Have been playing around with Sprite and SPB Backup. They seem to do a good job of restoring the phone to the last backed up state. This is important for me, because my phone has been very moody and keeps hard resetting itself. Restoring from a backup brings back lot of my data and app installs. The thought of manually reinstalling everything make me shudder.
Now given the incredible rate at which chefs keep updating their ROMs, how do you keep updating to the latest, and then restore your settings and apps from a backup? I ran into strange errors when I updated from Topix 1.5 to 1.6 and tried to do a restore. The phone simply froze up. So that backup was useless and I had to redo all settings and reinstall all apps. My assumption is that system files would have changed when the ROM got updated, and the older ones from the backup were incompatible.
is there a better way of doing this? I would like to have the latest and greatest ROM, without having to reinstall apps or redo my email and facebook/ twitter settings. Update ROM, restore from backup, and you are done!
and sorry if this question is a repeat. i am a recent convert to windows mobile (thanks to hd2 - the hardware is too good to resist), and i am still finding my way around this wonderful forum.
Same question
I was searching xda-dev just to ask the same question...
Spb backup is great for backing up all contact data + all programs and their configs. It has saved me many times.
Now I want to do a rom upgrade (my first ;-) )...
Is there any shortcut to reinstall all programs and configurations with a Spb backup after doing a rom upgrade ?
May be restoring all except the windows directory ??
Thanks in advance.
It looks like you both need some advice!
it is a well known fact that you should ONLY use SPB/Sprite, if you are flashing EXACTLY the same rom.
However if you are flashing from ROM A -> ROM B you should NEVER use either of these programs as they can really damage your instalation.
you should use PIMBackup for this, it takes Contacts SMS/MMS etc,and you can assign custom files.
MoHed said:
I was searching xda-dev just to ask the same question...
Spb backup is great for backing up all contact data + all programs and their configs. It has saved me many times.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So yes you can use it for this, BUT if you are suggesting this below:
MoHed said:
Now I want to do a rom upgrade (my first ;-) )...
Is there any shortcut to reinstall all programs and configurations with a Spb backup after doing a rom upgrade ?
May be restoring all except the windows directory ??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is INSANITY!! you will destroy your install!! you should never back up program instalations because it is to messy, just flash and reinstall you apps!
or use SASHIMI, which is an auto installer!!
SS
Spb backup did the job for me
Use the spb backup in the rom upgrade mode
Untick the "override file"
and it "almost restore" back to everything I was in before the rom upgrade without the need to reinstall all the applications and imput all the data all over again.
However in the htc sense stock page I got to import my stock data from my backup as the above process failed to restore it. Save and except for this issue I am overall very happy with the obove method of getting a better performing rom without the need of reinstalling all the applications and imputting the data all over again.
A very promising approach
Thank you both for the prompt and enlightening replies.
I have looked into Sashimi; it looks like it is too complex a process to go through if you are going to update rom once or twice a year.
Using Spb backup as described by Leslie Lee looks VERY interesting. I am definitely going to try it.
MoHed said:
Thank you both for the prompt and enlightening replies.
I have looked into Sashimi; it looks like it is too complex a process to go through if you are going to update rom once or twice a year.
Using Spb backup as described by Leslie Lee looks VERY interesting. I am definitely going to try it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
PM me and ill explain sashimi!! (i have been using for 5 years abd i WILL NOT use a different app!! trust me it is that good!!)
I will show the way grasshopper!!
SS
After speaking with a friend about a biweekly hard reset "schedule," I've decided to research the eversopopular application from SPB Software, which is their backup application, SPB Backup.
I've heard many good things about it, in terms of reliability, consistency, and the easy to use interface.
Now, having said all of that... are there programs that allow for a COMPLETE SYSTEM BACKUP & RESTORE? As in... all of the modifications, applications, registry, etc. I have now are SAVED, BACKED UP, and capable of being restored onto my device without consequence.
Is SPB Backup the ideal program for this? Please, feel free to offer your suggestions below... thank you in advance.
I have used SPB Backup on my HTC Kaiser and it did a complete phone backup minus the stuff in Rom. In other words, if I did a complete backup & did a hard reset, it would restore the phone back exactly to the state it was(MINUS what was on the SD card). So if you installed anything on the SD card, you would want to do a separate manual backup of your card. I restored numerous backups onto the Kaiser & it ALWAYS restored accurately and completely.
I have been using SPB Backup to backup my HD2, but have yet to do a complete restore from a hard reset (haven't had to). Maybe someone else can verify that it is 100% restoring fine....... Hope this info helps.
By the way, on Twitter, you stated that you found a "handy" application that allows you to automatically switch between interfaces such as: SPBMS, Titanium, and HTC Sense...... what's the name of it?.... TIA.
BIOYAM said:
I have used SPB Backup on my HTC Kaiser and it did a complete phone backup minus the stuff in Rom. In other words, if I did a complete backup & did a hard reset, it would restore the phone back exactly to the state it was(MINUS what was on the SD card). So if you installed anything on the SD card, you would want to do a separate manual backup of your card. I restored numerous backups onto the Kaiser & it ALWAYS restored accurately and completely.
I have been using SPB Backup to backup my HD2, but have yet to do a complete restore from a hard reset (haven't had to). Maybe someone else can verify that it is 100% restoring fine....... Hope this info helps.
By the way, on Twitter, you stated that you found a "handy" application that allows you to automatically switch between interfaces such as: SPBMS, Titanium, and HTC Sense...... what's the name of it?.... TIA.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for the reply.
I'll look a little further into this.
As for that application for switching between interfaces... I came across that on PPCGeeks from a guy named, "Darkness" who also created most of the disabling .CAB files for Titanium and Sense.
His interface switcher works really well. I downloaded the one specifically designed for Titanium and Sense. NOT THE SPB MOBILE SHELL VERSION!
And one more thing... all of the .CAB files I have installed, I installed them to my device, not my storage card. So, if those files are on my device... would those be backed up within the files that SPB Backup compresses?
Reignzone said:
........ As for that application for switching between interfaces... I came across that on PPCGeeks from a guy named, "Darkness" who also created most of the disabling .CAB files for Titanium and Sense.
His interface switcher works really well. I downloaded the one specifically designed for Titanium and Sense. NOT THE SPB MOBILE SHELL VERSION!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for this info .... I'll check it out.
Reignzone said:
And one more thing... all of the .CAB files I have installed, I installed them to my device, not my storage card. So, if those files are on my device... would those be backed up within the files that SPB Backup compresses?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Those .cab files would definitely be captured in the backup.
It hasn't had a completely good press but I use Sprite Backup on my HD2. I suppose it's habit after I first used it on my hx4700.
It will restore my HD2 to its backed up state, settings, programs, registry and tweaks. It will back up storage cards if you want it too. It has a mode that allows restoration of suitable data to another device too. It can back up to a network.
I schedule it to run daily and use it at other times as needed. When I restore, I usually hard reset first. Setting Sprite to 'delete all files' during a restoration does much the same. I set it to replace settings. The registry can be replaced or merged; it seems that this makes no difference.
The program has yet to let me down do I haven't felt the need to try SPB Backup.
You might also try the backup feature in SKTools. I find it works well and the software has additional uses.
BIOYAM said:
Thanks for this info .... I'll check it out.
Those .cab files would definitely be captured in the backup.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you again for your feedback.
I'm definitely feeling a little bit better about entrusting this software with my precious files.
DrATty said:
It hasn't had a completely good press but I use Sprite Backup on my HD2. I suppose it's habit after I first used it on my hx4700.
It will restore my HD2 to its backed up state, settings, programs, registry and tweaks. It will back up storage cards if you want it too. It has a mode that allows restoration of suitable data to another device too. It can back up to a network.
I schedule it to run daily and use it at other times as needed. When I restore, I usually hard reset first. Setting Sprite to 'delete all files' during a restoration does much the same. I set it to replace settings. The registry can be replaced or merged; it seems that this makes no difference.
The program has yet to let me down do I haven't felt the need to try SPB Backup.
You might also try the backup feature in SKTools. I find it works well and the software has additional uses.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And thank you kind sir for your reply as well.
All the opinions and facts here certainly make me feel more comfortable with this process, as I am YET to actually perform a backup... not once. So, I figure it's better late than never, right?
I'll look into SKTools and certainly do some research about the Sprite software for Windows Mobile, because I'm familiar with their work for Android. On the Android platform, it did the job quite well.
Thanks again. All of this was reassuring.
I use SPB backup all the time on my HD2.. i have it scheduled to make a complete backup + SD card every second night..
It works very well and have tried to restore several times (just to test) without any problems!
However if you flash a new rom i would not advice you to do a complete backup, but instead make a partially backup of documents, contacts, email and so on..
It even keeps your email signature and settings when doing the parcial backup, so i also use it everytime i flash a new rom, together with either xda UC or auto install from sd card..
Hope it helps, and i can say for sure that this software works perfect with both EU and US roms..
Happy backup
never put your money in one place..means never trust 1 app for your backup specially you got a rahter-die-than-lose-your-files files
not so often i meet my bad luck to restore my files from such spb restore app but lucky me i had 2 similar backup from 3 backup apps maybe u will make it 2 apps thinking about space left
and always save at least 2 backup files with the same app but different time, kind'a storage eater right??but this useful when u got error from another file
hope this useful for u
maverick_endit81 said:
never put your money in one place..means never trust 1 app for your backup specially you got a rahter-die-than-lose-your-files files
not so often i meet my bad luck to restore my files from such spb restore app but lucky me i had 2 similar backup from 3 backup apps maybe u will make it 2 apps thinking about space left
and always save at least 2 backup files with the same app but different time, kind'a storage eater right??but this useful when u got error from another file
hope this useful for u
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
...And check the restoration process before you need to use it in anger. Finding that there is something wrong with your backup files when you need to use them in anger is... frustrating.
I mentioned Sprite's ability to restore data to a new device. This includes devices where the ROM has been replaced. I haven't tried it and obviously, not everything can be transferred. The migration features might be useful in your situation though.
Microsoft's myPhone is worth a mention. It can be used to backup your PIM data and documents, photographs and music. I haven't tried using it to restore anything yet though. My PIM data is saved in Outlook and that is backed up to hard disks and in the Cloud via iDrive, DropBox, Humyo and Live MESH. It's probably the one thing I can least afford to lose.
I would appreciate if anyone told me if the SPB Backup utility backs up the SPB Mobile Shell layout as well (the way the icons are arranged and other stuff like that). That would REALLY help me save some precious time ...
SPB Backup - Great App
I bought this application a couple of days ago and I do a backup before I install some questionable apps or just in case I don't like the way it changed other things on my HD2. But I decided to go with the ROM from Sergio and everything seemed fine until I missed some calls and I just didn't like the changes on IE so this morning I decided to try my backup restore. I flashed back to the stock ROM and then ran my backup EXE file. It asked if I wanted to change the time to the current time (Sprite Backup doesn't have this option and restores to the backup time so you have to manually change it) so I moved forward. The backup was just the way I left it. I am glad I purchased this software. Just my 2 cents.
anrabi4 said:
I would appreciate if anyone told me if the SPB Backup utility backs up the SPB Mobile Shell layout as well (the way the icons are arranged and other stuff like that). That would REALLY help me save some precious time ...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sprite Backup can; it depends on the settings used. I think I'm right in saying that both Sprite and SPB Backup will restore a device to exactly the same state it was at when the backup was made. The only exceptions are where files on a storage card that were used by an application in internal memory have been changed or deleted since the backup was made. Files on removable storage can be added to backups in Sprite to avoid this happening.
dgreening said:
...It asked if I wanted to change the time to the current time (Sprite Backup doesn't have this option and restores to the backup time so you have to manually change it) so I moved forward...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sprite Backup leaves the time alone. I used to hard reset (or delete all files and replace settings) and restore the backup. My HD2 sets the time itself either just after the reset or just after the restoration is complete so I find I don't need to do anything. It hasn't caused any problems that I am aware of so far.
dgreening said:
I bought this application a couple of days ago and I do a backup before I install some questionable apps or just in case I don't like the way it changed other things on my HD2. But I decided to go with the ROM from Sergio and everything seemed fine until I missed some calls and I just didn't like the changes on IE so this morning I decided to try my backup restore. I flashed back to the stock ROM and then ran my backup EXE file. It asked if I wanted to change the time to the current time (Sprite Backup doesn't have this option and restores to the backup time so you have to manually change it) so I moved forward. The backup was just the way I left it. I am glad I purchased this software. Just my 2 cents.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed.
I caved in last night and purchased the SPB Software program as well.
I backed up my system last night... surprisingly though, it was much "smaller" than I had originally expected it to be. Something around 80MB, at least that's what the application "calculated" it was going to be. I suppose that could be in compressed form though...
Anyway, it seems to have done the job well. And I certainly love that I was able to create a backup copy on my SD Card, along with my desktop PC.
I also have SK Tools... so I think having a couple if not MORE than a few system restore and backup utilities is a good thing.
low-dogg said:
I use SPB backup all the time on my HD2.. i have it scheduled to make a complete backup + SD card every second night..
It works very well and have tried to restore several times (just to test) without any problems!
However if you flash a new rom i would not advice you to do a complete backup, but instead make a partially backup of documents, contacts, email and so on..
It even keeps your email signature and settings when doing the parcial backup, so i also use it everytime i flash a new rom, together with either xda UC or auto install from sd card..
Hope it helps, and i can say for sure that this software works perfect with both EU and US roms..
Happy backup
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When I'm looking in the partial possibilities for restoring with the SPB, I can find in the "customize restore" those:
PIM DATA (CONTACTS, TASKS, APPOINTMENTS,...)
EMAILS
TEXT MESSAGES
MY DOCUMENTS
SYSTEM DATA (including: CUSTOMIZE... RESTORE FILES, RESTORE DATABASES and RESTORE REGISTRY)
If I flash a new rom, which exactly possibilities I have to choose?
SPB Backup works perfectly for me. Scheduled backup every night, restore complete system after hard reset, etc.
Don't forget the precious desktop companion SPBBackupUnpack: extract files, registry keys ... and more.
harrygol said:
When I'm looking in the partial possibilities for restoring with the SPB, I can find in the "customize restore" those:
PIM DATA (CONTACTS, TASKS, APPOINTMENTS,...)
EMAILS
TEXT MESSAGES
MY DOCUMENTS
SYSTEM DATA (including: CUSTOMIZE... RESTORE FILES, RESTORE DATABASES and RESTORE REGISTRY)
If I flash a new rom, which exactly possibilities I have to choose?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have restored PIM data, system databases, documents, mail and text messages between devices with Sprite Backup and it has worked perfectly. That includes the same device with different ROMs and even entirely different devices. Restoring the registry and software is sometimes problematic but SPB Backup has a ROM upgrade mode to help here.
I'd check out the support forum for your particular solution to see what works. Restoring the wrong items used to cause trouble and could create quite a mess. I haven't heard of anything in particular since the new restore modes were introduced.
Call me old fashioned, but, backup/restore tools always make me feel uneasy.
I know that there are many for whom they run "faultlessly" and for certain problems they really do offer solutions, however, the one situation that I have a concern about is the backup/restore across a ROM change, be it either a simple stock upgrade or a cooked ROM flash.
You would be throwing a set of data at a virgin phone that had been collected from a setup that had presumably either failed or been superceded!
In either event I would want to know that any potentially destabalising ellements had been eliminated and not "carried over" to, what should be, a fresh setup.
I can remember horrific problems caused by advice to use backup/restore on many other phones and they were all identified as having been situations in which the use was applied across a ROM change.
And lets be clear about this, we have enough trouble with badly coded software as it is. You only have to run down the new daily posts in these forums to see how difficult it is for many to achieve a stable/useable phone and that situation quite often occurs right out of the box!
For my part I must admit that I have become particularly fond of MyPhone.
It has always done the job for me, although I only use it for basic PIM restore after a new ROM flash, which I seem to be doing every couple of days at the moment. However, I do also allow it to retain a copy of my photos and music, but, I've never restored from it as the file sizes and subsequent time taken are too great.
I have identically synced (from within my laptop file manager, but, I have had need to do it directly phone to phone!) MSD cards of the same size in two seperate phones one being the HD2 and the other being a Nokia E71. These cards hold music, photos, documents, downloads, a section for reinstall apps and my current and previous ROM and radio images. This means that the cards are interchangeable and I keep an image of them on a USB stick. My apps are never installed to mem card.
My final piece of backup is by way of my trusty Ameo which holds one more complete data and app set.
So if any two pieces of equipment fail I can still recover the situation and notice that I give only passing mention to a PC or laptop.
I access MyPhone through my mobile broadband WiFi router which is constantly on and is powered through a UPS which gives about three days backup use.
With all this I have got a task 29, new ROM flash, reinstall of apps and settings down to about 35 mins.
It just came to me that we do lavish a lot of attention our our little pals!
Don't we?
Too much? LOL.
SPB BACKUP FAILED FOR ME ON HTC Touch PRO 2
I was used to restore my Touch 3g and my Qtek S200 with SPB backup and at all times successfully. So, I updated to last SPB backup software version (of course I bought that software). On Saturday I did something erroneous on my TP2 and needed to hard reset. After that, I tried to restore my full backups, one after other from newer to older and a total of 15. All of them restored apparently well, but HTC sense did not start-up any longer in any of the cases. I had to manually re-install all the stuff back and I just restore the emails and PIM from the backup. The PIM database did not longer sync with my Outlook. I had to recreate the partnership. After that, all my notifications were duplicated... a complete mess. I cannot understand what went wrong, because the backup and restore log files where always showing no error. I am using the stock ROM (WM6.5 + HTC sense 2.5) and all my software is either legal or GPL. Nothing special on my device apart of all my beloved data.
So that is my experience with SPB backup that was always good, has turned to be negative. Of course, now I am afraid to try again.
Anybody has experience the same?
Any idea?
Thanks folks.
Hello, I'm new to the Android world, but I've learned through your great forums how to make my HTC Hero shine! I installed a custom ROM (actually, I'm trying Roufianos 1.1 clean) an eng SPL, a modded revovery and the latest radio.
Every time I flash a new ROM, I have to re-download and re-install all the apps from the market, and setup again the 7 home screens with my preferred widgets and programs.
Is there a way to backup these data and restore them with ease?
I made a few searches but found nothing (maybe I tried the wrong words)
Thanks in advance!
I use titanium backup for my applications.
For the scenes I don't know, maybe there is a folder in which they are stored you could do a search on that.
thank you so much, Titanium backup is really a great app, and it saves the scenes too!!!
crespo80 said:
thank you so much, Titanium backup is really a great app, and it saves the scenes too!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The other way is to try flashing without a wipe.
If this works (and I mean if) all you have to do is turn your phone on
and Voila!
Rhamsterman said:
The other way is to try flashing without a wipe.
If this works (and I mean if) all you have to do is turn your phone on
and Voila!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, this could be a simpler solution, given the fact that now I swap betwenn ROMs based on the same 2.1 official release! But I always prefer the clean one, wipe and strike!
crespo80 said:
Hello, I'm new to the Android world, but I've learned through your great forums how to make my HTC Hero shine! I installed a custom ROM (actually, I'm trying Roufianos 1.1 clean) an eng SPL, a modded revovery and the latest radio.
Every time I flash a new ROM, I have to re-download and re-install all the apps from the market, and setup again the 7 home screens with my preferred widgets and programs.
Is there a way to backup these data and restore them with ease?
I made a few searches but found nothing (maybe I tried the wrong words)
Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I tried Titanium backup but had problems with it being a bit unreliable, and about a few things not working once I'd done the restore.
I then tried MyBackup (after flashing again) and it worked a treat.
Couple of things though:
- Doesn't back up APN settings or wifi settings (there are other ways to do that, do a search)
- A single SMS got corrupted (making me unable to open messages from that person). Deleting that message thread solved the problem.
It DOES backup apps and your HTC scenes (and various other settings). I used the 30-day time limited version which is free. I'd happily pay the $4.95 for it, though in this case I didn't need to.
hi, i am wanting to install android on my hd2 and am wanting to know how i can backup my full system, incase i need to restore it. I am wanting to save the OS and everything. Is there a way i can do this?
thanks!
I use SPB Backup, but many also highly recommend Sprite. If I'm not mistaken, both will archive all email, messages, contacts, settings, etc. SPB also has a 'rom upgrade' feature that will port your settings between ROM upgrades, or even new phones. I think Sprite has something similar.
One thing I liked about SPB is that it will archive as an .exe so that if you reflash your ROM you don't need to reinstall the program itself to restore. It's a standalone utility. It also has timers that will launch a backup based on your settings.
sisco22 said:
hi, i am wanting to install android on my hd2 and am wanting to know how i can backup my full system, incase i need to restore it. I am wanting to save the OS and everything. Is there a way i can do this?
thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just for info sake, there is not ROM of Android, it runs as an application on top of windows at this point, so it should not hurt your phone, reboot, back to normal, it just runs from the SD card ...
So, here it goes.
First, I know how to backup the SD card. I'm an I.T. Analyst for a living, so I have the basics, +some, but not sure how to do this on MW...
Over the last 4-5 days of having this HD2, I have made LOTS of mods to it, CHT, reg edits, etc. As I did the reg edits I backed up the reg file every little while in case of catastrophic failure. Now I am at a stopping point (for the time being), so I want to backup.
I'd like to be able to back up everything as a whole. In other words, instead of backing up the SD Card to one place, then the restry export, then the contacts, etc; I'd like to be able to backup the whole ROM. That way, if something ever happened and I had to completely reinstall the OS, I could do it from this backup and not have to install apps and setting and edits individually.
Is there a way to do this? Please tell me there is (and mean it)!!! lol
VisualOddity said:
So, here it goes.
First, I know how to backup the SD card. I'm an I.T. Analyst for a living, so I have the basics, +some, but not sure how to do this on MW...
Over the last 4-5 days of having this HD2, I have made LOTS of mods to it, CHT, reg edits, etc. As I did the reg edits I backed up the reg file every little while in case of catastrophic failure. Now I am at a stopping point (for the time being), so I want to backup.
I'd like to be able to back up everything as a whole. In other words, instead of backing up the SD Card to one place, then the restry export, then the contacts, etc; I'd like to be able to backup the whole ROM. That way, if something ever happened and I had to completely reinstall the OS, I could do it from this backup and not have to install apps and setting and edits individually.
Is there a way to do this? Please tell me there is (and mean it)!!! lol
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, there is not a way to backup your whole ROM ... And I mean it!!
But, there are ways to save all your settings and apps ...
The one I use is spb backup, it is something you have to pay for, but it is worth it, creates self installing backup files, so it even restores itself ...
It has a mod called "ROM Upgrade" that is supposed to restore apps and settings but not touch system files, it seems to work very well ...
I think they may have a trial version ...
watcher64 said:
No, there is not a way to backup your whole ROM ... And I mean it!!
But, there are ways to save all your settings and apps ...
The one I use is spb backup, it is something you have to pay for, but it is worth it, creates self installing backup files, so it even restores itself ...
It has a mod called "ROM Upgrade" that is supposed to restore apps and settings but not touch system files, it seems to work very well ...
I think they may have a trial version ...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Awesome, thank you!
Any other options, preferably free one? lol
Sprite backup backs up all of your phone. all of it
Sprite Backup
Yes, Sprite Backup is all u need. It saved my life many times when I was forced to do hardresets. It used to come with HTC/O2 XDAs pre-installed but now you probably have to pay for it (unless you can find a installation CD for the afm PPC phones but then you'll be using an older version - which works fine for me so far).