ICloud appears to have backed up apps, but nothing else after computer crash, IOS update and iphone system restore? How do i get the rest of my media back??

Question

My windows computer crashed last night and shortly thereafter, my iphone updated to IOS 7 and i was forced to do a system restore before i could preform a backup... I tried accessing my old contacts, texts, notes, pics and apps thru icloud (i have it set up to automatically preform backup). It claims that the last back up was after my computer crashed/the update/system restore... I thought all was lost, then went to redownload some old apps. They all appeared with the icloud symbol next to them (instead of "free" or a price), so i'm assuming that i DO have things backed up on icloud? Why are my apps the only media showing back up? Is there a way i can salvage my contacts, texts, pictures and other deleted media still?

Answer 1

Apps are not included in a backup - only a reference to which apps are on the device.  They are restored from copies in the app store.
Here's a test to perform - using a computer's browser, log into icloud.com.  Check the contacts and other pages where your data had been stored.  If they are not there, then the only place they could be is in a backup, either to itunes or (/and) icloud.  You'd have to restore the backup.  If the data is there, then your device is not connected to icloud.  Go to Settings>icloud to be sure it's logged into the right account.
As for pictures...
Many users have lost photos while preforming a restore from backup or upgrading the iOS.   Recall, only photos in the camera roll are backed up to iCloud.  There is a way to turn backups for camera roll on/off, perhaps these users had camera roll turned off.
See:
Settings>icloud>Storage & Backups>Manage Storage,  tap the device's name and on the next screen, be sure Camera Roll is turned on.
IMPORTANT...
Photos should be regularly synced to a computer (like you store photos from a digital camera) using either USB via iTunes (on a mac use iPhoto or Aperture to move them to an album) or using photo stream.  If using Photo stream, but sure to move the received photos to a permanent album.  If you have been doing that, then you can sync those photos back to your device.
If you haven't been saving photos except relying on iCloud to store them in a backup, then that is risky, as many users have discovered.  I'm afraid I have no advice in this case - there is no "cure".