Updating IPhone 3G from IOS 3 to IOS 4.2.1 - going terrible wrong!!!

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Updating IPhone 3G from IOS 3 to IOS 4.2.1 - going terrible wrong!!!

I have performed an IOS update on my wife’s IPhone from IOS 3 to IOS 4.2.1.
She has not been very good at taking backups of her IPhone data and apps.
After updating to IOS4.2.1, all data and apps are missing, and I do not have an official backup to restore them from!

There are a lot of precious contacts, notes, SMS and Apps, that only was available on the IPhone, they now seem to be lost!

As an initializing thing when updating to IOS 4.2.1 I recall that one of the six tasks was a backup of the IPhone. Is there any chance of rebuilding/regenerate SMS, Contact, Notes and Apps from just before the update to IOS 4.2.1?

I have located that initializing backup to the following path:
C:\Users\ITC\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\iTunes\Mobile Backups\88917LXKY7K
In that main folder, I have located the following folders:
Applications, Media, Structured
And the following files:
Manifest.plist, RestoreState.plist

Please tell me how to rebuild my wife’s IPhone.
(A husband in distress)

IPhone 3G, iOS 4

Posted on Dec 24, 2010 7:31 AM

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Answer 1

Dec 25, 2010 4:47 AM in response to AD-AGK

I'm no brain on this, but there are other threads here that discuss using 3rd party tools for data recovery either from the backups or from the iPhone directly. Those are worth reading.

Also, I would try plugging it into either a different machine or when logged into a different user account (make sure automatic sync. is turned off) and then see what if any data is displayed as being stored on the phone.

Sorry I can't help more .... hope your dog house has heat ;-/

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Answer 2

AD-AGK Author

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Dec 25, 2010 5:36 AM in response to jimbob5941

Thanks for you reply,
The IPhone works, except all the data before the upgrade from IOS 3.1.4 to IOS 4.2 is lost. Since i do not have an “official” backup of the IPhone, i must rely on the backup that is performed automatically while upgrading the IPhone software. So fare I have not been able to find a solution for that.
I have tried “IPhone Backup Extractor” - but since my data is not in the standard folder or format it dos not work.

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Answer 3

Romeroge

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Dec 25, 2010 9:16 AM in response to AD-AGK

The same thing happened to me when I updated my wife's phone a week or two ago. Let me know if you find a fix!

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Answer 4

sanbaldo

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Dec 26, 2010 7:31 AM in response to Romeroge

same problem here.

how to get back data from personal forlder/itunes/mobile backups/letters+numbers(serial number)/?

thanks

Message was edited by: sanbaldo

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Answer 5

sanbaldo

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Dec 26, 2010 7:50 AM in response to sanbaldo

FIXEDT IT!!!

here's how:

iTunes ran the upgrade backup to ~\Application Data\Apple Computer\iTunes\Mobile Backups, instead of the usual location ~\Application Data\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup. When iTunes looks for backups to restore, it looks in the usual location and doesn't see the recent backup.

First go to ~\Application Data\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup and go into one of the folders and delete all the files (or, more prudently, cut and paste them to somewhere else as a backup).

Then copy the files in ~\Application Data\Apple Computer\iTunes\Mobile Backups\5K9282LQY7H\Structured into your newly empty folder in ~\Application Data\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup

Load up iTunes and your backup should now be available

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Answer 6

AD-AGK Author

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Dec 26, 2010 3:17 PM in response to sanbaldo

Yes you did!
Thanks a lot!
I wish you a grate new year!
Best regards

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Answer 7

Dec 26, 2010 10:15 PM in response to sanbaldo

What a huge relief to see that you were able to explain how to rectify the issue. . . now if I only had a Mac. Would you have any suggestions on where the data may be held in a Windows sorry system?

BB

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Answer 8

AD-AGK Author

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Dec 27, 2010 1:32 AM in response to BillyBuster101

This thread is dealing with a Vista machine.
To locate the folders that are involved in the restore process, go to the window explorer, and type %appdata% in the address bare and you should be able to locate the "Apple Computer" path.
Best of luck.

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Answer 9

PRR77

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Dec 27, 2010 3:45 AM in response to AD-AGK

Hi
I've had the same problem after upgrading Ipod touch to 4.2.1. Just trying to follow the suggested fix but in the folder ".../mobile backups/<device no>/" there are 3 sub folders - Applications, Media & Structured. The fix says copy all the files in the Structured folder to the "...MobileSync/Backup/<backup no>.." having removed what was already in the Structured folder.

What about the Applications and Media folders. Should they be moved to be sub folders of "...MobileSync/Backup/<backup no>.." as well?

Also what about the files like Manifest and Restore Point that are in the ".../mobile backups/<device no>/" folder. Do I leave them?

I've tried the suggestion but the Apps and Media aren't being restored to the ipod touch.

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Answer 10

AD-AGK Author

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Dec 27, 2010 2:56 PM in response to PRR77

Basically, what you should do, is to replace an existing backup folder content, "...MobileSync/Backup/<backup no>..”, with the content located in the “.../mobile backups/<device no>/Structured” folder.
You will find that there is a grate similarity between files located in the two folders...
I hope this clarified your question.

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Answer 11

Ava Baby

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Jan 12, 2011 9:53 PM in response to AD-AGK

Thank you so much. I had to tweak your method a little bit to do the restore from my "backup". But I wouldn't have been able to do it with out your post.

1) Deleted all folders in "~\Application Data\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup"
2) Opened iTunes
3) Replaced the info from the new (auto-created) folder with the the info from the "structure" folder
4) Right clicked and selected restore. The time/date stamp was from just before I ran the OS update

End result, I got my contacts, photos, email/wifi settings back, NO APPS BUT NO BIG DEAL

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