I have lost all my contacts after synching my iphone

Question

All the postings related to this topic seem to indicate that there is no easy solution to this. You can restore from back-up ... but I think i've synched my iphone after my contacts disappeared - so restoring from back up will do no good! iTunes should have a clearer message in future warning users that all contacts will be deleted if you press ok in that window that appeared during the first synch!
Am very frustrated!
Is anyone aware of any other solutions?

Answer 1

Well there is a warning. However it is designed that your computer is the MAIN place for your contacts. The concept of syncing is that the phone gets "copies" of your real data (your phone is not the primary source, your computer is).
So if your computers address book you sync with has no contacts, then it will erase contacts on your phone because you have no contacts (dumb yes, but that is how it goes).
It warns when there will be major changes to your primary contacts (your address book on computer).
Now if you had at least 1 contact on your computer, it would of "merged" them (thus bringing over what is on the phone and bringing that one over to the phone).
The assumption is when you opt to sync contacts, that you have contacts on the computer you are syncing with and thus your primary place for contacts you maintain.