When attempting to perform a Time Machine backup, the backup appears to proceed as normal, until it finishes copying files at which point it complains that an "error occurred while linking files for" one of my external hard disks.

During the previous backup that particular disk was in fact empty, and therefore I can't understand why Time Machine is attempting to link back to it. But alas.

I've verified all my disks using Disk Utility and they all appear to be fine.

Does anybody know what causes this error, and how I might go about fixing it?

Failing that is there a way to force Time Machine to create a brand new backup rather than an incremental one?

Thanks in advance!