Time Capsule Powered Off, Won't Power Back On

My Time Capsule also just stopped working. I took it in for service and found out that, indeed, the power supply has been crap in all Time Capsules. They are unable to extract the information saved on the harddrive, but they did offer me a discount so that a new 1 TB Time Crapsule (spelling intentional) is a cheap $249. YEAH RIGHT. I paid $300 in summer of 2009 to basically rent a wireless router for $150 a year. This is a terrible way to treat your customers. Like the rest of the universe, I have patronized Apple for far too long. I would have been better off buying a $30 router and replacing it every 6 months if necessary in comparison to the kind of service Apple has shown me, and considering that the whole gimmick of the automatic back-up function has now proven to be completely worthless. I deserve a functioning time capsule, whether it's my old one with a replaced power supply, or a new one (although to have to deal with this time sucking situation again in two years is not appealing). This is frustrating to say the least, and I feel as if I have been had in an expensive scam.

I have many friends who have gotten frustrated with Apple's "planned obsolescence" but I always thought at the end of the day it was worth it. I have changed my mind. There are many products out there of equal quality (doesn't take much, obviously) for much less cost. I will be taking my business elsewhere until Apple can back up their products with the service it requires to keep them running.

I completely agree. this should not be legal what they are doing. you don't sell a faulty product and get away with it not working. I can't believe there has not been a recall on this product. Why would you want a discount on another piece of s**t?! the product is obsolete anyway. They should replace of fix all Time Capsules at no cost to the consumer!

Agree. Apple has to do something about it.

The answer is either to repair the TC or buy yourself a good wireless router and an external HD.

You can then work through your router without the fear of any of it bombing out withour warning. Should you be unfortunate enough to experience a failure then it is easily repaired or inexpensivly replaced.You probably already have a spare router.

However be aware that some routers can't handle Apple's Bonjour which is more "au revoir" when trying to print and/or scan using a wireless network that works through non Apple products.

I ran my network from my router with an external HD as back up no problem. I did however choose to repaire mine as Apple told me it was a throw away unit and could not be repaired. Just to prove them wrong I got it fixed. The power supply has plugs? So how is it that it is not repairable. A simple power supply replacement would fix most of the dead TCs.

Well mine just stopped working today. When I pluig it in it comes on for about 10 seconds with an orange light and then just goes off all by itself. This really *****. Ironic that the computer last longer than the storage device for backups.

Ripped of by Apple wrote:

A simple power supply replacement would fix most of the dead TCs.

This is the bit that gets me too.. the power supply couldn't cost more than $20 in the numbers that Apple order in.. probably less. Once you have the bottom off the actual change over of the power supply is a 1min job.. and that is taking a break in the middle. The whole time to complete.. 30min perhaps. Even if they charged what I as a repairer do, around $100 the labour portion would still be well covered. It is impossible to fathom the reasoning. Other than a desire to cover a mistake and refuse to accept there is a fundamental flaw in the cooling.

Because it's just not worth the hassle to do it.

If the device is covered by AppleCare because it was purchased with a machine, it's easier to give you a new one.

If it's out of warranty, it's not worth the hassle to keep power supplies and such in the supply chain.

Your list of repair folks from your Google site is the best approach for people needing a fix.

Bob,

My TimeCapsule (3rd Gen) went die last two days ago and awhile ago I went to Apple Genius Bar to tell the problem. They take it out the hard drive and suggested to buy HDD enclosure at Best Buy. So I bought a 3.5" rocketfish SATA hard drive with USB 3.0. I was able to access the hard drive but my files are gone. If I'm going to have my power supply repari, would they able to recover my files (most of them pictures)? Note: I didn't use my TC as a back-up drive rather it was external HD.

Thanks in advance.

sincerely,

avens006

avens006 wrote:

Bob,

My TimeCapsule (3rd Gen) went die last two days ago and awhile ago I went to Apple Genius Bar to tell the problem. They take it out the hard drive and suggested to buy HDD enclosure at Best Buy. So I bought a 3.5" rocketfish SATA hard drive with USB 3.0. I was able to access the hard drive but my files are gone. If I'm going to have my power supply repari, would they able to recover my files (most of them pictures)? Note: I didn't use my TC as a back-up drive rather it was external HD.

Thanks in advance.

sincerely,

avens006

Generally fixing the TC will give you full access to the drive.. Your trouble with access from USB is probably permissions depending on how you set up the drive in the TC. You can get access to the files from Linux or even using hfs+ explorer on a windows PC. Doubtless somebody knows a Mac method to achieve the same thing.

ps. I am not Bob but I am sure he will forgive me.

Thank you for your reply.

Hello LaPastenague,

Do you know of any repairers in the US that will do your new (method 3) fix of the Time Capsule? I would like to get my TC repaired by one of your recommened technicians. Thank you in advance.

minchman wrote:

Hello LaPastenague,

Do you know of any repairers in the US that will do your new (method 3) fix of the Time Capsule? I would like to get my TC repaired by one of your recommened technicians. Thank you in advance.

No, it is as you noted new and rather different.. I am awaiting info from others who are running them for reports of issues.. so far so good btw.. I think one has been in the field for 6months now.

The cisco power supply is still the current method which IMHO offers the best long term solution.. rebuilding the existing power supply depends on keeping the fan running 24/7 which will end up in failure of the fan or it getting clogged with dust. The cisco is great and cheap.

Long term I would like to get a power supply designed and made in bulk in China.. it would come out so cheap.. !! And also build a cooler base.

Today my Time Capsule (MB765Z/A, 1TB) died after 25 months of use, too. After calling Apple, where they said that my capsule isn’t in the magic number range (which I already knew before), I opened the Time Capsule and was surprised to find a WD Black Caviar instead of a WD Green in it. I thought the second generations were refit with Greens. So no wonder that there are still thermal problems, not even regarding the internal PSU.

In a way it is unfair that some users without Apple Care and with an out-of-warranty Time Capsule get a replacement, while others do not.

Magic number range is finished as they are all over 3years old now, which was always the cut off point.

AppleCare is not unfair.. it is an inducement to spend more money.. if you don't want it you don't have to buy it.. no use crying after the event you didn't buy it... harsh but true. Same with any extended warranty. Remember you can buy a Mac tomorrow and use that warranty to cover your dead TC. Well if you didn't open it that is.

THere is a whole bunch of drives used. IMHO the power difference is minimal ..we have done heat load and temperature testing.. reported on my website and the difference is minimal. It is more programmed spin down etc is faster.. anyway a black caviar is a far superior drive. Just replace the power supply and it will still work fine, since you have opened it anyway.. go the whole hog.

Ok, I say it in other words: it is unfair that in some cases people with their Macs out of(!) AppleCare get their TimeCapsules replaced (even if the TimeCapsule is not in warranty), while other people in the same situation get nothing. I didn’t say AppleCare is unfair.

Also the whole magic number thing was a real bogus. The later models have all the same design flaw as the first generation model. The effect is that the quality of the used capacitors and other parts is not important because heat kills hardware in generally.

But you are right. Now it is open and a repair is the last chance to get the TimeCapsule back to work.