How do i retrieve my previous backups after you updated to new itunes

Question

Hi so i just updated to the new ios5, and after it was done syncing and everything, i got everything back except for my contacts, notes, texts, and camera roll photos. I'm guessing it is because I updated my itunes also to the new 10.5 so it might have erased all my previous back ups.
I was looking for a way to get the old backups back and use that to retreive my old camera roll photos and contacts but, i couldn't find where the previous backups were. I tried using the way it showed on Apple where it said to look in application data, but when I looked, it did not say Apple computer after I double clicked on the application data icon it said microsoft instead which lead to nowhere. So can someone please help me locate where the previous backup files are?
Thanks

Answer 1

No backup? Never a good idea to not maintain a backup of your important data. If you do not have a backup, follow these instructions:
By design, the iphone will sync itunes content with one computer at a time. Any attempt to sync such content with a second computer will result in ALL itunes content being first erased from your phone & then replaced with the content from the second computer. This is a design feature and cannot be overridden. Because you formatted your computer, your phone, will see your computer as a "new" computer. The itunes content sync is one way: computer to phone. If you have photos that were synced to your phone or music ripped on your own that were not backed up, you will first have to extract them from your phone using third party software, before you do anything else:
http://www.wideanglesoftware.com/touchcopy/index.php
Once you've done that, do the following in the order specified:
1. Disable auto sync when an ipod/iphone is connected under preferences in itunes(under the edit menu).
2. Make sure you have one contact & one event in whatever supported applications you use for contact & calendar syncing. These entries can be fake, doesn't matter, the important point is that these programs not be empty.
3. Connect your phone, itunes running, do not sync at this point.
4. Store>Authorize this computer.
5. File>Transfer Purchases(To make sure all purchased content on your phone will be in your itunes library).
6. Right click in the device pane & select reset warnings.
7. Right click again and select backup.
8. Right click again & select restore from backup, select the backup you just made. When prompted to create another backup, decline.
9. This MUST be followed by a sync to restore your itunes content, which you select from the various tabs, You'll get a popup regarding your contacts & calendars asking to merge or replace, select merge.
That's as good as it gets without a backup of your itunes library and other important data..