iTunes freezes at 'backing up' after upgrading to ios 5

Try moving the existing backup file to a safe location. After you get a good backup you can delete it. The backup is located:

iTunes places the backup files in the following places:

• Mac: ~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup/
• Windows XP: \Documents and Settings\(username)\Application Data\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup\
• Windows Vista and Windows 7: \Users\(username)\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup\

Note: If you do not see the AppData or Application Data folders, you may need to show hidden files (Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7), or iTunes may not be installed in the default location. Show hidden files and then search the hard drive for the Backup directory.

By issues, my Windows 7 acts frozen - it showed backup, then later showed - but my whole system locked me out so I could not do anything

is this Apple trying to prevent users from stopping? warn us, or we'll just hit and so a hard restart of the system thinking itunes locked up)

100 minutes ago the system clock stopped. The iTunes progress bar looks to be 99.99% "iPod Software Update (processing....)"

So yea, it seems like a fluke, a failure, not right, an update gone amiss, and a user interface GUI that would not ever have been allowed in my shop (we did CICS and other old school things). And we kicked the tires so anyone could sit, work, get what they needed... and impossible to get lost, break, or abuse-proof.

I've heard people say 'let it sit for hours" rather than cancel, and I think i have an idea cancelling would create a bigger mess - and have to go through again.

'what did you do this week?' oh, tried to get iOS 5 to update - to redownload apps, etc and still have not been able to.

And I read, i totally uninstalled all apple software and old files no longer needed or causing trouble (moved to another hard drive). Felt really confident two hours ago. But when i see the system clock has not moved or changed and can't even lauch task manager, i think major doo-doo.

This problem is quite common, but I have not been able to figure out what causes it. My best bet is that it's a USB issue, and I have found a workaround that makes synchronising possible when all else fails. For the record, I have tried all of the potential solutions on these forums without lasting success. Here's what worked for me.

(Windows 7 32bit, iPhone 4S, iTunes 10.6.1.7)

First of all, make sure you have a good wi-fi signal in the region of the PC you are syncing with. Then -

1) Start iTunes.

2) Connect phone via USB.

3) Left click on phone in iTunes.

4) On the Summary page check "Sync with this phone over Wi Fi"

5) On the phone go to Settings>General>iTunes wi-fi sync

6) Tap on Sync now.

The phone should sync via wi-fi, even though it is connected via USB. It didn't seem any slower to me than syncing via the cable, and more importantly it worked, and the backup went smoothly. I've tried it several times now with no problems.

Also, if you have a lot of apps you need to synchronise or you are re-arranging the app windows using iTunes you can sync in the normal way from the PC if you do it immediately after the wi-fi sync, because iTunes does not run the backup again. It probably won't run two backups within a few minutes of one another.

It's all a bit of a fiddle, and Apple/MS needs to get a fix for it, but if this method works for you at least you have a good backup should you flush your phone down the toilet!

Good luck!