rsync on time capsule leads to disconnection

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rsync on time capsule leads to disconnection

I have a MBP, a capsule, and a remote RHEL server named 'console'.

I have a huge number of small files (77540 files ~ 100G) at console:~/simulation.

I want to back up these files.

Because the size of this directory is about 100G and will grow with time, and my MBP only has 350G (other 150G are used by BootCamp), I don't want to backup it one my local MBP disk.

So I use following rsync on my MBP to do a backup directly on Time Capsule

# rsync -Cvazh --stats --progress console:~/simulation /Volumes/Time \Capsule/Lab_Data

However, this always fails: the light on TC turns to orange, and then the TC is automatically unmounted in my MBP; And after a while the light will turn to green but the rsync command issues errors complaining the /Volumes/Time\ Capsule/Lab_Data does not exist.

Anyone knows what's going on here? Is it a bug in TC's firmwire?

Or give some advice to backup my files on TC?

My MBP OS is Mountain Lion, AirPort Utility 7.6.1, Time Capsule 2T/802.11n, rsync 3.0.9.

I also try Cyberduck but without luck either.

Thanks!

MacBook Pro (Retina, Mid 2012), OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.2)

Posted on Dec 27, 2012 12:31 AM

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Answer 1

Dec 27, 2012 5:21 AM in response to Yi-Xin Liu

What is wrong with just using Time Machine?

That is what the TC is designed for and it will backup loads of small files very efficiently..

I am not sure but Apple try and avoid things like rsync.. so it may not work at all.. I have not seen people even ask about it.

Tell us a bit more about the setup of the TC..

Did you try using SMB names.. for everything.. TC name, wireless name and hard disk.. all have to be short, no spaces and pure alphanumeric. Names like Time Capsule with some applications will not work.

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Answer 2

Yi-Xin Liu Author

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Dec 27, 2012 6:00 AM in response to LaPastenague

None of your concerns applies here. Since I have tested for directory with a few files, and rsync works just like a charm.

The problem is when I try to rsync a directory (and its subdirectory) which contains thousands of small files, then the sync will stop at some point that the TC disconnects itself and the wireless network also stops functioning.

I do use Time Machine to backup my Mac stuff. But for my simulation data, it is too large and I don't want to let it eat up my local disk (it only has 350G).

The TC serves as a router, and other devices, such as my MBP, connect to it via wireless.

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Answer 3

Dec 27, 2012 11:36 AM in response to Yi-Xin Liu

Can you test by ethernet?

Let me suggest you need to check what the log of the TC is showing when it disconnects.. we are seeing loads of disconnect problems with the TC and Lion / ML.. but not generally in the middle of large file transfers unless people are using windows.

Unfortunately airport utility 6.1 is useless as you cannot get logs from the TC. You will need to install 5.6 utility.

How to load 5.6 into ML.

1. Download 5.6 for Lion.

http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1482

Click to open the dmg but do not attempt to install the pkg.. it won't work anyway.

2. Download and install unpkg.

http://www.timdoug.com/unpkg/

Run unpkg on the desktop.. it is very simple.. drag the AirPortUtility56.pkg file over to unpkg.. and it will create a new directory of the same name on the desktop.. drill down.. applications utilities .. there lo and behold is Airport utility 5.6 .. drag it to your main utilities directory or just run it from current location.

You cannot uninstall 6.1 so don't try.. and you cannot or should not run them both at the same time.. so just ignore the toyland version.. the plastic hammer.. and start using 5.6.. a real tool.

Using 5.6 now, check what the log is showing as the TC to have such a major disconnection should show some error in the log.. !

The wireless client page also might show something interesting. As the signal etc is graphically shown with history..

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Answer 4

Yi-Xin Liu Author

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Dec 27, 2012 5:16 PM in response to LaPastenague

Ah, I forgot mentioning that I configure the TC in Windows 7 by installing airport utility for Windows. Does it have anything to do with this? Or should I refresh the firmwire of TC from my MBP ML? and How?

FYI, it is not a LARGE file but a large number of small files I am trying to transfer.

Whatever, I will first try the utility 5.6 as you suggest. Thanks!

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Answer 5

Yi-Xin Liu Author

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Dec 27, 2012 6:20 PM in response to LaPastenague

Here is my log:

The connection started at

Dec 28 10:00:02

严重性：5

Connection accepted from [fe80::1610:9fff:fee0:6f67%bridge0]:57106.

At the point:

Dec 28 10:12:13

严重性：5

Initialized (firmware 7.6.1).

The connection is lost. However, it has no any useful information. Just the info says the TC reconnects successfully again after the disconnection.

Two questions here:

1. How do I choose the level of log. Currently I use the default value: 5.

2. TC seems failed to log any error during the disconnection. Is there other way to diagnostic the failure?

Dec 28 09:59:29	严重性：5	Initialized (firmware 7.6.1).
Dec 28 09:59:37	严重性：5	Deauthenticating with station ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff (reserved 3).
Dec 28 09:59:37	严重性：5	Deauthenticating with station ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff (reserved 2).
Dec 28 09:59:37	严重性：5	Rotated CCMP group key.
Dec 28 09:59:37	严重性：5	Clock synchronized to network time server time.apple.com (adjusted +8 seconds).
Dec 28 09:59:39	严重性：5	Associated with station 14:10:9f:e0:6f:67
Dec 28 09:59:39	严重性：5	Installed unicast CCMP key for supplicant 14:10:9f:e0:6f:67
Dec 28 09:59:42	严重性：5	(WAN) link state is Up.
Dec 28 10:00:02	严重性：5	Connection accepted from [fe80::1610:9fff:fee0:6f67%bridge0]:57106.
Dec 28 10:00:03	严重性：5	Connection accepted from [fe80::1610:9fff:fee0:6f67%bridge0]:57107.
Dec 28 10:00:09	严重性：5	Connection accepted from [fe80::1610:9fff:fee0:6f67%bridge0]:57110.
Dec 28 10:00:10	严重性：5	Connection accepted from [fe80::1610:9fff:fee0:6f67%bridge0]:57111.
Dec 28 10:00:10	严重性：5	Connection accepted from [fe80::1610:9fff:fee0:6f67%bridge0]:57112.
Dec 28 10:06:47	严重性：5	AFP login OK from 刘一新@192.168.1.104.
Dec 28 10:08:56	严重性：5	SMB/CIFS login OK from L%WORKGROUP@192.168.1.2.
Dec 28 10:09:50	严重性：5	Binding added for tcp, 10.22.4.58:43596 to 192.168.1.2:43596 with lifetime 3600
Dec 28 10:09:50	严重性：5	Binding added for udp, 10.22.4.58:43596 to 192.168.1.2:43596 with lifetime 3600
Dec 28 10:12:13	严重性：5	Initialized (firmware 7.6.1).
Dec 28 10:12:21	严重性：5	Deauthenticating with station ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff (reserved 3).
Dec 28 10:12:21	严重性：5	Deauthenticating with station ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff (reserved 2).
Dec 28 10:12:21	严重性：5	Rotated CCMP group key.
Dec 28 10:12:23	严重性：5	Associated with station 14:10:9f:e0:6f:67
Dec 28 10:12:23	严重性：5	Installed unicast CCMP key for supplicant 14:10:9f:e0:6f:67
Dec 28 10:12:26	严重性：5	(WAN) link state is Up.
Dec 28 10:12:26	严重性：5	Clock synchronized to network time server time.apple.com (adjusted +8 seconds).
Dec 28 10:12:27	严重性：5	AFP login OK from 刘一新@192.168.1.104.
Dec 28 10:12:56	严重性：5	Connection accepted from [fe80::1610:9fff:fee0:6f67%bridge0]:57252.

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Answer 6

Dec 27, 2012 10:22 PM in response to Yi-Xin Liu

Change the state of logging..

You will probably have to apply and restart the TC to get it to start logging at debug level.

But this is already telling you something.

Dec 28 09:59:42

严重性：5

(WAN) link state is Up.

Dec 28 10:12:26

严重性：5

(WAN) link state is Up.

I do not have one message in the log for several days suggesting a drop of link..

Dec 28 10:06:47

严重性：5

AFP login OK from 刘一新@192.168.1.104.

Dec 28 10:12:27

严重性：5

AFP login OK from 刘一新@192.168.1.104.

Your login lasted 6min.. that is not right, unless you deliberately disconnected..

Although the TC hasn't given any indication of a drop it is telling you it is redoing the login.. for no good reason.

The drop in WAN particularly suggests something is going wrong.

Anyhow it gives you indication all is not well.

I would suggest you use another router and try using the TC bridged.

Or use the TC totally off the network with a separate ethernet connection to the computer you are copying files from.

Turn off ipv6 in the computer as that is also doing you no good.

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Answer 7

Dec 27, 2012 10:47 PM in response to LaPastenague

I am running two TC both Gen 3.. one has been running for a couple of days waiting for server disconnect errors which has just happened.

Dec 28 16:47:08	Severity:5	AFP session from <Guest>@10.0.1.2 closing.
Dec 28 16:47:18	Severity:5	AFP login OK from <Guest>@10.0.1.2.
Dec 28 16:49:30	Severity:5	AFP session from <Guest>@10.0.1.2 closing.
Dec 28 16:49:30	Severity:5	AFP login OK from <Guest>@10.0.1.2.
Dec 28 16:52:01	Severity:5	AFP session from <Guest>@10.0.1.2 closing.
Dec 28 16:52:02	Severity:5	AFP login OK from <Guest>@10.0.1.2.
Dec 28 16:53:18	Severity:5	Internet configuration leased [IPv4] -- host <192.168.2.102/255.255.255.0> gateway <192.168.2.254> dns <192.168.2.254> wins <> lease <3600> domain <BigPond>
Dec 28 16:54:33	Severity:5	AFP session from <Guest>@10.0.1.2 closing.
Dec 28 16:54:33	Severity:5	AFP login OK from <Guest>@10.0.1.2.
Dec 28 16:57:04	Severity:5	AFP session from <Guest>@10.0.1.2 closing.
Dec 28 16:57:04	Severity:5	AFP login OK from <Guest>@10.0.1.2.
Dec 28 16:59:35	Severity:5	AFP session from <Guest>@10.0.1.2 closing.
Dec 28 16:59:35	Severity:5	AFP login OK from <Guest>@10.0.1.2.
Dec 28 17:02:06	Severity:5	AFP session from <Guest>@10.0.1.2 closing.
Dec 28 17:02:06	Severity:5	AFP login OK from <Guest>@10.0.1.2.
Dec 28 17:04:37	Severity:5	AFP session from <Guest>@10.0.1.2 closing.
Dec 28 17:04:37	Severity:5	AFP login OK from <Guest>@10.0.1.2.
Dec 28 17:07:07	Severity:5	AFP session from <Guest>@10.0.1.2 closing.
Dec 28 17:07:08	Severity:5	AFP login OK from <Guest>@10.0.1.2.

That is what happens on 7.6.1 firmware..

There are none of those on the 7.5.2 firmware.

That is running Mac with Snow Leopard.

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Answer 8

Yi-Xin Liu Author

Level 1

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Dec 27, 2012 11:04 PM in response to LaPastenague

My login lasted only 6min ----- The first login information indicates I successfully connect to TC. Then I run the rsync command. Then rsync was enumerating the files on the remote server. And 6min later, TC droped the connection, which leaded to several errors in rsync. At the meantime, the TC disk is unmounted ---- rsync complained that he cannot mkdir on the TC disk. At the meantime, TC's light turns to amber.

After less than 1min, TC's light again turned to green, meaning that the network is up again. (this is the second login info says)

I temporary give up trying rsync my data to TC.

Instead, I plug a USB drive onto my MBP, and start to rsync the data to my USB drive through the wireless from TC. Everything looks fine at this moment since the transmission is going on without a disconnection for more than two hours. The only problem is the download speed is really slow, only about 800 ~ 900 kB/s.

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Answer 9

Feb 23, 2013 1:38 PM in response to Yi-Xin Liu

I can confirm rsync from a Linux server to smbfs mounted Time Capsule causes the Time Capsule to become unresponsive. Rebooting the Time Capsule will make it available again.

Debian 6.0.6

rsync 3.0.7 protocol 30

samba 3.5.6

mount.cifs 4.5

Time Capsule 4 Generation

Firmware 7.6.3

Command used:

rsync -vaxAX --delete --ignore-errors ./music /mnt/timecapsule/music

The directory I tried to rsync is only 24GB, ~6000 files in ~500 directories. However using cp does not affect the Time Capsule in anyway. I have succefully run the following without issue:

cp -Rpv ./music /mnt/timecapsule/music

Why do rsync operations fail and cause the Time Capsule to become unresponsive?

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