Cannot open iDisk ("Your iDisk cannot be syncronized...)

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As a new .Mac user, I recently tried to set-up my iDisk for the first time.

Using OS 10.3.5 I have set the user/password in the .Mac System Prefs. Then in the Finder, Go >My iDisk, but nothing seems to happen. When selecting in the Sys Prefs to "create a local copy" it apprears to access the remote iDisk successfully. A dialog box then explains that I "must go online with my .Mac account and password to complete the intital synchronization."

I am online however, and when I try to click the sync/refresh button on the iDisk button in the Finder, I get an error. ("An error occurred while synchronizing your iDisk (Error 12)") The iDisk thus remains offline with folders such as "Software" simply opening a local .rtf that says "The selected directory is only available when the iDisk is online. To access this directory you will need to take your computer online."

What I've tried from reading related posts: I have turned off the local iDisk although it does correctly show 201MB available each time I create it (how prefs are set on .Mac). I have changed .Mac passwords and then reset iDisk locally. I have tried connecting via Go< Connect to Server. I have waited overnight for .Mac to reset memory allocations. None of these have any effect. Only unexplored possibility I am aware of is the type of internet connection I have: PPoE (T-Online Germany). I believe PPoE is the type of connection iDisk uses. Possible conflict?

Thanks for any suggestions.

 

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As a new .Mac user, I recently tried to set-up my iDisk for the first time.

Using OS 10.3.5 I have set the user/password in the .Mac System Prefs. Then in the Finder, Go >My iDisk, but nothing seems to happen. When selecting in the Sys Prefs to "create a local copy" it apprears to access the remote iDisk successfully. A dialog box then explains that I "must go online with my .Mac account and password to complete the intital synchronization."

Have you activated your .Mac account? If not, go to:
http://www.mac.com/activate

 

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Have you activated your .Mac account? If not, go to:
http://www.mac.com/activate

Fair question.
Yes I activated about a month ago and have been using member area (downloads, virex, backup, etc) successfully since then.

 

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Then assuming everything else is correct, then there may be a problem with your connection.

I would try a dial-up modem connection, if you have access to an account, to test if you can connect, this would help rule out whether your current connection type PPPoE is to blame. I had a similar problem accessing idisk when connected to a LAN. The connection would come and go.

If you use a proxy connection then this info from the apple support website might be useful. It's Windows based article, but I think it's relevant to OSX:

The most common cause of iDisk connection errors is a proxy server between your computer and the .Mac servers. To test this, try to connect to a WebDAV server that is maintained specifically for testing purposes by the WebDAV Group. Follow the same steps you use to create your iDisk Web Folder or Network Place, but use the URL http://test.webdav.org/dav instead.

If you are unable to connect to this server, it's probably because of a proxy server.

Talk with your network administrator or Internet service provider (ISP) to find out if the proxy server supports WebDAV connections. Sometimes a proxy server may be running outdated software that does not allow WebDAV connections. If your proxy does not support WebDAV connections, the network administrator or ISP may be able to give you information to enter in Network preferences that would enable you to bypass the proxy server when connecting to the Mac.com domain.

Many proxy servers are compatible with WebDAV.

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=52384

 

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Connecting without a proxy has solved the issue completely for me. Not sure if there is a work-around or not for those who do not have that as an option.

Thanks.