Time Capsule Will Not Update

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Level 1

12 points

Time Capsule Will Not Update

Hello all. I am trying to update the Firmware on my Time Capsule. I have 7.7.8 and trying to get 7.7.9.

I have a green dot next to the Time Capsule name in AirPort Utility with a red indicator for the needed update. I click on the name, and start the update. It says that it's downloading the firmware, I see the status bar showing the download progress, the preparing the update. After the "Preparing . . . " prompt sits there for a while, I get the failure. I get a window saying there was a failure with the number "60" on it. Once it had a "32."

I've tried to simply unplug and power down the Time Capsule for about 10 seconds and plug it back in. But I get the same result. I've even tried a reset by pressing the reset button on a power up until the front light starts to flash. From there I was in a set up window to try and start fresh, but I still have the same issue.

What's even stranger, is if I unplug and then plug is back in, and I don't try to update the firmware, just leave it as is with the red indicator, and I go into the "Edit" function, none of my edits will take. I get an error there as well.

So I can't edit the information in the Time Capsule, nor can I update the firmware. Does anyone know what's going on?

Posted on Oct 12, 2018 2:37 PM

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Answer 1

Oct 13, 2018 7:24 AM in response to Sirecks

Sorry, I am confused. You told us that you are not able to "Edit" the settings on the Time Capsule. Is that still the case?

You will not be able to update the firmware on the Time Capsule until the Time Capsule is operating normally again and you can access the settings of the Time Capsule using AirPort Utility when you click "Edit".

If the Time Capsule is still not operating correctly, all that you can do at this point is continue to try a series of Factory Default Resets to see if it is possible to set up the TC again correctly.

Assuming that the Time Capsule is back to normal and operating correctly again, you can now access the settings of the Time Capsule from your Mac's Ethernet connection.

Do NOT enable Ethernet Internet Sharing on the Mac or any other kind of Internet Sharing.

Turn off the WiFi on the Mac by clicking on the WiFi icon at the top of the screen

Connect an Ethernet cable from the Mac to one of the three LAN <--> Ethernet ports on the Time Capsule.

Open AirPort Utility on the Mac

Click on Other WiFi Devices in the upper corner of the AirPort Utility window

If WiFi is still selected, click on Ethernet to set up the wired connection

If no selection between WiFi or Ethernet appears, then you are already connected using Ethernet

If all appears to be well, and your Time Capsule is operating normally again........you will be able to access the settings using AirPort Utility, get an Internet connection on the Mac, etc.......then.......you can try the firmware upgrade with the Mac still connected using Ethernet to the Time Capsule.

Just open AirPort Utility again with the Mac still connected using Ethernet, click on the picture of the TC and then click on the Update button.

Hopefully, things will go smoothly this time and the Update will "stick".

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Answer 2

Oct 12, 2018 3:13 PM in response to Sirecks

What device......a Mac, an iPhone/ iPad, or a PC.....are you using to try to configure and update the Time Capsule?

If it is a Mac, what operating system is installed on the Mac?

If it is a Mac, are you able to connect to the Time Capsule using a wired Ethernet cable? The reason we ask....sometimes when things are not working correctly with a wireless connection, the the update will work fine over a wired connection.

And sometimes.....if AirPort Utility on a Mac is not behaving.....AirPort Utility on an iPhone or iPad will allow the update to occur, although it is not possible to use a wired connection with the iOS device.

What's even stranger, is if I unplug and then plug is back in, and I don't try to update the firmware, just leave it as is with the red indicator, and I go into the "Edit" function, none of my edits will take. I get an error there as well.

Unfortunately, the previous update attempt......which did not "take"......may have possibly corrupted the firmware that is currently installed on the Time Capsule. About all that you can do if this has occurred is try a Factory Default Reset on the Time Capsule, start over with a new setup, and try the update again.

To reset the Time Capsule back to factory default settings......

Power off the Time Capsule

Wait a few minutes

Hold in the reset button first, and keep holding it in for another 9-10 seconds while you simultaneously plug the power back into the Time Capsule. This is not easy....almost requires 3 hands.

Release the reset button after the hold period and allow a full minute for the Time Capsule to restart again

At that point, you will have to reconfigure the Time Capsule again to see if the settings will "stick". My advice would be to use a different name and password for the Time Capsule, in case the previous name and password may be creating some conflicts with the previous settings on the Time Capsule.

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Answer 3

Sirecks Author

Level 1

12 points

Oct 12, 2018 3:32 PM in response to Bob Timmons

I'm using my brand new MacBook Pro. OS 10.13.6 High Sierra, and AirPort Utility of 6.3.8 on the MacBook Pro. I also tried on my phone. It's an iPhone 8, with iOS12.0.1 installed, and whatever version of AirPort is installed with that iOS. Both of these attempts to update were done wirelessly. The new MacBook only has the two Thunderbolt 3 ports, so I don't have an ethernet cable connection, available. I do have an adapter with USB and SD card slots to plug into my MacBook Pro, but I did not try hooking the Time Capsule up to the MacBook with a USB to USB connection.

The AirPort utilities seems to be working fine, as it reads the Time Capsule and shows all the right things.

I've already done the "3-handed" reset, and it failed after the set up process, during the reading of the information portion on the Time Capsule after the initial installation. I unplugged it, let it sit, replugged it back in and it booted up, I could see it on AirPort Utility, but I am unable to change any of the information. So it took the information from running the set up process again, and I tried to edit that information, to no avail.

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Answer 4

Oct 12, 2018 4:07 PM in response to Sirecks

I do have an adapter with USB and SD card slots to plug into my MacBook Pro, but I did not try hooking the Time Capsule up to the MacBook with a USB to USB connection.

That will not work, since the USB port on the Time Capsule is there only to add a hard drive.

A Thunderbolt-to Ethernet-adapter is what you need, if you want to try a wired connection. Apple has them for about $30 as I recall. Probably worth a try if Apple will allow you to return the adapter if it does not help.

I unplugged it, let it sit, replugged it back in and it booted up, I could see it on AirPort Utility, but I am unable to change any of the information. So it took the information from running the set up process again, and I tried to edit that information, to no avail.

Unfortunately, this sounds like the existing firmware on the Time Capsule was corrupted by the failed update attempt. Catch 22 if that is the case, since you will not be able to configure the Time Capsule to allow the settings to be edited.

It is too early to throw in the towel, but I have had the exact same issue in the past. The only solution was to replace the Time Capsule.

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Answer 5

Oct 12, 2018 6:05 PM in response to Sirecks

How old is the TC?

Using ethernet is the only forward at this point I think

I know your Mac does not have ethernet.. but even a PC with ethernet will work .. just load in the windows version 5.6.1 although it is not officially supported on the AC version airports will still work fine.

Otherwise if you have applecare and the TC is less than 3 years old it might be worth checking if apple will replace it or at least return your money.. what they are going to do for warranty replacements once the current batch is finished is anyone's guess.

Bob's comment that he managed to brick one is a surprise.. the update of the airport firmware is amongst the most bullet proof I have ever seen.

It is of course possible that upgrade attempt and the failure are not directly related.. but rather 3 years or sometimes even less is sufficient to start the TC down the path of degradation.. upgrade just sped up the process. The AC model are extreme-ly (pun intended) prone to issues.

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Answer 6

Sirecks Author

Level 1

12 points

Oct 13, 2018 6:33 AM in response to LaPastenague

Okay, I got my old MacBook Pro with an ethernet port working. I forgot about this option when I was typing last.

The problem is I'm having a hard time finding instructions on how to update the firmware on the Time Capsule through an ethernet connection as suggested. All my Google searching is coming up with results that are close, but not working.

What I've done so far is to connect the ethernet cable to my MacBook Pro, then the other end to the WAN port, and also I tried one of the three LAN ports. Each time I changed which port, I powered down the Time Capsule, changed the connection in the back, and started it back up again. All I keep getting is a blinking amber light on the front the Time Capsule, I have no indication on my MacBook Pro that the laptop can see the Time Capsule, and Air Port Utility obviously shows nothing.

I also have enabled Internet sharing from ethernet to ethernet.

So I have the components, just missing the "step-by-step," if you will. I don't know how to do the update through the ethernet line. Do any of you know a link, or a how to of sorts?

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Answer 7

Sirecks Author

Level 1

12 points

Oct 13, 2018 8:04 AM in response to Bob Timmons

I know this is getting confusing. Sorry about that.

Issue 1: I get an error code of "60" each time I try to update the firmware on the TC. I've been trying to update it through my MacBook Pro and my iPhone via AirPort Utility. Always the same result.

Issue 2: I get an error when I go into Edit and try to change or manipulate something. It has never completed or saved. I do get what all of you are saying in that this part will not work until I get Issue 1 fixed.

All of these are still the case. Nothing has changed since my original post. I've tried another factory reset this morning, and I used a different name, password, and so forth this time, and the set up worked. It completed. However, when it caught that it needed an firmware update, and I tried it again, I got the same error code of "60."

The set up for the ethernet update option then, I'm assuming from your post is as follows:

Have an ethernet cable plugged into the wall outlet, and then into the WAN input on the TC.

Have another ethernet cable plugged into the ethernet port of the MacBook, and then into a LAN outlet of the TC.

Is that correct? After this is all hooked up, then I follow your instructions, right?

You'll have to forgive me. I'm an old military aircraft mechanic and pilot. My brain functions best with checklists and step-by-steps. I'm not very smart on this subject, so you won't offend me by talking to me like a third-grader, I promise.

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Answer 8

Oct 13, 2018 8:23 AM in response to Sirecks

Have an ethernet cable plugged into the wall outlet, and then into the WAN input on the TC.

Correct

Have another ethernet cable plugged into the ethernet port of the MacBook, and then into a LAN outlet of the TC.

Correct. But, you must not enable Internet Sharing on the Mac. Leave it off. And, you must turn off the WiFi on the Mac, to insure that the connection between the Mac and the TC will be wired, not wireless.

Make sure that you can get a good Internet connection on the Mac by trying a few websites.

Then, open AirPort Utility and try the Update again. If the Update continues to fail, there is another more complicated method to try to update the firmware on the TC. Offhand, I don't remember the details for this, but I'm sure that LaPastenague does, so wait for his instructions.....or....take the TC in to an Apple Store or Apple Servicer if you have one near you, and have them do the update for you.

Since you have the TC connected directly to an Ethernet wall port, there is another router at the facility that may be blocking the update from the Internet. That may explain the errors that you are encountering. If that is the case, you will have to take the TC somewhere else to run the update.

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Answer 9

Sirecks Author

Level 1

12 points

Oct 13, 2018 8:57 AM in response to Bob Timmons

So now what I have is the proper set up as described by me and you, with a cable from the wall to the TC, and one from the TC to the MacBook, with internet sharing turned off, and WiFi turned off on the MacBook. The green light is on in front of the TC. However, I have an orange indication in the Network Settings next to my Ethernet, and it says it has a self-assigned IP address. So no internet signal this way.

I don't know if this helps, but there is a story to how I got here. Recently my house hold network (WiFi and wired) appeared to have an outage. We looked and there were no reported outages in our area. We had a couple of devices that could stay on WiFi for a period, but that was it. I checked my modem, my router, and my 24-port switch (the only three components I have in my set up). When I disconnected the switch from the router, the WiFi came back and worked 100%. So I unplugged and reset every one of my wired connections from the switch that branched out into the house to the various outlets, and found that port #7 on the switch, when plugged in, was killing the WiFi and the network. I traced that wire back to the outlet the TC was plugged into. When the TC is plugged into the ethernet outlet in my wall, it throws the network off. I loose my 5G signal, some devices won't connect, etc. When I unplug the TC, the whole network goes back to normal.

I am starting to think that taking it to my local Apple Store is my next move.

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Answer 10

Oct 13, 2018 9:24 AM in response to Sirecks

However, I have an orange indication in the Network Settings next to my Ethernet, and it says it has a self-assigned IP address. So no internet signal this way.

Then, the Time Capsule is not operating correctly. Updating the firmware will not be possible until the TC has a good Internet connection, and devices that connect to the TC can all get a good Internet connection.

I am starting to think that taking it to my local Apple Store is my next move.

This is your best option at this point, to find out if the TC is defective or not. If the TC is working correctly, the folks can update the firmware for you while the TC is at the store.

If the TC works at the store, but does not work when you connect it back at home.....then we have a whole other can of worms to deal with......since that will indicate that the TC is OK, but there are other problems to try to solve on your network. We may....or may not.....be able to help with this.

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Answer 11

Sirecks Author

Level 1

12 points

Oct 13, 2018 5:56 PM in response to Bob Timmons

Okay all. Thanks so much for all your help and trying to figure this out with me.

I brought the TC to the Apple Store, and they couldn't figure anything out. They had all the same results I did.

I was set up for a phone call with the network support group from Apple and talked to a tier 1 and tier 2 tech for over an hour and half of trouble shooting, to no avail.

The suggestion to me is to take the TC to an authorized repair/dealer, someone capable of data recovery, and have the data removed from the TC, and then have the TC wiped. I still have about 200 days left on the warranty. The Apple Store genius told me that there were two local authorized apple repair stores that could do the data recovery here in town.

So basically, whatever is wrong with the startup/boot up/firmware, is not allowing Finder to get into the TC, and no amount of resets, factory or otherwise, is getting rid of the problem and won't allow any sort of network connection. So, that's where I am in this process.

Thanks again.

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Answer 12

Oct 13, 2018 6:10 PM in response to Sirecks

Unfortunately, as I mentioned above.....the same kind of thing has happened to me and the only solution was to replace the Time Capsule with a new device.

Since the Time Capsule is in warranty, Apple will replace the device for you......but.....they will not cover the costs of transferring the data from the old Time Capsule to the new Time Capsule.

I was quoted $250-300 for this service, to give you a rough idea of what the actual expense might be. I declined this since I already had another copy of my backups on another hard drive.

Good luck!

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Time Capsule Will Not Update

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