Should I partition Time Capsule or not?

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Level 1

4 points

Should I partition Time Capsule or not?

I bought my time capsule about 3 years ago thinking it would be a great wifi device to have with me in Africa, that could function as a router, and also thinking that it could be a great external hard drive to save all my PC based music files onto (via creating new library) which I could access through wi-fi... My understanding at this point is the TC functions as a back-up, and not a suppository of all files, unless it is partitioned... is that correct? I obviously don't know a ton about the TC, but am struggling to find it a useful piece of hardware quite possibly because I just don't know how to configure it. In short, I am looking to transfer my 2TB of PC based files (photos, videos, music, docs, etc.). I was planning on creating new iTunes libraries IN the TC (using it as a hard drive) and I was told I can partition the drive, but I don't know how to do that, or even if I should... it's a 3TB.

Time Capsule Info:

model A1470

SN - C8****9H6

3TB

Macbook Air OSX el capitan 10.11.5

MacBook Air, OS X El Capitan (10.11.5), null

Posted on Jun 10, 2016 8:17 AM

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Answer 1

Niel

Community+ 2026

Level 10

743,639 points

Jun 10, 2016 8:22 AM in response to coldjordan

The Time Capsule can't be partitioned and shouldn't be used to store working data. Put your files on a regular external drive and back it up to the Time Capsule.

(142843)

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Answer 2

Jun 10, 2016 6:57 PM in response to coldjordan

My understanding at this point is the TC functions as a back-up, and not a suppository of all files, unless it is partitioned... is that correct?

Actually no.. as per previous post the TC is not able to be hardware partitioned without removing the disk. It was designed by Apple purely as Time Machine backup target.

If you want to store files and use the TC as backup read the instructions from Pondini here. Q3

Even then he will not encourage it.

http://pondini.org/TM/Time_Capsule.html

As stated the TC cannot be partitioned.

Some people on websites say you can.. Please do not believe them.. and do not follow what they say.. you are partitioning according to the instructions a virtual disk.. and if you later have issues.. the virtual disk will disappear.

If you want to load your iTunes library onto the TC simply create a directory and copy it to the TC disk. However you can have sharing issues.. so see how it goes.

You can copy PC based files to the TC.. that doesn't of course make them Mac compatible if the file has no corresponding Mac Application.

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