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Unique problem, please help!!

T

takiniteazy

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 30, 2010
2
0
So here is the story...

My wife just got a new iPhone4 tonight, upgrading from the 3GS. Before she got the new phone, I synced her 3GS with iTunes, like we had done before. We didn't, however, update the software to 9.2 at that time (which was last weekend 7/24/2010). She got her new phone tonight and the RadioShack person promptly erased the old phone. When we got home tonight, I plugged her phone into the computer and was told I needed 9.2 in order to sync the iPhone4, yet was never prompted to restore the device to the old version. After downloading and installing 9.2, I sync'ed the new phone and nothing was transferred. I eventually got some contacts and music onto the device, but it was only an abbreviated collection. We weren't able to sync the calendar, pics, videos, apps, etc.

We contacted Apple and they were able to show me where the device backup log was (iTunes/Edit/Preferences/Devices), but it showed that my wifes phone had not been backed up since last November, which was completely incorrect. Apple informed us there was nothing else they could do.

AS background, I am moderately tech savvy; I have a biomedical PhD with postdoc experience at MIT and work with computers all day. I can't believe this happened and blame myself for not double backing up the data. At the same time I can't help but feel RadioShack should either give a 24 grace period or directly transfer files for customers performing phone upgrades. I should also note that I've always found iTunes file storage overly complicated as well, since I would have readily checked the files after my last sync if I knew standard iPhone backup naming rules.

Anyway, we lost lost of irreplaceable images and videos of our 2 year old boy and we're distraught. If anyone has input, we would appreciate it.

Thanks in advance.

CDP
 
Not sure if this can help, but it looks potentially promising:

http://webcache.googleusercontent.c...backup&cd=3&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=safari

Found it in a Google search for "missing iTunes backup". If I've read it correctly, you can ignore the bit about needing a jailbroken phone...at least for your photos, as there are other ways to put them back on your phone once you find them.

Best of luck--I lost about a month's worth of research tonight in a MobileMe sync gone awry; I can't imagine losing photos. :(
 
Recent iTunes seem to have problem backup data.

Experienced the problem too but didn't have essential data at the time.

After that I always check preferences / device to see if the backup has latest date.

Need to write to www.apple.com/feedback
 
takiniteazy said:
Anyway, we lost lost of irreplaceable images and videos of our 2 year old boy and we're distraught. If anyone has input, we would appreciate it.
Click to expand...

Just to be sure I understand the story correctly: You never did transfer the photos and movies from the iPhone to your computer?
 
takiniteazy said:
So here is the story...

My wife just got a new iPhone4 tonight, upgrading from the 3GS. Before she got the new phone, I synced her 3GS with iTunes, like we had done before. We didn't, however, update the software to 9.2 at that time (which was last weekend 7/24/2010). She got her new phone tonight and the RadioShack person promptly erased the old phone. When we got home tonight, I plugged her phone into the computer and was told I needed 9.2 in order to sync the iPhone4, yet was never prompted to restore the device to the old version. After downloading and installing 9.2, I sync'ed the new phone and nothing was transferred. I eventually got some contacts and music onto the device, but it was only an abbreviated collection. We weren't able to sync the calendar, pics, videos, apps, etc.

We contacted Apple and they were able to show me where the device backup log was (iTunes/Edit/Preferences/Devices), but it showed that my wifes phone had not been backed up since last November, which was completely incorrect. Apple informed us there was nothing else they could do.

AS background, I am moderately tech savvy; I have a biomedical PhD with postdoc experience at MIT and work with computers all day. I can't believe this happened and blame myself for not double backing up the data. At the same time I can't help but feel RadioShack should either give a 24 grace period or directly transfer files for customers performing phone upgrades. I should also note that I've always found iTunes file storage overly complicated as well, since I would have readily checked the files after my last sync if I knew standard iPhone backup naming rules.

Anyway, we lost lost of irreplaceable images and videos of our 2 year old boy and we're distraught. If anyone has input, we would appreciate it.

Thanks in advance.

CDP
Click to expand...

Here is what I do if I have trouble syncing photos in iTunes:

I have googles "Picasa" installed on my computer. I open the app, connect my phone to the computer and click the "Export" butten - and that's excactly what it does.

IF the missing pics are anywhere on the computer, they are bound to show up in Picasa. It litteraly hoovers the computer for ALL pics. Of course you have to locate the pics you want to transfere.

It's worth a try :)

pix
 
Here's something that might help

So, you say you have done your backup. I've been having issues lately with the backup system, I dont know why, but sometimes iTunes needs to sync 2 times before all of the contents of the old iPhone are transferred to the new one. Perhaps this may help, you might need to make another sync and then everything will be there.

Hope it helps..
 
Cinematographer said:
Just to be sure I understand the story correctly: You never did transfer the photos and movies from the iPhone to your computer?
Click to expand...

If this is the case, OP, then your data could not have been considered valuable. Had you LOST the phone, you would be in the same boat. Transfer important photos and videos into iPhoto on your host computer. Then back that up. As for the iTunes backup, I just went with that with my son's iPod Touch. He lost all the progress on his games...for him the end of the world. Sorry.
 
Thank you all

Thank you everyone for your comments and suggestions. I spoke to RadioShack this morning and they said that the only option was the DiskAid option and that we'd need to jailbreak the phone (when that method was released, which he anticipates in the next two weeks).

I'll try without jailbreaking and will repost our results.

Thanks again everyone.
 
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