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Jaxanne

Q: Airport Time Capsule disk error

My second generation 1TB Airport Time Capsule has been in use for the past 5 years as a reliable wifi router and back up disk.  Suddenly I cannot connect to the internet (light never goes green) and one of the disgnostic message in airport utility is there is a disk error.  I have tried soft and hard resets with no luck.  Any ideas?  Should I try and erase the disk? (Ihave another backup).

MacBook

Posted on May 10, 2014 9:17 AM

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Q: Airport Time Capsule disk error

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  • by John Galt,

    John Galt John Galt May 10, 2014 6:40 PM in response to Jaxanne
    Level 8 (49,154 points)
    Mac OS X
    May 10, 2014 6:40 PM in response to Jaxanne

    An solid amber LED on a Time Capsule that never begins flashing means its hard disk has failed.

     

    Should I try and erase the disk?

     

    You can try that, but success is unlikely.

  • by LaPastenague,

    LaPastenague LaPastenague May 10, 2014 7:43 PM in response to Jaxanne
    Level 9 (52,541 points)
    Wireless
    May 10, 2014 7:43 PM in response to Jaxanne

    2nd Gen TC used a WD black caviar drive and they are becoming unreliable. If the TC has managed to boot the drive errors at least have not stopped the boot but the errors can be serious.

     

    You can open the TC, remove the drive and test it.. sometimes the drives are ok.. or you can replace it.. not recommended as it is really not economic.

     

    The power supply is the other source of the problem.. sometimes the disk is actually ok, but the power supply has lost capacity to spin up the drive. Again remove the drive and test it in a USB holder if you want to check it.

     

    If the drive actually works ok. then the TC needs a replacement power supply.. there are plenty of these available on ebay if you do a search. It is IMHO worthwhile for just a power supply as the actual hardware of the Gen2 is very solid.. it just needs that part replaced to work well. Combined cost of power supply and disk makes it better to buy a new TC.

     

    See details here to remove the hard disk.

     

    http://www.ifixit.com/Device/Apple_Time_Capsule

  • by Jaxanne,Helpful

    Jaxanne Jaxanne May 10, 2014 10:28 PM in response to John Galt
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 10, 2014 10:28 PM in response to John Galt

    Thanks John.  The amber light goes from solid to flashing, just never goes to green.

  • by Jaxanne,Helpful

    Jaxanne Jaxanne May 10, 2014 10:29 PM in response to LaPastenague
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 10, 2014 10:29 PM in response to LaPastenague

    Many thanks La Pastenague.  Looking depressingly like it will not be feasible to repair it.  Good advice.