Restore / re-jailbreak question

[ZCherub]

I joked with another member yesterday about being lazy, and waiting to update to 5.1.1 and un-tether until I needed to reboot my phone. Well, the Apple gods were listening because my phone crashed today, lol....

Just want to confirm something for my "restore/set up as new iPhone" update to 5.1.1, and my re-jailbreak.

This is my third restore from a backup on this device, and I want to free up the wasted space that I have from my previous JB restores.

I'm more comfortable navigating Cydia and editing the files in the phone itself than I am using iTunes, lol.... So I want to confirm the steps for setting up as a new iPhone and keeping contacts/app data/photos (I realize I'll lose my texts). As I understand it (although after reading up on it, I'm still not 100% sure on how to keep photos on the phone - maybe I'll just save them all to the Macbook prior to this process):

-Before restore, install App Backup from Cydia and create backup for savegames, etc.
-Restore to 5.1.1 via iTunes
-Set up as new iPhone during restore process
-Jailbreak
-Sync desired apps/music/etc. from iTunes
-iTunes sync should restore contacts as well (?)
-Re-install and run App Backup to restore save games, etc.

Anything missing, or is there a better way to do this that I'm missing? Thanks!

 

[BumpyFlatline]

Yup pretty much. Just remember that after you use AppBackup to backup all your App Store app data, you need need SSH into phone and copy the folder to your computer. Or you can also use iFile and email the files to yourself or you can save the files to Dropbox. If you'd like, let me know and I can email you a step by step tutorial for AppBackup. It's so easy and works 100% of the time. I swear by that app.

I use iCloud to save my contacts. But iTunes will sync it to the newly restored phone too. Are you on a windows machine? If so, when I used to use iTunes to save contacts, I would direct iTunes to save contacts to the Windows Address Book or whatever it's called. But honestly, iCloud is easier and more streamlined but in the end they both work so it comes down to preference.

I believe iCloud also saves pictures. I do what you suggested you might do. I just save them to my pc and never sync them back because why do I need them on my phone?!

Restore as new is the way to go! I think you'll come to prefer this method of upgrading and jailbreaking your phone. After following these steps for one or two restorals, it'll become natural. I do it this way every time an my phone runs fantastic. AppBackup, iCloud, and the hackers make the process so easy!

Ps...I'm not sure if it makes a difference or not, but I always download the official firmware to my computer, put my phone into DFU mode, and use iTunes to restore. I hold down the shift key and click restore. I point iTunes to the freshly downloaded firmware file and then when it asks, I choose set up as new. When it's done installing, I sync back my contacts and music. I then jailbreak. Then I install AppBackup and copy the file from my computer (which we copied at the very beginning of this process) to the iPhone. I proceed to install my app store apps one by one or several at a time. As each installs, I open the AppBackup app and scroll to the recently installed app and click Restore! Everything instantly goes back to how it was just before you upgraded the firmware! I also install my cydia tweaks one by one to prevent any kinds of stability issues. (the installation of app store apps and cydia tweaks don't have to be done all at once. I take my time with all that. To backup AppBackup, restore as new, sync contacts and music etc, and then finally jailbreaking takes maybe all of 15 mins.)

 

[ZCherub]

Thanks for the really detailed reply, Bumpy! I'll probably PM you for a bit more info on App Backup when I get ready to tackle this this weekend. Thanks again - I appreciate it!

 

[BumpyFlatline]

Thanks for the really detailed reply, Bumpy! I'll probably PM you for a bit more info on App Backup when I get ready to tackle this this weekend. Thanks again - I appreciate it!

Sure thing buddy! Just hit me up and I'll help you out. I just recently restored my 4S as new and did everything we just discussed. It hasn't been a month since I did the restore. So the info I give you is not only very current, i can say it works 100% too because it's what I do with my phone when I restore. I have game saves from 2010 on my 4S haha.