rescue the iPhone if you still need iTunes

We received many complains that iTunes report “Cannot read the content …” and asks for restoring after uploading video or song using iFunbox. The cause of this problem is that Apple has special hashing checking in iTunes which is not well handled by iFunbox. We apologize for that and will fix the problem in the next release.

Situation
0. For all iPhones and iPod Touch, iTunes will report “Cannot read the content …” and asks for restoring after uploading some media file using iFunbox due to the hashing checking in iTunes.
1. For iPhones and iPod Touch with FW 1.1.x, the uploaded songs/movies will be recognized by iPod on the device and can be played. In FW 1.1.x, the device doesn’t check the hashing.
2. For iPhones and iPod Touch with FW 2.x.x, the uploaded songs/movies will NOT be recognized due to the hashing checking on the device.
3. For other models of iPods (Classic, Video, Shuffle and etc), iTunes will not ask for restoring and just simply remove the media files uploaded by iFunbox. For devices produced before 2007 (not exactly), the uploaded media files will be recognized and can be played. However for newest devices, the uploaded media files can NOT be played. I guess, it is also due to hashing checking.

Do NOT follow iTunes
Though iTunes report ”Cannot read the content …” and asks for restoring, I believe no one would like to do that. iTunes force you update the firmware along with restoring and after restoring all user data will be delete including installed 3rd-party apps, data in general storage, contact list, SMS history. Also you will need to jailbreak after restoring.

Rescue the relationship with iTunes.
Here we provide steps to cheat iTunes that the device has been restored by deleting “iTunes_Control” folder. so that iTunes will initialize the media database (iTunesDB). The way we provided here keeps all user data unchanged except songs and movies. 3rd-party apps, data in general storage, contact list, SMS history will be preserved after process. Also you don’t need to jailbreak again.
We test the steps on iPhone 2G, FW1.1.4 and iTunes 8.0. Thanks Gaz, he tested the steps on iPhone 3G and iTunes 7.1.

0. Close iPod application on iPhone, stop music playing.
Close iTunes, You must close iTunes!!! Then open iFunBox.

1. Backup media files. (Optional)
if you don’t care, just skip.

2. Backup contact list and SMS. (Optional)
Though the following steps will not erase those information, I’d like to have those things backuped just in case.
Contact List: //var/mobile/Library/AddressBook
SMS: //var/mobile/Library/SMS

3. Browse the [Raw File System], Delete the folder iTunes_Control Located in “//var/mobile/Media/iTunes_Control”

4. Close iFunbox and then open iTunes for setup.
Wait seconds for iTunes searching for the connected iPhone.
Now iTunes will ask you to setup instead of restoring it, after the iTunes_Control folder was deleted.
Choose [Set up as an New Phone] and uncheck all sync options, iTunes will initialize an empty media database. Thus, the iTunes_Control folder and subfolders will be created. Other user data such as 3rd-party apps, data in general storage, contact list and SMS histroy keep unchanged.
Choose [Restore from backup of], the contact list and SMS history will be overwritten to the state as backup.
In this step, my choice is [Set up as an New Phone], then click [Continue]. Uncheck the automatically sync then click [Done].

Then iTunes takes a long time for sync and finally we have iTunes back.

54 Responses to “rescue the iPhone if you still need iTunes”

  1. gaz Says:

    i’ll hereby confirm the recovery step works on iphone 3G and iTunes 7.1
    hope you get round to fixing the hashing problem.

  2. xo Says:

    I was late to check this out this page, I got restore finally….poor me, I had try to use iFunbox to upload video to your movie library

  3. Problema iPod - i-FunBox - iPhone Italia Forum Says:

    [...] a tutti e grazie per l’aiuto e le risposte. Da poco e’ uscito un post a riguardo iFunBox Development

  4. fenom Says:

    when is the new version that fixing the problem is going to be released?

  5. admin Says:

    We’re trying to fight againest the Apple’s new hashing scheme. Hopefully release a fixed version for 1.x FW soon.

  6. DNG606 Says:

    i found a much easy way to fix this problem :) . just backup or delete “/var/mobile/Media/iTunes_Control/iTunes/iTunesDB” iTune will work again, no need to setup your phone again :)

  7. Kubrick Says:

    waiting for the update thanks :)

    i wonder also if its possible to use .ipa files
    and also i wanted to ask if the apps folder is for apllications from ipa files? because i see just a system apps.

  8. Daniel Says:

    Yes, this worked for me to! All music files are then shown as “others” in the usage bar. The lucky thing… music bought using the iPhone is still listed and can be transfered to the computer!

  9. iPhone download sites Says:

    iPhone download sites…

    I was looking through your past posts. Great job there….

  10. BiilYBonnYU Says:

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  11. easyskillz Says:

    thanks for the fix … i was about to update the iphone …and found this page BY CHANCE …with these key words on google “raw file system iphone contacts” …i wanted to backup the contacts …can’t believe the luck ..

    thanks again

  12. maleo_m Says:

    thanks. It works with iTunes 8.0.2.20

  13. Naushad Says:

    Thanks very much i was also in trouble
    and thought that there must b sum way to cheat or do the best….

    thanks dude

  14. Richard Says:

    Finally, a solution that works. Thanks alot.

  15. iPhoneDude Says:

    I transferred music to my iphone successfully but my when I click iPod on my iphone it says “No Content”… Any help?

  16. admin Says:

    Hi iPhoneDude, you need to reboot iphone if it is first time of using ifunbox V0.8. For future use, respring is required after transfering.

  17. iPhoneDude Says:

    NEVERMIND… just found this:

    Limitations:
    1. Media files uploaded by iFunBox will not be recognized by iTunes. iTunes report it cannot read the content and asks to restore.
    2. Manually Respring or Reboot is required after uploading media files.
    3. Currently iPod Shuffle can not play songs uploaded by iFunBox.
    4. For 2.x firmware, media uploading doesn’t work properly. We’re just work on that.

    i-FunBox rocks!

  18. SchumiX Says:

    Hello all.. hello admin

    So.. i can confirm admin’s words. Phone must be rebooted after transfer of Music to iPhone 3G.
    Tested on iPhone 3G 8Gb with Formware 2.2, jailbreaked.

    But.. it is still with lot of bugs.. uploading stops.. program stops unexpectely.. etc..

    Thaks to all

  19. Adi Says:

    It is not working on my iphone 3G with FW 2.2.1. I’m using iTunes 8.1.
    Photo and video volder are still missing

    Please help

  20. Ramon Says:

    My problem is that I can not add anything in iTunes now. iTunes recognizes the iPhone (2g 2.2 fw), but it will not allow me to add music, podcasts, ringtones, or apps. I lost all of my custom ringtones, but was able to add them using iFunbox.

  21. joe Says:

    i never would have run this crap app had i known id have problems as a result. this thing needs to go back to dev, stat - not ready for a release imo

  22. Badoo Says:

    Clearly this guide isn’t helping people like me who have 2.2 fw and can’t sync properly with iTunes. It would be nice for the creator of the program to at least acknowledge that he’s working on a fix for our problems. Deleting the iTunes folder doesn’t work and I don’t want to restore my jailbrocken phone.

  23. Ramon Says:

    Let me just say that i-FunBox is an excellent program, however, the claim on the update that states “Uploading Music/Movie for 3G iPhone FW2.x” should really have a warning with it. I also do not want to restore my iPhone.

  24. alib Says:

    you should stick to DNG606 solution.

    Just tryed it and works directly without all the process descrie in the tuto.
    I have firm 2.2

  25. Ramon Says:

    I tried DNG606’s solution, but I still can not add anything through iTunes.

  26. topan Says:

    Just tryed all thing and not works. in my itunes tab for aplication, video, and photo is gone.. how to get back.. sory if my english bad. i’m from indonesia..

  27. Boris Says:

    I got the same problem as topan. No App tab, Video and Photos tab. All is gone, i tried this trick and nothing happened, Please help! I got iPhone 3G firmware 2.2 jailbroken…

  28. maxis Says:

    Same problem as Boris / topan / Ramon here.
    Jailbroken iPhone 2.2.
    I’ve tried Ifunbox as an replacement for ITunes but songs tags were not readable after rebooting (bunch of weird symbols) so I turned back to iTunes just to be confronted with the problem which other guys described already.
    In Itunes only Summary/Info/Ringtones/Music tabs are visible.
    Can’t upload any music to iPhone through tunes (”this file type(mp3) is not supported by ***phone” error).

    Of course I hate iTunes as the next person does and I wish you people every luck in the world to make this tiny app better but can you please suggest anything to solve our problem here?
    TIA

  29. max Says:

    Same problem … still no fix ?

    If Palm Pre can be recognized by iTunes … there should be a solution.

    Maybe DVD John can help us … he seems to understand the mechanism.
    http://nanocr.eu/2009/05/28/syncing-music-and-video-to-the-palm-pre/

  30. Mariana Says:

    The same problem as Boris / topan / Ramon/ Maxis here.
    Jailbroken iPhone 2.2.
    Just Summary/Info/Ringtones/Music tabs are visible, but i can`t upload no music from the iTunes library. I tried //var/mobile/Media/iTunes_Control” trick-nothing….. I don`know what to do…
    Please suggest anything…

  31. Ramon Says:

    Restore. That is the only solution, : (

  32. Vincenzo Says:

    Dear team,

    I have Iphone 2G with 3.0 firmware, Itunes 8.2 and i-funbox don’t found my Iphone and also can’t browse PC.

    thank you
    Vi

  33. Amir Says:

    Dear help on Ifunbox,
    I started the process and lost my I-Tunes icon in the Iphone.
    cannot get it back.
    I run the Sync, but it required 99% resources from my laptop and do nothing.
    :( Help
    Thanks in advance,
    Amir
    P.S. I am new to the I-Phone and lost 1500 songs that came with it, tried to relocate them and made the situation worse

  34. Amir Says:

    Dear help,
    I started the process and lost my I-Tunes icon in the Iphone.
    cannot get it back.
    I run the Sync, but it required 99% resources from my laptop and do nothing.
    :( Help
    Thanks in advance,
    Amir
    P.S. I am new to the I-Phone and lost 1500 songs that came with it, tried to relocate them and made the situation worse

  35. klink Says:

    I just copied music using ifunbox and got the problem where i lost my music and videos

    i followed the instructions above and was able to resync music and vids

    Now all apps i have downloaded from appstore do not open. all the rest, 3rd party apps and cracked apps work

  36. Emily Says:

    I have iTunes 8.0 as well as the 3.0 software of my 3G iPhone and it worked for me! Only problem I had was that it wiped everything from my phone and I had to recheck sync everything to get it to resync– thankfully I didn’t lose anything because it had saved it all to my iTunes before wiping it. Thank you! I was so scared that I had done something to my iPhone since it wouldn’t sync due to ripping my songs from my phone with ifunbox but I didn’t have to restore my phone thanks to this!

  37. Tom Says:

    same problems as y’all have. Fun box seems to wipe programs bought via itunes, u must delete and reinstall via Iphone. Still will not sync. fw 2.x jailbroke do not want to restore. It appears to almost be ok if u only upload *.m4a & p files to music then the programs don’t get funky after respring. really should be warning but i guess u get what u pay for.

  38. MichaellaS Says:

    tks for the effort you put in here I appreciate it!

  39. Ozzie Says:

    I’ve exactly the same problem as klink - apps just respring the phone, iTunes just showing info, ringtones, music & podcasts tabs - no sign of the apps list. Will play manually uploaded music & video though.

    Still have full access to the file system in this tool so images and cycorder movies all backed up.

    Jailbroken 2g @ 2.2 - looks like I have a reason to update the fw to 3.0?

  40. trobe Says:

    I just downloaded the program but my phone is ‘jailed’ and I must perform a jailbreak to move my library from my phone. Help! I have no idea where to find that info.

  41. Websites tagged "hashing" on Postsaver Says:

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  42. Meee3e Says:

    My question to “admin” is this

    is it a requirement for an “ipod touch 1stgen fw3.0″ to be JB to use this program for installing 3pa/cracked applications?
    (in title on homepage, states “NO JB needed”)
    and
    as “Kubrick” asked, can .ipa files be dragged & dropped
    if so to which location? main applications icon, or in “raw file system/applications” folder

    and is there a solution for “Klink’s” problem of not being able to execute ‘Purchaced apps”

    maybe you could do a Quick apps install FAQ

    i use “ipod access for windows v4.3″ and it’s got a feature that enable ripping song/videos from a friends ipod and allows you to add song/playlist from It, to My itunesDB then i Sync and their added to my itouch with song/artist info also.

    dont know if you’ve seen it Admin but it maybe worth a look and posibility disASM of it and IPAHelper.exe which helps stop iTunes from cross-referencing between the DB file on the ipod and that of the iTunesDB

    damm if u could team up with them (Findley designs) you’s would force Apple into Submission and end their strangle-hold on us all

    tnx in advance

  43. heellpp Says:

    helpppp!!!! i lost all my music ,videos and pictures does anyone no how i can get it back plzzzz if yu do replyyy meeee

  44. AlexanderKent Says:

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  46. zengqXnlyying Says:

    Learned

  47. disasm Says:

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  48. iren Says:

    After i deleted my iTunes_Control folder iTunes doesn’t see my iPhone (firmware 3.0). I tried different computers bit result is the same - iPhone is seen on the computer, but iTunes doesn’t recognize the device is connected. Does anyone have an idea how to fix?

    Thank you.

  49. fraser Says:

    hi, i hav to say this progarm is perfect, coz windows 7 is having problem installing itunes…

    but i am facing a problem, i cant seem to insert image, rather saying i cant find the right file to paste my images,

    mine is an unjail-brokened ipod 2g version 3.1.

    help would be greatly appreciated…
    thnk you.

  50. admin Says:

    Where are you going to insert an image to?

  51. fraser Says:

    into the photo albums of my itouch… which is the directory to copy my photo into…

    thnkz

  52. cho Says:

    ifunbox does not recognize my Ipodtouch, with Spirit Jailbreak, i’ve already installed afc2add but still nothing displays on my ifunbox, why?

  53. Andrew Pelt Says:

    this is fantastic stuff man

  54. Rico Steve Says:

    Thank u, hav solved my problem

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