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What is iCloud for

My TimeMachine is busted. I can't backup nor can I now access the older backup, but it shows that 500g of 2TB has been used, so I am guessing that the older backups are still there. I wonder if Apple can recover it if I take it in?


But, my question is what in the world is iCloud good for when it comes to desk tops. I even went and bought more iCloud storage, but it appears that the iCloud / iCloud are pretty worthless when it comes to backing up or even providing any options as to what to backup.


I have read all the Apple blurbs about iCloud, but it just seems that they are only patting themselves on the back about pretty much nothing.

Posted on Nov 16, 2017 3:44 PM

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4 replies

Nov 16, 2017 3:58 PM in response to danuke

iCloud does not currently offer a backup option for computers. It does have that option for iOS devices.

It is primarily oriented towards syncing data between your devices. iCloud Photo Library will sync and store all of your photos (both iOS and Mac Photos) between devices and if you turn on the Optimize Storage option on any device(s) it can also free up storage on that device if it is low on free space. iCloud Drive (including Desktop & Documents) can also sync files between devices and can free up storage on a Mac if it is low on free space.


All of the above can be very useful if you are interested in accessing any or some of your data from any of your devices at any time.


I use many of those features, but I also backup all of my computer data locally to and external hard drive via Time Machine and Carbon Copy Cloner and offsite via Mozy Online backup.

Nov 17, 2017 5:58 AM in response to FoxFifth

Thank you fro your reply.


I only wish that I could access the old Time Capsule backup. I have been looking for backup devices that will work with this late 2013 iMac, which Apple will most likely declare as 'Legacy' next year, and therefore refuse to work on it at all, but what Apple sells appears to have the usb C cables.


One issue that is bothering me is that in looking around in the iCloud > Documents, there are many there and includes folders for my old tax returns. Unfortunately, all those folders are empty. Thanks to hurricane Harvey, all my hard copies and optical disks sat under 4 feet of water for 9 days; and the folks who were helping us clean up, which meant getting everything out of the house including the first floor drywall did just that 'everything' so my disks are long gone. This poor old iMac sat in that same wet, steaming environment for 9 days also, is acting 'hinky'. I think that portions of the HD may be shot and perhaps corrosion is setting in. And it did not even occur to me to at least back up select files to a large USB flash drive (I can't seem to remember that those things are around) .




Those tax records where the one thing on this computer that I needed to recover.

Nov 17, 2017 11:42 AM in response to danuke

Go to Finder and select your user/home folder. With that Finder window as the front window, either select Finder/View/Show View options or go command - J. When the View options opens, check ’Show Library Folder’. That should make your user library folder visible in your user/home folder. Select Library/Mobile Documents. Are the files there?

What is iCloud for

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