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Windows explorer see's multiple "Local Disk" files in the iphone DCIM folders

Having setup my iphone 6 using a backup from my old iphone 5... finding that dropbox photo importing no longer works. While investigating I used windows explorer to peek into the folders that live under the iphone DCIM folder and founds lots of 1kb files all called "Local Disk".


They cant be deleted and I dont know if these are part of the problem.


Could just nuke all the photos but dont really want to have to 😟

Any ideas or suggestions welcome.

Posted on Oct 7, 2014 11:24 AM

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Posted on Dec 20, 2014 9:47 AM

Settings > Safari > Advanced > Website Data > Remove All Website Data


Worked for me with iOS 8. Disconnect then reconnect the phone to the PC and all the "Local Disk" rubbish is gone.

64 replies

Jun 13, 2015 9:48 AM in response to Lawrence Finch

Thanks for your suggestion however, the issue is not with what you have described. I am able to do that no problem. The issue is that there are files in the DCIM folder that are simply inaccessible but add up to large amounts of space and they can't be deleted. I have solved this in the past by completing a backup, factory reset and then restoring from backup. It is what apple has told me to do and they have no other answer. Thank you again.

Aug 3, 2015 1:53 PM in response to DarranPotter

Ok, i had the same problem on a "clean" windows 7 installed pc.

Installed iTunes, and connected the Phone, but no iphone in explorer.


My fix.

sync your iPhone, just make a backup of something else... when the sync is running remove your cable from the Phone.

and reconnect.

wait for it.. .now explorer will pop up with an import photo message.

open explorer and you see you iphone.


This trick worked on 2 computers for me.

The "local disk" problem in the photos, as PuffinMoose, suggested, did remove some local disks but not all.

remove-ing the "undeleted photos' also remove some local disk but not all.


so, im use on the import photos funtion from windows and i at least got al my photos.

but now i dont have the orginal date als time stamps of the fotos

REALLY APPLE !!

For me, next time a windows 10 Phone.


<Edited By Host>

Aug 2, 2015 2:07 PM in response to ThCTLo

There is nothing to fix, except in Windows. iOS 8 allows editing of photos on the phone. To protect the originals, it puts the edits in a separate "XMP" file with the same name as the original photo, but with the extension .AAE. This is a worldwide ISO standard that everyone except Microsoft understands. (see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extensible_Metadata_Platform). So Windows Explorer displays the legitimate XMP files with the extension .AAE as "Local Disks." This is 100% a Windows problem, because Microsoft refuses to implement a standard that the rest of the world recognizes. Believe it or not, the world does not revolve around Microsoft (although apparently Microsoft believes it). But what you are asking is for Apple to cripple their product so you can use Windows Explorer for a purpose that even Microsoft doesn't recommend. The Windows photo import application DOES understand the standard, as do dozens of other Windows photo management apps from 3rd party developers, just not Windows Explorer. So the solution you discovered is a good one.

See: What to expect when you import edited photos from your iPhone, iPad, or iPod to your Mac or PC - Apple Support

Windows explorer see's multiple "Local Disk" files in the iphone DCIM folders

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