If you are using Time Capsule, check your hard drive, as it may not work

Mac users who still trust Apple's Time Capsule could be in danger of device failure and data loss due to a newly discovered design flaw.

Time Capsule was discontinued in 2018 (I know, it seems like longer ago), but many Mac users still use the device as a convenient backup system. Time Capsule is a router and hard drive in one container that backs up data to a Mac locally.

According to a German data recovery company, Datenrettung, Time Capsule has a design flaw that leads to machine failure and data loss. Golem reports that the German company has encountered more defects than Time Capsule, all with the same defect.

The translated text of Datenrettung reads:

“We have to assume that this is a design flaw for the Seagate Grenada hard drive installed in the Time Capsule (ST3000DM001 / ST2000DM001 2014-2018). The parking ramp for this hard drive is made of two different materials. Sooner or later, the parking ramp will break on this model of hard disk, installed in a poorly ventilated Time Capsule ».

“Damage to the ramp causes the reader / writer to break down and severe deformation the next time the reader / writer is stopped. When the Time Capsule is turned back on or woken up from hibernation, the data platters on the Seagate hard drive are destroyed because the warped reader / writer drags over it. "

The "parking ramp" is the part of the hard drive that connects the drive to the external case. Unfortunately, when the poorly ventilated Time Capsule heats up, the two materials heat up at different rates, leading to possible wear on the parking ramp.

The data recovery company suggests that users who trust Apple Time Capsule seek out a new backup solution. This is because the error can occur at any time and data recovery is not always possible.