karla44444444
Level 1 (4 points)
Desktops

Q: Recovering music/apps?

I asked this on another part of the forum but I will also ask here. I Deleted some of a file called 'var' to make more space and the computer messed up so I restored from time machine instead of new installation of OSX because I don't have enough space on the computer. The problem is, that time machine backup date that it will restore from I think is from before I accumulated a lot of music downloads (not from Apple) but saved on iTunes in my music, and many Apple App Store downloaded apps for iPhone. All those files for the music and apps is probably not going to be on the computer anymore, so what does this mean for the music and apps I currently have on my iPhone 6 Plus?

iMac, OS X Yosemite (10.10.1), iMac 20 inch mid 2007

Posted on May 17, 2016 6:40 AM

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karla44444444

Q: Recovering music/apps?

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  • by Limnos,

    Limnos Limnos May 17, 2016 6:43 AM in response to karla44444444
    Level 9 (53,643 points)
    Mac OS X
    May 17, 2016 6:43 AM in response to karla44444444

    I don't use Time Machine. Can you restore only the specific folder?

  • by karla44444444,

    karla44444444 karla44444444 May 17, 2016 7:39 AM in response to Limnos
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Desktops
    May 17, 2016 7:39 AM in response to Limnos

    I'vw restored from time machine completely I think. All the zip files for music, Apple app files etc. Are now gone from the iMac but I still have the music from those files and apps on my iPhone which are still working. Is there anywhere to restore the Music and apps from my iPhone to my computer?

  • by Limnos,

    Limnos Limnos May 17, 2016 7:46 AM in response to karla44444444
    Level 9 (53,643 points)
    Mac OS X
    May 17, 2016 7:46 AM in response to karla44444444

    Your i-device was not designed for unique storage of your media. It is not a backup device and media transfer was planned with you maintaining a master copy of your media on a computer which is itself independently backed up against loss.  To use a device with a different setup you transfer the old library from a computer or a backup directly to the new setup, not the device to the library. Media syncing is one way, computer to device, updating the device content to the content on the computer, not updating or restoring content on a computer from a device. The exception is iTunes Store media purchases which can be transferred to a computer.

     

    Redownload or transfer your iTunes Store purchases from an iPhone, iPad or iPod to a computer - https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201267 - "This feature works only for content bought from the iTunes Store." As of iOS9 it no longer does apps which now must be re-downloaded directly from the Store.

     

    For transferring other items from an i-device to a computer you will have to use third party commercial software.  See this document by turingtest2: Recovering your iTunes library from your iPod or iOS device - https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-3991  Even this method may not fully recover what you had in the library originally. For example if in order to save space when syncing you had converted music files to a lower bitrate, or photos to a lower resolution, it is those lower quality files you will recover.

     

    If you subscribe to Apple Music, tracks which are not part of content you have purchased or uploaded cannot be transferred and have to be downloaded directly from iCloud.