Network backup drive

I lost all hopes that somebody will help me with problems with disappearing devices on my network so here is a new question.
Does anybody know of network external HD that when plugged into network will be recognized, will not disappear from Finder after some time and will reliable serve as target drive for Backup.
Idea is simple, backup several iMacs to single drive. By buying Airport Extreme and some USB drive I thought I got that solved but didn't happen and I see from answers here that it generally doesn't work so I am abandoning that idea forever. It beats me why Apple doesn't want to revise that solution and fix it, but I guess that is a theme for another day.

JGG, you mention Time Capsule as a potential solution to the missing external drives. What does that have to do with the drives disappearing? Where is this? Is this an Apple server thing?
As far as I can tell, not many responses on how to recover external drives that suddenly disappear. Can you be of more help?
I suddenly could not backup my internal drive to an external drive via Time Machine. Not long after that, all of my external drives disappeared.
I have a G5 Quad with OS 10.5.8 with four external drives. All have been working well until today. I do know they are working well as I attached them to another computer.
Can you direct me to an investigative solution?
Bud

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New TC but now Time Machine can't find network backup drives

I had a 2 GB TC replaced under warranty (many thanks to LaPastenague who suggested I may be able to get a replacement under warranty). Configured the TC using Airport Utility, and after a bit of messing around (had to delete and re-find the USB printer) everything seemed to be working fine. However ....
I have a MyBookWorld network drive as an alternate Time Machine backup disk, and my MacBook found both the TC and MBW and backed up to them alternately just fine.
However on another MacBook I removed the MBW drive as a backup disk in TM preferences, and now I can't add it back to that Macbook's list of backup drives. I get the "can't find that server" error dialogue. Which is crazy because the other shares on the MBW drive are visible - it's just the backup partition (WD_Backup) that isn't found. I figure it's trying to connect to the IP address of the previous TC, which probably changed when I replaced the TC, or something.
Help please !
TIA ... John.

Manually mount the directory in finder.
This is so much more important on Mavericks than it used to be due to its default to SMB networking.
I guess I also do not know if you should mount this via AFP or SMB but try both.
So in Finder.. Go.. connect to server.
Type in the actual name or IP of the device.
AFP://MBW.local/WD_Backup (where MBW is the network name of the device. local is the domain (assuming it is connected to the TC))
No luck try AFP://MBWIPaddress where you simply type in the IP.
You might find it is easier to pick up the directory from the other Mac where it is working.
Click on Get Info and look at the directory URL info.
If no luck use SMB://MBW.local etc.
Come back to us if it still does not show up.

Setting up a Network Backup Drive

I have a new Hard Drive I want to use as a wireless backup drive. I understand I can connect it to my Airport Extreme Base Station and back up via Time Machine from several computers to different partitions. I thought I would be able to "see" the drive in Disk Utility but it does not appear. Do I format and partition the drive while connected to my iMac then move to the AirPort Extreme? Thanks. Jerry H

Why not ask in the Networking Snow Leopard.
OR iMac forums.

Creating Encrypted Time Machine Back Ups to a Network Hard Drive

Hello all, I can't seem to create an encrypted Time Machine back up on a network hard drive. Can this be done? And if not, why not? It seems that Macs have all the necessary functionality already available in Mac OS. Time Machine can create encrypted backups with multiple computers so what's the difference if it is to a network backup drive, honestly? Any suggestions?
My Set up: Three Macs, Airport Extreme Base Station, Seagate 3 TB HD (with separate partitions for each computer's backups). 2 of the Macs use ethernet to connect to the network and one uses wireless regularly. Basically, I'm trying to encrypt my family's backup drive and I don't know how or why I can't.
Thanks in advance for the help.
Appleguy514

First, you need to know that backing-up that way is unreliable and not supported by Apple. See: Using Time Machine with an Airport Extreme Air Disk.
Second, no, you cannot encrypt a network backup on Lion or earlier. Only Mountain Lion.

Multiple Computers, one main backup drive?

Can multiple computers backup to one main backup drive?
I have a G5 desktop with a 250-GB drive (Mac OS X) and a 750-GB drive (which used to contain iTunes until I moved it to a new iMac).
So I was planning on using the G5 as the drive for Time Machine to back up to. I have my iMac, and two MacBooks using it.
Is this going to be problematical? Such as when more than one machine attempts to make a backup?

Time Machine can back up multiple computers to the same hard drive.
There are two options... one you can physically move the backup hard-drive around among the computers.
The second option is that you can backup over the network as long as all computers involved are running Leopard. To do this connect the backup drive to your G5. Turn on file sharing on the G5 for that drive. On the other computers connect to the shared drive from the Finder sidebar. The run System Preferences and in the Time Machine Preference pane select "Change Disk" and choose the network backup drive as the destination.

Can I use it for both a backup drive and shared network drive?

Is it possible to use the Time Capsule for both an automatic backup drive for my Mac AND use it as a shared network drive to store my large library of home videos? If so, does it require partitioning the drive and are there instructions available? Alternatively, if I store my home videos on its own network drive, will Time Capsule backup this drive too? If I don't want any external drives tethered to my mac, how would set up the 2 drive scenario, so that home video drive can be shared on the network?
To be specific, I'm looking for a networked drive solution that allows me to do the following:
1) automatically back up my Mac
2) act as the primary storage drive for 750GB of the kids home videos (to save room on Mac) [Side question - ]
3) have the ability to watch the home videos on both my family room Apple TV (is this even possible?) and my kitchen Mac Mini display (would my Mac's iMovie's library be able to include my home video content that is stored on a network drive, or does it require the content to be on the Mac hard drive?).
4) If I use a two drive solution (time capsule backup and cheaper second drive), I want to be able to have Time Capsule back up the home video content on the second drive.
5) I do not want any drive tethered to my Mac, only wirelessly connected. Would the second drive be connected to the Time Capsule? How would this be set up?
Many thanks!

christianfromshaker heights wrote:
Is it possible to use the Time Capsule for both an automatic backup drive for my Mac AND use it as a shared network drive to store my large library of home videos?
basically yes, but i wouldn't recommend it.
If so, does it require partitioning the drive and are there instructions available?
the disk in the TC can't be partitioned in the traditional way. but you can use disk utility to create a "fixed-size" sparse disk image on the TC's disk for use with other data. use the instructions here, just leave out the encryption part.
Alternatively, if I store my home videos on its own network drive, will Time Capsule backup this drive too?
no.
time machine can not back up from network drives.
To be specific, I'm looking for a networked drive solution that allows me to do the following:
1) automatically back up my Mac
2) act as the primary storage drive for 750GB of the kids home videos (to save room on Mac) [Side question - ]
consider a NAS that is time machine compatible.
3) have the ability to watch the home videos on both my family room Apple TV (is this even possible?) and my kitchen Mac Mini display (would my Mac's iMovie's library be able to include my home video content that is stored on a network drive, or does it require the content to be on the Mac hard drive?).
it's possible to stream content stored on a TC (or NAS) to TV. using home sharing, your mini would be able to access files in homeshared libraries.
it doesn't matter where the files are stored as long as iTunes knows they are there. in other words, the content needs to be in an iTunes/TV friednly format and in your iTunes library - that doesn't mean the content can't be stored on an external HD, a TC, or a NAS.
4) If I use a two drive solution (time capsule backup and cheaper second drive), I want to be able to have Time Capsule back up the home video content on the second drive.
What can Time Machine back up, and where can it put it’s backups?
5) I do not want any drive tethered to my Mac, only wirelessly connected.
IMO, your best course of action is to get a NAS. if you're interested, i can highly recommend this device by Synology.
Synology NASes play very well with Macs and have excellent backup features on board. given enough space (i have 4x2 TB drives installed) you can store your media files there, use time machine to backup your Macs to it and can use the on-board backup solution to back up the whole shebang to a USB drive connected to the NAS.

HT3275 Since updating OS to Mountain Lion from leopard, I get the following error message when trying to backup with time machine on external drive. Could not complete backup to media share. The network backup disk does not support the required AFP feat

Since updating OS to Mountain Lion from leopard, I get the following error message when trying to backup with time machine on external drive. "Could not complete backup to media share. The network backup disk does not support the required AFP features." What are AFP features and how do I get Time Machine to backup to my current external backup?

This means that your NAS does not support the required encryption. Update your NAS to the latest firmware or ditch it and buy a Time Capsule (they are the most reliable when using TM).

While trying to setup a time capsule backup to my MyBookLive external drive, I got the following error message: The network backup disk does not support the required AFP features. What's up with this?

While trying to setup a time capsule backup to my MyBookLive external drive, I got the following error message: The network backup disk does not support the required AFP features. What's up with this?

This means that your NAS does not support the required encryption. Update your NAS to the latest firmware or ditch it and buy a Time Capsule (they are the most reliable when using TM).

Have networked external drive for backup. 3 Macs, 1 iMac, 2 MBPros. I'm using Airport Express net'd to Extreme(my router). Ethernet from Express to Seagate Central. Since Maverick Time machine has become unstable, what can I do?

Have 2 almost new Mac Book Pros & a 27" March '13 iMac. All are 10.9.4. Wireless backup for all had been functioning well until Maverick was installed in all three. Airport Extreme is my router, Express connected to Seagate Central 4TB ext drive wirelessly. Wireless sig levels are maxed out at all 3 systems & Time Machine is now unstable and Apple Care networking tech contact says my config is not supported. Will it be supported if I acquire the new Airport Extreme, replacing the older version? If not, what config will permit 3 systems running TM backups every hour to one backup drive?

Apple do not support Time Machine to the older Gen1-5 AE with a USB drive.
I am not even sure if they support Gen6 although they do now say it will work.
You would be better buying a Time Capsule than another AE.. it is much faster than using USB drives and Apple more likely to help you.. if help is possible on mavericks.
You will find a cheaper solution is to use Carbon Copy Cloner.. which can continue using your existing setup.. it costs $40 for a license to cover all the computers in your home.

Hard drive backup - then network backup

I created a full backup of my macbookpro to a connected firewire drive (150g). I then hooked this same hard drive up to another leopard computer (imac). The macbookpro sees the drive and is willing to back-up to it.... but it wants another 150g; as if it's starting over from scratch.
Is it using two different methodologies for backing up? Do you have to stick with one methodology when backing up? Backing up 150g over the network is not really an option - hence the reason I wanted to do it as mentioned above. Thank you!

It seems to be that on a locally-connected drive, Time Machine backs up into a simple folder structure, whereas if you are connected remotely, it backs up into a .sparsebundle file named after the connected computer. For now, probably best to stick with one method or the other until someone figures out how to convert between the two.
I suspect you could convert the local backup and package it in a .sparsebundle, but my network backup is nowhere near finished, so can't try it yet.

AFP error for new hard drive for time machine The network backup disk does not support the required AFP features.

Purchased Seagate network drive, ethernet attached to wireless router, set up went well but attempts at backup with Time Machine failed. "Do I need to erase disk and reformat or is this error message "The network backup disk does not support the required AFP features" indicating some other error?

That means the NAS drive's OS isn't compatible with the version of OSX you're running. See if the maker has an update.
See #C16 in Time Machine - Troubleshooting.

Best SBC for cheap single drive network backup? ESATA or Micro B? Rasp. Pi, etc.

Well, maybe, but maybe not, that is what I am here to find out. There are a few I came across, such as : http://store.linksprite.com/pcduino3-nano/
http://www.bananapi.org/ (this one might actually do what I need. It looks like it has the sata, with a smalll jumper that can have a sata molex power plug in to it.)
I just wanted to see if anyone knew of any others out there.

Hello all, I am trying to find the cheapest solution to create a networkable backup system for my house using some sort of SBC. I have a raspberry pi and was going to try and run OSMC (open source media server). In theory it would be great. I can connect a USB HD to my rasp pi, and have it on a wireless network, and just backup directly to it. I had 2 issues, any wireless device I tried (3 different ones) didnt work right, and it didnt have enough power to run my WD my passpost 2.5in 2tb drive. Does anyone know of any SBC's that can support either ESATA, USB 3 micro B connections, and good working wireless for cheap? I see there are a few out there that are over $100 alone, but then you have to buy a drive as well. I am wanting to find the best solution I can for the cheapest price, mostly as a project, because I was upset my pi could...
This topic first appeared in the Spiceworks Community

Finder Locks Up When Using AEBS Attached Drives & Network Backup

This might be more of a general discussion as well as specific to my situation:
I have a new Airport Extreme Base Station with two drives attached via USB powered hub. #1 is an OWC 1TB drive and #2 is a Seagate Momentus 500GB drive. Both are HFS+, and I have never had any issues when attached locally.
I am attempting to back up using CCC and/or SuperDuper to the Seagate with a sparse bundle. Both programs hang up when trying to locate the drive. I am able to Force Quit once, but if I run the programs again the Finder locks up and I can't recover it even using Terminal.
I'm not sure what the problem might be. The network mounted drives are always visible; these lock ups seem to only occur when trying to backup. I've read Finder can be tempermental with networking.
I suppose, for troubleshooting, I should attach one drive directly and go from there?

This might be more of a general discussion as well as specific to my situation:
I have a new Airport Extreme Base Station with two drives attached via USB powered hub. #1 is an OWC 1TB drive and #2 is a Seagate Momentus 500GB drive. Both are HFS+, and I have never had any issues when attached locally.
I am attempting to back up using CCC and/or SuperDuper to the Seagate with a sparse bundle. Both programs hang up when trying to locate the drive. I am able to Force Quit once, but if I run the programs again the Finder locks up and I can't recover it even using Terminal.
I'm not sure what the problem might be. The network mounted drives are always visible; these lock ups seem to only occur when trying to backup. I've read Finder can be tempermental with networking.
I suppose, for troubleshooting, I should attach one drive directly and go from there?

I would like to use time Machine to back up to a network SMB drive. I can see the drive on my desktop but it will not show in the time machine window to be able to select it

I currently have a mini server (OSX10.8.5, server 2.2.2) that I am using Time Machine to back up 4 external drives that are connected to the server via firewire 800. I would like to use Time Machine to back up to a windows network SMB drive. I can see the drive on my desktop but it will not show in the time machine window to be able to select it for use.
Can this be done
Thanks for any and all help

The supported targets for Time Machine backups are local (direct-connected) disks, and network targets include Time Capsule, a disk hanging off the current-generation AirPort (though not earlier AirPort devices), and OS X Server systems.
The Time Machine storage is based on the HFS+ file system, so I would not expect TM to work with SMB file services.
While there are hacks to allow Time Machine to access network drives, I would not consider those to be reliable. Skim the forum and the 'net for related details, and for previous discussions of setting this up and the related issues that can arise.
Remember to test the recovery with whatever you decide to use; whole point of backups is the ability to restore the data, after all.
If you want to learn more about Time Machine, Pondini is an excellent resource.

Use of MacPro as networked hard drive for time machine

I recently purchased a Macbook Air and would like to use one of the hard drives in my Mac Pro as the time machine backup drive via network file sharing. The issue is that time machine on the MacBook Air will only find hard drives connected via thunderbolt, usb (ect.) or time capsule devices.
I turned on file sharing and can access all my files on my Mac Pro with my Macbook and I just copy and overwrite the files from a specific folder where I keep my school work every week. This works, but it'd be nice if it was automated.
Thanks.
Max

You can use 3rd party software to automate the syncing/backup - Chronosync is one such program that I know will work and allows you to set automated backups based on time of day or automatically when a drive is mounted.

Network backup drive

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