Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Lost all app data and former backups after iTunes 11 update

I just updated to iTunes 11. I'm using Windows 8 Pro x64 and an Apple iPhone 5 32GB. Before the update I made a backup of my iPhone.

So far, so good.


Problems that occured after the update:


1. One Music CD in my library was split into two albums with titles 1-4 and 5-13. I fixed that manually.


2. Available space on my iPhone decreased after the update. I've got an iPhone 5 with 32GB capacity. Before the update and sync with iTunes 11 I had like almost 5GB of empty space. Now it's only 1.31GB. There are not more apps, music, pictures etc. on my iPhone than before the update.


3. All data of apps like balance (budget tool), Momento (diary) is gone! Apps like Dropbox lost their settings.


Hence, I decided to restore the data from the backup I made just before updating to iTunes 11. THIS BACKUP IS GONE!! I'm no IT newbie and I'm an iPhone user since the iPhone 3.


I just wish I would have not updated to iTunes 11. Apple Switzerland's Support was not able to help. They said if the backup is gone, data is lost ;(

iPhone 5, Other OS, Windows 8 Pro x64

Posted on Nov 30, 2012 3:58 AM

Reply
4 replies

Dec 2, 2012 10:50 AM in response to RMi_CH

I have the same problem. Upgraded to iTunes 11, connected my phone like usual, now all my third-party app data is gone. Bundled apps and apps signed with a developer profile retain their data, but all apps installed from AppStore have been emptied.


iTunes lists about 20gb as "Other", so the data seems to remain on my phone, but inaccessible.


Of course my phone has been backed up to iCloud overwriting my data there, and I stopped taking local backups after iCloud arrived...


RMi, do you usually get a dialog saying "syncing ahs been disabled on this computer"? I have, and always ignored it, since syncing works anyway, but I wonder if it's related. I'm attaching an image.

User uploaded file

Also, I'm on an iPhone 5 on iOS 6.0.0, with a Mac on 10.8.2 and iTunes 11.

Dec 3, 2012 4:14 AM in response to Joachim Bengtsson1

Hi Joachim


No, I never got such a message regarding syncing. Actually, the only problem I ever had with an iPhone was that the picture folder was messed up. Meanwhile I scanned my whole PC and yes, data of all thirdparty apps is definitely gone. At least I could retrieve some old data from my former iPhone 4.


For any future iTunes updates I will first make a full backup of the iTunes folder itself and the AppData folder in my user folder (Windows 8), since I don't trust the iTunes installer anymore.

Dec 3, 2012 5:07 AM in response to RMi_CH

Empty/corrupt library after upgrade/crash

Hopefully it's not been too long since you last upgraded iTunes, in fact if you get an empty/incomplete library immediately after upgrading then with the following steps you shouldn't lose a thing or need to do any further housekeeping. In the Previous iTunes Libraries folder should be a number of dated iTunes Library files. Take the most recent of these and copy it into the iTunes folder. Rename iTunes Library.itl as iTunes Library (Corrupt).itl and then rename the restored file as iTunes Library.itl. Start iTunes. Should all be good, bar any recent additions to or deletions from your library.


User uploaded file


See iTunes Folder Watch for a tool to catch up with any changes since the backup file was created.


When you get it all working make a backup!


If you have synced your device on two separate days then the current state of your device backup will no longer have the stored data for the apps that were removed. If however you have not resynced since noticing the problem then, once the library is restored, it may be possible to restore the device to bring back the missing app data.


tt2

Dec 5, 2012 4:05 AM in response to turingtest2

Hi turingtest2


I didn't use my notebook since my last post, so I checked in the Previous iTunes Libraries folder and indeed, there it was, the missing library with date and time stamp just bevore I upgraded to iTunes v11. Right after copying and renaming the specific file, apps that I installed after the update were removed and music that I had deleted reappeared in iTunes. So it all did look good. Unfortunately, there was no change regarding third party data. After syncing the data is still missing, while the newer apps have no been removed from my iPhone and some music has been added. I don't know what happed during the upgrade to v11.

Lost all app data and former backups after iTunes 11 update

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple ID.