I've been using iOS since back in the day when it was called "iPhone OS" (i.e. 1.0 - 3.0), and I recently realized that I've never done a full manual restore of my iPhone system state. Everything I've got on my device(s) have been carried with me through successive backups and upgrades and each new iPhone release since 2007. Call me crazy, but there's got to be a lot of junk in there gumming up the works. (For more on that topic, see this awesome thread on bit-rot: gdgt.com/question/do-macs-suffer-from-bit-rot-ekx/...)
Anyhow, I've decided now is as good a time as any to do a completely clean, full, manual reinstall / restore. I've got almost all my important data hosted in the cloud (notes with Simplenote, contacts with Google Contacts, mail via Gmail, etc.), but there are still a few bits of iOS user data that aren't easily backed up individually, such as call logs and SMS (and I'm sure a few other things I probably wouldn't want to lose but not thinking of right now).
So, the question is: what are the best tools for getting at and archiving specifically the kind of data that regular iOS backups include but that aren't otherwise exportable or stored remotely? I've taken a look at PhoneView (ecamm.com/mac/phoneview/) but I'd love to know if there are any other, potentially better, options.
P.S. -Related: tips and tricks I've learned when doing a full manual restore of OS X gdgt.com/question/opinions-on-using-migration-assi...
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Best apps for backing up iPhone call logs, SMS, and other iOS user data?
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ryan's pick
I have used phoneview many times. It's the go to app for when I need to be sure all the data is backed up.
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ryan's pick
iPhone backup extractor is a good way to grab files off of the backup and then transfer them back into the iOS respective folders once connected and browsed through the file system. I too just started over again but miss the SMS that I had before. Huge file!
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Hunting around a little while ago, iExplorer (formerly iPhone Explorer) seems pretty promising: www.macroplant.com/iexplorer/ (Looks like the guide Duddy surfaced seems to recommend it as well.) Anyone have experience with it?
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If you aren't averse to jailbreaking, you can easily grab the sms database and the call log as well through iFunBox (www.ifunbox.com). Really painless.
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I wrote up a little something about backing up and restoring a couple of weeks ago.
Restore Data, Pictures, and more from iOS Apps
www.thinkmac.net/blogs/2011/9/27/restore-data-pict...
Restore Data, Pictures, and more from iOS Apps
www.thinkmac.net/blogs/2011/9/27/restore-data-pict...
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Per majik, PhoneView is the best option with a lot of flexibility.
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I found this for backing up app data so you don't have to play through Angry Birds again.
isource.com/2010/10/13/how-to-recover-iphone-app-d...
isource.com/2010/10/13/how-to-recover-iphone-app-d...
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Jailbreaking is your best bet, if you dont want to pay money
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