MacOSG: getting AirDisk to work with Time Machine
Posted by Dave Merten 
Oct 26, 2007 at 4:00pm
By Dave Merten
Recently I bought a 500GB external USB 2.0 hard drive for backup purposes. I planed on connecting it to Time Machine via my AirPort Extreme’s AirDisk. After installing Leopard and reading Time Machine’s documentation though, I found out that AirDisk will not work with Time Machine. In fact, AirDisk is not even mentioned in any of Time Machine’s documentation here. It only states that is will not work with an iPod or iDisk.
I find this strange, because in Apple’s original ad for Leopard on their Web site, the following was stated.
“Effortless meets wireless. With a hard disk connected to your AirPort Extreme Base Station, all the Macs in your house can use Time Machine to back up wirelessly. Simply select your AirPort Disk as the backup disk for each computer and the whole family can enjoy the benefits of Time Machine.”
AppleInsider has reported that AEBS AirDisk was supported in earlier Leopard betas. So what’s going on here? Why did Apple axe AEBS AirDisk support at the last minute? Are there serious issues, or do they plan on implementing it in a future update?
Read this thread at Apple Discussions that’s starting to heat up: Time Machine will disappoint notebook users It seems a lot of users bought external drives and Airport Extreme Base Stations to use with Time Machine, and are now disappointed.
What are your thoughts?
UPDATE: It seems someone got it to work here. Give it a try and let us know if it works for you.
rob ellis adds, “I also got Time Machine working over AEBS, but with a much simpler method.”
1. Connect your USB disk directly to the Mac.
2. Set up Time Machine and let your initial backup run.
3. Eject the disk and connect to the AEBS.
4. You need to ‘touch’ the disk by opening it in Finder, then Time Machine realises where it is and carries on.
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CDC Says:
Does it actually work??? I really want to know if you backed up originally on your computer via USB, THEN plug the HD into the AEBS would Time Machine actually continue to backup?
Posted on October 28, 2007
Brandon H Says:
I tried that but the backups hang about halfway through and I have to restart my AEBS. Time Machine does see the drive over the network though. They need to fix the bugs in the AEBS firmware, which is probably why they pulled the feature. AEBS has been known for choking on large transfers to the USB disk.
Posted on October 28, 2007
Freddie Says:
Well, the steps given here will work fine for the initial backups and time machine wil recognise the airdisk when connected to the AEBS. The problems comes when you want to retrieve a deleted file or when you want to back in “time”. You are only given the option of “today” and “now” whereas when you do a direct connection through the USB port, you can have all available hourly backups back in “time”.
there is a bug in the AEBS which needs to be fixed. I hear Mac OS X 10.5.1 should be out soon. http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=382310
Posted on November 06, 2007
William Pratt Says:
You don’t need to go through all of these steps. Just copy and past this in to a terminal and you will be set (all one line):
defaults write com.apple.systempreferences TMShowUnsupportedNetworkVolumes 1
Posted on November 19, 2007
Kenny Potts Says:
The ONLY and I mean ONLY reason they took out the ability of using Time Machine with an Airdisk is so they could pretty much make any and all wireless networks use “Time Capsule” I think it sucks cause I already have an Airport Extreme and honestly i don’t feel like shelling out another $300 bucks. Thanks Apple for the SHAFT!!!!
Posted on January 23, 2008
Ben Says:
I talked to one of the TimeMachine Engineers at MacWorld and they said there had been issues trying to get it to implement correctly various hard drives depending how they mount.
Which is the reason Time Capsule was made. Trust me I have an AEBS as well I have been trying various permutations, and have yet to be able to verify a restore from the disk. Lets hope 10.5.2 has some fixes :-)
Posted on January 27, 2008
Evets Says:
It may not work well with Time Machine, but I’ve been using a drive hooked to my AEBS with the Apple Backup software (available from .Net) and it’s been working great.
And yes I’ve tried restoring the data. :)
I personally find time machine a little too bloated and don’t like the lack of control…
Posted on February 05, 2008
joel richards Says:
That is so ridiculous. William Pratt is right.
First I got the AirDisk to finally *work* by taking the spaces out of the drive name and now Time Machine works because of a simple one-line settings hack? The AEBS is just that--AE BS.
But, hey. I guess it *mostly* works now.
Posted on March 13, 2008
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Dave Merten
Dave was one of the founding guides at ‘The Mining Company,’ now known as About.com, in February 1998. Dave was their ‘Focus on Mac Support’ guide. In 2004 he started ‘G5 Owners Support Group,’ and in 2005, renamed it ‘Mac Owners Support Group.’ In 2006, he started the ‘MacOSG Support Corner’ column here at Macsimum News.
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Jeff Says:
Sue!!!!!
Posted on October 26, 2007