HT202174: How to verify or erase an AirPort Time Capsule disk

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Pmoore43

Q: unable to erase old time machine

I have installed a new Airport Time Machine and need to erase the old Time Machine. I was told to plug it in to a power source and it will erase the files. How do I direct it to do that?

MacBook (13-inch Aluminum Late 2008), iOS 7.0.3

Posted on Nov 10, 2015 6:05 PM

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Q: unable to erase old time machine

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  • by UGADog,Helpful

    UGADog UGADog Nov 10, 2015 6:16 PM in response to Pmoore43
    Level 4 (1,902 points)
    Mac OS X
    Nov 10, 2015 6:16 PM in response to Pmoore43

    You mean time capsule?  Time machine is an app, Time Capsule hardware.

  • by Pmoore43,

    Pmoore43 Pmoore43 Nov 10, 2015 6:17 PM in response to UGADog
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 10, 2015 6:17 PM in response to UGADog

    Yes, I meant time capsule.

  • by UGADog,Solvedanswer

    UGADog UGADog Nov 10, 2015 6:20 PM in response to Pmoore43
    Level 4 (1,902 points)
    Mac OS X
    Nov 10, 2015 6:20 PM in response to Pmoore43

    Ok, assuming you have the time capsule up and running, you connect to its disk and use disk utility to erase the contents of the Time Capsule disk.  Use spotlight search at top right (magnifying glass) to find Disk Utility.   What version of OS X are you running?

  • by Pmoore43,

    Pmoore43 Pmoore43 Nov 10, 2015 6:23 PM in response to UGADog
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 10, 2015 6:23 PM in response to UGADog

    El Capitan 10.11.1

    The reason I question this method is that the instructions were for plugging in the old one. He told me not to plug in the ethernet cable, just the power cord. This makes no sense since Airport Utility can't recognize the capsule.

  • by UGADog,Helpful

    UGADog UGADog Nov 10, 2015 6:30 PM in response to Pmoore43
    Level 4 (1,902 points)
    Mac OS X
    Nov 10, 2015 6:30 PM in response to Pmoore43

    I agree.  This makes no sense.  Time Capsules do not format a drive simply because they are plugged in.  They do not know how to format or erase and need a computer for those functions.  So it has to be connected and the former owner should have followed something like these directions before selling it.

  • by Pmoore43,

    Pmoore43 Pmoore43 Nov 10, 2015 6:31 PM in response to UGADog
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 10, 2015 6:31 PM in response to UGADog

    I am the owner. I installed the new one yesterday. I am trying to erase this old one so that I can dispose of it properly.

  • by UGADog,

    UGADog UGADog Nov 10, 2015 6:36 PM in response to Pmoore43
    Level 4 (1,902 points)
    Mac OS X
    Nov 10, 2015 6:36 PM in response to Pmoore43

    Ok, the menu's will be a little different in El Capitan, but basically you want to erase with a security feature like the one in there that makes it much harder if not impossible to restore your old data with file recovery software.  In El Capitan, you select your drive, click erase, then Security Options at the bottom left of the window that opens.  It let's you choose from fast to completely (almost) secure.  The more secure you get the longer it will take.  I think the most secure overwrites data something like 8 times so it will take days to overwrite a 2TB HDD with that.  Probably 1/3 from fastest is good enough unless you're into to NSA type security.

  • by Grant Bennet-Alder,

    Grant Bennet-Alder Grant Bennet-Alder Nov 10, 2015 6:43 PM in response to UGADog
    Level 9 (60,714 points)
    Desktops
    Nov 10, 2015 6:43 PM in response to UGADog

    One click off the default is good enough for non-Military secrets, After that write zeroes pass, you would have to dis-assemble the drive in a clean room to get substantial amounts of data off it.

     

    If it feels better, you can use random data, but there is no need to overwrite three times -- it just takes three times as long. and 35 times is just nonsense.

     

    -----

     

    just for completeness, a quick erase is all that is needed for non-Military secrets on an SSD drive. That scrambles the block numbers and makes all the data completely disorganized as well as unavailable. No need to write into every block.

  • by Pmoore43,

    Pmoore43 Pmoore43 Nov 10, 2015 8:09 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 10, 2015 8:09 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

    I understand the multiple passes to securely erase files. I have done that in the past using software for old computers. What I am asking is how the old capsule should be hooked up so that it can be read by the computer but not interfere with the ethernet setting.

  • by Pmoore43,

    Pmoore43 Pmoore43 Nov 11, 2015 6:06 AM in response to Pmoore43
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 11, 2015 6:06 AM in response to Pmoore43

    Still waiting on an answer to how the my old time capsule should be plugged in to erase the files that are on it. The files have already been copied to the new capsule. Should it be plugged into the USB on the computer in order to respond?

  • by UGADog,

    UGADog UGADog Nov 11, 2015 7:07 AM in response to Pmoore43
    Level 4 (1,902 points)
    Mac OS X
    Nov 11, 2015 7:07 AM in response to Pmoore43

    The USB on a time capsule is only good for USB disk drives and printer connections.  I've been hesitating to answer because I haven't tried it, but I would link old TC to new TC via ethernet.  It won't cause ethernet issues with your configuration but I am unsure if you will "see" the old TC disk in Disk Utility with that set up.  If you see it it, erase and disconnect and you are done.  Once removed your network should be as it was before you connected it. 

  • by Bob Timmons,

    Bob Timmons Bob Timmons Nov 11, 2015 9:16 AM in response to UGADog
    Level 10 (105,008 points)
    Wireless
    Nov 11, 2015 9:16 AM in response to UGADog

    Disk Utility is not used to erase the Time Capsule disk......you might have meant to say AirPort Utility.

     

    If the Time Capsule is not connected to the network at all at this point, power it up and connect an Ethernet cable from your Mac to one of the three LAN <--> ports on the Time Capsule.

     

    If the Time Capsule is connected to your network, follow the same steps

     

    Open Finder > Applications > Utilities > AirPort Utility

    Click on the picture of the Time Capsule

    Click Edit in the smaller window that appears

    Click the Disks tab at the top of the next window

    Click Erase Disk

     

    Erase Disk 1.png

     

    The next window that will appear will present different erase options.

    Choose the Zero Out Data option if you plan to sell the Time Capsule to another individual. Allow 4-6 hours, on average for this procedure

    Choose the Quick Erase option if you plan to keep the Time Capsule yourself. This procedure will only take a minute or two

    Click Erase

     

    Screen Shot 2015-11-11 at 11.00.33 AM.png

     

    If you choose the Zero Out Data option, a good time to do this might be late at night, right before you head to bed. Then, the operation will be complete well before the next morning and you can have your Mac back for normal use on your network.

  • by Bob Timmons,

    Bob Timmons Bob Timmons Nov 11, 2015 9:26 AM in response to Pmoore43
    Level 10 (105,008 points)
    Wireless
    Nov 11, 2015 9:26 AM in response to Pmoore43

    Meant to reply to you on the message above.