Remove Time Capsule Hard Drive AND Partition

Looking to buy a Time Capsule, but one last hurdle is getting the drive partitioned, 1 for backups and 1 for media storage.

I've read that you can do it over the network, but only as your computer is backing up, and then you may get errors for several tries or can't load the second partition or Time Machine backs up to your storage partition.

But apparently the only way to get it to work is remove the HDD and connect it with an eSATA to USB cable. Yet no feedback on how to do this or its functionality exists beyond. The arguments against are it voids the warranty (I don't care and Apple has never said anything to me in the past), use a USB HDD plugged into the TC (USB is slower than an eSATA drive directly connected to Router, partitioning should provide faster transfer) or the data you store on the TC isn't backed up (I'll have a USB drive plugged in to back up that data).

I have seen guides to remove the HDD and it appears to be rather simple. But beyond that, are there any other tips, experience, etc? Does the data partition auto mount on startup/wake from sleep, no auto script needed? Do I need to archive the TC drive in Disk Utility, partition, and restore the archive to the partition I intend to use for backups?

I only use a MBP in my living room. I do not want to have a USB plugged in anytime I want to use iTunes or my AppleTV. WiFi access is the only solution I want here. Also I have a 256GB SSD on it. A 2TB or 3TB TC is overkill and I want to use most of it for data storage.

Blueroom, you and I already discussed this.

Please anyone with experience removing a TC HDD and partitioning it?

Sorry but not sure what exactly you were describing. So you just plug an external directly to your MBP via FireWire?

Again, I'm looking for someone with experience removing a TC HDD and partitioning it. I have tried or researched all alternatives. Thanks for suggesting alternatives but I'm not interested in trying those.

blueroom said:

Ahh it's you LOL. This is why I avoided the TC, the interface is too limited & dumbed down much like the current AirPort setup app on the AEBS.

iFixit.com shows how to tear the TC down, of course this will probably void the warranty as you have to remove the glued on bottom cover.

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Yeah I've seen iFixit's and other tear downs. Looks pretty easy by Apple standards. You do have to remove the glued bottom cover but it appears to come off pretty easy. If there's enough tackiness to it, should be able to reapply and no one would be the wiser.

Problem is I see on this forum and other sites that people say "well you'll have to remove the drive and partition it". OK, makes sense, I think I know what to do. But there's no follow up from someone that's actually done it which gives me some pause.

skorpien said:

I've done it and it's pretty easy.

Once you connect the TC's internal disk to your computer (via dock or enclosure), it will mount with three partitions. Two of those partitions are fairly small and are hidden when the hard drive is inside the TC. The other, larger one is the main partition that shows up as a shared volume. This is the one that you'll need to partition/resize. It's fairly easy to do in Disk Utility as the drive is formatted HFS+

Once the large partition is split into two or more partitions, just place the drive back into the TC and it should show up as two separate drives in the Disks tab in your AirPort Utility (it will appear like it would had you just connected an external USB HDD to the TC's USB port).

Edit: Though what blueroom suggests does have merit. You can try partitioning another spare drive and placing it into your Time Capsule, though I do believe you'll have to erase one or both of the partitions in your AirPort Utility to create the two smaller partitions that appear on the Time Capsule's stock HDD.

Either option should work

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Perfect thank you! If I'm understanding you correct you say that the hidden partitions may have to be erased to create the other two partitions? I had wondered if this may happen, but archiving the contents of the hidden partitions and then restoring them when I've got everything set up should be good to go I'd hope.

Blueroom's suggestion certainly does have merit. But as we discussed in a previous post, the cost of building a Asus Router + Synology NAS was several hundred more than just buying a TC. Finding budget NAS enclosures could bring the price down to about the level of a TC however the drive transfer R/W rates were significantly lower than the TC at that point.

adam9c1 said:

except that Every HD will fail at some point.

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Yes so why would that prevent me from using it? My MBP will be backed up to the TC and my media on the TC will be backed to a USB drive. Im covered with failures from anything. If the TC fails, its really easy to replace the drive.

And TC has a good temp monitor and fan to keep the drive healthy.