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User profile for user: dwendland
dwendland Author
User level: Level 1
4 points

iTunes sync after clean install

I'm very disappointed in iTunes. My hard drives died and had to buy new thus a clean install. When I went to sync my iPhone 4 it thought I was someone else on some other computer. How in the world do I get what's on my iPhone back on my iTunes, ie pictures, apps. It's been a royal pain the bumm. I've now tried iPhone explorer and again no luck. iTunes needs to fix this mess so that if this happens again I can download iTunes with my account and it should have everything there. What's up with this????

desk top, iOS 4

Posted on Mar 20, 2011 11:03 AM

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13 replies
User profile for user: roaminggnome
roaminggnome
User level: Level 10
106,365 points

Mar 20, 2011 11:28 AM in response to dwendland

It has always been very basic to always maintain a backup copy of your computer files/docs/pics/music/etc for just such an occasion.

Use your backup copy to put everything back. The iphone is NOT a backup device.

The music and pics sync is one way - compute to iphone. The only exception is itunes purchases. Without syncing: File>Transfer Purchases

" iTunes needs to fix this mess so that if this happens again I can download iTunes with my account and it should have everything there.":

This is not quite correct. Itunes does not store your music. It is stored on YOUR computer. You get one download only. It is your responsibility to backup your computer.
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User profile for user: modular747
modular747
User level: Level 6
19,656 points

Mar 20, 2011 11:22 AM in response to dwendland

1. Make sure your computer is authorized in iTunes to your iTunes account.
2. Disable automatic syncing on connection - iTunes prefs > Devices > disable....
3. Connect phone.
4. Right-click device tab (left side of iTunes window).
5. Select "Transfer Purchases." This will transfer all apps and media on you phone purchased with your iTunes account to the iTunes library on your computer. Non-iTunes media you ripped yourself won't be transferred.
6. Photos can be synced to your photo app on your computer outside if iTunes.
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User profile for user: philifrog
philifrog
User level: Level 1
0 points

Oct 21, 2011 2:21 AM in response to dwendland

I agree. I don't walk around with my PC strapped to my back. I have my iPhone. All my purchases/song downloads/photos are made using my iPhone not my PC. My master device should therefore be my iPhone, and when syncing to a fresh install of iTunes, all my iPhone content should be copied over, rather than erasing my iPhone content with what is obviously going to be an empty iTunes library.

I have consistently found that iTunes let's Apple down in terms of useability, intuitiveness and process flow. It is obvious to anyone who cares to give this particular issue even a moments thought that if the iTunes install does not contain any data for the Phone being sync'd, then the sync should be from the phone to PC, not the other way around.

Some basic common sense, that has obviously been applied to the design of the iPhone itself, should be levied at the ball and chain that is iTunes.

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iTunes sync after clean install

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