how can i backup an external hard drive without connecting it to my Mac in my Time Capsule??

Open the Time Machine pane of System Preferences, click Options, and ensure that the external drive isn't excluded from the backup. It needs to be formatted as Mac OS Extended (Journaled).

(128050)

Assuming the Time Capsule has room to backup both just connect the external drive to the computer. In Time Machine preferences be sure to remove the external drive from the Exclude list. Time Machine will backup all connected drives except those in the Exclude list.

You cannot backup network drives with Time Machine.

Nor does Time Capsule have any smarts in it to backup USB disks itself.

So you need to do this using a 3rd party app like carbon copy cloner. Or manually copy and paste the files..

Let me warn you .. this is a poor setup.. USB on the TC is still 2.0 and slow.. about 1/2 the speed of USB2 on the computer.

Transfer has to be USB--TC--Computer--TC.

Assuming the links are over wireless.. super slow.. at least use ethernet.

Edit

Lots of quick replies.. all missed your point that the USB will not be connected to the Mac..

and a external hard drive which I'm going to connect in my house network (not directly to my Mac)...

But they are correct.. that is the right way to do it.

Correct.

(128052)