Iphone 6 backup on itunes - has multiple backups in same backup folder. HELP!?!

[puntergood]

Hey there everyone, i just did a back up of my iphone6, due to all of my text messages mysteriously disappearing. I wanted to back up my phone (just in case), and then back up from my previous backup done only a week ago.

However, when i went to check my previous backups, it showed only the one i just did, and then others from 2016 and older.

Upon further investigation, the backup folder is holding 6 previous backups from 2019 (Jan.01.19, Jan.03.19, March.20.19, May.16.19, Aug.12.19, and the one I did today - Aug.22.19). This folder also has at least 8 backups from 2018, and around the same amount of backups for 2017, 2016 and 2015 (respectively).

There is only one "info.plist", "Status.plist" & "Manifest.mbdb", which is dated as of today. But all other files are dated either today, or from older backup times.


In itunes, when i'm selecting "Restore from backup", the selection only shows 1 from 2019 (Today's backup).

How can i access my previous backup, which is unfortunately in the same folder?

Can i physically create a new folder, and move each of the different time stamped items into their own new respective folder? If so, would itunes / my iphone read it as a backup to choose from?

My iphone currently, is not showing any of my text messages (imessage) history. I don't want to back up to the backup i just did, as i might end up as it is now, with no text messages.

Hopefully this post isn't confusing, but any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance.

P.S. - 2 screen caps attached.

1st shows the "info.plist", "Status.plist" & "Manifest.mbdb" dated for today.
2nd shows the different dates of files in the same folder.

 

[now i see it]

Although you may see earlier backup files via the Mac Finder, iTunes only recognizes the most recent backup and can only use that. An iTunes backup of the iPhone isn't like Time Machine. You can't choose a date to back up from/ only the last backup. It sucks.

 

[puntergood]

Well this is really stupid for Apple to limit anyone like that. I never knew about "archiving", otherwise i would have done that after each backup.

Apple should at least allow you that option, or educate us on this, rather than just discover that this is a feature that i "could have done".

I ended up restoring from backup on a different backup, which contains all of my text message history, but only up until 2015.

Any work around on this, to help me get my most current text message history out of my backup?

Lastly, why would i lose all of my text message history, just like that? Seems like several other on Facebook have been mentioning it. Where would they all vanish to?

Although you may see earlier backup files via the Mac Finder, iTunes only recognizes the most recent backup and can only use that. An iTunes backup of the iPhone isn't like Time Machine. You can't choose a date to back up from/ only the last backup. It sucks.

 

[puntergood]

Hey there, i just recently discovered something interesting.

When i do a search on my phone for a certain word or contact….it will show you results in your files, music, video, online searches, as well as text messages.

Well i've been finding results for words that came up in the search from my text messages, that have vanished in this mysterious text message disappearance.

So, how can my phone show the text messages that show up in the search, yet not be on the phone in the text messages?

I tried clicking on these text message search results, and it opens up messages, but nothing shows. Just the list of current text message recipients i've texted with since the "vanishing" act.

Any explanation for this?

Many thanks,

Richard