How to rebuild (reinstall) iPhone data without using the iTunes restore function

[steveg_nh]

I'm currently on an iPhone 7, runninng 10.2.1. Back when I was on my iPhone 6, my voicemail got glitchy, where it would stop playing, not open, close abruptly, etc. I would have to try to open a message 3-5 times before I could get it to stay open, so I could listen to it. Seems like it's a problem out there for some, but not all, and the only fix is to reinstall iOS and set the phone up as new.

Restoring the phone from an itunes backup is maintaining some type of corruption so the restore just keeps the problem around.

While it's a lot of work, I'm willing to set the phone up all over again and reconfigure everything. Using itunes I know how to bring the apps all back as is, but what about things like pictures, text/iMessages, and that stuff? Is there a way (an application) that I can us to first save it to the PC, and then manually move it all back to the phone after I set it up as new again? I want to maintain data and time stamps on pictures, messages, etc.

I did search for this, but surprisingly couldn't find a bullseye answer on how to do it, so maybe it's not possible.

Thanks for any help.

 

[Sherry_B]

Is there a way (an application) that I can us to first save it to the PC, and then manually move it all back to the phone after I set it up as new again?

Not without paying for and installing 3rd party software. Use at your own risk.

 

[steveg_nh]

Really? That stinks. I've been growing more an more disappointed with Apple over the last year or so. This corruption within voicemail is very frustrating.

 

[bamf-hacker]

iMazing makes some good iPhone data software, but like Sherry said, be careful. You cant recreate your data if it gets hosed ??????

 

[steveg_nh]

Ideally an app that extracted data out of a backup would be good, so you have the backup just in case. I guess you would have the backup anyway, if the data is hosed, as long as the phone isn't screwed up.

 

[Sherry_B]

This corruption within voicemail is very frustrating.

What do you mean? Voicemail is totally on the end of your service provider. The only time I ever had voicemail corruption was when I was with T-Mobile, but that was a long time ago.

 

[steveg_nh]

Maybe it's better to say the handling of the voicemail, the app itself, on the iPhone? That's the problem. It keeps closing on me, and I have to try to access a message 4-5 times to get it to start playing. Seems like a software glitch. Resetting network settings seems to fix it sometimes, for a little while at least, then it comes back.

 

[Sherry_B]

Sounds like it may be a corrupted system file perhaps. Try performing an encrypted backup (encrypted backups save your passwords, health info, etc etc etc), then factory reset the phone. Before doing a restore, send yourself a few voicemails to see if the issue persists. If it does then make an appointment with the Genius Bar at your local Apple store and let them assist you. If the issue is fixed, do a restore of your backup.

Typically for me, doing an encrypted backup, reset, and restore takes me less than 30 minutes. The bit that takes forever is syncing over 4k songs back onto my phone.

 

[dasting]

iTunes is very disgusting that you can only restore with the whole backup. It seems you need to "extract" data from the backup, there are multiple 3rd party software could do that, you can get the data to your iPhone or computer, it depends on you.

 

[steveg_nh]

Well I did some searching and found an 8+ page thread on the Apple community forums, outlining the exact issue. No resolution, and setting phone up as new doesn't fix it in all cases. So I'm not wasting my time trying. Of course, another apple bug, I can't log into the apple forums to add my comments on the issue. here's the thread.

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/7677405