slackyhacky

Q: 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, OS X El Capitan (10.11.1)

Posted on Dec 29, 2015 11:10 PM

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Q: I can't delete files on my time capsule

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  • by K Shaffer,

    K Shaffer K Shaffer Dec 29, 2015 11:33 PM in response to slackyhacky
    Level 6 (14,279 points)
    Desktops
    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!

  • by slackyhacky,

    slackyhacky slackyhacky Dec 30, 2015 4:26 PM in response to K Shaffer
    Level 1 (0 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.

  • by Bob Timmons,

    Bob Timmons Bob Timmons Dec 30, 2015 4:37 PM in response to slackyhacky
    Level 10 (105,008 points)
    Wireless
    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?



  • by slackyhacky,

    slackyhacky slackyhacky Dec 30, 2015 5:02 PM in response to Bob Timmons
    Level 1 (0 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.

  • by Bob Timmons,

    Bob Timmons Bob Timmons Dec 30, 2015 5:22 PM in response to slackyhacky
    Level 10 (105,008 points)
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    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? 

  • by slackyhacky,

    slackyhacky slackyhacky Dec 30, 2015 5:30 PM in response to Bob Timmons
    Level 1 (0 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. 

  • by Bob Timmons,

    Bob Timmons Bob Timmons Dec 30, 2015 5:35 PM in response to slackyhacky
    Level 10 (105,008 points)
    Wireless
    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.

  • by slackyhacky,

    slackyhacky slackyhacky Dec 30, 2015 7:24 PM in response to Bob Timmons
    Level 1 (0 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.

  • by Bob Timmons,

    Bob Timmons Bob Timmons Dec 30, 2015 7:30 PM in response to slackyhacky
    Level 10 (105,008 points)
    Wireless
    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.

  • by slackyhacky,

    slackyhacky slackyhacky Dec 30, 2015 7:43 PM in response to Bob Timmons
    Level 1 (0 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.

     

    delete.jpg

  • by Bob Timmons,

    Bob Timmons Bob Timmons Dec 30, 2015 7:40 PM in response to slackyhacky
    Level 10 (105,008 points)
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    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?

  • by slackyhacky,

    slackyhacky slackyhacky Dec 30, 2015 7:45 PM in response to Bob Timmons
    Level 1 (0 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?

  • by Bob Timmons,

    Bob Timmons Bob Timmons Dec 30, 2015 7:49 PM in response to slackyhacky
    Level 10 (105,008 points)
    Wireless
    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

  • by slackyhacky,

    slackyhacky slackyhacky Dec 30, 2015 7:57 PM in response to Bob Timmons
    Level 1 (0 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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