Can not delete sparsebundle backup

here is possibly an easier solution to deleting the sparsebundle.

follow the steps Chairman Gaud listed:
"Open Network (not Time Machine hd)
Then from Network choose Data
Then Sparsebundle..
Holding Control click sparsebundle and you get open Package contents"

... but instead of going into the BANDS folder, right click on the token and take the check mark out of the locked box and close. after this, select delete.

this should work

Thanks a lot to rosskopp. This makes sense.

It should be included into the documentation, that this is a simple way to delete a sparsebundle backup. And it works. Without any terminal commands ect..

The problem I run into, is when I try to delete the files in the bands folder, it may delete 2000....and then freeze....or 5000...and freeze....or only 200...etc etc etc. However, if you can "restart" the finder (from Force Quit) before each deletion, and then select around 3-5000 & hit "trash", the freezing goes away in large part. Once and awhile it may still freeze up half way through, but generally, if you restart the finder before each deletion, it seems to go more predictably and reliably....just beware of taking "too big a bite" each time....

Rosskopp, The Unlock box (in the Get info dialogue box?) was not checked for the "token" file file in my case. Are you suggesting simply deleting the "token" file will 'delete' the sparsebundle or allow for it to be deleted manually? Can you please clarify? Apologies if I'm missing an obvious point.

Thanks.

Welcome here vikg,

I think the solution with the "token" file came about, as some of us experienced that it was not possible to delete the sparsebundle, as the system reported "token is locked" or something like that. If token is locked, then you need to get it unlocked in some way.

If you do not have the "locked token" issue then you should be able to go on to delete the sparseimage right away.

Message was edited by: John Christiansen

John, If only it were that easy. I'm having the same issue as others where the delete progress bar doesn't seem to move. I suppose I can try the deleting bands method. I was hoping this token method may save me the pain.

I'm sorry, but my knowledge on this - as on most other things in life - is limited. I would suggest to try to mail or call Apple directly. I guess that it is not an option to just erase and start over with the TC for you? Good luck.

Us all 🙂. Just talked to Applecare ... the only option they provide is erasing the whole disk if the individual delete doesn't work. Said deleting the bands folder can have unpredictable results. Guessing they had no clue other than the nuclear option so this was a scripted response. Thanks.

Hi,

Sorry to hear that Apple could not provide more help. Do you have Apple Care on the Time Capsule?

Have you tried to disconnect all computers and restart the device - it is a TC, right? Pull out the plug and wait some seconds and restart it, and remember to access it from the Finder.

I have read quite complicated suggestions on manipulation of the sparsebundles, but never managed to get them to work myself but they includes termnial commands.

Decided it would be quicker to erase the entire drive on the TC and re-backup all machines, rather than go thru the mental and physical/time expense of doing a manual delete. Figured the wear and tear on the TC would be about the same or less. Thanks all for the feedback.

Might be a wise decision, to get on with your life 😉. Also thinks, that the limitations for immediate manipulation of the TC and the sparsebundles can be thought of as a kind of extra security, now we are talking about backing up things.

Message was edited by: John Christiansen

Wow...Did anybody tried using a Windows Computer to delete the file? I did, it deleted my 225 GB MAC Mini backup file in under a MAC.
I would suggest delete the backup, sell the MAC and buy Windows computer...But who am I to say, I own a MAC too and this is why I also own a Windows based computer ...Sometimes the MAC just doesn't work.

Message was edited by: dk12

Message was edited by: dk12

Message was edited by: dk12

dk12 wrote:
Wow...Did anybody tried using a Windows Computer to delete the file? I did, it deleted my 225 GB MAC Mini backup file in under a MAC.

Thanks, that was the best hint here! I started VMWare Fusion with Windows, connected to the Time Capsule via Windows Explorer (using " \ \<ipadress>" in explorer) and just deleted the Sparsebundle. 450 GB in less than 10 minutes with a nice and working progress bar. Sometimes Finder is really a wimp.

Hurrah! So glad I read until the end of this thread.

I called Apple Support and the kid didn't know the difference between terminal and console. Not nearly as sharp as the Geniuses at the Apple Store. And, he refused to transfer me to a supervisor. Arrggh!

The Windows trick was genius. I fired up Parallels, connected to the TC, and deleted the 750GB sparsebundle in less than 30 minutes! Thanks, everyone!

Based on dk12's idea, I succeeded with the same way, but I made it from Finder.

Here's how: Don't connect to your TC, but check it's ip address. Then in Finder go to "Go" - "Connect to server..." - "smb://TC ipaddress" - it will open up the TC's root folder with almost the same look when you connect it using the normal procedure. The difference is that in this scenario you are connected through smb ("windows sharing") just like you guys did it from windows. And there you go, you can delete your stubborn sparsebundle file (which is a folder actually if you see it through smb).

I think this is communication or protolc related, not Finder related. Finder's integrity has been saved once again...not like afp's :))))

I hope this helps, and thank you for dk12 for the great idea! I was fighting with this issue for days :))