Database Users

Recommend a Reliable Backup Program Please

Hi Everyone,
Which Backup program do you use? Is there one you recommend? All this hacking my Cingular 8525 around has had me hard-reset at least twice within the last week. I need a good and reliable backup program since installing all of my software is taking me over 2.5 hours of time.
Thanks for responding.
ADP

spb backup has never let me down.well worth trying.
sprite also gets good reviews but I've never used it.

read http://www.pocketpcmag.com/blogs/index.php?blog=3&p=1270&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1

I've tried different backup programs with my TyTN.
I found that the only perfect working program is SPB Backup.
I've already restored my data after hard reset with this program (not once) and all is good.

i use spb also, works great

I vote for spb as well.
Although keep in mind that it only does back up system settings and core software installed in device (not sure what exactly), not the whole file system of your PDA. My problem was, I deleted some files and uninstalled some programs after backing up, and after restore they were not there! (just blank icons).
I would love to mirror my whole device on PC hard drive, yet I am not sure about software for this purpose.

how well does spb backup perform when you do a ROM upgrade?

MilanoRex said:
how well does spb backup perform when you do a ROM upgrade?
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Whatever backup product you use, DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT applying a backup from a different ROM version. You're asking for serious trouble.
Simply put, if you update your ROM, you're also plan on reinstalling everything clean from scratch...

mnez said:
I vote for spb as well.
Although keep in mind that it only does back up system settings and core software installed in device (not sure what exactly), not the whole file system of your PDA. My problem was, I deleted some files and uninstalled some programs after backing up, and after restore they were not there! (just blank icons).
I would love to mirror my whole device on PC hard drive, yet I am not sure about software for this purpose.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mobile Deployment
Deploy an identical policy based corporate image to all your mobile devices. From the original creators of the industry leading Symantec GhostTM cloning solution, Sprite Clone provides rapid and reliable deployment to multiple mobile devices thereby assuring consistency and cost effectiveness...
http://www.spritesoftware.com/sprite-clone

goestoeleven said:
Whatever backup product you use, DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT applying a backup from a different ROM version. You're asking for serious trouble.
Simply put, if you update your ROM, you're also plan on reinstalling everything clean from scratch...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sprite Backup works perfectly with ROM and DEVICE upgrades.. I switched from my Wizard to my Hermes without any problems..

MilanoRex said:
how well does spb backup perform when you do a ROM upgrade?
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Click to collapse
Use Sprite Backup in this case, it'll work unless you try to cross-restore between AKU2.x and AKU3.x. And please DO read my above-linked article; in there, I've also elaborated on this very question.

bobstarina said:
I found that the only perfect working program is SPB Backup.
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Strange you had problems with the otehr alternates (Sunnysoft Backup, SKTools 3.0, Sprite 5.1). Are you sure you tried the LATEST versions of them? It's only lately that, for example, Sunnysoft Backup received REAL WM5 support.
Also please read the Backup Bible I've linked in above if you need more info on all these questions.

MilanoRex said:
Sprite Backup works perfectly with ROM and DEVICE upgrades.. I switched from my Wizard to my Hermes without any problems..
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Click to collapse
Both of you are correct. Sprite DOES work great in most cases, except for restoring AKU3 content under AKU2 and vice versa.

does restoreing after a ROM upgrade using Sprite also keep your current registry changes as well...or do i have to do all registry hacks all over again...or even after just a hard reset not a ROM upgrade do i still have to enter the reg. edits all over again....

Sprite works well for me

strikeIII said:
does restoreing after a ROM upgrade using Sprite also keep your current registry changes as well...or do i have to do all registry hacks all over again...or even after just a hard reset not a ROM upgrade do i still have to enter the reg. edits all over again....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It will restore your registry changes too. Otehrwise, it wouldn't work at all with a lot of third-party apps that also use the Registry to store their stuff / settings.

Does anyone know if Spb backup will back up outlook notes?

Sprite is the only one worth getting since you can restore after a ROM or device change Just make sure you RTFM before you go changing anything as there are things you need to do before hand

Interesting to hear that Sprite Backup works without problems for all of you. On my TyTN, when it wants to reboot before beginning a backup, the TyTN gets stuck at the Windows Mobile screen. Removing/re-inserting the battery usually allows the boot process to finish - but only until the next reboot. After that, all subsequent reboots show that behaviour, no matter if initiated by Sprite Backup or otherwise. And very strangley, after a day or two this phenomenon disappears slowly. A hard reset fixes the problem immediately - at least until I re-install Sprite Backup or restore an (executable) backup I made earlier.
What's even more strange is that this seems to be reproducable, even across different ROM versions. I saw that first with the O2 Germany ROM my Trion came with, and also after I updated to the south-african WWE ROM.
Cheers
Daniel

I tried WM6 upgrade! (Looking now for WM5 ROM.)

Well, finally I tried the (official) upgrade from WM5 (1.8.407.1) to WM6.
I found detailed instructions using SpriteBackup 3.14 or higher. And since Version 5.01 were deliverd with my Herald, I gave it a try!
But that's were this endless night began...
The instructions used "GetUpgradeData.exe" from Sprite Software.
This is what I did:
- I created a complete Backup with Sprite Backup 5.01.
- I did a hard-reset.
- I run the "GetUpgradeData.exe" and got a sbu-file I stored.
- I actually performed the ROM-upgrade
- I installed Sprite Backup.
But wenn I tried to restore the Backup I made earlier I didn't found the "Upgrade-Mode" that was mentioned in the instructions and which I created the sbu-file for.
On the Sprite-Homepage, I got the information, that this functions seems to exist only since 5.1!
So I installed the newest version as trial. But this damn software doesn't restore backup made with older versions of itself! :-O
Since I found no possibility to makes Sprite Backup 6 *do* this, I decided to give 5.01 a try nevertheless. But it didn't work. I actually can't remember anymore, what error came exactly in this situation, but I realized it would work.
Since then I look for a downgrade to restore my backup on good old WM5.0 and try the whole szenario with Sprite 5.1 (I don't like 6).
I actually *found* a WM5-ROM, but it's not 1.8.407.1, it's 5.4.407.1.
- I "updated" the ROM, WM5 runs fine.
- I installed Sprite 5.01.
- I run Sprite 5.01 and got an error mentioning to little free memory!
- I performed a hard-reset, installed Sprite and tried to restore selected parts of the backup to need less memory. It ends successful, but during the following Warm-Start I get repeatetly the error that "The last cold-start" wasn't complete. So it performs a new reset by itself.
And that *are* my possibilities:
- restore all and have to little memory
or
- restore parts an get this weird error.
Why is this? and How can I change it?
I still have the hope that a 1.8.407.1-ROM would fix all problems. But where to take from. :-((
Any ideas how I can save my Herald? Please? It's 7am now an I'm puzzeling for 5 hours now. I want everything back to normal! :-(
Thanks for every help you can give me...

I didn´t really read the howl thread - but
NEVER try to take a WM5 backup to work with a WM6 Rom!!!
You never treid to use a Windows 95 backup on a Windows Vista PC???
So why you wanne restore a backup from a complete different Rom??
Install all new. NEVER use a backup when flashing a new rom.
Just my 2 cents

papamopps said:
I didn´t really read the howl thread
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No matter. It's just one posting. ;-)
NEVER try to take a WM5 backup to work with a WM6 Rom!!!
[...]
Just my 2 cents
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Well, my two, too, until yesterdey, when I learnd about that option in Sprite Backup. I quote from the manual of "Sprite Backup 6":
http://www.spritesoftware.com/downloads/SpriteBackupHelp.pdf said:
Setting Upgrade Mode Options
Sprite Backup automatically detects if the restore process is being performed between different devices or ROM versions and automatically enables this function and you will be asked to select the type of 'Upgrade Mode' operation you wish to perform.
ROM: Use this option to perform restore operations between the same devices with different ROM revisions. For example: restoring from a KJAM ROM 2.16.9 to a KJAM AKU2 ROM version.
Device: Use this option when you wish to restore across devices and ROM versions. For example: When restoring a backup file created on a WM2005 KJAM device onto a WM 2006 JAZJAR device.
Safe: If your device does not boot after performing a ‘ROM Upgrade’ or ‘Device Upgrade’ restore use the ‘Safe Upgrade’ operation.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The problem is that my version of Sprite Backup does not have this capability unexpectetly. Which I realized when it was to late.

one comment of a nearly flashaddict:
i ALLWAYS install all new. it is much faster after a few month when you make a hardreset and flash new......
believe me. i flashed so many roms - and allways installed it completely new!!

Sure you are right. And actually that's my choice now.
I made it to restore at least my personal data in WM5, backed them up new and restorem *them* on new installed WM6.
Now I'm on the configurating, installing, reconstructing part. :-((

does SPB backup work for rom upgrade?

for example from 1.52 to 1.56 rom..
will the rom upgrade option really preserve everything FLAWLESSLY ? and still not mess up the upgrade?
anyone tried? thanks!!

anyone please?

I tried it and it worked but with disabled overwrite system files function

so the new rom works and your programs? any failed?

Yes, i had only to reinstall the colored topbar.

walkergeri said:
Yes, i had only to reinstall the colored topbar.
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sorry what is the colored topbar
how about settings? are they restored? like cache size , backlight level, no start up animation.. stuff like that,,,

leobox1 said:
sorry what is the colored topbar
how about settings? are they restored? like cache size , backlight level, no start up animation.. stuff like that,,,
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
not all, but this are little things to do again, more important for me was that i didnt need to reinstall all programs.

Problem is that on cooked ROMs always some system files are updated or replaced by better performing ones. If you restore your old files there is always a risk overwriting the newer files. It is recommended therefore to only back up personal data, and re-install programs used. You decide.

Lucas0511 said:
Problem is that on cooked ROMs always some system files are updated or replaced by better performing ones. If you restore your old files there is always a risk overwriting the newer files. It is recommended therefore to only back up personal data, and re-install programs used. You decide.
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i second this. even if your new rom runs after restoring your backup you have lost your registry data or overwritten newer system files.
so it is recommened to restore only your personal data an reinstall all those applications you want to use.
when you like to flash several roms to test your favourite one you should think about using sashimi. it´s a tool to autoconfigure your system after flashing.

leobox1 said:
for example from 1.52 to 1.56 rom..
will the rom upgrade option really preserve everything FLAWLESSLY ? and still not mess up the upgrade?
anyone tried? thanks!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've tried this and it causes problems with new roms and softwares operation. If your restoring just restore PIM Backup i.e. emails, contacts etc and don't restore software, apps, registry settings.
In effect your puttings a better rom on with new registry settings when you upgrade from 1.52 to 1.56. But if your restore registry settings from 1.52 your overwriting these newer files which corrupts new rom

Fallen Spartan said:
I've tried this and it causes problems with new roms and softwares operation. If your restoring just restore PIM Backup i.e. emails, contacts etc and don't restore software, apps, registry settings.
In effect your puttings a better rom on with new registry settings when you upgrade from 1.52 to 1.56. But if your restore registry settings from 1.52 your overwriting these newer files which corrupts new rom
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
but there is a function not to overwrite system files while backup.

walkergeri said:
but there is a function not to overwrite system files while backup.
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Click to collapse
Exactly you don't override these. You just backup & restore PIM info, emails and possible some documents.
Leave System data unticked unless you know what your doing in the registry & databases
I would use a custom backup and just check the first 2 options PIM & email if your restoring betweening 2 different rom versions as you stated

arrghhh so this is not for me.. i wanted a solution in between upgrades.. i dont want to reinstall apps!

Don't get Lazy!
I think it would be unwise to take this sort of "Lazy" option for all the reasons mentioned previously. I have a stack of programs on mine and yet it only takes an hour or so to install these programs and then perhaps a day or 2 to setup and optimise the settings. Each of these programs may associate itself in a totally different manner from one ROM to the next....in short:
LAZY option: risky, might glitch up your operating systems
Re-install option: gives you the chance to setup and optimise to the new ROM
....know where I always start.....

Fallen Spartan said:
I've tried this and it causes problems with new roms and softwares operation. If your restoring just restore PIM Backup i.e. emails, contacts etc and don't restore software, apps, registry settings.
In effect your puttings a better rom on with new registry settings when you upgrade from 1.52 to 1.56. But if your restore registry settings from 1.52 your overwriting these newer files which corrupts new rom
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i completely agree with that!

Spb Backup too "smart"?

I'm using Spb Backup to make full backups. So far it's OK I even tried to restore after HR and it always worked.
Recently I made another full backup and upgraded to the latest stock ROM from SE service site.
Made restore... I mean the full restore and now I'm trying to figure out did I ruin the ROM upgrade?
I do understand that Spb Backup doesn't change the ROM itself. But what happen when I restore the full backup made with previous R2A to my X1i upgraded to R3A? Does it somehow substitute system files of the newer WinMobile 6.1 R3A with older files from 6.1 R2A?
I don't want to use partial restores (PIM etc.) as soon as it's a long and difficult process to restore all the software and features installed.
Thanks in advice.

The general recommendation is to have a clean start on a new ROM and not to restore from backups - for precisely the reasons you say.
It is indeed a long chore to reinstall everything, but that's the safest way to ensure a clean start.
Some backup programs claim to be able to do upgrade restores, but I've never had much success with them.

Understood. Thanks.

this probably isn't much help but I recently put the r3a on a new xperia from this site then used spb to restore a previous backup from r2a on my previous phone straight from the exe backup (did not install spb backup first).
The only problem i encountered was having to reinstall 1 or 2 applications.

sms2000 said:
I'm using Spb Backup to make full backups. So far it's OK I even tried to restore after HR and it always worked.
Recently I made another full backup and upgraded to the latest stock ROM from SE service site.
Made restore... I mean the full restore and now I'm trying to figure out did I ruin the ROM upgrade?
I do understand that Spb Backup doesn't change the ROM itself. But what happen when I restore the full backup made with previous R2A to my X1i upgraded to R3A? Does it somehow substitute system files of the newer WinMobile 6.1 R3A with older files from 6.1 R2A?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is an old and somewhat hoary question.
In short, ROM upgrades always re-organise chunks of the Registry from earlier ROM's. So restoring a previous backup over a ROM upgrade risks conflict with these changes
There are several safer methods for rebuilding on a new ROM:
1) use UC ... many, many posts on this + a 150+ page thread
2) there is a thread on this X1 sub-forum showing how to use a \2577 folder on the card to re-install CAB's as an automated process (Flashaholics Anonymous, I think)
3) if you have most apps installed on the card, a lot will run without re-installation, or at least just the addition of SN etc. Then they won't show up in the "Remove Programs" utility, but to de-install, just delete the folder from the card and then delete the shortcut.
I keep a relatively up-to-date copy of all \Windows\Start Menu\Programs shortcuts in a mirror folder set on the card so restoring these is simple
To test the differences in Registry, use the "Compare" function in the excellent freeware editor CeRegEditor

You will eventually find a bug if you restore a backup file after changing rom versions.

There is a "Force ROM update" mode in the options when you restore. I've never tried it because I like the idea of a clean install when i upgrade a ROM. But if your keen, give it ago.

Scott Whitmore said:
There is a "Force ROM update" mode in the options when you restore. I've never tried it because I like the idea of a clean install when i upgrade a ROM. But if your keen, give it ago.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And report back with your findnings
I've always wanted to try it, but am too scared

That's a problem that I have no problems...
I restored full SpbBackup without "ROM restore". System reports it's R3A, but Windows Mobile version seems to be the same with R2A. Should it be the same or not?
First I upgraded, second - I restored my backup and only third - I decided to ask this question.
OK with another system Registry organization, I can understand it very well but why any major changes from any 6.1 to another 6.1?
Jumping from 6.1 to 6.5 may and should introduce completely new Registry hives.
Still after restoring full Spb Backup everything works fine, including Hebrew support and fonts, iGo8.3 with A-GPS, additional panels etc.
Anybody with stock [ENG] R3A, please report your Windows Mobile version?

It isn't the operating system that changes - it is all the configurations, tweaks and add-ons that change.
The base OS will still be WM6.1, but there are lots of things that HTC and SE have thrown in to customise the device, and change the look and feel of it, but underneath the hood it is still basically WM6.1.
Your problem will be that you took a backup of the R2AA version which will include lots of settings, registry tweaks, software versions and suchlike. When you restore this over R3AA then you might find that the new and (hopefully) improved R3AA settings/files/whatever get overwritten with the old R2AA settings/files/whatever.
You may be okay and never notice the difference, or you might run into any number of problems...freezes, lockups, crashes, instabilities...and you're unlikely to ever figure out why.
Hence, the generally accepted wisdom is to use backup restorations to test experimental ROM upgrades, but to install from scratch if you decide to settle on a different ROM.

I think the only thing that will harm your system is when you choose to merge the old registry values with the new one. It's all the registry settings that can get confused with the new ROM.

Mr Anderson said:
It isn't the operating system that changes - it is all the configurations, tweaks and add-ons that change.
The base OS will still be WM6.1, but there are lots of things that HTC and SE have thrown in to customise the device, and change the look and feel of it, but underneath the hood it is still basically WM6.1.
Your problem will be that you took a backup of the R2AA version which will include lots of settings, registry tweaks, software versions and suchlike. When you restore this over R3AA then you might find that the new and (hopefully) improved R3AA settings/files/whatever get overwritten with the old R2AA settings/files/whatever.
You may be okay and never notice the difference, or you might run into any number of problems...freezes, lockups, crashes, instabilities...and you're unlikely to ever figure out why.
Hence, the generally accepted wisdom is to use backup restorations to test experimental ROM upgrades, but to install from scratch if you decide to settle on a different ROM.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But isn't it fine to restore just emails, contacts, tasks?
Without all the tweaks, settings...

doministry said:
But isn't it fine to restore just emails, contacts, tasks?
Without all the tweaks, settings...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh yes, that kind of stuff is alright - things like emails, PIM data and any other database files used by the software (stuff like saved game files, SplashID databases, saved settings for things like PhoneWeaver, PocketPlus etc).
If you sift through the backup and do selective restoration of just the databases then you should be fine.
It's mainly the registry settings you have to worry about, as poetryrocksalot says. However, you should also avoid restoring anything which comes with the HTC or SE customisations (such as panels, HTC task manager etc) because you risk losing newer software versions and could introduce incompatibilities between old/new files.

ROM Update problems

Hi there,
I just did the ROM upgrade on my phone from 1.48 to 1.66. After using SPB Backup to restore my files from 1.48, I had an issue with the restoration (HTC Sense refused to load) and had to hard reset. The restoration then worked fine, but I checked my ROM now and it's back to 1.48. Was it the hard reset I did after my failed restoration? Am I going to have to install the ROM update every time I want to hard reset my phone? This was my first upgrade, so be gentle!
Thanks,
David

if the rom version is reading anything but 1.66 then the flash failed. a hard reset will not change the installed rom. I would guess either the flash to 1.66 failed, our for some reason your backup software restored some system files that shouldn't have been backed up.
that's why I never back anything up(well except syncing contacts of course, and keeping my data on sd card)
always better to spend half hour re installing progs from scratch in my opinion.

Don't think the ROM upgrade failed - went through the whole thing without problems. Going to give it another go just now - will hard reset my phone and see what ROM details it gives me after.

The ROM version is stored in the registry in order for windows and windows apps to access it. This gets set when you install a new ROM, so that software doesn't have to query the ROM directly in order to get the version number.
I'm guessing that you use SPB Backup to backup your registry too?
If so, after your hard reset just check the version number before you do a restore, and then again after, and you should see the version change from 1.66 back to what it was previously.

restoring the system from an spb backup file will NOT change the rom version displayed in settings. SPB BAckup knows when the rom version is different and even tells you this when you restore your system from a backup that was created in a different rom version.

Audio Oblivion said:
restoring the system from an spb backup file will NOT change the rom version displayed in settings. SPB BAckup knows when the rom version is different and even tells you this when you restore your system from a backup that was created in a different rom version.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I guess there must be different versions of SPB backup floating round then, because I got this information from a thread a while ago where several people had this exact issue.
Guess we'll have to wait and see the outcome.

Haven't done the ROM update again, but just out of interest, I have SPB Backup 2.1.0, build 3536.

CloneboyZA said:
Haven't done the ROM update again, but just out of interest, I have SPB Backup 2.1.0, build 3536.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You shouldn't need a complete reflash to see if that's the problem. A hard reset will be enough. If it still says it's not 1.66, then definitely flash it again.

johncmolyneux said:
I guess there must be different versions of SPB backup floating round then
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
possibly...
i have version 2.10 build 3536 myself and use it ALL the time.
after a rom flash i run the exe that SPB Backup creates for a backup and go through the restore process. SPB BAckup checks the rom version on your device and if it is different it tells you so... you must then run the retore in "rom upgrade" mode. Your ROM version will NOT change.
Maybe it is the "rom upgrade" mode that CloneboyZA missed?

Audio Oblivion said:
possibly...
i have version 2.10 build 3536 myself and use it ALL the time.
after a rom flash i run the exe that SPB Backup creates for a backup and go through the restore process. SPB BAckup checks the rom version on your device and if it is different it tells you so... you must then run the retore in "rom upgrade" mode. Your ROM version will NOT change.
Maybe it is the "rom upgrade" mode that CloneboyZA missed?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Confirmed.

Well, SPB Backup wasn't picking up the ROM upgrade - had to put it into forced ROM upgrade mode. Did a hard reset, and just restored program files and PIM data - the ROM version is showing correctly now as 1.66. Think I'll do what was suggested - only restore PIM data, and reinstall everyhting one by one. Just frustrating to spend all that time doing it - what use is SPB backup then?

PS Also lost my Footprints that I created - any idea where they are stored so I can restore them ?