Q: iCloud Backup failed, cannot be enabled...

Eric Root wrote:

 

Backups – Troubleshooting

I read this article but don't think it applies.

As indicated the backups through iTunes are working fine on both devices.

My problem is related to one of the device only, the iPad, and to iCloud backups only.

Thanks for your reply anyway.

Pierre

fromsouth wrote:

 

 

Are you able to sign out of icloud on that device and sign back in?

If yes try again to disable apps for backup, if no - proceed with backup to itunes and restore from itunes backup.

 

Few tricks you can try before that, but none of them worked for me when I had this - changing DNS and renaming your device. In both cases after those steps do hard reset, when you press home and power button until phone restarts.

Thanks Fromsouth,

Yes I am able to log off/disconnect and log on/connect to iCloud (I did it already and just did it again).

Unfortunately, deactivating Apps for backup is not possible (message indicating it is not currently possible) and "Backup Now" still leads to error.

I have tried changing DNS and name of the device (and back) with hard reset in each case... unsuccessful.

Seems like my only option, from your suggestions, would be to attempt the recovery from an iTunes backup (iTunes backups are working fine).

I am a little bit afraid of doing that and will wait fro some other hints to come before -

If none, then I'll have to try it.

Thanks for your help.

Pierre

fromsouth wrote:

 

No problem, if you will find something that helps, let me know please so I can update the tip. In the mean time if you can tell why you are cautions may be I can alleviate concerns.

Thanks a lot'

Actually my only single experience with recovery is when I switched from an old iPhone to a new one and this was not successful.

That's why I am probably excessively cautious and hope alternatives will be proposed before having to decide to recover (and may be lose) my iPad content.

Nothing that I couldn't recover from other sources actually but at the price of some time and additional burden.

Probably unjustified worry - I know ;-)

fromsouth wrote:

... proceed with backup to itunes and restore from itunes backup.

@fromsouth

First of all, let me wish you an excellent year 2016 !

Now, I finally dared to restore my latest iTunes backup and unfortunately there is no change at all.

Not able to trigger the backup, not backing up spontaneously although connected to WiFi and power,

No way to disable backup of some apps (see snapshot - sorry in French).

It is not a critical issue as I am still able to do iTunes backup but I hoped there would be some ways to look at some "logs" indicating why backup is prematurely ending a backup or preventing to disable some apps for backup.

Anyway, thanks for your help so far.

Regards, Pierre

Hi Fromsouth,

I went through the different suggestions / verifications and here are the results:

1. ​verify for me that you are also unable to turn those backup switches off after you turn off background app refresh in settings - general- background app refresh.
   • ok, background refresh disabled
   • I still can't deactivate apps for backup
2. Verify that restrictions are turned off in settings - general - restrictions
   • No restriction
3. Verify that there is no profile in settings - general
   • I had two profiles which are used to set some WiFi settings for hotspots provided by my carrier.
   • I dropped both (I am able to recreate them later)
   • no change
4. Verify that you do not have exchange account setup on the phone. Exchange accounts sometimes block or affect backups.
   • No Exchange account, just Outlook and iCloud accounts

It remains mysterious... still unable to backup.

regards,

Pierre

fromsouth wrote:

 

It unfortunately makes better sense, removing profile does not reverse security back to original. Only full restore as new reverses system back to original from modified by profiles/security apps. Disabling of account and even removing of app associated with profile didn't help in situation I was working on, but as soon as ipad was cleaned out by restore (or using shortcut by erase) backup worked perfectly fine.

In my scenario, I didn't have second device to verify, but your iphone - does it have the same profiles?

Yes, iPhone has exactly same profile (it basically sets a bunch of WiFi hotspot information for roaming WiFi and got these profiles before I got the problems with backups). And by the way, on the iPhone, which correctly backs up to iCloud, I HAVE an Exchange connection (my work e-mail) and more security profiles (VPN, certificates, Exchange setup...) -  so Exchange (and profiles) is not always an issue for backups when in 9.2.

Do you know if backup process/iOS has some "log file" that can be exposed some way to check if any error / warning could help determining root cause of the issue?

thanks, Pierre

I expected a client-side backup in fact, of course - absence of such a tool is not easing debugging of these situation.

I have to correct one statement I made; my iPad had an Exchange account set up - Actually, one of my Hotmail account was set up as an Exchange account.

I deleted the account / hard reset, try again - no change, redefined it as Outlook account.

I finally decided to perform a complete factory reset and surprisingly enough, when my iPad was set up (as a "new iPad"), backup was still impossible !

I have the feeling the problem is NOT on the client side but on the iCloud side. Not necessarily a server issue, it may be a account issue or something else like this.

As nothing was better, I reloaded the latest backup and will live with iTunes backup till ne ideas emerge -

thanks anyway - any new idea will be welcome - regards, Pierre