This computer has previously been synced with an iPhone or another IOS device

iTunes has stopped syncing my iPhone and iPad.  Now when I plug either of them in I get the message in the subject line.
As a result it offers me the change to set up as a new iPhone or restore from a backup.
The closest I can get to explaining how it's got itself confused is that I had some kind of network issue on the computer, and I got a warning message on my iMac telling me that there was another device on the network called iMac, so it had renamed itself iMac (2).  (There was no either iMac - I assume that on reboot somehow the network de-registration hadn't worked properly).  I changed the name back to iMac and rebooted and everything else seems fine (including online backups that are done against the named computer).  Not sure if this has anything to do with my sync problem or not - but it's the only oddity I can think of.
Any suggestions about how to get iTunes to allow the sync again with the iPhone and iPad that it was quite happily syncing with until recently?

The error message you're seeing is likely the other way around -- i.e. something like "This iPhone has previously been synced with a different computer".   There's no problem syncing multiple iOS devices to the same computer.
However, the reverse is not true for the iPhone --  you cannot connect an iPhone to another computer without it being erased, even if you manually manage music and video.  So, it sounds like you've been syncing your iPhone to a different computer?
Also, 5.1 (not 5.0.1) is the latest iOS.

Similar Messages

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    The problem that have started when I was going to sync my iPhone 4 with current iTunes running on 64bit Windows 7.
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    The error message you're seeing is likely the other way around -- i.e. something like "This iPhone has previously been synced with a different computer".   There's no problem syncing multiple iOS devices to the same computer.
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    Also, 5.1 (not 5.0.1) is the latest iOS.

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    When i connect my iPhone to my laptop it will only come up with the option to restore from backup, this has happened 3 times tonight
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    The error message you're seeing is likely the other way around -- i.e. something like "This iPhone has previously been synced with a different computer".   There's no problem syncing multiple iOS devices to the same computer.
    However, the reverse is not true for the iPhone --  you cannot connect an iPhone to another computer without it being erased, even if you manually manage music and video.  So, it sounds like you've been syncing your iPhone to a different computer?
    Also, 5.1 (not 5.0.1) is the latest iOS.

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    Also, 5.1 (not 5.0.1) is the latest iOS.

  • IPhone 4s: "This computer has previously been synced with an iPhone or other iOS device"

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    I have just upgraded my iPhone 4 with the recent upgrade to 5.0.1  - I get the response "This computer has previously been synced with an iPhone or other iOS".  I then get two options:  1)  Set up as new iPhone, or 2)  Restore from Back Up.  So I restore the device - but it returns to the page that says "SET UP iPHONE, and gives me the 2 options again - set up new phone or restore.  It will not sync my purchased apps onto the iPhone - my iPhone only shows bookmarkes saved. 
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    Try setting it up as a new phone. There is probably something wrong with the existing backup.

  • This computer has previously been synced with an iphone

    I've got an iphone 3g & everytime I connect it to my computer it says "this computer has previously been synced with an iphone". It then says set up as a new phone or restore from the back up of iphone. This is the only iphone I've had & I've always used the same computer to sync etc. Can anyone tell me what I need to do to get it to stop asking me to restore or set up as a new phone. I've tried doing both of these several times & I still get this screen coming up. I've also uninstalled & reinstalled itunes to see if it would help but it hasn't. I would appreciate any help anyone can give me.

    Try this:
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    2. On that same device pane, highlight and delete any and all backups listed.
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    The error message you're seeing is likely the other way around -- i.e. something like "This iPhone has previously been synced with a different computer".   There's no problem syncing multiple iOS devices to the same computer.
    However, the reverse is not true for the iPhone --  you cannot connect an iPhone to another computer without it being erased, even if you manually manage music and video.  So, it sounds like you've been syncing your iPhone to a different computer?
    Also, 5.1 (not 5.0.1) is the latest iOS.

  • "An iPhone has previously been synced with this computer ..."

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    I synced my iPhone 3GS on my PC (running Vista) yesterday, and it dropped a couple of error messages (-46 being one). No problems, I thought, I'll try again. Still failed. Unplugged everything, try again - now says "An iPhone has previously been synced with this computer, set up as new iPhone or Restore from backup".
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    Hi Allan, thanks for your reply! Thanks also for the link.
    I did look to do what you suggested, but unfortunately the only option it gives me now on right-click is "eject" (both on PC, which is what I sync with and also my laptop, which has met this phone once before). My phone seems to be telling the computers that it's a virgin new phone, rather than one I've been using for several months.
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