unable to locate disk image created using disk utilities

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Level 1

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unable to locate disk image created using disk utilities

Here are the steps I followed

went to disk utilities -> file -> new image -> image from folder
selected iCloud Drive and pressed in choose
named it as iCloud Drive.dmg with encryption 256-bit AES and image format as read-write
The location to save was set to iCloud Drive itself.
clicked on save and the operation was successful after which I clicked on done.

After this, I went to iCloud to check for dmg file, but there was no disk image created.

I tried to do the same thing again with the exact same procedure of creating disk image with name iCloud Drive.dmg in iCloud with AED-256 bit and read-write permission. When I clicked on save, it was shown that a file names iCloud Drive.dmg already exists in this folder called "mobile documents".

I tried creating the same file again in the same location, but with a different name called "iCloud Driv.dmg" instead of "iCloud Drive.dmg". It was created successfully, but didn't appear in iCloud. Must have been created in the mobile documents folder as shown in the screenshot above.

I didn't know what mobile documents was, so after researching quite a bit, I got to know it was in the libraries folder which could be accessed from the finders Go -> Libraries and there was a mobile documents folder in there.

But after opening the mobile documents folder, it redirected me back to the iCloud folder itself which doesn't have the disk image file I created as I have mentioned above.

So where exactly has this iCloud Drive.dmg and iCloud Drive.dmg folder been saved ? In the screenshot I have posted, it says the file is saved in mobile documents, but mobile documents just redirects me to the iCloud folder.

Additional info :

My M2 pro runs on Ventura.

I also tried this command I got from a YouTube video that claimed would display all the contents in "mobile documents" folder. The command was "defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles YES". The command ran in command terminal, but when I went to the mobile documents folder to check, there was no difference and it just redirected me back to the iCloud folder...

MacBook Pro 13″

Posted on Mar 11, 2023 1:09 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

HWTech

Level 9

56,126 points

Mar 12, 2023 11:10 AM in response to samrudhs

Like I said, I have never used iCloud Drive and don't know the exact details of how it works at lower levels.

A quick search gave me these two threads which explains a bit of the behavior:

https://help.backblaze.com/hc/en-us/articles/1260802114069-Where-are-iCloud-files-located-in-my-backup-Mac-

mobile documents folder - sync - Apple Community

Since the Mobile Documents is leading back to the iCloud Drive, I suspect that the .dmg archive file was never really saved probably for the reason I mentioned in my previous post.

If another more knowledgeable contributor does not respond here, then you may want to chat with Apple support directly for assistance. Unfortunately Apple is not here on these forums as they are just regular users assisting other users. From what I know of Apple, I'm not sure even official Apple support will have the answer to your question.

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Answer 2

Old Toad

Level 10

207,823 points

Mar 12, 2023 11:51 AM in response to samrudhs

Be aware that any file you store on the iCloud Drive is mirrored on your internal drive in the Users/Home/Library/Mobile Documents folder.

iCloud Drive is a syncing service and not an off-computer storage facility.

Do you have your Desktop and Documents folder enabled in the iCloud Drive?

And the best workflow to follow is HWTech's.

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Answer 3

HWTech

Level 9

56,126 points

Mar 11, 2023 7:46 PM in response to samrudhs

Part of the problem is you are trying to archive an item while also storing the new item there which is not a good idea. Create the archive and save it locally somewhere outside of the iCloud Drive folders. Once the archive has been created, then transfer the archive to iCloud Drive.

I don't use iCloud Drive, so I cannot provide any other assistance.

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Answer 4

samrudhs Author

Level 1

5 points

Mar 11, 2023 10:41 PM in response to HWTech

where are the ones I already created stored at? it says in mobile documents as I've said in the question. But mobile documents redirect to iCloud Drive which doesn't have the disk image created although I created it there. What exactly is mobile documents folder for anyway ? how do I delete the ones I've already created when I'm not even able to locate where they are.

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unable to locate disk image created using disk utilities

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