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Can't get past "looking for other sources..."

I have a 3TB Time Capsule running the latest firmware, 7.7.3. I do a lot of experimentation with OS releases and different hardware, and every time I've needed the Time Capsule to restore selective data, I'm unable to. I've had this issue from my New MacBook 12", my MacBook Pro Retina 15" and my MacMini. The issue is that Migration Assistant sees my Time Capsule, and I can select it and login to it, and then Migration assistant will just spin the wheels "looking for other sources...", and I can't get past that.


Any suggestions?

Time Capsule-OTHER

Posted on Sep 2, 2015 9:21 AM

Reply
3 replies

Sep 2, 2015 2:29 PM in response to sprtbkr

What sort of selective data are you after?


Are you migrating or actually trying to recover files from the original source?


It strikes me you are using migration the wrong way..


Recovery of selected files.. is often better accomplished manually..


See pondini..


Q15 here. http://pondini.org/TM/FAQ.html


Although it is rather old.. and I think TM has become less reliable with each successive version of Mac OS.


If you are doing a lot of playing around.. I would seriously look at Carbon Copy Cloner or Chronosync etc.


The method they use to store files is a lot simpler than TM. You can still still run TM as well.. it is useful for migration.. but often it is a pain finding files in the backup.

Sep 2, 2015 2:43 PM in response to LaPastenague

First, thanks for your response.


While you may think I'm using migration assistant the wrong way, the fact that migration assistant doesn't even work with my Time Capsule is my issue. I spent good money on a Time Capsule that doesn't really work properly with Apple's own programs. The only way I've gotten data restored from the Time Capsule successfully is booting into recovery mode and recovering the entire machine, or by recovering files on a mac that has been backing up using Time Machine.


Migration assistant lets you do selective restores of user data, apps, account, etc, and not necessarily all of it at the same time. I've gotten this to work by making another existing mac the source rather than the Time Capsule in the past.


I'm not looking for a workaround or a better program, just to get the Time Capsule to work as it is supposed to. Migration Assistant shouldn't be hanging after selecting a Time Capsule.

Sep 2, 2015 5:23 PM in response to sprtbkr

Recovering files in Yosemite you would not use Migration.


OS X Yosemite: Restore items backed up with Time Machine


Migration is really to move from one computer to another.. and it does not allow particularly fine selection.. you get all files in a category not limited to choice you can make.


The problem though in Yosemite is just how poor it is as network OS.


Here is my typical getting Yosemite to even find the Time Capsule. The main issue is the shocking DNS system apple used to replace the older mdns discovery method used since ages past. See this article.



http://arstechnica.com/apple/2015/01/why-dns-in-os-x-10-10-is-broken-and-what-yo u-can-do-to-fix-it/


Start from a factory reset. No files are lost on the hard disk doing this.

Factory reset universal

Power off the TC.. ie pull the power cord or power off at the wall.. wait 10sec.. hold in the reset button.. be gentle.. power on again still holding in reset.. and keep holding it in for another 10sec. You may need some help as it is hard to both hold in reset and apply power. It will show success by rapidly blinking the front led. Release the reset.. and wait a couple of min for the TC to reset and come back with factory settings. If the front LED doesn’t blink rapidly you missed it and simply try again. The reset is fairly fragile in these.. press it so you feel it just click and no more.. I have seen people bend the lever or even break it. I use a toothpick as tool.

N.B. None of your files on the hard disk of the TC are deleted.. this simply clears out the router settings of the TC.


Setup the TC again.


Then redo the setup from the computer with Yosemite.

1. Use very short names.. NOT APPLE RECOMMENDED names. No spaces and pure alphanumerics.

eg TCgen5 for basestation and TCwifi wireless name.



If the issue is wireless use TC24ghz and TC5ghz with fixed channels as this also seems to help stop the nonsense. But this can be tried in the second round. ie plan on a first and second round of changes to fix this.. hopefully.. I will point out other steps that can be round2.


2. Use all passwords that also comply with 1. but can be a bit longer. ie 8-20 characters mixed case and numbers.. no non-alphanumerics.


3. If the TC is main router you can skip this point. This is only an issue when the TC is bridged.

Ensure the TC always takes the same IP address.. you will need to do this on the main router using dhcp reservation.. or a bit more complex setup using static IP in the TC. But this is important.. having IP drift all over the place when Yosemite cannot remember its own name for 5 min after a reboot makes for poor networking.


4. Check your share name on the computer is not changing.. make sure it also complies with the above.. short no spaces and pure alphanumeric.. but this change will mess up your TM backup.. so be prepared to do a new full backup. Sorry.. keep this one for second round if you want to avoid a new backup.


5. Mount the TC disk in the computer manually.


In Finder, Go, Connect to server from the top menu,

Type in SMB://192.168.0.254 (or whatever the TC ip is which you have now made static. As a router by default it is 10.0.1.1 and I encourage people to stick with that unless you know what you are doing).


You can use name.. SMB://TCgen5.local where you replace TCgen5 with your TC name.. local is the default domain of the TC and doesn't change.

However names are not so easy as IP address.. nor as reliable. At least not in Yosemite they aren't. The domain can also be an issue if you are not plugged or wireless directly to the TC.


6. Make sure IPv6 is set to link-local only in the computer. For example wireless open the network preferences, wireless and advanced / TCP/IP.. and fix the IPv6. to link-local only. Do the same for ethernet if you use it.

User uploaded file





There is a lot more jiggery pokery you can try but the above is a good start.. if you find it still unreliable.. don't be surprised.

You might need to do some more work on the computer itself. eg Reset the PRAM.. has helped some people. Clean install of the OS is also helpful if you upgrade installed.


Tell us how you go.



Someone posted a solution.. See this thread.


Macbook can't find Time Capsule anymore


Start from the bottom and work up.. I have a list of good network practice changes but I have avoided Yosemites bug heaven.


When you want to recover.. use ethernet.. it is much more reliable.. and much faster.


It will take ages as sometimes it will need to index a backup.. the larger the backup the longer it takes.. and over wireless this is slow due to the fundamental nature of wireless being half-duplex.


If you use laptops etc without ethernet ports, do buy the Thunderbolt to ethernet adapter which is $29US so cheap. Or whatever the latest USB adapter is.. if you are now down to one port.

Can't get past "looking for other sources..."

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