Pete Howell
Level 1 (5 points)
iTunes

Q: Dozens of missing apps with valuable data after restoring

iPad Pro, IOS 9.3.2, itunes 12.3.3.17

Here's a quick synopsis of the problem. I had the dreaded "Ipad refuses connect to wifi" problem that has many posts here. I tried many things up to and including buying a new router and doing a backup and restore, and  a backup and DFU restore of the ipad. Then I ran some errands that the wifi issue mysteriously fixed itself.

 

Now for the real problem. The backup and restore missed several dozen apps, including some that I've had for years. There is about 30GB worth of data missing. Let's focus on the one that has valuable and irreplaceable data: IThoughtsHD. When I go into iTunes/iPad/Apps, I can see in the list, but when I try to reinstall it, I get "...because the app could not be found."  Here are some of what I've found.As far as I can tell, it looks like the developer has created a newer version with a different name and taken IThoughtsHD off the app store.

 

Does itunes backup save the apps themselves or just the data? When I did the restore, the iPad Pro still could not connect to wifi. Is it possible that this is what prevented it from downloading all the apps? If I restore again with a functional wifi connection will I have better luck?

 

Is there any way to get to the data without the app? (the backup is encrypted) This is assuming it backed up the data, of course.

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Where the heck are all my other apps?

 

Why does a backup not BACK UP everything into a state that it can be restored?

 

It looks like most of the apps I lost were recent purchases, so perhaps they had not transferred to itunes. (Again, if they need to be transferred to be restored from a backup, that why doesn't a backup automatically transfer all the apps?) That said, I downloaded "Hound" just the other day, that that was restored just fine, without any deliberate action on my part to transfer it.

iPad Pro, iOS 9.3.2

Posted on May 24, 2016 2:48 AM

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Pete Howell

Q: Dozens of missing apps with valuable data after restoring

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  • by Limnos,

    Limnos Limnos May 24, 2016 8:17 AM in response to Pete Howell
    Level 9 (53,695 points)
    Mac OS X
    May 24, 2016 8:17 AM in response to Pete Howell

    Backup saves the data only.

     

    iTunes: About iOS backups - https://support.apple.com/HT204136 - including a list of what is backed up.

     

    "An iTunes backup doesn't include:

    • Content from the iTunes and App Stores, or PDFs downloaded directly to iBooks (You can back up this content using Transfer Purchases in iTunes.)"

     

    In particular with the recent introduction of app thinning and device specific versions of apps, all app transfer from a device to iTunes has been discontinued.  It is presumed you download copies of apps from the App Store directly to iTunes and maintain backups of those as part of a computer backup.

  • by Pete Howell,

    Pete Howell Pete Howell May 24, 2016 9:18 AM in response to Limnos
    Level 1 (5 points)
    iTunes
    May 24, 2016 9:18 AM in response to Limnos

    Ok. So why didn't it save the data for ithoughtsHD? I know that I transfered the purchase of the app to itunes because I bought it several years ago and I can see it sitting in the itunes App list.

     

    Or... Did it save the data, but because that exact app is no longer available, I can't restore it. Maybe app thinning should make an exception for an app that I won't be able to redownload. There is no reason it wouldn't have access to that information at the time that I perform the backup.

     

    In any case, assuming it did back up the data, is there some way of accessing it without the app to restore it too? My backup is encrypted.