My entire calendar was deleted (I lost 3 years of important events) on my iPhone 4. This happened when I took it to the Genius Bar and they synched / merged my calendar to iCloud KNOWING MY PHONE WAS NOT BACKED UP! Is there anyway to retrieve the data?

Question

My entire calendar was deleted (I lost 3 years of important events) on my iPhone 4. This happened when I took it to the Genius Bar and they synched / merged my calendar to iCloud KNOWING MY PHONE WAS NOT BACKED UP! Is there anyway to retrieve the data?

My entire calendar was deleted (I lost 3 years of important events) on my iPhone 4. This happened when I took it to the Genius Bar and they synched / merged my calendar to iCloud KNOWING MY PHONE WAS NOT BACKED UP! Is there anyway to retrieve the data? Again, the data was only saved to my phone. Having that said, I just can't comprehend how 3 years of events could be just deleted permanently by turning on iCloud for calendars. Please help! This information is vital to me!!!

iPhone 4

Posted on Jan 9, 2014 7:18 PM

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Answer 1

ChrisJ4203

Level 10

230,317 points

Jan 9, 2014 7:31 PM in response to KrystelleLynne

Did you go to www.icloud.com and see if the calendar is there? In three years you never synced your calendar to a supported application to archive your calendar? I would check iCloud as I would think that is what they did for the backup.

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Answer 2

Jan 9, 2014 7:42 PM in response to ChrisJ4203

In 3 years I never synched my calendar to iCloud for fear I would lose my data. I explained all of this (and the fact that my phone had never been backed up to iCloud or iTunes to the tech at the Genius Bar (I was having wifi issues with my phone which is why I was there so I COULD START BACKING UP) and he assured me synching / merging to iCloud would not delete my calendar events: well, it did. Yes! I have spent hours with apple tech support and had my iTunes account in "troubleshoot " status so the engineers could go into iCloud to see if they could retrieve events. They found nothing. I just don't understand where it goes if it's on the phone? I know there are ways forensic engineers retrieve "lost " data on cell phones. I just thought it might be worth it to post on here and see if there is any hope .

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Answer 3

ChrisJ4203

Level 10

230,317 points

Jan 9, 2014 7:45 PM in response to KrystelleLynne

But you never synced/backed up to the computer via iTunes? You didn't sync to Outlook, or Address Book, or something like that?

As far as iCloud, if you are working with Apple about trying to recover, then no one here is going to be able to top that. I'm sorry that you content is gone, but waiting 3 years to backup a device is literally asking for trouble. Good luck with Apple.

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Answer 4

Jan 9, 2014 7:53 PM in response to ChrisJ4203

Thank you. I understand this now. I purchased a new phone and that solved my wifi problem and now I'm so paranoid I back up to iTunes and iCloud daily!!! I appreciate your responses!

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Answer 5

ChrisJ4203

Level 10

230,317 points

Jan 9, 2014 7:55 PM in response to KrystelleLynne

I would also make sure that I synced my calendar to something, either the ones I mentioned earlier or via iCloud. I'm glad you got everything taken care of. Make sure you backup your computer too. There can never be enough backups!! 🙂

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Answer 6

Jan 9, 2014 8:12 PM in response to ChrisJ4203

I have my calendar synched to my email account and iCloud and I'm in the process of getting a MacBook Pro Retina and when that happens I'm hoping it will make things easier for me but I've been a PC user so I know I'll be asking lots more questions (LOL) especially regarding how to back up the MAC Book Pro! I agree, and now I've learned my lesson: There can never be enough backups!!! Thank you for your help!!!

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Answer 7

ChrisJ4203

Level 10

230,317 points

Jan 10, 2014 8:41 AM in response to KrystelleLynne

You're welcome. I cannot help with any Mac questions, I've always been a PC user. However, there are a number of very qualified others here, and there are forums unique to whatever computer you choose, so they can answer many questions. Good luck.

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Answer 8

Jan 10, 2014 1:51 PM in response to ChrisJ4203

This is I fear an inappropriate question on an Apple forum, but since you are so much more knowledgable than I re: backing up, etc. I had a quick question: what is your preferred method of backing up your PC?

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Answer 9

ChrisJ4203

Level 10

230,317 points

Jan 10, 2014 4:21 PM in response to KrystelleLynne

I use the included Windows backup program with an external hard drive. Set with a schedule, it will run a daily backup of whatever content I have it set to backup.

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Answer 10

Jan 15, 2014 7:07 PM in response to ChrisJ4203

Quick Question: Does the Windows Back up Program (Recommended Version) include backing up iTunes or do you have to choose that individually?

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Answer 11

ChrisJ4203

Level 10

230,317 points

Jan 15, 2014 9:08 PM in response to KrystelleLynne

It depends on where the iTunes folder is located. While it is usually located in the Music library (for Windows 7) you would need to check the backup settings to make sure that it backs up that folder. It really isn't hard to do.You can select or de-select whatever folders/drives/files you want it to backup.

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Answer 12

Jan 18, 2014 12:50 PM in response to ChrisJ4203

Thank you! I am doing my next back up today so I will double check on that! Trying to get everything in order because my MAC arrives on Wednesday. I have a question re: calendars on the iPhone 5S: is it possible to back it up to iCloud and my email server both? Currently, my calendar is merged with iCloud but is synched with my email account (hotmail). I wasn't sure if there was a way to back up to both? I thank you in advance!

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Answer 13

ChrisJ4203

Level 10

230,317 points

Jan 18, 2014 3:21 PM in response to KrystelleLynne

If your calendar is synced with iCloud, then it will be saved in iCloud. If you have it in Hotmail, then it is saved on the Microsoft server, that is separate from Apple. You should have no issues recovering your data.

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Answer 14

Jan 18, 2014 3:49 PM in response to KrystelleLynne

Umm, this is a long shot, but...

Under Settings > Mail, Contacts, Calendars, under the Calendars section, do you have 'Sync' set to 'All Events'?

In the Calendar App itself, do you have all the calendars turned 'ON' under the 'Calendars' section (bottom of the screen in iOS 7, top left of the screen in iOS 6)?

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Answer 15

Jan 19, 2014 4:37 PM in response to TJBUSMC1973

Yes. I have done all that. Thank you for trying though! I appreciate you responding!!!

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