I have a developer account that I could try, but I've had my iCloud account since the .Mac days—it is my email, my iTunes purchase history, every app I've ever purchased, etc. I realize this is a possibility, but it's simply not something I'm willing to do. Besides, even if it does turn out that the alternate account works, all that will do is tell me I still have to rely on Apple for the fix.
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iCloud Backup iPhone 6S
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I have a developer account that I could try, but I've had my iCloud account since the .Mac days—it is my email, my iTunes purchase history, every app I've ever purchased, etc. I realize this is a possibility, but it's simply not something I'm willing to do. Besides, even if it does turn out that the alternate account works, all that will do is tell me I still have to rely on Apple for the fix.
Yes and no. Some “incomplete” backups do show up as missing space out of your total storage (i.e. additional space allocated to Backups). Particularly the ones you call Phantom backups. But not all do. For example, when an iOS device continues to upload data that exceeds the actual storage area available, as shown in the OS X iCloud system pref., this data is clearly not accounted for in the Backup part of the graph.
I have documented this “runaway backup” issue on all three of our iOS devices (on two different iCloud accounts) over the past few weeks. The space allocated to Backups (in the OS X iCloud syspref) does get a little larger. But it does not even come close to representing the multiple GB of data that has been uploaded. It is not at all clear where all this data goes.
My point is that unless you are monitoring the uploads on your router and/or your iOS devices, you would not know that these “runaway backups” were happening.
BTW I know which iOS device is doing the uploads because the upload traffic stops immediately after unplugging that iOS device. And the large upload traffic shows up in the logs made with the free Traffic Monitor app on that device.
—GetRealBro
Very interesting. Thanks for letting me know. Once iCloud backup works again I will monitor that.
Apple support is clueless about the “run away” backup issue. Currently they are telling me that it is probably a “personal problem” related to my home wireless network (100% Apple AirPorts) and/or my ISPs low bandwidth network. So it would be good to have some other users who can document the Runaway Backup issue to get their attention.
Here is a snipet of my AirPort traffic log a few days back. The red bars are the download traffic (left scale) and the blue bars are the upload traffic (right scale). The sample interval is 10 minutes. The tall red bars are when we were streaming Netflix. The tall blue plateaus are when our iPad was trying to backup to the iCloud. I started both of these backup sessions mannually. And despite exceeding the available storage capacity, they only stopped when I pulled the plug on the iPad. This upload traffic was confirmed by the Traffic Monitor app on the iPad.
My AirPort Extreme router is one of the older ones (Apple TV shape) that still supported SNMP. This lets me poll it for the upload and download data using a shell script and a crontab. Unfortunately, Apple dropped SNMP support on the newer, tower shaped, AirPorts.
—GetRealBro
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Sorry, missed this message. The easiest way is to plug your iOS device to your computer via USB, and get the Apple Configurator 2 app from the App Store. You can then double-click the device, go to Console, and view the log stream.
Also, for the iCloud backup, I was doing it via the phone. I know people have said you can change the backup method to iCloud in iTunes, Sync, then hit backup, and execute an iCloud backup, but for me this just produces a regular iTunes backup.
It will only ever produce an iTunes backup. There is a lot of misinformation about that method. And Apple reps are the ones who started it. You'd think they would know how their own product works.
Thanks. I didn’t know that you could use Apple Configurator 2 to get a console log of an automatic iCloud backup in real time!
The iPhone 5s kicked off it’s next automatic iCloud backup while I was reading the console log. It’s really nice to have the iPhone’s console up in one window while watching the AirPort Extreme’s real time traffic graph in another window.
Right after these showed up in the console log….
Code:
Jan 21 13:35:22 iPhone-5s backupd[1682] <Warning>: ERROR: Backup failed: <CKError 0x13f03efb0: "Service Unavailable" (6/2022); "Saving asset failed"; Retry after 3.0 seconds>
Jan 21 13:35:22 iPhone-5s backupd[1682] <Warning>: ERROR: ========== Backup failed: Saving asset failed at path "/var/tmp/tmp.28.PW5Gne" (CKErrorDomain/6). Underlying error: Saving asset failed at path "/var/tmp/tmp.28.PW5Gne" (CKInternalErrorDomain/2022). Underlying error: The operation couldn’t be completed. (com.apple.mmcs error 16.) (com.apple.mmcs/16)..…..the upload traffic on the AirPort dropped to zilch.
I waited a few minutes, then unlocked the 5s to take a few screen dumps of the Traffic Monitor’s logs etc. and relocked it after seeing that the Next Backup Size was predicted to be less than 10MB. The backup quickly kicked off again as I expected. The upload traffic increased for a few minutes, then dropped to zilch again after these log entries…
Code:
Jan 21 13:46:40 iPhone-5s backupd[1688] <Warning>: INFO: Backup finished successfully
Jan 21 13:46:40 iPhone-5s backupd[1688] <Warning>: INFO: ========== Backup finished in 153.440 s
Jan 21 13:46:40 iPhone-5s backupd[1688] <Warning>: INFO: Scheduling next backup at 1/22/16, 1:46:39 PMThe console log is pretty long. So it will take me awhile to look though it for what might have caused the backup to fail. But at least I have some hard evidence to explain why most of my “automatic” iCloud Backups take at least 2 uploads to complete.
—GetRealBro
Still no update from Apple. But I got a replacement iPhone today for a different reason, and iCloud backup will enable. Haven't tried a backup yet though, as I am restoring the device right now. For the sake of sanity, I am restoring my iPad Air 2 as well. Figured if a restore from backup works for iPhone, maybe iPad will work too. I will post back.
Edit: Alright super weird. New device with old backup, I can make an iCloud backup. Old iPad with old iPad backup, cannot make iCloud backup. How is that possible?
Edit: Alright super weird. New device with old backup, I can make an iCloud backup. Old iPad with old iPad backup, cannot make iCloud backup. How is that possible?
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What ever you do, do NOT delete backup from iOS nor from Mac for new iPhone also.
My iPhone 6+ was able to backup to my iCloud account, which same iCloud account was having issue won't backup with my iPad mini. I try test it out and delete backup from iPhone, bad idea, iPhone no longer could backup also.
In the past, before 9.x release, I had no issue delete backup from iOS or Mac, but not any more.
By the way, I also test out my restored as new iPad mini which won't backup to mine regular iCloud account to another alternate iCloud account. It will backup fine at 1st, but as soon as I delete backup from iOS in this alternate account, same thing happen with my original iCloud account, no more iCloud backup. And I tried with 9.2 & 9.2.1 restore to new with same result.
My gut feeling is there is something wrong with new 9.x release, maybe after 9.2, and iCloud. It is possible Apple still working on the fix.
For anyone who’s iDevice is not backing up to iCloud….
Please download the free OS X app Apple Configurator 2 from the App store. Plug your iDevice into your Mac via USB. Double click on your device and then click on Console in the left hand pane. This will give you real time diagnostics of what is happening on your iDevice.
Then start an iCloud backup. If it has been over 24 hrs since your last successful iCloud backup, you should be able to kick off a backup by just locking the screen. If that doesn’t work, try “Back up Now”.
Then post JUST THE KEY error message(s) like I did in my previous post. Maybe we can find the common problem by comparing error messages. BTW the error message(s) you are looking for should contain the phrase “<Warning>: ERROR: Backup failed:” followed by the reason.
You can save the entire log by selecting all of it then clicking Save Selection. This produces a console log file that when double clicked will automatically open the Console app on your Mac. The nice thing about the Console app is that you can filter the cluttered log by using the search function in the upper right of the window to show only lines containing your search term(s).
The worst case is that you will have a smoking gun console log to send to Apple Support with your request for help.
—GetRealBro
Please download the free OS X app Apple Configurator 2 from the App store. Plug your iDevice into your Mac via USB. Double click on your device and then click on Console in the left hand pane. This will give you real time diagnostics of what is happening on your iDevice.
Then start an iCloud backup. If it has been over 24 hrs since your last successful iCloud backup, you should be able to kick off a backup by just locking the screen. If that doesn’t work, try “Back up Now”.
Then post JUST THE KEY error message(s) like I did in my previous post. Maybe we can find the common problem by comparing error messages. BTW the error message(s) you are looking for should contain the phrase “<Warning>: ERROR: Backup failed:” followed by the reason.
You can save the entire log by selecting all of it then clicking Save Selection. This produces a console log file that when double clicked will automatically open the Console app on your Mac. The nice thing about the Console app is that you can filter the cluttered log by using the search function in the upper right of the window to show only lines containing your search term(s).
The worst case is that you will have a smoking gun console log to send to Apple Support with your request for help.
—GetRealBro
Good to know. Thanks for the warning. In about a week I would have turned it off and deleted this backup to create a new one.
Thanks. You were spot on. I left it for two days and toggled Backup off and on once and last night it started to backup to iCloud on its own. Cheers.
I've never had an issue with iCloud backups. They are supposed to be automatic so I don't pay any attention to them. I just checked them due to this thread and my iPad and iPhone backed up the last time they were charged and they equal 453MB.
The issue stems from turning off iCloud backup, removing the old backups, and re-enabling iCloud backup. Something happens with the server and it cannot make a connection, and therefore cannot make a new backup.
I will chime in once again. Mlrolin91 is 100% correct. That is exactly how the problem arises. I am still waiting on a response from Apple after my call was escalated to 2nd level tech support and engineers. I am not calling them, although I might this weekend, because it's pretty obvious that they don't have a solution.
NONETHELESS, I suggest that everyone with this issue call and report the problem to Apple. Insist on speaking with 2nd level of tech support who in turn deal directly with the engineers. Otherwise, our issue is falling on deaf ears of 1st level tech support who just read step by step troubleshooting from a how to book.
Actually I think it is server somehow still think previous backup still listed and unfinished, even after it is deleted.
It is possible there are some index/flag in server associated with previous "deleted" backup and S/N, IMEI, or Apple "device ID" of device is still active, and "think" deleted backup still exist. When backup is deleted from iOS of Mac, this index somehow is not removed, and this index is used to check any previous unfinished backup still exist, hence new backup will never start because it will never pass this index check.
Because if you don't delete it once in a while, the backup becomes extremely bloated. My starting backup on my 6s is 300MB, and my starting backup on my Air 2 is 100MB. After a week, my 6s becomes 1+ GB and my Air becomes 500+ MB. For example: You take 20 photos, then your phone backups. Then you transfer those photos to your computer and you delete them off your phone. Those photos remain in the backup even though they are no longer on the phone and waste space. Same thing goes for iMessage attachments.
But the problem is, we cannot even enable backup. When you hit the on toggle in settings, it comes back immediately saying "iCloud backup failed" "iCloud backup could not be enabled" "Try again"
Still waiting on Tier 2 to get back to me too. Was suppose to get a call on Wednesday at 5PM. Never happened.
I have never done this maintenance and my backups total 453MB. I must be lucky?
Or you don't use any apps that store cache into the iCloud backup. Even Apple's Trailer app is guilty of this. When you view a trailer, it saves the movie posters in cache for faster launching of the app. That "document & data" is then added to the iCloud backup. So after a week, even the trailer's iCloud backup reaches 30-40MB. Snapchat, Facebook and Instagram are also guilty of this. After a week my snapchat iCloud backup is over 100MB and I have no idea why. Snapchat doesn't store anything!
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Alright so my backup yesterday was 283MB. I just manually backed up to iCloud and its now 395MB. In less than 12 hours, 112MB was added to my backup.
Edit: Do you have an Apple watch? I believe the bulk of the iCloud backup increase is Apple watch related. I think every time you backup it creates a new copy of all your health, but doesn't delete the old copy.
My iCloud backups are stable at roughly 500MB too. But this stability depends on how the iDevice is used and what is selected to be included in the backup. For example I don't backup the "Photo Library" which would increase the size of our backups by tens of GB and would increase quite quickly since we use the iPhone 5s primarily as the camera attached to a spotting scope.
---GetRealBro
For me, every time I get a new iPhone, the new phone creates its own new iCloud backup even if it was restored from the older one. So I end up with multiple backups, all counting towards my iCloud data bucket. So I delete the old no-longer-needed ones to free up space.
Just as an example, my iPhone 5 just died last week so picked up an iPhone 6, restored from my 5 but then the 6 created a new (~2gb) backup. Ended up having to delete my old iPhone 5 to stay under my 5gb limit.
Yes you could, kind of, if you log out of same iCloud and log back in, or use iTune to enable it, it will enable. I tried already on both my iPhone and iPad, just not able to enable again without logout and login, or use iTune to enable it.
Added: but will not backup.
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Try delete your iCloud backup and come back tell us you are lucky or not, but don't blame me for not able to iCloud backup any more.
There is no luck involve, if you don't believe me, delete your iCloud backup.
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I 'm perfectly happy with the way my backup is working and have no reason to delete it.