How to locally sync an iPhone with OS X Mavericks? iCloud is NOT an option.

Thanx, Matt, for repeating my points at the bottom of page 7.

Let me add: Under the heading Changing the Service, they can turn iCloud off at will (they don’t state how much warning they will provide). If the customer doesn’t have a local back up...

I strongly recommend that all readers read the Terms and Conditions posted here:

http://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/icloud/en/terms.html

Make your own interpretations.

Take what you feel are appropriate actions.

One more thing that has not been mentioned yet. It has been proposed in this thread to install OSX Server to remedy the local-sync-not-possible-problem (and for many this *is* a problem).

I'm running my system from a Samsung 840pro SSD connected to my iMac (late 2011) via Thunderbolt. Present generation SSDs are far less durable than traditional harddrives in terms of mid and long term data reliability. For instance, the 840 uses TLC nands in which one cell can be overwritten 1000 times .. then it is done.

Therefore, I set up my system (10.8.5) in a way that reduces write access when my iMac is idle. I managed to get 1 write access per second (by actions like moving the "logs" folder to the internal harddrive).

So .. if I install Mavericks and buy OSX Server .. how many writes per second will that add? How fast will my SSD wear out? And I'm the lucky one .. my SSD is external and can be replaced. What about the proud owners of rMBPs with builtin-SSDs that are difficult to replace? Running a server to sync contacts and calendar seems to me cracking a nut with a sledgehammer!

For those who have installed OSX server on Mavericks: please download "fseventer" from fernLightning software and take a look. I'd really like to know .. 😉

phanam

Oct 30, 2013 2:44 PM ( in response to Gerrit7)

One more thing that has not been mentioned yet. It has been proposed in this thread to install OSX Server to remedy the local-sync-not-possible-problem (and for many this *is* a problem).

...

Running a server to sync contacts and calendar seems to me cracking a nut with a sledgehammer!

For those who have installed OSX server on Mavericks: please download "fseventer" from fernLightning software and take a look. I'd really like to know .. 😉

Good points ... what is "fseventer", what does it do for Calendar and Contacts sync?

I am desperate to make things work locally as my business depends on this.

fseventer = filesystem event er. it is a gui for the shell command fs_usage. you can also simply open terminal and enter "sudo fs_usage" .. but the output will be a lot of strings 😉

TangentSun wrote:

Thanx, Matt, for repeating my points at the bottom of page 7.

Whoops! Sorry, I missed that :-)

Well, great minds think alike, eh? :-)

handsOFFmydata wrote:

I am desperate to make things work locally as my business depends on this.

I understand, my business is in the same boat.

1. Are you rushed? Because 10.8.x still provides USB local sync functionality. We're just going to stay put for awhile.

2. If we don't move back to Windows, where we were for 10 or 12 years, we might pick up an inexpensive, used MacMini, put a new HDD in it & connect it to our existing Ethernet network. Should be relatively cheap. We'd prohibit internet connection on this machine, so it wouldn't be web accessible & then our security problems get mitigated. We don't have time to babysit, which is a big reason iCloud terrifies us, the last time we tested it, man, what a time sink restoring lost info & over-writing duplicates.

3. Not sure if we should use Mavericks server or even Snow Leopard server. Anybody have a recommendation? We have a mix of Mac laptop's OSes & iPhone's iOSes - 10.6.8 to 10.8.5 & iOS 5 up to 6, and maybe one gal with iOS 7 (can't recall).

4. Can we turn this server service on & off just to do our syncing of Contacts & Calendar? We have no other reason to operate the server.

Tips 'n tricks appreciated. Thanks!

Unfortunately, I have already upgraded some Macs to OSX 10.9 ... there was nothing in the release notes that indicated the loss of local sync between devices … what a mistake!

Going back to OSX 10.8.x is an option but a cumbersome one and prone to other conflicts and loss of data. So far I see running OSX 10.9 server on individual upgraded Mac or Macs as the only option to retain local sync and remain untethered to Internet or to even local LAN … we need untethered mobility.

From what I saw after buying and downloading OSX 10.9 server app … it is only 500MB when installed, and acts like an app … you can switch it on and off as needed. I have not configured it yet … still reading up on it and waiting for English translation of German instructions, so the final judgement is still ahead.

Like you, I am hoping for user's, who were able to overcome the limitation, comments and ideas … after all, this topic is all about How to locally sync an iPhone with OS X Mavericks? iCloud is NOT an option.

Do you have a time machine backup that you could restore from? Or did you make a backup before doing the update?

@TangentSun

Thanks for posting this

Quote:

I strongly recommend that all readers read the Terms and Conditions posted here:

http://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/icloud/en/terms.html

Make your own interpretations.

Take what you feel are appropriate actions.

End Quote:

After reading the Terms and Conditions it really reienforces what I and many others have been concerned about all along

Quote from iCloud Terms and Conditions:

Back up Your Content

You are responsible for backing up, to your own computer or other device, any important documents, images or other Content that you store or access via the Service. Apple shall use reasonable skill and due care in providing the Service, but Apple does not guarantee or warrant that any Content you may store or access through the Service will not be subject to inadvertent damage, corruption or loss.

End Quote from iCloud Terms and Conditions

The bolding in the Terms and Conditions is mine to highlight my concerns.

This means that if my Calendar and Contact information is lost Apple is not responsible for it. It is my loss even though under Mavericks if I use the provided syncing the only way I can use the provided syncing is to use iCloud, and I really heve no control over my data.

This is exactly why local/usb sync of my Calendars and Contacts is so important to me.

Andy

@handsOFFmydata

Be sure to let us know your experiences when you finally turn server on and start using it. I would be interested in your configuration... ie are you going to use a dedicated Mac as your server or will you use a Mac that has normal day-to-day use.

TIA

Andy

And if you are smart enough to use other features of mavericks, such as Time Machine, the data will be backed up to another hard drive that you control completely. You have total control at that point.

Yes, before the OSX upgrade I did the TM backups of the entire Macs to external HDs, and the copies/exports/archives of documents/calendars/contacts/other intellectual properties to our servers.

Then why not restore your machine to a point before you updated to mavericks?

Will it restore the OSX 10.8.x as well? I've read conflicting reports on this ... like you must have a ditribution copy of OSX previous version to restore it after upgrade?!