I can't delete files on my time capsule

Question

Level 1

11 points

I can't delete files on my time capsule

After hitting the delete key - the window that says "deleting x items" just stays there forever and files are not ever deleted.

Any suggestions?

iTunes 12-OTHER, OS X El Capitan (10.11.1)

Posted on Dec 29, 2015 11:10 PM

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Answer 1

K Shaffer

Level 8

36,022 points

Dec 29, 2015 11:33 PM in response to slackyhacky

There is a specific process outlined here:

• Verify, repair, or erase an AirPort Time Capsule drive - Apple Support

Other methods may be possible, but a simple 'delete' isn't likely for

several reasons. While it may be possible to reformat a drive in the

Time Capsule via a disk utility, or erase content on a partition, the

careful assessment of how this may affect TC uses is advised first.

Time Capsule relies on AirPort Utility for access. However, attached

Time Machine backup drive may be accessed by disk utility, etc.

AirPort + Wi-Fi -- AirPort Time Capsule -- Apple Support:

http://www.apple.com/support/airport/timecapsule/

Good luck! 🙂

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Answer 2

slackyhacky Author

Level 1

11 points

Dec 30, 2015 4:26 PM in response to K Shaffer

"

Time Capsule relies on AirPort Utility for access. However, attached

Time Machine backup drive may be accessed by disk utility, etc."

Not true for me. In Finder, time capsule is shown as an external harddrive with a folder called "data". It is here where I have some documents and photos stored that I want to delete.

If I use airport utility, it will delete all things, included my backups I don't want deleted. I just want a few folders deleted.

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Answer 3

Bob Timmons

Level 10

185,114 points

Dec 30, 2015 4:37 PM in response to slackyhacky

In Finder, time capsule is shown as an external harddrive

No, the Time Capsule is shown as a Shared network drive. That is why you see it under the Shared heading on the left panel in a Finder window. An external drive will never appear here.....only a network drive.

If the Time Capsule were an external drive.....it's not, and never will be......it would show up under Devices on the left side panel in a Finder window. An external drive is a drive connected directly to your Mac. It might be via USB, FireWire or Thunderbolt connection.

The Time Capsule is connected to your network.

Now, let's see if we can help you delete the files and folders you want gone from your Time Machine backups. You indicate that........

After hitting the delete key - the window that says "deleting x items" just stays there forever and files are not ever deleted.

Please list each step that you are performing when you attempt to delete a file or folder from a Time Machine backup. What happens after each step?

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Answer 4

slackyhacky Author

Level 1

11 points

Dec 30, 2015 5:02 PM in response to Bob Timmons

Bob,

Thanks for the response. I apologize for saying my Time Capsule was an external hard drive - not a shared drive.

Here are my steps.

Click on Finder. Scroll down to "Shared". Click on "Tall time capsule" (I have an old time capsule called "flat and old" and the new one is called tall). After clicking on it, on the display window, the folder "data" is shown. I click on "data" and this opens up the files I have copied there. One of these folders called "Carisa's computer files" is the folder I have copied to another drive and would now like to delete. I highlight this folder, right click and choose "Move to Trash". Then the usually delete window appears and says "deleting x (a number) files" and stays there forever - never deleting anything. I have tried choosing just a few files within the folder, and it never deletes them and the small window with the verbiage declaring to the world that Apple is deleting the files remains forever.

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Answer 5

Bob Timmons

Level 10

185,114 points

Dec 30, 2015 5:22 PM in response to slackyhacky

No apology needed on the "external" naming thing......we see this all the time. And since the Time Capsule is "external" to a Mac, users tend to think of it as an external drive.

Thanks for the detailed steps on your attempts to delete a file from the Time Capsule "data" drive. The Time Capsule was designed primarily to back of the contents of Macs on the the network on a regular basis using the Time Machine application.

Now to the confusion that we need to clear up.......since Time Machine is mentioned a few times in your post.

Are the files that you want to delete from a Time Machine backup of "Carisa's Mac".......or......are these files that were manually copied over using the Finder from Carisa's computer to the hard drive on the Time Capsule?

Can you access the files using Carisa's Mac?

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Answer 6

slackyhacky Author

Level 1

11 points

Dec 30, 2015 5:30 PM in response to Bob Timmons

Oh - so sorry. Yes, mixing terms.

I know it was designed primarily for Time Machine - but up to this point, it has worked great as a shared drive.

I never meant to ever mention Time Machine - only Time Capsule. Although I use this time capsule as my Time Machine backup drive, I also use it as a place to store random files - so please forget Time Machine was ever mentioned. It has nothing to do with my problem that I can see. I can see the Time Machine backups - and am not doing anything with those. (Although - now that I think about it - it seems that Time Machine is renaming the way it backs things up. It seems like recently it started doing it in files and folder you can open and see - but it used to do it as a .sparsebundle file.)

Yes, I can see those files with any computer on the network - assuming it logs in with the correct password to the drive.

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Answer 7

Bob Timmons

Level 10

185,114 points

Dec 30, 2015 5:35 PM in response to slackyhacky

Thanks for the info.

Are you trying to delete the files from Carisa's Mac or another Mac? If you are trying to delete the files from a Mac other than Carisa's Mac, there is probably a permissions issue at play here.

In other words, Carisa's Mac "owns" the files, and the files need instructions from Carisa's Mac to be deleted. The files will basically ignore a delete command from another Mac.

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Answer 8

slackyhacky Author

Level 1

11 points

Dec 30, 2015 7:24 PM in response to Bob Timmons

Maybe that is the issue. That would be strange though if it was her computer that only had permission to delete the files. I just named the folder that because the files came from her computer. I'll try to delete them from her comp, but I doubt that is the issue.

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Answer 9

Bob Timmons

Level 10

185,114 points

Dec 30, 2015 7:30 PM in response to slackyhacky

If you can access a folder that you want to delete, click on it to highlight it, then right-click on the folder and select Get Info

In the window that appears, look down at the bottom for information about permissions. If Everyone has Read and Write permissions, then any computer should be able to delete the folder.

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Answer 10

slackyhacky Author

Level 1

11 points

Dec 30, 2015 7:43 PM in response to Bob Timmons

Thanks for sticking with me on this.

Everyone has permission to read or write. I don't think it would "pretend" to let me delete if I didn't have permissions.

It is strange that it goes through the motions of deleting the files, but can't quit get the job done. It is somewhat frustrating now. It is a lot of files I want gone.

This deleting window stays up and the file never deletes.

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Answer 11

Bob Timmons

Level 10

185,114 points

Dec 30, 2015 7:40 PM in response to slackyhacky

What happens if you click on a file to highlight it, then click the "gear" icon at the top of the "Data" window and select Move to Trash?

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Answer 12

slackyhacky Author

Level 1

11 points

Dec 30, 2015 7:45 PM in response to Bob Timmons

Same thing...windows stays forever - no file deleted.

Would restarting the Time Capsule help?

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Answer 13

Bob Timmons

Level 10

185,114 points

Dec 30, 2015 7:49 PM in response to slackyhacky

I doubt it, but worth a try. I'm stumped and cannot duplicate this error.

I think you have an operating system issue here.....not a Time Capsule issue.

Try a post over in the El Capitan support area. Good luck.

OS X El Capitan

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Answer 14

slackyhacky Author

Level 1

11 points

Dec 30, 2015 7:57 PM in response to Bob Timmons

I can delete files of my computer, off the flat time capsule (old time capsule), off an external drive I have hooked directly to my computer, or to the OWC drive I have plugged in TO the problematic Time Capsule. It is hard to imagine that it would be a OS system. I will try though.

Thanks again.

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Answer 15

Dec 30, 2015 9:01 PM in response to slackyhacky

I have experienced similar issues with permissions on El Capo.

But I do find it hard to reproduce.

Do a test.. can you copy a file to the directory?? Can you then delete that file?

This is important as the answer to this will tell you what is happening.

It is also important to note that all files change permissions when you copy them to the TC.. you do not own the TC.. it is owned by the firmware of the TC itself.. that is why it is important to create your own directories before copying files to it.

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