Q: Updated to iOs5 lost everything! Help?

just having the same issue... MY PHONE HAS BEEN COMPLETELY WIPED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THREE YEARS OF PHOTOS AND VIDEOS... GONE

SOMEONE HELP PLEASE.

I just plugged my "clean" iPad running iOS 5 (no data or content or iCloud or Store account settings) into my Air. (I know that my Air has a DIFFERENT ipsw file, downloaded at a different time yesterday).

This Air is running Lion.  After opening iTunes and plugging in the iPad, iTunes' reaction was COMPLETELY different.  Different procedures began to run, it auomatically started restoring from a backup from yesterday, it gave me better messages, and it was faster.

Even though I don't want to be syncing my iPad to my Air, I believe this is a good test.  If it fails, I will specifically wipe the iPad and restore the software/firmware from the ipsw file on my Air and see if that helps.

santranyc wrote:

 

I just plugged my "clean" iPad running iOS 5 (no data or content or iCloud or Store account settings) into my Air. (I know that my Air has a DIFFERENT ipsw file, downloaded at a different time yesterday).

 

This Air is running Lion.  After opening iTunes and plugging in the iPad, iTunes' reaction was COMPLETELY different.  Different procedures began to run, it auomatically started restoring from a backup from yesterday, it gave me better messages, and it was faster.

Ultimately, this failed.  iTunes came up with the spinning beach ball and had to be Force Quit.

The iPad was completely bricked.  Wouldn't turn on, wouldn't wake up, even when plugged into a power outlet (and yes, it has plenty of juice).

So I did this: launched iTunes on the Air (Lion), held the Home button down, and plugged in the iPad.  iTunes then saw it!  And I saw a brief flash of light on the iPad!

Now it is restoring software (iOS 5).  This will be from a DIFFERENT ipsw file.  I will then set up as a NEW ipad.

same happened to me??????????????????????????????????????????????? pls help

Same here. Installed OS 5 on one iPod Touch 4g (yes, I know this is iPhones but it's relevant) on one PC, that took 9 hours.  Second iPod Touch 4g on a different computer went through but deleted all but 2 Apps (??) all photos and contacts despite doing a backup BEFORE installing OS 5!

Right now I'm hating Apple.  Really f*cking hating.

OK, there's good news, and there's bad news.  Sorry. 

The good news: I now have a working iPad.

The EVEN BETTER news: wireless sync is incredible (you have to set it up in both iTunes and on the iPad). Cable and extra dock be gone!  A USB port freed up—yay!

Alright, now the bad news.

I had to wipe my iPad completely, reinstall from the ipsw file on my Air (running Lion) downloaded yesterday, and set up as a new iPad.  Only those three things together made the upgrade work.

Trouble is, I'm not sure which is the key.  I don't think it's having Lion per se, because as recounted above, the first Lion install test resulted in a failure, albeit a different type of failure(s) than on the SL MBP machine.  This was the spinning beach ball failure in iTunes.

So...my suggestions are these: convert all machines to Lion, open iTunes on a Lion machine, reboot your iPad, the minute it goes black let go of the power button but keep the Home button depressed, drop it into the dock, make sure the graphic with the cable shown pointing comes up, do a fresh install on iOS 5 on your iPad, let the installation wipe it, set up as a new iPad.  If there are any errors, download a new ipsw file.

My office has to install Exchange today and I'll be rebuiding my iPad Apps and media bit by bit.  I'll report back if there are any problems.

For those in digifunk's predicament—i.e., no backup of iPhone or iPod content anywhere—there's a software out there called iCopyBot that will help extract the content and copy it to your hard drive so that you have a backup before attempting iOS 5 installation.  About $20.

Pardon my ignorance, but what "ipsw file" means? I've been reading this for a while and don't know what it is.

Also, how can I move the backup folder on my Windows7 laptop. I did a backup before starting with the whole IOS 5 update thing and all the problems and want to "protect" that info.

Thanks for your help with this and still waiting for a solution on all this update thing. It's driving me nuts!!!

After having clicked "Continue" for the restore various times, and still getting a final error -34. I went to Advanced in the preferences of iTunes and clicked "Reset cache" and "Reset warnings". Then iTunes started to sync everything all over again but everything is allright now! It only took me some 6 hours because there had to be 4220 song converted to 128 kpbs first. But, hey I'm happy. I got it working. I hope this is useful information for all of you who are still cursing and struggling with getting iOS5 to sync and work.

Some of our  problems are that we ACTUALLY went beyond the syncing/updating process. 

I updated my iPod last night around 9:40pm....and stayed up until 4am and just gave up!!!

I tried restoring it to previous backups and it gave me nothing but previously saved pics on my iPod and still no music.  I'm guessing I'm gonna have to download all 1,000+ songs over again. 

Apple  could at least offer me a way to reload my music and vids that I PAID FOR.  If there is no way for me to do this I am serioulsy done with buying tracks and vids from iTunes.

This is too much drama over an update.

I also lost most of the data on my iphone 4.. all my camera roll photos are gone, music is gone, other picture folders are there but videos are gone. This is not cool at all..

Alright I'm gonna be taking back what I said about iTunes -_-

For those who purchased music off their devices you can reload them without having to contact Apple through your device.

http://support.apple.com/kb/ht2519

This link should tell you to:

1) Go to iTunes on your device

2) Click PURCHASED on the bottom tab (it's next to the SEARCH button)

3) ...Wait for the list to come up...I think the more songs you have the longer it would take.

4) Click download (it's the silver cloud logo on the R-side of each songs)

You can now multi-load with iOS 5

Ugh I lost everything too. Texts, pics contacts etc. So annoying, I wish I had never updated. My backup files are corrupt and last option that I have is a backup from July 2010. :(

I think we're screwed people. Start from ZERO!!!!

I managed to get my photos, contacts and messages back, everything but apps actually, but maybe my apps just weren't set to sync and you could get your's. First I disabled the Bonjour process by searching for it under "Services".

Then I went to Device Manager, where my iphone and ipad were listed as Portable devices, which is bad. I right clicked to manually update drivers, and chose this folder

C:\Program Files\Common Files\Apple\Mobile Device Support\Drivers

Then it recognized properly and let me restore from backup.  Hope this helps some people!

Another one with the same problem here. I can recreate everything except my Camera Roll which is the one invaluable thing! Nice one Apple. I'm afraid that I won't forgive you for this one. I trusted that the backup had worked ok