how to move MobileSync backup folder?

Hi Chris,

I'm having the same issue as others, but I just wanted to clarify that the mobilesync folder is located in users/library/application support/MobileSync. From what I can tell, it's in no way related to the itunes music folder?

I did what you suggested last year when I moved my iTunes to an external esata raid and the mobilesync is still located on my main HD in the above path?

Just trying to clarify and in no means trying to trash what you suggested b/c we all appreciate the time we take to help each other.

I could use Carbon Copy Cloner to automatically clone that folder to my external, but that doesn't make sense to me.

We have 4 devices in our house so the space these backups hold on my HD is silly. I'd sure like to move them.

Cheers,

Keebler

Keebler wrote:

Hi Chris,

I'm having the same issue as others, but I just wanted to clarify that the mobilesync folder is located in users/library/application support/MobileSync. From what I can tell, it's in no way related to the itunes music folder?

Correct. I made a mistake when I posted 11 months ago.

You can turn on iCloud and set the iDevices to backup to iCloud and not your local drive.

See this -> http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1766

Decided I'd finally update to iOS 5 on my iPod Touch 3rd Generation, but ran into the problem of limited HDD space. I fixed the junction link, and it's back-upping just fine, but when I select 'upgrade' it tells me that I don't have enough HDD space again. However, I know it's backing up to my other drive, but the error message I'm receiving states:

The media on this iPod cannot be backed up because there is not enough free space on this computer to hold all of the backed up files (50,21 GB required). Would you like to continue to update this iPod?" And then in normal lettering "Continuing will result in the loss of all media on this iPod."

So perhaps you can understand why I'm hesitant about continuing...has anyone encountered this before and successfully backed up despite this message? I'd hate to find out after updating that my data is gone and I have to restore all my music and books again.

Edit: by the way, my Windows partitions on both my laptop and pc are under 50 GB, so there's no way I'd ever be able to update normally.

Instead of downloading this "junction" link I found a MUCH simpler fix to quelle these storage issues. It involves tricking iTunes by manipulating windows folders.

Step 1:

Find the backup folder: C:Users\USERNAME\AppData\Roaming\AppleComputer\MobileSync\Backup

Step 2:

Cut and Paste the Backup folder to the external hard drive you wish to use.

Step 3:

Create a shortcut from the NEW location (External Hardrive) of the BACKUP folder and place it where the original used to be (on the C: drive).

Now, the SHORTCUT will act as a conduit to the external hard-drive for file backups. This also works with AppStore download data as well! Enjoy!

I use Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit.

I have a 120 GB SSD for c:\

And I just 6 GB free now on this drive.

But I have 28 GB from my iPad 3 I want to backup.

So when I try to do that sure I don’t have space.

So I try, like some here show, using junction.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896768

But it’s not work really since iTunes continue to want make the backup in drive c:\

My drive d:\ and other (e:\, f:\, etc.) have more than 100 GB free.

What exist already:

c:\Users\nickname\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync

“Backup” folder don’t exist.

they exist a test file (test.txt) in d:\ to try the junction.

What I did:

junction "c:\Users\ nickname \AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup" "d:\iPad3\Backup"

Junction is create.

Now I open cmd in administrator mode and go in root of d:\

d:\>copy test.txt c:\Users\nickname\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup

and what happen is the “test.txt” file is copy in both folders:

c:\Users\ nickname \AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup

and

d:\iPad3\Backup

But I want just to be copy in d:\iPad3\Backup

If I try with “-s” switch nothing change and same result.

If I open iTune (10.6.1.7) and try a backup, iTune continue to want to backup in c:\

So what I did that is bad?

First thanks to guys below and all other who help to find a solution.

Finally, well not sure it's work for all people, I find something who work.

I use Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit.

And I try the free program "junction" and other "Junction Link Magic" (see below both guys).
I find "Junction Link Magic" more easy to use for newbie who don't know DOS (command prompt).

For obscure reason I need to junction two folder and I really don't know for what.
If I use just the first one, iTune will copy directly in c:\ and not in d:\ like I want.

My c:\ have just 6 GB free and I need 28 GB (apps of my iPad 3).

Replace XXX by your name.
----------------------------------------------------
If you use "Junction Link Magic" you must have that:

c:\Users\XXX\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup
c:\Users\XXX\Music\iTunes\Mobile Applications

Target folders are (sure you can use what you want):
d:\Users\XXX\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup
d:\Users\XXX\Music\iTunes\Mobile Applications

----------------------------------------------------
If you use "Junction" you must have that:

c:\Users\XXX\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync
c:\Users\XXX\Music\iTunes

For c:\ drive, "Backup" and "Mobile Application" folders must not exist if you use the DOS junction program.

Target folders are (sure you can use what you want):
d:\Users\XXX\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup
d:\Users\XXX\Music\iTunes\Mobile Applications

----------------------------------------------------
With "junction" program I did:

junction "c:\Users\XXX\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup" "d:\Users\XXX\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup"
junction "c:\Users\XXX\Music\iTunes\iTunes Media\Mobile Applications" "d:\Users\XXX\My Music\iTunes\iTunes Media\Mobile Applications"

with "Junction Link Magic" I did:

I find
c:\Users\XXX\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup
and link to
d:\Users\XXX\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup

AND

I find
c:\Users\XXX\Music\iTunes\iTunes Media\Mobile Applications"
and link to
d:\Users\XXX\My Music\iTunes\iTunes Media\Mobile Applications

IT'S NORMAL to see files in both folder:

c:\Users\XXX\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup
d:\Users\XXX\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup

and also in other both folders:

c:\Users\XXX\Music\iTunes\iTunes Media\Mobile Applications"
d:\Users\XXX\My Music\iTunes\iTunes Media\Mobile Applications

BUT your c:\ drive size must stay fixed. Just your drive d:\ will decrease.

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nagoyapc
Currently Being Moderated
Re: how to move MobileSync backup folder?
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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drerwinfrommontreal
Currently Being Moderated
Re: how to move MobileSync backup folder?
Dec 20, 2011 8:11 PM (in response to brlock)
Hi,

I am running Windows 7 on a Dell M6600 workstation and ran into the same problem as my OS drive C (128SSD minicard) was filling up. I used a free junction program that made it a breeze to have my 10gb itunes backup reside on my 512GB SSD D drive. The only thing you need to make sure of is that you create the backup directory on your second drive then with itunes closed, move the backup file from your users/yourname/appdata/roaming/apple computers/mobilesync into the new folder on drive D (or whichever drive you have) and then use "Junction Link Magic" (a free program for advanced users) to create the junction. Works perfectly.
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Great!!! Works fine!!! Thanks a lot!

I used the "Junction Link Magic" solution as noted above by "drerwinfrommontreal" on my Win7 box. Works great for me as well and easy to use. One note though, I could not see my newly created Junction link in the list and was concerned then about removing it if I needed to. Did a reboot and then a rescan and it came up in the list no problems.

This solution cleared off 18GB from my C: drive. I did a backup and so far, so good!!

Also, make sure to click the "more info" button. It will bring up the help file to guide you if you're not sure what to do.

Sadly, MobileSync is not in /Music/iTunes/ folder on my iMac. MobileSync is in Library/Application Support.

Starting iTunes with Option will only link to Music/Itunes which has all the iTunes media not MobilSync, where all the GBs of mobile backup is. So I guess I will need another solution.

Read the beginning of the post, I did not try itmyself yet, but for a Mac use symbolic links: otherwise, use the junction post on Windows earlier.

film.butcher London, UK

On Windows Vista or Windows 7 you don't need any tools like "Junction Ling Magic" or junction.exe from Sysinternals. You don't even need to create a junction! Since Vista Windows supports symbolic links. Symbolic links are NOT junctions, they are more like symlinks on Mac. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NTFS_symbolic_link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NTFS_junction_point. Windows has built in command "mklink".

Simply open command console:

• cd "%APPDATA%\Apple Computer\MobileSync"
• move Backup folder to x:\Backup
• then simply mklink /d Backup x:\Backup

Cheers.

desfromwellington wrote:

Sadly, MobileSync is not in /Music/iTunes/ folder on my iMac. MobileSync is in Library/Application Support.

Thanks!

That is why 10 months ago I posted that I made a mistake.

For Windows 7, mklink is the way to go. There is no need for junction.

mklink will also work if you have sub directorie, ie, instead of creating shortcut of Backup, you can do MobileSync and the rest will follow.

In %APPDATA%\Apple Computer directory,

move MobileSync directory to d:

mklink /d MobileSync d:\MobileSync

Work exactly like you said

thank you Adala

I'm trying to do this from Windows 8 (mklink) and it tells me that I don't have sufficient privileges to do this operation.... I'm administrator.