[Discuss] iPhone vs. Android - the backup problem

[Richard Pieri]

On 7/18/2012 6:41 PM, Rich Braun wrote:
> The iTunes backup model provides only for whole-volume snapshots; you don't
> get to restore things piece-meal.  And it includes sys-config items that go
> way beyond your personal data, in such a way that there is no assurance that a
> snapshot can be restored.

The iTunes backup model is nearly identical to the Palm Desktop model: 
everything exists in iTunes.  An iPhone is a portable cache of what's in 
the parent iTunes.  Android is little different: it's a portable cache 
of what's in the Google cloud.  Their backup mechanisms are nearly 
identical: modified user data is copied to the parent at sync time. 
Their restore mechanisms are nearly identical: wipe the device, restore 
the base configuration (iTunes for iOS, adding a Google account on 
Android), then let the sync tool copy everything from the master.  The 
practical difference is that iOS requires iTunes and a USB cord while 
Android will chew up your air time.

If you really want confidence then you don't want a smart phone.  You 
want a Day Planner and a couple of pencils.  Day Planners aren't bricked 
on a whim.

As for recovering your data, if you didn't jailbreak the iPhone then do 
a factory reset on it in iTunes.  This should install a clean, stock OS 
firmware.  You may need to put it in DFU mode before connecting the USB 
cord to do the restore.  You should then be able to restore your data in 
iTunes.

If you did jailbreak (I suspect you did because I've seen the same kind 
of boot loops on my iPod Touch after faulty jailbreak installs) then 
you'll need to get the latest version of redsn0w and a copy of the 
correct firmware file for your device.  You'll also need to recover your 
SHSH blobs.  redsn0w should be able to do it with DFU mode.  Use that 
plus the firmware file to build a signed firmware file for your device. 
  Put the iPhone into Pwned DFU mode (redsn0w will tell you how) and use 
redsn0w to install the custom firmware.  If all goes well then you 
should be able to restore your data in iTunes.

-- 
Rich P.