Existing users, 
Fix for iPhone syncing problems
Posted 2 July 2007 @ 5pm in Troubleshooting
We previously reported on an issue where iTunes fails to properly synchronize contacts with the iPhone, hanging repeatedly at the “Syncing contacts” phase. We’ve now identified a potential fix for this issue, as it occurs under Mac OS X. Navigate to the directory: ~/Library/Application Support (this is the Library folder inside your user directory folder) and delete the following folders:
- iSync
- SyncServices
Note that according to Apple, deletion of the SyncServices folder can result in duplicate contacts in Address Book or appointments in iCal and data loss in Address Book or iCal. However, it’s the only workaround that has proven successful for some users.
Feedback? info@iphoneatlas.com.
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1 Comment
Posted by knouse
4 July 2007 @ 7am
Before I got my iPhone I’d been unable to sync my Contacts to my iPod. This problem carried over to my iPhone. I’d not worked the problem because I found a workaround - putting all my contacts into one large VCard and copying it to the Contacts folder in my iPod. But this doesnt work with the iPhone since it doesn’t mount as a volume,
With the iPhone my contacts and Safari bookmarks weren’t syncing and calendars items were being added multiple times.
Here’s what solved the problem for me:
1. Backed up my Address Book Contacts and iCal Calendars using their backup database commands and quit the applications. I didn’t save my Safari bookmarks because I use my FireFox bookmarks - occasionally importing them
2. Quit all applications but Finder
3. Deleted the following directories and plists
~/Library/Caches/
~/Library/Application Support/iCal/
~/Library/Application Support/AddressBook/
~/Library/Application Support/Syncservices/Local/
~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.iCal.plist
~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.AddressBook.plist
~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.Safari.plist
4. Emptied the trash
5. Rebooted
6. Opened Address Book and iCal and restored my Contacts and Calendars. Opened Safari, imported my FireFox bookmarks and rearranged things.
7. Quit Address Book, iCal and Safari
8. Restored my iPhone
9. In iTunes enabled syncing of Address Book, manually synced and checked contacts were all there. They were.
10. ditto for Calendars
11. ditto for Safari bookmarks
Admittedly this is a nuclear approach - i.e. I may have done way more than I needed to but it worked.
A buddy suggested just deleting ~/Library/Caches/ and rebooting; or using Cache cleaner may have been enough - that I didn’t need to delete the iCal and Address book folders in Application Support nor the plists.