Complex Issue: iPhone Contacts with unified/ linked cards double sync with iCloud & back up with iTunes + Outlook
**Current State:**
- iPhone 4
- iOS 5.1.1b
**iCloud Control Panel/ Application Setup** (Windows): downloaded, not installed or used
**Current Syncing:**
- iPhone > WiFi/ 3G > iCloud
- iPhone > USB Cable > Windows 7 x64 > iTunes 10.6.3.25 > Outlook 2010
**Yes, I need syncing on both my Laptop and iCloud.** Why?
- Manual Sync with Laptop is INFREQUENT
- So I need iCloud for daily incremental updates
- Manual Sync with Laptop is ESSENTIAL
- Non-cloud backup copy as I'm in areas with no net (think 3rd world, rural)
**Contacts:**
Linked Cards (unified)
- iCloud
- iPhone
Note: Also, a bunch of the contact cards are not all linked to each other and many of them I had to be linked manually, as a bunch of names were duplicates. Some were with first name only, so non-unique "first name" identifiers and hence not auto linked or unified.
**How they look right now in the iPhone CONTACTS:**
**CONTACTS**
iPhone:
Groups:
All Contacts >
From My PC:
All from My PC >
GroupName 1 >
GroupName 2 >
GroupName 3 >
GroupName 4 >
GroupName 5 >
GroupName 6 >
GroupName 7 >
GroupName 8 >
iCloud:
All iCloud >
GroupName 1 >
GroupName 2 >
GroupName 3 >
GroupName 3 > (Yes.. Duplicate/ Repeated?)
GroupName 4 >
GroupName 5 >
GroupName 6 >
GroupName 7 >
GroupName 8 >
GroupName 8 > (Yes.. Duplicate/ Repeated?)
THATS A LOT OF INFORMATION :) What do I need help with?
1. I need some way to figure out and count the number of contacts I have on iCloud v/s the number I have in iPhone/iTunes/Outlook. Where and how can I look that up?
If that number is not the same on both then one COPY has CONTACTS that are missing on another. The larger set should then be my MASTER copy.
2. If possible, I'd like to link/ merge / consolidate the CONTACTS from both the sources or be able to setup a 3 WAY SYNC that does not create issues like this or duplicates in the future (or atleast for now)
3. Figure out my Larger/ Master Contacts STORE, back it up and keep it safe for synching so that I can update iOS 5.1.1b to either of following (most stable version of the following):
- iOS 6.1.x
- iOS 7.0.x
4. Set up some kind of 3-way sync so that the above 2 Sync Backup scenarios can be maintained.
**NOW**
- What should I do and in what order?
- I know this is a tough one, but would like to go methodically so that there is lesser room for issues and loss of CONTACTS and other data.
**Current State:**
- iPhone 4
- iOS 5.1.1b
**iCloud Control Panel/ Application Setup** (Windows): downloaded, not installed or used
**Current Syncing:**
- iPhone > WiFi/ 3G > iCloud
- iPhone > USB Cable > Windows 7 x64 > iTunes 10.6.3.25 > Outlook 2010
**Yes, I need syncing on both my Laptop and iCloud.** Why?
- Manual Sync with Laptop is INFREQUENT
- So I need iCloud for daily incremental updates
- Manual Sync with Laptop is ESSENTIAL
- Non-cloud backup copy as I'm in areas with no net (think 3rd world, rural)
**Contacts:**
Linked Cards (unified)
- iCloud
- iPhone
Note: Also, a bunch of the contact cards are not all linked to each other and many of them I had to be linked manually, as a bunch of names were duplicates. Some were with first name only, so non-unique "first name" identifiers and hence not auto linked or unified.
**How they look right now in the iPhone CONTACTS:**
**CONTACTS**
iPhone:
Groups:
All Contacts >
From My PC:
All from My PC >
GroupName 1 >
GroupName 2 >
GroupName 3 >
GroupName 4 >
GroupName 5 >
GroupName 6 >
GroupName 7 >
GroupName 8 >
iCloud:
All iCloud >
GroupName 1 >
GroupName 2 >
GroupName 3 >
GroupName 3 > (Yes.. Duplicate/ Repeated?)
GroupName 4 >
GroupName 5 >
GroupName 6 >
GroupName 7 >
GroupName 8 >
GroupName 8 > (Yes.. Duplicate/ Repeated?)
THATS A LOT OF INFORMATION :) What do I need help with?
1. I need some way to figure out and count the number of contacts I have on iCloud v/s the number I have in iPhone/iTunes/Outlook. Where and how can I look that up?
If that number is not the same on both then one COPY has CONTACTS that are missing on another. The larger set should then be my MASTER copy.
2. If possible, I'd like to link/ merge / consolidate the CONTACTS from both the sources or be able to setup a 3 WAY SYNC that does not create issues like this or duplicates in the future (or atleast for now)
3. Figure out my Larger/ Master Contacts STORE, back it up and keep it safe for synching so that I can update iOS 5.1.1b to either of following (most stable version of the following):
- iOS 6.1.x
- iOS 7.0.x
4. Set up some kind of 3-way sync so that the above 2 Sync Backup scenarios can be maintained.
**NOW**
- What should I do and in what order?
- I know this is a tough one, but would like to go methodically so that there is lesser room for issues and loss of CONTACTS and other data.