Urgent Backup question..

Consigliere · #1 (**permalink**) 05-26-2009, 01:45 AM

I decided to repost this question under the HTC Touch Pro thread since the thread I originally posted under has been dormant since 5/18/09..

Here is the link for that thread, or just simply read down below.. Sorry I'm kinda desperate here lol..

http://forum.ppcgeeks.com/showthread...=59278&page=10

Got a question here, hope someone can help! Ok my TP's screen for the past week has been all distorted. Brought it to the service center and they said they can't fix it and I'll have to have a replacement. (Don't really want a refurbished phone since the manufacturer's warranty is still valid). Well I want to back up EVERYTHING on the phone like contacts, texts, email accounts etc. I've never backed up the phone before except for on MS Myphone, but that sync is out of date and I have many new contacts and texts since then. So I've been looking into Sprite, SPB and PIMbackup.. Everything I read about these programs involves having to install something on the phone etc from what I've seen. I'm not able to install anything on the phone because the screen is failing worse and worse as each day goes by. I'm pretty much just able to use the phone for only calls now. So installing software on the phone is not an option.

So my question is which program(s) out there will allow me to back up everything to a desktop computer with my usb cord, save it to the desktop's hard drive, and then when I get my new TP, just simply hook it up to the computer and basically turn it into the old phone with all of my contacts, texts, email and hopefully settings etc too. Remember I cannot install anything on the phone since the screen is barely working.

Even better if it backs up all my old apps and every setting you can think of too. (While the screen was working better I managed to type down all my old addresses from the recent addresses in my GPS app.) I wonder if there is a way to back up all my favorites I have on my google maps on the phone too?

Thanks to whoever knows more about this than I do!

(Oh and thanks to the person who explained how to back up favorites from the Opera browser!)

lilbitz_1018 · #2 (**permalink**) 05-26-2009, 01:51 AM

I'm not too sure about doing texts through USB but I know you can sync contacts and stuff with the activesync program that came with it. I've learned to use the phone without using the screen (did it for a month with broken screen) and I've managed to install Dashwire, sign in and backup all my stuff. Good luck

Consigliere · #3 (**permalink**) 05-26-2009, 01:52 AM

Ok I feel retarded now, my original post was under this same thread, just a different sub-thread.. I'm hoping someone can help me out, I looked all over the forum and I haven't seen anyone ask this question yet. So I'm hoping it can be done, lol. :-/

Consigliere · #4 (**permalink**) 05-26-2009, 01:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lilbitz_1018

I'm not too sure about doing texts through USB but I know you can sync contacts and stuff with the activesync program that came with it. I've learned to use the phone without using the screen (did it for a month with broken screen) and I've managed to install Dashwire, sign in and backup all my stuff. Good luck

Yeah I've been using MS Myphone but the sync is out of date. And I can't get much to work on the phone. It's very lagged as well. I was able to text and stuff until today. Now I'm getting all kinds of errors. Whenever I try to open my texts or calendar, it says "A critical component is either missing or cannot start because program memory is unavailable..."

Ugh this phone is driving me nuts!

lilbitz_1018 · #5 (**permalink**) 05-26-2009, 02:03 AM

oh damn. wow. take it in the store and see if they can transfer your stuff for you. they might be able to. And im not sure but i think theres a program that allows you to use the phone through the computer. you might be able to run sprite or something doing that.
if not then the store might be able to transfer the files for you.

**strra** · #6 (**permalink**) 05-26-2009, 02:04 AM

why don't you try to use a program like MyMobile to control your phone via pc? just connect via activesync and run the program on your PC

lilbitz_1018 · #7 (**permalink**) 05-26-2009, 02:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by strra

why don't you try to use a program like MyMobile to control your phone via pc? just connect via activesync and run the program on your PC

lol right on time. there yu go

Consigliere · #8 (**permalink**) 05-26-2009, 02:47 AM

Yeah the sprint store will only back up your contacts and nothing else lilbitz..

Good idea about the mymobile strra.. I guess that could be a last resort if I can't do it just from a computer.

Does anyone know if any of the backup programs can backup everything by just hooking up the phone to the computer though, without having to install software on the phone? Someone has to know, lol..

mstevens · #9 (**permalink**) 05-26-2009, 03:09 AM

The whole point in suggesting the use of mymobile is that it you ARE doing it from a computer. It's just that you use your computer's keyboard and mouse instead of the device's keyboard and touchscreen, and your computer's monitor instead of the device's (failing) screen.

No. There is no way to back up everything including settings on your phone without installing some sort of backup software on your phone. For your purposes, a quick installation of the trial version of SPB Backup would work fine. Connect your phone, install the program (using mymobile if you need to in order to use the screen) and make a full backup. Even if you're using a trial version, you'll get a full backup and that backup will be restorable forever. If your phone has gone too wonky for SPB Backup to work, there's probably nothing you can do to get a more up-to-date backup than your MyPhone backup.

You've probably already thought of this, but... you really should be running a backup utility regularly. If you do that, a dead or dying phone is no big deal at all. If the relatively minimal cost of the SPB or Sprite backup software is too much, for goodness' sake use PPCPIMBackup.exe. All of these can be set to do automatic backups, which I do daily, to the storage card. SPB will take care of moving backups to your hard disk in case the bullet goes through not only your phone but the memory card as well.

Good luck!

Consigliere · #10 (**permalink**) 05-26-2009, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mstevens

The whole point in suggesting the use of mymobile is that it you ARE doing it from a computer. It's just that you use your computer's keyboard and mouse instead of the device's keyboard and touchscreen, and your computer's monitor instead of the device's (failing) screen.

No. There is no way to back up everything including settings on your phone without installing some sort of backup software on your phone. For your purposes, a quick installation of the trial version of SPB Backup would work fine. Connect your phone, install the program (using mymobile if you need to in order to use the screen) and make a full backup. Even if you're using a trial version, you'll get a full backup and that backup will be restorable forever. If your phone has gone too wonky for SPB Backup to work, there's probably nothing you can do to get a more up-to-date backup than your MyPhone backup.

You've probably already thought of this, but... you really should be running a backup utility regularly. If you do that, a dead or dying phone is no big deal at all. If the relatively minimal cost of the SPB or Sprite backup software is too much, for goodness' sake use PPCPIMBackup.exe. All of these can be set to do automatic backups, which I do daily, to the storage card. SPB will take care of moving backups to your hard disk in case the bullet goes through not only your phone but the memory card as well.

Good luck!

Yeah I'm about to install Mymobiler on the computer and install Sprite on my phone. From what I've read all over the forums is there seems to be more problems with SPB on the restore, but I don't see as many complaints about Sprite. Hell, I may use both if I can get them to install.

I actually never thought about backing up until my psycho gf at the time wanted to inspect my phone every time I came over to check for other female contacts. Which I swear were just friends, she just didn't like me having female friends lol.

So now my only concern with backing up, if it works, is will the texts maintain there threaded format? I've read a few posts about people using PIMbackup that there texts don't restore as threaded. Hmmmm.. Wonder how it will work with Sprite or SPB...