Time Capsule Error code -6584

How are you connected to the Time Capsule?

If via WIFI, connect with an Ethernet cable instead. If possible, disconnect any other devices (including other computers) from the network (or power them off).

If you don't have an Ethernet cable, get one for the future. In the meantime, move your Mac and Time Capsule as close as possible (but remember the signal from the TC goes generally up and out, in a sort of fan shape, so don't place it above your Mac -- you can turn it on it's side if necessary. Move away from or turn off any possible sources of wireless interference, such as cordless phones, microwave ovens, etc. See AirPort and Bluetooth: Potential sources of wireless interference for details. You can also download the free iStumbler app to evaluate your connection. Also disconnect or power down any other devices if possible.

I will try the ethernet connection and see if it works. The thing is I have no problem accessing my back up files through my mac book air, but it shows up under "Devices" right under "Shared." On my imac there is no "devices" heading under shared.

zellsmom wrote:

. . .

On my imac there is no "devices" heading under shared.

There's no DEVICES heading at all?

On Mountain Lion, you can move the FAVORITES, SHARED, and DEVICES headings, if you like them in a different order, but I don't know of a way to delete them.

I'm not sure which backups you're talking about, but if you click the Time Machine icon in your Dock, or click the Time Machine icon in your menubar and select Enter Time Machine, that should show the current backups for the Mac you're on in the Time Machine browser (the "Star Wars" display).

To see the backups for a different Mac, you'll need the Browse Other Backup Disks option, per Time Machine - Frequently Asked Question #17. Is the pink box there where you're having a problem getting the "Time Machine Backups" disk image to appear in the DEVICES section?

If the backups are damaged, you may get an error message instead.

If none of this helps, perhaps it would help if you posted a screenshot.

I didn't delete it, it was never there. Only favorites and shared are there on my imac but favorites, shared and devices all appear on my macbook air. Do you know how I can put the devices heading there? The backup I am talking about is my imac harddrive that I backed up onto my time machine. Like I said, I can access it just fine from my mac book air, but not at all from my imac, i just keep getting the same error message. I also don't understand what the "Star Wars" display is.

BTW, I really appreciate you taking the time to help my with this issue.

zellsmom wrote:

I didn't delete it, it was never there. Only favorites and shared are there on my imac

Aha! I learned something today: if you remove all the checkmarks from that section of Finder preferences, the DEVICES section does disappear! I'd never thought to try that.

So, from a Finder menubar, select Finder > Preferences > Sidebar and put a check in at least one of the boxes in the Devices section. To get a mounted sparse bundle to appear, you'll need to check the External Disks box.

The backup I am talking about is my imac harddrive that I backed up onto my time machine. Like I said, I can access it just fine from my mac book air, but not at all from my imac, i just keep getting the same error message.

Each Mac's backups are kept in separate sparse bundles (kind of like a disk-within-a-disk) on the Time Capsule. You should be able to access one Mac's backups from a different Mac, but depending on the circumstances, you may not be able to see all the files for all the user accounts.

I'm still not sure exactly where you're getting that message.

I also don't understand what the "Star Wars" display is.

That's what many of us call the Time Machine browser (Apple calls it the "star field display.") That's the recommended way to view your backups, and to restore selected items from them if desired (not the Finder):

If you're not familiar with it, you might want to review the Time Machine Tutorial, and perhaps browse Time Machine - Frequently Asked Questions.

To see the backups for a different Mac than the one you're on, you need to use the Browse Other Backup Disks option, per Time Machine - Frequently Asked Question #17.

So . . . exactly what are you doing when you get the "Time Machine couldn’t verify your backups on “Anna-Lisa's Time Capsule” because verification was interrupted"message?

That's usually sent when you try to verify or repair your backups, not when you're just trying to look at them.

My "error - 6584" and "cannot verify backup" problems solved with very simple solution.

I just disconnect electric plug from my Apple Time Machine, waited 2-3 minutes and plugged back.

After that "verify backup" worked..

Hope it works to everybody.

OS X 10.8.2

3.06GHz Intel Core 2 Duo

4GB 1067 MHz RAM

Message was edited by: fossill64

In my personal experience I have found that the error code 6584 on Time Machine is when you work with a Time Capsule and change wirelessly (wifi) to cable (Ethernet). Time machine apparently interpreted as two different disks.

The best way to fix it is as mentioned by the user "pondini"

to click on the Time Machine icon in the menu bar, pull down the menu, then hold down the ALT key and select Verify backup, finally Time machine tell the location of your Time Capsule.

The worst thing you should do is clik Backup (before repairing the error) and Time Machine and tried to back before this reaches half was blocked and the finder will show two copies of safety, at which neither can access.

If this were the case, what should be done is clear the new backup to disk utility and repair the old as indicated above.

I think that deleting the preference file (/Library/Preferences/com.apple.finder.plist) fixed my problem! Thank you!

I am fast losing my Apple conviction...when we depend on Apple's back up product and we cannot recover data when a machine, in my case was stolen, what is the point. It just doesn't work. Apple I have a Gig of data including 30k photos on the disk...how do I get past the -6584 error?

Apple products have gone from cool and useful appliances to a hackers nightmare...this and iPhone issues remind me of Windows95. Apple the new Microsoft.

You are not talking to Apple here -- this is a user-to-user forum.

Are you looking for some help, or do you just want to rant?

Fair point Pondini, thank you for setting me straight. Steps taken so far:

Firstly from reading the thread I likely messed up by starting a new backup that ran for a few seconds.

This meant, I believe, that the Verify Backup only verified the recent backup

I tried to locate the /Library/Preferences/com.apple.finder.plist file but it does not appear in the Preferences directory.

Current status: I attempt to Enter Time Machine and I get the -6584 error message

underwun wrote:

. . .

Firstly from reading the thread I likely messed up by starting a new backup that ran for a few seconds.

That won't hurt anything.

This meant, I believe, that the Verify Backup only verified the recent backup

No, that verifies the entire backup set.

I tried to locate the /Library/Preferences/com.apple.finder.plist file but it does not appear in the Preferences directory.

That's ~/Library/...., ie, the one in your home folder, not the one at the top level of your HD. Effective with Lion, Apple hides it by default. 😟 From a Finder menubar, hold the Alt/Option key while selecting Go in the menubar, then the Library item partway down the list.

Current status: I attempt to Enter Time Machine and I get the -6584 error message

Is Time Machine set up on your new Mac? If not, or if it's pointing to a different drive, hold the Alt/Option key down while clicking the TM icon in your menubar, select Browse Other Backup Disks, then choose the backups you want (per the green box in #E2 of Time Machine - Troubleshooting.)

If you get the same results, try the things in #E4 of the same link.

Thank you Pondini

-6584 continues to stay with me, Browse Other Backup Disks displays a blank box...any suggestions most welcome?

underwun wrote:

Thank you Pondini

-6584 continues to stay with me,

Have you tried the things in #E4 of Time Machine - Troubleshooting yet?

Browse Other Backup Disks displays a blank box...any suggestions most welcome?

That means OSX doesn't find any backups.

From what you posted earlier, I'm assuming they're on an external disk (USB, FireWire, or Thunderbolt), and were made while it was connected directly to your old Mac. If not, where are they and how were they made? If so, it sounds like they may be damaged. See if you can Repair them, per #A4 in the same link.

While we're at it, what's your setup? What kind of Mac is this and what version of OSX is it running?

Are the backups of the old Mac complete backups, or had you excluded System files, etc.?

I had a similar problem months ago and found an embarrassingly simple solution. My configuration is

1. An iMac connected to a Time Capsule by an Ethernet cable and

2. A MacBook that connects to the Time Capsule over the network.

Both are running Lion and both use Time Machine for backups.

My MacBook lost the ability to see the time capsule and gave me the error -6584 message. After trying all the suggestions in this thread, I noticed, in the Airport Utility setup, on iMac, on the Disks tab that the box "enable file sharing" had some gotten cleared. Re-checking that box and updating the configuration restored my MacBook's connection.

This has happened at least one more time, so I assume that this data corruption can happen to any one.

In any case, don't neglect to export your configuration file from the utility, so that any future need to re-establish it becomes painless.