How to extract SMS from backup, and read on PC?

kbphoto615 · Jul 25, 2012

I accidentally deleted/cleared a conversation history with an important contact. I just did a backup previously, so I know I have a recent backup to extract it from, but how can I extract my SMS's from the iPhone, or the iTunes backup, and read them on my Windows PC? Also, is there a way to restore a conversation history to my iPhone? I see random websites with some information on this but it is most def. confusing me. What is the simplest way to do this? if there is such a thing. Thanks for guidance or any assistance.

Thomasjtsi · Jul 25, 2012

If you're certain that you have a backup of your iDevice w/ the conversation in tact... simply restore your iDevice from that backup. It'll put everything back together the way it was @ the time of said backup. I've seen advertisments claiming you can extract SMS' and such from an iTunes backup file... never actually seen one that works though.

kbphoto615 · Jul 26, 2012

Well the phone is jailbroken, can I simply restore from a backup and not worry about it messing up the jailbreak or anything else? Sorry for the noob questions I don't mess with this stuff often. Thanks again for the help.

waldoe · Jul 26, 2012

Yes you can. Just right click your device in itunes and choose restore from back up. Your jailbreak should stay. but you might loose info from after that back up. There is a program you can download to read the back up files and SMS in particular. I can't remember the name though. Google should help with that

kbphoto615 · Jul 26, 2012

Ok. I am just very hesitant to mess up my jailbreak. Sure restoring it doesn't mess it up?

Thomasjtsi · Jul 26, 2012

kbphoto615 said:
Ok. I am just very hesitant to mess up my jailbreak. Sure restoring it doesn't mess it up?

Not really sure where waldoe is coming from... but restoring in any way WILL wipe your Jailbreak!! Let's explore your options... you can go through w/ the restore. Then JB your phone again... it's gotten quite simple to do these days. What version iPhone are you on... what iOS version... Baseband (Modem Firmware)?

waldoe · Jul 27, 2012

Thomasjtsi said:
Not really sure where waldoe is coming from... but restoring in any way WILL wipe your Jailbreak!! Let's explore your options... you can go through w/ the restore. Then JB your phone again... it's gotten quite simple to do these days. What version iPhone are you on... what iOS version... Baseband (Modem Firmware)?

After reading your reply I figured maybe I was wrong so I Restored from back up. After the restore from back, up I still have my jailbreak and unlock plus all the sms messages that were there at the time of back up are there again, exactly as I said. So if restoring you will lose jailbreak, Restore from back up you won't lose jailbreak. Just like itunes says, you'll get your contacts, calender text messages etc and it doesn't touch the firmware.

kbphoto615 · Jul 27, 2012

Thomasjtsi said:
Not really sure where waldoe is coming from... but restoring in any way WILL wipe your Jailbreak!! Let's explore your options... you can go through w/ the restore. Then JB your phone again... it's gotten quite simple to do these days. What version iPhone are you on... what iOS version... Baseband (Modem Firmware)?

Haha Thankyou Thomas. I am on an iPhone 4s running IOS 5.0.1 Modem Firmware 1.0.14

Thankyou again for your help!

kbphoto615 · Jul 29, 2012

waldoe said:
After reading your reply I figured maybe I was wrong so I Restored from back up. After the restore from back, up I still have my jailbreak and unlock plus all the sms messages that were there at the time of back up are there again, exactly as I said. So if restoring you will lose jailbreak, Restore from back up you won't lose jailbreak. Just like itunes says, you'll get your contacts, calender text messages etc and it doesn't touch the firmware.
View attachment 7555

I will give this a try, but I would still like to hear again from Thomas about my other options.

EDIT:

How can I chose which backup to restore from? I am just going to go ahead and restore as new and then update my iPhone to the latest IOS and re-jailbreak, then restore from backup. This should work fine right? Is there an easy way to backup, or just make a list of the apps, I have installed so I can re-install them all when I am done? Incase the restore process does not work properly.

Thanks for anyones help!

kbphoto615 · Jul 29, 2012

So I had a backup on the 25th, and then decided to backup again today. It seems iTunes over-wrote the 25th's backup and now shows the 29'th and then goes back to the month before. That's disappointing. So I guess the backup, and the sms's, are gone now?

waldoe · Jul 29, 2012

Which back up had the important contact? The back up from the 25th should still be in the drop down box when you chose the restore from back up option. I backed up my phone today and still have 3 previous back ups. One from June. Unless you deleted the back up from device preferences, I believe it should still be there.

kbphoto615 · Jul 31, 2012

waldoe said:
Which back up had the important contact? The back up from the 25th should still be in the drop down box when you chose the restore from back up option. I backed up my phone today and still have 3 previous back ups. One from June. Unless you deleted the back up from device preferences, I believe it should still be there.

Nothing is restoring as it should. Does itunes not restore apps to folders? I am restoring from the latest backup and nothing is going back the way it should, some apps dont sync at all and others sync back randomly, some in folders, some not. :S

EDIT:

iTunes will take the one from the same month and overwrite it. So I only have the backup from the 29th, not the 25th. So the SMS history is gone.

At this point, I just want my damn apps synced and back in the folders they belong in. Any ideas what is going on with my restore process?

waldoe · Jul 31, 2012

If they are apps purchased after the back up you may have to go to the AppStore in iTunes and click purchased and then download all. I don't see why it would mess with your apps like that. Everything on the phone should be exactly as it was during time of back up.
Also, Idk why iTunes would overwrite it. Never does for me, as you can see from the attached
picture I have 3 back ups all from this month.