Backup SMS (sms.db) on your iPhone the easy way (openSSH)
We all love SMSs from our loved ones, don’t we? I always had issues with SMS since I tend to loose them with so many different firmware installs and I always have issues with setting up the iPhone from a backup (it just messes everything up!).
Anyway, openSSH comes to your rescue! Make sure you have openSSH installed via Cydia or installer and boom, use Fugu, Cyberduck or any FTP tool (Windows and Mac) and login to your iPhone (ip address from WiFi settings, username : root, password : alpine, port: 22).
This is the path you have to check for SMS.db file which has all your SMSs!
var/Mobile/Library/SMS
Copy the SMS.db file locally and make sure you update the cop before and after you restore a new firmware! Told ya its easy 
Lemme know if you have any issues with this process…
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a free solution for windows to accomplish this would be http://insend.de
Hi. few questions I’m running Windows Xp as my OS. Had to use WinSCP as My FTp Tool. I did find the correct path :SMS.db copied the file to a good location. Now what? when i restore and upgrade to the newest firmware. then pwn. then backup from itunes. How can i review this file? do i drop it back in my SMS folder using SSH. or can i view this file on my PC with a program? Please advise, thanks for your help.
A
April : All you have to do is replace the sms.db file and you are good to go!
Ok I will try it! is their a way to view the sms.db file on my PC.
Great it works!
Wanted to upgrade to 2.1 but don’t want to loose sms… stumbled across this page and tried… it worked…
Also, you could do the same even for notes… The file is in /var/mobile/Library/Notes/notes.db…
Technically speaking : It should work and it will
I didn’t try it though!
i did it like three times already..works like a charm!
hi, i update to 3.0, i backed up my contacts sms via ssh, when i put the sms file back in and reboot the spring board contanlty crashes! the contacts work fine. any suggestions?
I would suggest taking a backup via iTunes and store contacts locally and follow my latest guide for iPhone 3.0!
Hi, after copying my sms history and my address book using WinSCP, I set up my phone as a new iPhone. I copied them back and now I cant delete, send or receive any sms and I can’t delete or add new contacts ! Have I made a mistake somewhere? Thanks
did you find a solution cuz im having the same problem???. email me at greenbay_08@hotmail.com pls
What is the error message or the problem you are having?
In order to restore your old sms.db properly, first log in to your iPhone via SSH with the user "mobile" (not "root") and password "alpine". Then copy over your old sms.db to the /private/mobile/Library/SMS directory and change permissions to 644. That's it. You should now have all your old messages and the SMS app will work as normal! I'm on 3.0 btw.
Thanks Srinivas! I will update the guide
I rely on my restores generally…
When upgrading versions I tend to set up my iPhone as a new Phone rather than doing a restore, which is when I manually reinstall some of my old settings and databases. Restoring causes conflicting settings occasionally when upgrading I've heard. Take a look at the Dev Team's latest post on their blog for an example: http://blog.iphone-dev.org/.
Thanks for putting out all this info by the way!
it doesnt work !!!
i dunno what happen…helpppppp !!! after i upgrade my phone to 3.01, i overwrite sms.db to file /private/mobile/Library/SMS, after i restart my phone.. it crashed ~~~~ i can even on my phone… it hanged n my phone keep on blinking…. how come like that ???? any solution for me? now i need to redo again the restore steps….. 
any solution pls email me to : mushroom13@hotmail.com thanks…….
kkiran~~~~ help me plsssss
Hey! Did you change the permissions of the sms.db file? I did not personally check this on 3.0.1 myself. Can you SSH to your iPhone??
i did installed open ssh from cydia to my iphone.. so that i able to use winscp to transfer my file.. now problem is when i overwrite the sms.db , after i restart my phone.. my phone blinking like crazy.. wht's wrong with that ? anyone using 3.01 got this problem ??? pls help me… i really wish to retrieve back my txt msgs… : ( help me plsssssssssssss~~~~~~~
kkiran can u plss add me in msn ? so that u can teach me what to do next???
what do u mean change the permission to 664 ?????
hi everyone u can follow this instruction ~in worked on 3.01 ~~~~ In order to restore your old sms.db properly, first log in to your iPhone via SSH with the user "mobile" (not "root") and password "alpine". Then copy over your old sms.db to the /private/mobile/Library/SMS directory a. That's it. You should now have all your old messages and the SMS app will work as normal! I'm on 3.01 ……
works great even with 3.1.2
sorry, but i must correct this. i can see my old messages, but when i try to send a new one the sms.app crashes suddenly.
Not sure what firmware you are on. I didn't test this hack with 3.X firmware. Did you change the permissions of the file?
same probleeeeem
anyone help me pleaseeee 
i want to use my mobile.. i stay every day trying.. :S
can't send sms when upgrading from 3.1 to 3.0 any fix?.. the msgs are important..
My iphone type is 3g firmware 3.0 jailbraked and unlocked operating system (windows xp)
Did you try 3.1.2 firmware? Did you change network settings??
Can someone upload a blank sms.db, i accidentally deleted mine.
iPhone 3G
3.1.2
Try creating a blank sms.db file. It should automatically be populated.
Are you able to open up SMS application on your iPhone? If sms.db file is deleted, it shouldn't boot in the first place. If it did, send yourself a sample text. It should be all set.
i did the same thing.. but when i tapped on "send" button, the SMS app closed automatically..
iPhone 3GS, version 3.1.2 (7D11), Window 7
[...] [...]
I had the same problem – delete the SMS directory on your iPhone. Send a message. REBOOT. Then upload the old sms.db file
[...] two different ways: Try This or This. If you have a jailbroken phone you just need to backup /var/root/Library/SMS/sms.db [...]
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