Hi all,
My drive on my 801.11ac Time Capsule has recently died, and I was wondering if it was possible to downgrade the drive to 1TB? I know that previous versions of the Time Capsule had 500GB and 1TB drives, and I don't have the cash on hand to buy a 2TB drive as of now.
Lots of documentation on upgrades, but can't find anything on downgrades.
Thanks.
A smaller drive will work, but if the Time Capsule is 6-7 years old, you would not want to replace the internal hard drive unless you also replace the power supply.
Online guides do not adequately describe how difficult (and dangerous) this type of task really is, because the Time Capsule was not designed to be serviced. It is very easy to tear a ribbon cable or break a connector in the process of removing and reinstalling components from the Time Capsule.
Even a good do-it-yourself type person will have their hands full on this type of project.
Have you considered simply connecting a USB drive to the USB port on the Time Capsule and backing up that way? This would likely be less expensive and for sure would be tons easier than trying to replace the internal hard drive (and power supply).
A smaller drive will work, but if the Time Capsule is 6-7 years old, you would not want to replace the internal hard drive unless you also replace the power supply.
Online guides do not adequately describe how difficult (and dangerous) this type of task really is, because the Time Capsule was not designed to be serviced. It is very easy to tear a ribbon cable or break a connector in the process of removing and reinstalling components from the Time Capsule.
Even a good do-it-yourself type person will have their hands full on this type of project.
Have you considered simply connecting a USB drive to the USB port on the Time Capsule and backing up that way? This would likely be less expensive and for sure would be tons easier than trying to replace the internal hard drive (and power supply).
👍 Bob Timmons's suggestion regarding an external USB drive. I'm curious why you would not consider a 2 TB drive though. They are generally only another $10 more than a 1 TB drive.
Internal drives can often be found in 5 or 6 TB capacities for about $100.
Late model Time Capsules were available with as much as 3 TB drives.
Why would the power supply have to be replaced?
Because at 6-7 years, the power supply....like the hard drive...is usually already heading downhill. A replacement power supply is usually about $30 or so. If you are going to go to the trouble to open up the Time Capsule.....a difficult task....it would make sense to replace the power supply at the same time. Your call, though.
I only have a 1TB that I know is reliable
This would be a SATA drive, correct? Apple used several different drives in the same 802.11ac Time Capsule, so you won't really know whether you have a WD or Seagate drive.....or another drive....in the Time Capsule until you open it up. Space is really tight.
If your 1 TB drive is not a "green" drive, it will likely place more demands on the old power supply than the original drive.
Thanks; I understand. If you're up to the task, it's not difficult, just tedious. Increasing or decreasing the internal HDD's capacity makes no difference.
Hi John,
Reason being I already have a 1TB drive that i know is reliable. I dont have an external HDD lying around spare. I'm quite hardware inclined so the disassembly looks complicated but doable, hence why I'm willing to take the risk.
Hi Bob,
Why would the power supply have to be replaced?
I don't have a external drive lying around unfortunately, I only have a 1TB that I know is reliable, and right now money is tight so I'm making do with what I have at my disposal.
Good luck! Let us know how things are working when you can.
A1470 Drive Downgrade?
