Backup and reset questions from a newbie - Touch HD General

On my PC, I use Acronis Home Image to back up my entire OS partition. So, if things get buggy later, I can restore that partition image and within minutes I have the OS back to where it was before with all my programs installed, drivers installed etc... That is obviously better than just uninstalling programs that you think are causing a problem (since there are always left-overs spread throughout the registry and system files). You get what I mean.
Is there a program I can use to create a back-up image of the entire Touch HD at any given point, so I can restore it later if things get buggy?
I'm new to the whole smartphone world and so I have a couple of "possibly-dumb" questions.
1. Does a soft-reset mean just powering the phone off and then back on?
2. Does a hard-reset put the phone back to its factory condition?
3. How do you do a hard-reset?

Being newbie to something ain't bad, what is bad is not RTFM.
C'mon, try try the search function for your three questions,
the other question : create backup of entire HD, use sprite backup, or SPB backup or so, but check compatibillity first !

lucid said:
Being newbie to something ain't bad, what is bad is not RTFM.
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I'm involved in a few computer forums with topics where I'm experienced and I always try and help newbies out instead of using the RTFM card right away. You're right though - I could have done my homework better before asking. I just figured my questions (1 and 2) were simple enough "yes" or "no" questions, that someone could have just answered in a matter of seconds.
I know it can frustrating, when people ask questions that they can get answers to by searching the forum or the internet. And I have also asked people to do a search before asking. But, like I said - I thought a simple and quick yes or no wouldn't really bug anyone.
You can also tell when someone in a forum is just a leech getting information without doing their homework. But if you look at my posts in this forum - even as a newbie - I've done the homework for others and have contributed to answers that, in my opinion were really easy to find.
My suggestion to you, especially as a "senior member" in this forum, is to not be so quick to slap the RTFM card. It definitely has its place, but try and be a bit more flexible with newbies. It will create a better atmosphere in the forum.
All that said - thanks for the backup software info.

I take your point and it is well made, but I'm afraid I'm with lucid. These are basic questions and the sticky at the top of this forum that few people seem to bother to read is very helpful in terms of explaining the search function and use of the Wiki.
You may not be intrinsically lazy but there are far too many who are and it's difficult to distinguish. Over my time here I have seen people driven to distraction (!Singh! recently) and even driven away by the laziness and poor attitude of people who seem to think that they are signing up for some sort of paid support service with an obligation to help them solve their personal problems rather than a community to which a lot of very talented people give a lot of their personal time and expertise.
Personally I can quite readily accept that you aren't one of those, but actions speak louder than words...

Chris Cross said:
I'm new to the whole smartphone world and so I have a couple of "possibly-dumb" questions.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Welcome to my world. Now there is two of us
Chris Cross said:
Is there a program I can use to create a back-up image of the entire Touch HD at any given point, so I can restore it later if things get buggy?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Go for Sprite Backup. Got it and first buckup dono without any problems
Chris Cross said:
1. Does a soft-reset mean just powering the phone off and then back on?
2. Does a hard-reset put the phone back to its factory condition?
3. How do you do a hard-reset?
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Click to collapse
1 - I don't think so. Under battery cover there is a tiny button called Soft Reset
2 - It should I presume
3 - chec out my first sentecne

You can do a Hard Reset by:
use Volume Up & Volume down keys at the same time and then for a 2/3 seconds push the power button then release it

iain.fraser said:
I take your point and it is well made, but I'm afraid I'm with lucid. These are basic questions and the sticky at the top of this forum that few people seem to bother to read is very helpful in terms of explaining the search function and use of the Wiki.
You may not be intrinsically lazy but there are far too many who are and it's difficult to distinguish. Over my time here I have seen people driven to distraction (!Singh! recently) and even driven away by the laziness and poor attitude of people who seem to think that they are signing up for some sort of paid support service with an obligation to help them solve their personal problems rather than a community to which a lot of very talented people give a lot of their personal time and expertise.
Personally I can quite readily accept that you aren't one of those, but actions speak louder than words...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I know it's not always easy to distinguish who is a lazy leecher. And I certainly don't expect someone to spend time researching a person's previous posts to determine if they are lazy. That would be ridiculous! I admit there is truth to lucid's post. I just think things can be worded better than RTFM.
Anyway - I'm not hung up on it. I'm thankful for the backup information and I'm looking more into it. Oh yeah, and I found my answers to the other questions too.
I just can't wait to finally get my HD and be applying some of the stuff I've read here.

@Strus: LOL - good, there are two of us here now. I'll probably be trying Sprite Backup since Spb Backup has questionable compatibility issues. And yes, you're right, the soft reset involves the reset button in the back.
@mokatia: thanks - I also found these instructions in this forum on hard reset to revert to the factory state. I also read that hard reset won't touch your SD card.
To perform a hard reset
1. With the device turned off, press and hold the VOLUME UP and VOLUME DOWN buttons, then briefly press the POWER button.
2. Continue pressing the VOLUME UP and VOLUME DOWN buttons until you see this message on the screen:
This operation will delete all your personal data, and reset all settings to the manufacturer default settings. Press VolUp to restore manufacturer defaults, or press other keys to cancel.
3. Release the VOLUME UP and VOLUME DOWN buttons.
4. Press the VOLUME UP button to perform the hard reset, or press any other button to cancel the reset.
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Click to collapse
Thanks again for your input.

...and looking to give a bit back now and then by the sound of it, which is what it's all about, so all good.
Beware though, once you get your HD you can kiss goodbye to any free time you may have had...this stuff's addictive!

iain.fraser said:
...and looking to give a bit back now and then by the sound of it, which is what it's all about, so all good.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yup
iain.fraser said:
Beware though, once you get your HD you can kiss goodbye to any free time you may have had...this stuff's addictive!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LOL - let's hope so...

Related

Questions for a WM / Phone N00b - BACKUPS???

Ok, so to get the self deprocation out of the way. I am a complete newbie to the world of PDA/Windows Mobile devices.
Up until now my forté has been computers and other gadgets.
My question may seem very obvious... however....
After about 3 weeks of owneing the 6800/Mogul I have gotten it customized to exactly where I want it. Contacts, Installed applications, a theme, HTC Home, Settings etc etc.
How do I (in computer terms) GHOST(backup) this phone so that I may basically experiement and test out the awesome applications on here, and restore my setup whenever I go to far or want to go back?
Is there a way to just do a "rom/storage" dump to my computer or storage card and then mess with my phone without fear of not being able to go back?
Thanks guys...
I did a rudimentary search on here, but its hard to look for the answer when you barely can ask the question.
http://www.spritesoftware.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=191
not free but I don't think there are currently any free utilities to do what you're asking for :/ but if you're willing to part with the 30 bucks its a great piece of software
johnnycross22,
Thanks for your prompt response. After looking at that, it appears it does what I am asking for. Knock on wood. I am still completely shocked that there isnt some sort of homebrew'd/freeware apps created somewhere, especially by the geniuses on here.
I'll let you guys know my testimonial when im done (if I decided to buy!)
Newbie01 said:
johnnycross22,
Thanks for your prompt response. After looking at that, it appears it does what I am asking for. Knock on wood. I am still completely shocked that there isnt some sort of homebrew'd/freeware apps created somewhere, especially by the geniuses on here.
I'll let you guys know my testimonial when im done (if I decided to buy!)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Another thumbs up for Sprite Backup. I've been using it for a long time, and it's an amazing piece of software. If you don't spend money on any other piece of software for your phone, do it for this.

just got my new xperia... wat should i do

hey guys, i got a new xperia last night. Now i know there are many tweaks out there... wat are the best or main ones to improve ANYTHING on the phone, please share.
You're new here, so the first thing you should do is READ...and do it lots.
Take things one step at a time - you've just got your new device, so play with it as it is first. Learn it's features and quirks, discover things that bug YOU, then start investigating ways of fixing them.
There's no point spending time fixing things that bug other people, you need to figure out what YOU want.
My own personal conclusion about WM6 devices is generally that if it isn't broke, don't fix it. If you're happy with something then leave it be. Just because others have different expectations doesn't mean you should too.
If I were you I would start reading the wiki
plAythiNG said:
just got my new xperia... wat should i do
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Piece of cake: Read here in the forums, especialy the sticky threads up in the front list, then READ a little more and keep reading
You'll find lots of interesting stuff for the xperia, which ROM is better or which app should I install? well... you will have to read, search and find for yourself the apps/ROMs that fit your requirements and needs
BTW: welcome to the developers forum
If you want to mess around with different programs I would recommend you get some sort of backup program for your contacts, messages and so on. Something like PIM Backup or Spb Backup. Why am I saying this; You are surely gonna f*** up your device a couple of times in the beginning and then would need to hard reset.
Hard reset = Reset to firmware default (Like it was when you bought it if you haven't flashed anything) deleting any configuration settings and installed programs etc.
Soft reset = Rebooting (Like restarting your computer's operating system).
Don't do anything with your phone unless you are sure what you are doing. Read up on anything if you are the smallest bit in doubt!
Try to use the search function in the forum as there is a big possibility someone has asked the same question before.
Good luck.
Welcome to the greatest forum on the internetz . I can only tell you what i did. Hope that helps.
1 - Go to google and type xperia. Find some good forums about it. (seems you already got that one in the bag).
2 - Read some info about your device. What is an ARM processor, what is windows mobile, what kind of games can you play, the resolution of the device +'s and -'s. Start with the small things, before you jump to ROMs, flashing etc.
3 - Read the sticky topics in this forum.
4 - After you have done some reading decide what you want and search the forum for info about programs or games you might like. Almost all the problems you encounter or questions you might have, have been discussed in the past.
5 - Customize your x1 .
6 - And if i may quote maedox - "Don't do anything with your phone unless you are sure what you are doing. Read up on anything if you are the smallest bit in doubt!"
That's what i did. I had to hard reset it a few times but now i got my fair share of experimenting and i have customized it to my tastes. The looks, the games, the programs .

phone says can find image file for new rom whats the problem

everytime i try to install (volume down button + power button) it says "No image found". It really frustrates the living sh*t out of me! i completed everything untill the last step:
* Uncompress the .rar file to get the .image file.
* Rename the .image file to Kovsimg.nbh
* Copy the Kovsimg.nbh file to the top of the SD card.
* Remove the battery for 5 secs (guarantees the phone is turned off).
* Hold down the volume down button, then hold down the power button at the same time.
* After 2-3 secs you'll see the reg/green/blue stripes, then it will go to a light grey background saying "Loading".
after that it says No image found!
someone able to help me?
ive tried the search but i couldnt find anythink useful
Could you just keep all this waffle to one thread, its getting pretty ridiculous seeing yet another OMG I cant figure out which ROM, why ROM, how ROM, what ROM thread from your good self, why not just put all your questions in one thread... please...
I agree.
And please: go to the XPERIA ROM DEVELOPMENT subforum and read the sticky posts since this has been asked (and answered...) before !!
Ah the witty reply of the witless, thank your for your kindly worded message, those gentle words of wisdom surely touched my heart... but if you searched just a little and used some of that towering intellect so evident in your wonderful message you might have found what you seek... the reason no one replies to you or hand feeds you your answer is because with just a little bit of searching (and after being told several times to search) you would have found your answer... well done their chap... take care and good luck with your x1, when you brick it I guess that will be everyone elses fault for not doing your work for you... Watch out Gtrab, vitriol abounds...
You know, normally i wouldn't even respond to this but since you all got the urge to reply to EVERY thread or reply with the same smartass beloni, i've chosen to give my opinion.
You know how difficult it is for a first time WM or smartphone user to learn stuff about it? 90% of this forums users are experienced persons and all expect from others that they too are well experienced with WM/X1. EVEN THE BLOODY TUTORIALS HAVE TUTORIALS, and every thread is connected to 10 other threads about RUU, scripts and other stuff.
Not to mention the hundreds of abbreviations that one has to try and learn BY CHANCE (because somebody in the thread chooses to spell out the whole word instead of the abbreviation, god bless those persons).
So i've been trying to update to the new firmware aswel, but i have the same "no image file!" problem. Have you ever tried to search with the key words "no image file" or something like that? it filters out the word NO so all that remains in the search is image file, and guess what... every thread has atleast 10 matches with "image file".
So i've gone through all of the stickies and a couple of other threads and found some other users with the same problem. Now i face the next problem, 10 people ask about the same question and the answer is never clear.
I've found a couple of answers, and tried all of them but they wouldn't work, and now because of people like you (especially you Gtrab) i'm reticent to ask further questions because you people have the need to keep talking down to others. That's all i wanted to say.
So if you've read all the way up to here, i thank you for listening; you're a good person
Same thing happened with my microsd card. Have you tried a fresh format, with nothing else on the card? I ended up flashing the old fashion way, with RUU.
xda-devs is a free Encyclopedia, not a Hotline
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Click to collapse
There's no other way... unless you post your PC brad, USB port specs, installed apps, kind of firewall and antivirus, your ROM, xperia model... oh so many vairable to list... This is TRIAL AND ERROR, there's no "easy way to the rainbow" Dorothy: This ain't no "home cooked biscuits", we're talking 'bout a expenive piece of hardware that can get bricked if you don't learn the appropriate basic knowledge first
Hence, It's IMPOSSIBLE to wite a fail-proof "UNIVERSAL TUTORIAL"
I posted a FULL scientific test about SD cards in the ROM DEVELOPMENT subforum, I had to test a dozen cards with a dozen formatting settings under Win XP and Vista until I finally found the right way to do it, and then I went and POSTED my results and SHARED with the community in the appropriate threads
Nobody told me what to do, I had to read and read and read again and still keep reading
This is mainly in response to Nyans post...
Firstly I dont often post sarcastic or admonishing posts but this chap really takes the cake by posting several threads with the same or similar issues that are very easily found through simple searching...
I do know how difficult it is for a first time user and whats more a relatively technologically illiterate user (thats me)... I have literally spent days searching for the information, trying out what I have found and then re-searching to solve problems or re do something I didnt get right or understand the first time... I am probably in the bottom 2% of the 10% that you claim is the non expert here (although IMHO I would say the percentage of experts is much lower)...
As for the search process it can be a pain, but if you use the google search and use terms like x1 or xperia on the end of what it is you look for it often leads you to the right place...
If all the answers you have found and tried do not work then try pming someone who seems like they know what they are about... I have done that on several occasions and they have all replied with useful and helpful answers usually pointing me in the right direction...
I also feel you are being harsh re your comment about "talking down to people"... too often people jump this board and ask without first reading, even on threads where the answer is a few posts above theirs... so more often than not I feel the odd "RTFM" is warranted... if like me you are technically challenged then my advice is read a bit, then read some more, then play with your phone, read some more and then read again to figure out what it is you read...
Finally re my post above that comments on the witty reply of the witless... I posted that after I had a very abusive email from the OP of this thread... so I felt that the reply was warranted there also... I hope you work out all the foibles of this phone, and good luck working out all the info, it can be daunting I know but it is worth it in the end...

A number of general questions/ideas/issues

I apologise for starting what is, in many ways, an 'I'm a noob, help me!' thread but I have put some effort into researching each of these topics but I'm still left with questions, so I thought I'd just lay everything out there and see if anyone can help me.
Firstly, sometimes when I start to write a text message, the first character disappears. It shows on-screen for maybe half a second, then it's as if I've hit backspace and it gets deleted.
It's really odd, it only happens from time-to-time and so far I've not been able to discern any sort of pattern to this behaviour - it doesn't seem to be specific to certain contacts, nor does it seem to matter whether it's a new text or a reply that I'm writing. It's just completely random.
I've searched on this forum, checked HTC's hotfixes and kept an eye out on other fora I frequent that have anything to do with the Touch HD but so far I haven't seen anything about this.
Secondly, I've been trying to find a calender application that will allow me to enter 'rules'.
Basically, the hours I work depend on the day of the week but I work different days week-to-week. So what I was hoping for was to be able to program in a 'rule' that defines what constitutes 'work', depending on which day of the week it is and have it so that an alarm or multiple alarms go off a set period before the time I start work each day (to wake me up). Anyway, by having this pre-set rule, I was hoping that when a new rota becomes available at work, I would just be able to mark which days I was working and the calendar would automatically work out the hours etc.
I'm not sure if this is something most calendar apps are capable of or if it's a feature that just doesn't exist but so far my attempts to search for this have been fruitless, though maybe that's down to my choice of keywords or something...
In third place, what is, in all probability a fairly common question about syncing text/SMS messages to your PC. I have looked into this, I swear but there seems to be a lot of contradictory information out there, not to mention when I search the site, I seem to end up reading a lot of threads that are 2, 3 or even 5 years old.
This might sound a little sad but this plave is one of few fora where I can have a question and when I look or ask for an answer, I feel completely lost. So I suppose what I'm hoping for is for someone to come along, take me by the metaphorical hand and show me the solution suitable for half-blind, retarded chimpanzees, as I might just about be able to follow that...
Last up, I was wondering if anyone was aware of any Shoogle-like programs for the HD.
I've come across 'VibraNotify' by way of this thread, which I will be testing out soon but in case it doesn't quite do what I want, if there's anything similar out there that anyone's aware of, I'd appreciate the heads-up.
I really am sorry to waste people's time with questions like these.
I wish I could find all the necessary answers myself but, as I say, for some of them I can't seem to find any information and for others, I've found far too much.
I will be extremely grateful towards anyone who takes pity on me and is able to help out in any way, no matter how small.
Thanks.
Addressing your second question.
I am a long time user of Pocket Informant currently in version 8 and available for purchase or download a time limited trial at http://www.pocketinformant.com/
You can set up different "work" times for each day of the week.
Regards.
Ed
for the first point of your question, I also had some problems too with keyboard input so that maybe sometimes I wanted to type m and it actually pressed a (not exactly a common typo!)
I noticed that after a screen calibration problems were solved
start/settings/system/screen/Align screen button
hope it helps
alternatively, I can confirm that with Davideuck's v-5 and dutty's xtreme v1.9 ROMs I have never had typing problems
Step666 said:
I apologise for starting what is, in many ways, an 'I'm a noob, help me!' thread...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
don't feel too bad, these are pretty advanced topics that i have not seen covered here
Regarding point 3;
as far as i know you can't sync SMS, tho you can back it up with PIM Backup
there is also MyPhone currently Beta

"Delete" soft button in Pocket Outlook? I want "New"!

Ok, I've searched, and I can't find a thread about this specifically, so I'll ask (please move this if its in the wrong place).
I don't like Manila, so I have it switched off. When using the application for sending SMS (which I am assuming is pocket outlook?), there are two soft buttons onscreen. The Right hand one is "Menu". the left hand one is "Delete". Is there any way to change this "Delete" button to "New"? I have recently swapped over from an XDA 2i and this had a "New" button, which makes more sense to me than a delete button.
Assuming that there is no way to adjust this button, I would consider DOWNGRADING my pocket outlook to the one used on my XDA. What is the probability of that working out for me?
Apologies if this seems like a dumb question....
No-one? No response at all? That's three threads I've posted so far with no response to any of them.
Great.
Maybe no one knows an answer to ypur question or, othher possibility, the ones who might have an answer are busy. Have patience and chek your posts regularly.
kuzibri said:
Maybe no one knows an answer to ypur question or, othher possibility, the ones who might have an answer are busy. Have patience and chek your posts regularly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
no response. great
Yes. You waited 4 whole hours for me to reply to your comment telling me to be patient wait for a worthwhile response. If you think giving it 4 hours before complaining about a lack of response is a long time, I suggest you check the datetime on my first two posts. Thats two days between comments, coupled with the fact nobody responded to my other threads either.
But thanks for undermining the point, you little twit. I understand that people here are here to help, and they do it for free. But a simple "Can't be done mate" comment wouldn't take 10 seconds, and I'd have my answer, instead of your really really poor interpretation of sarcasm.
I'm told that its the lowest form of wit.
please stay polite, I was just kidding on my "great" post. Sorry if I offended you. That was not my intention
It would of been great to be able to customise any button on our mobile like Excel 2003, drag and drop, replace actions etc but perhaps in future devices.
For now, the only way is Menu/New, but as a business phone I can see why "delete" has more preference, and one being due to receiving too many grouped/news emails that are usually deleted instantly.
You can see another examply where "Reply All" has higher priority then reply itself.
Have you tried to search for any 3rd party applications to see if you are able to reassign, perhaps through registry?

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