I Can't Sync Anywhere, Is There An Answer?

Question

I Can't Sync Anywhere, Is There An Answer?

Months ago, when IOS7 came out my iPhone 5 refused to sync with my PC (which is running Windows 7). Any time I would try to sync, iTunes would give me a message that it could not read the contents of my iPhone and I should do a factory reset. I went to the Genius bar in my city and they told me that was the best fix. I did that. It seemed to work. Then I tried to sync the next day, got the same message. I reset the phone again and the same thing happened. I gave up.

I got back to trying to fix it again, and went to the Genius bar again for another reason and brought this up again. I was told to deinstall and reinstall iTunes. I attempted that but could not get one of the files to delete because it was in use by another part of my system. I sort of gave up again.

But today I got the bright idea of syncing on my husband's Mac! That had to work because I was not getting interference from Microsoft. He said that would be OK with him and I plugged the phone in but was told that the Mac could not read the contents of my iPhone! It's the same problem.

What is wrong? It looks like my iPhone is corrupted or something. What can I do? I am using 7.0.4 version of the IOS.

iPhone 5, Other OS, OS 7I have a Dell Latitude as well.

Posted on Jan 30, 2014 2:33 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Best reply

Allan Sampson

Level 10

123,677 points

Jan 30, 2014 2:52 PM in response to thegreatwhitephone

This link may be helpful.

http://support.apple.com/kb/TS3470

Reply

Answer 2

Jan 30, 2014 5:52 PM in response to thegreatwhitephone

OK, I am going through this and found that it would connect with my PC and with my husband's Mac. But that was as a "clean" restored phone. I am going to back it up from my PC at work and then from the iCloud and hope that works. Could be something that I put in the phone (like a game or an app). We shall see. I think this is the right track and though I have redone this about 4 times, it yeilded some information I haven't had before.

Reply

Answer 3

Ralph9430

Level 7

21,732 points

Jan 30, 2014 6:02 PM in response to thegreatwhitephone

If you are going to restore the phone and load a previous back up the back up file may contain whatever it was that caused your problem. If the problem returns go through the process again but do not use the backup file.

Reply

Answer 4

Jan 30, 2014 6:55 PM in response to Ralph9430

You have a good point, Ralph. But I am wondering how I would be able to get my data back into to phone without getting it from a back up. I really don't want to put in each of the contacts by hand, for instance. I don't think there is a way to reinstall selective parts of a back up (which as reinstall all of the contacts only but not the apps). Or isw there a way and I just didn't think of it?

Reply

Answer 5

Jan 31, 2014 5:07 AM in response to thegreatwhitephone

I think I got to the bottom of it. Then answer is so simple that it can hide in plain sight.

First, I suspect that one of the many apps I have downloaded over the years either became corrupted or interfered with the fundamental operation of the iPhone. I suppose that I could go to the AppStore and download each one by one as a clean copy (some but not all were shown as also being in the cloud).

However, an easier (but slightly riskier way) is to go to your iCloud in the settings section of your iPhone and see that you can control which apps are backed up. Storage & Backup->Manage Storage>(The name of your iPhone). You are presented with a list of the apps you have on the phone and the option to turn off and delete. Go down the list and cull which ones you don't want (the ones you thought you would use and never do). Then perfrorm a backup. Clean out your backups on your computer(s) as well.

This fix feels right. I have picked up a lot of apps in the time I have had my iPhone(s) and one of them was bound to be trouble.

Reply