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mohair

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Nov 6, 2018
2
0
EGYPT
Hello, Iam trying to open my files created by my iPhone on iCloud drive on a clean install to El Capitan but when enabling iCloud drive i get a message saying setting up iCloud drive and keep trying to load forever!! I wonder if iCloud Drive still accessible under El Capitan ... anybody else having this problem or its just me.
 

ChoPraTs

macrumors member
Oct 27, 2009
44
3
Madrid, Spain
I've exactly the same problem.

I've enabled Desktop & Documents in iCloud Drive in two new computers that are running High Sierra and Mojave there's no problem with them, but now an old MabBook Pro who still in El Capitan (latest version available for this computer) I can't access to any iCloud document.

I tried login out and login in to my iCloud account several times and it's impossible to use iCloud Drive in this computer now. All the other things are working (Calendars, Mail, Notes, etc.) but no iCloud Drive.

I'm thinking that maybe it's a problem related to the option about to sync Documents and Desktop that I activated some time ago in newer computers... Did you do the same? Can you access now to iCloud Drive with El Capitan?
 

flygbuss

macrumors 6502a
Jul 22, 2018
737
1,268
Stockholm, Sweden
I've exactly the same problem.

I've enabled Desktop & Documents in iCloud Drive in two new computers that are running High Sierra and Mojave there's no problem with them, but now an old MabBook Pro who still in El Capitan (latest version available for this computer) I can't access to any iCloud document.

I tried login out and login in to my iCloud account several times and it's impossible to use iCloud Drive in this computer now. All the other things are working (Calendars, Mail, Notes, etc.) but no iCloud Drive.

I'm thinking that maybe it's a problem related to the option about to sync Documents and Desktop that I activated some time ago in newer computers... Did you do the same? Can you access now to iCloud Drive with El Capitan?

Still works flawlessly here but as I mentioned earlier 'Desktop & Documents Folders' was never supported in 10.11.
 

ChoPraTs

macrumors member
Oct 27, 2009
44
3
Madrid, Spain
I tried to create a new iCloud account and on that one I had no problems on the same computer. However, in my usual iCloud account I can’t synchronize iCloud Drive in Finder, even after trying it on another user and after a clean install of El Capitan on the same computer.

So, I definitely considered that it was a problem with my iCloud account and contacted Apple.

Apple technical support made several checks on my computer even with captures of information that they took to analyze the problem and scaled the issue to higher departments to see if they found a solution, thus reaching the engineering department of iCloud drive. There they pointed out that there are currently two versions of the iCloud system, one of them is more updated than the other. Some accounts already have the updated version of the iCloud system and others do not. Those with the updated version are NO LONGER COMPATIBLE WITH THE CAPTAIN. The accounts that maintain the old version of iCloud, continue to run smoothly. This is something that the user can't seem to choose, so iCloud may at some time to break the compatibility with El Capitan without prior notice. And since El Capitan is a system considered obsolete by Apple, there is no possible solution.

That said, when iCloud Drive stops working on an account with El Capitan, synchronization with iBooks and Safari bookmarks also stops working.
 
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E__F__

macrumors newbie
Mar 27, 2021
12
4
Chicago
I tried to create a new iCloud account and on that one I had no problems on the same computer. However, in my usual iCloud account I can’t synchronize iCloud Drive in Finder, even after trying it on another user and after a clean install of El Capitan on the same computer.

So, I definitely considered that it was a problem with my iCloud account and contacted Apple.

Apple technical support made several checks on my computer even with captures of information that they took to analyze the problem and scaled the issue to higher departments to see if they found a solution, thus reaching the engineering department of iCloud drive. There they pointed out that there are currently two versions of the iCloud system, one of them is more updated than the other. Some accounts already have the updated version of the iCloud system and others do not. Those with the updated version are NO LONGER COMPATIBLE WITH THE CAPTAIN. The accounts that maintain the old version of iCloud, continue to run smoothly. This is something that the user can't seem to choose, so iCloud may at some time to break the compatibility with El Capitan without prior notice. And since El Capitan is a system considered obsolete by Apple, there is no possible solution.

That said, when iCloud Drive stops working on an account with El Capitan, synchronization with iBooks and Safari bookmarks also stops working.
I have been wondering about this for a very long time. My Late 2008 MBP is still a solid machine but can't be updated past El Cap. When I have tried to sign into my iCloud in the past it would mess with keychain and just about everything else so I assumed that it was something along the lines you mentioned but its good to hear what it actually is.

Thanks for passing the info along!
 

DenisK

macrumors regular
Nov 6, 2008
183
33
I have been wondering about this for a very long time. My Late 2008 MBP is still a solid machine but can't be updated past El Cap. When I have tried to sign into my iCloud in the past it would mess with keychain and just about everything else so I assumed that it was something along the lines you mentioned but its good to hear what it actually is.

Thanks for passing the info along!
Guys, apologies if I am missing something, but on my 2008 MBP on ElCap I just activated iCloud Icon in Finder->System Prefs->iCloud account and, yes, it took half an hour - but now I am seeing all my files in Finder, shared with my other Macs via iCloud, so that does work on ElCap.. It gave me options to sync Photos, Calendar, Notes and Mail, etc.
 

ChoPraTs

macrumors member
Oct 27, 2009
44
3
Madrid, Spain
Guys, apologies if I am missing something, but on my 2008 MBP on ElCap I just activated iCloud Icon in Finder->System Prefs->iCloud account and, yes, it took half an hour - but now I am seeing all my files in Finder, shared with my other Macs via iCloud, so that does work on ElCap.. It gave me options to sync Photos, Calendar, Notes and Mail, etc.
Thank you! Interesting...

Do you have any other newer Mac also with iCloud activated?

I was using iCloud Drive in my old computer (2007 MBP with EL Capitan) and it worked fine until I started to use High Sierra on a new computer (iMac 2010). Then the iCloud sync with the MacBook Pro was broken and I could never sync that computer with iCloud again. No problems between the 2010 iMac and the other iMac I've (2017 with Big Sur).
 

DenisK

macrumors regular
Nov 6, 2008
183
33
Thank you! Interesting...

Do you have any other newer Mac also with iCloud activated?

I was using iCloud Drive in my old computer (2007 MBP with EL Capitan) and it worked fine until I started to use High Sierra on a new computer (iMac 2010). Then the iCloud sync with the MacBook Pro was broken and I could never sync that computer with iCloud again. No problems between the 2010 iMac and the other iMac I've (2017 with Big Sur).
I have a couple of newer Macs all on Catalina. I just finished reviving my old MBP on El Cap and found this thread - so became curious and voila - it actually works (hasn't finished updating all yet, but I can tell it is all there already).
 

DenisK

macrumors regular
Nov 6, 2008
183
33
So far Im quite impressed - this old 2008MBP can even do zoom with no hiccups:) the cam is s4ite - but they all remained the same just till about yesterday like that, and its not like I care that much. No filters supported tho, sp no blurring out the back. I wonder if clunky teams is supported....
 

ChoPraTs

macrumors member
Oct 27, 2009
44
3
Madrid, Spain
I have a couple of newer Macs all on Catalina. I just finished reviving my old MBP on El Cap and found this thread - so became curious and voila - it actually works (hasn't finished updating all yet, but I can tell it is all there already).
Have you checked the option that enables the Desktop and Documents folders sync with iCloud in another computer? I've read that this could cause the problem.

I could never sync again the iCloud Drive on my El Capitan machine using my iCloud account, even after format entirely the machine and install a fresh copy of macOS. Curiosly, in the same machine, I can use iCloud Drive with other iCloud accounts, but not with my main account.

Some years ago I contacted Apple about this, they were scaling my question several times to different departments, they even reset my iCloud account until finally the developers of the highest level said they couldn't do anything to solve this.
 

DenisK

macrumors regular
Nov 6, 2008
183
33
Have you checked the option that enables the Desktop and Documents folders sync with iCloud in another computer? I've read that this could cause the problem.

I could never sync again the iCloud Drive on my El Capitan machine using my iCloud account, even after format entirely the machine and install a fresh copy of macOS. Curiosly, in the same machine, I can use iCloud Drive with other iCloud accounts, but not with my main account.

Some years ago I contacted Apple about this, they were scaling my question several times to different departments, they even reset my iCloud account until finally the developers of the highest level said they couldn't do anything to solve this.
Thats really weird! I haven't done anything special, meaning that I've used iCloud+ for a while by now to access docs across a few devices, like iPads and a few Macs - and even from my iPhone, I actually use it daily, including Calendar and Notes and all, so I was really worried it wouldn't work in ElCap, but it does. All I did as once my MBP17 from 2008 was stable again (I repasted it and lubed the whiny fans) decided to give it a try, so went to System Prefs and turned it on, signed in and bingo. The only MIA items are tables in Notes (probably handwritten notes as well) - they were not introduced till 2019, and Photos: I have a large library but I don't think think this old machine is up to it. It started downloading - but having poked a few pics I decided I am not going to use this Mac for photos at all. Ironic, isn't it, for a Mac that was such a dear for photo enthusiasts.. Syncing files took overnight - but I have a ton, Mail took a long time too, the rest was a breeze, I did it in stages, files first, then fired up Mail, then Notes. Could it be that iCloud+ helps it somehow? But Finder in ElCap has a dedicated icon for iCloud - so i presume it should work for any type of iCloud account.
 
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