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Other How do you backup iPhone on SD card

C

cleanair

macrumors regular
Original poster
Aug 13, 2015
165
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I created a new library onto the SD card and started backup, thinking that it would automatically backup to the SD card, but it said there's not enough space on my computer to back up, which means that it's trying to back up to the MBP's internal storage.

How can you make it backup to the SD card?

i only have 7GB on my computer. The SD is 64GB.
 
cleanair said:
I created a new library onto the SD card and started backup, thinking that it would automatically backup to the SD card, but it said there's not enough space on my computer to back up, which means that it's trying to back up to the MBP's internal storage.

How can you make it backup to the SD card?

i only have 7GB on my computer. The SD is 64GB.
Click to expand...
If you are using iTunes for the backup, there is nothing you can do. iTunes has a default backup location and it's to the boot drive. You cannot change it.
 
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another option - open itunes preferences < Devices and control click on the "backup" for a contextual menu and select "show in finder"

Copy that folder to the drive / SD card
 
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mikzn said:
another option - open itunes preferences < Devices and control click on the "backup" for a contextual menu and select "show in finder"

Copy that folder to the drive / SD card
Click to expand...
(Nevermind the below text, I found the folder when I tried to turn off the computer and it showed, and I successfully moved it to the SD card)

When I select "show in finder", the backup folder does show, but it's not showing anything inside except a corrupted screen phenomenon.

I noticed that the folders were arranged in this order:

username

^

library

^

application support

^

mobilesync

^backup


But when I open finder and try to search for each of these folders, I can't find them except 'username'. And when I go to username, I don't see the 'library' folder.
[doublepost=1509219059][/doublepost]It still says not enough room.
My iPhone has capacity of 59.94 and 305 MB is available. My SD card has 59.68 GB available after bringing in the backup that had about 3 GB on it. I guess I should clear my phone of some photos first.
 
cleanair said:
When I select "show in finder", the backup folder does show, but it's not showing anything inside except a corrupted screen phenomenon.

I noticed that the folders were arranged in this order: username ^ library ^ application support ^ mobilesync ^ backup

But when I open finder and try to search for each of these folders, I can't find them except 'username'. And when I go to username, I don't see the 'library' folder.
Click to expand...

you should not move the folder - just copy it to a drive or card ( use the option button while you drag the folder) later you will need to put that folder back and use iTunes to restore the phone
 
mikzn said:
you should not move the folder - just copy it to a drive or card ( use the option button while you drag the folder) later you will need to put that folder back and use iTunes to restore the phone
Click to expand...
if you don't move the folder and make a copy how does the iTunes know which copy of two identical Backup folders to backup to?
 
sorry - you could move the folder to the drive - my preference would be to keep the file on the flash drive as a last resort back up and the version on the mac or macbook as the one to use normally - just my preference.

I just tried it and copied my iphone 6 back up (3 gig) to a flash drive, but left the original on the MBP

also you should not change any of the file names of the folders - the restore will not work if not an exact copy
 
I emptied my iphone of its pictures and now its at 30gb of used storage. I tried back up and it worked, but when I looked at the SD card folder where I thought I would find the backup, I still found the 4GB of backup that I copied from the original MobileSync folder, but not the 30GB worth of backup that I expected to find.

So when I went into iTunes, Preferences, and Devices, and right clicked on the backup dated today, and clicked on Show in Finder, I found that it has backed up to the MobileSync folder, not the SD card folder.

And even then, the back up was 1.5GB instead of 30GB.

I'm confused.

So how do I make it backup to SD and how do I make it backup 30GB instead of 1.5Gb?
[doublepost=1509468860][/doublepost]I just download an app called iMazing which allows you to choose a location for the backup. But when I did the backup it still shows only 1.5Gb for the backup, and it shows two of the exact same file for a total of 3 GB of backup. What could explain for such a small amount of backup when the 60 GB of internal storage is half full, and therefore should be 30GB?
 
Last edited:
cleanair said:
(Nevermind the below text, I found the folder when I tried to turn off the computer and it showed, and I successfully moved it to the SD card)

When I select "show in finder", the backup folder does show, but it's not showing anything inside except a corrupted screen phenomenon.

I noticed that the folders were arranged in this order:

username

^

library

^

application support

^

mobilesync

^backup


But when I open finder and try to search for each of these folders, I can't find them except 'username'. And when I go to username, I don't see the 'library' folder.
[doublepost=1509219059][/doublepost]It still says not enough room.
My iPhone has capacity of 59.94 and 305 MB is available. My SD card has 59.68 GB available after bringing in the backup that had about 3 GB on it. I guess I should clear my phone of some photos first.
Click to expand...


I know this is a few years late, but just want to leave this here in case anyone is struggling with this like I was.
You can't find those folders/files through the search you're doing because they are hidden. You can unhide them by opening Finder and pressing COMMAND + SHIFT + DOT. Then you will be able to manually go through each folder listed in the path because they won't be hidden anymore... and you will end up at the Backup folder.
 
cleanair said:
I created a new library onto the SD card and started backup, thinking that it would automatically backup to the SD card, but it said there's not enough space on my computer to back up, which means that it's trying to back up to the MBP's internal storage.

How can you make it backup to the SD card?

i only have 7GB on my computer. The SD is 64GB.
Click to expand...

The real problem here is that Apple sold MacBooks with small storage, for an expensive price, which you can’t reasonably modify.
 
Jimmy James said:
The real problem here is that Apple sold MacBooks with small storage, for an expensive price, which you can’t reasonably modify.
Click to expand...
The real problem here is that the end user purchased a device that did not work very well with their work flow.

Do not blame Toyota when purchasing a Yaris for hauling furniture on a daily basis. If your work requirements change, purchase new equipment to match.
 
960design said:
The real problem here is that the end user purchased a device that did not work very well with their work flow.

Do not blame Toyota when purchasing a Yaris for hauling furniture on a daily basis. If your work requirements change, purchase new equipment to match.
Click to expand...

It’s more like Toyota is trying to sell you a new car when you just need to replace a part.
 
960design said:
I can agree with this statement as long as part = cabin volume. Just head to the local Toyota dealership and ask for the eight seater upgrade for the Yaris.
Click to expand...

No. We’re not increasing the volumetric space inside your computer, either.

Drives are reasonably replaceable by a consumer. I’ve done it twice on my current laptop and twice on my wife’s. The only reason it’s not is because Apple doesn’t want it to be in order to sell more new computers.
 
Jimmy James said:
No. We’re not increasing the volumetric space inside your computer, either.

Drives are reasonably replaceable by a consumer. I’ve done it twice on my current laptop and twice on my wife’s. The only reason it’s not is because Apple doesn’t want it to be in order to sell more new computers.
Click to expand...
After viewing many of your previous posts, I see that you offer assistance to no one, just snide comments. Noted and blocked.
 
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