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  1. #1
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    iCloud Help Needed

    I have my MacBook Air backed up through iCloud to optimize storage. Sometimes when I need a file quickly, it lags and takes a while to pull up, but it works, and keeps this old machine alive.

    My question is this. Why, when I look at the storage capacity, does it show iCloud Drive eating up most of the memory? Does it take over the hard drive, and then decide what is cloud based, and what is not?

    Also, when I try to manage my storage, most of the items it finds are either stored in Dropbox, One Drive, or iCloud. Why is it showing these as items that are taking up storage? Is it because I have the apps loaded, which allow me to access Dropbox and One Drive like they are files?

    Really confused, and trying to clean this thing up a bit. Ready to fire up the 2 tb external drive, and back up the whole thing for sure, and then start trashing huge chunks of old work shit. I just want to make sure iCloud is working properly.

    Thanks

  2. #2
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    What do you mean by taking over most of the "memory" (System ram - random access memory?) or are you really talking about the hard drive storage space (assume it is way too old of a Mac to have an SSD drive)?

    What to verify that the iCloud is working, shut down that Mac, then login to your Apple iCloud via another device and see if the files you want and need are there- whether they are photos, documents, videos or music...

  3. #3
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    iCloud Help Needed

    Since he’s managing storage I’m guessing that’s what he really means, and there aren’t many MacBook airs out there without an SSD.

    What might be happening is some large files or folders in your iCloud are syncing themselves locally to your MacBook. It could be photos and videos... Try this: On your Mac, open Photos, choose Photos > Preferences, then select Download Originals to this Mac. Then you can turn off iCloud Photos. You can also select the photos and videos that you want to download from iCloud.com.

    Also possible you have all your midget porn (or some other large folder) syncing on another Mac device to your iCloud to your MacBook. If you have multiple macs check for that.

    What I really suspect, though, is that it’s just showing your cloud storage as part of your system storage. That’s pretty cool and not a problem as long as you have available local drive space. I would use the 2TB drive as a backup device, but you’ll be happier if you just use it with the built in system backup functionality rather than go through some mad and frustrating copy/paste/delete ritual that would, effectively, decrease the redundancy of your data. You don’t need to back up stuff on iCloud, that’s what iCloud is for.
    focus.

  4. #4
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    I would disagree that people do not need to backup their cloud storage. If it is important they should be using a backup strategy because of human error. They accidentally delete their photos on their device, or are going through and freeing up space on a phone or something and they are gone from the cloud account also if the sync preferences are not set properly as one example...

  5. #5
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    250 GB SSD

    I will try some of this stuff. Pretty sure it is showing iCloud storage as part of my SSD storage. Basically, I think everything that is in both spots is showing there. I need to free up some SSD space though. Might have to bite the bullet and go sit in that hell hole Apple store. I DO NOT want to buy a new machine any time soon. The new design with type C, dongles, and a shitty keyboard is not going to work for me. And no, I will not go windows. I have too much workflow and process and software tied to the Mac platform between Parallels, Windows 10, and Bluebeam. Bluebeam works better on this old Mac than it does on my work Windows laptop anyway.

  6. #6
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    Don't have to go to the Apple Store, unit is probably out of warranty so anyone (other than never Best Buy) could move you up to a larger SSD- 512 GB or larger if budget allows. Even some DIY guides and videos out there.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by warthog View Post
    I have too much workflow and process and software tied to the Mac platform between Parallels, Windows 10, and Bluebeam.
    not following this part at all...
    (i know it's irrelevant to the OP, but you know how i know you're windows...? ;p )

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by RShea View Post
    I would disagree that people do not need to backup their cloud storage. If it is important they should be using a backup strategy because of human error. They accidentally delete their photos on their device, or are going through and freeing up space on a phone or something and they are gone from the cloud account also if the sync preferences are not set properly as one example...
    Um. What?

    Go ahead and set up a grandfather-father-son backup scheme, sure, but keep that shit in the cloud and use the automated tools at your disposal. Which apple has conveniently deployed in an automated fashion to your Mac.

    You can drop a new SSD in there, or you can figure out what’s taking up all your local storage and if it isn’t actually critical that it’s backed up in a gfs rotational schema just move it to your cloud or Dropbox storage and make sure snapshots are happening for the other shit.

    I’d buy more cloud storage before buying a new SSD, unless you’re working with a lot of videos/images/other large files that absolutely have to be local (e.g. not just in the cloud or on your large (single point of failure) external. Don’t forget that your onboard SSD is also a single point of failure.

    Cloud > external drive.
    focus.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by acinpdx View Post
    not following this part at all...
    (i know it's irrelevant to the OP, but you know how i know you're windows...? ;p )
    Intel machine running Parallels, Windows 10, Bluebeam.

    Bluebeam for Mac sucks, and CAD doesn't work on Mac.
    Otherwise, everything else about the Mac is better than any windows machine I have used.
    I only use Windows for those 2 applications, and Parallels automatically backs everything up to my Mac OS, so marked up PDF's are readily accessible in either OS.
    That is huge, because Preview works so much better for viewing marked up drawings and printing them.

    I know it doesn't totally make sense, but I have to stare at building drawings all the time, mark up where my products go, price it out, and make suggestions on how to fix the mistakes the engineer made. It flows a lot smoother this way, incredibly.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by warthog View Post
    Intel machine running Parallels, Windows 10, Bluebeam.

    Bluebeam for Mac sucks, and CAD doesn't work on Mac.
    Otherwise, everything else about the Mac is better than any windows machine I have used.
    I only use Windows for those 2 applications, and Parallels automatically backs everything up to my Mac OS, so marked up PDF's are readily accessible in either OS.
    That is huge, because Preview works so much better for viewing marked up drawings and printing them.

    I know it doesn't totally make sense, but I have to stare at building drawings all the time, mark up where my products go, price it out, and make suggestions on how to fix the mistakes the engineer made. It flows a lot smoother this way, incredibly.
    I like Bluebeam a lot for marking up stuff (can't afford it tho for what I'd use it for). MacOS Preview is not even close in abilities there, but it's free .
    You don't have to sell me on mac; I prefer so much about it over windows. We run autocad on mac here. It's not perfect but our projects are usually on the smaller side.

  11. #11
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    Bump for different iCloud problem...

    I had to replace my iPhone 6 three weeks ago because the phone kept cutting off and switching to music. I backed up my phone to my iCloud account before they set up the new phone. ATT didn't switch out Sim cards for some reason - told me they don't do that any more.

    And now I can't get my music library (six playlists, 6.5GB) from the old phone to the new one. They never copied over from the backup I did prior to switching - well the stuff I purchased in the last year from iTunes store copied over but nothing else. Which include stuff originally copied from CDs and/or MP3 downloads of jam band performances - you know, music acquired before there was an iPhone! And no, I don't have the original CDs or mp3 files.

    An acquaintance who used to do tech support for Apple tells me I need to buy some $25/year subscription from Apple to do this.

    Seriously? I can't make a simple transfer of mp3 files from one iPhone to another without some sort of software assist?

    Anybody have a simple way to do this? I still have the old phone - using it as an MP3 player now...

    TIA

  12. #12
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    Fuck that! I’m going through the same thing!

  13. #13
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    iCloud Help Needed

    Syncios is a free music transfer app I used to get content off a device. You have to transfer from device>computer>iTunes>new device.

    Yes, unless you subscribe to Apple Music you cannot copy owned music to from iCloud.

    Edit: Looks like syncios has an iphone>iphone transfer program

  14. #14
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    Thanks - will give this a try when I have some time...

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