AirPort Capsule help needed please

bluewomble88 said:

Hi

Sorry but I'm a noob to this.

I just set up an AirPort Time Capsule 2TB for Time Machine needs. Both my wife and I have Macbook's. Last night I successfully backed up my machine to it but I have a few questions....

1. The DATA icon on the desktop takes a long time to appear on the desktop when I boot up. Is this normal?
2. The TIME MACHINE folder in the AirPort doesn't show at all until after it backs up. I can, however, enter time machine as normal although it takes a very long time for all previous backups to show and become selectable. Again, is this normal?
3. The DATA folder that I see on the desktop - is that the hard drive portion of the device? In other words, can I simply start saving my work here like any other hard drive?
4. Finally (and most crucially), if 2 Mac's are using Time Machine with this AirPort, how do I make sure the backups are not being mixed up? Are they all put in the same place or is there a way to keep them apart in case I need to boot from a previous state?

Many thanks.

Click to expand...

1) well by default behavior the only time data should appear on your desktop is when time machine is trying to login the disk and run a backup. from what i've seen it automatically ejects after the back up is finished. from what i have seen if time machine isn't actually processing a backup, the time machine disk "data" isn't even mounted.


2 ) is normal i think that is what i see. if you want to speed up this progress you can make an auto login to data at boot/login so it is always available

3) yes you can save anything you feel like in the data folder but stay out of the sparse bundles. don't even try to run disk utility on a sparse bundle file, you will fry it and have to start backing up from scratch

4) you don't have to worry. you can back up multiple macs to the same time capsule. the time capsule will put them their own sparse bundles. i think the only thing you have to do is not to use the same name for the computers

tips:
try to use ethernet to make the first full backup
when using external hard drives via a usb cable (and not a time capsule) it is recommended that each computer have its own partition on the external hard drive to backup to.
try using the separate wifi name for the 5ghz network. so a computer will try and stay on 5ghz

a lot of computers I've seen simply want to jump on the 2.4ghz wifi network simply because the signal
is stronger. and 2.4 ghz will slow your backup

back up your time capsule to an external hard disk using airport utility often

consider signing up for APPLECARE. an applecare plan on a mac (desktop or laptop) will cover all your airport extreme base stations and time capsules for 2 years before you registered your applecare to the 3 years of applecare warranty.. for a total of 5 years. keep those receipts!!!! besides having a computer covered under applecare there are no other applecare contracts available for wireless routers

bluewomble88 said:

Thanks for your reply.



Just a couple of follow-up questions...



1. You said the DATA icon only shows on the desktop when a backup is going to be run. However, since we've established that folder is to be used as a regular HD, it would be nice to have that icon on the desktop permanently. At the moment I have to go into Finder and select from there. Is there any way I can have the DATA folder showing on the desktop at all times, even before a backup?



2. You're 2nd point in your response probably answers what I've just asked (above). However, could you please clarify what you meant by setting up an auto-login as I don't understand what that means?



3. You mentioned backing up the Time Capsule to an external HD using AirPort utility. I'm not sure what that means. I currently have the newly installed AirPort Capsule and my existing WD 2TB external HD - they are now both set to alternate between each other during Time Machine backups. Is that what you meant?



Many thanks for reading.

Click to expand...

1. You can add the Data drive to your login options on your Mac.

2. It would mount the drive every time you log into your machine.

3. You can plug an external hard drive into the USB port on the Time Capsule and set that as a Time Machine location too. With an external drive, many recommend setting partitions for each computer backing up to it. This is not necessary on the internal "Data" Time Capsule drive.

bluewomble88 said:

Thanks for your reply.

Exactly how do I add the data drive to my login options?

Click to expand...

Go to --> System Preferences --> Users and Groups --> Your User Name --> Login Items --> Drag the "Data" drive from your desktop into that area.

3. You mentioned backing up the Time Capsule to an external HD using AirPort utility. I'm not sure what that means. I currently have the newly installed AirPort Capsule and my existing WD 2TB external HD - they are now both set to alternate between each other during Time Machine backups. Is that what you meant?

Many thanks for reading.[/QUOTE]

if you use airport utility and click on disks you are given 2 choices
one is erase disk, which erases the disk, heh don't click on that one

and the other is archive disk. if you connect a usb hard disk to the time capsule you can click on archive disk to backup everything on your time capsule to another hard drive. i was suggesting you to let the airport utility program to archive your time capsule once in a while.