Why does iPhone take so long to back up?

[neesh0]

make sure you have itunes 8 and iphone software version 2.1

 

[cdang]

the back up is fixed

I don't know why are you talking such nonsense...

1. You are not even member for a month
2. The backup is fixed for about everyone
3. Why are you using such a annoying color for your text? It's barely readable.
4. We aren't beta testing, in my opinion there are only a handful of iPhone bugs left.

End of my rant on you

DanielJvdBerg, was there a reason for your necessary rant on me? This is a forum for apple consumers. This thread is specifically in regards to why the back up takes so long. I don't know why you feel it necessary to point out that I've only been a member for less than a month. Just because I am, doesn't mean that I am technology challenged.

With your second point, i think you missed that I acknowledged that the back up is fixed - or at least the suggested temporary fix (prior to the updates) worked and reduce the sync/back up time.

With the third point, to each his own. Font color/font size/font style is an option members have. I'm a girl and feel like using any color I want.

Point four, I don't know why you don't think we as consumers are beta testers. There are tons of problems that occur frequently whereby consumers report the problems!

Anyhow, I'm done my rant on you.

 

[icewing]

getting back on track...

I recommend you follow eneisch's advice, but also delete your previous backup so as to start with a new, uncorrupted backup.

When I got my iPhone, while still at the mall, I immediately downloaded a few free apps directly on my phone, and I believe I had also downloaded them to iTunes. This was Sept 1, prior to 2.1 and the new iTunes.

I started having backups taking anywhere from 10 mins to 2 hours.

Since I followed this process, for the last month my backup/sync only takes 1-3 minutes.

Good luck!

 

[smfinlay]

Right after I downloaded the 2.1 update, the backup time was amazing, 1-2 minutes tops. Ever since then it has slowly started creeping back up. I don't have many applications installed, maybe 2 pages worth. I plugged my phone in about 20 minutes ago and it's not even a quarter of the way done. sigh

 

[iWin]

Backup time has always seemed to me to be fairly linear in regards to how much data is on the phone... i.e. more time, more data. Be it in your browser's history, downloaded images, music, anything... it all takes time to backup even if it's only backing up the location of specific information.

In regards to some of the people having EXTREMELY long backup/firmware update times, I had the same problem. My laptop was running at USB1.1 speeds as a result of oxidation in the usb ports themselves, and using a nail file on them for a little bit fixed it. I do not recommend this fix for anybody facing adversely long backup times, but checking to see if it's running at USB2.0 is a good starting point for some of you. If, in windows, it pops up saying this device has the capability to transfer data more quickly, then you are not running as fast as you should. Try a different computer for your backups... I now just use my work computer.

 

[demeeder]

Worked!!!

I was having longs backups as well that were driving me crazy. I tried turning off crash reports and it did not work for me. I found this fix on the Apple discussions site. I performed these steps last week and ever since my backups/syncs have taken 3-5 minutes instead of 1+ hours. It took a little time to implement, but for me it was worth it. Seems that it has to do with corrupt app installations hanging up the backup process. Give it a try and report your successes/failures! The end of the message suggests not to install/update apps directly on the iphone, but I have done it without adverse effect.

"Go into iTunes Edit/Preferences the last tab sync disable auto sync for all iPod and iPhones. This does not fix it it is just the first step do not stop here.

Next connect your iPhone to the computer. Once it shows up in iTunes go into the last tab Applications. Uncheck sync all apps. Now Click apply. Now click sync. it will remove all the applications! After it is finished unplug the iPhone. I bet you will have at least one app still on the Iphone, maybe more. Hold any icon down until they jiggle. tap the x's and delete all the remaing apps. You may notice after you delete each app that a little spinning circle is next to your 3G icon on the top right hand side. Let it finish spinning before you delete the next app.

Once you have deleted all the remaining apps (That had corrupt data that was causing your long back ups!) do a hard reset. To do this hold the sleep/wake button and the home button until the red slider appears at the top of the screen. Slide it over and the phone will power off. You will again notice the spinning circle. Once it finishes wait a few seconds and power the iPhone back on by pressing the sleep/wake button.

While it is booting back up go into iTunes again turn the auto sync back on! Now connect the iPhone to the computer, let it backup and sync. Now it goes so fast you may want to cry or laugh. Now after it finishes go back to the applications tab. Click sync apps again, but make sure you have the 2nd circle checked. This box is sync selected apps. Make sure all the boxes are unchecked! Now slowly begin adding apps back to the iPhone. I have done as many as 5 at a time. Check the boxes then click apply, then sync. It will backup then add the applications and sync all other information. After the sync you may notice that little spinning circle is next to your 3G icon on the top right hand side. Let it finish spinning before you add the next app.

Here is the kicker! DO NOT update or install apps from the phone! Only use iTunes to install and or update apps until they get the bug fixed!"

Thanks much... once all apps were deleted I did a back-up in less than a minute. I will start adding the apps back and see if there is a particular one that was the cause. Before this it was taking hours and hours and actually never got a back up.

 

[sheardude]

It is still taking me a long time. It is almost half way done after 10 hours whih sux. Can anyone help me shorten the time without removing apps if i have 2 i guess i will.

 

[TheBearman]

What I'm about to suggest many might say is taking a sledge hammer to the problem but..... The only thing I found that worked was a complete hard reset to factory settings following the install of 2.1. Yea, I lost application data in the process but since then it has worked flawlessly.

I have had the phone full of apps, max (9 pages of 12 apps per page). It has several movies, songs, podcast, photos, calendar events, etc to the point I have less than 200mb free (of the 16gb total). It takes me all of 2 minutes to sync including a backup. Only time it takes longer is when I change installed songs or movies.

 

[larryndallas]

iphone restore time

I'm going on 5 hours for the restore using 2.0 USB, new iphone, vista. What could be causing this? I have 15 apps, 1000 contacts, 300 photos. Thanks for any help with this!

 

[Minimoose 360]

Mine used to take that long, now it's about a minute.

 

[shabbado]

I think that is a pretty font... It brings out his eyes!

 

[branjosef]

The iphone takes to long to backup because itunes sucks my left nostril. With every update, itunes gets slower and slower and slower. Did I mention it gets slower?

 

[Aaleck]

Not sure, when I read the post maybe I thought the apps... but I have more than you and it only takes me a few minutes... maybe every time you backup, it just re-does everything... but I don't have a clue... *shrugs*

 

[sheardude]

Wow... I lost track of this page. Thanx 4 keeping it alive. I did what I was told months ago. My backups went from 20 hours to at shortest 5 seconds and 30 mins at longest (that is when lead new apps to the phone)

 

[firstfishman]

I am going on 3 and a half hours and still backing up.... I cant even update to the new software on my Iphone because it wont Sync/Back up to allow the software install.... Apple tech help tells me "Laptops are notoriously bad at backing up" and to go to a public desktop to perform my syncs... I wasnt aware that having a desktop was a requirment for having an Iphone... Plus, I have allready used my maximum number of computers to sync, so this isnt an option... Is there any plan on fixing this issue?

 

[mikeyman91765]

Maybe its because you have 30 apps installed i have about 4 installed on mine (more on the computer) and my backup rarely goes past 10 secs if it even takes that long.

I don't understand why you would have 30 apps on your phone surely you don't use EVERY single one of them?

30 apps is nothing to a hardcore iphoner. lol. i have all 11 pages completely filled. and i use most of them on a regular basis.

my phone takes about two hours to backup. i hate it. it takes sooooo long.

 

[-aggie-]

30 apps is nothing to a hardcore iphoner. lol. i have all 11 pages completely filled. and i use most of them on a regular basis.

my phone takes about two hours to backup. i hate it. it takes sooooo long.

You're doing something wrong then. It shouldn't take anywhere near that long. I have a 3G 16 GB totally filled up and with 106 apps, and it takes maybe 5 minutes to backup.

 

[macslayer118]

You're doing something wrong then.

I don't know how anyone could be "doing it wrong"... iTunes does the backup automatically.

And yes, I have noticed that backups take a long time on my phone, and it's like that on at least 3 of my friends who have iPhones as well.

 

[-aggie-]

I don't know how anyone could be "doing it wrong"... iTunes does the backup automatically.

And yes, I have noticed that backups take a long time on my phone, and it's like that on at least 3 of my friends who have iPhones as well.

Then you (and your friends) haven't looked at the threads on the issue, because there are ways to speed up your backups.

 

[keeina]

Because it is made by mac

 

[RolandP]

iPhone Not Recognized

I found that running "services.msc" from Start|Run provided the solution even after uninstalling and reinstalling iTunes.

The new window will display a list of services running in your PC.
You can sort the view in by clicking “Name” column header.

Then see if “Apple Mobile Device Service” status is “Started.”
If the status is not “Started”, right click on that row and choose Start from the small pop-up menu.
If the service is already installed and started, right-click on that row and choose Restart from the small pop-up menu.


You may also want to make sure that this is set to "automatic." If not, you can right click and change that property.

 

[RolandP]

Long iPhone backups

I have not yet tried eneisch's recommended process. But I do know this much....I started my backup yesterday at 5 PM and as of 5 AM today it is less than 1/4 completed. {Steve Jobs, you have improvements to make}

Not sure when you delete all apps, if that includes contacts and stuff. I noticed on one of my backups when I did remove apps that the data for the apps was not retained. I am very skittish about deleting all apps and agree with the post that updating apps through the iPhone should be OK. But I really have no idea if this affects backups or not.

Bear in mind, I have only the 3G model and the small HD but I have 16 apps per screen and ten screens. Loosing/backing up 160 apps (and I wish I could add more) is the curse of the app fanatic and living with this backup process is nearly intolerable. I will attempt to finish it before I update to 4.0 but now I am wondering if going to 4.0 is a good idea. Am I going to find more bugs and annoyances?

 

[Amnesia87]

Isn't that they only way to sync/backup?

[Edit]I did what eneisch suggested and it still took me 50 minutes to backup. I guess I'll just have to wait for Apple to fix this. Even if this is performing as they want it's unacceptable. Especially since Time Machine in OS X backs up a heck of a lot faster with tons more data being transferred (I'm talking GBs sometimes) ... and that's over USB.

lol. Exactly what I was thinking. A lot of people don't know the difference between 1.1 and 2.0. I originally plugged in my phone to a 1.1 port myself. Wasn't till windows 7 said something about it that I realized not all my ports are 2.0.

 

[fijibinger]

Help!

I was having longs backups as well that were driving me crazy. I tried turning off crash reports and it did not work for me. I found this fix on the Apple discussions site. I performed these steps last week and ever since my backups/syncs have taken 3-5 minutes instead of 1+ hours. It took a little time to implement, but for me it was worth it. Seems that it has to do with corrupt app installations hanging up the backup process. Give it a try and report your successes/failures! The end of the message suggests not to install/update apps directly on the iphone, but I have done it without adverse effect.

"Go into iTunes Edit/Preferences the last tab sync disable auto sync for all iPod and iPhones. This does not fix it it is just the first step do not stop here.

Next connect your iPhone to the computer. Once it shows up in iTunes go into the last tab Applications. Uncheck sync all apps. Now Click apply. Now click sync. it will remove all the applications! After it is finished unplug the iPhone. I bet you will have at least one app still on the Iphone, maybe more. Hold any icon down until they jiggle. tap the x's and delete all the remaing apps. You may notice after you delete each app that a little spinning circle is next to your 3G icon on the top right hand side. Let it finish spinning before you delete the next app.

Once you have deleted all the remaining apps (That had corrupt data that was causing your long back ups!) do a hard reset. To do this hold the sleep/wake button and the home button until the red slider appears at the top of the screen. Slide it over and the phone will power off. You will again notice the spinning circle. Once it finishes wait a few seconds and power the iPhone back on by pressing the sleep/wake button.

While it is booting back up go into iTunes again turn the auto sync back on! Now connect the iPhone to the computer, let it backup and sync. Now it goes so fast you may want to cry or laugh. Now after it finishes go back to the applications tab. Click sync apps again, but make sure you have the 2nd circle checked. This box is sync selected apps. Make sure all the boxes are unchecked! Now slowly begin adding apps back to the iPhone. I have done as many as 5 at a time. Check the boxes then click apply, then sync. It will backup then add the applications and sync all other information. After the sync you may notice that little spinning circle is next to your 3G icon on the top right hand side. Let it finish spinning before you add the next app.

Here is the kicker! DO NOT update or install apps from the phone! Only use iTunes to install and or update apps until they get the bug fixed!"

Please help. I am trying to go through this method, yet after removing all apps and hitting sync, my phone tries to backup and it is taking forever still...