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Time Capsule Slow
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Yes, network backups are always slow. Time Capsule or Airport Extreme. The good thing is that after the first backup, though, only changes are backed up, making each back up size much smaller.
The full backup, which I did after I got my TC two months ago, was very slow, too. That first backup took 20 hours to backup 80 GB. But the problem isn’t limited to backups, as I will explain.
I have thought for some time that my TC took longer to copy files to its hard drive from my MB Pro than was required to copy the same files to my XP desktop machine, which is on the same network. My suspicions were first aroused when I saw how much quicker backups of my Quicken 2008 files were when I made them to the XP desktop than had been the case when I was copying them to the TC. The desktop machine is connected to the TC’s router via Ethernet.
Today, I was able to demonstrate just how slow the TC’s hard drive is. I transferred an MP4 movie file, which was about 2.4 GB, from my MB Pro to the TC and the transfer took 18 minutes. Then, I copied the same file from the same place to an external 250 GB drive, which is connected to the XP desktop machine via a FireWire 400 connection, and the transfer took only 8 minutes.
I wish I knew what was going on, but I don’t. Both transfers were made wirelessly over the same 802.11n (802.11b/g compatible) network, for which the TC is the router. It would seem to me, therefore, that a transfer to the TC should have been as fast or faster than a transfer to the external drive of another computer on the network. It looks like Apple still has some work to do on the TC.
I have thought for some time that my TC took longer to copy files to its hard drive from my MB Pro than was required to copy the same files to my XP desktop machine, which is on the same network. My suspicions were first aroused when I saw how much quicker backups of my Quicken 2008 files were when I made them to the XP desktop than had been the case when I was copying them to the TC. The desktop machine is connected to the TC’s router via Ethernet.
Today, I was able to demonstrate just how slow the TC’s hard drive is. I transferred an MP4 movie file, which was about 2.4 GB, from my MB Pro to the TC and the transfer took 18 minutes. Then, I copied the same file from the same place to an external 250 GB drive, which is connected to the XP desktop machine via a FireWire 400 connection, and the transfer took only 8 minutes.
I wish I knew what was going on, but I don’t. Both transfers were made wirelessly over the same 802.11n (802.11b/g compatible) network, for which the TC is the router. It would seem to me, therefore, that a transfer to the TC should have been as fast or faster than a transfer to the external drive of another computer on the network. It looks like Apple still has some work to do on the TC.
Yeah it's a huge bummer - try doing the first backup over 802.11g!!! Aaaah so slow! Like the previous poster said, after the first one, it's no big deal.
However, it still sucks up some network bandwidth during backups, and it takes a while to mount the backup image. There are faster solutions out there, but I think these tradeoffs are just fine considering that every computer in the household is backed up effortlessly to one drive.
However, it still sucks up some network bandwidth during backups, and it takes a while to mount the backup image. There are faster solutions out there, but I think these tradeoffs are just fine considering that every computer in the household is backed up effortlessly to one drive.
I cant even contemplate doing a full backup to a TC at 802.11g speeds, for this way live madness.
I have a love-hate relationship with my TC. It is slow and it can be unstable but it works. Now that I have finally got it configured so that I can usually maximize its strengths and avoid most of its weaknesses, I like it and am glad I bought it.
I'm aware of that, of course, but nevertheless decided to do my initial backup wirelessly in order to test the stability of my network. It worked, so the 20 hours it took turned out not to have been wasted. Would I do it again? Are you kidding?
Hahaha at least your network is stable!I'm aware of that, of course, but nevertheless decided to do my initial backup wirelessly in order to test the stability of my network. It worked, so the 20 hours it took turned out not to have been wasted. Would I do it again? Are you kidding?
My network is stable now but it hasn't always been that way. Fortunately, though, ever since I gave up on using my old router as part of the network and setup the TC in 802.11n (802.11b/g compatible) mode, it's been pretty good. The 802.11n only, 5 GHz setting turned out to be a nightmare.Hahaha at least your network is stable!
Time Machine slow with TC
I also have been having issues with Time Capsule being slow over wifi. When I pull up Time Machine it is VERY sluggish in selecting a backup date from the timeline or hitting the back arrow to move backwards in time. Is anyone else experiencing this? Is there any way to aleviate it?
Also, at times I hit the backwards arrow and it does not find what I am looking for, but I then hit the forward arrow and it stops at a date where there was a change. It missed that date when I initially hit the back arrow.
Just not so reliable it seems.
I also have been having issues with Time Capsule being slow over wifi. When I pull up Time Machine it is VERY sluggish in selecting a backup date from the timeline or hitting the back arrow to move backwards in time. Is anyone else experiencing this? Is there any way to aleviate it?
Also, at times I hit the backwards arrow and it does not find what I am looking for, but I then hit the forward arrow and it stops at a date where there was a change. It missed that date when I initially hit the back arrow.
Just not so reliable it seems.
Slow Time Capsule data transfer (wired)
I am transferring ca. 1Gb and have been told that it will take 40 minutes at the start of the transfer. I have put an ethernet connection between my MacBook Pro and the TC, but I am wondering given the slow speed whether the ethernet connection is being used, or whether somehow the transfer is happening over the Wifi anyway - can I find out somehow? how long should I expect 1Gb to take over a ethernet connection?
I am transferring ca. 1Gb and have been told that it will take 40 minutes at the start of the transfer. I have put an ethernet connection between my MacBook Pro and the TC, but I am wondering given the slow speed whether the ethernet connection is being used, or whether somehow the transfer is happening over the Wifi anyway - can I find out somehow? how long should I expect 1Gb to take over a ethernet connection?