Downgrade my iPhone from 3GS to 3G...help with text messages!

[hobiecatter]

ok, my 3GS of 2 years is trashed. Until the next iPhone release, I figure I can get by on my wifes old 3G so I can preserve my upgrade.

I can still sync and make a backup of my 3GS, however, when I try to restore on my older 3G, it will not allow me to because the software is too old on the 3G and the backup is from the current 3GS (4.3.3).

Since support stopped at 4.2.1 for 3G, and the 3GS is at 4.3.3, there is no way I can restore from this backup on iTunes.

I can still sync with my iTunes, however that does not restore my contacts and text messages saved over the last 2 years on my 3GS.

I cannot find anyone that has downgraded from 3GS to 3G that would encounter this problem. I really don't want to lose all of my text message history.

I was able to extract my texts from the backup using iPhone Backup Extractor, but I cannot figure out how to get it into the new (old) 3G. Is jailbreaking the only solution?

 

[Applejuiced]

Yes, that sucks that Apple wont let you restore backups from newer firmware to older version.
You can copy over your contacts from your 3GS with itunes and then sync them back to the 3G but the texts are pretty much gone.

 

[hobiecatter]

yeah, that's what I thought.

such a "smart" phone, but not smart enough to incorporate the text messages into the sync.

oh well. Thanks Applejuiced for your help.

 

[Applejuiced]

Welcome bro.

 

[AWallen90]

At least everything will be there for your iPhone 5,4s whatever you want to call it.