Starting fresh with iTunes

[iShawn]

Okay, I am afraid of iTunes because of past experiences with it. Everytime I plug my iPhone into my computer, my old apps that were loaded into iTunes merge with my apps on my NEW iPhone, taking everything out of their folders, and making my phone a mess.

Here is what I want to do:
I want to start fresh with iTunes, like a clear slate. I want nothing in iTunes, and I want to plug my phone in and back everything into iTunes the way it is.

How should I do this? I'm a very techy person, but this is one thing I am having a problem with.

Do I just uninstall iTunes and re-install it? Or is their an easier way?

[Sponsors]

[Chris951]

You need to go into iTunes and unselect sync apps.

[EWyatt]

You need to go into iTunes and unselect sync apps.

I get iShawn's comments, and you're correct in your reply. My comment is why the (umm..) heck doesn't Apple set iTunes NOT to synch automatically the first time it starts up (before we have a chance to un-select everything)! iTunes really messed up my iPhones because of this too.

[iShawn]

Okay, so if I deleted all the apps out of iTunes, then sync my apps again. Will it erase my apps on my iPhone, or will it start fresh and sync all the apps that I presently have on my iPhone?

[iShawn]

Okay so i actually figured it out. But now when I go to plug my iPhone in, it syncs all my apps to iTunes, which is good, but it takes everything out of their folders and re-arranges them however it wants. What is it doing?

[xrayeyes]

I get iShawn's comments, and you're correct in your reply. My comment is why the (umm..) heck doesn't Apple set iTunes NOT to synch automatically the first time it starts up (before we have a chance to un-select everything)! iTunes really messed up my iPhones because of this too.

You can do this....open iTunes and do not connect your device. (you can also turn off wifi on your device if you are worried about wifi sync). Then click on edit>preferences>devices>check the box to "prevent ipods, iphones, and ipads from syncing automatically. But I totally agree it should be the default rather than someone having to figure it out on their own or through a forum.

[zig9449]

You can do this....open iTunes and do not connect your device. (you can also turn off wifi on your device if you are worried about wifi sync). Then click on edit>preferences>devices>check the box to "prevent ipods, iphones, and ipads from syncing automatically. But I totally agree it should be the default rather than someone having to figure it out on their own or through a forum.

This is why I hate iTunes.lol.

FYI....if your a jailbreaker....I recommend to never restore from backup.lol. There are other (more reliable) ways to backup everything iTunes does. iTunes is a train wreck.lol

[EWyatt]

This is why I hate iTunes.lol.

FYI....if your a jailbreaker....I recommend to never restore from backup.lol. There are other (more reliable) ways to backup everything iTunes does. iTunes is a train wreck.lol

Zig.... for my sake, what are those other ways to backup everything iTunes does? I'd really like to know. The Android phones have a drag & drop capability, which is SO effective, but NOT the iPhone. Oh No! That's why I'm considering going DROID RAZR after my 2 yr contract is up.

[zig9449]

Zig.... for my sake, what are those other ways to backup everything iTunes does? I'd really like to know. The Android phones have a drag & drop capability, which is SO effective, but NOT the iPhone. Oh No! That's why I'm considering going DROID RAZR after my 2 yr contract is up.

It depends what you want to backup.

[EWyatt]

It depends what you want to backup.

I need to back up my Contacts (within the default Contacts App), which are extensive.