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Time Machine Now Works with Airport Extreme USB Drives

Time Machine is vaguely working for me, but the original backup is glacially slow. I can't do a direct backup first; I had a previous Time Machine archive on the drive that I networked with the AEBS, but this previous archive wasn't recognized when I hooked it up to the AEBS. When the drive is networked, the backup seems to be stored in a .sparsebundle package rather than a direct backups.backupdb folder.

Any thoughts on how one would go about creating a Time Machine archive with the drive directly connected and then attach the drive to the AEBS and have the just-created archive be recognized?
 
will this work with a multiple USB hub?
I was wondering if I could have a printer AND a hard drive connect to just 1 USB port in my airport extreme so I can print wirelessly, and backup wirelessly at the same time.
 
Sladuuch said:
Time Machine is vaguely working for me, but the original backup is glacially slow. I can't do a direct backup first; I had a previous Time Machine archive on the drive that I networked with the AEBS, but this previous archive wasn't recognized when I hooked it up to the AEBS. When the drive is networked, the backup seems to be stored in a .sparsebundle package rather than a direct backups.backupdb folder.

Any thoughts on how one would go about creating a Time Machine archive with the drive directly connected and then attach the drive to the AEBS and have the just-created archive be recognized?
Click to expand...

I connected USB drive to AEBS first, started time machine backup. Was hella slow....stopped TM....disconnected USB drive....direct connected....TM started right up and continued archiving to the same sparse image that I had interrupted.
Once backup is done, I will reconnect to AEBS and hopefully all is well. I'll let u know.
 
ummm....no luck so-far

So I hooked up my hard-drive that I was currently using via usb for Time machine, into my airport extreme. And yeah I guess it thinks it can back up to it. But it has image writing issues and then doesn't work. Any sudgestions??
 
StealthRider said:
Might want to get the whole anger thing checked out. It's probably not healthy. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

I might have too, but its only on the internet, in real life I am nice. I don't know what it is.

Str8edgepunker said:
What do you mean? Isn't that what time capsule does? :confused:

Anyway, this news is really awesome. Thanks Apple!
Click to expand...

what? I said addons, stop making more an more things to add to the mac, just make one simple box that does everything that this thing is saying it can do.:eek::)

jfull15 said:
yeah, time capsule & you can have your backups into one machine, just partition the hard drive.. what's your problem with add-ons? this is jus tan option for people who have AEBS and want wireless backup but can't get Time Capsule. I don' quite understand your anger?
Click to expand...

why does everyone assume I am angry jesus!

UCLA-Bruin said:
Time Machine Error
The backup disk image could not be created.

View attachment 108649
Click to expand...

hahhah see that really sucks, ADDONS stop making false equipment.
 
andy721 said:
what? I said addons, stop making more an more things to add to the mac, just make one simple box that does everything that this thing is saying it can do.:eek::)
Click to expand...
That'd be Time Capsule..! Which came out after AEBS to solve the exact problem you mention.

Apple make a lot of things - and a lot of them aren't useful to a lot of people, your proposed box doesn't sound very "simple" to me. XD

Saying that, the audio streaming from the express could really have been included in TC and AEBS. :/
 
c104 said:
I connected USB drive to AEBS first, started time machine backup. Was hella slow....stopped TM....disconnected USB drive....direct connected....TM started right up and continued archiving to the same sparse image that I had interrupted.
Once backup is done, I will reconnect to AEBS and hopefully all is well. I'll let u know.
Click to expand...

Update: TM Backup completed on direct USB connect to MacBookPro. Ejected ext HD.
Reconnected ext HD back into AEBS. It mounted. Started TM from menu pull-down.
It updated the same sparse image on Ext HD successfully.

Components:
17" MacBook Pro first rev.
10.5.2
AEBS
Belkin 4 port USB2 Hub
MyBook 1 TB ext HD triple-interface
 
A Question for Technically Apt Folks

I have a problem I hope can be hacked or something....

Here's the thing: I have a MacBook, so I'm a fan of mobility. But, say I want to use Time Machine on the move. I have to wait until I am hooked up to my external hard drive, which isn't the portable kind. Is there any way to access it over the Internet if it's hooked up to my AirPort Extreme?
 
This is good news. Finally, Apple is doing what is right.

Now, for the love of god, let's get AirTunes on Airport Extreme and Time Capsule (obviously in the next hardware revision).
 
It was quite obvious they were going to do this. Promise something, not deliver it, bring out a separate product to do it which loads of people will buy, then do the free thing anyway. Its good business.
 
Transfer Speed

Does anyone know what kind of transfer speeds we can expect off this? The Extreme has a gigabit Ethernet port, so it should be pretty fast.

Perhaps someone could post the results of "time cp /Volumes/AirportDrive/largefile ~/"?
 
Definitely ONLY for Extreme, NOT Express

Apple has a comparison chart, which is up-to-date (shows the new "n" AirPort Express). The Express' USB port is only for printing (officially, at least).

http://www.apple.com/wifi/
"USB port -- For printers only"

Sp the ability to connect a hard disk (for Time Machine or otherwise) is NOT present in the Express, only the Extreme and the Time Capsule. Those two devices say, on the same chart, "For printers and external hard drive."
 
Steven.nevets said:
Perfect! The Time Capsule is just too expensive, but Airport is much cheaper. Then, I can find a 500 gb or so on sale, and get an inexpensive back up solution.

I also find it so interesting that Apple pretty much never mentioned taking it out, or putting it back in. Almost like their iPod touch calendar event "bug fix".
Click to expand...

FutureShop has 500GB Lacie drives (the Porsche one) on sale every time I open their flyer. I paid $139 for mine and, so far, it works fine. (Go figure. They're not on sale this week. $275)

I think the Time Capsule is a better option if you don't already have an Airport Extreme. $330 vs. $200 + $140

-Squire
 
nagromme said:
Apple has a comparison chart, which is up-to-date (shows the new "n" AirPort Express). The Express' USB port is only for printing (officially, at least).

http://www.apple.com/wifi/
"USB port -- For printers only"

Sp the ability to connect a hard disk (for Time Machine or otherwise) is NOT present in the Express, only the Extreme and the Time Capsule. Those two devices say, on the same chart, "For printers and external hard drive."
Click to expand...
Has anyone here actually tried disks with the new Airport Express? Does it definitely not work?
 
Nice one, but I've got 2 more questions:

1.) will TimeMachine now work with other WLAN routers as well? Like: ext. HDD attached via LAN -> router -> TimeMachine? Or is it limited to AirportExtreme?

2.) Can I use an USB-hub to connect both a printer AND an ext. HDD to AirportExtreme? If so I'll probably get one. <- forget about this. I should've taken a closer look at the description @ the Apple website. Connecting a hub should work.
 
MacRumors said:
Apple had originally advertised these "AirPort Disk" wireless backups as a feature for Leopard[]
Click to expand...

Just curious: Where exactly had Apple "advertised" this feature? Could we make that clear, once and for all?

skinnylegs said:
I think I must be missing something here. Somebody please explain to me what advantage this has (for desktop computer owners) to simply plugging an external HD into a USB outlet. I'm not trying to be a smart-arse; I really don't understand.
Click to expand...

One big advantage is that the backup drive can be hidden away in a cupboard where a burglar won't find it. If you have say two Mac Pros, and they are both stolen, your insurance might pay for the hardware, but they won't pay for the backup that you lost because the thieves also took your external drive.
 
So can you connect an external hard drive that's been partitioned (one half for time machine and the other half for personal files), and be able to use Time Machine with just the time machine partition and still be able to access the second partition for files?
 
After updating Time Machine, I can't get my external drive connected to my AirPort Extreme Base station on either one of my Macs. I don't think this really works at all with USB drives.
 
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