Restoring files from the new iPhone Backup structure
The new iTunes Backup structure (from iTunes 9.2 onwards) relies on a very intransparent organization. You can find the following files in the usual folder (User\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup\UniqueBackupID\):
- info.plist - general metadata about the backup
- manifest.mbdb - a list of the iPhone folder structure (semi-readable)
- manifest.mdbx - presumably the same list, but compressed
- manifest.plist - List of third party applications and settings
- status.plist - more metadata
- …and thousands of files, each named in a 13-byte hex cifer.
The most advertised solution to browse these files would be the iPhone Backup Extractor (or similar “user-friendly” products), but it provides very limited functionality (only restores six files, and doesn’t leave them intact) and costs a lot of money.
For the more advanced user, there’s the Open Source project iPhoneBackupBrowser. The module mbdbdump (here’s the source code, and here’s a mirror) parses all the entries from manifest.mbdb and shows you the original file location on the phone.
User interface:
- Chose a backup (this relies on an existing info.plist in the correct folder)
- Double click on an entry in the second list (most likely you want to see the “System” entry)
- The third list shows all the filenames in their original location. Drag and drop individual files into a new folder. You’ll still get the cryptic name, but at least you know now how the files are supposed to be called. Be sure to have any copy enhancers turned off - for example, TeraCopy would give a nondescriptive error with this procedure.
Posted on Monday February 7th
