Extracting / Recovering SMS Message from Itunes Back-up

[mrrish]

Hello All,

I am a mac user on 10.5.6 with an iPhone 3G. Recently, and by pure accident, I deleted about SMS 3,000 messages between me and my special someone. Is there anyway to recover the message by injecting it into an active backup file and performing a restore? If not, is there a way to extract it into a readable format (i.e. text file) so that I may record the memories?

I appreciate any and all assistance with the matter. The backup files are located in "Users/*USERNAME*/Library/Application Support/MobileSync."

Mucho thanks in advance!

[suburbiton]

SMSs aren't backed-up

[dZp]

iPhone /iPod Touch Backup Extractor (http://supercrazyawesome.com/)
MobileSync Browser (http://homepage.mac.com/vaughn/msync/)

[mrrish]

iPhone /iPod Touch Backup Extractor (http://supercrazyawesome.com/)
MobileSync Browser (http://homepage.mac.com/vaughn/msync/)

Thank you, I have come across both these applications before :). How do you use the extracted SMS.db file from Backup Extractor? Otherwise, I may end up purchasing the other one!

[dZp]

How do you use the extracted SMS.db file from Backup Extractor?
You can open the .db file with SQLite Database Browser (http://sqlitebrowser.sourceforge.net/) and export the data.

If you're feeling brave, there's a free online solution: iPhone Online SMS Exporter (http://www.iphonesmsexport.com/). I never tried it myself.

If you wanted to view/export the current SMS messages that are on your iPhone (not from backup), then PhoneView (http://ecamm.com/mac/phoneview/) can do that.

[mrrish]

You can open the .db file with SQLite Database Browser (http://sqlitebrowser.sourceforge.net/) and export the data.

If you're feeling brave, there's a free online solution: iPhone Online SMS Exporter (http://www.iphonesmsexport.com/). I never tried it myself.

If you wanted to view/export the current SMS messages that are on your iPhone (not from backup), then PhoneView (http://ecamm.com/mac/phoneview/) can do that.

dZp, you are great. Google failed me, but you did not! Here is what I did:

1. I downloaded and installed iPhone / iPod Touch Back Up Extractor (see link above).
2. Installed, and selected the appropriate backup date that I wanted to restore.
3. Selected "Other files" and selected "export" and chose to place the files on my desktop.
4. Of the exported files I went into the Library folder, SMS folder, and found "SMS.db."
5. Downloaded and used SQLite Database Browser (see link above)
6. In "Browse Data" tab, I selected "messages."
7. Click File > export and exported everything it as .csv file.
8. Opened Microsoft Excel
9. File > Import
10. Select Import CSV
11. Between "delimited" and "fixed width" options, I chose delimited
12. Click next to preview the way it will look.
13. Clicked "finish" and ended up with a spreadsheet that had phone nunbers, coded dates, and the actual text message.

This may sound confusing, so if anyone future needs help, please feel free to PM me! This all didn't cost me anything on top of already owning excel!

Thanks again!

[Mr. Giver '94]

How can I do this on a Mac?

[mrrish]

How can I do this on a Mac?

This was all done on a mac. :) Just follow the instructions, if that doesn't work let me know.

[dZp]

dZp, you are great.
Glad I could help. :cool:

Shame on anyone who says:SMSs aren't backed-up
:p

[jmorale1]

so can you put the SMS messages back on the phone?

[tonev]

so can you put the SMS messages back on the phone?
If you can extract the sms.db from your backup i would assume if you jailbreak your iphone you could ssh the sms.db onto the phone in place of your old one.

I will be trying this in a few hours when i get home and will let you know how it goes.

EDIT: IT WORKS!!!

[medicscott]

If you can extract the sms.db from your backup i would assume if you jailbreak your iphone you could ssh the sms.db onto the phone in place of your old one.

I will be trying this in a few hours when i get home and will let you know how it goes.

EDIT: IT WORKS!!!

so your saying...lets say i have a girlfriend...but gotta hot date. i would ssh my sms.db to my macbook, then continue to delete all my current sms on my iphone. so there is nothing if she decides to look...then when i get home i can just upload sms.db to my iphone and all is fine?

[dZp]

then when i get home i can just upload sms.db to my iphone
Yes

and all is fine?
Well, apart from the fact that you'd still be cheating on your girlfriend! :p