iP3GS w iOS 5.1.1--restoring backup to iP4S w iOS 6

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iP3GS w iOS 5.1.1--restoring backup to iP4S w iOS 6

I have an iphone 3GS with iOS 5.1.1 on it (cannot update it to iOS 6 bc it doesn't have 2.1 GB avail.) & will be restoring from backup to an iphone 4S that has been wiped clean and I believe has iOS 6 (or does it? how can i tell if i can't activate it yet since MicroSIM from AT&T hasn't came yet?) anyway, will there be any significant "issues" if I restore a backup that is from 3GS and has iOS 5.1.1? Thanks.

iPhone 3GS, iOS 5.1.1, Phone 4S; iOS 6; restore frm backup

Posted on Nov 27, 2012 5:15 PM

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Answer 1

ChrisJ4203

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Nov 27, 2012 5:35 PM in response to robblaw

There should not be any problem. You can restore to a phone with a newer iOS from a backup of an older iOS, however you cannot do the other way around. In other words, you cannot restore a backup from a newer iOS to a phone with an older iOS.

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Answer 2

robblaw Author

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Nov 28, 2012 7:54 AM in response to ChrisJ4203

Ok. Thanks...what if I don't know what iOS is on the new iP4S bc i do not have microsim yet? it cld be 5.0 (it was reset to factory settings by original owner). I have 5.1.1 on the 3GS. Will this be an issue? There is really no way to find out until/unless i cut down SIM or get a new microsim to activate the new iP4S, correct? I just wish it was a simpler process going from one phone to another, but that would be consumer friendly and hurt profit I guess.

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Answer 3

ChrisJ4203

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Nov 28, 2012 12:10 PM in response to robblaw

It actually is quite easy moving from one device to another. Your complaint, it seems, has to do with your lack of a SIM card. That is a carrier thing, since the GSM phones require a SIM card to operate.

Check out this support document for information on transferring content from one device to another. http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2109

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Answer 4

robblaw Author

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Nov 29, 2012 10:34 AM in response to ChrisJ4203

Yes, the SIM card is the defacto issue it seems. If anyone cld answer my question regarding my old 3GS having iOS 5.1.1 and my new (used) 4S that has been reset to factory defaults, wiped clean and may very possibly have iOS 5.0 on it and whether or not this will cause issues restoring from back up (current 3GS backup w iOS 5.1.1 saved to computer), pls let me know. Also, I have thought about just using iCloud to save backups to but with all the issues of it going down recently, haven't yet done so. I do save notes, bookmarks and email to iCloud, however.

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Answer 5

ChrisJ4203

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Nov 29, 2012 1:35 PM in response to robblaw

Okay, now your response is different from the original. With the backup of the 3GS, you are sure it has iOS5.1.1 on it. If you are trying to restore it to the iPhone 4, and the 4 has iOS 5 on it, as I wrote in my first reply, this will not work. You cannot put a backup from a newer iOS onto a phone with an older iOS. You can only do it the other way around. You can put a backup from an older iOS onto a phone with a newer iOS.

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Answer 6

robblaw Author

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Nov 29, 2012 4:02 PM in response to ChrisJ4203

right, the response is different from original bc it dawned on me when i asked the former owner of the 4S who had reset it to factory settings that it pbly 99% had iOS 5 on it (not 5.1.1). no way to know for sure until SIM card cutter comes. I can just pop the micro SIM in (after sim cutter gets here) to the 4S and when it starts up and activates, connect it to iTunes and update the iOS to 6.0, right? I don't have to physically have the phone connected to the computer/itunes to simply restore or activate the phone do I? Thx.

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Answer 7

ChrisJ4203

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Nov 29, 2012 6:02 PM in response to robblaw

As long as the phone is at iOS 5 or above you should be able to update to iOS 6 OTA. You can also finish activation OTA as well. Your backup however, would have to be on iCloud to be able to restore to it without connecting to iTunes.

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