Quick Backup restore help, please

[TimothyB]

I just synced my iPhone to find it deleted 5 pages of my apps off the phone, leaving a random total of 5. All the apps are missing from the Application section of iTunes too, except that 5.

A backup was made just before it did this sync, which is listed in the perferences in iTunes.

Do I just go and start a restore to use that backup and my applications back with all their saved data?

The iPhone manual says I should go to restore which will erase all data on the phone, then an option to use a backup, but the very next line says "In iTunes, you can also restore from a backup without deleting data stored on iPhone."

How do I do that? Choosing restore only mentions it will erase data, not option to restore with a backup without erasing data. I click continue and it starts extracting software.

I'm paranoid because I once had the phone go bad and needed a complete restore, but the backup was corrupt. So I don't like telling iTunes to delete all my contacts and other stuff off my phone before I even see a list of backups to choose from or know it's not corrupt again. I even recall losing a backup because I reconnected the phone and it erased the previous one.

[TimothyB]

Update:

Why didn't the manual just say to right click on the iphone on the left to access an option to restore from a backup, sheesh, they only mention the restore button in the summary tab for using backups. I never thought to right click on the left panel in iTunes

[TimothyB]

Well, what a pointless thing these backups are. It didn't install any of the apps and their data. You'd think the backup would have been data before iTunes screwed up the phone. Now I wonder how useless this is. As everytime you sync it replaces the previous backup, how are you are suppose to sync your phone and possibly restore it to where it was before the sync if iTunes decides to delete everything again with no warning!!!!

[spmwinkel]

"Although iTunes backs up most of your iPhone and iPod touch settings, downloaded applications, your audio, video, and photo content are not included in the backup."
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1414

I guess they say that apps and media are things you can sync back to the iPod. But apparently you can't. :/
In the folder where your iTunes music is, you can look in the subfolder (not exactly sure about the folder structure) and you'll find the application files. If they're still in that folder, you can drag them into iTunes to import them again.