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Level 1

4 points

Time Capsule Connection issues

Hi, I've just purchased a time capsule after finding out my iMac hard drive needs replacing. I'm currently logging in to my m are in safe mode and have initiated my time capsule. When I go to system preferences>time machine and switch the time machine on and select the back up disk, I get the error message

there was a problem connecting to the server "sp-time-capsule.local"

Check the server name or ip address and then try again. If you continue to have problems, contact your system admin.

I've tried shutting the capsule down and reconnecting. also tried a reset and oddly enough on start up the time capsule was ready and set up, so I'm not sure if I did reset the capsule.

My iMac is running 10.7.3 and is connected to the time capsule via an Ethernet cable. My time capsule has the latest firmware as it was only bought today.

Time capsul to Internet is good, as I've connected my iPad and iPhone to the time capsule wireless network and everything is fine.

Any ideas why I can't connect to the time capsule to initiate a back up.

Steve

iMac, Mac OS X (10.6.8)

Posted on Mar 25, 2012 8:18 PM

Best reply

Pondini

Level 8

38,863 points

Posted on Mar 26, 2012 9:18 AM

Sorry, but you cannot mount a Time Capsule disk in Safe mode, so you can't view or perform backups.

See Mac OS X: What is Safe Boot, Safe Mode? It's not entirely clear from the last paragraph, but that's what it means.

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30 replies

Stevep69 Author

Level 1

4 points

Mar 27, 2012 6:52 PM in response to Pondini

I've realized the external hd is only 40gb and the internal he has 280gb on it. Could that be the issue

Pondini

Level 8

38,863 points

Mar 27, 2012 7:00 PM in response to Stevep69

Ah, yes, that's a problem. 😟

In that case, you'll either need a bigger HD (I'm still not sure it will copy the damaged data anyway); or,

Start up in Safe Mode again and try to copy what you can to the external, by dragging & dropping. You might want to create folders on the external to drag into, so you know what's there and where it came from. It will help reconstruct your system a little.

Did you get your photos copied to DVDs?

Message was edited by: Pondini

Stevep69 Author

Level 1

4 points

Mar 27, 2012 7:03 PM in response to Pondini

I just realized today I have nearly all my photos on my iPad, so I assume I can transfer this back to a new internal hd. I think in safe mode the external drive didn't show up in finder.

Pondini

Level 8

38,863 points

Mar 27, 2012 7:05 PM in response to Stevep69

Stevep69 wrote:

I just realized today I have nearly all my photos on my iPad, so I assume I can transfer this back to a new internal hd.

Ah, good. 🙂

I think in safe mode the external drive didn't show up in finder.

It should. When I experimented earlier, my exteranls showed up. Time Machine wouldn't back up, but the drives were in the Finder sidebar -- I didn't try copying to them, though.

Stevep69 Author

Level 1

4 points

Mar 27, 2012 7:07 PM in response to Pondini

I'm just trying to see what I can copy now in safe mode

Stevep69 Author

Level 1

4 points

Mar 27, 2012 7:10 PM in response to Stevep69

Cool my music is going over now and I've queued up the iPhoto library, that's where all the photos are stored isn't it :)

Pondini

Level 8

38,863 points

Mar 27, 2012 7:14 PM in response to Stevep69

Stevep69 wrote:

Cool my music is going over now

Great! 🙂

and I've queued up the iPhoto library, that's where all the photos are stored isn't it 🙂

Yup. Great news. Just hope you have enough space for the most important stuff.

Stevep69 Author

Level 1

4 points

Mar 27, 2012 7:16 PM in response to Stevep69

Looks like this might be my best option. I've not enough space for my iPhoto library. I am going to get a 500g drive from amazon. They have westerns for about $80 and I have a 1tb time machine ready for when I get a new int hd. I assume transferring the files back is relatively straight forward but time consuming. Do you just go to iPhoto and iTunes and import from ext hd.

Stevep69 Author

Level 1

4 points

Mar 27, 2012 7:17 PM in response to Stevep69

I realized the prole Keith my old ext hd was that it was in of format. Once you pointed out the reformat to OS extended it is available for use in safe mode :)

Pondini

Level 8

38,863 points

Mar 27, 2012 7:22 PM in response to Stevep69

Stevep69 wrote:

Looks like this might be my best option. I've not enough space for my iPhoto library. I am going to get a 500g drive from amazon. They have westerns for about $80

Just be sure to format it for a Mac (most come set up for Windoze). See #1 in Using Disk Utility.

I assume transferring the files back is relatively straight forward but time consuming. Do you just go to iPhoto and iTunes and import from ext hd.

Depends on exactly what you copied. If you copied, for example, the iPhoto Library folder, just copy it back (if there's one there already, delete it). Ditto the iTunes folder.

You can copy the default sub-folders (Desktop, Downloads, Documents, etc.), but you won't be able to copy them back, as you can't delete the new (mostly empty) ones. But you will be able to copy all the contents.

Stevep69 Author

Level 1

4 points

Mar 28, 2012 7:41 AM in response to Pondini

Well I think the int HD finally gave out. The Mac display shut down and the green light on the ext HD is still on. I managed to squeeze on to the ext HD all my photos, documents etc and I'm hoping most of the iMovie content. I couldnt get iTunes over, but no biggie as I have the CDs still. It's time to get a new Ind HD and see what the techs can salvage.

Thanks for your help Pondini, I don't think I would have got as much saved without your help. I'll let you know when the mac is alive again.

;)

Pondini

Level 8

38,863 points

Mar 28, 2012 8:10 AM in response to Stevep69

Can't say I'm surprised - - actually, I think you were quite lucky to get as much off the disk as you did. I just hope it's really all there.

Hang in there, and keep us posted.

Stevep69 Author

Level 1

4 points

Apr 6, 2012 6:34 PM in response to Pondini

Hey pondini,

just realised i never updated you. well we had to install a new HD, we upgraded to 1TB ram and the good news all the data was transferred to the new HD, So we are very happy. Also found out the reason the screen went blank during back up to ext HD was due to a pwer failure with the Mac, so it needed some TLC. It is back to running as good as before..........phew.

Thanks for all your help

Steve

Pondini

Level 8

38,863 points

Apr 6, 2012 7:20 PM in response to Stevep69

Great! Glad it's sorted out, and thanks for the feedback.

Jul 21, 2012 6:15 PM in response to Stevep69

Same here.

This problem has only been around for hte last couple of months, but I can't remember if it coincided with an update. At home the Time Capsule works perfectly. Whenever I leave home and join my work network, this same message keeps appearing, hour after hour. I click "OK" and the window then reappears, and clicking "OK" again seems to keep it quite for about an hour.

Apple, please help!

John

Time Capsule Connection issues