2TB Time Capsule getting "An unexpected error occurred. Try again" error

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2TB Time Capsule getting "An unexpected error occurred. Try again" error

Hi,

I have been using 2TB Time Capsule as wireless hotspot and for Time Machine for about one year but all of a sudden it stopped doing backups. When trying to do a backup Time Machine said it couldn't find a disk to make the backup.

Airpot Utility is still able to see my time capsule:

However when trying to configure it using the utility first it spends some time at this point:

And after 2 or 3 minutes I get this error message:

Things I have tried with the same results:

- Setting my network preferences to change the "Configure IPV6" value on TCP/IP advanced setting to "link-local only" as suggested by a post I read but no luck.

- Also tried doing a hard reset of the device by pressing the reset button with a pen for 5 seconds until the led blinked fast. But I get the same error when using the Airport Utility.

-I even tried doing a factory-reset by unplugging the Time Capsule from power, pressing the reset button with a pen, plugging back the power and waited until the LED blinked fast. But I got the same error message when trying to configure with the Airpot Utility.

There are a few occasions (about 10% of my tries) where I am able to get one step further: I get to the point where it asks me for a password and for a name for the Time Capsule, however when clicking next it seems that it starts to configure some things and I even get internet access via the Time Capsule, however the Airport Utility shows the same unexpected error message after a few minutes. In this scenario Time Capsule works fine as access point, but it the disk still shows as unavailable for backups. I haven't found what conditions make me be able to get to this single further step. It seems to be related to the hard-reset. But it is confusing because most of the times I do the hard-reset procedure it doesn't allow me getting to the password and name setting step. 90% of the tries get stuck in the previous step.

Any thoughts about how to solve this problem? I am worries about not been able to backup my Mac. By the way, my Mac is a MabBook Pro running Mountain Lion.

Airport Extreme-OTHER, Time Capsule

Posted on Aug 28, 2013 6:47 AM

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Answer 1

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LaPastenague

Level 9

67,202 points

Aug 28, 2013 2:42 PM in response to schildt

There is some bug with the TC disk and Mountain Lion..

Look at Pondini section C .. much of it relates to later OS .. Lion and ML.

Some things are obvious and others are just a mess.

Note C9.. that is important. Use short names.. no spaces and pure alphanumeric.

http://pondini.org/TM/Troubleshooting.html

Try manually mounting the disk.. in Finder.. use Go, Connect to server.. and type in the address,

AFP://TCname or TCIPaddress (replaced with actual name or actual IP). eg at default, AFP://10.0.1.1

Any failure to connect try another factory reset and use ethernet.. and do it in full isolation from the network.. ie just the MBP and the TC with ethernet between them.

What version is the TC.. A1xxx from the base please??

What firmware revision?

Using v5 utility can sometimes get around things but you cannot use it on Gen5 TC.

You can load v5 utility into ML with a trick.

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.

Leave the package open on the desktop so you can see the file. AirportUtility56.pkg

2. Download and install unpkg.

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

Run unpkg on the desktop.. If your Mac refuses to run the software, because it wasn’t downloaded from the Apple store, go to security in preferences and allow other software to work.. this is limitation of trade methinks. You can set back later if you like.

Now drag the AirPortUtility56.pkg file over to unpkg.. and it will create a new directory of the same name on the desktop.. in finder, open the new directory, 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 version 6 (now 6.3 if you updated) so don't try.. and you cannot or should not run them both at the same time.. although I have had no problems when doing so.

For screen shots see this post.

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4668746?tstart=0

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Answer 2

schildt Author

Level 1

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Aug 29, 2013 9:31 AM in response to LaPastenague

Thanks, this sounds like a good troubleshooting. I will try it and let you know how it worked. And I will also get the versions info you are asking for.

Regards

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Answer 3

schildt Author

Level 1

0 points

Aug 30, 2013 5:25 PM in response to schildt

FYI, I downloaded Airport Utility v5.6 and that just did the trick! It worked as a charm! So I guess there is an issue with Airport Utility v6.x when using it from a Moutain Lion environment.

Thanks for your great help!

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Answer 4

Aug 30, 2013 7:23 PM in response to schildt

Yes,, although I should not have thought it relevant to older version TC but the later utility requires IPv6 set to local link.. I forgot to tell you that.. anyway having the previous utility in the computer is no bad deal.. it is simply more of the tool whereas the new version 6.. is more of the toyland version.

http://support.apple.com/kb/TS4597

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