iPhone Backup Hang - Fix without Restore?

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iPhone Backup Hang - Fix without Restore?

I have an 16GB iPhone 3GS (model MB715LL) with iOS version 4.3.4. I've been successfully synching/backing up the phone for months with the same set up, most recently with iTunes version 10.4.0.80 running on Windows XP SP3 with all current security patches. Recently, however, iTunes hangs during a synch when trying to do a backup (I've gone so far as to leave it on all night just to verify that it's just not taking a long time for some reason). I've tried obvious things like closing everything on the phone, restarting, and doing a reboot on the computer but the backup continues to hang.

The sequence I see is this:

Plug in the phone (genuine Apple iPhone USB connector)
Dialog box reminding me that iOS version 4.3.5 is available (I had previously downloaded it). I choose "Later" although choosing "Update" makes no difference in the hanging.
I click my device and choose "Sync"
The status at the top goes through the normal pre-stuff (Starting, Backing up, Preparing to sync, etc...)
The status gets to 'Syncing "Paul's iPhone" (Step 1 of 3)' <new line> "Backing up" and the "bar" gets about 1/2" wide and never moves beyond there....

I've looked online and the "fix" to this problem with iTunes seems to be to restore the iPhone to the factory settings and then restore from the last backup. That may work, however, I would prefer a solution that actually fixes the problem. It is annoying that I (and many other iPhone users experiencing the same issue over & over again) should have to lose a bunch of data (calendar entries, text messages, etc...) since my last backup because no one seems to know how (or care) to fix this reccuring problem.

Is there a way to fix or troubleshoot this issue without "punting" and restoring the iPhone and losing data since the last backup?

Here's the log from the diagnostics test if that helps (skipping the CD/DVD tests):

Microsoft Windows XP Professional Service Pack 3 (Build 2600)

LENOVO 2007WLY

iTunes 10.4.0.80

QuickTime 7.6.9

FairPlay 1.12.20

Apple Application Support 2.0.1

iPod Updater Library 10.0d2

CD Driver 2.2.0.1

CD Driver DLL 2.1.1.1

Apple Mobile Device 3.4.1.2

Apple Mobile Device Driver 1.57.0.0

Bonjour 3.0.0.2 (333.2)

Gracenote SDK 1.9.1.485

Gracenote MusicID 1.9.1.102

Gracenote Submit 1.9.1.133

Gracenote DSP 1.9.1.43

iTunes Serial Number 0013B0B808xxxxxx

Current user is an administrator.

The current local date and time is 2011-07-29 12:25:33.

iTunes is not running in safe mode.

WebKit accelerated compositing is enabled.

HDCP is not supported.

Core Media is supported.

Video Display Information

ATI MOBILITY FireGL V5200

**** External Plug-ins Information ****

No external plug-ins installed.

**** Network Connectivity Tests ****

Network Adapter Information

Adapter Name: {1C799DAC-EF07-4C75-9F31-CDCAFCC762E1}

Description: Intel(R) PRO/1000 PL Network Connection - Packet Scheduler Miniport

IP Address: 0.0.0.0

Subnet Mask: 0.0.0.0

Default Gateway:

DHCP Enabled: Yes

DHCP Server: 10.1.10.1

Lease Obtained: Fri Jun 24 12:00:12 2011

Lease Expires: Fri Jul 01 12:00:12 2011

DNS Servers:

Adapter Name: {B62B24F2-410A-44A7-B838-92605E4A4829}

Description: 11a/b/g Wireless LAN Mini PCI Express Adapter - Packet Scheduler Miniport

IP Address: 192.168.1.103

Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0

Default Gateway: 192.168.1.1

DHCP Enabled: Yes

DHCP Server: 192.168.1.1

Lease Obtained: Fri Jul 29 11:56:45 2011

Lease Expires: Sat Jul 30 11:56:45 2011

DNS Servers: 68.87.77.130

68.87.72.130

Active Connection: LAN Connection

Connected: Yes

Online: Yes

Using Modem: No

Using LAN: Yes

Using Proxy: No

SSL 3.0 Support: Enabled

TLS 1.0 Support: Enabled

Firewall Information

Connection attempt to Apple web site was successful.

Connection attempt to browsing iTunes Store was successful.

Connection attempt to purchasing from iTunes Store was successful.

Connection attempt to iPhone activation server was successful.

Connection attempt to firmware update server was successful.

Connection attempt to Gracenote server was successful.

Last successful iTunes Store access was 2011-07-29 12:22:49.

**** Device Connectivity Tests ****

iPodService 10.4.0.80 is currently running.

iTunesHelper 10.4.0.80 is currently running.

Apple Mobile Device service 3.3.0.0 is currently running.

Universal Serial Bus Controllers:

Intel(R) 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB Universal Host Controller - 27C8. Device is working properly.

Intel(R) 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB Universal Host Controller - 27C9. Device is working properly.

Intel(R) 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB Universal Host Controller - 27CA. Device is working properly.

Intel(R) 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB Universal Host Controller - 27CB. Device is working properly.

Intel(R) 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB2 Enhanced Host Controller - 27CC. Device is working properly.

FireWire (IEEE 1394) Host Controllers:

NEC OHCI Compliant IEEE 1394 Host Controller

Connected Device Information:

Paul's iPhone, iPhone 3GS running firmware version 4.3.4

Serial Number: 5K0443xxxxx

**** Device Sync Tests ****

Sync tests completed successfully.

iPhone 3GS, iOS 4.3.3, iTunes version 10.4.0.80

Posted on Jul 29, 2011 11:07 AM

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Answer 1

tarquilu

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Jul 29, 2011 3:13 PM in response to Paul_iPhone7

I am having exactly the same problem, even the in the same sequence (since saturday), with my iPhone 4. I have tried:

1) deleting the backup files from C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup

2) reinstalling iTunes

3) creating a new user profile and attempting to sync logged on to it

4) deleting photos, and other data from the phone

5) updating and running anti-virus software

I started getting errors stating that the backup file was corrupt. Now the message reads "iTunes could not backup the iPhone because the backup could not be save on the computer". I would appreciate any help with this problem.

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Answer 2

Jul 29, 2011 5:13 PM in response to Paul_iPhone7

Delete your current backup - iTunes preferences, Devices tab. Highlight the back and click the Delete button.

Next, connect the phone to a USB port directly on your computer, not a hub, and disconnect all other USB devices except keyboard and mouse. Right click on the iPhone in iTunes and choose "Backup."

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Answer 3

Paul_iPhone7 Author

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Jul 29, 2011 5:55 PM in response to Lawrence Finch

Not wanting to risk my existing backup to test a theory I did the following which essentially fools iTunes into thinking there are no existing backups:

Stop the "Apple Mobile Device" service.
Rename the "Backup" directory "Documents and Settings\<profile name>\Application Data\Apple Computer\MobileSync"
Start the "Apple Mobile Device service.
Launch iTunes & verify that no backups exist under Preferences | Devices.

Highlighting my iPhone in iTunes, right clicking and choosing "Backup" starts a backup and iTunes dutifully recreates a new "Backup" directory in "Documents and Settings\<profile name>\Application Data\Apple Computer\MobileSync" and begins copying files in the "<GUID>\snapshot" subdirectory. It quickly writes 142 files and then....same thing, NO CHANGE. The backup hangs with nothing more written....

I reversed the process above to restore my previous backup.

Anyone else have any ideas?

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Answer 4

Paul_iPhone7 Author

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Aug 12, 2011 1:34 PM in response to Paul_iPhone7

I thought I'd post a quick update since the lack of response here seems to indicate that no one at Apple has a clue about what the problem is...and apparently doesn't care. You'd think that with 450+ views in just over 2 weeks (as of this writing) that someone might figure out that this is a very widespread problem with iTunes....

I happen to also have a MacBook Pro in addition to my PC so I authorized iTunes there, hooked up my iPhone, and was able to repeatedly back it up there with no problem. This would seem to indicate that the problem is NOT with the iPhone but with the POORLY WRITTEN iTunes software itself. Since I now have a valid backup, I tried the unaltered process recommended above on my Windows installation (i.e. delete all iTunes backups and attempt a backup) and there was no change. Same HANG, same LACK of any explanation from the program.

I may try to uninstall/reinstall iTunes in Windows but I have little faith that that will solve the problem since in reading the many, many, many online posts where others have had the very same problem that step has already been tried without success.

Aside from Apple hiring some smarter programmers and improving their poor software Q/A process, has anyone else been able to solve this problem? Any other ideas to try???

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Answer 5

Aug 14, 2011 8:01 PM in response to Paul_iPhone7

I am having this problem also.... has anybody figured out a fix in the last few days? The last post on this thread was 3 days ago..... I did uninstall and reinstall itunes several times... it does not help.

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Answer 6

Aug 15, 2011 10:05 AM in response to Paul_iPhone7

Me too. Everything's been working fine for months but all of a sudden the following happend:

1. My iTunes Store went blank.

2. Backup hangs forever.

I've tried all the tricks mentioned here but nothing helps.

/Måns Tånneryd

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Answer 7

Aug 15, 2011 11:55 AM in response to mtanneryd

Both of my problems disappeared after having done the following:

1. Reset synch history

2. Delete all backups (from the same pref page where you delete sync history and also directly in the file system, c:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup)

3. Start a command prompt (run as administrator) and issue 'netsh winsock reset'

4. Reboot

Actually I think it was (3) that did the trick. Why? No idea what-so-ever.

/Måns

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Answer 8

Aug 15, 2011 12:06 PM in response to mtanneryd

It was almost certainly resetting the winsock. I suspect that last week's Windows update corrupted the network database. I've seen a lot of reports of this both here and in other forums unrelated to the iPhone.

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Answer 9

Paul_iPhone7 Author

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Aug 15, 2011 12:31 PM in response to mtanneryd

MTANNERYD is the man! 😀 EXCELLENT work---you're my hero for the day! Congratulations on solving this issue!!!

FYI, I tried the solution first without the Winsock reset and then with it and can confirm that it does not work without the last step. While the "problem" may indeed be due to some Windows update, I will reiterate my belief that the root problem is a poorly written program (iTunes). Any program which just repeatedly "hangs" with no timeout, notification of what happened, steps to correct, etc... is POORLY WRITTEN and NEEDS TO BE FIXED. Shame on Apple for allowing this kind sloppy application code to persist....

I'll follow up with a more detailed step-by-step for anyone needing it but once again, a BIG THANK YOU to mtanneryd for the SOLUTION!!!

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Answer 10

Paul_iPhone7 Author

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Aug 15, 2011 12:47 PM in response to Paul_iPhone7

Here's a detailed step-by-step solution to the original problem for iTunes on Windows (note that you must be logged on as an Administrator in Windows):

Launch iTunes, click EDIT | PREFERENCES and click on the "Devices" tab.
Under "Device Backups" select your phone and click the "Delete Backup..." button (it may take awhile).
Click the "Reset Sync History" button at the bottom. Once it completes, press the "OK" button.
Close iTunes.
Click START | RUN and type "services.msc" and press <Enter>.
Navigate to the "Apple Mobile Device" service and "Stop" the service. Close the window once it completes.
In Windows Explorer, navigate to: "C:\Documents and Settings\<YOUR PROFILE>\Application Data\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup\" where "<Your Profile>" is the name of your local Windows profile.
Delete everything UNDER the directory called "Backup" (it may take awhile) and then close Windows Explorer.
Click START | RUN and type "Command" and press <Enter>.
Type "netsh winsock reset" and press <Enter>.
Type "exit" and press <Enter>.
Reboot your computer.

Good luck!

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Answer 11

tarquilu

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Aug 15, 2011 1:29 PM in response to Paul_iPhone7

Thank you for this potential solution, but it did not fix my backup issue; iTunes is still freezing during "backing up".

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Answer 12

n808n808

Level 1

30 points

Aug 18, 2011 6:37 PM in response to Paul_iPhone7

Thanks for the good advice. My iPhone 4 started hanging during backup after having upgraded to iTunes 10.4, so I thought that was the problem. Then I read it could be an app problem, but I could not remember all the apps I had recently updated.

However, the simple fix of issuing the cmd prompt command

netsh winsock reset

followed by a reboot fixed the problem! I also manually deleted the most recent backup sub-folder.

I did not do any other steps.

And now it completed a 1.21GB backup in just a few minutes.

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Answer 13

hzm1016

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Aug 22, 2011 3:12 PM in response to n808n808

I, too, solved this problem using only the netsh winsock reset command and rebooting. I have an iPhone 3GS, Windows/Vista (32), and iTunes recently upgraded to 10.4.0.80, then upgraded to 10.4.1.10 in the middle of this fiasco. I have not yet upgraded the iPhone from 4.3.4 to 4.3.5 because I had not been able to start iTunes with the iPhone connected since the 10.4.0.80 upgrade until now.

By the way, I also noticed that AppleMobileDeviceHelper.exe (the Apple Mobile Device Service) was consuming all available CPU time when iTunes hung during the backup. After the netsh command and reboot, I plugged in the iPhone and iTunes successfully completed the sync, and during that operation AppleMobileDeviceHelper.exe maintained a fairly low profile in the CPU% according to Task Manager.

One final note: I also made one other change at the same time, based on Lawrence Finch's post (July 29, 6:13PM). Before rebooting, I disconnected a USB ethernet adapter which I had recently added to my system. I don't yet know whether that is a relevant detail.

*** WAIT *** It does seem that the USB ethernet adapter is related!

I did this: After successfully syncing my iPhone for the first time in a week, I disconnected the iPhone and then plugged in the USB ethernet adapter. Next I plugged in the iPhone: ITUNES HUNG. I killed iTunes with Task Manager, unplugged both the USB ethernet adapter and the iPhone, then reconnected the iPhone. This time, iTunes was once again able to sync.

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Answer 14

Aug 22, 2011 4:32 PM in response to hzm1016

hzm1016 wrote:

*** WAIT *** It does seem that the USB ethernet adapter is related!

I did this: After successfully syncing my iPhone for the first time in a week, I disconnected the iPhone and then plugged in the USB ethernet adapter. Next I plugged in the iPhone: ITUNES HUNG. I killed iTunes with Task Manager, unplugged both the USB ethernet adapter and the iPhone, then reconnected the iPhone. This time, iTunes was once again able to sync.

OK, let's try some further diagnosis. Are the USB internet adapter and the iPhone both plugged into a hub? If so, it must be a hub with its own separate power supply. If your computer is a tower or desktop, did you use USB ports on the front or back? If it's the front that is a potential problem, because front ports on most computers are tied to an unpowered internal hub. If you are already using ports on the back of the computer (or the only place they are) a solution might be to get a POWERED hub and plug one or both devices into that instead.

There are two reasons the Ethernet adapter and the iPhone might be incompatible; either there is not enough USB power to operate both (the phone requires a minimum of 1/2 amp and the Ethernet adapter probably requires the same) or the data rate on both devices at once exceeds the capacity of the USB bus. I have an iPhone 3GS and an Apple Ethernet adapter plugged into the same USB powered hub and the configuration works. A USB port can supply 1/2 amp if it meets the USB spec. An unpowered hub must divide that 1/2 amp among all of the connections.

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Answer 15

hzm1016

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Aug 22, 2011 9:19 PM in response to Lawrence Finch

More specifics: The ethernet adapter is an ADM8511. The PC is an HP dv6575us laptop (about 4 years old, dual core T7300, 4GB RAM). The laptop has 3 USB ports: one the right side, between the DVD drive and the power brick connector; the other two are on the left side, along with video, dock, and FLASH card reader.

The iPhone has always been plugged directly into the more forward of the two USB ports on the left side, I do this because I knew that the iPhone would be much happier if it could have its entire 1/2 A. The keyboard+mouse cable (from a KVM switch) had been plugged directly into the other USB on the left side, but when I needed to add the ADM8511, I installed a 4-port USB hub (no external power) into the USB port where the KB+M had been and plugged both the KB+M and the ADM8511 into the hub. (The port on the right side was not convenient to any of the USB device cables, and I was also using that port to power a laptop cooling pad).

I have reason to believe that those two ports on the left side are capable of providing 1/2 A each, based on experience with external 2.5" SATA drives that have Y-cables so that they can get 1 A total. If I plug the external drives into just one of those two ports, they often do not spin up, or are not recognized, but when I plug both ends of the Y in, I never have a problem.

Let me also note that the ADM8511 was not active, in that the device at the other end of the network cable was powered off, so I would expect that its current draw would be substantially below 1/2 A. This should also eliminate bandwidth contention as a concern.

But now the story gets stranger. I just tried again to duplicate the iTunes hang, but first by removing the hub. I plugged the ADM8511 directly into the second port on the left side, and moved the KB+M around to the right side USB port; I left the cooling pad unplugged since there was no free port for it. I plugged in the iPhone, and iTunes started up without a problem. So, I tried again with the hub. I unplugged all three USB devices and I moved the KB+M and the ADM8511 back onto the hub and plugged the hub back into its original port, and plugged in the cooling pad. I then plugged in the iPhone.

*** iTunes DID NOT hang. *** This is the same configuration that I originally reported as creating the hang. I have disconnected and reconnected the iPhone several times, and the hang seems to be gone.

So now I am puzzled. I even tried this a couple of times with the device at the other end of the ADM8511 cable turned on so there would be a 100Mbps ethernet connection, which does consume significant power even when idle (unlike 10Mbps, which consumes much less power when idle).

On the other hand, this new result does seem to reinforce the theory that the iTunes update corrupted the network configuration database, and that the netsh command is sufficient to fix it.

I just wish I knew why I got it to hang just once, just after the netsh command and reboot.

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