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Level 1

83 points

How to create a network available drive

I want to do something pretty basic, but I wanted to get advice on the right way. I already have a home ethernet and wifi network. I want to set up a seperate hard drive which acts as both a Time Machine back up and also a place to store files which would be shared on the network. Right now, the shared files are on my computer, which means that my computer has to be on to access. Also, there can be privelages issues. I want the hard drive plugged into the network, but not attached to my computer (partly because I want it hidden in the basement for security).

So can anyone tell me exactly what I need to do this? I want it wired with ethernet, so do I just get a network drive, that is, a drive with ethernet, and plug it in on the network and all the computers see that, or do I need to set up some kind of server thing? Can I back and share files with one single network drive or does it need to be two physical drives or one drive partitioned?

If anyone has some basic advice or a link to a site that explains it (Home network for dummies type of thing) that would be much appreciated.

Cheers,

David

iMac, OS X Mountain Lion

Posted on Jun 13, 2013 1:22 PM

67 replies

Cartoonguy Author

Level 1

83 points

Jun 24, 2013 11:55 AM in response to Pondini

Just to be clear, the drive plugged into the TC USB port is a powered drive, so it's not relying on the USB port for it's power.

To further test, I have also backed up my Macbook Pro to the external TC connected drive. In that case, it all worked well, but the only strange thing is that the sparsebundle file is indicated as only 52 GB, but my Macbook drive is about 320GB full. When I go into Time Machine on the Macbook, the backups appear nicely and are fairly responsive, exactly as I would hope. The files all seem to be there, so how can it possibly be a full backup of a 320GB drive and yet be only 52 GB? Is my finder info showing the wrong amount? The Macbook is plugged in with ethernet right now and it's not backing up anymore, suggesting it has finished it's full back up, but has it?

Thanks for reminding me about the back ups reducing to daily after the day today, but I am still only getting one back up for this day on my Imac and Saturday and Sunday are not there at all. It jumps back to Friday. As you say, not normal, so still don't know why that is.

Pondini

Level 8

38,863 points

Jun 24, 2013 12:16 PM in response to Pondini

Pondini

Level 8

38,863 points

Jun 24, 2013 12:22 PM in response to Cartoonguy

Cartoonguy wrote:

Just to be clear, the drive plugged into the TC USB port is a powered drive, so it's not relying on the USB port for it's power.

The USB port is underpowered. Many folks find they need a powered USB hub even with a powered drive -- the larger the drive, the more likely to need a powered hub.

It's also possible, of course, to have a problem with a port, cable, or drive. Cables can have hidden faults, a plug that makes good contact in one port may not make continuous contact in another.

To further test, I have also backed up my Macbook Pro to the external TC connected drive. In that case, it all worked well, but the only strange thing is that the sparsebundle file is indicated as only 52 GB, but my Macbook drive is about 320GB full. When I go into Time Machine on the Macbook, the backups appear nicely and are fairly responsive, exactly as I would hope. The files all seem to be there, so how can it possibly be a full backup of a 320GB drive and yet be only 52 GB? Is my finder info showing the wrong amount? The Macbook is plugged in with ethernet right now and it's not backing up anymore, suggesting it has finished it's full back up, but has it?

Thanks for reminding me about the back ups reducing to daily after the day today, but I am still only getting one back up for this day on my Imac and Saturday and Sunday are not there at all. It jumps back to Friday. As you say, not normal, so still don't know why that is.

For both of those, look a the messages, either via Console (filter for Backupd) or the widget in #A1 of Time Machine - Troubleshooting. See if the backups completed normally; if so, how much it showed as being backed-up. Use one of the apps in #A2 to see what was backed-up.

Cartoonguy Author

Level 1

83 points

Jun 25, 2013 12:58 PM in response to Pondini

Pondini wrote:

There is a finagle to do the first backup while directly attached. See the blue box in #Q2 of Using Time Machine with a Time Capsule.

I have ordered my new TC, but while I wait, I am trying another thing. You suggested that some hard drives just may not work nicely with the Time Capsule, so I have tried formatting another drive and using that one instead (first one was an Iomega drive and now I am using a Western Digital. Both firewire, but that's not any use for this).

So in your tip about speeding up the first back up by connecting, you say:

Disconnect all users via Airport Utility > Disks

So I go into airport utility and I do not see a command called "disconnect all users". Can you explain more clearly where I find this specific option?

Once it is directly connected, you are saying that Time Machine continues building the sparsebundle even though it is temporarily not a networked drive? Just want to be clear on that too.

Thanks, Mr. Pondini

Pondini

Level 8

38,863 points

Jun 26, 2013 5:42 AM in response to Cartoonguy

Cartoonguy wrote:

. . .

So in your tip about speeding up the first back up by connecting, you say:

Disconnect all users via Airport Utility > Disks

So I go into airport utility and I do not see a command called "disconnect all users". Can you explain more clearly where I find this specific option?

Apple, in it's infinite wisdom, removed that button from Airport 6. 😟

We've been after them to do something, anything, about that on ML for over a year now. Please add your voice at: http://www.apple.com/feedback/timemachine.html

If you're the only user of the TC's disks (internal and external), just power-cycle the TC.

EDIT: #Q2 does mention that Airport 6 doesn't have that button, and provides a couple of workarounds.

Message was edited by: Pondini

Cartoonguy Author

Level 1

83 points

Jun 27, 2013 5:43 PM in response to Pondini

Okay, so by the time I got this, it was evening and only about 6 hours left, so I let it finish overnight. It's done and initial testing is positive. Right now it's acting just as I would expect. All the hourly back ups are there. So it might have just been related to the specific drive. Jeez. Good tip though.

Aaand, my new Time Capsule just arrived. It's still in the box. If this works for me, no point in changing anything.

I did copy the sparsebundle file off of the old drive. I had two, one for my Imac and one for my Macbook. For the Imac, I had it make a brand new one. For the Macbook, can I copy the file over to the new drive and have it continue to work with the same back up? Mind you, that's the one which is strangely only 53 GB for a 350 GB drive, so perhaps better to start fresh with that too.

Thanks.

Cartoonguy Author

Level 1

83 points

Jul 31, 2013 10:55 AM in response to Cartoonguy

Just wanted to report back to say that I have been using my second hand 500GB time capsule with two drives plugged into the USB by way of a USB hub. It's all working just fine! Yes indeed, it works! So in the end, sucess. Just wanted to confirm that. Thanks again for all the help and advice, especially from Pondini.

How to create a network available drive