Documents folder is now in the cloud. Long wait to get a cloud file? How do I back up to a local physical drive?

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Level 1

113 points

Documents folder is now in the cloud. Long wait to get a cloud file? How do I back up to a local physical drive?

I just installed the latest version of Sierra - Version 10.12.3 wiping out the old hard drive, so it is a clean install as if it was a new iMac.

I noticed that under my user name ( MyMac/Sierra/Users/MyName/ there is no "Documents" folder, although all the other usual folders are there such as Downloads, Movies, Music, Pictures and Public.

I Googled around quite a bit and found that this is a new feature of the OS. The documents folder can be found (and seen), under iCloud, but you can't see it under your user name, even though it is really there, but hidden. The idea is to store your files in the cloud, so they are available on any device.

You can switch off this cloud storage feature - if you want - under System Preferences > iCloud > Options. I don't want to switch it off, as I value the ability to get all my documents on any device.

So far, that sounds good - in principal -, but not for everyone, as you need to pay for the space in the cloud if you want more then 5GB. I am paying about $3 a month for 200GB. iCloud.com - Settings tells me I have used about 80gb of my 200 GB space. So, I have plenty of space spare. Very good.

When I look at the files in Finder under Documents, it seems most of them have a little arrow pointing downwards followed by a number, like 17 kb. To my mind it means the file isn't downloaded yet. Next to the iCloud icon in Finder there is a download clock, showing maybe 1% done. When I choose a file which isn't downloaded yet and double-click it, the file doesn't seem to download or open. (I expected the file I want to see to be prioritised).

Question 1: Can someone tell me what's going on? Must I wait a day or two for all files to be synced back to my new Mac before I can use them?

Question 2: When backing up files to a local hard-drive, should I simply run a copy from the Documents folder (in finder under iCloud), to my destination disk, or is that going to take forever - because it would have to download from the cloud? I would use a program like Get Backup Pro to do this, or something similar.

Posted on Feb 26, 2017 2:33 AM

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Answer 1

cdhw

Level 4

3,594 points

Feb 26, 2017 9:08 AM in response to Tricky57

The iCloud system mirrors files, i.e. there are still local copies on you Mac. In fact, your documents have been moved to a local 'iCloud Drive' folder in your hidden Library folder.

Home Folder > Library > Mobile Documents > iCloud Drive

What you see in your documents folder are aliases pointing to these local copies.

iCloud is used for the sole copy only if you have also selected "Optimize Mac Storage". Then, when it is necessary to conserve local space, unused content will be deleted leaving it in the cloud.

That's how it should work. If it isn't there you may have some issue with your Mac that needs diagnosing and fixing.

If you've installed third-party 'antivirus' protection, now would be a good time to get rid of it.

C.

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Answer 2

Barney-15E

Level 10

122,072 points

Feb 26, 2017 8:44 AM in response to Tricky57

Since you did a "clean" install, where did the documents come from that are in the iCloud Drive?

Did you copy your Documents back to your Mac from a backup, or were those documents always on iCloud Drive?

If the latter, then you will have to download them onto your Mac to have local copies. If you moved them from a backup, they should be local to your Mac already.

With Desktop & Documents selected in iCloud Drive, your Desktop and Documents folders "appear" in iCloud Drive, but you will have local copies on your Mac, if they were already on your Mac. So, it shouldn't take any time to open them. If they were not on your Mac as you stated you erased everything and installed, then those would need to be downloaded to your Mac for there to be a local copy.

Are the files you are accessing in the Desktop or Documents folder of iCloud Drive, or somewhere else in iCloud Drive. If in the Desktop & Documents folders, how did they get there?

2. Your Desktop and Documents folders are actually still in your Home folder, you just don't see them there. So, any backup solution will still back up those folders, if you choose them. It is only the Finder that hides them from view. A third-party backup program should be able to "see" the Desktop and Documents folders within your home folder, but I have not tested such a scenario.

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Answer 3

Tricky57 Author

Level 1

113 points

Feb 26, 2017 9:08 AM in response to Barney-15E

In reply to Barney-15E:

Since you did a "clean" install, where did the documents come from that are in the iCloud Drive?

Answer: The files came from my old Documents folder before I wiped the hard drive. I had checked the box in. System Preferences,>icloud>options desktop & documents folders.

Did you copy your Documents back to your Mac from a backup, Answer: No

or were those documents always on iCloud Drive? Answer: Yes

If the latter, then you will have to download them onto your Mac to have local copies. Answer: As far as I can tell, that's what is taking all the time. i.e. iCloud is downloading them onto my local Mac. It's not something I chose to do, but rather a function of macOS Sierra

With Desktop & Documents selected in iCloud Drive, your Desktop and Documents folders "appear" in iCloud Drive, but you will have local copies on your Mac, if they were already on your Mac. So, it shouldn't take any time to open them. If they were not on your Mac as you stated you erased everything and installed, then those would need to be downloaded to your Mac for there to be a local copy. Answer: The files seem to be downloading to my Mac from the cloud. After they have been downloaded, I can access them locally. The files which still haven't downloaded (which have a downwards pointing arrow and "24 kb" next to them, or similar) can't be accessed at all. However I now have confidence they will eventually download to my local drive and become useable again.

Are the files you are accessing in the Desktop or Documents folder of iCloud Drive: Answer: Yes they are in the Desktop or Documents folder of iCloud Drive.

, or somewhere else in iCloud Drive. Answer: No

If in the Desktop & Documents folders, how did they get there? Answer: The files came from my old Documents folder before I wiped the hard drive. I had checked the box in. System Preferences,>icloud>options desktop & documents folders. Therefore the files uploaded themselves to the iCloud Drive before I wiped the hard drive.

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Answer 4

Barney-15E

Level 10

122,072 points

Feb 26, 2017 9:34 AM in response to Tricky57

Answer: The files came from my old Documents folder before I wiped the hard drive. I had checked the box in. System Preferences,>icloud>options desktop & documents folders.

Ok, I had thought this was your initial installation of Sierra. It obviously was not since you had previously selected Desktop & Documents.

You will have to wait for the files to be downloaded. They cannot be accessed directly on iCloud Drive. However, they should download if you double-click to open them. You should also be able to click the down-arrow cloud to get them to download immediately. Does that not work?

I have not tested your scenario, so please keep us informed of how it works out.

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Answer 5

Tricky57 Author

Level 1

113 points

Feb 26, 2017 9:34 AM in response to cdhw

In reply to cdhw:

"The iCloud system mirrors files, i.e. there are still local copies on you Mac. In fact, your documents have been moved to a local 'iCloud Drive' folder in your hidden Library folder.

Home Folder > Library > Mobile Documents > iCloud Drive"

Answer: Now I look in that hidden folder, I do indeed see my desktops and my Documents, (but only the ones which have already downloaded)

What you see in your documents folder are aliases pointing to these local copies. Answer: I presume you are referring to the Documents folder found in the iCloud part of Finder?

iCloud is used for the sole copy only if you have also selected "Optimize Mac Storage". Then, when it is necessary to conserve local space, unused content will be deleted leaving it in the cloud. Answer: Within System Preferences, >IClouid, > Options, I have selected "Optimize Mac Storage". I presume this will only make me lose local documents if I start to run out of space? For the time being I have 47.1 Gb available on my local drive, which is quite a lot of new content.

"That's how it should work. If it isn't there you may have some issue with your Mac that needs diagnosing and fixing.

If you've installed third-party 'antivirus' protection, now would be a good time to get rid of it". Answer: That's agreed. Anti-Virus software just slows machines down with no particular benefit for geeks who use common sense, and of no particular benefit to everyone else - as they can't find and turn off the Mac's Security Options.

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Answer 6

Tricky57 Author

Level 1

113 points

Feb 26, 2017 9:49 AM in response to Barney-15E

In reply to Barney-15E

Thanks for the follow-up!

You wrote: "You will have to wait for the files to be downloaded. They cannot be accessed directly on iCloud Drive. However, they should download if you double-click to open them. You should also be able to click the down-arrow cloud to get them to download immediately. Does that not work? Answer: Yes, I agree. Double clicking on the file name or clicking on the down arrow should get them to download immediately. But sadly it doesn't. The files don't download at all. It looks like I will have wait for the files to download, all by themselves in their own good time.

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Answer 7

Barney-15E

Level 10

122,072 points

Feb 26, 2017 10:17 AM in response to Tricky57

My only idea is that it doesn't know that your "new" computer is the one that put those files on the iCloud Drive. If you have multiple computers, there will be subfolders in the Desktop and Documents folders for each Mac. You can then arrange them as desired, but it doesn't merge them on its own. I don't k now how it identifies a particular Mac, so I'm just guessing at what is happening.

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