Please help, recover from old backup

[Wowzera]

Hello,

So, I thought that everytime my iphone connected to my computer and iTunes said: "backup..." the backup would be saved, so I did a restore (shift + restore) in a 4.2.1 firmware and, as expected, all my data was erased.

When it came back I searched for my old backups and couldn't find anything. I can't get my old settings, apps, photos, videos and contacts back.

Any advice?

PS: I tried plugging in my other computer that I use to sync and nothing was there! Except some of my apps.

Isn't there a way to recover my files and settings?

 

[-aggie-]

iTunes doesn't do incremental backups any more.

 

[JamesMB]

Isn't there a way to recover my files and settings?

Surely, you have that data backed up somewhere.

 

[Wowzera]

Surely, you have that data backed up somewhere.

That's the point. I never used other program, but iTunes to sync and backup my iphone. I have two computers in my house and both of them don't have any sign of a backup. I browsed the folder where iTunes saves the backup and the nothing was there, except for the most recent backup.

So, no way?

Also, have you guys any advice for manually do a backup and have it saved somewhere? My iPhone isn't jailbroken, so I can't save them by myself using SSH.

 

[eastercat]

In the itunes preference screen, what backups does it show available for iphone? You manually back up your phone by right clicking on your iphone and choosing the back up option.
You can use iphone explorer to gain access to the root files. It doesn't require SHSH access.

That's the point. I never used other program, but iTunes to sync and backup my iphone. I have two computers in my house and both of them don't have any sign of a backup. I browsed the folder where iTunes saves the backup and the nothing was there, except for the most recent backup.

So, no way?

Also, have you guys any advice for manually do a backup and have it saved somewhere? My iPhone isn't jailbroken, so I can't save them by myself using SSH.

 

[Wowzera]

In the itunes preference screen, what backups does it show available for iphone? You manually back up your phone by right clicking on your iphone and choosing the back up option.
You can use iphone explorer to gain access to the root files. It doesn't require SHSH access.

It shows only backups later than the restore. That's it. At least I recovered my contacts that were syncronized with Windows Contacts. I did a manual backup, but everytime I sync my iphone the same backup gets replaced over and over.
Thanks for the tip about iPhone Explorer, installing it right now.

 

[JamesMB]

Another thing that is a good idea, is to go into your itunes backup folder on your computer and copy a good backup to another folder on your computer, so that when itunes overwrites with an new copy, you still have the old one. When I restore as new, and get the phone set up exactly like I want it, I always do a backup in Itunes and then copy that backup to a "safe" place. If I ever need it, it is a simple process to copy it back to the backup folder, and it will show up in your choices for a restore.

 

[Wowzera]

Another thing that is a good idea, is to go into your itunes backup folder on your computer and copy a good backup to another folder on your computer, so that when itunes overwrites with an new copy, you still have the old one. When I restore as new, and get the phone set up exactly like I want it, I always do a backup in Itunes and then copy that backup to a "safe" place. If I ever need it, it is a simple process to copy it back to the backup folder, and it will show up in your choices for a restore.

Yeap, I did that yesterday, after set up my iphone again. Anyway that disaster came as a lesson now. So, after a restore (even if for "new phone") if I put the folder I saved previously where I took it from will make iTunes backup that data?

 

[JamesMB]

No it won't backup that data but it will make that "old" backup available in your restore choices. Look at the devices tab in preferences in iTunes, and you can see your backup and dates.

 

[Wowzera]

No it won't backup that data but it will make that "old" backup available in your restore choices. Look at the devices tab in preferences in iTunes, and you can see your backup and dates.

Even if I manually make a backup (right click my iPhone and then Back Up) everytime my iphone sync with iTunes and makes a backup the previous backup is replaced by the new one.

Is it supposed to be like that? If I restore my iPhone, once it's finished restoring, it will sync and then make a new backup, replacing the old one, loosing all the data over again. Right?

Anyway, I have saved a backup (copying it from the folder where iTunes stores the backups), will I be safe to recover my data even if I restore my iPhone as a brand new phone, erasing everything?

Thanks.

 

[JamesMB]

Yep, that is the way it works..
If you copy that backup file back to your iTunes folder (don't replace the backup file that is in the folder), and then open iTunes and click on the devices tab, you will see that both (the old backup and the new backup) are now in there.