Q: New iPhone 6S won't backup to iTunes or iCloud

EDIT: OMG I just tried resetting my iPhone settings, then tried an iCloud backup with all backup options off and it worked! Going to try to do another backup but this time with my apps selected in backup options. iTunes backup is still giving me the same "iTunes could not back up the iPhone because not enough free space is available on this computer. Removing files and emptying the Trash will free up additional space." error so the reset settings didn't work for that. But at least I have one backup now

Okay, long background story: I bought my 64GB iPhone 6S 3 days ago. Two days ago, I set it up by transferring from my iPhone 5C to the 6S. While doing the transfer on iTunes, it asked me to update my 6S to iOS 9.2 & my iTunes version to the latest, which I did. So my 9.2 6S got stuck on installing, then went into a boot loop. I think this was because my 5C backup had iOS 9.1. So I updated my 5C, backed up to iTunes again, went into recovery mode with the 6S, sorted all of that out and restored my backup. It worked, everything was there.

The next morning my wifi wasn't connecting so I reset my network settings and did a hard reset for good measure. But then my phone got stuck in a logo + weird pixellated grey screen boot loop. I tried to get it in recovery mode, it wouldn't work and iTunes couldn't recognize it. I cried, turned my phone off for like 20 minutes. Then tried to get it into recovery mode. It worked! Did a restore again, gave the 5C to my sister, who wiped the 5C completely clean.

Then she went on iTunes and somehow managed to overwrite my last backup. Okay, no worries I thought, I'll just backup my 6S again, Except, this time, I kept getting a "iTunes could not back up the iPhone because not enough free space is available on this computer. Removing files and emptying the Trash will free up additional space." error. Okay, so maybe the 300 free GB wasn't enough. Deleted about another 150GB. Still getting that error. So I followed all the steps in this guide: If you can't make an iTunes backup of your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support. Same error.

Tried iCloud. iCloud backup kept ending with "could not complete last backup" but I figured that my connection was probably too slow.

So I went to the iStore, to try and get them to fix my backup problem. No luck -- they tried everything I did except the iCloud backup and received the same "iTunes could not back up the iPhone because not enough free space is available on this computer. Removing files and emptying the Trash will free up additional space.".  They told me my actual device is faulty and should get a new one. Cool, I will, just would like a backup to restore to my new replacement iPhone.

So I get home and decide not to use iTunes for a backup. I tried Dr.Fone, CopyTrans Shelbee and SyncIOS all which couldn't complete a backup.

The next day (today), I'm back at work I tried doing a backup with the latest iTunes on a MacBook Pro and Mac -- still no luck at all. The same "iTunes could not back up the iPhone because not enough free space is available on this computer. Removing files and emptying the Trash will free up additional space." error. Even on completely new user profiles.

My internet connection at work is 20 times faster than at home -- generally when I download apps at work it takes a few minutes, software updates always less than an hour. I tried iCloud backup again. This time it actually gives me a time estimate (yay! 1 hour) and as it gets closer to 90%, I get stuck with a "could not complete backup" error .

I tried resetting my network settings, hard resetting, putting my phone in charge, signing out of iCloud, turning off Find My iPhone, turning backup off and on, increasing my iCloud storage, turning iCloud drive off and on, disabling all apps that need to backup, deleting a million photos, using a different Apple ID to backup to... and it all results in a "could not complete backup".

Device details:
- iPhone 6S 64GB Rose Gold

- iOS Version 9.2 (13C75)

- Model A1688

- My phone is not network locked.

Things tried:

- for iTunes : update phone, https://support.apple.com/en-za/HT203271

- for iCloud : use different network, use different Apple IDs, sign out & in with IDs, turn backup off and on, turn drive off and on, turn off all backup options, delete media, delete apps, increase storage, turn off Find My iPhone, hard reset, reset network settings

My carrier that I have my phone contract with will replace this phone no problem (it's less than 7 days since I have it) but my only issue is that i can't backup and transfer all my messages/contacts/photos/app settings to my new phone now.

Basically, am I screwed?

PS. Sorry for the super long post. But I prefer to be detailed.

Message was edited by: Marshmarlie