Level 9

59,536 points

Gen4 A1409 bricked

The Gen4 issue on your website is what I have on my hands.

This data is from chipmunk.nl

Family name: A1409

Model Number: MD032

Group1: Time Capsule

Group2:

Generation: 4

Production year: 2012

Production week: 50 (December)

Model introduced: 2011

Capacity: 2TB

Memory - flavour: xx

Factory: C0 (Quanta Computer (Susidiary = Tech Com) China)

I do have an ATV which was bought in last 12-months. Is there a web link (I could not find one) which will let me open the TC, extract the drive and put it in an external enclosure to extract the data. I do realize that many of the TC 'services' for network backup will be missing from such an enclosure, but I am after the ability to extract data.

I will try the vertical 802.11ac, despite my bad experience with it the first time I tried it.

Thanks.

Posted on Jul 15, 2015 4:13 AM

32 replies

Loner T Author

Level 9

59,536 points

Jul 18, 2015 6:20 AM in response to LaPastenague

This is what someone tried - https://plus.google.com/+MarcelvanderGraaf/posts/28NN4xkDHk7 .

I am looking for a donor A1409 with a working PS that I can use to replace the PS on this unit. If you have a schematic for the Delta PS, I am willing to try and measure voltages and check the PS. If I cannot find a donor PS, then AppleCare route may be the only option left.

http://www.applemacparts.co.uk/store/power-supply-m-1355.html?page=5&sort=1a in UK will charge me GBP75 of the PS, which is not economically viable.

If the TC will work just as an extreme without the drive, that is a good solution. I can either connect the disk via USB externally and continue to use it, or connect it to a USB port on a Mini Server and use it for Network backups.

Jul 18, 2015 10:55 AM in response to Loner T

I have a spare Gen3 Power Supply (made by Flextronics) that I will give you. It's new, never been used...but where are you located? Postage might be prohibitive. I'm in Washington State, USA.

Loner T Author

Level 9

59,536 points

Jul 18, 2015 11:10 AM in response to Mike's Pad

Mike's Pad wrote:

I have a spare Gen3 Power Supply (made by Flextronics) that I will give you. It's new, never been used...but where are you located? Postage might be prohibitive. I'm in Washington State, USA.

Thank you for your generous offer. This is wonderful. I am in Northern VA. My email is l o n e r t m a c at g m a i l d o t c o m. I can cover the postage and cost as necessary.

Jul 18, 2015 11:17 AM in response to Loner T

I'll email, we can exchanged particulars.

Jul 18, 2015 11:59 AM in response to Mike's Pad

I actually found another spare PS, a Delta. One is better than the other, Delta vs Flextronics, but I can't remember which. La Pastenague knows.

I'll send both as two fit nicely into a Small Flat Rate mailing box, i.e., no extra charge.

Loner T Author

Level 9

59,536 points

Jul 18, 2015 1:37 PM in response to Mike's Pad

The TC I have has the Delta since it is the original and the Apple part number is 614-0464. I can test with both. I will return the one I do not use, in case someone else wants it, or I can also pass it on to some one who needs it.

Loner T Author

Level 9

59,536 points

Jul 18, 2015 2:49 PM in response to LaPastenague

The drive seems healthy. Put it in a Macally PHR100SU, and I can see the following...

/dev/disk2 (external, physical):

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: GUID_partition_scheme *2.0 TB disk2

1: Apple_HFS APconfig 1.1 GB disk2s1

2: Apple_HFS APswap 1.1 GB disk2s2

3: Apple_HFS Data 2.0 TB disk2s3

ls -l /Volumes/Data/ShareRoot/

total 0

drwxrwx--- 2 MyName staff 68 Aug 13 2014 Backups.backupdb

drwx------@ 10 MyName staff 340 Jul 11 19:39 Macmini-i71.sparsebundle

drwx------@ 10 MyName staff 340 Jan 18 11:37 Macmini-i7s.sparsebundle

drwx------@ 7 MyName staff 238 Dec 21 2014 Macmini-ic2s.sparsebundle

drwx------@ 10 MyName staff 340 Jul 13 17:07 13in-rMBP.sparsebundle

This seems a good website for users with similar issues - http://www.fackrell.me.uk/index.html .

Loner T Author

Level 9

59,536 points

Jul 19, 2015 4:48 PM in response to Mike's Pad

I tested the Delta PSU and check the 12V disk and 5V board connector Molexes. It seems to be fine. Got an email from Chris and followed his suggestion to test voltages on the on-board connector. It shows a short.

Apple Store is the next stop.

Loner T Author

Level 9

59,536 points

Jul 19, 2015 9:16 PM in response to Loner T

Mike's Pad / LaPastenague

As the last test, I connected the TC PSU molex instead of the enclosure (PHR-100SU) power molex, but left the SATA via the enclosure. The drive show up and works without any issues.

Jul 19, 2015 11:59 PM in response to Loner T

Thanks for the update.. this is short as I am typing it on ipad.. in a hotel far from home.

This is what I would have expected.. The hdd is fine, power supply is fine.. it is the board that is shot.. but shorted is unusual.. they normally fail open circuit.

You shorted board is fixable.. the A1355 has that same issue.. and so you can fix the same way I did on the website.

Loner T Author

Level 9

59,536 points

Jul 20, 2015 6:37 AM in response to LaPastenague

Thanks. I will check it out.

Loner T Author

Level 9

59,536 points

Jul 21, 2015 3:09 PM in response to LaPastenague

Apple Store said no. Is the new 2TB refurbished at USD199 worth it?

Jul 21, 2015 4:26 PM in response to Loner T

A 2 TB refurbished unit might be as old as 2 years, or only a few months old. If you were assured that you would get a newer refurbished unit, then $200 is a good bargain.

But, it probably goes without saying that a refurbished unit that has a 2 year old hard drive is probably not going to hold up as well as a newer unit.

I doubt that Apple will provide any more information than the basics, so it is always a gamble with refurbished gear. Personally, I would consider a refurbished AirPort router......but not a refurbished Time Capsule.

You may feel differently, though.

Loner T Author

Level 9

59,536 points

Jul 21, 2015 5:05 PM in response to Bob Timmons

Thanks, Bob. I have actually considered the 11ac AE (refurbished) instead of a new/refurb TB as a better option, because it will support an external disk as TM, including the one that is in the currently dead TC (4th Gen). The only downside to the current generation is the USB2. I prefer a USB3 (or even a TB/FW800). Perhaps it is better to wait and see what is released at the end of the year/beginning of the next.

I also want to try what LaPastenague has suggested with the XR5 on the board.

Loner T Author

Level 9

59,536 points

Jul 21, 2015 5:39 PM in response to Bob Timmons

...instead of a new/refurb TB as...

Bad typo.

...instead of a new/refurb TC as...

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Gen4 A1409 bricked