Restore backup greyed

[Alwyn]

This iMac is OS 10.13.6 iPhone not visible in Finder. In iTunes Restore Backup is greyed. How do I restore earlier backups?

 

[MacInWin]

Where, when and how did you make these earlier backups? I don't thing the Finder iPhones interface was there in 10.13. So any backup or restore would be through iTunes.

 

[IWT]

This iMac is OS 10.13.6 iPhone not visible in Finder.

Hi Alwyn

It will not be visible in Finder. As far as I know, it was only with macOS Catalina that all actions regarding iOS Devices were handled through Finder.

In macOS 10.13.6 (macOS High Sierra), iOS Devices are handled through iTunes.

When you connect your iPhone (I presume it is an SE - old version or new?) is it recognised by iTunes at all?

You should see this:



If you do, and Click on the iPhone icon (Yellow arrow), what do you see?

On the Left you should see:



On the Right, varies things including:

My question about the version of iPhone SE was because if it's the new one, it may require the latest version of iTunes.

Ian

 

[Alwyn]

No its an old SE and this is what it looks like. Back Up Now is black but Restore Backup is greyed. What is odd is the message about connecting using a cable when it is already connected. Also my reason for wanting to restore from an earlier backup is in a separate post below this one.

 

[chscag]

You won't have an earlier backup to restore from because you overwrote it with the current backup that you're showing above. The only way to get to an earlier backup now is to restore your Time Machine backup to a day prior to making the current backup of your iPhone SE.

 

[ferrarr]

You should still be able to select an older backup, https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204184.

 

[Rod]

You should still be able to select an older backup, https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204184.

Assuming you have been backing up to iCloud. I notice on your screen shot #4 you have backup to this computer ticked. Mind you so do I but I also have iCloud Backup switched on in iCloud settings on my iPhone SE 2. That way I have local and remote backups.

 

[chscag]

You should still be able to select an older backup, https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204184.

"If" the backup was made to iCloud, maybe. However, it appears the backup was made with iTunes which means when he made the current backup the previous one was overwritten. The only way to get to an older backup made with iTunes is to restore a Time Machine backup.

 

[ferrarr]

"If" the backup was made to iCloud, maybe. However, it appears the backup was made with iTunes which means when he made the current backup the previous one was overwritten. The only way to get to an older backup made with iTunes is to restore a Time Machine backup.

No, that's not true. I have had the option to select backups made on different dates/times. This was a few OS (iOS & macOS) versions ago though.

 

[chscag]

Have you checked lately? There is no way to preserve older backups if you're using Finder to backup. Using the older method, (iTunes) unless you specified to keep older backups, they were overwritten. It's been that way as long as I can remember.

He (Alwyn) stated that the restore from backup (using iTunes) was grayed out. That tells me that the current backup he made is all that's there.

 

[IWT]

The fundamental difference between how I set up my BU strategy and that of Alwyn's is demonstrated by comparing my settings in post #3 with his in post #4.

I have chosen to BU automatically to iCloud - and manually to my computer. Alwyn has chosen to BU automatically to his computer. He would need to BU manually to iCloud from his iPhone.

At least, that's how I see things.

Ian

 

[Rod]

I agree Charlie, and given Alwyn's other post re deleting Mail I'm starting to think that the process described in ferrarr's post #6 might be the way to go assuming an iCloud backup has been made.

 

[Rod]

The fundamental difference between how I set up my BU strategy and that of Alwyn's is demonstrated by comparing my settings in post #3 with his in post #4.

I have chosen to BU automatically to iCloud - and manually to my computer. Alwyn has chosen to BU automatically to his computer. He would need to BU manually to iCloud from his iPhone.

At least, that's how I see things.

Ian

Ian, me too.

 

[Alwyn]

Thank you all for your help. I still have the same basic problem that, when I originally wanted to restore from the backup on 20 July, I couldn't because Restore backup was greyed. I clicked on backup to iCloud on the iMac but instead it was backed up to the iMac. I didn’t realise that I had to enable iCloud backup in Settings. I have now done so.

As you can see from the pic the only available backup is what is now yesterday’s. What you can’t see is that it’s greyed. Until that is resolved restoring the iMac to an earlier date won’t enable me to restore backup.

 

[chscag]

If you are sure that you once had an older backup made with iTunes, it may be possible to restore that backup by restoring your iMac to an earlier date using Time Machine.

I ran into that very problem you're having with my wife's iPhone. Fortunately, I had a Time Machine backup that I could use to restore my iMac to a date when the older backup existed. From that I was able to restore her phone's data.

The current method of backing up iOS devices is done thru the Finder and there is no way to store more than one backup for each device. The current backup overwrites the previous one. Backing up via iCloud is a must in addition to iTunes or the Finder.

 

[Alwyn]

If you are sure that you once had an older backup made with iTunes, it may be possible to restore that backup by restoring your iMac to an earlier date using Time Machine.

I ran into that very problem you're having with my wife's iPhone. Fortunately, I had a Time Machine backup that I could use to restore my iMac to a date when the older backup existed. From that I was able to restore her phone's data.

The current method of backing up iOS devices is done thru the Finder and there is no way to store more than one backup for each device. The current backup overwrites the previous one. Backing up via iCloud is a must in addition to iTunes or the Finder.

Once again many thanks for your help Chas.This is my wife's iPhone and I hadn't noticed that her number showed up on the pic, though not any more! Since I enabled 'Mail' and 'iCloud backup' 'Restore Backup' now allows me to restore today's backup. Her iPhone says that iCloud is too full to backup, which surprises me as I didn't think she had anything in iCloud. I'm updating to iOS 13.6 at present but will look into that later today. Colin.

 

[Rod]

If your wife has just the 5Gb standard, free, default iCloud storage it's pretty easy to fill. My wife filled the next tier (50Gb) by accidentally turning on iCloud photo library.

 

[chscag]

Unfortunately, Apple is very frugal with iCloud space. 5Gb of iCloud space is not near enough for most folks. They really should either double the amount of free space or give space away for free considering how much a new iPhone or iPad costs.

 

[Rod]

I should add, $1.49/month which is what it costs here in Australia is well worth it for 50Gb but 5Gb for all the stuff we are more or less obliged to sync via iCloud is pitifully small these days.

 

[Alwyn]

I had, until the problem that arose which led to this thread, not felt the need to back up to iCloud. In iPhone storage iCloud Photos is not enabled. I have cleaned up my Mail inbox. As you say 5Gb is probably too small but I think I'll just carry on backing everything up to my Time capsule and once or twice a month backing up to Time Machine external hard drive.

My wife's iMac is a 2011 model. I haven't updated it beyond 10.13.6. Should I update it to Catalina?