Best way to clone an iPad 2?

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Best way to clone an iPad 2?

I've seen a few topics on this, but they're a few years old.

I believe it's an iPad 2 running iOS 5.0.1.

I'm not fully familiar with iOS, but are there any tools to easily create a complete mirror of the current OS install similar to a clockworkmod backup on Android?

What I've read so far is the way to go about this is first sync your ipad through itunes, then create a backup of it in itunes, can someone confirm that'd be the best way? If I was to restore this backup, would it restore exactly to the state (including downgrading ios version) the ipad was in at the point the backup was made?

I've seen this page: About backups in iCloud and iTunes - Apple Support

So I assume besides having to sync/reinstall installed apps.

Sorry if this is a commonly asked question, but with something like this, better safe than sorry.

Thanks

iPad 2, iOS 5.0.1

Posted on Feb 2, 2016 5:08 PM

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Answer 1

deggie

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Feb 2, 2016 5:17 PM in response to ben424

It will make a copy but it will not downgrade the OS.

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Answer 2

MichelPM

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Feb 2, 2016 5:25 PM in response to ben424

I suspect your iPad is the original iPad 1 from 2010,

If your iPad has no rear camera lens on the back and no front facing camera lens (small dot) opposite the Home button, then you have the first, original iPad.

That iPad can only be upgraded to iOS 5.1.1 as its maximum iOS version

You would need to upgrade by plugging your iPad 1 into a computer running iTunes AND, if is still available on the Apple servers, you can update that iPad to iOS 5.1.1.

If this is an iPad 1, that' is it for updating your iPad 1.

If iOS 5.1.1 is no longer available, then your iPad 1 is forever stuck with iOS 5.0.1

Good Luck

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Answer 3

ben424 Author

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Feb 3, 2016 9:23 AM in response to deggie

Is there any way to revert back to it's original OS and restore this backup, should I want to?

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Answer 4

ShagCA

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Feb 3, 2016 9:25 AM in response to ben424

ben424 wrote:

Is there any way to revert back to it's original OS and restore this backup, should I want to?

that means downgrading iOS so the answer is a big NO.

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Answer 5

ben424 Author

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Feb 3, 2016 9:28 AM in response to MichelPM

It's an ipad 2. It has cameras in a back corner as well as on the front opposite side of the home button. Prior to making this thread I read up that ipad 2 is still supported, but with 'limited' support from ios8+, not quite sure what's limited.

Either way, is there any kind of backup solution to revert back to it's exact original state, including OS version, similar to an android clockwordmod backup, or a windows image clone?

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Answer 6

ben424 Author

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Feb 3, 2016 9:32 AM in response to ShagCA

Just want to confirm, since it's an anomaly as you normally have possibilities to customize devices but I know people say with Apple you're "locked in", as well as your wording "big NO" kind of makes me think it's a big no no, as in advice don't do it. It's theoretically not possible to install whatever OS you want, on your Apple device?

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Answer 7

ShagCA

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Feb 3, 2016 9:33 AM in response to ben424

'limited' probably means that you can install the latest iOS 9.x but you may have to disable a few things to get the device to run at acceptable speed.

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Answer 8

ShagCA

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Feb 3, 2016 9:39 AM in response to ben424

I meant to say no, Apple users can never downgrade iOS. There may be a small window of opportunity to downgrade when Apple is still signing the previous iOS version but that does not last a long time. When they stop signing it, we're stuck with whatever iOS we have.

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