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Q: Help with iTunes, iOS 10.0.1 on 32 bit machine

I have an iPhone 5s with iOS 9.3.5. I'm running iTunes 12.1.3 on a PC operating with Windows XP. Just checked on software updates for the phone and iTunes, and was told (by iTunes) that iOS 10.0.1 requires iTunes 12.1.2. Note the version numbers. I'm not accustomed to downgrades in software versions, so contacted Apple support and was told not to download iOS 10 to my phone and attempt to sync as it would create big potential problems.

 

A year ago, Apple introduced the iTunes version I am using (12.1.3) that would enable users to sync iPhones (and other devices) running iOS 9, on computers running Windows XP. Is there any knowledge about whether Apple will provide a similar "patched up" iTunes version to help those of us with dinosaur computers to sync phones with iOS 10.0.1 to iTunes? I realize that iOS 10 is just now out and Apple has had a few problems with it, so my issues are no where near the top of their list. Yet, I do have a problem that needs a solution. AND, buying upgrading operating systems on a computer that otherwise works just fine is not a good solution for me.

iPhone 5s, iOS 9.3.5

Posted on Sep 14, 2016 9:54 AM

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Q: Help with iTunes, iOS 10.0.1 on 32 bit machine

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  • by turingtest2,

    turingtest2 turingtest2 Sep 19, 2016 9:15 AM in response to yacheah
    Level 10 (86,076 points)
    Apple TV
    Sep 19, 2016 9:15 AM in response to yacheah

    You really don't get to try a new version of iOS. You either upgrade or you don't. You cannot go back if you're not happy. As given when I tested my iPhone 6+ on iOS 10.0.1 it was able to backup to iTunes 12.1.3.6, updating a backup that had earlier been updated by 12.5.1.21. I didn't actually update the phone as I was testing with an empty library, but iTunes offered to transfer purchases and I've no reason to think it wouldn't have worked if I had tried.

     

    While making images for this post I noticed (last image) that Apple Mobile Device Support has been using the same set of driver files since June last year. It begs the question why do so many people have trouble connecting to their devices after an iTunes update if the driver is unchanged, but hints that you're unlikely to have problems until that driver really does change. Of course for all I know Apple could release iOS 10.1 next week as a mandatory update, and the break compatibility with anything before 12.5.x...

     

    Whatever Microsoft's position, Apple have stopped supporting Vista. Not a decision they are likely to reverse.

     

    tt2

  • by yacheah,

    yacheah yacheah Sep 19, 2016 10:15 AM in response to turingtest2
    Level 1 (9 points)
    iTunes
    Sep 19, 2016 10:15 AM in response to turingtest2

    Hi

     

    I just tried it.

     

    iTunes recognises the iPhone.

     

    Is it safe for me to do a backup now? I did a backup just prior to updating it on air

     

    Thanks

  • by turingtest2,

    turingtest2 turingtest2 Sep 19, 2016 10:25 AM in response to yacheah
    Level 10 (86,076 points)
    Apple TV
    Sep 19, 2016 10:25 AM in response to yacheah

    Yes. See Tip: Archive iPhone backup in Windows if you want to keep a copy of the pre-upgrade backup. It might be useful if you only have the one active backup at the moment as this can often be updated automatically before you realise you've deleted something in error.

     

    tt2

  • by yacheah,

    yacheah yacheah Sep 19, 2016 10:45 AM in response to turingtest2
    Level 1 (9 points)
    iTunes
    Sep 19, 2016 10:45 AM in response to turingtest2

    Hi

     

    I tested it by syncing a song over. Worked.

     

    Just making a backup. It's taking longer to backup than usual but I guess that's because a lot of stuff changed with the iOS upgrade. The last bit of the progress bar is taking forever. I started it before the archiving the older pre update one. So fingers crossed.

     

    So I guess I am good to go until there is a next update in which case I had better steer clear of that. Am I correct in guessing that I can run 10.0.1 and continue to sync with my current Vista 32 bit PC running iTunes 12.1.3?

     

    If something goes awry with my iPhone, will I be able to restore from this backup without issues?

     

    OK so I don't understand this. 12.1.3 is obviously compatible with an iPhone running iOS 10. It just doesn't do the update.

     

    Is there a lot of work involved for Apple to make the update work on it? I am guessing there isn't. So why don't they just go ahead and make it work?

     

    Also, nothing to do with this issue but does Touch ID no longer work with iOS 10? Before, I could just place my thumb over the home button and it would unlock. Now I need to press the home button.

  • by yacheah,

    yacheah yacheah Sep 19, 2016 10:49 AM in response to yacheah
    Level 1 (9 points)
    iTunes
    Sep 19, 2016 10:49 AM in response to yacheah

    Actually, the backup may have hung. It's still going.

     

    I'll leave it for another 30 minutes or so,

     

    Is it safe to hit the "x" button and redo it?

  • by turingtest2,

    turingtest2 turingtest2 Sep 19, 2016 10:58 AM in response to yacheah
    Level 10 (86,076 points)
    Apple TV
    Sep 19, 2016 10:58 AM in response to yacheah

    Best to give the update some time to complete. It is a shame it doesn't give some real indication that it is still active, e.g. a count of the number of items that are being backed up and those that have been completed.

     

    tt2

  • by yacheah,

    yacheah yacheah Sep 19, 2016 11:38 AM in response to turingtest2
    Level 1 (9 points)
    iTunes
    Sep 19, 2016 11:38 AM in response to turingtest2

    Thanks for all your help.

     

    It has completed now. I notice it chomped up a lot of space on my C: drive while it was backing up so maybe the slowness is due to that. Funny thing, my iPhone summary showed disk space down from 78Gb to 68Gb and then after I synced, reverted to 78Gb. I am guessing it needs a 10Gb buffer to do the backup?

     

    So I guess I am good to go until there is a next update in which case I had better steer clear of that. Am I correct in guessing that I can run 10.0.1 and continue to sync with my current Vista 32 bit PC running iTunes 12.1.3?

     

    If something goes awry with my iPhone, will I be able to restore from this backup without issues?

     

    OK so I don't understand this. 12.1.3 is obviously compatible with an iPhone running iOS 10. It just doesn't do the update.

     

    Is there a lot of work involved for Apple to make the update work on it? I am guessing there isn't. So why don't they just go ahead and make it work?

     

    Also, nothing to do with this issue but does Touch ID no longer work with iOS 10? Before, I could just place my thumb over the home button and it would unlock. Now I need to press the home button.

     

    Thanks again

  • by turingtest2,

    turingtest2 turingtest2 Sep 19, 2016 12:30 PM in response to yacheah
    Level 10 (86,076 points)
    Apple TV
    Sep 19, 2016 12:30 PM in response to yacheah

    It has completed now. I notice it chomped up a lot of space on my C: drive while it was backing up so maybe the slowness is due to that. Funny thing, my iPhone summary showed disk space down from 78Gb to 68Gb and then after I synced, reverted to 78Gb. I am guessing it needs a 10Gb buffer to do the backup?

    If you have an SSD system drive you might want to take a look at Relocate iOS device backups. Estimated free space before, during and after syncing can sometime be a little erratic, though a leap up and down of 10Gb seems excessive.

    So I guess I am good to go until there is a next update in which case I had better steer clear of that. Am I correct in guessing that I can run 10.0.1 and continue to sync with my current Vista 32 bit PC running iTunes 12.1.3?

    As far as I can tell, yes.

    If something goes awry with my iPhone, will I be able to restore from this backup without issues?

    Again, to the best of my knowledge yes. It might pay to make an iCloud backup as well to give yourself alternatives. I've just expanded that tip above into a proper user tip here: Archive iPhone backup in Windows.

    OK so I don't understand this. 12.1.3 is obviously compatible with an iPhone running iOS 10. It just doesn't do the update.

    Apple probably want to encourage everyone to move forward. Sometimes there might be legitimate technical changes that break backwards compatibility, sometimes they might just decide it is time. Cutting off Vista and XP at the same time looks like that kind of decision.

    Is there a lot of work involved for Apple to make the update work on it? I am guessing there isn't. So why don't they just go ahead and make it work?

    It is more effort to code for multiple versions of Windows. You're force to coded to the least capable platform and write your own support files for all of the tasks that it won't perform natively. Back in the day QuickTime did in software what PCs now do in hardware. Apple have dropped QuickTime on Windows and removing support for XP and Vista presumably lets them drop other legacy code.

    Also, nothing to do with this issue but does Touch ID no longer work with iOS 10? Before, I could just place my thumb over the home button and it would unlock. Now I need to press the home button.

    Yes, that does seem to have changed. I normally press the home button so it doesn't really bother me that much.

    Thanks again

    You're welcome.

     

    tt2

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