iPad could not be backed up because a session could not be started

iPad

If you ever seen this error message in iTunes:

iPad could not be backed up because a session could not be started

Then here is how I fixed this on my iPad (iOS 4.2) before upgrading to iOS 4.3:

  1. Do a hard reboot of your iPad by holding down the top button and the home button until the device reboots.
  2. Re-connect to iTunes (stop sync) and then right click on the iPad to ask it to backup.
  3. This didn’t work for me the first time, with a different error coming up, but by the second try it did work and I managed to complete a backup.

There are some other accounts over on Apple Discussions if this does not work for you; in no particular order I read this, this and this.

Oh and if you’re having problems upgrading to iOS 4.3 then I’ve found links to enable you to manually download the upgrade here (it’s 625.8mb BTW).

And if you need instructions on how to manually update an iOS device watch this video:

 

(though be warned of the irritating music!).

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