Spotlight seems to be constantly reindexing my Time Machine
> drive.

My solution to spotlight, from the time it was first
introduced by Apple some years ago, was to disable it
permanently.

I didn't want it messing with my drives.

One of the very first things I do with a new Mac is go into
terminal and disable it, still.

If I want to search for something, I use either EasyFind or
Find Any File.

Too old to change now.

On 2023-08-18 19:32, Fishrrman wrote:
> On 8/17/23 1:43 PM, André G. Isaak wrote:
>> Spotlight seems to be constantly reindexing my Time Machine drive.
>
> My solution to spotlight, from the time it was first introduced by Apple
> some years ago, was to disable it permanently.
>
> I didn't want it messing with my drives.
>
> One of the very first things I do with a new Mac is go into terminal and
> disable it, still.
>
> If I want to search for something, I use either EasyFind or Find Any File.
>
> Too old to change now.
>

I'm sorry, the the words "too old to change"...

....are just the worst form of coward bullshit.

On 2023-08-19, Alan <nuh-uh@nope.com> wrote:
> On 2023-08-18 19:32, Fishrrman wrote:
>> On 8/17/23 1:43 PM, André G. Isaak wrote:
>>> Spotlight seems to be constantly reindexing my Time Machine drive.
>>
>> My solution to spotlight, from the time it was first introduced by Apple
>> some years ago, was to disable it permanently.
>>
>> I didn't want it messing with my drives.
>>
>> One of the very first things I do with a new Mac is go into terminal and
>> disable it, still.
>>
>> If I want to search for something, I use either EasyFind or Find Any File.
>>
>> Too old to change now.
>>
>
> I'm sorry, the the words "too old to change"...
>
> ...are just the worst form of coward bullshit.

Pardon me if I missed the logical remedy to the original poster's
Spotlight issue:

Disable Spotlight on the problematic drive;
Run First Aid on the problematic drive;
Restart;
Re-enable Spotlight on that drive;
Give it enough time to re-index the drive.

--
chrispam1@me.com is a filtered spam magnet. Email replies may be lost.
You're better off replying to this newsgroup.

On 2023-08-18 22:32, Fishrrman wrote:
> On 8/17/23 1:43 PM, André G. Isaak wrote:
>> Spotlight seems to be constantly reindexing my Time Machine drive.
>
> My solution to spotlight, from the time it was first introduced by Apple
> some years ago, was to disable it permanently.
>
> I didn't want it messing with my drives.
>
> One of the very first things I do with a new Mac is go into terminal and
> disable it, still.
>
> If I want to search for something, I use either EasyFind or Find Any File.

Spotlight works fine. Spends some time indexing from time to time is all.

Saves tons of time searching for things, that is for sure.

--
“If you torture the data long enough, it will confess to anything."
-Ronald Coase

On 2023-08-19 06:15, Alan Browne wrote:
> On 2023-08-18 22:32, Fishrrman wrote:
>> On 8/17/23 1:43 PM, André G. Isaak wrote:
>>> Spotlight seems to be constantly reindexing my Time Machine drive.
>>
>> My solution to spotlight, from the time it was first introduced by
>> Apple some years ago, was to disable it permanently.
>>
>> I didn't want it messing with my drives.
>>
>> One of the very first things I do with a new Mac is go into terminal
>> and disable it, still.
>>
>> If I want to search for something, I use either EasyFind or Find Any
>> File.
>
> Spotlight works fine.  Spends some time indexing from time to time is all.
>
> Saves tons of time searching for things, that is for sure.

Ideally, it shouldn't spend long periods of time indexing, as the
process is meant to happen in very small increments as individual files
are added or modified.

On 2023-08-18 20:00:05 +0000, Alan said:

> On 2023-08-18 12:35, super70s wrote:
>> On 2023-08-17 17:43:32 +0000, André G. Isaak said:
>>
>>> Spotlight seems to be constantly reindexing my Time Machine drive.
>>> (i.e. the drive seems to be thrashing pretty much whenever the computer
>>> is awake and mdsync is the culprit). I'd thought of simply excluding
>>> that drive from spotlight, but apparently you can't do that with TM
>>> backup drives.
>>>
>>> This isn't slowing down my system, but I'm worried about unnecessary
>>> wear on the drive.
>>>
>>> Any suggestions for how to fix this? None of my other drives are
>>> affected by this issue.
>>>
>>> 2020 iMac 5K/macOS 12.6.7
>>>
>>> André
>>
>> On my older system I installed a shareware utility called Spotless from
>> Fixamac Software to turn Spotlight off, and use the EasyFind app in its
>> place.
>>
>> I don't think they're in business anymore but it looks like this
>> utility works on later systems:
>>
>> https://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/52566/spotoff
>>
>
> I believe that Spotlight is an integral part of the Time Machine backup
> process.

Just because you apparently use Time Machine to back up doesn't mean
everyone else does.

On 2023-08-21 00:31, super70s wrote:
> On 2023-08-18 20:00:05 +0000, Alan said:
>
>> On 2023-08-18 12:35, super70s wrote:
>>> On 2023-08-17 17:43:32 +0000, André G. Isaak said:
>>>
>>>> Spotlight seems to be constantly reindexing my Time Machine drive.
>>>> (i.e. the drive seems to be thrashing pretty much whenever the
>>>> computer is awake and mdsync is the culprit). I'd thought of simply
>>>> excluding that drive from spotlight, but apparently you can't do
>>>> that with TM backup drives.
>>>>
>>>> This isn't slowing down my system, but I'm worried about unnecessary
>>>> wear on the drive.
>>>>
>>>> Any suggestions for how to fix this? None of my other drives are
>>>> affected by this issue.
>>>>
>>>> 2020 iMac 5K/macOS 12.6.7
>>>>
>>>> André
>>>
>>> On my older system I installed a shareware utility called Spotless
>>> from Fixamac Software to turn Spotlight off, and use the EasyFind app
>>> in its place.
>>>
>>> I don't think they're in business anymore but it looks like this
>>> utility works on later systems:
>>>
>>> https://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/52566/spotoff
>>>
>>
>> I believe that Spotlight is an integral part of the Time Machine
>> backup process.
>
> Just because you apparently use Time Machine to back up doesn't mean
> everyone else does.
>

The original poster was asking SPECIFICALLY about Spotlight and his
"Time Machine drive".

So why don't you just run along?

:-)