How to handle upgrading a time capsule with an external drive?

My Time Capsule recently filled up. I have 2 computers I'm backing up - a Mac Pro and a MacBook Pro. I purchased a larger external hard drive and connected it to the Time Capsule, and it appears to be backing up the Mac Pro just fine. I was thinking that it might be useful to have the MacBook Pro back up to the older smaller drive, since its drive is smaller than the Mac Pro's. So my question is - now that the Mac Pro is completely backed up on the new drive, can I just get rid of the old back-ups on the smaller drive and start backing up the MacBook Pro to it? I don't have a lot of need to find old files or go back to older revisions at this point. I'm mainly concerned with catastrophic failure (as recently happened), so as long as I have the latest backup, and can restore from it, I'm happy with that.
I'm curious what others do when they add a new drive after one fills up? I'd like to be able to continue to use the older drive, since it appears to still be good, but unless I delete the old backups, it looks like Time Machine won't make much use out of it.

That is correct procedure.. if the TC is older than 3years.. begin to be suspicious of the TC's continued longevity.. they do become unreliable and hard disks do not last forever,, especially if it is older one, running in an oven effectively all its life.
What model TC do you have? A1xxx model number from the base please.. molded into the rubber rather than on the label where it should be.
If it is gen1 or gen2 both power supply and hard disk is already well past the useby date. Consider a replacement or using USB drive so you are not caught with the backup gone when it fails.. although it usually isn't bad.. if you only have backups on the TC. It is people trying to use them as a NAS who really hit the brick wall.

Similar Messages

  • Can you extend Time Capsule with an external drive?

    Hello, I was thinking of purchasing a 500 GB Time Capsule. I know that one day this size will be too small for my stuff, so my question is if I was to then plug in my external 750 GB USB drive to the Time Capsule, would I then have a second drive available for me to do my back ups? I am not expecting some sort of RAID where I'd have a 1.25 GB drive, just want to know what happens when a second drive is connected to the Time Capsule, does it show both drives as possible Time Machine drives?
    Cheers and thanks,
    Andrew.

    Hello, thanks for your reply, but as I mentioned in the posting, I am not meaning of extending the capacity. What I am asking is if Time Capsule allows you to select both the internal (Time Capsule) drive and the externally connected drive to use as a back up. And the reason that I am thinking of the 500 GB version is that I cannot afford the 1 TB version at this time, but know that I will need more capacity later. So in the Time Machine Preferences can you press the Change Disk button can you select the Time Capsule drive or the Externally connected drive to the Time Capsule?
    Cheers and thanks.
    -aj

  • How do I connect my time capsule with a Lynksis wi fi netwotk?

    How do I connect my time capsule with a Lynksis wi fi netwotk?

    You cannot extend or repeat a non-apple router in an apple router..
    You must plug it in via ethernet and then setup roaming network (or if you like a completely separate network.. makes no difference from the TC point of view). TC is in bridge mode. That is router bridge not wireless bridge.. I gave the info on the other thread you are running.. very confusing when you ask in multiple threads.

  • How can I use my time capsule with windows7

    How can I use my time capsule with windows7?

    This is asked regularly.
    https://discussions.apple.com/message/10978060#10978060
    Look at the more like this. On the right column next to the post.
    Load airport utility for windows.. which will also load bonjour for windows.
    In windows explorer type \\TCname or \\TCipaddress (replacing with the actual values.. names with spaces will give you trouble so change all names in the TC to SMB compatible or actual ip address).

  • How do you replace a time capsule with a newer one

    How do you replace a time capsule with a newer one?

    LOL.. pull the old one out.. put the new one in. Setup the new one.. do not copy setting from the old one.. it is better to start over and never copy configuration files.. although you might get away with it.
    Plug the old TC into the new one.. change it to bridge mode.
    You can then access and copy old backups to the new TC if you want. Although IMHO just keep the old TC for 6months. .then wipe it and sell it or use in different role. Do start clean fresh backups on the new TC.
    If that is all useless. ask the specific question and we can try for a specific answer.

  • How I can configure my Time Capsule with my mobile me?

    Someone know how i can configure my Time Capsule with my mobile me?... Because i need access to my documents remotely, from any place where I find...
    (sorry my bad english)

    I think you're referring to the Back To My Mac feature?
    Follow these three articles. Most important are the second and third.
    http://www.apple.com/mobileme/features/mac.html
    http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1109
    http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3486

  • Using AirPort Time Capsule as an external drive with access to files by guest account

    Is it possible to use my AirPort Time Capsule as an external drive with access to files by a guest account?
    I would like to store a large number of folders containg photographs on my AirPort Time Capsule and allow anyone with a password to access the photographs - at the time of viewing the Time Capsule would be connected to the internet but I wouldn't want users to actually access anything other than the files on the Time Capsule - is this possible?  if so any help in configuring it would be really helpful.

    No it is not possible.. Guest is just that.. a guest that is allowed permission to access the internet but none of the local files.
    To give a person access to the TC they must have password to access your normal network..
    From there it is up to you how you do this.. people cannot actually access files on your computers unless you give them share and password permissions for that.. you can even setup accounts on the TC although I recommend against it.. if you want shared photos anyway. All security on a TC is illusion.. merely pressing the reset and it is all blown away.. so if you are concerned about security don't put stuff on the TC people should not access.. or like your TM backups ensure they are encrypted.
    A person can then access you TC and the photos.. but what else on the network??

  • How do i use a time capsule as a shared drive and back it up to another time capsule using time machine ??

    how do i use a time capsule as a shared drive and back it up to another time capsule using time machine ??

    You cannot backup network drives with Time Machine.
    You can simply setup the TC in the network.. it is a shared drive.

  • How can I use my Time Capsule as an external Hard Drive for my PC?  My PC can't find it.

    Hi, I just bought this Time Capsule for my home.  I've got the internet access for all my devices (Mac, iPad, PC, iPhone) and I've got the Mac backup working through Time Machine.  I'm supposed to be able to use the Time Capsule as an external drive for my PC, but I can't figure it out.  My PC doesn't recognize the Time Capsule as a Network Place.  I called AppleCare, but they don't have all the answers for "PC issues."  They tried to get me to Map a Network Drive, but my PC popped up a window asking for a Username and Password.  It looks like something similar to when I VPN into my company network from home.
    I'm using Windows XP Professional, Version 2002, Service Pack 3.
    Any help would be appreciated.
    Thanks!

    Download and install the airport utility for windows.. it isn't strictly necessary but the bonjour service makes life easier.
    The request for username and password is correct. Username is whatever you like.. but windows needs it.. so admin.. being the common router one.. password by default is public unless you changed it.
    Now to get the TC to work properly..
    1. The names should be SMB compliant.. by default they are wrong.. use short names, no spaces no special characters.. pure alphanumeric. That is for TC name and wireless names.
    2. Wireless passwords should also be same use WPA2 private.
    3. In the disk sharing page.. manual setup.. put in the windows workgroup name.. ie WORKGROUP.. this helps the discovery process.
    4. In the same area, turn on the guest account to read and write.. not necessary but helps with later versions of windows particularly.
    5. Access the drive by using the direct IP address. ie in Windows Explorer address bar, \\10.0.1.1 (or whatever IP the TC is at).

  • How to use Time Machine with an external drive?

    Hi…I’m new to this, I hope someone can help me=)
    I’m trying to back up my Macbook Pro 10.6.8 using Time Machine with an external drive Seagate Backplus Slim. I’ve tried several solutions that I’ve found through different forums but still wouldn’t work.
    Every time I opened Time Machine, it has this appearance:
    Then when I click “Select backup Disk”, it goes on like this:
    And after I click “Set Up Time Capsule”, it has this:
    It keeps saying that it couldn’t find AirPort wireless, even though I have good WIFI connection.
    Anyone know what I should do? Please help….Thanks everyone

    Ayuphie ~ In your Time Machine Preferences panel, slide the OFF-ON switch to the ON position:

  • Is their another way like to use my time capsule as an external drive not using time machine?thanks

    is their another way like to use my time capsule as an external drive not using time machine?thanks

    You do not have to use Time Machine.. but the TC is hardly suitable for a NAS.. it has no means to back itself up and is relatively slow. Still that is up to you..
    CCC or Superduper are good backup softwares .. and there are a number of others.

  • How can I use my time capsule with Ethernet cable? How is it also possible to use time capsule as a normal external hard drive?

    My problem is that I don't know how to use my Time Capsule with Ethernet Cable, as when I use wireless it is really slow.

    Make sure that there is an Ethernet cable from one of the LAN <-> ports on your modem/wireless router to the WAN port on the Time Capsule
    Click on the Wireless tab at the top of the page
    Change the setting for Wireless Mode to Off (I assume that you do not want the Time Capsule to provide a wireless network since you already have a wireless network)
    Next, click the Internet icon at the top of the screen, then click the Internet Connection tab
    Connect Using = Ethernet
    Connection Sharing = Off (Bridge Mode)
    Click the Update button at the bottom and wait 30 seconds for the Time Capsule to restart and display a green light
    Then, you must power off your entire network...all devices....in any order that you want
    Wait a minute
    Start your modem/router first and let it run a minute
    Start the Time Capsule and let it run a minute
    Keep starting devices one at a time until everything is powered up
    If you are using Time Machine for backups, you will need to reset the connection because you have changed the way in which the Time Capsule connects to your network
    Open System Preferences (gear icon) on the dock
    Open Time Machine
    Click Select Disk
    Click the Time Capsule to highlight it
    Click Use for Backup or, it might be Use Disk
    Now you can connect your Mac using an Ethernet cable to one of the LAN <-> ports on the Time Capsule to back up using Ethernet. Be sure to turn off the wireless on your Mac before you start the backup.
    If you want to backup using wireless, disconnect the Ethernet cable from the Mac to the Time Capsule and turn on the wireless and connect to your wireless network. Your computer will now backup using wireless.

  • How do I use my Time Capsule with hotel wired internet

    How do I use my Time Capsule as a wireless router on my hotel free internet ethernet cable?

    It may not be possible..
    If they use a web access page, then there is no way you can set the TC to authenticate.. you must use the computer to authenticate and then use the computer to bridge to the TC for wireless clients to access.
    Look up instructions on using ICS (internet connection sharing) in the Mac.
    eg for 10.6.8 http://support.apple.com/kb/PH6589
    eg http://support.apple.com/kb/PH10740
    Of course if there is no login then you could just use it.. but I doubt you would be asking if it just worked.

  • HT201250 How to backup the Time Capsule to an external drive using Time Machine?

    Most of my data is on my Time Capsule since the hard drive on my iMac is too small for my music/movies/pictures and also so multiple devices can wirelessly access the data. I want to back up the files from my iMac and the Time Capsule on an external hard drive using the Time Machine. However, it seems that the Time Machine ignores the Time Capsule as a data source. How can I get this to work?

    No, I don't believe this solves your problem.
    TIme Machine can be used with a Time Capsule as a backup solution from connected macs and their drives but not from network drives, NAS or Time Capsules.
    Thus, if you store files for LAN access on a TC internal drive, and want to back them to the USB/external drive attached to that TC, you cannot use Time Machine to do so.
    Time Machine has not way of backing up ANY Time Capsule or NAS or WInPC or other networked drive, as far as I can tell. You will have to use some other backup software.
    This is exactly what I bought the TC for myself (tried to use the internal drive on the TC as a NAS for my LAN, storing my music and photos and documents and bought a LaCie 2TB USB3 extneral drive to connect to the TC and hoped to be able to use Time Machine to backup the internal drive to the LaCie drive....but this does not work, as TM cannot backup from a network drive or TC device.

  • HT201250 How to restore laptop from time capsule after replacing hard drive

    How do I reload all my programs and files from a time capsule after changing hard drive?  Also Apple store reloaded with Snow Leopard and not Lion.  Will that be a problem?  Thank you

    Plug the external drive into a computer by usb or whatever box you have available..
    When you say blank, is it correctly formatted.. we recommend HFS+ which is Mac OS Extended (jorrnaled)
    Make sure you use GUID type disk setup not MBR if it came from PC world.
    Copy the files via finder from TC to the external drive.

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