Computer broke - use iphone on new computer

Bennedy said:

Hi Guys

Just registered and had a look around so sorry if there is a similar thread, or if this is in the wrong place. My laptop which my iphone was synced to recently broke so I had to get a new computer. I have read online how I can sync my phone between 2 computers using a hex editor, however I cannot access my itunes on the old computer to get the digits needed to edit with my new computer. Any ideas how I can use the phone with my new computer without losing all my phone music, contacts, messages etc?

Thanks

Click to expand...

Ive personally never heard anything about a hex editor being able to do that. If you can somehow recover data from your hard drive, awesome. If not, you may have to transfer songs from your iphone to computer. There are programs for that. Youll just lose all your playlists...

I dont know about all your application data and notes though. Those may be lost....

MAKE SURE YOU READ THE WHOLE MESSAGE FIRST BEFORE DOING ANYTHING. Ask questions if you don't understand.

Forget about the hex editor. That's for syncing two computers at the same time.

First, hook up your iPhone to iTunes. Make sure autosync is off.

Right click on your iPhone in the left pane and choose transfer purchases. This will get all your apps on the computer.

Now right click on the iPhone and choose backup iPhone (this will have all your game saves, app settings, contacts (but you're also going to sync those in the next step), notes, etc, but not pics from your old computer, songs, videos, etc....all the stuff after ringtones in the middle pane under summary).

Go to the middle pane and choose all the programs you need to sync (but not the stuff after the ringtones). Sync.

Tell me whether you have a Mac or PC and I can tell you the next steps to get pics, videos, etc.,, off the iPhone.

FYI, to be safe, use Funambol (free) to sync your contacts online.

If you can read the data OFF your old drive then you can move all your settings, including the DB that corresponds to your iPhone device. I just migrated to a new laptop with Win 7 (from an old XP laptop). Took me about 10min tops to move everything over.

Good luck!

Bennedy said:

if I can somehow get on my old laptop what do I have to take off it vrflyer?

Click to expand...

Here's what I did:

Grab the following folders...

C:\Documents & Settings\USER\Local Settings\Application Data\ (folders are Apple Computer & Apple_Inc)

C:\Documents & Settings\USER\Application Data\Apple Computer\ (ALL)

C:\Documents & Settings\USER\My Documents\My Music\iTunes\ (ALL)

Don't forget our music folder!!! I kept mine on the root of "C:\Music\"


Perform a normal install of iTunes for Win7 on your new pc/laptop (open it up and go through the whole "Authorize this pc & settings), but DON'T connect your iPhone. Finally EXIT iTunes.




Next step, we need to locate the following folders (BACK THEM UP, just in case you override or delete something in error):

C:\ProgramData\ (2 folders in here Apple & Apple Computer)

C:\Users\USER\AppData\ (2 important folders here: LOCAL & ROAMING)

C:\Users\USER\Music\iTunes\ (obviously identical as the one from WinXP)



Next you would be merging the "backed up" info into your new Win7 folders (yes you'll be overriding these folders, hence why I mentioned to BACK UP, BACK UP, BACK UP!):

C:\Documents & Settings\USER\Local Settings\Application Data\Apple Computer & Apple_Inc ----to---> C:\Users\USER\AppData\Local\

C:\Documents & Settings\USER\Application Data\Apple Computer\ ----to---> C:\Users\USERS\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\

C:\Documents & Settings\USER\My Documents\My Music\iTunes\ ----to---> C:\Users\USER\Music\iTunes\


Lastly copy your "Music" folder and then run iTunes once more to correct he path to your "Music".


That should do it for ya!

vrflyer said:

Here's what I did:

Grab the following folders...

C:\Documents & Settings\USER\Local Settings\Application Data\ (folders are Apple Computer & Apple_Inc)

C:\Documents & Settings\USER\Application Data\Apple Computer\ (ALL)

C:\Documents & Settings\USER\My Documents\My Music\iTunes\ (ALL)

Don't forget our music folder!!! I kept mine on the root of "C:\Music\"


Perform a normal install of iTunes for Win7 on your new pc/laptop (open it up and go through the whole "Authorize this pc & settings), but DON'T connect your iPhone. Finally EXIT iTunes.




Next step, we need to locate the following folders (BACK THEM UP, just in case you override or delete something in error):

C:\ProgramData\ (2 folders in here Apple & Apple Computer)

C:\Users\USER\AppData\ (2 important folders here: LOCAL & ROAMING)

C:\Users\USER\Music\iTunes\ (obviously identical as the one from WinXP)



Next you would be merging the "backed up" info into your new Win7 folders (yes you'll be overriding these folders, hence why I mentioned to BACK UP, BACK UP, BACK UP!):

C:\Documents & Settings\USER\Local Settings\Application Data\Apple Computer & Apple_Inc ----to---> C:\Users\USER\AppData\Local\

C:\Documents & Settings\USER\Application Data\Apple Computer\ ----to---> C:\Users\USERS\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\

C:\Documents & Settings\USER\My Documents\My Music\iTunes\ ----to---> C:\Users\USER\Music\iTunes\


Lastly copy your "Music" folder and then run iTunes once more to correct he path to your "Music".


That should do it for ya!

Click to expand...

Very good write up, worked for me

-aggie- said:

MAKE SURE YOU READ THE WHOLE MESSAGE FIRST BEFORE DOING ANYTHING. Ask questions if you don't understand.

Forget about the hex editor. That's for syncing two computers at the same time.

First, hook up your iPhone to iTunes. Make sure autosync is off.

Right click on your iPhone in the left pane and choose transfer purchases. This will get all your apps on the computer.

Now right click on the iPhone and choose backup iPhone (this will have all your game saves, app settings, contacts (but you're also going to sync those in the next step), notes, etc, but not pics from your old computer, songs, videos, etc....all the stuff after ringtones in the middle pane under summary).

Go to the middle pane and choose all the programs you need to sync (but not the stuff after the ringtones). Sync.

Tell me whether you have a Mac or PC and I can tell you the next steps to get pics, videos, etc.,, off the iPhone.

FYI, to be safe, use Funambol (free) to sync your contacts online.

Click to expand...

I might be getting a new 3GS since mine is acting up, I have around 1000 pics that I dont want to loose plus important SMS and MMS, if I do the backup and restore to the new phone will I get everything back on the new phone, contacts, pics, SMS and MMS?

Foxtrot01 said:

I might be getting a new 3GS since mine is acting up, I have around 1000 pics that I dont want to loose plus important SMS and MMS, if I do the backup and restore to the new phone will I get everything back on the new phone, contacts, pics, SMS and MMS?

Click to expand...

You must have read my post too fast. Camera roll pics will be in the backup, but not other pics. You also won't have music, etc. You need appropriate third party software for those (sharepod for a PC gets music and pics, expod for a Mac gets music…pics require paid software IIRC). However, the other stuff you listed…contacts, SMS, and MMS? (I'm not exactly sure if the backup has the pics from an MMS) are contained in the backup. For contacts, I recommend not relying on the backup as I said in my previous post.

Im having problems with my pc, I dont remember if I used this pc to backup my itouch or my iphone or both, I can access the application data folder but dont know which one is, the computer is about to crash and I dont know what to do.
worst case scenario and the iphone backup is not here. can I open a new itunes on a new computer and do a new back up for my iphone? I have to take my 3GS tomorrow to get it replaced and I dont want to loose the pics, MMS, SMS and contacts. I dont have much music. I remember I use to add the the ringer from this old pc though. any ideas?

I checked the files on my old pc and they are the files for my ipod, needless to say I dont have the backup file for my iphone. can I generate a new backup file on a new computer?

Foxtrot01 said:

I checked the files on my old pc and they are the files for my ipod, needless to say I dont have the backup file for my iphone. can I generate a new backup file on a new computer?

Click to expand...

You can generate backups on any computer with iTunes.