Q: iCloud Backup Failure
-
Oct 19, 2012 12:04 PMby pvonk,If you get the error "Backup not successful" and you've tried deleting the last backup and trying to back up manually without luck, try the following test: Go to...
Settings>iCloud>Storage & Backup>manage Storage, tap your device name in the Backups section, then look under Backup options. Turn off all apps from backup and then do a manual backup. If that doesn't work, then this post will not help. If the backup works, then go back to the app list and turn some on and try another backup. If successful, keep repeating these steps. If it fails at some point, then try to zero in on the one app that seems to make the backup fail. (I had this problem and found one app failing, probably due to a corrupt data file.)
This process will take time, but if a backup works with no app data being used but clearly fails with the original settings, then somewhere in the mix of apps is a "bad" one.
-
Oct 19, 2012 12:20 PMby aMusedToo,Thank you for your reply. I read this answer in another thread and tried it several times.
The message I get is "The last backup could not be completed".
I was trying to say that in my first post but I guess I wasn't clear. None of my apps are turned on for backup. I've tried a manual backup several times with all these options off and still it won't work.
I've tried the manual back up both with my iPad connected to my iMac and with my iPad just plugged into the wall. Neither option works.
I fear my solution is going to be even more complicated.
-
Oct 19, 2012 12:33 PMby pvonk,This is strange. A backup can include the following:
- Photos and videos in the Camera Roll
- Device settings (for example: Phone Favorites, Wallpaper, and Mail, Contacts, Calendar accounts)
- App data
- Home screen and app organization
- Messages (iMessage, SMS, and MMS)
- Ringtones
- Visual Voicemails
If you have turned off all the services, then that leaves the following which are automatically backed up:
- Home screen and app organization
- Messages (iMessage, SMS, and MMS)
- Ringtones
- Visual Voicemails
I can only guess that one of these is corrupt. I have no idea what to do at this point.
-
Oct 19, 2012 12:46 PMby aMusedToo,I don't include my photos in my backup since I have then streamed between my iPad and my iMac. I don't use an iPhone so that isn't the issue.
I wondered about the information that was still stored from a few apps that use iCloud to share with my computer or who automatically store on iCloud. I listed those above. They seem to be "Pages", "iWriter" and "MyMedical".
Under the suspicion that "MyMedical" could be the culprit, I went into the app itself and turned off the iCloud syncing option for that app and deleted all the information about it on iCloud. Then I tried backing up again but I got the same message that the backup could not be completed.
GAH!
Even worse, when I tried to turn my iCloud syncing back on for "MyMedical" it won't work. The syncing just goes round and round and it won't turn back on now.
-
Oct 21, 2012 8:21 AMby OldHoya,I have the same problem with iCloud. I first noticed Pages won't sync. Tried changing Pages settings.
Tried turning backup on and off.
Tried turning off various apps from backup then all apps.
Tried deleting the existing backup file.
Tried logging out of the icloud account, tried forced sync of Pages files (had to delete the dupes)
In short I have tried everything I can find on these boards and from Apple. Until then I have to stop using Pages for ipad and will use apps that sync to more reliable services like Dropbox, Box.com, Google docs and Evernote. I have accounts with all of these and they have never failed on iPad, phone or Pc. In contrast, iCloud is not ready for prime time and I can't risk my docs to apps that depend solely on iCloud until Apple steps up. Sorry I paid for Pages.
-
Oct 21, 2012 9:39 AMby aMusedToo,Yup, in all this mess I lost several important documents from Pages.
I'm so frustrated that I not only lost work, but I also haven't found a solution despite scouring the help forums and trying every solution offered.
I bought Pages because I figured it would work seamlessly with my iPad and computer. I have other Apps that do that (Paprika and MyMedical) so I know it's possible.
The backup thing is just another layer. I still haven't figured out what the hang up is. I've backed up to iTunes in the meantime but I'm not entirely confident in that either since you can't really view your files.
Thanks for your reply. At least I know I'm not alone in my misery.
Still, it would be nice to have a solution.
-
Oct 21, 2012 9:47 AMby pvonk,I'm not really sure, but I don't think the iWork files on icloud are part of an ios backup either, since they are in a special icloud database. However, if you have used the Pages files on a mac, then you will have local copies and if you use Time Machine (which I assume everyone does), then you can restore older versions of these files.
Locally, they are stored in
~/Library/Mobile Documents
Note that Library in the user's home folder is now hidden, so you'll have to set Finder to view hidden files.
The Mobile Documents folder has subfolder where copies of the doc/data files are stored.
-
Oct 21, 2012 1:46 PMby aMusedToo,I wondered if the library was hidden. I knew that in the past I had no trouble finding it. It seems rather silly to make those files hidden now but I'm sure there must have been a reason for that change which simply doesn't apply to me.
Sadly, I don't use Time Machine. I couldn't really afford the back up drive when I purchased my Mac and later, I figured that having the same files that mattered to me on both my iPad and iMac would be sufficient. But I didn't count on my most recent issues. . . .
. . . One of the solutions offered was to clear out your iCloud account, turn off all app backups and try to just save the calendar and contacts first and then one by one add in the other apps to see if there was a problem with one of the apps. Apparently all my Pages files were being stored in the cloud and not being held in either my iPad or iMac. I didn't realize that until it was too late. So I lost all my most treasured documents which I had carefully tried to place on both my iPad and iMac in order to preserve and always have them at my fingertips. I'm trying not to cry over spilt milk. I should have been smarter. But then again, for all the money I've shelled out, it would have been nice if things just worked. Truthfully, that was why I switched to Apple several years back.
-
Nov 6, 2012 7:58 PMby Lotu ,Did you ever find a solution? I had the same thing happen with both my iPhone 4S and iPad 2. I've called apple and they had me try all the things you've done but with no success. They bumped it up to a senior iOS engineer whatever that is but he didn't have any solutions either. He basically acknowledged the problem was with icloud and is supposed to be conferring with icloud engineers to see what other ideas they have. But this is just ridiculous. No apple product should be this difficult to implement. It reminds me of my microsoft days.
I think iCloud just has a lot of issues. It's never worked without a struggle and iCloud email was so unreliable I stopped using it altogether. I was wondering why apple extended my old MobileMe account with 20 extra gb on iCloud for an extra year but now I know why. It doesn't work anyway so they could keep extending it for years with no real impact on them at all. I was a big supporter of apple but lately they are giving me no real reasons to stay loyal and lots of reasons to leave.
-
Nov 7, 2012 2:20 AMby OldHoya,No. I don't use Pages as much as a result. When I do, I save to other cloud accounts. The fact that I can't force a save as i can with any other cloud service and instead have to passively wait for iCloud to do it for me if and whenever iCloud feels like it, is enraging.
-
Nov 7, 2012 5:59 AMby aMusedToo,No solution here. I did read from another discussion where the person initiating the conversation has had the same problem for about the same length of time, that one user suspected their modem/service from Comcast.
I have WiFi service from Comcast as well but I haven't looked in to exchanging my modem yet. I'm not entirely confident that this is my solution. After all my modem/service worked just fine up until about a month ago and it seems to work fine in every other way. And yet . . . it is one more straw to grasp at.
OldHoya, I agree. I paid a fair little chunk of change for Pages and chose it over other options for my iPad and my desktop just so that my computer and iPad would play nice together on faith that an Apple program would be the best choice. I'm very disappointed for the same reasons you are. I would return the program for my money back if I could but I must admit, I keep holding out hope that Apple will fix it.
-
Nov 7, 2012 6:10 AMby Lotu ,Yes, Apple tried to blame it on my router too. But that wouldn't make any sense because I actually have 2 routers, a Time Capsule and a Comcast router. Backup failed on both. It seems unlikely that both routers failed in the same way at the same time. And anyway, just like your situation, both routers worked for all other devices, including a wireless printer, PCs running Windows, iphone, ipad, and imac, so if iphone/icloud has an issue with them, then that means the problem is with icloud or the phone, not the router.
One of the most concerning things about this issue is that Apple is aware that people are having problems and that icloud is a debacle, but they've either taken no steps to resolve the issues or they have not attempted to communicate to users what they are doing to make icloud "just work." Their apparent dismissal and disdain for loyal customers such as myself is making me reconsider where I'll be purchasing my next bit of technology.
-
Nov 7, 2012 10:29 AMby OldHoya,I ruled out the router because I got the same result with Pages and iCloud at three different locations including office site with great bandwidth.
Good news is that I got an iOS update on my iPad this morning from 6.0 to 6.0.1 and all day I have been editing Pages docs and they have each updated right away. Hope it lasts.
