Tutorial: Setup iPhone 4 as a new phone, but save SMS, photos, game saves, etc.

[Ruski]

So i started a thread a few days back looking for ways to setup iPhone 4 as a new phone rather than restoring it from backup of my iPhone 3G/3GS.

Just in case, someone comes looking for it later, here is a quick writeup of what i found:

How its done:

What you need:
1) Jailbroken iPhone 3G/3GS
2) iPhone 4 setup as new phone and jailbroken.
3) iPhone Explorer installed on your PC or MAC.

Steps:
1) On your iPhone 3G/3GS --> Install "AppLinks" from Cydia.

• This app creates a folder in your iphone that links all the applications in an easy to view manner.

2) On your iPhone 3G/3GS --> Run "AppLinks" and hit the "refresh" button. This is create all the links.
3) With your iPhone 3G/3GS still plugged in --> Open iPhone Explorer and browse to: "Your iPhone/Root Directory/var/mobile/AppLinks"
4) Copy any of the Application Data you want --> (For me, it was Angry Birds, SMS, voicemail, etc.)
Folders to look in:

• Ruski’s iPhone/Root Directory/var/mobile/Library/SMS/sms.db
• Ruski’s iPhone/Root Directory/var/mobile/Library/Voicemail/voicemail.db
• Ruski’s iPhone/Root Directory/var/mobile/AppLinks/AngryBirds.app/Documents/
  ...any other apps/games you treasure

5) Connect your new jailbroken iPhone 4 via USB and open up "iPhone Explorer"
6) Copy over any of the application settings files (*.plist, etc.) that you saved into the appropriate directories.

Final Tips:
It makes it easier to find your applications if you install AppLinks on iPhone 4 first.
In some cases, you may need to run the application on the iPhone 4 first, so that it creates the initial directory structure and files for saved games/settings. Then browse via iPhone Explorer and copy.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Cheers.

[canadian studen]

Thanks for this.

[Azn Kenny]

Great info, sticky icky?

[maverick.sp]

yeah Mod make this sticky please... everyone has a question about this sometimes or later... thanks

[rest_easy]

for those wishing to backup their sms and callhistory and cache and addressbook you can do this too through ssh or ifunbox by going to User/Library and backing up the corresponding folder then put it back after a restore. I've been doing that for well over a year now.

The only issue is that sometimes when doing this method (and the one stickied) MMS stop sending. That means the sms.db file is bad and you have to clear your SMS convos. Simply delete the files within the SMS folder and reboot.

[rest_easy]

I always ran appbackup to backup my app data (from app store apps)

Also, I'm looking into Backboard on cydia. It says it stores your configuration(s). So if you setup a new phone and load all the apps onto it and load your themes into the themes folder then you start backboard and it'll put your icons and themes and such back to how they were configured when you last saved the configuration. neat.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLDPS...mbedded#at=213

[termite]

headache to deal with. i find ibye to be a much easier solution.

1) get ibye
2) get a dropbox account
3) sync (backup/restore)

[Vircaci]

Ok as I'm reading all these different methods of back up I'm getting a bit confused. Here is my issue, I have a workout app called Ipersonaltrainer and when I restore my phone it deletes my whole progress and I have to start all over. Which one of these methods will let me restore my progress after I do a full restore on my phone and start it up as a new phone? Thanks in advance.

[kmn5]

any chance this can work for the 4S as well?

[Richie107]

any chance this can work for the 4S as well?

Maybe once its jailbroken ...

I miss my ol 3gs thats jailbroken on 4.0.. The 4s is nice but I feel like I'm riding around in a hoverround scooter when I should be in my drag race car.. LOL

[shalinga]

thamsk for info................grat wrk

[slickfans]

Well done with thanks to OP!

[pongchatwills]

great work with thanks!