Can't back up iPhone 4s. "Not Enought Free Space" message.

AnaMusic wrote:

Bezza4 wrote:

...I bought a secondhand MacBook at the weekend,...

You have posted to an iPhone Thread in the iPhone Forum.

Suggest you start your own New Thread in the MacBook forum.

https://discussions.apple.com/community/notebooks

That's because it is a problem backing up my iPhone to iTunes. The fact I am doing it on a new MacBook that has recently been wiped of all files is simply background and confirmation that there should be more than enough memory to back a 32GB iPhone up.

Bezza4 wrote:

... has recently been wiped of all files is simply background ...

Not necessarily... There are many variables.... Also could depend on if the Mac was Restored to Factory Settings or not... and this thread is over 18 months old.

Your choice though on how you wish to receive assistance.

RajinCajun wrote:

Bezza4,

Did you go into iTunes and Authorize iTunes to your iTunes account? You might want to do that first. If that doesn't work, can you upgrade your itunes to the latest version?

It was a good shout, I hadn't done. I have now, but still getting the same error message. I am already using the latest version of iTunes.

AnaMusic wrote:

Bezza4 wrote:

... has recently been wiped of all files is simply background ...

Not necessarily... There are many variables.... Also could depend on if the Mac was Restored to Factory Settings or not... and this thread is over 18 months old.

Your choice though on how you wish to receive assistance.

Thanks for your input. And you are correct, it is my choice. And I have chosen to comment on a thread where people have experienced the same problem. A thread where people have provided useful information (that I have tried) thus preventing others posting the same information that exists in this thread, and despite the original post being 18 months old, the comment prior to mine is 2 days old!

<Edited by Host>

Bezza4 wrote:

Thanks for your input.

You're Welcome.

Bezza4,

Bummer the authorize didn't work. But now that it is authorized, can you remove your usb cable, then reboot your macbook and then after the machine is completely up, plug in the usb, then the phone, then try again.

Still no luck.

Oddly, when I first tried to back it up yesterday, it said it couldn't because my phone was locked. So I unlocked it, and that's when I first got the message about there not being enough memory. Now I only get the error message about there not being enough memory, whether the phone is locked or not.... In other words, I don't get the message about the phone being locked.... So I wonder if it was attempting to back it up on my first attempt?!

bummer. I also found this link: http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1503

Try that, and also, you might want to check your hard drive permissions using the disk utility. Good luck!

Yeah I'd seen that link, but it's not really a problem with syncing, so none of those work.

Running out of ideas!

I've been fighting this for 18 months. I have a 2TB drive in my iMac and I have tried everything in the thread except the suggestion about going to the UNIX root level and working down there. I would have done that but someone else said they tried it and it didn't work.

I was replacing my iPad with a new one (new to me, an iPad 3) and they only way it could do a back up and restore was to go in and delete all the backup files, then immediately restore to the newer iPad. Just for giggles, I tried to back up my phone and the new ipad and got the same message on both of them again.

DOES ANYONE KNOW ANYBODY AT APPLE TO LET THEM KNOW THIS DOESN'T WORK?????????

I gone through lepord, snow lepord, Lion IOS5 ios6 and updating all the software.

NOTHING WORKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!

It seems pretty obvious to me that this issue has little or nothing to do with the symptoms described in the error messge. This is a fault and it should not be necessary for users to fix it. Apple...please get your finger out and address this.

I was having the same problem on an iPhone 5. Closed all apps, turned off phone, turned back on, and it synced. thanks.

I agree. If we won't be able to sync, then don't let us put that much stuff on the phone.

I also have a corrupted drive it seems. Can't back up cos not enough space but have lots.

Error in disk utility is that the disk myst be recovered from recovery disk.

Also seeing an issue here, I have a 64GB 4S on iOS6. Have 12GB of free space on the iPhone.

On my iMac I have over 260GB of free space.

I can backup my phone without issue, but when I try to RETORE it comes up with the error message of not enough free space on my iPhone.

Jeez Apple, is 12GB of free space not enough for you ?