how to move MobileSync backup folder?

Question

Level 1

7 points

how to move MobileSync backup folder?

Hello!
I have an iPod touch 4g and a MacBook. At the moment I have a 40Gb boot SSD and a 500Gb HDD in my laptop. The problem is that the backup of my 32Gb iPod is already taking close to 10Gb of my boot drive and it is not even full (mainly HD videos).

Is there a way to change the setting of iTunes/MobileSync so that it stores the backups in my secondary drive? Or any other clever way of achieving the same outcome?

Or if that is not possible, can I make the backups not include photos and videos?

Kindest regards

MacBook Alu Unibody, Mac OS X (10.6.4)

Posted on Oct 18, 2010 7:11 AM

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Answer 1

Jul 28, 2017 1:06 AM in response to Kroll17

Have you read the question right?
The guy has a Macbook...
And you are complaining that it doesn't work on a windows machine?
There are options here that work perfect.
You apparently need some assistance to get it done.

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Answer 2

turingtest2

Level 10

274,414 points

Jul 28, 2017 6:05 AM in response to fam.deVries

Solutions for both Mac and Windows at Relocate iOS device backups. The rest of the tip covers reorganizing the library so it can be easily moved from one drive or computer to another.

tt2

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Answer 3

Oct 23, 2010 7:38 AM in response to brlock

Same problem here. Anyone??

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Answer 4

nagoyapc

Level 1

0 points

Nov 13, 2010 2:09 AM in response to brlock

You can't change the iTunes behavior, as far as I can tell.

However, you can use a feature of NTFS to point that folder to another drive. This feature is typically called a "junction" or "symbolic link".

You can use this tool to create a junction:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896768.aspx

Download the "junction.exe" file from the link above and place on d:\

For example, let's say you want your iPhone backup to be D:\backup. You would do this:

1. close iTunes
2. Move the folder content c:\documents and settings\user\application data\apple computer\mobile sync\backup to D:\backup
3. Open a command prompt (CMD) and enter these commands:

(FOR WINDOWS XP)
D:\>junction "C:\Documents and Settings\username\Application Data\Apple Computer\Mobile Sync\Backup" D:\backup -s

(FOR WINDOWS VISTA / 7)
D:\>junction "C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup" "D:\backup" -s

NOTE 1: Change "username" to match your current username, of course.

NOTE 2: You can change the target D:\ for any other drive you have, like a external drive.

My Regards to author Robert Jacobson.
http://discussions.info.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=10299450

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Answer 5

sebmkd

Level 1

16 points

Dec 18, 2010 10:03 AM in response to brlock

IT WORKS!!

Here is what I did:

1. Created on my E: drive the following folder: \iPod BUP\MobileSync\Backup
2. Moved the entire folder "c:\Users\MYUSERNAME\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup" to the new folder "E:\iPod BUP\MobileSync\Backup". So that the original MobileSync folder was empty.
2. Downloaded the Junction program, installed it.
3. Used the command:
junction “C:\Users\asus\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup” “E:\iPod BUP\MobileSync\Backup” -s

Re-Open iTunes and synced. No error. Sync and backup still functional.

This is a really great help if you have very large ipod/iphone backup and running out of space on your C: drive!

Cheers

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Answer 6

win7.3gs

Level 1

0 points

Jan 19, 2011 3:40 PM in response to sebmkd

I did this successfully with a win7 machine (with a small, ssd) to an external drive. Oddly, I found that it didn't work at first. I had to rename the external drive's letter to D (rather than Z) and then it worked.

Just make sure the rest of the junction syntax is correct - you can put the new backup folder where ever (I think) but make sure to name it correctly.

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Answer 7

Feb 28, 2011 10:32 AM in response to win7.3gs

This works for OSX too. I used this article to help me create a symbolic link for the Mobilesync Backups directory which I had moved to a different drive.

http://hints.macworld.com/article.php?story=2001110610290643

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Answer 8

Chris CA

Level 10

82,476 points

Feb 28, 2011 10:47 AM in response to brlock

Drag the entire /Music/iTunes/ folder to another drive.
Hold Option and launch iTunes.
select *Choose library* and select the *iTunes folder* you copied to the other drive.
Then delete /Music/iTunes/ folder.

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Answer 9

Mar 31, 2011 8:49 AM in response to win7.3gs

What if you keep getting an error message that says "Error creating C:\Documents and Settings\gonzr\Application Data\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup: Cannot create a file when that file already exists."?

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Answer 10

Mar 31, 2011 11:04 AM in response to nagoyapc

What if you keep getting an error message that says "Error creating C:\Documents and Settings\gonzr\Application Data\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup: Cannot create a file when that file already exists."?

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Answer 11

Apr 11, 2011 6:22 PM in response to ramirovgonzalez

bump.... same error here... "file already exists"

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Answer 12

Apr 17, 2011 12:18 PM in response to ramirovgonzalez

@ramirovgonzalez & hizaira:

Once you transfer the files out of the original "Backup" folder (on your C: drive) rename or delete that "Backup" folder so that junction can create a new one which links to your target folder.

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Answer 13

Jun 1, 2011 8:17 AM in response to sebmkd

Didnt work. I followed the instructions plus I changed the name of the driver from d to f . The message on command prompt is " 'D:\' is not recognised as internal or external command, operatable program or batch file"

Any ideas?

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Answer 14

proohu01

Level 1

0 points

Jun 12, 2011 1:05 AM in response to brlock

Close iTunes
Download junction.exe from Microsoft and in Windows 7, place it in the C:\Windows folder.
Remove the folder "C:\Users\%USERNAME%\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync" and all sub folders. (so there is no MobileSync folder anymore)
Create a new forder structure on an other drive for example: "D:\Backup\MobileSync"
In Windows 7, open a command promt as an administrator. Now execute the following line....
junction.exe C:\Users\%USERNAME%\AppData\Roaming\AppleC~1\MobileSync "D:\Backup\MobileSync" -s
The command will have created an folder (looking like a shortcut) in the origional location on the C:\ drive.
Now connect your Apple device of choice and watch the folder "D:\Backup\MobileSync" get filled up with stuff.

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Answer 15

Jun 17, 2011 1:22 AM in response to proohu01

I followed your instructions, proohu01, but I got the cmd message "No matching files were found".

Any ideas?

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