iMazing taking up 200GB of drive space!

[MacInWin]

Welcome to the forum, iMazingTeam! You said:

iMazing can use external drives and NAS as backup locations. When changing backup location, iMazing will start a fresh backup set and old backups won't be moved automatically.

This statement is key. In my case, and I don't think I am that unique, I had two devices that had been backed up using iMazing, so the first full backups were about 150GB total. Then because the incremental backups later fit into the same folder but with a new date attached, TM saw the file as changed, so it took a snapshot, using another 150GB of space. I changed the location of the backup to an external, but as the statement said, the original was not moved and not deleted, so the 300GB was tied up. I ended up deleting iMazing altogether, then used Finder to wipe out all of the backups on the internal drive, reinstalling iMazing and immediately configuring it to point to the external drive and started over. I ended up recovering over 300GB on the internal drive. Some of that was the original backups (about 150GB), some were the snapshot and the rest was cache that got reset and deleted with the uninstall process.

The only reason I started this thread in the first place is so that other users would look to see if they also have similar space being consumed by the iMazing backups. The product is good, and I'm still using it. iMazing tech support was supportive through the process. I have no beef with them, or with the product, but the fact is that if you let it back up to the internal drive, it could end up costing you a lot of space, maybe more than you know and can afford. I avoided having to buy a new 2T SSD to replace my 1T drive by freeing up 300GB. My SSD got down to less than 150GB remaining on a 1TB drive, but now has 460GB free.

 

[brochardt]

I am an Automation engineer (software, hardware, system, and robotic), all I can say is technologies no doubt has enhanced our life. But at the same time I am disgusted by both Apple, iMazing and all the applications supporting the Apple devices in my house-hold (six MacBooks, five iPhones, three iPads, etc...). All innovations, and creativities have left Apple (the company) the day Steve Jobs drew his last breath on earth... Imaging we have wasted all this times reading this thread, when Apple et Al. could just simply get off their arrogant high horses, and do their job right in the first place... we are all falsely under the delusion that technologies have brought us to a new advanced society... To a certain degrees we did. But majority of the efforts has gone to wasted... I can prove it very easily... just look at the amount of cables, connectors, adaptors that Apple (and PC companies) have forced the customers spending the moneys and times on.... including this post thread... Don't get me wrong, my family and I own more apple products than anybody else - so long as no other PC company could even come close to the performance, which apple products currently being offered in the market. Finally, I blame this mess on all tech companies, whose allow their sales and marketing department running the future technologies and the consumer's offering... I include Tim Cook, whose throughout his career behaving more like an accountant rather than an engineer...

 

[IWT]

@brochardt

A warm welcome to Mac-Forums. And thank too for your post. Interesting, well thought out, combative and provocative.

We struggle on with the realities of modern technology, gaining at the same time, new ideas, innovations and the need to keep up to date - which has its downsides too.

With your background, I'm certain that we shall benefit from your input. We have a wide spectrum of members, many of whom rely on sage advice.

Please join in.

Ian

 

[hun]

Having the same issue as the OP.

iMazing taking up 175 GB of internal drive space after setting to an External drive for back up

I tried to clean the cache manually. ie. Preferences > General and click 'Clear iMazing cache'. Does not free up any internal drive space.

Any help appreciated.

 

[pm-r]

Having the same issue as the OP.

iMazing taking up 175 GB of internal drive space after setting to an External drive for back up

Do you have a similar situation as the OP had???

Did you try any of the suggested fixes???




- Patrick
=======

 

[hun]

Do you have a similar situation as the OP had???

Did you try any of the suggested fixes???




- Patrick
=======

Yes, similar situation I think.

As above post, I have tried to clean the cache manually. ie. Preferences > General and click 'Clear iMazing cache'. But it does not free up any internal drive space at all.

I'm trying not to go into hidden folders if possible like the OP did (I think)

I also manually deleted the first backup on the backup list which should be the one on the internal, but instead it deleted the external backup instead and still left 175 GB on the internal drive, probably in the hidden library files

I also, removed the pairing between my iPhone and my Mac Studio via "Forget your device" option. Quit out. Shut down. Restarted. No change.

What else can I try?

 

[pm-r]

As above post, I have tried to clean the cache manually. ie. Preferences > General and click 'Clear iMazing cache'. But it does not free up any internal drive space at all.

I'm trying not to go into hidden folders if possible like the OP did (I think)

I am assuming that you want to keep using iMazing and at least one current backup, have you read their support article and deleted any surplus backups you may have, and to save reinventing the wheel here by not repeating what they have posted there:
Manage your backups with iMazing

Manage your backups with iMazing

imazing.com

PS: if you need a safe method of removing anything, you could do so using Find Any File.app

Find Any File

apps.tempel.org

- Patrick
=======

 

[hun]

I am assuming that you want to keep using iMazing and at least one current backup, have you read their support article and deleted any surplus backups you may have, and to save reinventing the wheel here by not repeating what they have posted there:
Manage your backups with iMazing

Manage your backups with iMazing

imazing.com

PS: if you need a safe method of removing anything, you could do so using Find Any File.app

Find Any File

apps.tempel.org

- Patrick
=======

Yes, as I use it to back up other devices like and iPad and other iPhones. Yes I have read all those support articles

Thanks re Find Any File suggestion. Do I search for iMazing? I'm guessing some of their files will not be under the same name

 

[pm-r]

Thanks re Find Any File suggestion. Do I search for iMazing? I'm guessing some of their files will not be under the same name

I'm assuming the backup file-name would be the same as the name of the device and its backup name in iMazing;s sidebar.

According to their documentation, on a Mac you should be able to find the backup files:

Location where iMazing will back up a newly connected device. By default this location is set to the following: MAC: /users/YOUR_USER_NAME/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup.

You might want to check out some of their documentation that you could find here:

Manage your backups with iMazing

imazing.com

and here amongst other places for more:

Manage your backups with iMazing

imazing.com

A letter article explains how to keep a backup file somewhere other than your boot Drive that might interest you.



- Patrick
=======

 

[IWT]

An incredibly detailed and useful Link, Patrick. It includes the whole manual as well as talking about Backups. A "must read" for those who use iMazing, I suggest.

Ian

 

[pm-r]

An incredibly detailed and useful Link, Patrick.

Thanks Ian, and maybe one of the reasons I had the iMazing Help URLs handy is I have been searching for my own solution to some problems I was having after a major crash with my paid version of iMazing.
Everything was fine until I was told there was an update which I installed, and then it insisted that I was running multiple copies on multiple computers which was erroneous and not true.

In an attempt to fix the problem, I erroneously deleted the older version and all my backups and then started to get everything back into order from what is left of my workable backups.

Then I realized I'm not even using my old iPhone anymore and my wife is now using my old iPad Pro, so I don't really need any iMazing backup as I seldom use my wife's old iPad that she gave me.

So the loss of all the backups certainly cleared up some hard drive space.

Anyway, I'm glad the URLs will hopefully be useful for anyone needing some iMazing Help.




- Patrick
=======