[icloud-troubleshooting] iCloud not syncing between two MAC computers

JMM

Hi

I am using the latest 1Password and OSX versions in two Mac computers and the iCloud is active in both.
Sometimes... it simply does not sync. What I did yesterday on my desktop is not updated today in my laptop and vice-versa.

This was working fine as far as I remember. What can be wrong?

Thank you

Drew_AG

Hi @JMM,

I'm sorry you're having some trouble with iCloud sync! To make sure I understand, do you mean the sync works sometimes, but not other times?

If it works sometimes then it sounds like you have things set up correctly, but please make sure both Macs are running Mac OS X 10.10 (Yosemite), the Mac App Store version of 1Password 5 for Mac, and that you're signed into the same Apple ID on both Macs.

Assuming your setup is fine, the next step would be to go through our troubleshooting guide for iCloud sync issues. That should help to solve most of the common iCloud sync problems we hear about.

Does that help? Please let us know how it all goes, and if you're still having trouble, we'll continue from there. Thanks!

JMM

Hi Drew,

So... I am a freak in terms of using the latest versions and I always have everything with the latest available version, however, the iCloud is very buggy for me at the moment and I guess it is because one of my Macs has the latest Yosemite public beta installed? I read that iCloud in Beta versions may behave in a different way than normal iCloud (which is the one installed on my Mac laptop).

Bottom line: iCloud doesn't seem the best choice if Yosemite 10.10.4 (beta) is installed along with 10.10.3 (latest release) but I may be wrong?

I am now trying to sync with Dropbox on both but it is not going well so far either, syncing takes too long IMO but I will keep trying here.

Cheers!

Megan

Hi @JMM,

Running beta software always adds an extra element of excitement and adventure to your day, doesn't it? Did you have a chance to read through the troubleshooting guide that Drew mentioned above? I'm just wondering if any of those steps could help your situation.

If you would rather switch to Dropbox, we're also more than happy to help work through any issues you notice there. :)

JMM

Hi,

It is unfortunate that even after changing the sync mode to Dropbox, I still can't get an immediate update on a second device.
To avoid confusion with beta versions, just forget it, I have tested with the latest OSX Yosemite (by adding one specific login website) and then I tried my mobile with the latest iOS. In both systems I used the latest 1P version.

After adding the website details on my laptop and after a few minutes (15 mins as of now) I still don't get the updated file. I tried through a "force sync" but nothing...

Any idea what this can be? And how long should take for one device to have all updated data stored either on iCloud or Dropbox for example?

littlebobbytables

Hi @JMM,

Under normal circumstances both should be updating in a responsive manner. By responsive I mean that when testing both iCloud and Dropbox I found they were updating in terms of seconds rather than minutes. I watched a Login item update (modified contents) and then added a new item and watched the Item List update.

Are you doing all of your testing from only unlocked vaults or are you having to unlock them at any point? I ask as unlocking a vault does initiate a sync and when that happens it ought to be picking up the changes. Now even unlocked it should too and I can't give a good reason why you're experiencing issues over two cloud services and between either two Macs or a Mac and an iOS device. At the moment the only common factor in all of your testing seems to be the MacBook.

If you're still using Dropbox at the moment it might be interesting to see what 1PasswordAnywhere might tell us. 1PasswordAnywhere will let you view the contents of your vault as it is stored directly on Dropbox's servers. If you create an item on device A and you see it being pushed to the server then device B should pick it up. So it would be interesting to see what you observe if you perform the test in both directions between even just your MacBook and the iOS device. It might be we learn something interesting from it e.g. the iOS device pushes a new item to Dropbox straight away but the MacBook doesn't pick it up. If a new item created on the MacBook isn't pushed to Dropbox's server straight away it might suggest something funky with the MacBook.

Keep us informed :smile:

JMM

Hi,

The problem is now solved but without knowing what really happened.

Eventually, after all the problems caused by Dropbox that was taking hours to synchronise 1P across all 3 devices I own, I reset two of them and deleted the the Dropbox file(s) after creating a backup.

Then, in one Mac, I simply switched from Dropbox to iCloud. I did the same to the remaining devices and it is all working fine now! The sync is faster as it used to be. Strange and annoying as we don't know what was the problem but I suppose it could a conflict from a recent upgrade, either on 1P or on one of my OS X or iOS devices. I doubt the Beta version could be the cause for the problem but no one really knows...

Thank you all.

littlebobbytables

Don't you just love it when problems inexplicably disappear @JMM? You probably don't because as you say, you're none the wiser for knowing why.

We may have to chalk this one up to experience and hope they don't play up again. Obviously, if problems reoccur please do contact us.