How to backup the iPhone backup file?

Not much of a need or reason to.

Your iPhone's backup is not a complete backup of all data on your iPhone. ITunes content and photos transferred to your iPhone from your computer via the iTunes sync process is not included with your iPhone's backup.

Your iPhone's backup includes data such as most iPhone settings, email account settings, contact info, calendar events, SMS messages, notes, recent calls, call favorites, photos in your iPhone's Camera Roll, and 3rd party app settings and data created and stored by a 3rd party app.

When syncing iTunes content with iTunes on another computer does not touch or affect the data on your iPhone included with your iPhone's backup. Before syncing your iPhone with iTunes on another computer, with your iPhone connected and without syncing, control-click on your iPhone in the iTunes source list and at the menu window that appears, select Back Up.

You should focus on your iTunes library being included with your computer's backup along with all photos stored on your computer.

The real issue is that you need to completely backup your computer. All your original data, media, etc. should be on your computer (not just on the iphone), and a stolen computer or a failed hard drive will put all your data at risk. If you can recover your original data, you can always re-sync a replacement iphone. Get an external hard drive and make complete, periodic backups of your computer hard drive. Also consider maintaining an off-site backup for important data (different location or on a remote server).

The iPhone/iTunes created Backup location on Windows is at:

C:\Documents and Settings\USERNAME\Application Data\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup

As an FYI (and for others who visit this Thread), here's a list of all the possible items to backup for iTunes/iPhone/iTouch/iPod:
1) All Music Files in their current folder structure (usually located in and under the ‘iTunes Music’ folder)
2) All Application Files in their current folder structure (usually located in the ‘Mobile Applications’ folder)
3) All Album Artwork Files in their current folder structure (usually located in and under the ‘Album Artwork’ folder)
4) The Library database file: ‘iTunes Library.itl’ located in the ‘iTunes’ folder
5) The Library XML file: ‘iTunes Music Library.xml’ located in the ‘iTunes’ folder
6) The iTunes Library Extras.itdb and iTunes Library Genius.itdb files, also in the ‘iTunes’ folder
7) Any XML playlist files created for Playlist retention
8) The two iTunes.pref files (optional)
i) C:\Documents and Settings\<your username>\Application Data\Apple Computer\iTunes\iTunes.pref
ii) C:\Documents and Settings\<your username>\Local Settings\Application Data\Apple Computer Inc\iTunes.pref
9) The XML file of Ratings, Play Counts and Last Played attributes saved from the main Library and created by Otto’s SaveRatings script (also optional, but recommended):
“Download this: http://ottodestruct.com/itunes/SaveRatings.zip . It's a program, just run it like any other program. Run it on the machine where you're copying the info from BEFORE you move the files to the new machine. Click the "Save Ratings" button and it'll create a ratings.xml file. Now when you move the files, move the program and this file as well. Then after you make your new iTunes library, run it again and click the "Restore Ratings" button. Voila, all your information is back in the Library. Well, most of it anyway, it's not perfect. It'll tell you what songs it couldn't figure out though, and there's usually not very many.”
10) The folder(s) used to store and sync photos to your iPhone (if applicable)

Best of Luck

"+both folders have the same file types. Is this what im looking for?+"

Everything in and under your "C:\Users\name\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup" folder.

Copy and archive it all (i.e. - different periodic iterations if you ever need to restore something from a previous time). Just do not ask me what all those folders/files contain... 🙂

Best of Luck

Making a complete HD image (or clone) for restoration purposes is a huge time-saver when rebuilding your PC's HD. Depending on how much software you use, this can be a long task to re-install, update and configure the many programs. Been there - done that. If you run a lean PC w/little software, then this is less daunting.

Also: many software programs have settings that you most likely want to retain. i.e. - Account Settings, Address Books, Mail Rules for Outlook (or similar); Browser Bookmarks and Security Settings; MS Word/Excel/etc. personalizations; you get the point. Finding them and making sure you back them up can be difficult (but can be done).

It just depends on what you have and how much time you are willing to spend on "either end" (disaster prevention vs. disaster recovery).

Best of Luck

Yes it might be a time saver...but what if I WANT to rebuild my machine. What if I WANT to start from scratch, installing only the programs that I want and restoring ONLY THE DATA. What if I use an online backup service to backup my data every night? Perhaps I don't want to backup my entire machine.

I appreciate your comments and tips on this post, but keep in mind that power users might want to take more control over their data.

It would be nice if Apple would come out with a definitive knowledge base article about this subject. (I found one explaining the difference between backups and syncing, but that's all I found.)