A friend of mine is getting an error message--"iTunes could not sync contacts to the iPhone "[Name]" because the iPhone disconnected." My friend was running Mac OS X 10.5.1 when this error occurred; I updated her to 10.5.2, and it's still happening. (She's running iPhone 1.1.3.) I also tried two different iPod cables; that didn't fix the problems.
One thing that could cause this error message is corrupted data on the iphone or computer.
Close itunes and disconnect the iphone.
Now open isync in the applications folder.
Once isync is open, open the isync preferences.
Click the button to reset sync history.
Once sync history is reset, quit isync and open itunes.
Open the itunes preferences and go to the syncing tab.
Check the box to disable automatic syncing for all ipods and iphones.
Connect the iphone and go to the info tab.
Go to the bottom of the info tab and check the box to replace all contact data on the iphone with what is in the computer.
Now click apply on the bottom right corner of itunes.
If this does not work, open address book and create a new group.
Add 5 - 10 contacts to that group.
Now go into itunes with the iphone connected and set the iphone to only sync to that particular group.
if the iphone syncs ok, add some more contacts and sync again.
If the iphone does not sync, remove some of the contacts and sync again.
Keep going through this process until you narrow down which contacts are causing the problem.
One thing that could cause this error message is corrupted data on the iphone or computer.
Close itunes and disconnect the iphone.
Now open isync in the applications folder.
Once isync is open, open the isync preferences.
Click the button to reset sync history.
Once sync history is reset, quit isync and open itunes.
Open the itunes preferences and go to the syncing tab.
Check the box to disable automatic syncing for all ipods and iphones.
Connect the iphone and go to the info tab.
Go to the bottom of the info tab and check the box to replace all contact data on the iphone with what is in the computer.
Now click apply on the bottom right corner of itunes.
If this does not work, open address book and create a new group.
Add 5 - 10 contacts to that group.
Now go into itunes with the iphone connected and set the iphone to only sync to that particular group.
if the iphone syncs ok, add some more contacts and sync again.
If the iphone does not sync, remove some of the contacts and sync again.
Keep going through this process until you narrow down which contacts are causing the problem.
I did a "reset" on the Contacts info using iTunes, and that fixed the problem. (That was a step I was a little scared to take earlier since it was my friend's phone and not mine...but that did it.)
Thank you, Damon. This advice fixed the same problem I have been having recently, except mine was with calendars rather than contacts. I appreciate you taking the time to post it.
