When tapping "Backup Now" in Settings > iCloud, how long is "estimating time remaining" supposed to show for?

I sat there for well over 10 minutes, waiting to see how long it would take, whilst "estimating time remaining" didn't change and the blue marker didn't progress any further forward. So I cancelled the backup as I thought maybe it was stuck as it's not taken that long before. I did a reset just in case it might help, but it made no difference.

Can "estimating time remaining", never mind a backup after estimation, take a very long time? If it can take an age, why so long to estimate time remaining?

I am having a devil of a time tonight with this new iCloud thing.
I clicked on update Now... Have had it running for 4 hours and it says 64 hours remaining.
I've just cancelled the update. This is ridiculous.

The time it takes to backup your iPad to Apple's iCloud service will depend on a few of things. One is the load on Apple's servers. Another is how much data needs to be backed up. Most importantly however will be your Internet connection/broadband speed. Most ISP's upload speeds are considerably slower than their download speeds. If the connection is slow and/or interrupted the backup may fail due to a timeout. Be sure your Wi-Fi connection is good, that nothing is interfering with the signal between your iPad and your modem/router, etc.

If this is a first-time backup it can take some time. Setting it to backup overnight may be easier than waiting. After the initial backup, future backups will be incremental and shouldn't take but a few minutes.

To find out what your upload and download speeds are you can use this free app:

App Store - Speedtest.net Mobile Speed Test

I'm not sure it works in the UK or Europe, but if it does can you confirm that?

There are other broadband testing apps and you can also use Safari to run speed tests as well.

Testing your backup speeds with a server in the North Carolina area or a point near that distance might be informative as that's where Apple's iCloud datacenter is located.

Not all of your iPad's data is backed up, generally less than 1GB so if it's taking more than a few hours, your connection has probably timed out and you'll need to start again. You can safely create a backup on iTunes and then attempt the iCloud backup at a later time.

Here is a list of the data and files that are backed up to iCloud:

iCloud: Backup and restore overview

Hope that helps!

Thanks Rich

It should have been an incremental backup as I'd already done the initial one, which I did overnight so I've no idea how long it took as I was asleep. The one I posted about was also overnight, just before my original post, roughly 2am UK time. I tapped "Backup now" as I was curious to see how long it would take. Maybe some large new app put itself in the long list of apps in the list of "backup options" and I didn't notice it, apart from which it's too tiresome to have to keep checking that list as it's so long!

I know about internet speeds My favourite speed tester site (for the UK at any rate) is the Think Broadband one, which also lets you keep an online record of your speeds (if you register), although I haven't tried it with an iPad browser - it uses Java so not sure if it would work on an iPad? I've got the Speed Test app you mention (and another one, the name of which escapes me whilst I'm presently on my computer and not my iPad). It works fine on the iPad2 and the speeds it clocks tally with speeds from Think Broadband and the other speed test app, but hadn't thought of testing speeds in the US area where Apple's servers are - good idea! I do have rubbish speeds though, not due to my ISP but due to BT. I have an excellent Billion router (with 3 antennae !) and nothing interfering between it and the iPad.

I don't have music, podcasts or any of the things the Apple link you gave says aren't backed up. So, in theory, everything should be backed up if I don't have those items?

@ Ayrshire
If you're trying to update to IOS 5 via your computer rather than backup to iCloud via your iPad - I only say this as you used the word "update" rather than "backup" - try disabling your antivirus and firewall. I know it sounds scary to do that, but as long as you don't have your browser open and connecting to other websites, it should be OK. A lot of people had problems updating to IOS 5 and found it was taking too long until they disabled their antivirus and firewall. Also, you might need to connect your USB cable directly to the back of your computer tower as the update seems to need more power which a hub or secondary port doesn't offer. Even having done that, it can still take a couple of hours or so, especially if you've got a lot of apps as they all have to be downloaded again.

Originally Posted by Moonlit

Thanks Rich

It should have been an incremental backup as I'd already done the initial one, which I did overnight so I've no idea how long it took as I was asleep. The one I posted about was also overnight, just before my original post, roughly 2am UK time. I tapped "Backup now" as I was curious to see how long it would take. Maybe some large new app put itself in the long list of apps in the list of "backup options" and I didn't notice it, apart from which it's too tiresome to have to keep checking that list as it's so long!

I know about internet speeds My favourite speed tester site (for the UK at any rate) is the Think Broadband one, which also lets you keep an online record of your speeds (if you register), although I haven't tried it with an iPad browser - it uses Java so not sure if it would work on an iPad? I've got the Speed Test app you mention (and another one, the name of which escapes me whilst I'm presently on my computer and not my iPad). It works fine on the iPad2 and the speeds it clocks tally with speeds from Think Broadband and the other speed test app, but hadn't thought of testing speeds in the US area where Apple's servers are - good idea! I do have rubbish speeds though, not due to my ISP but due to BT. I have an excellent Billion router (with 3 antennae !) and nothing interfering between it and the iPad.

I don't have music, podcasts or any of the things the Apple link you gave says aren't backed up. So, in theory, everything should be backed up if I don't have those items?

@ Ayrshire
If you're trying to update to IOS 5 via your computer rather than backup to iCloud via your iPad - I only say this as you used the word "update" rather than "backup" - try disabling your antivirus and firewall. I know it sounds scary to do that, but as long as you don't have your browser open and connecting to other websites, it should be OK. A lot of people had problems updating to IOS 5 and found it was taking too long until they disabled their antivirus and firewall. Also, you might need to connect your USB cable directly to the back of your computer tower as the update seems to need more power which a hub or secondary port doesn't offer. Even having done that, it can still take a couple of hours or so, especially if you've got a lot of apps as they all have to be downloaded again.

Sounds good. Thanks for the link as well. Oh, FWIW it isn't actually backing up any Apps (since apps can be accessed via the App Store any time), only any data associated with them.

Let us know how it goes!

Originally Posted by Ayrshire

I am having a devil of a time tonight with this new iCloud thing.
I clicked on update Now... Have had it running for 4 hours and it says 64 hours remaining.
I've just cancelled the update. This is ridiculous.

Sorry I missed your post. Here's a list of tips for troubleshooting upgrades:

iOS 5 Upgrade Troubleshooting


Hope that helps!

Originally Posted by richsadams

To find out what your upload and download speeds are you can use this free app:

App Store - Speedtest.net Mobile Speed Test

I'm not sure it works in the UK or Europe, but if it does can you confirm that?

Hope that helps!

Hi,

I tried the app, and for interest sakes, it even works here in South Africa. However, we have terrible speeds here, I'm on the best available and here are my results:

Regards,
Chays

Those are better speeds than mine in the UK! I'm lucky if I get 1mb uploads... and it's not like I'm out in the bondooks or anything

However, it only seems to clock European areas. So I couldn't test it for West Virginia as Rick suggested. I guess the app's able to tell what continent one's on, by one's IP or something?

Sorry, I meant Rich, not Rick...

Originally Posted by Chays

Hi,

I tried the app, and for interest sakes, it even works here in South Africa. However, we have terrible speeds here, I'm on the best available and here are my results:

Regards,
Chays

Thanks very much for the confirmation...now I can recommend it to all my friends around the world!