New computer: Lost apps after exchanging iPhone at store and trying to sync

[saintforlife]

I recently got a new computer on which I installed iTunes, but had never hooked up my iPhone to it until today. This morning I right clicked on the left pane and backed-up my iPhone in iTunes because I was going to the store today to get my phone exchanged. When I backed up the phone I did not sync or transfer my 'apps' between the phone and the computer or anything. I assumed it would be done automatically as part of the backup process.

But after I came back from the store and restored my phone from the 'backup' I created this morning, only my contacts, calendar, bookmarks and pictures were installed on my new phone. It did not install any apps. When I tried to sync the apps it gave me a warning that said the phone can be synced to only one iTunes library at a time and that it will erase all existing data or something. I unplugged my phone at that time because I wasn't sure if it would erase my contacts, bookmarks and pictures.

I still have about 6 backup folders from my original iPhone 4 phone (the one I returned today) that was on my old computer on an external hard drive that goes back a few months. Will copying the latest backup folder from there to my new computer and trying to restore the phone to that previous back up solve the missing apps issue I have? I really don't want to reinstall all the apps manually. Also what is the preferred method to transfer apps installed directly on the phone to iTunes so that I don't run into this problem again?

 

[McGiord]

For the next time, before syncing use 'transfer purchases" by right clicking on the iPhone icon in iTunes.
You have to try restoring it to one of the old backups and it should work.

 

[Goldinboy17]

Apps, music and videos aren't part of iTunes backup. You must have those on the actual computer if you're going to replace your phone and want to keep them. The only method now would be to either download all of the apps back onto your iPhone or even easier would be to download them from iTunes on your computer. The other option would be to copy all of the ipa's from your old hard drive and save them onto your current iTunes library. A much dumper method if you can still access the other computer.

 

[maclaptop]

No problem, here's the easy way to get them back for free.

Call Apple, explain your situation. They will unlock your apps, send an email with instructions on how to download them, and restore everything.

Just be careful because they will only do this once.

 

[saintforlife]

Apps, music and videos aren't part of iTunes backup. You must have those on the actual computer if you're going to replace your phone and want to keep them. The only method now would be to either download all of the apps back onto your iPhone or even easier would be to download them from iTunes on your computer. The other option would be to copy all of the ipa's from your old hard drive and save them onto your current iTunes library. A much dumper method if you can still access the other computer.

Thanks for the reply. I will try your suggestions.

Also I am very happy about the fact that I basically got a brand spanking new iPhone 4...not refurbished. The Serial No. begins with 61116******. Which means my new phone was made in the 16th week of 2011 (last week of April). I am pretty happy about that. I would like to think that the manufacturing quality has improved since the phone was released last year. Although I could be wrong.