iPhone backup not working - "session could not be started" error

Question

Level 1

9 points

iPhone backup not working - "session could not be started" error

Ever since I upgraded my phone (3GS) to OS4, backup in iTunes has stopped working. The error message is:

"iTunes could not back up the iPhone "XXXX" because a session could not be started with the iPhone"

I have seen this error in other threads, and have tried the fixes suggested, including:
- checking permissions on the backup directory
- deleting old backups via iTunes prefs
- deleting old backups manually (by deleting the folder)
- hard reset

... but none of these work. Everything is fully updated (OSX, iTunes, iPhone) to the latest versions.

Any suggestions? Thanks.

3GS, Mac OS X (10.6.2)

Posted on Jul 19, 2010 7:41 AM

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Answer 1

wjosten

Level 10

95,321 points

Jul 19, 2010 7:51 AM in response to nong

Here's Apple's support document on this subject, since you're on a Mac, I suspect a permissions problem:

http://support.apple.com/kb/ts2529

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Answer 2

nong Author

Level 1

9 points

Jul 20, 2010 6:28 AM in response to wjosten

I've tried those permissions fixes, and still get the same error. Any other ideas?

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Answer 3

wjosten

Level 10

95,321 points

Jul 20, 2010 7:45 AM in response to nong

Log in using an administrator account. See if you can manually create a backup by control clicking the phone in the device pane & selecting "backup". Make sure that auto sync when an ipod/iphone is connected, is disabled under preferences in itunes BEFORE you connect your phone. DO NOT SYNC. If the backup completes under your admin account, this will confirm a permissions problem under your user account.

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Answer 4

nong Author

Level 1

9 points

Jul 21, 2010 4:10 PM in response to nong

Tried that - exactly the same error message.

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Answer 5

wjosten

Level 10

95,321 points

Jul 21, 2010 4:13 PM in response to nong

Launch itunes, under preferences, devices, delete any and all backups listed. Try again.

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Answer 6

nong Author

Level 1

9 points

Jul 21, 2010 4:14 PM in response to wjosten

Tried that too (one of the first things), and then I manually deleted the entire backups folder just to make sure.

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Answer 7

Jul 27, 2010 7:08 PM in response to nong

I'm having exactly the same problem with both mine and my wife's 3GS. I'm on the latest versions of OS X and iTunes. The phones are on iOS 4.0. I can't upgrade to 4.1 because of this error.
The Apple support bulletin people keep posting doesn't fix this.

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Answer 8

Jul 28, 2010 1:20 AM in response to nong

I have the same issue and can confirm that none of the solutions posted above works with neither Itunes 9.2 or 9.2.1 and my iPhone 3GS running iOS 4.0.1. Curiously, I was able to complete a backup from a fresh installation of Itunes 9.2 on a Windows XP machine.

-Per

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Answer 9

giny8i8

Level 1

4 points

Jul 28, 2010 7:34 AM in response to nong

Same Error here.
Iphone 3G - IOS 4.0.1 - windows7.
None of the above works for me neither.
My phone worked fine on IOS 4.0
(I recon, based on the error message, that this is a USB related issue)

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Answer 10

Jul 30, 2010 3:07 PM in response to nong

Same problem here.

Authorized new MacBook to connect to my existing account.
Transferred paid apps. (Lost my Contacts, though.)
Upgraded iPhone to 4.0.1
Upgraded iTunes to 9.2.1

I've tried all of the above (Apple's Support Page, delete backups, etc.), no joy.

Any other ideas to try? Thanks!

(Running a little low on patience here ...)

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Answer 11

bicmic

Level 1

12 points

Jul 31, 2010 6:56 PM in response to jackstr66

Yes same again..

tried all above inc DFU restore... and different macs..
haven't been able to backup since the upgrade to 4 and 4.0.1

looks like unresolved issue..

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Answer 12

Jul 31, 2010 8:37 PM in response to nong

yeah. i have the same problem. none of these fixes work and i am sure my account is an administrator acct.

Apple, PLEASE resolve this issue!

-die.hard.apple.user

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Answer 13

Aug 1, 2010 12:03 PM in response to MightyMollusc

I think I know what the issue is.... My last back up was in March right after I got it. I kept having an issue whenever I synced it with my mail and contact accounts. It would try to overwrite everything and it would crash everytime. I read a post about how to change that in the iTues Prefs XML file and I bet that f'ed it up. Did any of you do that? I think I have to uninstall iTunes and reinstall to fix it

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