Step-by-step on how to update a friend's iPad using my computer

Question

Recently I was asked to update my friend's iPad.   Her old computer was not usable any more!    I was very apprehansive about doing this, as I did not want to get our "stuff" mixed up and also did not want to lose any of our "stuff".
I posted this question on the forums and a couple people replied, and even though I got some good information, I felt that it was not enough.
So I contacted my son, who is a whiz with computers (at least I think so!) and he gave me the following very detailed instructions on how to do the update.  It went very smoothly and worked liked a charm.
I thought I would share it, as there might be others out there that need to help someone update their iPad with OS4 to the OS5.
Here is what my son wrote:
Which iOS version does she have?  iPad Settings app --> General -->About --> Version
If she already has iOS 5 or higher, then it can all be done from the iPad... it just needs a WiFi connection to download the update.  Go into Settings app --> General --> Software Update, and follow the prompts.
If she is starting from iOS less than 5:  [Either print this email, or have it up on your iPad for quick and easy reference]
1. Create a user account on your computer just for her so that your iTunes and iPad settings don't get mixed up with hers.
   - System Preferences --> Users & Groups --> Click the lock, and enter your name and password for that computer.
   --> Hit the [ + ] button, and create a new account with your friends name.
2. Apple Menu --> Logout: YourName
3. You should see either a login/password prompt, or pictures for each account.  Click or type to login to the new friend account.
4. Start iTunes. 
5. Store menu --> Authorize this computer...
  - enter her iTunes email and password. You should be able to figure out the email address at least from the iPad Settings screen.  (I'm not sure where exactly to find it in iOS 4... but it will be in there as the AppleID or iTunes account or something like that.  (Try Settings--> Store.)
She'll have to know the password -- failing that, try to recover it from http://iforgot.apple.com).
6.  Plug in her iPad
7.  Sync.  (Say yes to any questions about copying apps and files from the iPad to iTunes).  Say no to anything about updating the software at this point.
(This part could take an hour or more, or maybe it's the back-up, which is step 8.)
8.  Back-up the iPad.  (In the bar on the left in iTunes, ctrl-click the iPad, and select 'Backup...'
9.  Now, do the iOS update... in the main iPad screen in iTunes, there should be a button to trigger the update.
10.  Keep it plugged in to your computer, and when it's done updating, do a 'Restore from Backup' (it might do it automatically).
11.  Sync one more time for good measure...
-- Now it should be on iOS 5.1, so all future updates can be done over the air without a computer.
Hope this helps!
Geraldine

Answer 1

Another way to transfer photos. You can use a USB flash drive & the camera connection kit.
Plug the USB flash drive (works the same with an SD card) into your computer & create a new folder titled DCIM. Then put your movie/photo files into the folder. The files must have a filename with exactly 8 characters long (no spaces) plus the file extension (i.e., my-movie.mov; DSCN0164.jpg).
Now plug the flash drive into the iPad using the camera connection kit. Open the Photos app, the movie/photo files should appear & you can import. (You can not export using the camera connection kit.)
Using The iPad Camera Connection Kit
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4101
iPad: Using iPad Camera Connector with unsupported USB devices
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht4106
Secrets of the iPad Camera Connection Kit
http://howto.cnet.com/8301-11310_39-57401068-285/secrets-of-the-ipad-camera-conn ection-kit/
 Cheers, Tom