iOS5 backing up forever

[Lovemyipad2]

I friend of mine had a similar problem. I'll ask him what he did and if it worked out.

Thanks. Any info if helpful.

 

[Ncaissie]

That's crazy backup times. It shouldn't take that long. I have the 32GB 3GS phone, 32GB iPod touch and a 64GB iPad 2 and never had that long of a backup. I think the longest was 2 hours. I wish you luck.

64GB 3G White iPad

 

[MattIM]

Does anyone have any idea how to resolve this problem? I always synch my iPad...which I have done successfully. I have also shutdown my PC, and powered off my iPad. I have wired my laptop to my modem--I have FIOS. Restarted PC, started iTunes, connected iPad, got the prompt to update to new iOS version, clicked update. Backup starts and that is as far as I get. Three attempts so far: first attempt two hours, I abandoned. Went back thru my synch powered down powered up process, started update and went to bed. Get up this am, iPad sleeping, PC in hibernate mode....hmmm Good? Nope. IPad still at 4.3.5. Third attempt now, iPad still on backup. Followed troubleshooting ideas, to no avail. Went to Apple.com, found a troubleshooting guide advising me to do what I have three times now, and still...backup is going nowhere.

I don't think the problem is getting to Apple, my iPad and PC can't seem to get beyond backup. I should disclose that I already successfully updated an iPad2 within one hour. This iPad2 has only 5 purchased apps along with what Apple provides. It is less than a month of ownership. Whereas, the "problem" iPad 64Gig/wifi+3G, is over a year old and has 16gigs of apps, music, videos, books and photos--so I expected a longer time to upgrade. This is the first time my IPad has had a problem with the update process. I am looking forward to getting the new os5 on this veteran iPad -- looking at all the new features on the iPad2 makes me think this new version will make my iPad an even better device.

Is there anyway to skip the backup step in this upgrade?

UPDATE...an hour and a half later, iTunes not going any further than a small green tab on the backup status bar. On the iPad screen, no longer showing "synch in process" and one of my apps reminding me I have a bill to pay! So I am thinking I am NOT going to keep going with backing up and updating. I have commented on the Apple website that shutting down both PC and iPad and starting over again IS NOT a solution.

While I deplore the thought that my iPad is not up-to-date, it does work very well as it is. I'll ignore all of the apps that are updating to take advantage of the new features of os5. I'm up to 16 apps that require an update AFTER I update to the new os5.

 

[kattee817]

MattIM, you and I are in the same boat. I have no clue what the difference is between syncing and backing up. But syncing goes smoothly and I just seem to be stuck in backup mode. There is no bar indicating the status, so every now and then I check the task manager to make sure iTunes is still responding.

I updated iTunes on 10/11/11. I updated all my apps both on the iPad and in iTunes. I had one game (Gun Bros.) that was taking forever to update, so I just deleted it in iTunes and on the iPad. I sync with no problem.

I am clueless and a bit frustrated. I have had my iPad for a little less than a year, but I've never seen it get stuck in an update. I mean for days it has backed up for hours, even overnight. Last night, I reinstalled iTunes just to try to start from scratch.

I am using netbook with Windows 7 Starter. That shouldn't make a difference, right?

I mean am I going to have to take this to the Apple Store? I feel like a dingbat

 

[MattIM]

Hi Katlee877. Glad to know I'm not the only one on this boat. Whenever a piece of technology behaves unexpectedly, I don't take it personally, but it is very frustrating to be unable to troubleshoot the problem when the advice available is basically, 'have you tried this?' or 'did you do that'.

It is such a rare experience that my iPad doesn't do what I want it to do. This is the first time I've had a problem that I was unable to resolve by looking on this forum or the Apple website. I suppose as more people try to update their Classic iPad, there will be more information on what to do when the update initiates with a backup that doesn't.

I back up on a Windows 7 Home PC laptop that was bought specifically to work for my iPad.

 

[Ncaissie]

Did you try turning off the sleep mode as well as the hard drive sleep mode on your pc? It is in your power saver settings.

64GB 3G White iPad

 

[MattIM]

Did you try turning off the sleep mode as well as the hard drive sleep mode on your pc? It is in your power saver settings.

64GB 3G White iPad

Yes. Whenever I use my PC--which is to only use it as my iPad's synch and update machine, the PC is set for "never" when connected to the wall outlet. I've also disabled virus and firewall.

Using the same process as mentioned in my previous post, I updated my iPad2 with no problems. That device updated in about an hour. This is why I think there is something about the iPad1 that is causing the problem.

 

[Hayles66]

I managed to update to IOS5 but my problem was that it wouldn't synch with the laptop AT ALL. It would try but to no avail. Restore, backup, restore backup. I got fed up last night and just reset it to factory settings. Yes, I know drastic but I thought, what the hell! I'd rather have an updated iPad than one that couldn't synch to laptop. I have 500GB of media on there so no way could upload to iCloud. Finally after a stressful morning. It took much longer than I thought but I now have IOS5 and it synchs to my laptop as usual. Yes, I lost all my data but what the hell, I'm not as stressed about that as I was that my iPad had bricked itself. Not sure where you two are at with this problem but there is another way, drastic though it is.

 

[Ambaker]

My iPad 2 went fairly well. Backing up did not take too long, as I had done that recently. The install and restore took about an hour. (64 gig 3G).

My only real gripe, is that I also own an iPad 1 (64 gig 3G). When I went to update it, immediately after doing the iPad 2, iTunes insists on downloading iOS 5 again. ( another 3 hour download, yay!).

Which leaves me wondering why Apple wants to tie up their bandwidth this way. You have to own an Apple product, for the software to be of any use, and it is a free upgrade. I could understand it, if there was a charge for the upgrade, eg. OS X Lion.

Fortunately my ISP is unlimited usage.


---
I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=36.790745,-90.481053

 

[ssilver10]

All I can say is re start your computer and update when you get home from work.

Like you said, you cannot go another day w/o your smartphone so do it when you are home.

Regards,

Ralphy

 

[kattee817]

I did the same as Hayles66 just a few hours ago. I found a thread suggesting that you disable virus protection and firewall, reset/reboot the iPad and use the Ethernet cable when upgrading and it still got stuck in backup mode. So, I just said bump it, and restored the iPad to factory settings.

I have to help my mom update her 1st generation iPad and 3G touch, so we'll see how that goes. I haven't upgraded the kids' iPods yet because my netbook doesn't even recognize them and I can't even connect them to iTunes *sigh*

 

[MattIM]

AT LAST! My iPad1 64Gig/Wifi+3G is UPDATED!

I am pleased to report that I have completed my update to os5!! After reading numerous posts and tips on this forum, I finally got updated.

Several posts advised that you don't have to do anything to prepare your device for the update, you really have some preparatory tasks:
1. On a Windows 7 PC/Laptop, temporarily disable Firewalls and Virus detection programs.
2. Download iTunes 10.5
3. Once new iTunes version insalled, in iTunes go to preferences, devices, and delete any recent backups. (thanks twertypoet)
4. Disable any sleep/hibernate settings or any power saving settings
5. Be wired to your home network and not on wifi
6. Be on direct wire to electric, not battery.
7. Shut down PC/laptop once all of these items are set.
8. Reset your iPad1 by pressing your power button until Apple logo
9. Start PC/Laptop
10. Start iTunes
11. Plug in iPad1
12. Once iTunes and Ipad1 recognize each other, you should get the announcement new update available follow the prompts to start update.

BE Patient! Be Patient! Be Patient!

13. Update begins with a backup. For my backup, it took 5:45pm to 8:45pm to complete backup
14. Second step of update is iTunes extracts files, took 15 minutes
15. Third step iTunes installs new os5, this took another 15 minutes
16. Fourth step, iTunes restores apps, this took an hour (I have 143 purchased apps)
17. Fifth step, iTunes restores music, movies, and videos, this took about 15 minutes
18. Sixth step, iTunes restoes photos, this took 15 minutes
19. Seventh step, iTunes does another synch, 15 minutes
20. Eighth step, iTunes just stops. Processor activities stops, iPad goes to sleep.
21. Unplug iPad1 from PC/laptop and start the iPad1
22. IPad prompts you to re-do your log on, reset your appleid, etc.
23. You will see your desktop, new Apple apps are added
24. Go to Appstore and update your apps that are waiting for the os5
25. Be happy! I'm updated!

 

[kattee817]

Excellent post Matt! I have seen other posts that advised deleting the last back up but I had no cIue how to do it. Now that rhos has passed, I am more confident about updating my family's other devices. This forum has been very helpful.

Enjoy your upgrade and the rest of your weekend

 

[Diane B]

I updated my Ipad 1 Thursday. I have lots of apps and lots of content. The initial backup took about an hour. The download of IOS 5 maybe 1/2 hour--can't remember but its with a Win 7 machine with lots of RAM and memory but not sure that makes much difference. I moved on to restore and that wavered between 3-4 hours and twice I got errors, twice I got message that Ipad had lost connection and to reconnect and start restore over. The second time I suspected bad USB cable as I've had to replace twice, I connected my new USB cable and restore dropped to 1/2 hour. From there it went fine, verification almost immediate when restore finished. But then---had to download many apps, had to choose and sync to Ipad, 22 "couldn't be found". I had to reinstall from purchased area in app store. Surprisingly all those reinstalled apps had content intact. I had backed u anything crucial in Dropbox but lost only one app I like a lot, Blogshelf, but it will be back in app store in about a month. So, all is well, but I admit I wondered at times LOL.

I don't think its inherently an Ipad 1 issue.

Yes. Whenever I use my PC--which is to only use it as my iPad's synch and update machine, the PC is set for "never" when connected to the wall outlet. I've also disabled virus and firewall.

Using the same process as mentioned in my previous post, I updated my iPad2 with no problems. That device updated in about an hour. This is why I think there is something about the iPad1 that is causing the problem.

 

[Kellyinok]

I am afraid to hook my IPad up to download IOS5! I've been trying to upgrade my 3GS phone for 3 nights now and it still hasn't worked. Tonight I uninstalled ITunes and reinstalled it. Same thing is happening though. Two hours later, it still says it is backing up. Left it there all night last night and had same progress. I have a great Internet connection. So I dunno... maybe because my phone has never been updated before? Grrrrrrrrrrr