iPad 4.2.1 Update + Folders + Backups = FUBAR

Grabbed the new iPad 4.2.1 update the other day. Excellent feature list -- multi-tasking and FOLDERS being the best additions.

Up until this update, I had 20-30 apps spread across 4-5 screens. Individual icons for single apps. Sorted to a screen each for each type -- most often used, games, news, etc.

After installing the new update, I made a few folders and WOW, suddenly I realized I could load dozens more apps onto the device and sort them into fresh folders.

Within two hours, I'd loaded more than 100 apps and had them nicely sorted into folders. I backed up my device and figured I was all set.

iTunes (running 10.1) surely recorded both the apps AND the folders I'd just sorted them into. Right?

Not so much.

After adding about 12 more apps to also sort into my new folders, I synced and headed back to my iPad.

FUBAR'd. There were 5-10 new folders with 1-2 apps in each, renamed things I haddn't set, and all my apps were unsorted and thrown into more than 10 screens. Ouch.

All that work. Lost.

If anyone else has this problem email me with a fix and I will publicize it -- timothymclain at yahoo.com.

I'm contacting Apple support (post here) to see what I can do stop this.