OrangeMarlin
Level 5 (5,163 points)
Peripherals

Q: Recovering corrupted notes

For some reason iCloud blew up my Notes (after blowing up my Numbers files earlier this week). So, after searching around these discussions, I found out that a Notes backup of the iCloud file exists in Containers or Mobile Documents, from which I should be able to restore from Time Machine. Except for the sad fact, that neither folder exists in prior Time Machine backups, they only exist in the current Finder. I have no clue how to get around that.

 

Then I realized, I save my iPhone and iPad to my iMac weekly, and the good version of my Notes is in there. I tried it. Unfortunately, a few seconds after opening Notes, it synced and overwrote my Notes from the corrupted iCloud version (which deleted all but the oldest Note). You can shut off Wifi and Cellular prior to restoring the iDevices, but unfortunately, the restore will turn them back on, and iCloud's evil self takes over and blows up my Notes.

 

Assuming that Time Machine is a lost cause (but willing to be pointed in the right direction to find where the Notes backups are), how can I make this iPhone's correct version of notes overwrite the iCloud version. Or give me sufficient time where I can email myself each note and then re-enter it. Or do something to save it.

Posted on Jul 8, 2014 1:36 PM

by dianeoforegon,Solvedanswer
dianeoforegon dianeoforegon
Level 5 (5,707 points)
Mac OS X
A:

Turn off iCloud sync for Notes on all devices.

 

Put the notes in the new User via Shared folder.

 

Your Hard Drive/Users/Shared

 

Option drag these folders to Shared to copy: (The "~" represents your Home folder. If you don't see Library in your Home folder, hold Option and click the Go menu.)


1) Copy the whole ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.Notes/ folder


2)  ~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup/


 

Drag from Shared (it actually copies) and place on Desktop.

Move the data into correct location in new User.

 

Syncing via iTunes should allow you to upload to iPhone.

 

iOS: Back up and restore your iOS device with iCloud or iTunes

iTunes: About iOS backups

 

Once you get the data on your phone you'll need to clean up iCloud notes before syncing back.

 

You might want to consider other options for syncing your notes.

Posted on Jul 8, 2014 6:45 PM

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OrangeMarlin

Q: Recovering corrupted notes

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  • Helpful answers

  • by dianeoforegon,

    dianeoforegon dianeoforegon Jul 8, 2014 5:58 PM in response to OrangeMarlin
    Level 5 (5,707 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jul 8, 2014 5:58 PM in response to OrangeMarlin

    Create a new User in System Preferences.

     

    Log in to the new User.

    Skip the Apple ID setup.

    Sync phone via iTunes.

     

    This should download your notes without corrupting from a backup.

     

    Let me know if this helps.

  • by OrangeMarlin,

    OrangeMarlin OrangeMarlin Jul 8, 2014 6:14 PM in response to dianeoforegon
    Level 5 (5,163 points)
    Peripherals
    Jul 8, 2014 6:14 PM in response to dianeoforegon

    I don't think that's going to work. The corruption is in iCloud. I have a full backup of my iPhone and iPad which should have my uncorrupted notes sitting on my iMac.

     

    I've tried to get that backup onto my iPhone, which I can. But what happens is that I get a near instantaneous syncing over the air of Notes with corrupted iCloud version, so I lose everything. I actually changed my Apple ID password, but that didn't do anything. In fact, I'm kind of blown away that changing my password didn't lock out iCloud from my iDevices. Very lame.

  • by dianeoforegon,Solvedanswer

    dianeoforegon dianeoforegon Jul 8, 2014 6:45 PM in response to OrangeMarlin
    Level 5 (5,707 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jul 8, 2014 6:45 PM in response to OrangeMarlin

    Turn off iCloud sync for Notes on all devices.

     

    Put the notes in the new User via Shared folder.

     

    Your Hard Drive/Users/Shared

     

    Option drag these folders to Shared to copy: (The "~" represents your Home folder. If you don't see Library in your Home folder, hold Option and click the Go menu.)


    1) Copy the whole ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.Notes/ folder


    2)  ~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup/


     

    Drag from Shared (it actually copies) and place on Desktop.

    Move the data into correct location in new User.

     

    Syncing via iTunes should allow you to upload to iPhone.

     

    iOS: Back up and restore your iOS device with iCloud or iTunes

    iTunes: About iOS backups

     

    Once you get the data on your phone you'll need to clean up iCloud notes before syncing back.

     

    You might want to consider other options for syncing your notes.

  • by OrangeMarlin,

    OrangeMarlin OrangeMarlin Jul 8, 2014 9:31 PM in response to dianeoforegon
    Level 5 (5,163 points)
    Peripherals
    Jul 8, 2014 9:31 PM in response to dianeoforegon

    Well, that basically worked so thank you very much. I had to make a couple of adjustments:

     

    1. I had to pull the file out of Time Machine from a couple of weeks ago to make sure I had the right version of my Notes. To do this, you need to make sure that you've closed down Notes and turned it off in iCloud.
    2. I had real issues setting up the share folder between my two accounts, and after spending an hour not making it work, I gave up and just moved ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.Notes/ to a flash drive. Once more Apple fails me in simplicity.
    3. Notes opened up in my new Account perfectly, but I couldn't make sync to my iPhone without messing everything up. I just did it the easy way and cut and pasted all of the Notes to a text file, and then cut and pasted that to my blank Notes on the original account.
    4. Turned on iCloud for Notes, everything is synced.

     

    I'm all right with iCloud, it does what it's supposed to do. It does get backed up with Time Machine. And it works 99.99% of the time perfectly with my iPad, iPhone, and iMac. This was a complicated fix because the Notes file got corrupted, and I couldn't figure out how to move the backed up files from Time Machine.

  • by dianeoforegon,

    dianeoforegon dianeoforegon Jul 9, 2014 9:39 AM in response to OrangeMarlin
    Level 5 (5,707 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jul 9, 2014 9:39 AM in response to OrangeMarlin

    Hi OrangeMarlin,

     

    Glad you were able to recover your notes.

     

    RE: Shared folder. You don't have to setup. It's a default folder.

     

    shared.png

     

    FYI..to sync secure notes, I would recommend using 1Password.  http://agilewebsolutions.com/products/1Password