Time Machine and Networked external hard drive

My family has thee macs and one PC, all under the same roof. All the Macs are 2008 and later models (MacBooks and MacBook Pros, with Leopard or Snow Leopard).
I lost a load of data last weekend and my i-disk did not contain a backup of all the data, pics etc lost which came as a nasty shock. Bolting the stable door after the horse has bolted, I've bought a Western Digital 1TB external hard disk and connected it to the USB 2 port on my linksys Gigabit N+ router. This network device does appear in my list of shared devices and I can manually copy and paste data to it, but Time Machine doesn't seem able to see the device to enable me to automate the backup process.
I've looked for relevant posts on this forum but can't see quite the thing, can you help me please?
What if anything can I do to get Time Machine to do automated backups and can this be done via the network router to enable others in the family to do likewise?

To expand a bit on one of the options Kappy mentions, if one of your Macs is stationary, you can back up over your local network to a shared drive connected directly to it. See #22 in the Frequently Asked Questions *User Tip,* also at the top of this forum.
It's "iffy" and not supported by Apple, but some are able to back up to a USB drive connected to a recent-model Airport Extreme. See the Using Time Machine with a USB drive connected to an Airport Extreme *User Tip,* also at the top of this forum. As mentioned there, don't depend on those 100%; also maintain some sort of secondary backups, in addition.
But that's something I learned (the hard way, of course) long ago: Airport or not, never trust your backups to a single app or piece of hardware. No app is perfect, and no hardware is trouble-free indefinitely.
Or, you may be able to find an alternative app that will back up to your setup. See Kappy's post on +Basic Backup,+ complete with links to the web sites of each product.

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HT201250 i am using for first time the time machine and an external hard drive because I want to erase my macbook and start from zero files. do i keep my files in the portable hard disk when I connect it again with the macbook or the time machine will era

i am using for first time the time machine and an external hard drive because I want to erase my macbook and start from zero files. Am i keeping my files in the portable hard disk when I will connect it again with the macbook or the time machine will erase all?
I would like to know if after I erase all my data, empy hard drive inside the macbook, the time machine will erase all my files that I have saved in my "WD "My passport" external hard drive

Welcome to Apple Support Communities
Time Machine has to erase the external disk in order to make backups. Before setting Time Machine up, copy the files of your external disk to the hard disk of the Mac in order not to lose them, and then, set up Time Machine. The first backup will start automatically.
If you want more information about Time Machine, read the Pondini's site > http://pondini.org

Time machine, wifi network, external hard drive

I currently backup, (over my wifi network using Backup), to an external hard drive which is directly connected to my Airport Extreme base station. I've upgraded to Leopard and would like to do this with Time Machine. However, even though my external hard drive shows in the finder under shared devices, the Time Machine set up window doesn't seem to find it. What am I doing wrong; how can I fix this?

Using a third-party USB drive connected to an AEBS is currently unsupported. If you happen to have the newest AEBS you can modify it to allow backups to unsupported devices. If you have the 802.11n AEBS then this update from Apple will enable backups to USB connected drives.
Obviously Leopard is a requirement.
Alternatives:
Use the Terminal and enter the following command line:
defaults write com.apple.systempreferences TMShowUnsupportedNetworkVolumes 1
Press RETURN.
Download Flux Capacitor Fix.
Message was edited by: Kappy

If i back up my mac using Time Machine and an external hard-drive, can that same hard-drive be used on another computer and on a PC?

Hi!
I hav just got a macbook pro and am used to using a HP pc and am a newbie! I have backed up my macbook with my elements external hardrive and was wondering if i can transfer the music i have purchased and is now on my external hard-drive back onto my other laptop purely because i use both laptops for different things and want to use my music on both. how do i do this? and do i need a particular software to do so?
Any tips would be greatly appreciated
thanks
alex xxx

Welcome to Apple Support Communities
You can do it, but it's not recommended to use a Time Machine volume to store other files. In this case, you can create a second volume on the external drive, so you will be able to use it to store data and transfer it to other PCs.
As you are going to use the external drive with other PCs, you can make the volume and format it in "MS-DOS (FAT)" with Disk Utility > http://pondini.org/OSX/DU3.html Finally, you will be able to copy files to the external drive.
If you copy files to a Time Machine disk, you may damage the Time Machine file structure, so you shouldn't do it. It may not happen, but it's better not to try that. Also, you won't be able to read the Time Machine drive in a PC

Time Machine and Seagate External hard drive

I connected my Seagate External Hard Drive (300GB) to my MacBook pro for the first time. I got a prompt asking if I would like to use this as a backup disk with Time Machine. Absent-mindedly, I hit "NO".
Now the Hard drive is not showing up in the list of disks in Time Machine and I can't figure out a way to search for new disks or change the settings. I would like to use the hard drive to back up my Mac.
(Also, my Mac has a Windows partition) and I have used Norton to backup the Windows side on the same hard drive.)
Any suggestions?

MG1373 wrote:
(Also, my Mac has a Windows partition) and I have used Norton to backup the Windows side on the same hard drive.)
Hi, and welcome to the forums.
Do you mean there's already Windoze data on the external you want to use for Time Machine? If so, this probably isn't going to work. The external is almost certainly set up with the MBR (Master Boot Record) partition scheme, which will not work for TM backups. To check this, use Disk Utility (in your Applications/Utilities folder). Click the top line of the drive (with the make and size), then look at the bottom of the display for *Partition Map Scheme.*
If it is MBR, the only way you can put a partition for Time Machine on this drive is to erase it completely and reformat it with the GUID partition map scheme (unless it's a PPC Mac, which needs the +Apple Partition Map+ scheme), then make 2 (or more) partitions, one formatted +Mac OS Extended (Journaled)+ for TM.
If you do that, you may not be able to set up a partition that you can use for the Windoze data. I don't do Windoze, so can't be sure about that.

HT5097 I recently upgraded my macbook to Mountain lion. Before doing so I used time machine and an external hard drive to back up my entire laptop. When we upgraded my computer came back like new. All pics, music, videos documents etc gone. How do I ge

I recently upgraded my macbook to mountain lion. Before doing so I used time machine to back up my entire laptop with an external hard drive.
When I got my computer back it was clean....all pics, music, documents, bookmarks etc. are gone. How do I get these files off the external hard drive and back onto my laptop with the new upgrade?

I recently upgraded my macbook to mountain lion. Before doing so I used time machine to back up my entire laptop with an external hard drive.
When I got my computer back it was clean....all pics, music, documents, bookmarks etc. are gone. How do I get these files off the external hard drive and back onto my laptop with the new upgrade?

Why does Macbook Pro rename my Time Machine and other external hard drives?

Why does my Macbook Pro rename my Time Machine to "Time Machine I" and then back again periodically. Last night it was one name, this morning it is another. It also does it on other external hard drives - usually by adding a I after the name. It is frustrating for me because I store a large runtime folder on an external hard drive and end up losing a lot of time with my computer not being able to find files because of the renaming.
And even though it still looks like Time Machine under "Get info: - when I open a folder window or Disk Utility it has a new name, and there is no way to change it. I've seen other questions that mention Macs renaming themselves, so it seems like a similar issue. I did try deleting the preferences plist file, but that did not work.
Is this a glitch with this particular model or operating system?
Specs: Macbook Pro A1297 - 2009 model.
Snow Leopard 10.6.8
2.8GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
8GB ram
Many thanks for any advice.

nachdenki wrote:
strange, my external HDs were added to the exception list automatically. maybe because they wouldn't fit on the time machine volume.
It seems to depend on when the drives were connected. When you first turn Time Machine on, it only excludes the TM drive itself, and any drives not formatted HFS+.
If you connect a drive later on, that drive will be excluded automatically.

Time machine and an external hard drive

Hello
Should the external hard drive (that I'm using Time Machine for) be left in the iMac all the time? Or should I be removing it incase it re-writes over itself?
All guidance accepted
Peter

On its own Time Machine backs up only hourly. If you wish to change that interval you must do that using third-party software such as TimeMachineEditor 3.0.3. If you disconnect the backup drive, then Time Machine will pick back up wherever it left off the next time the drive is connected.

Is it possible to use an AirPort Time Capsule as both a Time Machine and an external hard drive from which to stream from?

I recently purchased a new 2TB Time Capsule. I purchased it in hopes that I can set it up in 2 ways.
1. Empty my almost completely full MacBook harddrive onto it (mostly movies, music, and photos) that I can stream directly from via iTunes and my Apple TV (this will allow me to free up much needed space on my MacBook)
2. Use it as a wireless Time Capsule to back up what is left on my harddrive
I currently use another external harddrive as a time machine but it is a cumbersome process. I know that Time Capsule's weren't built to be partined for needs such as this, but I've been told by Apple that it is possible. Does anyone know how? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!

1. Empty my almost completely full MacBook harddrive onto it (mostly movies, music, and photos) that I can stream directly from via iTunes and my Apple TV
Yes, you can use the Time Capsule to provide both a wired and wireless network AND media storage to stream from an iTunes host device to an Apple TV. As an example, you can place your iTunes Library on either the TC's internal HDD or an external USB HDD attached to the TC. You can then access this library from iTunes located on a Mac or PC, and then, stream it to the Apple TV.
2. Use it as a wireless Time Capsule to back up what is left on my harddrive
Yes, you can use the TC as a backup destination for either Time Machine or any other network-ready backup program. Again you can either use its internal HDD or an attached USB HDD for this purpose.

My system information shows 232gb used as a "back up"on my internal hard drive even though I use time machines and a external hard drive.

Hi
I have had my mac book pro for almost 6 months. Whilst using a 500 gb portable hard drive with time machine, I was surprised to get a message saying there wasn't enough disk space to complete a back up.
I brought another but started to look into why I had used so much space. In system information I had this view. Can anyone help me find where to clear this back up which is taking up so much of my hard drive.
Thank you
Dan

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Local Snapshots on Portable Macs

Can I increase the capacity of Time Machine with an external hard drive connected to Time Capsule?

Can I increase the capacity of Time Machine with an external hard drive connected to Time Capsule via the USB port? My current Time Machine has a total capacity of 1TB. I'd like to double or triple its memory. I don't want to use the external hard drive in lieu of the Time Capsule hard drive. I'd like to use it in addition to. Just don't know if/how it's possible.
This is another one of those questions that I've searched the web for answers, and have gotten tricky answers back. So now I'm trying to introduce a clean slate to the mix.
Thank you for your time!

Well, what you mentioning is possible. However, I don't know whether it's supported (as in, "easy to set up."). Time Machine officially supports backing up to a locally attached drive, to a machine running a Time Machine server (i.e. running OS X Server software), and to a Time Capsule. I don't know that it officially supports a drive attached to an AirPort or to a Time Capsule. Though I know some people have gotten it to work.
Best I can say is to try it. Plug the drive into the Time Capsule, ensure it's shared on the network, and then try and set it as a backup target from a machine in the Time Machine backup panel (you'll need to ensure it's mounted first). If it works, you're all set.

How do I use my Time Machine as an external hard drive to just dump files no longer needed on my computer?

How Do I use my time machine as an external hard drive?

Time Machine is software that allows a Mac to backup to a Time Capsule or other hard drive, so I think you are asking about the Time Capsule here, correct?
http://www.apple.com/timecapsule/
How do you plan to connect the Time Capsule to your network, or is it already connected and configured?
When you have it configured on the network, you can use the Finder to copy/paste or drag/drop files from your Mac to the Time Capsule disk.

Accessing Time Capsule and linked external hard drive from other devices and copying to these drives

Hi
Please be gentle. I am not that technically able :-)
I have managed to set up my time capsule. Router working, external hard drive linked, time machine back ups working...
The last thing I am looking to do is to access files on my time capsule and also external hard drive (linked to it), from Mac, Iphones, Ipads, Apple TV, Windows laptops X2. Am I able to do that? Have read so many discussions but dont get the answer. Please be gentle :-)
Regards
Tommy

The last thing I am looking to do is to access files on my time capsule and also external hard drive (linked to it), from Mac
This should be automatic.. find the TC disk under shared in finder.. double click it and see under the data folder.. you can create new folders in there.
Note using the TC for data and TM backups is not the greatest of ideas.. please read pondini.
Q3 here. http://pondini.org/TM/Time_Capsule.html
The external drive is fine though..
Now it can have loads of issues if you run Mavericks.. so if you have trouble.. do not be surprised.. if you run Mavericks.. be surprised if it works without trouble.
Iphones, Ipads
iOS devices are not file based.. they are not intended to be used with a file device like TC and will neither backup to it nor open files from it.. of course what apple wants and what users want are different things so there are plenty of file apps to help you read and write files.
Filebrowser is the major one.
http://www.stratospherix.com/products/filebrowser/
You still cannot backup though.. iOS uses itunes to backup or icloud.
Apple TV
There is nothing you can do with AppleTV.. it is not a file device at all.. it is not even a media player.. it is a streamer. (Early model Gen1 and Gen2 can be jailbreak.. so they do actually have media player ability) Gen3 is tied to its mother's (iTunes) skirts with steel cables.. no JB.. no use really. If you want to play movies from a TC buy a WD Live TV.. it is a player.. !!
Windows laptops X2
You can access the TC from windows..
1. Make sure the TC naming complies with windows networking.. to put that simply.. all names should be short, no spaces and pure alphanumeric. Apple wizard will recommend a name for the TC, like
Fred Blog's Airport Time Capsule.. this is wrong on so many levels.
It will be a total pain on windows.. use FBATC or TC or anything you like.. as long as it follows the rules..
Short 2-20 characters.. less than 10 is better.
No spaces.
Pure alphanumeric.
All names must comply.. TC name and wireless name/s
2. Load the airport utility for windows into the computer.. you can download for up to win7.. apple haven't bothered with windows since then and are pretty out of date. The win7 utility will load on win8 with the usual voodoo and astrological help.
3. Windows must be set to home for location.. if you cannot open a command window and ping the TC by ip and name, then pull down the firewalls.
4. In windows explorer type into the address bar directly.
\\TCname or \\TCIPaddress (using, of course, the real name or real IP).

How do I move data on time machine from one external hard drive to another

How do I move data on time machine from one external hard drive to another?

Although the documentation says you can copy Time Machine backups in the Finder, it's very slow and sometimes doesn't work at all.
Launch Disk Utility, open the built-in help, and search for the term "Duplicate." Follow the instructions. Turn Time Machine OFF in its preference pane while copying the volume.

Backing up Mac HD with Time Capsule AND an external hard drive

I am sure that this question has been asked one way or another but I can't seem to find the exact answer.
I would like to back up my Mac HD with the Time Capsule AND another hard drive essentially to create two backups. Should one fail, I still have another copy as a precaution. The Time Capsule will be my primary back up because my external hard drive is usually switched off and will only be turned on from time to time to perform "less frequent" backups.
With Time Capsule AND the external hard drive on, will Time Machine just update the backup on the external hard drive without becoming confused with the other copy on Time Capsule? In other words, can Time Machine distinguish between two different Time Machine Backup files and bring them up to date accordingly?
I understand there is an archive function on the Time Capsule, which would also serve the purpose. However, I am wondering if there is another way.
Thanks.

Rheopaipo wrote:
I am sure that this question has been asked one way or another but I can't seem to find the exact answer.
I would like to back up my Mac HD with the Time Capsule AND another hard drive essentially to create two backups. Should one fail, I still have another copy as a precaution. The Time Capsule will be my primary back up because my external hard drive is usually switched off and will only be turned on from time to time to perform "less frequent" backups.
With Time Capsule AND the external hard drive on, will Time Machine just update the backup on the external hard drive without becoming confused with the other copy on Time Capsule? In other words, can Time Machine distinguish between two different Time Machine Backup files and bring them up to date accordingly?
I understand there is an archive function on the Time Capsule, which would also serve the purpose. However, I am wondering if there is another way.
I don't think it's possible to configure Time Machine to back up to two locations without modifying its settings frequently.
You might consider using that external drive to hold a bootable backup. You can create such a thing with either of the utilities SuperDuper! or Carbon Copy Cloner. If you pay the registration fee for SuperDuper! (~US$28), there's a mode where it will back up only what has changed, which makes the backup operation run quicker. (Carbon Copy Cloner may offer a similar feature.)

Time Machine and Networked external hard drive

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