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x user · 01:42 AM

A couple weeks ago I set up a Time capsule for a friend/customer. Being impressed with the whole Time Machine thing, I figured I'd plug in a 1tb HD to the EXTREME at home at start using Time Machine. But it doesn't recognize the network disk in the Time Machine list. I tried the 'show unsupported disk' in the terminal, but nothing worked.

Any clues?

chabig · Apr 23, 2009, 01:37 AM

I don't believe Airport Express supports external hard drives. The USB port is only for printers: http://www.apple.com/airportexpress/specs.html

x user · Apr 23, 2009, 01:43 AM

Originally Posted by chabig

I don't believe Airport Express supports external hard drives. The USB port is only for printers: http://www.apple.com/airportexpress/specs.html

Doh, I meant extreme, not express. It's a 802.11N extreme.... Stupid names...

Simon · Apr 23, 2009, 02:45 AM

Although the AP Extreme (the same goes for TC) support disk sharing for disks attached to the USB port, TM doesn't support those kinds of disks. If you want to have TM use a remote disk you need to use a TC and its internal disk.

The refurb store has the 500GB TC for $239.

ibook_steve · Apr 23, 2009, 03:32 AM

Originally Posted by Simon

Although the AP Extreme (the same goes for TC) support disk sharing for disks attached to the USB port, TM doesn't support those kinds of disks. If you want to have TM use a remote disk you need to use a TC and its internal disk.

The refurb store has the 500GB TC for $239.

Not true. Time Machine does support Airdisk. It didn't in the first release of Leopard, but it does now. If you can connect to the disk as an Airdisk in the Finder, try turning TM off then back on with the switch in the TM system prefs and then click Change Disk to pick the Airdisk.

Steve

Spheric Harlot · Apr 23, 2009, 03:42 AM

^ Correct.

As of 10.5.6, Time Machine supports backups to disks attached to Airport Extreme base stations.

Simon · Apr 23, 2009, 04:02 AM

Yeah, you guys are right. I hadn't tried it with 10.5.6. Good to know.

hwojtek · Apr 23, 2009, 04:39 AM

Remember to format the disk as Mac OS X Extended Journaled using Disk Utility before attaching. I run such a setup for half a year now.

ghporter · Apr 23, 2009, 09:21 AM

Originally Posted by Simon

Yeah, you guys are right. I hadn't tried it with 10.5.6. Good to know.

I have to admit that I only lightly skimmed the "what's new" text for the 10.5.6 upgrade, but I just carefully read it. It doesn't say anything about AirDisk, and doesn't mention anything about external drives and TM. It does mention improvements for AirPort:

Improves the reliability of AirPort connections, including improvements when roaming in large wireless networks with an Intel-based Mac.

In other words, it was easy to miss this improvement. Assuming it came with 10.5.6 rather than an earlier update.

I guess this says we sort of have to "test" all the limitations we run into with every new update? Kind of unpleasant. And I gotta read those "what's new" lists thoroughly in the future...

ibook_steve · Apr 23, 2009, 11:55 AM

It came in an earlier update: 10.5.2, I believe.

Steve

x user · Apr 23, 2009, 12:05 PM

Ok, the error: It wasn't formatted as Journaled... now it works. Odd thing: It's still considered an "unsupported volume". Worked fine on my machine (which had unsupported volumes on) but not my Dad's which didn't. Once we turned unsupported volumes on his on, it worked.

Much more difficult than the time capsule, and much slower backing up, but I'll live, and it's cheap.

Thanks for the help.

Simon · Apr 23, 2009, 01:03 PM

Originally Posted by ghporter

I guess this says we sort of have to "test" all the limitations we run into with every new update? Kind of unpleasant. And I gotta read those "what's new" lists thoroughly in the future...

Tell me about it!