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Time Capsule and NAS

How do I get my Time Capsule (I use it only for storage, not WiFi) to recognize a disk plugged into its USB port as Network Attached Storage?

It was mounted just fine when the disk was formatted as MacOS Extended (Journaled), but had trouble with Time Machine backups on the disk (kept saying it was full when it wasn't). I looked up what format Time Machine preferred and found that AFPS was recommended, so reformatted that disk to AFPS. When I plugged it back into the Time Capsule, it isn't recognized as a mounted disk.

Any ideas would be appreciated.

Posted on Dec 19, 2022 3:54 PM

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Posted on Dec 19, 2022 4:15 PM

Format it as Mac OS Extended (Journaled) just as you did in the past. TC won't recognize APFS.


Time Machine will continue to back up to that Mac OS Extended formatted disk if you wish to continue using it for TM backups.

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4 replies

Dec 19, 2022 4:22 PM in response to John Galt

Thank you! That did the trick.

When I searched on 'MacOS Format for Time Machine' there was an Apple Support article (Types of disks you can use with Time Machine on Mac - Apple Support) that said "APFS or APFS Encrypted disks are the preferred format for a Time Machine backup disk." so I reformatted it.

Based on your comment I reformatted it as MacOS Extended (journaled) and it magically appears.

Your expertise here is much appreciated.

Dec 19, 2022 5:01 PM in response to DanaMarksVoice

When I searched on 'MacOS Format for Time Machine' there was an Apple Support article (Types of disks you can use with Time Machine on Mac - Apple Support) that said "APFS or APFS Encrypted disks are the preferred format for a Time Machine backup disk."


They are, but Apple is assuming here that the hard drive is connected directly to a Mac.....a "local" drive. Apple doesn't say much about the Time Capsule anymore since it was discontinued 4+ years ago.


But, the Time Capsule is a "network" drive (and any hard drive connected to the Time Capsule is also a network drive). Time Machine can only back up to a network drive that is formatted Mac OS Extended (Journaled).


Ironically, if you format a hard drive as Mac OS Extended (Journaled) and connect it directly to a Mac and then set up Time Machine to back up to the drive, Time Machine will automatically reformat the drive as APFS (Case Sensitive). You won't even know this has occurred unless you happen to check the drive.





Time Capsule and NAS

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