Upgrading to the latest iOS

[Pinkipad2]

My iPad is apparently running an outdated iOS. I had tried to do something in the App Store I think (bad memory) and it said I needed iOS 5.0 or higher.

This will be my first attempt at upgrading. I'm a Windows person and am just uncomfortably unfamiliar with Apple. I don't have a backup of my iPad, which weighs heavily on my mind. (I have the instructions, just haven't had the time*) Can I upgrade simply and, if so, how so? Through the App Store? If I'm a few or more upgrades behind, can I just upgrade to the latest connection or do I need to go through each upgrade? I am on my PC and can't check version right now but my iPad is iPad 2.

* I bought a cable to connect my iPad to my laptop. One end is the PC USB flat connection, the other is a tiny odd-shaped thingie. Label says 1M USB A to MINI-B 2.0 CBL. Do I have the right cable to merge/marry them?

 

[firekicker]

I would make sure you read here in the forums on how to make a back up of everything. There is certain files that you need to keep. Reason being if your ipad2 is jail broken and you upgrade you will lose everything and there is not a jailbreak for IOS 6.0.1 yet. But you don't have to connect to PCM to upgrade you can do it from right from the settings on the ipad2.

 

[Blue92]

Do you have iTunes installed on your laptop? If not then start there and install iTunes. That allows you to back up your iPad locally. I would definitely do a backup before updating the iPad.

As to the connection cable the iPad should have come with one. It's a standard USB on one end and a very thin 1" or so wide connection on the other. The iPad does not have any flavor of a standard USB connector.

 

[scifan57]

The cable used to connect your iPad to the charger is also the one used to connect to iTunes on your computer.

 

[Pinkipad2]

Uhm, jail broken? Is that the Apple word for hacked?

I can upgrade from the iPad itself, good. Thanks. I put iTunes on my Windows laptop and bought the USB cord (my original broke apart so I bought a charger and separate cord). Then I read I could use iCloud. But I'd feel better having a copy on my own machine.

So, I upgrade easily. Then to backup I need the correct cord (mine is right?) and iTunes. Check. Connect iPad to PC. Run iTunes. Under DEVICES click my iPad. Choose Summary tab at the top. In the Backup section (where is that?) check "backup to this computer." Click Sync.

That sounds doable. Any hints or tips?

 

[Blue92]

So, I upgrade easily. Then to backup I need the correct cord (mine is right?) and iTunes. Check. Connect iPad to PC. Run iTunes. Under DEVICES click my iPad. Choose Summary tab at the top. In the Backup section (where is that?) check "backup to this computer." Click Sync.

That sounds doable. Any hints or tips?

I'd do a backup, update the IOS then do another backup once the IOS updates.

My update to IOS 6 failed the first time. With the backup to iTunes it took about 20+ minutes to reinstall everything, update the IOS to 6.x and get the iPad back to where it was.

My windows PC crashed a few months back (mother board fried). I had backups of all my data but I'm still reinstalling software.....