Since installing the latest iPhone and mac updates yesterday (December 14, 2023) the iPhone sync to my laptop just stalls. The finder says it has backed up but is delayed syncing, the menu bar app does not recognise the backup.
[Re-Titled by Moderator]
For what it's worth, I've updated to Sonoma 14.2 on iMac and iOS 17.2 on my iPhone and am having the same problem you've all discussed. A sync hangs in Step 3 of 5 (Preparing to Sync). Following your suggestions, I ran a backup and sync with "Show this iPhone when on Wi-Fi" set to On, "Automatically sync this iPhone when connected" set to Off, and used a cable to connect my iPhone to my iMac.
Once the sync hung up in Step 3, I opened the Activity Monitor and located the MDCrashReportTool process. I first tried to stop it by highlighting the process, clicking the Stop menu icon, and selecting "Quit" from the pop-up menu, but it did not stop. So, I selected the "Force Quit" option in the Stop pop-up menu. The MDCT terminated and my sync immediately finished Steps 4 and 5. My newly updated playlists were synced as I hoped when I checked them after.
Clearly, this is not ideal to do every time we want to sync, but it did work tonight. Perhaps this will help someone.
My backup issue sounds similar so I will add details here.
MacBook Air M1 - Sonoma 14.2
iPhone 14 - iOS 17.2
Apple Watch SE second generation (currently not connected)
ISSUE occurs when performing iPhone backup to Macbook via USB cable using Finder app
(1) Backup stalls - "Syncing (Step 3 of 5) - Preparing to sync"
(2) Rebooted Mac and iPhone; This did not resolve the issue
(3) Found a reference of other users resolving by deleting prior backups; This did not resolve the issue
(4) Removed from iPhone a podcast app installed after last successful backup; This did not resolve the issue
(5) Found a reference of other users resolving by disconnecting Apple Watch from iPhone; This did not resolve the issue
Notes:
- Mac has 225 GB free space; iPhone has 80 GB free space
- Last successful backup was performed prior to updates to macOS 14.2 and iOS 17.2
- Finder app options setting "Automatically sync when this iPhone is connected" set to "ON"
- After interrupting the stalled backup, rebooting and reconnecting the iPhone to Mac via USB, Finder opens and the backup attempts to continue rather than starting a new backup
Assistance would be greatly appreciated since at this time, I have no backups of my iPhone 14
I found info in another message thread that indicates the problem is with the "MDCrashReportTool". Users indicate that the backup will continue once the tool is cancelled using the activity monitor. When I try this will report back with results.
Here's a link to the message:
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/255342189?answerId=259949695022&sortBy=best#259949695022
Here is the result of force closing the MDCrashReportTool.
Note: Upon ending, the following error message displayed:
"Podcasts on the iPhone cannot be synced because all of the podcasts selected for syncing no longer exist"
Dear Ron NJ
I really appreciate your thoughts on this. You are ahead of me in your strategies and it is very helpful to hear about them. I hope your 'tinkering' solves the problem. I will be delighted to hear about it.
All the best
Derek Cassells
Derek,
Hopefully someone comes through with a "true solution". Hang tough!
-R.
While researching the sync stalling issue, I performed a one word search for MDCrashReportTool. I am saddened to say this specific sync issue has been reported within the Apple Community as far back as 15 years ago!
Dear Ron
Thank you for your good wishes. Here's hoping.
Best wishes
Derek
Taking the hint from a user on a different thread, from the Finder screen:
Then, with my iPhone connected via WiFi (no USB cable), I ran a backup.
Well, what do you know? It completed successfully without hanging.
To clarify my message of December 15, 2023 5:55 PM...
While a backup via WiFi was successful, running SYNC via WiFi still stalls as it did connected via USB.
Just about to try this — thank you!
By switching on showing iPhone on wifi but not auto syncing the process still stalled. The sync did take place with when the cable was also used. Hmm… I am pleased that the sync took place but I do not know why. Still progress has been made which is good.
Thanks for your hints. I think the problem is not cable or wifi. It's just the button "Sync". If I click there the syncing or backup stalls and I must terminate the MDC, if I click "Back up now", it works. Not sure if "sync" and "back up now" are the same.
Think of "backup" as making a copy of a file(s) while a "sync" as bringing together two versions of a file into one latest version.
You may find this posting of interest:
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2766292?page=3&sortBy=oldest_first
As for the backup methods, you may find this Apple article helpful:
Backup methods for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch - Apple Support
-R.
Thanks. I see, Apple must work on it. Sync is worth more.
In the following post, users (Windows, MacOS) are discussing the renaming of the MDCrashReportTool. Thereafter, the tool never runs and the Sync and Backup processes will complete without any user intervention, (that is, no longer a need to cancel the stalled tool).
I am squarely on the fence as to whether renaming the tool is a wise choice. Sure, the Sync or Backup will run successfully. However, no error will be reported in a popup when the process completes. Also, what other processes use this reporting tool that will no longer do so?
Here is a link to the rename discussion:
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/255265364?sortBy=oldest_first
-R.
Since installing the latest iPhone and Mac updates, my iPhone sync to my laptop just stalls. Canc
