Official Windows 7 iPhone Help Thread

[Rene Ritchie]

Upgrading to Windows 7 and need help transferring your iPhone over from your old XP box? Getting a new machine with Windows 7 and having trouble setting up your iPhone?

Here's your thread! Let us know what, if any problems you're having (and the successes too!) and we'll all try to help each other out and get our iPhones going!

 

[Rene Ritchie]

Here're my best practices to help get everyone started. If you're moving from XP to Win7 and thus doing a clean install, or if you're getting a whole new machine:

1) De-authrize your old machine via iTunes > Store > De-authorize computer
2) Get a USB drive of sufficient size to copy all your iTunes media (much easier done if you're letting iTunes organize everything under one iTunes folder).
3) Copy everything over, the entire folder tree, everything (don't forget your documents and other data, I'm only talking iPhone/iTunes here!)
4) Install Windows 7 (or setup your new machine)
5) Install iTunes
6) Authorize your new machine under iTunes > Store > Authorize Computer
7) Copy all your iTunes content from USB drive to Windows 7, same directory structure
8) Restart iTunes (if it doesn't detect your library XML file, you might need to trouble shoot a tad)
9) Sync your iPhone. (I'm almost certain you will need to re-select what you want to sync over -- any Windows gurus know better?)

Any more/additional/better advice welcome!

 

[Duvi]

sounds good. maybe i should have followed this guide.

 

[sting7k]

Awesome. Make sure you also grab the iPhone back up files.

 

[Gary86]

Here're my best practices to help get everyone started. If you're moving from XP to Win7 and thus doing a clean install, or if you're getting a whole new machine:

1) De-authrize your old machine via iTunes > Store > De-authorize computer
2) Get a USB drive of sufficient size to copy all your iTunes media (much easier done if you're letting iTunes organize everything under one iTunes folder).
3) Copy everything over, the entire folder tree, everything (don't forget your documents and other data, I'm only talking iPhone/iTunes here!)
4) Install Windows 7 (or setup your new machine)
5) Install iTunes
6) Authorize your new machine under iTunes > Store > Authorize Computer
7) Copy all your iTunes content from USB drive to Windows 7, same directory structure
8) Restart iTunes (if it doesn't detect your library XML file, you might need to trouble shoot a tad)
9) Sync your iPhone. (I'm almost certain you will need to re-select what you want to sync over -- any Windows gurus know better?)

Any more/additional/better advice welcome!

How do I complete step number 3? where do i find this data to stick on my ex-HD?

 

[Alli]

I have now done the upgrade 4 times (2 machines, 2 betas and 2 RTM). On one occasion I had to slick a partition and remove everything. If you don't have to do this, Windows will very carefully (kindly?) take all your files and save them in a folder called WindowsOld. After the upgrade, you can just copy your music, documents, etc. back to the active locations for those files. You'll still have to reinstall apps, but it does make the whole process (prOcess as Ren? would say) easier.

 

[Duvi]

Awesome. Make sure you also grab the iPhone back up files.

That's all I really care about... where do I get that from?

 

[Rene Ritchie]

Vista > Windows 7 can be done as an "upgrade", though I did (and tend to always do) a clean install, since I've been operantly conditioned by XP

XP > Windows 7 I think has to be a clean install?

If I remember correctly, iPhone backup files are in:

C: Documents and Settings\[user account]\Application Data\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup

(It would be handier -- Apple! -- if they were in the iTunes folder along with media)

 

[Rene Ritchie]

@Alli -- I did it on a Mac PrO so at least it was zippy!

 

[Wilsonator]

Okay, I'm not THAT savvy with computers and such so here is my question. I want to save my most recent backup of my iPhone. I went into c:/documents ad settings etc until eventually opening the backup folder where there are 4 folders kept. Each one has a completely random name with numbers and letters (3942cfh1cgc5ec70394b6... You get the picture) Im pretty sure I identified the one I need (by date) and want to save it to my external HD so I can have it with windows 7. How exactly do I go about this without messing ANYTHING up? I'm sorry if this is a dumb question! Any help is appreciated!

 

[hermdog]

XP to Win7 upgrade made easy

Laplink has a product called PCmover. It allows you to upgrade from XP and still keep your installed applications. It also allows you to upgrade Vista 32bit to Win 7 64bit. Haven't tried this myself yet, but PCMag is swearing by it.

Laplink? Software - PCmover Upgrade Assistant - Migrate Computer Programs, Files and Settings

Here is the review from PCMag.

Laplink PCmover (September 2009) - Full Review - Reviews by PC Magazine

 

[flyingember]

Add to the list


0) Backup entire computer first.

 

[DoubleM]

Laplink has a product called PCmover. It allows you to upgrade from XP and still keep your installed applications. It also allows you to upgrade Vista 32bit to Win 7 64bit. Haven't tried this myself yet, but PCMag is swearing by it.

Laplink? Software - PCmover Upgrade Assistant - Migrate Computer Programs, Files and Settings

Here is the review from PCMag.

Laplink PCmover (September 2009) - Full Review - Reviews by PC Magazine

Hmmm, that looks good, debating whether to get it or not...

 

[sting7k]

That's all I really care about... where do I get that from?

According to Apple this is the pathway;

On Windows Vista: \Users\(username)\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup\

But I cannot see the "AppData" folder in any view I try from my use folder. I ended up searching for it and it came right up, then just follow the folders and it's in there.

 

[sting7k]

According to Apple this is the pathway;

On Windows Vista: \Users\(username)\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup\

But I cannot see the "AppData" folder in any view I try from my use folder. I ended up searching for it and it came right up, then just follow the folders and it's in there.

Also I'm planning on doing a clean install of Win7 from Vista, not upgrade. The only back up I'm going to do will be making sure all my media, documents, and alike are on my external HDD. Then I'll reformat the HDD and install Win7. Programs and applications I don't need to back up or save.

Edit - Woops, wanted to edit the last post.

 

[sting7k]

Okay, I'm not THAT savvy with computers and such so here is my question. I want to save my most recent backup of my iPhone. I went into c:/documents ad settings etc until eventually opening the backup folder where there are 4 folders kept. Each one has a completely random name with numbers and letters (3942cfh1cgc5ec70394b6... You get the picture) Im pretty sure I identified the one I need (by date) and want to save it to my external HD so I can have it with windows 7. How exactly do I go about this without messing ANYTHING up? I'm sorry if this is a dumb question! Any help is appreciated!

I don't know what those numbers mean but just go by the date like you said. You can just drag the entire folder over to your external HDD. Then once you reinstall iTunes put it back in the same place.

 

[cobra302]

ok, so i'm backing up my entire music folder. do i have to unisntall itunes, then reinstall after the windows 7 upgrade, or just deauthorize the computer then authorize it again? that part is confusing for some reason.

 

[Alli]

Unless you're planning on wiping the hard drive prior to installing 7, you do not have to deauthorize or reauthorize the computer.

 

[Rene Ritchie]

How do I complete step number 3? where do i find this data to stick on my ex-HD?

It should be under iTunes Music. If you're really not sure where that folder is, pick something in iTunes (a song, movie, podcast, anything), right click on it, and when the menu pops up, tell it to open the file in Windows Explorer. Then just navigate up until you see the topmost folder (should be iTunes or iTunes Music).

Not sure if iTunes puts in My Music by default? (I have mine on a shared external drive).

 

[cobra302]

ok, well i ended up deauthorizing then unistalling itunes as the upgrade continued to tell me to do so. i forgot that i store my music on a separate hard drive in my laptop, so i uninstalled, reinstalled, and pointed itunes to the library. viola! all is good.