Airport - unable to resolve internal error on disk

You are in strife.

That is the very error you do not want to see when you are using the TC for data.

Internal disk needs repair is a serious error. The fact that the TC is working at all is a wonder.

You need to buy a USB to SATA cradle (adapter box) for your hard disk and pull it out of the TC. There is no hope to fix it inside the TC.

You did not tell us which model TC you have?? Different strokes for different folks.. as this is a problem chiefly on Gen4.

You need to purchase a recovery software, data rescue or disk warrior and you need to attempt to rebuild your data from the disk. You probably need to buy another USB disk at least as large as the TC disk to hold the data that comes from it.

If the disk has simply lost format you can get a good recovery.

If the TC power supply is having issues it might be failing to spin the drive.. again you might win just moving it.

You also might find the issue is much more serious and the disk has to go to a data recovery centre and you can kiss $1000 goodbye.

Take it in stages.

1. What TC model is it?? If it is the newest Gen5 (tall AC model) I have not seen the error on that one.. so not sure of what the damage is likely to be. But this is typical of Gen4 as mentioned.

2. Did you give it overnight off power to cool down completely? Even a whole day. See if the disk is accessible immediately at start up.. if so immediately start copying the files to another disk.. USB plugged into a computer.. you don't have long. It is crucial to get the files off when you have the chance.

3. Are you using inverter power supplies? I would wait until you park and can run it when still in a park where you get clean mains power. Inverters can be dirty and maybe what caused the problem.

We can take the next bit depending on the answers to the above.

I have issues now with reply.. if it is not one thing it is another on this website.

I am going to have to edit the post quickly..

If I can see it in Airport Utility but not in Finder... could a recovery program like Disk Warrior see it and repair it or recover it from there? I'm guessing no, but it puzzles me as to why it can be seen in Airport Utility even just wirelessly (I've tried connected directly to my desktop mac and wirelessly to my macbook) but not in Finder.

I cannot edit the reply either.. I cannot do anything at the moment other than work via activity.. what a great site this is..

Disk utilities of any sort must work directly on local disks.. A Time Capsule is not a local disk .. it is a network drive.

No useful help is available via anything in mac or airport utility.

You have no choice but to pull out the disk.

https://www.ifixit.com/Device/AirPort_Time_Capsule_A1470

Being extremely careful removing the disk because the cable in particular can tear and is fragile.

You then need a USB disk holder.. so you can plug the disk into the computer to copy the files.

Do not buy a data recovery until you are sure you need it.

And NO data recovery is always messy.. you were supposed to have learned from your PC laptop experience to always have backups.. you were naughty and did not backup.. so here you are in a MESS.. never get into this place again because you always from now on will do backups.. constant regular and if valuable to multiple disks.

If you still cannot access the disk.. download a trial version of data rescue and give it a try.. you will not be able to recover files but it will show success rate of discovery.

If it fails and the photos are valuable.. stop and take the disk to recovery centre.. if you mess around with the disk you are just making it harder.. up to this point you are merely reading the drive.. nothing will make it worse.. but the actual attempt to recover should only be when the recovery software shows success is possible.. then go ahead and pay the license and give it a go.

This is a first report for me on a Gen5 of this behaviour.. and yes, I think bad power is a very possible cause..

I couldn't resist responding...congratulations, Euroducky84. You are very lucky today, very lucky indeed! 🙂

Lucky Euro Ducky..

You should be extremely pleased with yourself.

We end up in tears at the end of this process most of the time.