Backup Questions for iPhone

[iLive an iLife]

Hi all...

Is it possible for me to just back up my Messages, Mail and Contacts on my iPhone? I've been wanting to do a "Restore" on my phone and start over. I definitely need my contacts and messages (isn't really necessary because I can download them from server).

Thanks!!

 

[Garz]

Hi all...

Is it possible for me to just back up my Messages, Mail and Contacts on my iPhone? I've been wanting to do a "Restore" on my phone and start over. I definitely need my contacts and messages (isn't really necessary because I can download them from server).

Thanks!!

If you have iCloud on, your contacts will sync right back when you set back up your phone as long you have "Contacts" ON in iCloud settings. Easy as that. Messages on the other hand, is part of your regular backup. No other way around that.

 

[iLive an iLife]

Thanks, Garz! You're pretty iPhone savvy. Is there any real benefit of a "restore like new" option?

Since Verizon is offering shared data, we may be doing a phone shuffle later in the year (my Dad's been wanting an iPhone and I may give him my 4S to try - I'll get the "new" iPhone). If that happens, I might just forget my Messages and add my contacts via iCloud on the new device.

PS - What do you think of iOS 6?

 

[eprisencc]

This is the one glaring issue with icloud back ups, its all or nothing. It would nice if Apple started allowing selective restores where you can select your options. Sometimes we just want to do restore like new but still get apps back with their folder order. It would be nice if we had some options like this.

 

[BLiNK]

This is the one glaring issue with icloud back ups, its all or nothing. It would nice if Apple started allowing selective restores where you can select your options. Sometimes we just want to do restore like new but still get apps back with their folder order. It would be nice if we had some options like this.

exactly! ..

 

[Fausty82]

This is the one glaring issue with icloud back ups, its all or nothing. It would nice if Apple started allowing selective restores where you can select your options. Sometimes we just want to do restore like new but still get apps back with their folder order. It would be nice if we had some options like this.

Agreed that would be great... I ran onto an app for my Mac (iRip2) which extracts the different pieces... but it really is something that Apple should be giving us.

 

[iLive an iLife]

What is the real benefit of doing a like new restore?

I've thought about doing it a few times, but would I lose in app purchases, etc?

 

[meskin84]

This is the one glaring issue with icloud back ups, its all or nothing. It would nice if Apple started allowing selective restores where you can select your options. Sometimes we just want to do restore like new but still get apps back with their folder order. It would be nice if we had some options like this.

I have a question, I actually restored my iPhone a few weeks ago and it restored all my settings, it was nice. Even app and folder placement. Well, yesterday I did it again and it saved all my settings, but none of the placement was correct.

Any idea why this happened?

 

[GPAbsinthe]

I have a question, I actually restored my iPhone a few weeks ago and it restored all my settings, it was nice. Even app and folder placement. Well, yesterday I did it again and it saved all my settings, but none of the placement was correct.

Any idea why this happened?

It looks like you used Restore the first time, but not the second time... second time looks more like just syncing to me.

 

[GPAbsinthe]

What is the real benefit of doing a like new restore?

I've thought about doing it a few times, but would I lose in app purchases, etc?

No real benefit - not if you weren't experiencing problems to begin with - unless you're about to jailbreak or to do your firmware update. And even then, it might be more of a preference thing. I always do both those things on a "clean" iPhone, but it also works allright on a full device. It's way longer though... hence why I do it from a clean state.

Anything you bought with Apple you won't loose unless Apple stopped signing it. Another way to say this is if it's still on App Store, it's still yours. All you have to do when you setup your iPhone as new is to enter your actual Apple ID for the device. After which, you'll be able to : - force "transfer of your purchases" on iTunes on your PC, or; - reinstall them directly on the device by going into the App Store app in "Updates" and choosing "Purchased" where you will find (most of) the apps you purchased. I guess it works the same with your music on iTunes, but I never tried it, I buy and manage my music directly from my PC. In any case, you should do a complete backup on your PC before resetting your iPhone to new... if something goes wrong or missing, you can always get your things back.

 

[meskin84]

It looks like you used Restore the first time, but not the second time... second time looks more like just syncing to me.

Thanks, I cannot really remember what I did the first time. I am pretty sure I hit RESTORE. Well, the most recent time around, I RESEST PHONE from Settings and when it came on, I signed on the phone and selected "Restore from Backup". Process seemed the same as the first time around.