Sync the iPhone 3g to a New Computer

[tinfai]

My laptop seemingly gave up the ghost last night and as I type this there are on-going attempts at resuscitating it down at the service center. In the worst case scenario, I will have to get a new computer and reinstall my programs, including iTunes. All the iPhone backup data was on the laptop and not separately copied.* Would I be able to sync my iPhone with the new computer and have the data on the iPhone transferred over? Or will the new computer not recognize the iPhone and require me to reformat it?




* Where is the data file(s) found in the iTunes which correlates to the iPhone? Having been given this scare, I'd like to preserve a copy on my external hard drive from time to time.

 

[applephysci]

My laptop seemingly gave up the ghost last night and as I type this there are on-going attempts at resuscitating it down at the service center. In the worst case scenario, I will have to get a new computer and reinstall my programs, including iTunes. All the iPhone backup data was on the laptop and not separately copied.* Would I be able to sync my iPhone with the new computer and have the data on the iPhone transferred over? Or will the new computer not recognize the iPhone and require me to reformat it?

* Where is the data file(s) found in the iTunes which correlates to the iPhone? Having been given this scare, I'd like to preserve a copy on my external hard drive from time to time.

"Laptop" and "computer" are very generic terms. You need to learn to be more specific. We have no clue from your post if you use Mac or Windows. The response to where iPhone backup folders/files are stored, and what needs to be done to prevent this in future are very distinct and different for Mac and Windows.

 

[homerjfry]

My laptop seemingly gave up the ghost last night and as I type this there are on-going attempts at resuscitating it down at the service center. In the worst case scenario, I will have to get a new computer and reinstall my programs, including iTunes. All the iPhone backup data was on the laptop and not separately copied.* Would I be able to sync my iPhone with the new computer and have the data on the iPhone transferred over? Or will the new computer not recognize the iPhone and require me to reformat it?




* Where is the data file(s) found in the iTunes which correlates to the iPhone? Having been given this scare, I'd like to preserve a copy on my external hard drive from time to time.

I had this same problem after I synced my phone with my windows laptop and then synced it to my Imac after my laptop was crapping out. Suffice to say, you will not be able to update any data onto the phone. You will have to wipe the phone and put all your music back on it. The applications stay on (IIRC) but all of your music and videos are gone.

You cannot add new data to the phone if you sync it on 2 seperate computers (at least a windows and a mac), but I assume it doesn't matter if it is a windows or mac. They just do not want you to be able to take your phone to a friends house and swipe music from them as well while still keeping your music on it too.

 

[tinfai]

applephysci - I have a macbook.

homerfjry - That makes sense and what I had been expecting to read.

 

[sdsvtdriver]

http://www.copytrans.net/

This program will pull your data off your iPhone on a Windows machine. Perhaps you can have the data put on a USB stick and copied to your mac.

 

[goombah88]

If you want to truly be able to sync your iphone with a new computer ( I currently have mine sync-able with 3 different computers then follow the directions here or here.

The only bad thing about this is that you'll need to set up the new iTunes (music, videos, playlists, etc) the same way your phone is already set up because when you sync it will make your iPhone look like the new iTunes. I found this quite easy to do by having my music and such in a shared drive that all computers can access.