iTunes Device Restore fails and uses all free diskspace.

Sadly Apple don't provide an official way to do this. I'm not entirely sure what it would take to reassure you, but this image shows that I'm using the method at to moment to relocate the backup data to a folder called D:\Backup\MobileSync\Backup. The arrow overlay on the Backup folder tells you that it is redirected, and the detailed listings below should make it clear that both contain the same content. The files are really on the D: drive, but appear to be where iTunes expects to find them on the C: drive. My most recent backup was a fortnight ago, and I successfully restored a redirected backup back in December.

tt2

See Relocate iOS device backups for a way to move your backup data to a drive with more room.

tt2

Hi Tim

You write "which you have to delete to restore your disk space"

How do you delete these failed restore files? They don't appear in the itunes backup list in Preferences>Devices

Can I just manually delete these from Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup?

Are you sure? Is that still ok today, on Windows 10, iTunes 12.5.5, iOs 10.2?

Any more progress on this issue 4 years on anyone?

I've spent several hours looking for info online and found very little help.

Only various versions of turingtest2's instructions below, which I am wary to follow because they are not official Apple guidelines.

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This issue is bloody frustrating!

There is no official Apple information on relocating the itunes backup directory

There is no official Apple information on how to manage these failed restore files

***??

BTW some dude here says "Backups that have a date and time stamp in the backup name are copies of backups created by restoring the iOS device." backups clogging drive

So we need to have space to also 'copy' the backup file?

What decade are apple living in?

Many thanks

Assaf

I've just learnt a bit about what's happening with these files left over by a failed restore.

It seems that the first step in a restore is to create a duplicate/clone of the backup itself.

So it looks like there was not enough room to complete the creation of this clone; so the process failed and just left the half baked clone lying there clogging up the C drive.

I'm gobsmacked by this situation

and that it has been in existence for several years!!

There should be no need to commandeer additional precious disk space for the restore process.

It is unacceptable that in 2017 we are forced by a market leader to use our precious C drives for the backup and restore process (TT2's non official suggestion aside).

It is unacceptable that following the failure these files are not cleaned up.

It is unacceptable that this issue has been left unattended for several years.

Wow - had this issue last night with IOS11.02 backup of iphone 6 64GB with latest version of itunes in Q4 of 2017!!

All I can say is bad programmers at Apple - firstly duplicating or perhaps extracting backups during restores and thus clogging up premium system disk space (in my case SSD) and when restore fails due to lack of space on the C:\ drive, you are left with dormant temp backup files in the AppData\Local\Temp\

I successfully restored once I freed up the same amount of disk space on my C:\ as the backup file size for my phone.

Crazy! Apple sort it out!

The Temp Files were in my case at :MobileSync/backup

everytime the restore failes, itunes creates a folder named with the same name adding the crash date and time

in my case for the backup folder name "1d950ba8cfaab2fa172120ae6212c788ed9b07c"

itunes creates folder named: "1d950ba8cfaab2fa172120ae6212c788ed9b07c-20131229-004508"

which you have to delete to restore your disk space.

regards Tim

Amazingly this issue still exists 3 years on.

Its caused me all sorts of grief over the last couple of days, so thanks for helping with that!

Its definitely time that apple start to give user options as to where they store there backups, even if it is just saying where on a Hard Drive. This issue really is a disgrace, I filled up nearly 250GB of my HD with these failed back ups!

At least it forced me to clear out a load of duplicated pictures (space that was, at the time, then immediately taken by a failed back up!)

yeah ***, this is hella frustrating. I cant seem to locate where this MobileSync/backup thing might be to delete these stupid restore fails....
<Edited by Host>

Tim... Not sure what computer your running but my PC hp cant find the TEMP files itunes created while trying to restore my iphone...

See Relocate iOS device backups.

tt2

Hi TT2

Thanks for these instructions,

but I'm wary of following them because they are not official Apple instructions.

Can you help reassure me somehow?

Many thanks

Assaf

OK TT2

Thanks very much

Tim's not responding. You don't happen to know whether or not I can manually delete the failed restore files from Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup, do you?