Reformatting and syncing.

[Tabris-]

I tried on the Apple forums with no luck, so maybe this might prove to be more helpful.

If you want the full story, just check here: https://discussions.apple.com/message/17860120#17860120

Otherwise, in bullet points:

Reformatted laptop.
Forgot to back up iTunes files.
Connected iPhone 4 to laptop after reformat and realised that it doesn't sync with my "new" library.
Tried de-authorising all computers and then re-authorising this compute to see if I could sync it - didn't work.
Tried backing it up and transferring purchases - didn't work.

If I sync it with the "new" library, does that only apply to music? I fear that my text and email messages, contact info, apps, app data, photos, etc. will be lost in the process.

I don't trust the back ups that iTunes has made since the folder is only 3GB big (unless this is the average size) and by the fact that the phone hasn't properly synced with iTunes since the reformat.

For all intents and purposes, my "new" library which was in my "My Music" folder is exactly the same as my "old" library from before the reformat.

Can anyone help? Or at least allay my concerns about what data may or may not be lost. Ideally, I want to be in a situation where I can sync as if nothing had happened.

 

[-aggie-]

It really should be a simple reauthorize, backup and transfer purchase operation. Try again? Reboot?

 

[Tabris-]

It really should be a simple reauthorize, backup and transfer purchase operation. Try again? Reboot?

Unfortunately not.

If I try to sync it, the sync stops before it can sync anything as it goes straight from preparing to finishing the sync. If I check the "manually manage music and videos" option, it asks me if I want to erase everything since it's synced with another iTunes library.

If resyncing just affected music, I wouldn't be too fussed. But I haven't seen any confirmation of what is resynced, so if it means losing everything else; it's totally not worth it.

 

[-aggie-]

Unfortunately not.

If I try to sync it, the sync stops before it can sync anything as it goes straight from preparing to finishing the sync. If I check the "manually manage music and videos" option, it asks me if I want to erase everything since it's synced with another iTunes library.

Well, just to make sure nothing had changed since my last move to a new computer, I tried a laptop that had never been used. It has the latest iTunes. I authorized, backed up, etc.

You should be right clicking and picking backup. Did you do this?

 

[Tabris-]

Well, just to make sure nothing had changed since my last move to a new computer, I tried a laptop that had never been used. It has the latest iTunes. I authorized, backed up, etc.

You should be right clicking and picking backup. Did you do this?

Yeah, I've backed it up, transferred my purchases. It just doesn't allow me to sync, add or remove any music. And because it doesn't allow me to properly sync, I doubt that it's properly backed up either.

If I actually knew what it erased when syncing with a new library, I'd be willing to take the dive. But at a risk of losing all of my texts, app data, contacts, photos, etc. It really isn't worth it for a few MP3s.

 

[-aggie-]

Yeah, I've backed it up, transferred my purchases. It just doesn't allow me to sync, add or remove any music. And because it doesn't allow me to properly sync, I doubt that it's properly backed up either.

If I actually knew what it erased when syncing with a new library, I'd be willing to take the dive. But at a risk of losing all of my texts, app data, contacts, photos, etc. It really isn't worth it for a few MP3s.

Don't do it manually. It sounds like you haven't selected Music, etc. to sync. You might post some screenshots of what your iTunes looks like, but that's the impression I'm getting.

Edit: It erases everything when it syncs. Essentially, it should replace everything with whatever you've chose to sync over. The contacts, app data, etc. are in the backup. Any photos you took, you'll need to copy off the phone first before syncing.

 

[Tabris-]

Don't do it manually. It sounds like you haven't selected Music, etc. to sync. You might post some screenshots of what your iTunes looks like, but that's the impression I'm getting.

You are right, I haven't.

But if I select it (either option), the erase option pops up. So if I want to sync my music, I have to erase things on my iPhone.

The non-specificity of the erasing is what concerns me. I may be making a mountain out of a molehill, but seeing as data is more precious than anything physical, I'd rather be safe than sorry.

 

[-aggie-]

Well, you don't have a computer that the phone is synced with, so you're going to have to take the risk someday (or be in the really bad situation of having no backup and nothing to sync with if your phone craps out). I must stress YMMV, but if you have backed up the phone, transferred purchases, and have all the photos, music, etc. on the computer, you should have no problem after the message that is scarring you. To be safe, copy the backup (search on here to find out where it's located) to a safe place, before you do the sync.

 

[Tabris-]

Well, you don't have a computer that the phone is synced with, so you're going to have to take the risk someday (or be in the really bad situation of having no backup and nothing to sync with if your phone craps out). I must stress YMMV, but if you have backed up the phone, transferred purchases, and have all the photos, music, etc. on the computer, you should have no problem after the message that is scarring you. To be safe, copy the backup (search on here to find out where it's located) to a safe place, before you do the sync.

Okay, thanks anyway.

Just curious as to how big your back up folder is? I found it and it's around 3.0GB, which is a fair amount smaller than the 13GB I've used for my iPhone. However, it makes sense if it's just things like app data, messages, etc. since I'd assume most of the program mass can be made up from the transferred apps in my main iTunes folder and music.

 

[-aggie-]

Okay, thanks anyway.

Just curious as to how big your back up folder is? I found it and it's around 3.0GB, which is a fair amount smaller than the 13GB I've used for my iPhone. However, it makes sense if it's just things like app data, messages, etc. since I'd assume most of the program mass can be made up from the transferred apps in my main iTunes folder and music.

Mine is 1.84 GB.