Tim Whelan2
Level 1 (20 points)
iCloud

Q: Complimentary iCloud storage threat

Hello. Apple has emailed me, and apparently other former .Mac and Mobileme users who haven't purchased iCloud storage, telling me that I am using too much of the free allocation on iCloud and therefore on September 30th it will stop working.

In order to find out how much storage I am using, I apparently have to go into System Preferences and go to iCloud there.

However I don't have iCloud in System Preferences, presumably because I'm on OS10.6.8, which predates it.

So I don't know how much stuff to delete and how to find out at what point I've deleted enough to not have Apple removing my email access. I have no idea what to do about any of this. I've just wasted lots of time trawling through Apples help sites and they all state simply to access System Preferences. I imagine a lot of other people will be in the same situation as me now. Can anyone help?

Mac OS X (10.6.8), 2.66GHz

Posted on Sep 26, 2013 9:36 AM

by Csound1,Solvedanswer
Csound1 Csound1
Level 9 (51,281 points)
Desktops
A:

I'm glad you found a way to check.

 

FYI, for Business use I chose MS Exchange..

Posted on Sep 28, 2013 11:05 AM

Close
Tim Whelan2

Q: Complimentary iCloud storage threat

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

Page 1 Next

  • by pvonk,

    pvonk pvonk Sep 26, 2013 11:02 AM in response to Tim Whelan2
    Level 6 (13,739 points)
    Sep 26, 2013 11:02 AM in response to Tim Whelan2

    You must have some device that is using icloud, otherwise you wouldn't have data on it, given that your mac is not compatible.  On an iOS device go to Settings>icloud, be sure you are logged in and then to go to Documents & Backups, and to manage data.

  • by Roger Wilmut1,

    Roger Wilmut1 Roger Wilmut1 Sep 26, 2013 11:15 AM in response to Tim Whelan2
    Level 9 (78,461 points)
    iTunes
    Sep 26, 2013 11:15 AM in response to Tim Whelan2

    If you have an iOS device, or if you can get access to a compliant Mac (or go to an Apple Store and get a Genius to help you) you can pay to continue your extra storage.

     

    The instructions are here:

     

    http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5527

     

    Scroll down to 'How do I purchase my current plan?' and expand the section applicable to your computer or device.

  • by Tim Whelan2,

    Tim Whelan2 Tim Whelan2 Sep 26, 2013 12:45 PM in response to pvonk
    Level 1 (20 points)
    iCloud
    Sep 26, 2013 12:45 PM in response to pvonk

    No I don't have a device compatible with iCloud. Apple discontinued Mobileme and dot mac, leaving a lot of people high and dry with their email accounts, and gave them a certain amount of storage space on iCloud to make up for it.

     

    I  have no interest or need in iCloud and will not be paying for it, especially after this. I'm happy to get my storage under 5G as long as I can check I've reduced it to the correct amount  after deleting things. I have no access to a compliant Mac and no Apple Store close to where I am currently. There has to be some way that Apple can let me check the storage on iCloud!

  • by Roger Wilmut1,

    Roger Wilmut1 Roger Wilmut1 Sep 26, 2013 12:52 PM in response to Tim Whelan2
    Level 9 (78,461 points)
    iTunes
    Sep 26, 2013 12:52 PM in response to Tim Whelan2

    You could ask Support - they may well be able to check it for you.

     

    To contact  iCloud Support: if you currently happen to have AppleCare, either because you recently bought Apple hardware or have paid to extend the inititial period, you can contact them here:

     

    http://www.apple.com/support/icloud/contact/

     

    You will need the serial number of the covered hardware.

     

    If you are not covered by AppleCare, then - in common with other free email services - there is no free support and you may be asked to pay a fee. You could try arguing that you should not be charged in the circumstances.

  • by Tim Whelan2,

    Tim Whelan2 Tim Whelan2 Sep 26, 2013 1:13 PM in response to Roger Wilmut1
    Level 1 (20 points)
    iCloud
    Sep 26, 2013 1:13 PM in response to Roger Wilmut1

    Yes, it would appear the only way I can deal with this is to give Apple money, or just delete a load of stuff and cross my fingers. I'm disgusted by Apples' attitude. Basically I've been sent a threatening email and been given no way of dealing with it except to give money to the people threatening me. It's a form of extortion in my opinion. All I want is to continue what was always meant to be a free email service. I wish I'd never got the email address in the first place, but it's now vital I keep it.

  • by Roger Wilmut1,Helpful

    Roger Wilmut1 Roger Wilmut1 Sep 26, 2013 1:24 PM in response to Tim Whelan2
    Level 9 (78,461 points)
    iTunes
    Sep 26, 2013 1:24 PM in response to Tim Whelan2

    If you are only using it for email you can access the messages in the Mail application and if you think there are too many you could download them to your Mac. To do this simply create a folder under 'On My Mac', go to the iCloud mailbox, select some of the messages and drag them to the folder you created.

     

    If you haven't yet set Mail up to access iCloud, but are simply using the website, you can set it up as detailed here:

     

    Entering iCloud email settings manually in Snow Leopard or Leopard

  • by Tim Whelan2,

    Tim Whelan2 Tim Whelan2 Sep 26, 2013 1:31 PM in response to Roger Wilmut1
    Level 1 (20 points)
    iCloud
    Sep 26, 2013 1:31 PM in response to Roger Wilmut1

    Thanks Roger. Almost all my messages are already removed and downloaded to Mail on the laptop, and backed up. However I found a whole load of junk mail on iCloud, which I've deleted. There's nothing much else on it! So I just have to hope that did the job.

  • by Roger Wilmut1,

    Roger Wilmut1 Roger Wilmut1 Sep 26, 2013 1:43 PM in response to Tim Whelan2
    Level 9 (78,461 points)
    iTunes
    Sep 26, 2013 1:43 PM in response to Tim Whelan2

    It would take quite a large number of messages to fill 5GB unless people have been sending you huge attachments, so you are probably OK.

  • by Tim Whelan2,

    Tim Whelan2 Tim Whelan2 Sep 28, 2013 8:56 AM in response to Roger Wilmut1
    Level 1 (20 points)
    iCloud
    Sep 28, 2013 8:56 AM in response to Roger Wilmut1

    Unfortunately that's not the case......after emptying all I could in the mailbox, I have had another threatening email from Apple, telling me I've only got it down by 100MB and I'm still using 5.85GB of storage and need to get it down to 5GB. I can't imagine what this would be or where it is. It's possible that some files from my old iDisk were transferred to the iCloud, but I can't see where they would be, as everything on the iCloud (something new to me) seems to be empty.

  • by Csound1,

    Csound1 Csound1 Sep 28, 2013 9:36 AM in response to Tim Whelan2
    Level 9 (51,281 points)
    Desktops
    Sep 28, 2013 9:36 AM in response to Tim Whelan2

    Did you check and empty any and all Trash/Deleted Items etc mailboxes?

     

    If yes

     

    Go to an Apple Store, let them check for you or Contact Support per the instructions Roger posted previously.

     

    http://www.apple.com/support/icloud/contact/

  • by Tim Whelan2,

    Tim Whelan2 Tim Whelan2 Sep 28, 2013 9:47 AM in response to Csound1
    Level 1 (20 points)
    iCloud
    Sep 28, 2013 9:47 AM in response to Csound1

    I have....there wasn't much in them anyway. So whatever's using up the storage is invisible without having proper access. I don't have a current Support plan and past experience suggests paying them for support won't cost anything very different from paying for iCloud storage for this mysterious 5.8GB that I can't see anywhere. I wont be anywhere near an Apple Store before September 30th, when they will shut down my email account unless I pay them off.

  • by Csound1,

    Csound1 Csound1 Sep 28, 2013 9:51 AM in response to Tim Whelan2
    Level 9 (51,281 points)
    Desktops
    Sep 28, 2013 9:51 AM in response to Tim Whelan2

    Then if you don't want to pay for storage open a new email account (Google will give you 2GB more than Apple for free) and move your account.

     

    Did you have an iDisk? did you download and save it locally? how big was it?

     

    Why don't you just Archive all of your email locally and then do nothing, if you do lose any emails online you have a copy of them in the archive, if nothing happens then nothing happens.

  • by Tim Whelan2,

    Tim Whelan2 Tim Whelan2 Sep 28, 2013 9:54 AM in response to Csound1
    Level 1 (20 points)
    iCloud
    Sep 28, 2013 9:54 AM in response to Csound1

    I use the email address for business and losing it would be a disaster. I did have an Idisk and it could well have had around 5GB on it (all of which was downloaded and saved) , but I understood at the time that that would all be deleted once the iDisk was closed and iCloud took over.

  • by Csound1,Helpful

    Csound1 Csound1 Sep 28, 2013 9:56 AM in response to Tim Whelan2
    Level 9 (51,281 points)
    Desktops
    Sep 28, 2013 9:56 AM in response to Tim Whelan2

    Did you read my entire post, I asked a question at the end (might have been delayed appearance for you)

     

    The fact is that 5GB is not a small free account, as I said before Google is marginally larger. Outlook.com offers unlimited storage with their free account, but they just started recently so are an unknown at the moment.

     

    For me it has always been simple, Business needs a proper, paid mail service. Not a free consumer item.

Page 1 Next