How to backup a deactivated iphone?

[Wateroksnmud]

My dad bought an iPhone 4 today. Asking to activate it at home, they still deactivated the iPhone 3GS. Upon arriving at home we needed to backup the old iphone to save a ton of contacts from the old iphone. The issue is that the 3GS will not stay activated in itunes. Upon connection, Itunes locks up then boots the 3GS and never shows the phone in itunes so that I can back it up. Is this correct?

We're doing this on an imac.

 

[Applejuiced]

If its just the simcard thats deactivated you can just plug the iphone to itunes and do a backup.
You dont need service or even a simcard in the iphone to back it up.

 

[Wateroksnmud]

Thanks AJ. That's what I thought but every time I connect the deactivated iPhone, as I said, it pops up in itunes and upon trying to sync, it cancels and kicks back out like it's not plugged in. I've tried it on my macbook, my mom's imac, and by dad's dell. It's happening on all 3 CPU's.

 

[steve knight]

remove the sim card in the old phone.

 

[Applejuiced]

Thanks AJ. That's what I thought but every time I connect the deactivated iPhone, as I said, it pops up in itunes and upon trying to sync, it cancels and kicks back out like it's not plugged in. I've tried it on my macbook, my mom's imac, and by dad's dell. It's happening on all 3 CPU's.

Sounds like a software issue with your iphone. Nothing to do with inactive simcard.
My friends would do the same and wouldnt sync anything over thru itunes. It would just cancell/stop in the middle. It needed a restore and then it worked fine.