wsucoug95
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Q: iTunes asking for backup password???

I am upgrading my iphone 4 to iOS 5. I backed up my phone (via iTunes 10.5) and downloaded and installed iOS 5. I am now going through the setup process and it is at the "Restore from iTunes Backup" step. I connect to iTunes and iTunes is prompting me for a password to "unlock your iPhone backup file." No I did not encrypt the iPhone backup, nor is it or was it checked in iTunes. I have tried my iTunes password, my 4 digit unlock code for the iPhone, and several other passwords. When I did the backup an hour ago I was not asked for a password. I am at a loss as to what it is.

iPhone 4

Posted on Oct 12, 2011 1:11 PM

by wsucoug95,Solvedanswer
wsucoug95 wsucoug95
Level 1 (0 points)
A:

Well I finally got through with the correct password. For some reason it was the original iTunes password I had setup when I first got the iPhone 4 and iTunes 17 months ago. I had changed that password soon after creating it and have since changed it several times. Somehow it popped into my head and after trying hundreds (no I'm not kidding) of passwords, success!

 

It is important to point out:

 

  1. When I have performed previous upgrades to the iOS I have never been prompted for a password when restoring the data.
  2. I have never checked the box in iTunes to encrypt the iPhone backup.
  3. I still have no idea what made iTunes go back to an ancient password.

 

Good luck to all if you have to go through this because this has not been a fun few days.

 

Let me add a suggestion that I have come up with for storing passwords where you can access them from anywhere. Setup a Yahoo or Hotmail account with all fake information (Name, address, b-day, etc.) with a “handle/name/email address” that has nothing to do with you but you can recall. In other words, you are setting up an anonymous email account. In this email account, create an email to the same account and put your passwords in it but do not include the accounts/websites they are for. You could include hints (that only you could recognize/decipher) that would tell you which accounts/websites went with which passwords.

 

This will just be a list of passwords so at least you have a master list somewhere and not stored on your computer(s)/drive(s). Just an idea I wanted to share.

Posted on Oct 14, 2011 12:21 PM

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Q: iTunes asking for backup password???

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  • by scottfromferndale,

    scottfromferndale scottfromferndale Oct 12, 2011 10:31 PM in response to calexn
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    Oct 12, 2011 10:31 PM in response to calexn

    Didn't work for me. So I kept trying more and more passwords.

     

    Low and behold an old one worked that I didn't think I ever used on this computer. It's a new MacBook Air, so that suprises me. Not sure where it came from, but it did work.

    So if you think you've tried all your passwords, you probably haven't. The one you think it won't be is probably it.

     

    Music, videos and apps are not included in the backup. Those are just resynced from your library once the phone is reconnected to itunes after the restore. apps take a really long time to restore.

    And the phone is not locked during the sync. So watch itunes status before disconnecting the phone or you will interupt it.

  • by Brian APPLE,

    Brian APPLE Brian APPLE Oct 12, 2011 10:37 PM in response to wsucoug95
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 12, 2011 10:37 PM in response to wsucoug95

    same problem, been trying to figure this out for hours... rediculous.. none of the above worked. any more suggestions greatly appreciated

  • by Dudley Doright,

    Dudley Doright Dudley Doright Oct 12, 2011 11:11 PM in response to wsucoug95
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 12, 2011 11:11 PM in response to wsucoug95

    I'm having the exact same problem. I didn't enter a password when doing the backup, so it shouldn't be asking for one. I've tried every password that I can think of, but nothing works. I've wasted hours on this. Thanks, Apple.

  • by rsgl,

    rsgl rsgl Oct 12, 2011 11:24 PM in response to Dudley Doright
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 12, 2011 11:24 PM in response to Dudley Doright

    Yep.  Hours.  I've been trying other things to see if something will allow me to use the backup...  But it seems that the password is the only way.  Even though I KNOW the password that I set...

  • by wine time,

    wine time wine time Oct 12, 2011 11:36 PM in response to wsucoug95
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 12, 2011 11:36 PM in response to wsucoug95

    i used 0000 and somehow this worked, im pretty sure ive never used this password for my i phone.... go figure! Good Luck all

  • by calexn,

    calexn calexn Oct 12, 2011 11:46 PM in response to wsucoug95
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 12, 2011 11:46 PM in response to wsucoug95

    Tried 000 and 1234 and still no go, I can restore to any backup in the list, except the one taken just before the update. It has to be something set by itunes for this particular backup

  • by DreamWorld,

    DreamWorld DreamWorld Oct 13, 2011 1:04 AM in response to calexn
    Level 1 (8 points)
    iLife
    Oct 13, 2011 1:04 AM in response to calexn

    I have the same problem as well.  I'll try all of the suggestions above and see if they work...already wasted an hour on this...very upset with Apple.  How can they have not adequately tested the backup and restore process??!!!  Of all of the things to break this has got to be the worst.  Massive FAIL on this one guys!

  • by matias.ak,

    matias.ak matias.ak Oct 13, 2011 1:29 AM in response to wsucoug95
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 13, 2011 1:29 AM in response to wsucoug95

    Actually I have the same problem excatly like your problem . I really need my data please If some one know what should I do tell me . thank  you so much. I should return mu data please help me

  • by SupremeNemesis,

    SupremeNemesis SupremeNemesis Oct 13, 2011 1:41 AM in response to wsucoug95
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 13, 2011 1:41 AM in response to wsucoug95

    FFS - I have wasted like 4 hours today on this password thing.  I have lost my backup that I did today when it was upgrading - somehow it disappeared.  I have a backup on my home PC from about 8 days ago but it too wants a password.  I have tried about 50 passwords and none of them work.

     

    Can there be some sort of recovery program for this?

  • by lhukas,

    lhukas lhukas Oct 13, 2011 5:11 AM in response to wsucoug95
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 13, 2011 5:11 AM in response to wsucoug95

    Same problem, itunes does NOT accept my password. I know my password. Apple, please take action now!!!

  • by matias.ak,

    matias.ak matias.ak Oct 13, 2011 5:15 AM in response to lhukas
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 13, 2011 5:15 AM in response to lhukas

    You said you know your pasword you mean which pasword you know ? unlock at home page of your iPhone or at back up pasword cause of I don't understand which pasword iTunes want

  • by lhukas,

    lhukas lhukas Oct 13, 2011 5:19 AM in response to matias.ak
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 13, 2011 5:19 AM in response to matias.ak

    yeah that's funny. I never created a password for the itunes backup. however it's required. I know my itunes account password but that doesn't work either. Wondering if Apple could let us know if they are working on this problem or not.

  • by matias.ak,

    matias.ak matias.ak Oct 13, 2011 5:23 AM in response to lhukas
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 13, 2011 5:23 AM in response to lhukas

    acually I have the same problem and really I need my data especially my cantact list are you a PC user or mac os x user ?

  • by mister369,

    mister369 mister369 Oct 13, 2011 8:57 AM in response to wsucoug95
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 13, 2011 8:57 AM in response to wsucoug95

    Guys try typing in the password of your laptop/desktop.... I know this sounds strange but it i had the same problems and thought why not try the machine password and this works.

    I have retested this with my bros iphone with ios5 and it seemed to work then!

     

    However it needs to be the password of the machine (laptop/desktop) the phone was originally sync'd or connected with

     

    (i noticed this as when i tried using my laptop's psw it didnt work but my desktop psw DID and i remembered i first connected my phone to that!)

     

    Hope this helps

  • by gev.iphone,

    gev.iphone gev.iphone Oct 13, 2011 9:29 AM in response to wsucoug95
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 13, 2011 9:29 AM in response to wsucoug95

    I had the same issue. Strange enough, after disconnecting my IPhone and re-connect; I got a question about restore from backup or create new. After trying several password which did not work, I clicked 'Cancel' and then the restore from backup started automatically! It is now in the middle of the progress and looks fine

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