restoring iphone 4 backup to iphone 4s

Question

restoring iphone 4 backup to iphone 4s

O.K. ---- I am srsly p'od!!!!

I have spent the last three hours trying to restore my iPhone4 backup to my new iPhone 4S. And everytime I just end up with a factory standard iPhone 4S - no text messages, no contacts, no photos.

I mean really, I only want my messages and contacts - the rest I can do away with (backed up separately on PC).

Have no idea what I am doing wrong. Here is the process I have followed:-

1) Backup old iPhone 4 in iTunes

2) Disconnect old iPhone 4

3) Connect new iPhone 4S

3) Go through setting up new phone AND selecte option to restore phone from a previous backup on my computer through iTunes,

4) Phone and computer "talk" to one another

5) I end up with a blank iPhone 4S - no txt's, no contacts.

Maybe I am just too old to figure this sh*t out - but this is srsly frustrating.

I hope that someone out there has figured out how you actually do this, 'cause Apple's advice ain't working for me.

Help!!!!! Please!!!!!

dd

Posted on Nov 10, 2011 7:08 AM

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Answer 1

Nov 10, 2011 7:13 AM in response to halloweenjack

if the restore didnt worked out, when you click on iphone in itunes there on the right you see some tabs like apps,contacts,music,texts etc go to each of them and select sync all. it will copy/sync everything into ur new 4s

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Answer 2

Nov 10, 2011 7:16 AM in response to sunil kumar from cincinnati

Nice idea Sunil - but there is nothing there on those tabs. I have searched the forums and it seems I'm not the only one with this problem, but no answers as yet.

Come on Apple - this is not rocket science. This is backup and restore 101.

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Answer 3

Nov 10, 2011 7:20 AM in response to halloweenjack

http://media.wiley.com/Lux/47/117447.image6.jpg?h=400&w=535 check this out you will see similar thing in ur itunes too, on the summary tab you will see restore and other stuff in a similar way you can see on top like apps,ringtones etc

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Answer 4

Nov 10, 2011 7:23 AM in response to halloweenjack

check this out once if will help you out

http://support.apple.com/kb/ht2109

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Answer 5

Nov 10, 2011 7:42 AM in response to sunil kumar from cincinnati

Thx Sunil, I appreciate your trying to help, but nothing seems to work. 😟

I think I have to go into an Apple store and see if their "geniuses" can work it out.

I don't think I have encountered a technology/sortware process that is as frustrating as this, and believe me, I have been around since year dot in terms of tech.

My hubby is not going to be happy tomorrow, seeing as I promised he would have a new iPhone when he wakes up - lol.

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Answer 6

Nov 10, 2011 7:49 AM in response to halloweenjack

lol...haha..ok try it out in the apple store then can help you out

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Answer 7

Lexiepex

Level 6

14,102 points

Nov 10, 2011 8:17 AM in response to halloweenjack

In iTunes, with the iPhone 4s connected, rightclick the iPhone under Devices. From the menu you get choose "restore from backup", choose a backup from before you connected the 4S for the first time....

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Answer 8

Nov 10, 2011 9:25 AM in response to halloweenjack

Thank you Sunil and Lex. I finally figured out the right click thing.

I am really beginning to doubt my level of understanding of modern sytems these days. Who designs these interfaces?????

The whole right click thing? - was not obvious to me. I thought that if you had synced your original phone and when setting up the new phone and answered on it that you wanted to restore from a previous backup that the phone would either start the restore or in the case of multiple backups show you a list of backups to choose from. I did not expect that I would have to change focus from the phone and not only resume focus in iTunes but also initiate an action from it to the iPhone. From a process flow, this makes no sense at all.

Further, the restore from backup only restored my contacts and texts, apps I had to do manually. Go figure.

I used to love your products Apple, but more and more you are becoming like Microsoft. Like I said earlier, this ain't rocket science.

(Thanks for letting me rant though, and props to the ppl who try to help us befuddled dudes out).

TTFN.

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Answer 9

Lexiepex

Level 6

14,102 points

Nov 10, 2011 9:41 AM in response to halloweenjack

glad you solved it. get rid of the frustrations and enjoy the sun.

😉

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Answer 10

pagecrew

Level 1

0 points

Mar 30, 2012 5:12 PM in response to halloweenjack

LexSchellings instructs worked perfectly for me, thanks!

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Answer 11

Apr 2, 2013 7:17 AM in response to halloweenjack

Assuming you have older backups:

a) Mac OS: ~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup

b) Windows XP: %AppData%\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup

c) Windows Vista: %AppData%\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup

d) Windows 7: %AppData%\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup

Go onto iTunes, right click on your device on the left-hand side bar, and their should be an option 'Restore iPhone From Backup', or something similar,click that and it'll restore your iPhone to a previous backup.

Hope this helpful.

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Answer 12

May 13, 2013 4:49 AM in response to halloweenjack

You need to upgrade your iPhone 4 to the same version of iOS as the backup or a newer version. If the backup is of iOS 5.1.1, you must update the iPhone 4 to iOS 5.1.1. You could even restore that backup onto a 4s running iOS 5.1.1.

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