How to refurbish a 5th generation Time Capsule

Apple launched the Wi-Fi revolution in 1998 when it launched its first AirPort base station (entry level) and optionally available AirPort playing cards for brand new Macs and notebooks when the unique iMac was launched that 12 months.

Apple’s unique Wi-Fi lineup included the primary iMac, PowerMac G3 tower, G3 iBook mannequin, and the skilled PowerBook G4. These fashions all used an optionally available AirPort card which might be added to them so as to add Wi-Fi capabilities.

Mainstream acceptance of the web was simply getting began again then, and Apple needed to see what consumer reception to wi-fi networking can be.

The general public cherished Wi-Fi and AirPort and it’s nonetheless the ever present wi-fi pc networking commonplace in the present day.

That very same 12 months Apple launched its first AirPort base station – a “UFO” like mannequin with a spherical form, gray and clear plastic, and three easy LEDs on its entrance.

Two extra UFO-design fashions adopted, the third mannequin being dubbed the primary “AirPort Excessive” which featured a more moderen, quicker Wi-Fi commonplace.

third technology AirPort Excessive.

The next 12 months Apple launched the primary of the compact AirPort Categorical fashions. Its first design was a easy small white plastic field with a folding A/C energy plug on one finish, and Ethernet ports and a standing mild on the opposite.

With AirPort Categorical, you might achieve a Wi-Fi entry level just by plugging it into any commonplace home outlet and a cable or DSL modem.

After AirPort Categorical Apple launched a number of AirPort Excessive base stations with upgraded Wi-Fi and extra options comparable to the power so as to add an exterior USB drive as a sharable community drive over wi-fi networks. You can additionally use AirPort Extremes as a bridge from a wi-fi community to units with out Wi-Fi functionality.

The unique AirPort Excessive fashions had a small sq. type issue just like a Mac mini, however with an all-white plastic case.

In January of 2008, Apple launched the AirPort Time Capsule gadget. Basically a mix of AirPort base station and network-attached storage (NAS) containing an inner laborious drive, Time Capsule allowed customers to do straightforward backups and use the Time Capsule as each a LAN gateway router and as a shared storage answer over networks.

Time Capsule additionally offered a USB port for including a further exterior USB drive for extra storage.

Together with the discharge of Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard in October 2007, Apple additionally launched a brand new app included with Mac OS X known as Time Machine, which nonetheless ships with macOS in the present day.

Time Machine lets you add particular disks for backup, and in case you have one among Apple’s Time Capsule units to make use of that gadget because the goal gadget in your backups over a community.

Apple discontinued all Time Capsule gross sales in 2018, primarily as a result of there are cheaper and extra available generic community backup options out there, and since Wi-Fi switches and routers at the moment are extraordinarily cheap.

Oddly, Apple’s web site nonetheless has the “Purchase” web page for the ultimate Time Capsule mannequin on-line, however you’ll be able to not buy new Time Capsule items from Apple.

There have been 5 Time Capsule fashions in all – the primary 4 of which had the identical bodily type issue as the unique flat AirPort Excessive fashions, however the fifth mannequin (A1470) launched in 2013 had the identical taller “tower” type issue as the ultimate AirPort Excessive: a small white plastic tower with ports on the again and a single massive rubber foot on the underside for air circulation.

The fifth and ultimate mannequin additionally moved the facility provide contained in the gadget – eliminating the necessity for an exterior AC to DC energy provide.

fifth technology AirPort Time Capsule.

Many of the Time Capsule fashions had a full-sized 3.5″ SATA laborious drive, and the ultimate mannequin had a 3.5″ drive of both 2GB or 3GB capability for NAS.

All of the fashions supported Gigabit Ethernet, and the ultimate mannequin supported the 802.11ac Wi-Fi commonplace. All fashions of Time Capsule and AirPort Excessive, besides the very first fashions of each, supported each 2.4GHz and 5GHz community speeds.

All Time Capsule fashions have been based mostly on a Marvel 1850 CPU and quite a lot of both Marvell, Atheros, or Broadcom Wi-Fi chips. All had 128MB of RAM, 16MB of Flash storage, and a customized working system created by Apple.

The ultimate Time Capsule mannequin supported a most of fifty community customers directly.

On this article, we’ll present you easy methods to refurbish a fifth technology Time Capsule, and optionally exchange its inner 2GB or 3GB laborious drive, ought to yours fail.

One phrase of warning: this refurb is extraordinarily difficult. There are numerous tiny elements and cables which have to be eliminated and reassembled.

Solely try this course of in case you are totally assured in your restore and pc abilities. It is rather straightforward to break your Time Capsule and render it unusable if repairs are usually not accomplished completely.

For the restoration you will want:

1. One fifth technology AirPort Time Capsule
2. Energy wire
3. An Ethernet cable and an Ethernet change or router
4. Web connection
5. Small multi-bit screwdriver set together with Torx bits
6. A small flat-head screwdriver
7. A plastic spudger device or skinny flat steel ruler
8. A jeweler’s or photographer’s lupe for magnification
9. A flashlight
10. An electronics mat or small hand towel to position the unit on
11. Compressed air or air compressor
12. Apple’s AirPort Time Capsule Setup Information

If you wish to exchange the Time Capsule’s inner laborious drive additionally, you will want a 2TB or 3TB 3.5″ SATA laborious drive. You may’t use a substitute SSD drive as a result of the Time Capsule makes use of a customized SATA drive board that solely matches 3.5″ SATA laborious drives.

Time capsule rear ports. Notice the small reset button on the decrease proper.

To get began, first flip your Time Capsule over and set it on an electronics mat or small hand towel on a flat floor. The underside must be going through up with the black backside cowl seen.

The underside cowl is manufactured from a gentle rubbery plastic and is held in by nothing however friction. There are small sq. openings all the way in which across the backside cowl which snap onto small plastic clips on the within of the unit’s most important enclosure.

A phrase of warning: even should you use all non-metallic instruments, it is possible there shall be some minimal harm to the underside cowl, and sure one or two of the small clip holes. It is because the tolerances between the quilt and the enclosure are extraordinarily tight.

If you don’t need any harm by any means to the underside cowl, do not try this restore.

Having stated that, the harm to the underside cowl will possible be hardly noticeable and it will not intrude with the unit’s operation or reassembly.

Time capsule backside cowl.

To take away the underside cowl from the unit, use both a really skinny plastic spudger, or a really skinny small steel ruler. A two-inch vast spackling knife can even work, and so will a steel guitar decide – though you might not be capable to get sufficient leverage with a decide.

Ranging from one facet of the unit (not from the entrance or rear), insert the device into the seam between the quilt and the unit’s enclosure. You could have to wiggle it a bit to get it in.

As soon as inserted, gently pry down with the device, forcing one facet of the quilt out of the enclosure. As soon as one facet is free, insert a small flat-head screwdriver and really gently pry up one facet of the quilt.

Start prying on the edges.

After you may have one facet of the quilt pried up far sufficient to get a finger underneath its edge, use your fingers or a small screwdriver to pry the quilt off the unit solely.

Go gradual and watch out. Chances are you’ll need to stroll the screwdriver, or your first device across the edges to free extra of the quilt earlier than eradicating it along with your fingers.

Do not pry or insert any device into the entrance or again edges of the gadget – there are wires and sensors in these areas and should you insert a device there you will possible harm them.

Additionally observe that the within of the quilt has a small notch on one facet. That is essential as a result of the notch has to go over the facility port or the quilt will not match while you reinstall it.

Pry the quilt off.

As soon as the underside cowl is eliminated, observe the primary elements of the Time Capsule:

1. Small central warmth sink plate and 4 screws
2. Small energy port on the high on the rear
3. Massive warmth sink board on one facet
4. Energy provide cage on the alternative facet
5. Massive rubber shock absorber diagonally throughout the middle
6. 4 small wires crossing over the shock absorber
7. Small reset change connector and wire subsequent to the facility port
8. Customized motherboard underneath the massive warmth sink

The Time Capsule’s design is ingenious: the facility provide, warmth sink, and motherboard are on the perimeters, and the primary 3.5″ laborious drive is mounted within the middle diagonally underneath the primary shock absorber.

Backside cowl eliminated. Notice warmth sink in middle.

Beneath the laborious drive, however not seen from the highest whereas it’s put in are two extra smaller rubber shock absorbers on the opposite finish of the laborious drive – every held in by one massive screw and spring.

The facility provide additionally comprises an almost silent tiny fan, which is not seen from the surface or high. The fan solely comes on if the Time Capsule’s temperature rises above a sure threshold.

Time capsule inner elements.

Air circulates round each side of the unit, cooling each the facility provide and the laborious drive earlier than being despatched again out the underside openings within the backside cowl across the massive plastic foot.

As soon as the laborious drive is eliminated (which we’ll get to beneath), it’s attainable to take away the complete inner meeting from the outer enclosure, however except your Time Capsule is extraordinarily filthy inside, we do not advocate it.

It is because there are six small antennae wires on the underside (usually the highest when upright) of the unit and while you take away the inner meeting you threat loosening or damaging the antennae wires.

Except your gadget has some failed half on the motherboard that wants changing, there is no actual must take away the primary meeting from the unit.

In case your unit is that broken, it might simply be simpler to purchase one other substitute off eBay or different on-line retailers since they normally price underneath $50 as of this writing.

Additionally remember that should you do take away the laborious drive from the unit, the 2 rubber shock absorbers on the backside of the drive can simply come unfastened and it is extraordinarily irritating to must put them again in place. At a minimal, you will want a pair of lengthy needle-nose pliers to maneuver them again into place underneath their screws.

Utilizing compressed air or an air compressor, blast any mud and grime out of the unit. Most mud will accumulate inside the facility provide cage, and on the primary warmth sink.

If you’re eradicating the inner drive, additionally clear underneath it with compressed air earlier than you reinstall it or exchange it.

Normally, your Time Capsule should not be too soiled because the fan nearly by no means activates – except you reside in a high-dust space or in a really humid space.

In case you do stay in a really humid local weather it is possible mildew could have fashioned contained in the unit, wherein case it would be best to take away the primary meeting and wash the complete enclosure and backside cowl in water and dry them totally.

As soon as every part has been cleaned, you’ll be able to start disassembly.

Start by eradicating the small steel warmth sink and 4 Torx screws in the midst of the unit. Set them apart.

Subsequent, you will must loosen the facility port connector and the three small cables on the left facet of the motherboard.

Disconnect the three small wires.

The facility port is not held in by something – it merely sits in place held in by two small plastic grooves on the within of the enclosure.

To take away it from its place, merely press up from beneath it with a plastic device to slip it out of place. It should nonetheless be related to its small cable.

The opposite three small cables are on the alternative facet. To take away the bigger of the three, very gently place a plastic device beneath its wires, and press up.

Do not use an excessive amount of drive because the connector for the cable may be very small and the plastic is straightforward to break.

Chances are you’ll need to examine all three connectors with a flashlight and lupe first to know how they match collectively.

The remaining two tiny connectors maintain small wires onto the motherboard.

Notice these connectors don’t disconnect by pulling them straight up as you may count on. As an alternative, they arrive unfastened by prying them ahead – from beneath.

To take action insert a small plastic device beneath the wires on the base of the connector and press forwards, away from the motherboard. You may really feel a slight click on as they arrive free.

Now that every one 4 cables are free, you’ll be able to take away the primary rubber shock absorber by prying it up at each ends.

The shock absorber is held in with friction by 4 small white clips at both finish of the enclosure. As soon as it is free you’ll be able to take away it.

This exposes the three.5″ inner drive, its SATA connector, and the highest of the motherboard.

Take away the shock absorber.

You solely want to do that step should you’re eradicating the laborious drive.

To take away the drive’s SATA connector, first observe that there’s a small black sq. collar-like clip over it.

The clip works in another way than you may count on: as an alternative of it attaching to the motherboard on its face, the clip slides over the cable finish of the SATA connector and clips over the sting of the motherboard.

The motherboard finish of the SATA connector is a tiny multi-pin connector that merely presses in place on the motherboard. Nothing else holds it in besides the plastic clip.

On the drive finish of the SATA connector, is a tiny board with the 2 drive connectors. It merely snaps onto the again of the drive.

As soon as you’ve got eliminated the SATA connector’s clip and motherboard connector, you’ll be able to merely carry it off the top of the drive and set it apart.

SATA connector eliminated. Motherboard finish is on the left.

You’ll want to use solely plastic instruments on the SATA connector – its cable is a mix of steel and a particular coating and should you use steel instruments on it you’ll be able to simply harm the cable portion of the connector.

Normally, you should not want to make use of any instruments in any respect on the SATA connector.

As soon as the SATA connector is free from the drive, you’ll be able to take away the laborious drive. To take action merely carry up on its edges along with your fingers and pull it straight up and out of the enclosure.

There’s nothing else aside from the 2 decrease rubber shock absorbers holding the drive in place so it ought to come out with out an excessive amount of drive. If both of the decrease shock absorbers change into dislodged from their place you will must reinsert them with a needle nostril pliers.

Pull straight up on the laborious drive to take away it.

If there’s any remaining mud on the backside of the laborious drive bay, take away it with compressed air.

If you’re putting in a brand new substitute drive, set up it in reverse order, simply as you eliminated the unique drive.

One factor to notice whereas the unique laborious drive is eliminated is a rounded steel body round it. Notice the place the perimeters of the body are and its common form.

If you go to reinstall the primary shock absorber over the brand new laborious drive, its edges have to suit solely inside this steel body or else the underside cowl will not match on the unit tightly and a spot shall be left across the cowl’s edges.

Arduous drive rubber ft.

As soon as the brand new laborious drive is put in, subsequent you will reconnect the SATA cable.

Place the plastic collar clip over the motherboard finish of the cable, slide it ahead, and whereas holding it in place snap the drive finish of the cable onto the brand new laborious drive.

As soon as hooked up to the drive, reconnect the motherboard finish of the SATA cable by urgent its connector down and in place on the motherboard. As soon as each ends of the cable are related, snap the plastic clip collar down onto the sting of the motherboard till you’re feeling a click on.

SATA connector with clip.

Reinstall the rubber shock absorber by beginning at one finish, urgent it down underneath the 2 small white plastic clips on the within of the enclosure, and urgent the identical finish down into the steel body guaranteeing the shock absorber’s edges are totally contained in the steel body.

Subsequent do the identical for the opposite facet of the shock absorber till it’s totally seated contained in the laborious drive’s steel body and on high of the laborious drive.

Shock absorber reinstalled. Make certain the perimeters are seated.

Now that the shock absorber is reinstalled, reconnect the three small wires you eliminated at the beginning onto the motherboard.

Begin with the smallest of the three wires and gently press it straight down onto the motherboard along with your finger. You may really feel a really slight click on because it snaps in place.

Do the identical for the subsequent smallest wire, then lastly snap the biggest of the three wires into its socket on the left facet of the motherboard.

Test all wire connections to verify they’re in place.

Lastly, fold the facility port’s wire again excessive of the shock absorber and slide it down into place in its opening on the within of the enclosure.

Earlier than you reinstall the underside cowl, and with the unit nonetheless the other way up, plug the Time Capsule’s Ethernet cable into its WAN port, and the opposite finish into an Ethernet change or router in your community.

Now plug within the energy wire.

If every part works as anticipated, you must see the tiny LED on the entrance of the Time Capsule go inexperienced first, then change to a flashing amber colour.

If the standing LED flashes amber in a short time it means there is a {hardware} error. In that case, you will must recheck all of your cable connections and ensure every part is related correctly.

Subsequent, reset the Time Capsule to its manufacturing unit settings by first unplugging it, then urgent and holding the small recessed reset button on the rear of the unit subsequent to the facility port.

You may want to carry the reset button in utilizing a thumbtack or bent paper clip for six seconds whereas plugging the facility again in. The standing LED on the entrance of the Time Capsule will flash briefly – beginning inexperienced, then slowly flashing amber as soon as reset takes impact.

As soon as the six seconds is up, launch the reset button.

The entrance panel standing mild ought to now both flash inexperienced, or flash amber – however slowly, not shortly.

This means the gadget has been reset and is able to be arrange utilizing the Apple AirPort Utility.

It might be simpler to make use of an influence strip when reapplying the facility as holding the reset button and plugging the wire in on the similar time could also be troublesome with two palms.

As soon as the gadget is powered on, plug it right into a wired LAN by connecting an Ethernet cable to the underside WAN port on the gadget. That is the port with a spherical icon subsequent to it.

In case you put in a brand new laborious drive in your Time Capsule you will subsequent must run macOS’s AirPort Utility situated in your Startup Disk at /Functions/Utilities/Airport Utility.

Double-click AirPort Utility in Finder to run it.

In case you did a full {hardware} reset of your Time Capsule utilizing the Reset button, you will must set it up utilizing the subsequent part first. After you do this, come again right here to arrange its inner disk, in any other case proceed from right here.

When AirPort Utility opens, wait a number of seconds for the Time Capsule to point out up within the checklist of Airport Gadgets. Choose it, then click on the Edit button within the popover that seems subsequent to the Time Capsule.

Subsequent, click on the Disks tab in the primary window.

Within the Disks pane, you will see a listing of drives hooked up to the gadget together with the inner drive. Choose it by clicking it, then click on the Erase Disk button beneath it.

Erase the disk.

Enter a brand new identify for the drive, then click on the Erase button. You may get a warning sheet subsequent asking in case you are certain you need to erase the drive.

Click on the Proceed button and AirPort Utility will erase the drive and set up a brand new filesystem onto it.

You too can click on the Shared Disk checkbox within the Erase pane earlier than erasing to allow networked file sharing on the brand new drive when the erase completes.

Whereas the disk is being erased, the standing mild will blink amber. When the erase completes, the standing mild will flip again to stable inexperienced, and its indicator mild within the Apple AirPort utility must also go inexperienced.

The restore and improve is now full.

In case you did a {hardware} reset utilizing the Reset button in your Time Capsule, subsequent you will must run Apple’s AirPort Utility to set it up.

Run macOS’s AirPort Utility situated in your Startup Disk at /Functions/Utilities/Airport Utility.

In case you see your Time Capsule within the checklist of units in your community, choose it. In case you do not see your Time Capsule listed, click on the Different Wi-Fi Gadgets button within the higher left nook of the primary window.

If you do you will see a listing of acknowledged Airport Gadgets in your community that AirPort Utility can arrange. From the gadget checklist choose your Time Capsule.

Choose your Time Capsule gadget.

AirPort Utility will probe your LAN and the Time Capsule you chose and try to affix your Mac’s default community. As soon as related, AirPort Utility will show a setup sheet titled “This AirPort Time Capsule will create a community”.

Select easy methods to arrange your Time Capsule.

It does this as a result of bear in mind – Time Capsule units are additionally AirPort base station units – so AirPort Utility assumes you additionally need to arrange the Time Capsule as a Wi-Fi community entry level.

In case you do not need to do that, click on the button Different Choices within the decrease left nook. This causes the setup sheet to vary to a sheet asking you ways you need to use your Time Capsule.

When establishing, you get three selections:

1. Create a brand new community
2. Add to an present community
3. Substitute an present gadget

If you wish to create a completely new Wi-Fi community, with a singular identify and password, choose the primary choice. This allows you to arrange the Time Capsule as an AirPort Wi-FI entry level very similar to you’d within the default setup.

If you wish to use the Time Capsule solely for backup or as a NAS drive solely, then choose the second choice. This units up the Time Capsule as a networked backup drive, however not as a Wi-Fi entry level.

The third choice lets you switch settings from an present AirPort or Time Capsule gadget in your community, and use the brand new Time Capsule as a substitute gadget for the unique gadget.

Except you need to create a brand new Wi-Fi community or subnet in your present community, or except you need to exchange an outdated gadget, you normally need the second choice.

If you choose the second choice and full the setup, the Time Capsule will be a part of an present LAN as if it have been a bridge or router, or as a shared NAS gadget. You need to use the primary choice to create a brand new community, for instance, to isolate a gaggle of customers to solely this gadget or any units it bridges to – as an alternative of giving these customers entry to your whole community.

Generally, you’ll solely need to use the primary choice if the Time Capsule goes for use as a community related on to your cable or DSL modem. For subnetworks or to make use of the Time Capsule as a Time Machine backup gadget or shared disk, select the second choice.

At any charge, deciding on both the primary or second choice lets you specify a community identify, a base station identify, and a community password for customers to make use of once they log in.

Enter the brand new community information within the Airport Utility setup sheet and click on Subsequent.

Enter a community identify and base station identify. Click on “Subsequent”.

Subsequent, you will be requested whether or not you need to ship AirPort Analytics to Apple or not. Select Ship or Do not ship. Click on Subsequent.

If every part completes, Airport Utility shows “Time Capsule Community” is now out there. Setup full”. Click on Carried out.

At this level, the Time Capsule is now in your community and wi-fi customers can hook up with it by deciding on the community you simply created and logging into the gadget.

AirPort Utility ought to show the brand new Time Capsule in its most important window.

If the gadget wants a firmware replace, and an web connection is on the market, Airport Utility will show an alert asking you if you wish to replace the firmware. Click on Replace.

Replace the firmware, if wanted.

AirPort Utility will obtain, put together, and start updating the Time Capsule’s firmware. This may occasionally take a couple of minutes. Do not flip the facility off to the gadget in the course of the replace.

When the replace completes, the Time Capsule will restart mechanically. You need to see the standing mild go amber, then inexperienced after restart.

If every part labored as anticipated, you must now see your Time Capsule listed as a tool related to the web in AirPort Utility:

Setup full.

In case you click on the Time Capsule in AirPort Utility, it’ll show a popover with connection particulars, serial quantity, model quantity, and an Edit button. To arrange the Time Capsule’s inner laborious drive as a shared disk, click on Edit, then proceed to the earlier part titled “Erase new drive”.

If every part went in response to plan, and you’ve got turned on File Sharing within the macOS System Settings app, you must see your Time Capsule seem within the Finder window sidebars underneath the “Community” part.

To make use of the shared disk within the Time Capsule as a NAS drive, single-click Community in a Finder window’s sidebar. If you do, you will see your Time Capsule seem within the Finder window together with different community units.

To entry your Time Capsule within the Finder window, double-click it. It should join – should you set a shared drive password when formatting or reformatting the Time Capsule’s inner laborious drive, enter it now in Finder when prompted.

After you enter a password if required, the Time Capsule’s shared disk will mount within the Finder window as a shared folder:

Connecting to your new Time Capsule.

Double-click the shared folder icon to entry the Time Capsule’s shared drive. Now you can entry the drive simply as if it was every other networked drive in your Mac.

You may entry the Time Capsule in the identical approach in Finder by deciding on Go->Hook up with Server from the Finder’s menu bar on the high of the show, then clicking the Browse button within the Hook up with Server window.

If you do, you will see the identical shared folder icon within the Finder’s “Community” window. Double-clicking the shared folder mounts the Time Capsule’s shared drive on the Finder’s Desktop simply as it might every other networked drive.

Now that your Time Capsule is totally refurbished – and all of the software program and firmware have been restored and arrange, it is time for the ultimate step: changing the underside cowl on the gadget.

To take action, set the quilt on the underside of the gadget in its unique orientation, then whereas standing over the gadget, give the underside cowl one agency stable push on each side with the palms of your palms. This can firmly seat the quilt again in its unique place.

Put together to reseat the quilt.

There must be no seams or gaps on any facet of the quilt. If there are, you will must take away it once more, verify that the shock absorber is seated correctly and that there are not any protruding wires or connectors, and shut the underside cowl the identical approach once more.

Notice that the notch within the cowl for the facility port have to be on the proper facet or else the quilt will not shut correctly.

Time Capsules are nonetheless nice units for establishing small native NAS items in your LAN to share recordsdata between computer systems, do community backups, and retailer recordsdata you utilize usually.

Though these units at the moment are nearly a decade outdated or extra, they’re nonetheless helpful – and their low price on the used market makes them much more enticing.

Chances are you’ll need to add an exterior USB disk to your Time Capsule as 2TB or 3TB nowadays could also be insufficient for some makes use of, however even with out an exterior disk, they’re nonetheless very helpful.

In future articles, we’ll take a look at easy methods to do community backups in your LAN utilizing a Time Capsule – with and with out Apple’s Time Machine app.