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Help! Why can't I sync my Iphone?

B

bighead112

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 16, 2010
1
0
I've been trying to sync my iPhone 3Gs to my laptop. :)

Whenever I connect my iPhone to my laptop and opened the iTunes, it says "Set Up Your iPhone", "This computer has previously synced with an iPhone or another iOS device". And two options were given to me: :eek:

"Set up as a new phone" and
"Restore from the backup of:"

It also says the last synced was at 11/06/2010 2:44am. :confused:

The problem is, I want to upgrade my iOS version from 3.1.3 to iOS 4. I need to backup my iPhone before I can restore it. :cool:

But I see no options for me to backup. :eek:

Does anyone facing the same problem as I am? :mad:
I've been using this laptop to sync my iPhone over the past few years. It has no problems until last few months. :(

I've even tried to reinstall iTunes. :(

Please guide. :(
 
Last edited:
M

mwg3c

macrumors newbie
Feb 16, 2011
8
0
bighead112 said:
I've been trying to sync my iPhone 3Gs to my laptop. :)

Whenever I connect my iPhone to my laptop and opened the iTunes, it says "Set Up Your iPhone", "This computer has previously synced with an iPhone or another iOS device". And two options were given to me: :eek:

"Set up as a new phone" and
"Restore from the backup of:"

It also says the last synced was at 11/06/2010 2:44am. :confused:

The problem is, I want to upgrade my iOS version from 3.1.3 to iOS 4. I need to backup my iPhone before I can restore it. :cool:

But I see no options for me to backup. :eek:

Does anyone facing the same problem as I am? :mad:
I've been using this laptop to sync my iPhone over the past few years. It has no problems until last few months. :(

I've even tried to reinstall iTunes. :(

Please guide. :(
Click to expand...

Has anyone had any luck with solving this problem?? I've encountered the same thing and DO NOT want to restore as new and lose everything!

Thanks for your help!
 
JamesMB

JamesMB

macrumors 68000
Jan 2, 2011
1,745
107
Texas
mwg3c said:
PC

Haven't tried on a Mac yet because I don't have access to one...
Click to expand...
If you are getting the same thing on different PC's, that leaves the phone.
As long as the phone is functional, you don't have to lose a thing if you decide to restore as new. Do you have a current backup in iTunes?
 
M

mwg3c

macrumors newbie
Feb 16, 2011
8
0
JamesMB said:
If you are getting the same thing on different PC's, that leaves the phone.
As long as the phone is functional, you don't have to lose a thing if you decide to restore as new. Do you have a current backup in iTunes?
Click to expand...

That's the thing. The most recent backup I have is over 3 months old. The phone is completely functional, it just won't let me sync/backup my current settings/apps/texts/etc. I did notice there's a "Reset Sync History" button under Edit > Preferences > Devices, but I'm afraid to push it.
 
JamesMB

JamesMB

macrumors 68000
Jan 2, 2011
1,745
107
Texas
mwg3c said:
That's the thing. The most recent backup I have is over 3 months old. The phone is completely functional, it just won't let me sync/backup my current settings/apps/texts/etc. I did notice there's a "Reset Sync History" button under Edit > Preferences > Devices, but I'm afraid to push it.
Click to expand...
I wouldn't restore from backup anyway. Like I said, as long as the phone is functional, there is no need to lose anything.
 
M

mwg3c

macrumors newbie
Feb 16, 2011
8
0
JamesMB said:
I think it would be easier if you first tell me what you want to save.
Click to expand...

The main thing I want to save is my texts, my notes (in the apple "notes" app), and my camera roll. I can save my camera roll already (by opening up the iphone camera roll folder under "My Computer"), but I have no way of saving the texts/notes without having a successful backup, correct?

Thanks a lot for your help, by the way.
 
JamesMB

JamesMB

macrumors 68000
Jan 2, 2011
1,745
107
Texas
mwg3c said:
The main thing I want to save is my texts, my notes (in the apple "notes" app), and my camera roll. I can save my camera roll already (by opening up the iphone camera roll folder under "My Computer"), but I have no way of saving the texts/notes without having a successful backup, correct?

Thanks a lot for your help, by the way.
Click to expand...
You can't save texts, unless you are jailbroken. You might try with this, http://www.macroplant.com/iphoneexplorer/, but I don't think you can get to the root folder, unless you are JB.

It's easy to get your photos out of the camera roll but I would suggest a different way than my computer. Also its not a good idea to keep many photos in the camera roll, because it can become corrupted.

Your notes and contacts should be backed up on your PC, if you have been syncing them.

If you have any music on the phone, that can be retrieved with Sharepod.
 
M

mwg3c

macrumors newbie
Feb 16, 2011
8
0
JamesMB said:
You can't save texts, unless you are jailbroken. You might try with this, http://www.macroplant.com/iphoneexplorer/, but I don't think you can get to the root folder, unless you are JB.

It's easy to get your photos out of the camera roll but I would suggest a different way than my computer. Also its not a good idea to keep many photos in the camera roll, because it can become corrupted.

Your notes and contacts should be backed up on your PC, if you have been syncing them.

If you have any music on the phone, that can be retrieved with Sharepod.
Click to expand...

My phone is already jailbroken actually. Which method would you recommend for saving my camera roll photos? Is copy and pasting from My Computer not a good idea?

Also, I just realized that my 3-month-old iTunes backup is for my iPad, not my iPhone (my iPhone backup is much older than 3 months, unfortunately).

Since I am jailbroken, is there another way to backup my phone other than iTunes (or, at the very least, backup my texts, notes, and contacts)? I am looking into iPhone Explorer now...
 
JamesMB

JamesMB

macrumors 68000
Jan 2, 2011
1,745
107
Texas
mwg3c said:
My phone is already jailbroken actually.
Click to expand...
You left out that little tidbit, this could be a problem related to JB.

Which method would you recommend for saving my camera roll photos? Is copy and pasting from My Computer not a good idea?
Click to expand...
1) Connect your phone to your PC. IF iTunes opens, close it!
2) If you have photos in the camera roll on your phone, your PC should recognize your phone as a camera and give you a popup with the option to open your photo editor. If you don't get the popup, open your photo editor manually.
3) Click on the "camera" tab in your photo editor and select get photos, this should give you another window that will allow you to select all photos, or just the ones that you want.
4) After the photos have downloaded to your computer, you can separate them into folders, witch can then be selected in iTunes and later synced back to your phone.
Using My Computer is also ok if you organize your photos in folders, and store them in MyDocuments>MyPictures. Of course you don't have to store them there, but IMO it just makes life easier. Usually, your photo editor will put them there by default.

Also, I just realized that my 3-month-old iTunes backup is for my iPad, not my iPhone (my iPhone backup is much older than 3 months, unfortunately).
Click to expand...
Since you are going to restore as new, the iTunes backup, wont be needed.
Since I am jailbroken, is there another way to backup my phone other than iTunes (or, at the very least, backup my texts, notes, and contacts)? I am looking into iPhone Explorer now...
Click to expand...
iPhone explorer should help you with you notes and texts, I don't know about the contacts. Havent you been syncing your notes and contacts?
FYI, those are backed up on the PC, in Outlook, or Google, or whatever, address book you are using.
 
M

mwg3c

macrumors newbie
Feb 16, 2011
8
0
JamesMB said:
You left out that little tidbit, this could be a problem related to JB.


1) Connect your phone to your PC. IF iTunes opens, close it!
2) If you have photos in the camera roll on your phone, your PC should recognize your phone as a camera and give you a popup with the option to open your photo editor. If you don't get the popup, open your photo editor manually.
3) Click on the "camera" tab in your photo editor and select get photos, this should give you another window that will allow you to select all photos, or just the ones that you want.
4) After the photos have downloaded to your computer, you can separate them into folders, witch can then be selected in iTunes and later synced back to your phone.
Using My Computer is also ok if you organize your photos in folders, and store them in MyDocuments>MyPictures. Of course you don't have to store them there, but IMO it just makes life easier. Usually, your photo editor will put them there by default.

Since you are going to restore as new, the iTunes backup, wont be needed.
iPhone explorer should help you with you notes and texts, I don't know about the contacts. Havent you been syncing your notes and contacts?
FYI, those are backed up on the PC, in Outlook, or Google, or whatever, address book you are using.
Click to expand...


Just figured it out. I added a new user account to my computer, reinstalled itunes there, connected my phone, it wanted to "set up as new phone," i unchecked the 2 boxes, renamed my phone, and clicked done. Everything showed up as normal.

I then switched back to my main user account and it recognized my phone by it's new name and allowed me to backup.

Hallelujah.
 
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