Question: Updating 3GS for a friend with my computer

[Baltika09]

A friend of mine's computer died, she wants me to update her 3GS to 4.0. I took my old 3GS, put her sim card in it so she can use my old phone while I update hers tonight at home. I brought her phone home and plugged it into my computer and opened iTunes. The only options available were to back it up with one of MY old back ups or set up as a new phone. My question is, will all HER user contacts/photos/apps/etc be deleted if I do set it up as a new phone? Will it keep her info if her sim card is in the phone when i update it (its currently not, its in my old phone with her at work)? And is there any way to update the phone without deleting all her stuff?

Thanks for any advice

 

[Intell]

In iTunes you should click the update button. It should update the iPhone and preserve everything that's on it.

If you click(or already clicked) the restore button there is no way of getting her info, contacts, and music back.

 

[Baltika09]

It never got that far, it went straight to a screen that said, an iPhone has already been synced to this computer, do you want to
A. Set this up as a new phone, or
B. Sync from a previous back up.

I haven't selected either option, don't want to until I know if it will wipe her phone.

 

[SnowLeopard2008]

iPhones don't keep any data on the SIM card. There is no way to update her phone without deleting everything, unless you have her computer that she syncs the iPhone with (which you said died, SOL). If you want to be a gentleman and really sweet, you can write down all her contacts and add them after you update the phone. But her photos, apps, etc. are going to be gone. However, if her iPhone is jailbroken, it's much simpler. Just SFTP to /private/var/mobile/Library and copy all that to your computer. Update the phone and SFTP it right back in.

 

[Night Spring]

It never got that far, it went straight to a screen that said, an iPhone has already been synced to this computer, do you want to
A. Set this up as a new phone, or
B. Sync from a previous back up.

I haven't selected either option, don't want to until I know if it will wipe her phone.

See if you can cancel or close out that dialogue window without selecting either option. Then, right click on the iPhone icon in iTunes and one of the menu options you get should be to backup your friend's iPhone.

 

[mleary]

iPhones don't keep any data on the SIM card. There is no way to update her phone without deleting everything, unless you have her computer that she syncs the iPhone with (which you said died, SOL). If you want to be a gentleman and really sweet, you can write down all her contacts and add them after you update the phone. But her photos, apps, etc. are going to be gone. However, if her iPhone is jailbroken, it's much simpler. Just SFTP to /private/var/mobile/Library and copy all that to your computer. Update the phone and SFTP it right back in.

That is not true, you can update it from any computer without losing any of the data on the phone. I have done this multiple times. Just plug the phone in, right click on it in itunes, choose backup. Then run the update. If anything is missing you can just right click and restore from the previous backup. You can backup any iphone in itunes without actually syncing.

 

[Intell]

That is not true, you can update it from any computer without losing any of the data on the phone. I have done this multiple times. Just plug the phone in, right click on it in itunes, choose backup. Then run the update. If anything is missing you can just right click and restore from the previous backup. You can backup any iphone in itunes without actually syncing.

That only backs up some things. It does not backup her music, apps, or photos.