itunes backup locations

The command: MkLink /J "%AppData%\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup" "D:\MobileSync\Backup"

fails because the folder %AppData%\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup exists. Instead %AppData%\Apple Computer\MobileSync should be empty, but you do need to have D:\MobileSync\Backup present.

If you're starting a new library then shift-start-iTunes after installing and use the option to create a library. Make it at D:\iTunes. That is also where you'd be best restoring your old library if you decided you wanted to use it after all.

tt2

Move the contents of

C:\Users\alisw\Apple\MobileSync\Backup

into

D:\MobileSync\Backup

Delete the now empty Backup folder from

C:\Users\alisw\Apple\MobileSync

Then issue this command at the command prompt:

MkLink /J "C:\Users\alisw\Apple\MobileSync\Backup" "D:\MobileSync\Backup"

tt2

See Make a split library portable and the section Relocate iOS device backups in particular. You should probably leave the iTunes software to install on the C: drive to take best advantage of the SSD.

tt2

Hmm, I'm getting confused now. It sounds as if you had everything set up right back here. What happened to the Computer in Apple Computer in the recent posts? 😕

Did you make a different folder called Apple inside Roaming?

The full command without the %AppData% should be:

MkLink /J "C:\Users\alisw\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup" "D:\MobileSync\Backup"

where D:\MobileSync\Backup already exists and there is not a file or folder called Backup inside C:\Users\alisw\Apple Computer\MobileSync.

tt2

Yes, checking back on the thread your library should be at D:\iTunes, and the media folder is at D:\iTunes\iTunes Media. You can drop copies of your original media files into D:\iTunes\iTunes Media\Automatically Add to iTunes to add to them to iTunes, or if the advanced preference Copy files... is enabled you can use File > Add Folder to Library so iTunes gets its own copies that can backup and move around with the library properly.

See Backup your iTunes for Windows library with SyncToy if I haven't mentioned it already.

tt2

If it is working properly the data should be stored in D:\MobileSync\Backup\<GUID> folders and also appear to be in C:\Users\alisw\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup\<GUID>. The space should only be used up on the D: drive. iTunes is supposed to read and write from C: as normal, the operating system is supposed to redirect those requests as needed, invisibly to the application.

tt2

Assuming there is no active junction the data currently in C:\Users\alisw\Apple\MobileSync\Backup should be moved or copied into D:\MobileSync\Backup, then you delete the Backup folder from C:\Users\alisw\Apple\MobileSync, and set up the junction exactly as before.

tt2

Doh! I goofed. 😊

The full command without the %AppData% should be:

MkLink /J "C:\Users\alisw\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup" "D:\MobileSync\Backup"

%AppData% gets expanded into %HomePath%\AppData\Roaming where %HomePath% is the user's profile folder.

tt2

Aliswar9 wrote:

So should I delete the backup folder in the SSD ? and do the command again?

Yes.

and regarding the new library should I make D:\iTunes and that's it?

Yes, if you create the library at D:\iTunes it will make the media folder D:\iTunes\iTunes Media and all of your iTunes content should go inside that. iTunes doesn't handle photos as such, but you can make a Photos folder inside the iTunes Media folder if you choose so it can be included in a backup of your library.

tt2

You can test the junction is working properly by opening the folder D:\MobileSync\Backup, creating say a new text file in there, then going to C:\Users\alisw\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup and making sure you can see the file you just made. When iTunes creates a device backup it will check for free space on the C: drive even if the data is ultimately going to be stored elsewhere, so you may still need to arrange for there to be a reasonable amount of free space on C:.

tt2