Q: Can't enable iCloud backup

OK, so would apear the commonality between all of us is that we have deleted a backup from iCloud. I am going to send the Apple support person I was dealing with a link to this thread so that they can see this is a common problem. Maybe then it will go up the chain and be recognised as an iCloud wide problem and get priority to resolve.

I am also in the same boat.

I deleted previous backups on both my iPad and iPhone.

Now, when I try enable iCloud Backup I'm getting the failed to enable iCloud Backup message. This happens on both devices.

Tried all the usual steps including signing in and out of iCloud and even completely wiping a device.

I spoke to Apple Support via Phone with no success.

Because it has happened to so many of us after deleting a previous Backup, I'm sure it is a server/system problem linked to this.

I have this exact same problem. I noticed that backing up my new iPhone 6s was taking too long, especially since I had no photos. So I removed the old backup via my phone and then tried again. it said the last backup could not be completed. Then I tried to turn backup off and on again. Howevee, I can't turn it on anymore. Same story onmy iPad Mini 2. It's like my iCloud storage is corrupt or something....

Does this this issue occur to every user who delete an old icloud backup or just to a few of us ? Is there someone who has deleted his backup and who's able to enable icloud backup ?

Same issue happened to me. I was able to enable iiCloud backup by resetting my device, but I can't deselect certain apps from backing up. I don't pay for extra space so I can't use iCloud backup because my photo stream is 30gb itself. Anytime I try to deselect an item it doesn't let me. It has to do with a similar issue.

IT looks like it.  When you delete old backup, and want to backup a new one it won't work.  On Apple status it shows nothing is wrong. it has to be a software or server problem on IOS!!

IT looks like it.  When you delete old backup, and want to backup a new one it won't work.  On Apple status it shows nothing is wrong. it has to be a software or server problem on IOS!!

Did the apple Tech you talked to say that a lot of people are having this problem with trying to backup to iCloud?  All the status it says still normal.  Every tech I get says they never heard of this problem.  I like to know when they might fix it.

No, although I think the person that started this thread did say they had been told this would be fixed in the next release. At that time I think the next release was 9.2.1 but that does not appear to have fixed it.

Would appear that some of the advisers have been advised that this is an on going issue but not all....

I captured the error while my phone was connected to Xcode.  Clearly shows an HTTP 500 (Internal Server Error) on the iCloud server side.  This will probably be resolved either by an iOS update (clearly 9.2.1 didn't fix it) or iCloud update behind the scenes.

I have the same situation, however my iPad that is running iOS 7.1.2 can back up to iCloud, but my iPhone 6s and iPhone 5 (both on iOS 9.2.1) cannot create a fresh backup.

Also having the same problem iPhone 6s plus 9.2.1

Same problem.  Deleted backup, and now am unable to mange iCloud storage - it won't let me turn off backup for any apps. 

Add me (actually my partner) to this list,

Iphone 5S 64GB running iOS 9.2.1, with 50GB iCloud account with 30GB free.

(iPad mini and iPhone 5C also attached to account, also fully up to date iOS 9.2.1).

This week I noticed her 5S had stopped backing up and also has stopped syncing iCloud photo library (the iPad and 5C had no problems and were synced perfectly). So I tried everything on the 5S, including deleting the backup from iCloud, erasing network settings, erasing all content and finally factory resetting via iTunes.

Nothing worked, still no backup to iCloud. After a factory reset the backup is ON in iCloud settings, but alway fails (the last backup could not be completed). It is not possible to deselect any app in the iCloud backup settings on the 5S. If I switch off iCloud backup, then I cannot switch it back on.

HOWEVER, if I use another iCloud account (in this case my iCloud account and not my partner's), the backup can be switched on and I can make a backup to iCloud. Switching back to my partner's iCloud account brings back the bug and the phone cannot be backed up.

My conclusion is that if in an iCloud account you delete a backup for a specific device (imei / serial number), it is not possible to make a new backup of this specific device. I suspect that somehow the device's backup is not completely deleted from the iCloud backup servers, and it therefore throws an error when a new backup is added/enabled, as there are still fragments of a backup for this device.

I have called Apple, explained all, managed to get quite far past the 1st line idiots that read out obvious scripts, but at manager level still ran into walls. Of course Apple denies the existence of this issue, and all people here are imagining this bug. The issue has been passed via a manager to iCloud specialists. So far no message back from them. So I'm stuck with a good as new 5S that won't backup.

If the iCloud backup servers are throwing Fatal 500 server errors, I hope somebody at Apple is looking at the icloud backup server logs, figuring out what's causing these fatal errors, and is racing against the clock to fix this in the next iOS update (9.2.2?) or even better, immediately on the iCloud side of this stupid fence.

Hope this sums it up,

Luke

EExactly!!  You hit it out of the park.  If you delete and old back up on any iOS device, and want to start a fresh back up no can do.  I wonder if these apple techs no what the **** to do.