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Time Capsule - additional partition disappears

C

ccwestcliff

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 19, 2012
68
2
Toronto, ON
So, have a new TC 4Gen 2TB, successfully partitioned into 50/50, 1 half for Time Machine and the other as external drive if you like.

The Time Machine backup is fine and so was copying 100GB of data to the other partition.

My problem is, that as soon as the Time Machine backup has finished, the other partition disappears and I loose access to the files on that partition.

Am I missing something here or is this the way it is?
 
Weaselboy

Weaselboy

Moderator
Staff member
Jan 23, 2005
34,156
15,645
California
There is no supported way to partition a Time Capsule. I have read about people somehow starting Disk Util in the middle of a backup to get it done, but it seems spotty. It sounds like you made a partition inside the Time Machine sparse bundle image and when that image dismounts at the end of the backup the partition is no longer visible.
 
bobr1952

bobr1952

macrumors 68020
Jan 21, 2008
2,040
39
Melbourne, FL
My understanding (correct me if I'm wrong) is that you wouldn't really need a separate partition for other data since Time Machine does not destroy files on the Time Capsule drive--just expands the image file.
 
A

aristobrat

macrumors G5
Oct 14, 2005
12,292
1,403
bobr1952 said:
My understanding (correct me if I'm wrong) is that you wouldn't really need a separate partition for other data since Time Machine does not destroy files on the Time Capsule drive--just expands the image file.
Click to expand...
The issue with that is that the backup image file will eventually grow, until all of the space is used. Once that occurs, it makes using your TC to host files other than your backups difficult.

Another option is to buy an inexpensive portable USB drive, and plug it into the back of the TC. The TC will share that drive out wirelessly, but will not use it for backups (so you don't have to worry about it stealing all of the space).

IMO, it would be cool if your Mac could tell the TC how large the backup file should get. If I had a 2TB TC, and could limit my Mac's maximum backup size to be 1.5TG, that'd still leave 500GB of space for me to dump other stuff on (i.e. sharing with others in the house, etc).
 
M

mwhities

macrumors 6502a
Jul 13, 2011
899
0
Mississippi
Best practice (I use it anyways.), id to use the TC asa TM device only and use and external drive for backup/scratch/etc device.

Good luck and I'm sorry I couldn't help with your issue.
 
bobr1952

bobr1952

macrumors 68020
Jan 21, 2008
2,040
39
Melbourne, FL
I actually have my Time Capsule doing double duty with the internal drive acting as Time Machine for my 2008 iMac (this is why I originally bought the Time Capsule) and have an external 1TB drive plugged into it--with two partitions--one acts as Time Capsule for my new rMBP and the other for networked data and my iTunes library.
 
Weaselboy

Weaselboy

Moderator
Staff member
Jan 23, 2005
34,156
15,645
California
bobr1952 said:
My understanding (correct me if I'm wrong) is that you wouldn't really need a separate partition for other data since Time Machine does not destroy files on the Time Capsule drive--just expands the image file.
Click to expand...

aristobrat said:
The issue with that is that the backup image file will eventually grow, until all of the space is used. Once that occurs, it makes using your TC to host files other than your backups difficult.
Click to expand...

A work around for this would be to decide how much space you want set aside for other files and make a fixed size sparse image in Disk Util and put that on the Time Capsule drive. So if you make say a 10GB sparse image and put it on the drive that 10GB will stay set aside for file sharing. You could even mount the DMG in the Finder sidebar. I think it would be pretty transparent and meet the need.
 
C

ccwestcliff

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 19, 2012
68
2
Toronto, ON
Thanks all for your ideas!

I might indeed go with the external drive option and use the TC just for backing up everything under the Sun :D (including the external drive btw ...)
 
Brian33

Brian33

macrumors 65816
Apr 30, 2008
1,424
354
USA (Virginia)
ccwestcliff said:
Thanks all for your ideas!

I might indeed go with the external drive option and use the TC just for backing up everything under the Sun :D (including the external drive btw ...)
Click to expand...

Just to let you know... Time Machine is not able to back up external hard drives that are connected to the Time Capsule USB port. Of course, TM can back up an external hard drive connected to a Mac via USB, Firewire, etc.; if that's what you meant you're OK.
 
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