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Time capsule won't back up - Unable to complete backup. An error occurred while creating the backup folder. Any ideas?

I have tried all the resets, the firmware is the latest version, the green light is on.

But I get this message "Unable to complete backup. An error occurred while creating the backup folder."

Any ideas?

Time capsule-OTHER, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.5)

Posted on Sep 28, 2013 11:16 AM

Reply
12 replies

Sep 29, 2013 4:51 AM in response to Robin FG

Robin FG wrote:


It seems to be actually making the backups, but just not completing the process ...


Not from what you posted at first.. the error to not be able to create a backup folder.. means it did nothing at all..


You do not have any backup.. that is the trouble.. not stopping half way through.




I bought the Airport Time Capsule for my new MB Pro - I believed that with Apple everything worked - and worked first time ...

Not quite so sure ...

Used to be.. not any more.


The lack of testing with new firmware is breathtaking.


If your MBP is not retina and has an actual ethernet port.. try using that.. and turn off wireless.. it might work a lot better.



"Mount the TC Hard Disk" - could you just talk throught that process?

Go to finder.. is the TC hard disk shown in the left hand column.. if not you have not got finder preference set correctly to show network drives.. open the preferences and basically tick everything.. then reboot the TC.. it should immediately show up in the list.. particularly if you use ethernet.


Just double click on the TC.. and then click on the hard disk to mount it.


Then try and see if TM will do the backup.


If you still cannot see the hard disk or it won't mount.. you should reset the TC to factory again.


Give it all short names.. TC name .. wireless name.. and set it up again.. for bridge or router or whatever you are doing.. not join wireless network.. it must be cabled WAN port to the modem / router you have.


No luck give more info on the whole network.

Sep 30, 2013 12:40 PM in response to LaPastenague

Hi again

It's a Retina model with top spec memory and top flash disc capacity.

Ticked all the boxes, connected to WAN port with ethernet cable and recently obtained thunderbird/ethernet adaptor.

No sign of TC in the list ... did the resets again, power off, button in and power on job - just flashing amber ...

I am losng the will to live and patience with Apple - not what I expected for kit that costs 4 times Windows based kit ...

Sorry - I ramble ... are you a Good Apple Samartitan or an Apple Professional - me - an ex-Windows Apple Virgin!

I feel an argument with the Apple store down in town coming on - and my money back!

Or am I doing something stoopid?

Sep 30, 2013 1:02 PM in response to Robin FG

There is a couple of doofy little things.


Apple realised at some point that they had got ipv6 no longer optional.. YOU MUST HAVE IPv6 turned on.


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


Do setup again.. but make sure both your wireless and your ethernet have ipv6 turned on to local link.


Unplug the WAN for the moment.. Just LAN port TC to the MBPr ethernet via thunderbolt.. (thunderbird was the kids puppet series.. Thunderbirds are go!!).


Reset the TC again.. sorry.. !!


Make sure the ethernet now has an IP address.. 10.0.1.2


You need to open the network preferences to find out.


Then open the airport utility and you should be able to setup the TC.

Do as little setup as possible and then run the TM backup and see how it goes.


I am also a escapee from the Windows Prison. Not an Apple Pro by any means.. I gave up at vista though.. shudder...!!

It took a while to learn the differences.. so don't give up.. but some of these things are less than straightforward I will have to admit.. some of it is just you are not used to the Apple way.

Oct 2, 2013 2:53 PM in response to LaPastenague

Do setup again.. but make sure both your wireless and your ethernet have ipv6 turned on to local link.

Done this OK, but no idea about IPv6 - something new to me and rather Appley I think?


Unplug the WAN for the moment.. Just LAN port TC to the MBPr ethernet via thunderbolt.. (thunderbird was the kids puppet series.. Thunderbirds are go!!). Done - New real people Thunderbirds movie coming out soon I believe!!!


Reset the TC again.. sorry.. !! You're welcome ... done.


Make sure the ethernet now has an IP address.. 10.0.1.2 - Yep - done that - on ethernet anyway ...


You need to open the network preferences to find out. Yep - that's good ...


****** I then reconnect the TC WAN to the router - is this right?

And then I think I start going round in circles ... boot, reboot, restart, reboot again ...


The final result is green light on TC, but error message when trying TM is "Backup disk is not available".



Then open the airport utility and you should be able to setup the TC.

Do as little setup as possible and then run the TM backup and see how it goes.


I have managed to get Thunderbird to LAN on TC to create a folder on TC and copy a file onto it.

So I guess the drive is working - it must be the software, settings or perhaps even the operator that isn't quite so clever ...

I named network RFG, named device RFGTC. RFG network shown as IP 192.168.0.72


Wireless router is BT Homehub 3 with IP of 192.168.0.254 - is this issuing new IP addresses when rebooting TC?

I have three wireless networks here - the BT Homehub3 wireless, the TC wireless, and also a D-link power socket ethernet thingy for an ethernet connection to the telly - DHP-W310AV which is also wireless link. All are effectively connected to the BT Homehub - is there a conflict there?


Have several times achieved in Airport Utility schematic with internet shown as green, RFGTC shown as green, light on TC green, but no TM backup run ... "backup disc not available."


And there are no tall building around here to hurl myself off ... at least you can go to Sydney Harbour bridge - not too far away ... it was my son in Sydney that persuaded me to scrap Windows and go Apple ... it's all his fault ...

Oct 2, 2013 3:22 PM in response to Robin FG

And there are no tall building around here to hurl myself off ... at least you can go to Sydney Harbour bridge - not too far away ... it was my son in Sydney that persuaded me to scrap Windows and go Apple ... it's all his fault ...


Sydney is a hole.. and it is long way from Melbourne but I get the picture.


There are times when Apple almost acts as badly as windows. Networking is one area they actually cannot control although I am sure in their final plans for world domination they do plan on taking over the internet.


I think as overall comment.. you have too much wireless and too complex a setup. The system gets messy and things stray from fixed IP settings.


You should get your son to remote in and fix it for you.. since his was the idea originally.


I can only suggest a few things to straighten it out.


Done this OK, but no idea about IPv6 - something new to me and rather Appley I think?


Nope .. the days of ipv6 are upon us.. and we are all going to be forced into the brave new world of ipv6 due to the world running out of ipv4 addresses.


Just make sure you have IPv6 set to local link for both your ethernet and wireless connections.


User uploaded file


See my ethernet is wrong but I am not using it.. change from auto to local-link.

User uploaded file


User uploaded file


Now I want you to turn off the dlink and eop adapters.. I want you to run just the HH3 and the TC.. and see if it behaves a bit better.


Please give me screen shots of the TC setup if you have trouble.

Oct 3, 2013 2:07 PM in response to LaPastenague

Link-local stuff all done - shut down all the surplus wi-fi ... but it doesn't seem to make any difference.


There is this file “2013-09-15-222635.inProgress” in the backup file on the TC which is approx 45Gb - should this be there? 15th was the last date a backup completed OK - at least I think it did ...


Thanks for your patience ...

Oct 5, 2013 5:46 AM in response to LaPastenague

How easy was that???

OK - only a couple of backup files as it was only days old, but there do seem a couple of issues that my new friend Apple should look at for us near-virgins.

1. why should the TC end up with a .inProgress file left over blocking up the system?

2. why is it seemingly impossible to delete this file? OK - it was 44.8Gb ... but ...

3. why is this error message not high in FAQs to immediately check for the presence of this .inProgress file?

4. why is there not an auto clean-up process to get rid of such left-overs where unwarrantied?

5. How come you have got 23,875 points and I have none? Do "points mean prizes"?😝

6. Got there in the end - it seems to be doing "the right thing" now - thanks for your patience.

Time capsule won't back up - Unable to complete backup. An error occurred while creating the backup folder. Any ideas?

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