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MacBook + AEBS + future 20" iMac + TM compatibility

C

CLuv

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Apr 9, 2007
293
2
Northern VA, USA
I just want to make sure I follow this right, it's pretty apparent as of right now that TM won't work with the AirDisk. Although, some post in here shows an Apple Rep saying that it will. Guess I'll find out soon enough.
Back to issue. Got my Mom to switch to Mac, she's getting her MacBook and the AEBS next weekend. Now, the family computer is an old Windows machine, but I plan to buy them a 20" iMac for Xmas (which is a total surprise for them) and toss the Windows box. From my understanding if I connect their 320GB external drive to the iMac directly in December, turn on Personal File Sharing in Leopard, my Mom should be able to use TM to backup wirelessly through the iMac's USB connection to the external. Am I correct in my thoughts? Yes, I know Firewire would be better, but it's a six year old PC I built myself so we had to go USB. Naturally my first idea when this conversion was in the works was to use the AirDisk, hopefully Apple gets this resolved (brought back). Especially since I bought the AEBS when it first came out for that specific purpose. Or maybe this just encourages me to buy myself an iMac............
 
CLuv said:
I just want to make sure I follow this right, it's pretty apparent as of right now that TM won't work with the AirDisk. Although, some post in here shows an Apple Rep saying that it will. Guess I'll find out soon enough.
Back to issue. Got my Mom to switch to Mac, she's getting her MacBook and the AEBS next weekend. Now, the family computer is an old Windows machine, but I plan to buy them a 20" iMac for Xmas (which is a total surprise for them) and toss the Windows box. From my understanding if I connect their 320GB external drive to the iMac directly in December, turn on Personal File Sharing in Leopard, my Mom should be able to use TM to backup wirelessly through the iMac's USB connection to the external. Am I correct in my thoughts? Yes, I know Firewire would be better, but it's a six year old PC I built myself so we had to go USB. Naturally my first idea when this conversion was in the works was to use the AirDisk, hopefully Apple gets this resolved (brought back). Especially since I bought the AEBS when it first came out for that specific purpose. Or maybe this just encourages me to buy myself an iMac............
Click to expand...

According to what's out there right now, it would appear so.
 
Thanks for the reply. I'm computer smart, but network stupid. I hope it does come back, since I'm strictly laptop now. No real room for a desktop now or a need. The iMac's are sweet though, and always tempting. I can't wait to get that PC out of the house and replaced with a shiny, new Mac. I can't tell you how many times I've reinstalled everything on that machine due to malware and spyware or the issue that is located between the screen and the chair, ha.
 
CLuv said:
Thanks for the reply. I'm computer smart, but network stupid. I hope it does come back, since I'm strictly laptop now. No real room for a desktop now or a need. The iMac's are sweet though, and always tempting. I can't wait to get that PC out of the house and replaced with a shiny, new Mac. I can't tell you how many times I've reinstalled everything on that machine due to malware and spyware or the issue that is located between the screen and the chair, ha.
Click to expand...

haha
 
There is two things I`d like to add.

First is that you will probably need to split that external harddrive into two partions, each for TM for each Mac you have at home (iMac and the macbook).

The second is that the iMac you`re buying will have to be power up all the time if TM on the macbook is gonna be set to hourly backups. This can ofcourse be avoided if you schedule the backups.

I`m ruuning leopard, but haven`t got external drive for TM yet so don`t kill me if I`m wrong on this.
 
The desktop now is usually on for the majority of the day, so that shouldn't be an issue. I will look more into the partition aspect.

-Thanks
 
leopard-launch-gal-57.png

leopard-launch-gal-61.png

Found these on Appleinsider's website, and it shows pics of Leopard from the retail verion.

Now maybe I'm reaching here, but in the first screenshot it shows the AEBS as Shared, and in the second screenshot it shows the AEBS as a Server. Anyone think it might still be possible that TM will work with a drive connected to the AEBS?

I know it's a stretch, but maybe, just maybe.
 
Do you have Leopard now? Word is some people have already received theirs in the mail today. So their might be a little hope then? My AirDisk stays mounted the whole time when I'm connected to my AEBS. I guess I've been lucky considering how many people seem to have issues with firmware 7.2.1 and I'm using Utility version 5.2.1(521.4). Maybe the 4 Port USB hub helps the connectivity? I doubt it would help keep the drive mounted, just a thought.
 
Czechmac said:
There is two things I`d like to add.

First is that you will probably need to split that external harddrive into two partions, each for TM for each Mac you have at home (iMac and the macbook).
Click to expand...
From apple.com
apple.com said:
The moment you choose a Time Machine drive, a single folder is created on the drive. Inside this folder is a subfolder for each Mac being backed up. (Yes, multiple Mac systems can share the same backup drive.)
Click to expand...
 
CLuv said:
Do you have Leopard now? Word is some people have already received theirs in the mail today. So their might be a little hope then? My AirDisk stays mounted the whole time when I'm connected to my AEBS. I guess I've been lucky considering how many people seem to have issues with firmware 7.2.1 and I'm using Utility version 5.2.1(521.4). Maybe the 4 Port USB hub helps the connectivity? I doubt it would help keep the drive mounted, just a thought.
Click to expand...

It in the mail. :)

I tried everything. Powered hubs, direct to AEBS. It stays up sometimes half a day, other times for half a minute. Time Machine needs a reliable connection. Let's hope 7.2.1 is not the last AEBS firmware upgrade. I have a gigabit one so downgrading to 7.1.1 is not an option. AU is the same as yours.
 
I agree, I hope it's not the last firmware. If Leopard doesn't support TM to an AEBS now, maybe an update to Leopard and a firmware update will help whatever issue caused it to be pulled from the release. I have the non-giga version, I bought mine when it first came out before they upgraded them to gigabit. Maybe that's why I'm not having an issue like others have posted in the forums.

I probably won't see my Leopard until next week, so enjoy.
 
CLuv said:
I agree, I hope it's not the last firmware. If Leopard doesn't support TM to an AEBS now, maybe an update to Leopard and a firmware update will help whatever issue caused it to be pulled from the release. I have the non-giga version, I bought mine when it first came out before they upgraded them to gigabit. Maybe that's why I'm not having an issue like others have posted in the forums.

I probably won't see my Leopard until next week, so enjoy.
Click to expand...

I will, thanks. :)

I am beginning to regret the AEBS purchase. On the other hand, its a great wireless router otherwise. Going to be running the WD MyBook via FW direct to the MB until the AEBS issue is resolved.
 
Yea, I'm regretting it a little now myself. I bought it like others due to that feature, I totally understand that the final might change, but with how many people use laptops now I figured that feature would stay due to how useful it is for a laptop. I wouldn't care that the initial backup would take forever, due to the sheer size and lack of speed of the AirDisk since the feature to me trumped that initial hassle.
Although I can't complain too much, since it's been great for me and my gf to both print wirelessly and we have been doing some backups to the drive already wirelessly with both laptops.
 
Went out and bought Leopard today, installed it. It's amazing, my Mom's going to love it when she gets her MacBook this weekend. I can't wait to get home and see how it's like on the AEBS and my Seagate Drive. Hello Time Machine. Wish Xmas was here now so I can drop off an iMac for my parents, and throw the PC out the Window. I knew there something good about the name "Windows", ha!

-Got TM to work with my AirDisk. Did my first backup directly connected to the MacBook, followed directions on the "hack", and it now shows up and I can access TM wirelessly. Now, just need to see if it'll do it's 2nd backup wirelessly. Will keep you posted.
 
Here it is. I think I messed it up a little, I did the Time Machine Backup before all of the steps in Terminal. It did use it, but started to redo it. Now I'm wondering how to delete the folder within Time Machine to start over. I can't get it to delete the folders, since it says Safari is in use. Safari is not running, don't see it in the Activity Monitor either. At a loss right now.

A@ron said:
Well thank me later :) I got it working fellas. It was there in front of our faces with the exception of doing a chown and chmod.

Someone else please confirm I will post steps.
1) disconnect airport disk and plug into computer as a USB drive directly.
2) Set up time machine to use this volume.
3) In terminal cd to volume "cd /Volume/HDD"
4) In terminal "touch .com.apple.timemachine.supported" this will create an invisible file.
5) In terminal "sudo chown root:admin .com.apple.timemachine.supported"
6) In terminal "sudo chmod 1775 .com.apple.timemachine.supported"
7) In terminal "ls -l -a" the .com.apple.timemachine.supported file should be -rwxrwxr-t
8) eject disk, unplug from mac, plug into Airport.
9) mount at mac using connect to server in finder (command k) and afp://airportname.local./HDname
10) see if time machine now sees the drive and tries to use it.
Click to expand...
 
CLuv said:
Here it is. I think I messed it up a little, I did the Time Machine Backup before all of the steps in Terminal. It did use it, but started to redo it. Now I'm wondering how to delete the folder within Time Machine to start over. I can't get it to delete the folders, since it says Safari is in use. Safari is not running, don't see it in the Activity Monitor either. At a loss right now.
Click to expand...

Thanks. I'll look into it & let you know how I fair.
 
Thanks, figured it out. What I did was stopped using the drive as a backup drive in Time Machine and then ejected the disk. From there, I disconnected the drive from Airport, and then connected it directly to my MacBook. From there, I was able to delete the original backup folder. Some items did not delete so I had to press and hold the Option Key while clicking on Empty. After that, I selected the drive as a backup disk, but did not run my first backup while directly connected. I then reconnected to the Airport, saw the drive, it did show as a Time Machine drive. From there, I held down the Control Key while clicking on the Time Machine icon on the Dock. From there I selected Backup Now to start my first backup wirelessly. I hope that helps.
 
Let TM run last night to complete my first TM backup. Obviously at some point during the night, the Airport disk was no longer available. So now it's running it's first backup again this morning. Will keep you all posted.
 
No real luck. Could never get past an initial backup wirelessly through TM. So I broke down and bought a WD Passport 250GB External Drive. It works great, and fits right into the front lip of my iLap.
On another note, got the 20" iMac earlier in the week. Took it out yesterday, and loaded everything up so my parents can just break it out and use it Xmas day. Still had Tiger, but it came with the drop in up-to-date Leopard disc. Base model with a wireless Mighty Mouse and 2GB of RAM, more then what they'll need, but it works great and they are sexy. Now just need to see if it will do a TM backup through the iMac for the MacBook. Crossing fingers.......
 
thanks to everyone and merry xmas. The rents love the iMac, Time Machine works great over the network as a shared drive for the macbook, and everyone is now fully Apple. As I post this from my new iPhone that I got for Xmas on top of the AppleTV my gf got me.
 
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