How do I get Time Capsule to back up a connected external drive?

[jason.siegel]

I connected an external drive to my Time Capsule and am using it for iTunes media storage. How do I get Time Machine to back up the drive in addition to my computer?

[skorpien]

If it's connected to the Time Capsule directly, you can't. It needs to be connected to your computer.

[flynz4]

This is one of the most basic reasons that I avoid keeping any primary data on a NAS. When it comes to backup... you are usually limited to backup options offered by the NAS... which for me are too limited... especially for automated off-site backup.

I do think a NAS is important and valuable... especially for sharing data across computers, and for laptops. I just prefer to NOT keep any primary data there. I do use NAS for other purposes.

/Jim

[jason.siegel]

Hmmm. That's unfortunate. Okay, maybe you all can help me figure out the next best option. Here's my setup right now:

256 GB Air drive (all primary files except for iTunes)
500 GB Time Capsule
1 TB external drive connected to Time Capsule (iTunes media, but only about 200 GB used)

Here is what I am thinking:

•*Partition the external drive
•*Use the external drive as my Time Machine drive (Partition 1)
•*Back up my Air to the external drive with Time Machine
•*Use Time Capsule for my iTunes Media
•*Back up Time Capsule to a folder in the external drive via SuperDuper (Partition 2)

Thoughts?

[Jiggly Billy]

Originally Posted by skorpien

If it's connected to the Time Capsule directly, you can't. It needs to be connected to your computer.

Can't?

http://computertreeofdavidson.com/ho...al-hard-drive/

[skorpien]

Originally Posted by jason.siegel

Hmmm. That's unfortunate. Okay, maybe you all can help me figure out the next best option. Here's my setup right now:

256 GB Air drive (all primary files except for iTunes)
500 GB Time Capsule
1 TB external drive connected to Time Capsule (iTunes media, but only about 200 GB used)

Here is what I am thinking:

•*Partition the external drive
•*Use the external drive as my Time Machine drive (Partition 1)
•*Back up my Air to the external drive with Time Machine
•*Use Time Capsule for my iTunes Media
•*Back up Time Capsule to a folder in the external drive via SuperDuper (Partition 2)

Thoughts?

That's what I would do.

Originally Posted by Jiggly Billy

Can't?

http://computertreeofdavidson.com/ho...al-hard-drive/

That's explaining how to use an external HDD connected to an Extreme for Time Machine. OP wanted to back up an external HDD connected to the Time Capsule using Time Machine to the Time Capsule itself. Two entirely different things.

[jason.siegel]

That server appears to be down. I can't view the page.

----------

Originally Posted by skorpien

That's what I would do.

Hm. Okay. Does partitioning a drive erase its contents?

[skorpien]

Originally Posted by jason.siegel

Hm. Okay. Does partitioning a drive erase its contents?

I believe if the drive is formatted HFS+, you can create a partition and resize the original partition without deleting the contents. If you're changing the format to HFS+ however, I think it will erase it.

You should always back up your data just in case though. I'd hate to tell you it's okay only to have you lose everything.

[jason.siegel]

Originally Posted by skorpien

That's what I would do.

Okay, I'm copying files to their respective places for this to work. However, I just opened SuperDuper and it's not recognizing my Time Capsule drive. It's displaying only my internal HD and my external drive when plugged in. Thoughts?

----------

Hmm. Looks like this may not work.
http://www.avforums.com/forums/netwo...e-capsule.html

----------

I bought SuperDuper in the distant past but do not have Carbon Copy and don't really feel like spending $40 for that. Any alternatives you can think of?

----------

I'm thinking maybe just keep my prior setup, but plug in my external drive to my computer every so often and allow Time Machine to back it up.

----------

Or rather than use Superduper, create a simple Automator workflow to copy new files on Time Capsule to the partition on the external drive.