iPhone and iTunes backup?

[Vermillion]

So there's a good chance I'll reload my computer this weekend for cleaning purposes. I don't touch iTunes for anything other then to sync my iPhone 3G so I don't know jack about it.

Is all my downloaded app data stored on Apple servers or is it local? If it's local how do I back that up and then restore it on a freshly loaded system?

With the phone I assume my best option will be to deauthorize it before formatting then just authorize the newly configured OS? In this case the OS is going to be a virtualized Vista because I'm sick of the added iTunes crap (Bojour, DNSResponder) running in the background and having to reboot when iTunes updates itself. So I'm going to have a VM dedicated to iTunes and my iPhone to simplify things.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[anthrex]

I don't think much is stored with apple. As long as you don't restore your iphone all you should need to do is just resync everything after you've installed itunes. Also, you have to back up your own songs or you can go this way http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1382

 

[Vermillion]

I don't think much is stored with apple. As long as you don't restore your iphone all you should need to do is just resync everything after you've installed itunes. Also, you have to back up your own songs or you can go this way http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1382

Thanks. Not worried about my music or movies as those are stored on a separate drive from iTunes and I have them backed up to my WHS. I'm more worried about my apps. I have plenty of apps that I've gotten but have swapped out for others and swap back occasionally due to space. I have a 16GB iPhone 3G but I put a lot of movies on it for trips so I swap installed software quite a bit too. For instance Myst. No reason to keep a 500+MB game there all the time.

So how would I keep something like Myst from being lost?

 

[kidhero]

Yeah the Apps are stored in your iTunes folder. Just back up the entire iTunes folder somewhere and reinstall the OS. When done, drag and drop the folder with the Apps directly into iTunes and it will ask if you want to import, click yes, nd then just sync your iPhone.

 

[Terpfen]

Is all my downloaded app data stored on Apple servers or is it local? If it's local how do I back that up and then restore it on a freshly loaded system?

Apple keeps a record of what you've downloaded or purchased through iTunes, yes. But they only allow re-downloads of iPhone apps, not movies or music. iTunes has a built-in backup mechanism: burn to disc. (No, I'm not being sarcastic there.)

iTunes will also transfer music, movies, apps, etc from your iPhone to your local iTunes install if you have something on the iPhone that isn't on your local iTunes install. But this isn't a comprehensive backup method, it's just a convenient sync feature.

With the phone I assume my best option will be to deauthorize it before formatting then just authorize the newly configured OS?

The correct way to recover your iTunes account through a reformat is to first back up everything you want to keep, then deauthorize the iTunes account in iTunes itself, then reformat, reinstall iTunes, re-authorize iTunes, and then reload your backups.

 

[Lanx]

mydocuments/ itunes/

you'll see all the sub directories for apps, podcasts etc.

 

[crewxp]

All apple does is keep track of which apps you download. The physical file is on your iPhone/Computer. You can always re-download again from iTunes for free.