Jailbroken iPhone. How to back up and sync? Please help.

Hi everyone,

Sorry for being such a newb. I'm new to the whole jailbreaking scene. I recently jailbroke my iP4 about a month ago. I'm currently on 4.3.2 using redsn0w. Anyway, before I had jailbroken my phone I obviously did a back-up. I even took it a step further and made a copy of that file going through the iTunes directory just in case if that back up ever got over written by a new jailbroken back up. Of course the reason I did this is because if I ever decide to go back to stock I'll have a fresh "non jailbroken" back up with no reminants so that I can restore to.

So my question to everyone is, and please don't flame because it is a legit question, how do I back up my phone now that it is jailbroken? After using it jailbroken for over a month, I've downloaded new apps from the app store, took pictures, have new sms/mms messages etc. If I back up my phone now won't I technically have a "jailbroken back up"? I hear it will save JB reminants on that back up correct? So for example, if I ever decide to restore and set up as new and than use that "jailbroken back up" won't I have jailbroken reminants left over?

I know iOS5 is coming out soon and I would like to upgrade to it when it comes out. I don't mind losing my JB or all the JB apps but I don't want to lose out on all my app store apps that I bought as well as texts, pics etc. So with that said, what is the best way to back up my JB phone so that when I restore and set up as new and use that back up it won't have any traces/reminants of a JB phone??

Hope that makes sense please help.

Joe Budden (remix) - Bump Bump Bump it up!

Just connect it to iTunes. It will be automatically backed up. I f anything happens to your data you can simply restore it.

You back it up the same way you did before it was jailbroken. You can also restore from that backup without any problems.

It was always my understanding that if you do a regular backup on a jailbroken iPhone, the only stuff that gets backed up is the "authorized" stuff, not the stuff added by Cydia et al. ??? And that the only way to deal with the extra apps is to sync manually???

Thanks for all the replies but well it was my understanding is that if you backup a JB phone it'll have JB reminants left on there (which I don't want if I decide to restore and go back to vanilla). I read somewhere that although I won't have any of the JB apps or anything and technically won't be "Jailbroken" anymore there can still be some traces. For example lets say you backed it up when you had folders or apps hidden or if you changed the name of your cell phone carrier or if have the battery percentage showing (on 3G)... when you restore to that back up, yes your phone won't be JB anymore, but those things will still show up. And you'll still have hidden apps/folders.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong?

You're wrong.

I have a jailbroken iPhone 2G (the original) and backups work exactly as normal. Every time there was a new update to the OS I had to re-jailbreak, but other than that everything copied over just fine from the backups (except for third-party apps; I just re-downloaded those).

Your cydia installed stuff won't be backed up, you need to download either aptbackup or xbackup. These apps will backup cydia tweaks. After installed, you have to run the program the program and backup your cydia stuff. Then, if you have to restore your phone and want to re-jailbreak it, you install this program again after you jb it and restore it and it will re-install your jb tweaks. Cracked apps are a whole different story.

It's as normal just be careful not to update the software because that will unjailbreak it.