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How to Change iPhone Backup Location

Posted: 18 Nov 2011, 17:16
by admin
How to Change iPhone Backup Location

ORIGINAL ARTICLE: http://www.iphonestuffs4u.com/iphone-backup-location/
ALL RIGHTS RESERVER TO THE AUTHOR(S) OF THE ORIGINAL ARTICLE(S)

If you want to change iPhone backup location which creating backup for iPhone on iTunes, then is it really possible. If you’ll see then you will find that the iTunes backups are saved to “c:\documents and settings\’user’\application data\apple computer\mobile sync\backup” by default.
iPhone 4Many out there might be wondering to change the iPhone backup location just because… either they have less space on C: drive orit doesn’t work for them.

Either you are using Windows or Mac OS X, the process of the iPhone backup is fundamentally the similar…and hence, iTunes backs up all of the iPhone data files and identifier information to the definitelocation in the resultingplaces… but main a caution: if you are just a newbie, then be very careful before making changes to the iPhone backup files!

In Mac OS X – iPhone Backup Location

If you are using Mac OS X,the iPhone data files are backed up at this location:~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup/
The symbol ~ indicates the home directory where all the personal data would have been stored.

In Windows 7, XP, and Vista – iPhone Backup Location

If you are using the Windows OS, then then following information will help you to get the answer of – ‘’how to change iPhone backup location?

If you’re using XP operating system, then the default directory will be:
C:\Documents and Settings\user\Application Data\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup
In case of the Windows 7 or Vista, the iPhone files will be backed up at:
C:\Users\user\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup
Clearly if the main drive is not the C: then a user will have to change that.

Important for Windows user:
The Application Data and AppData root locationsas well as their contents (iPhone backups involved) are deliberated ‘hidden’ so you’ll have to check ‘Show hidden files’ in the Windows Explorer formerly you’ll can see those files.

You’ll find so many reasons to change iPhone backup location since it’s not always good to rely solely on the iTunes. It’s better to know the directories of the iPhone Backup files, especially for Jailbreaking purposes. It’s definitely handy to know the iPhone backup location.

Generally, the files which you will see in the back up directory will be named like ffb541c48e97051fff2b1f906577cbef71123c4fb.mdbackup along with several xml files that hold some information of your iPhone. Nevertheless, it’s recommended not to change any of the file until you are not an “Expert”. Making any change may cause undesirable upshot.

There are also many ways to access your iPhone files…however it is advisable to use the Finder or Windows Explorer.

Some experts have also mentioned to use the feature of NTFS namely “symbolic link” or “junction”. To create a junction, use this tool: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysi ... 96768.aspx

To make this job done…follow the below steps:

Close the iTunes
Move the folder c:\documents and settings\user\application data\apple computer\mobile sync\backup to D:\ drive
Extract the junction.zip to your Desktop
In command prompt type this : cd Desktop junction D:\backup “C:\Documents and Settings\username\Application Data\Apple Computer\Mobile Sync\Backup.”

Don’t forget to change the username to make it similar to the current one. In case of the Windows 7 and Vista, you don’t need to use any extra software, as one can simply make a use of mklink from the command prompt.Anyways, you can also move the entire directory and just type: junction.exe “%APPDATA%\Apple Computer” D:\iTunes.

So, let’s go back to the first step. Then you’ve closed the iTunes, downloaded the Junction.exe, Unzip it.

Now make a folder for the backups in the preferred new location. Move the current iPhone “Backup” folder from the default location (C:\Documents and Setting\username\Application Data\Apple Computer\MobileSync) to your newly chosen location.

Then just open a Command Prompt: you can type cmd in Run. Okay…now type this:
junction “C:\Documents and Setting\<username>\Application Data\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup” “H:\Backups\Iphone Backup”

This will change iPhone backup location from default to the new one- the one you have selected. So close the command prompt and start making backup with the iTunes.

Now…Let’s have look at the either way to change iPhone backup location. You can use this if youdon’t want to use the junction:

Transfer the backup directory when you wish(e.g. from C:…..Backup to D:\bu)
Whollytake out the Backup directory from C:
Run this command from Backup’s earlier location:mklink /J Backup d:\bu

No matter with what reason you want to change iPhone backup location, this is all you can do to get the job done…!