Database Users

Restoring data using xbackup

hi,
only a question:
the xbackup software makes a complete backup of the s100 system, including installed software information and windows registry ?
thank's

don't know what an S100 is (is it another name for the magician?), but on my device, it completely restores the device exactly how it was (except after it restores, i have no wallpaper... but that isn't exactly hard to fix).
the only problem i've ever had is i have to reinstall voice command. other than that, everything is restored perfectly.

Get a copy of sprite backup, it's much much more capable than xbackup. Not free, but trial is available.
Cheers, M

the problem of xbackup is that it takes too long to back up and restore.

Never used xbackup before to backup everything but if it works, hey that's great. I personally prefer Sprite Backup because I can schedule my backup runs every morning

another question
hello,
the activesync backup is capable to make a backup (and restore) including all data in the ram (files, registry, configuration...) ??
thank's

looks like it, though I encountered serious probs. when restoring. All contacts, appointments etc. so all pim data couldn't be restored because something was in use. I guess the databases are locked by either Act.Sync itself or poutlook. After restoring the data I tried to synchronize & then it really screwed up: the device id for Act.Sync is the same after the restore so AS happily deleted all the missing pim data from outlook on my PC since it wasn't present on my magician anymore (marked as 'removed' probably) it really sucks when that happens. Had to hard-reset, install everything again & at work I sync'd again from scratch & got almost everything back. So Sprite is my program, it can restore everything & I see no use in a backup/restore option which have me to hard-reset to get my pim's back. Exit M$ in this case (again).
M

Re: another question
bartito said:
hello,
the activesync backup is capable to make a backup (and restore) including all data in the ram (files, registry, configuration...) ??
thank's
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Look at oltp's post for the answer....you need to use a third party backup software like Sprite

thank's to everybody.
i'm trying to download a trial version of sprite backup from pocketgear or handango, but the only existing options is the buy of them.
don't exists a trial version of sprite ?
regards

Buy it ..it's worth every penny..I've already done 3 hard resets in the past three days to test out some drivers and dodgy software but everytime, I easily restored everything using my previous day's backup.

I did find a trial version, can't remember where. version number is 2.1.4 not the most recent one, so I'm thinking of buying the latest version.
M

http://www.snapfiles.com/get/pocketpc/pocketbackupplus.html
this is the trial version i think :?

oops may want to read this first though
http://www.spritesoftware.com/support/sprite_backup_version_history.html

but with sprite backup, if you do a hard reset, don't you have to reinstall it, then do a restore?
if that's the case, that's pretty lame if you ask me

you have the option to save your backup as an .exe file so in the case of a hard reset, all you do is to run the backup file and 2 minutes later, everything is restored.

Nope it can create selfextracting backups

which is the best tested backup utility for the WIZARD?

I am planing on a ROM upgrade, I don't want to lose all my settings, so I am looking at a backup utility. I read a lot about sprite backup, is there a TOP list that I can choose from? Share good/bad experience pls.
10x

I have good results with spb backup http://www.spbsoftwarehouse.com/products/backup/?en
Creates a executable on the storage card so no need for pc. Other users given good reports.
Problem is with rom upgrade it may not work out as registry settings and other files will not be the same???. Dont know if sprite does the same. You will have to do manual backup of all the relevent files i guess.

I would also recommend SPB backup.

GliTCH82 said:
I would also recommend SPB backup.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
me too. it is the best utility for backup.

GliTCH82 said:
I would also recommend SPB backup.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I changed from SPB Backup to Sprite Backup. This one is more versatile. You can better choose what to backup or to restore. Make sure you install on your SD-card, so you can use it after a hard reset.

Mesias said:
GliTCH82 said:
I would also recommend SPB backup.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I changed from SPB Backup to Sprite Backup. This one is more versatile. You can better choose what to backup or to restore. Make sure you install on your SD-card, so you can use it after a hard reset.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
zou can do the same with SPB backup. and by the way, who needs a serial for spb backup, pm me

I've always used Sprite Premium Backup in the past with WM2003/SE devices, and I have had to restore from a backup on many occasions. Never let me down. It creates a self-extracting backup on a storage card, and it also has a PC component that allows backups to your PC when connected via a USB port.
Unfortunately Sprite was without a solution for backing up WM5 devices for quite a while.
So I picked up SPB Backup, as mentioned by many other users here. SPB Backup appears to work fine, at least as far as creating the backups and storing them on my storage card. However I have not yet had to try to restore my device from a backup made with SPB Backup - which is the only real test that can be performed. And I don't feel like wiping out all my data just to test the SPB Backups.
Any backup application can appear to run fine; it's the "put it all back and make everything OK again!" part of any backup program that will make you love it or hate it!
Has anyone here who says that SPB Backup is working great for them ever attempted to restore yet? Not that I don't think that it will...
I would just like to hear that has successfully restored someone's device - it'll make me feel a lot better!

J-Mac said:
I've always used Sprite Premium Backup in the past with WM2003/SE devices, and I have had to restore from a backup on many occasions. Never let me down. It creates a self-extracting backup on a storage card, and it also has a PC component that allows backups to your PC when connected via a USB port.
Unfortunately Sprite was without a solution for backing up WM5 devices for quite a while.
So I picked up SPB Backup, as mentioned by many other users here. SPB Backup appears to work fine, at least as far as creating the backups and storing them on my storage card. However I have not yet had to try to restore my device from a backup made with SPB Backup - which is the only real test that can be performed. And I don't feel like wiping out all my data just to test the SPB Backups.
Any backup application can appear to run fine; it's the "put it all back and make everything OK again!" part of any backup program that will make you love it or hate it!
Has anyone here who says that SPB Backup is working great for them ever attempted to restore yet? Not that I don't think that it will...
I would just like to hear that has successfully restored someone's device - it'll make me feel a lot better!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've restorfed backups many times, as I tested various ROMS for the Wizard. each time i put a new ROM, I perform a backup restore from my card.

J-Mac said:
I've always used Sprite Premium Backup in the past with WM2003/SE devices, and I have had to restore from a backup on many occasions. Never let me down. It creates a self-extracting backup on a storage card, and it also has a PC component that allows backups to your PC when connected via a USB port.
Unfortunately Sprite was without a solution for backing up WM5 devices for quite a while.
So I picked up SPB Backup, as mentioned by many other users here. SPB Backup appears to work fine, at least as far as creating the backups and storing them on my storage card. However I have not yet had to try to restore my device from a backup made with SPB Backup - which is the only real test that can be performed. And I don't feel like wiping out all my data just to test the SPB Backups.
Any backup application can appear to run fine; it's the "put it all back and make everything OK again!" part of any backup program that will make you love it or hate it!
Has anyone here who says that SPB Backup is working great for them ever attempted to restore yet? Not that I don't think that it will...
I would just like to hear that has successfully restored someone's device - it'll make me feel a lot better!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes it has without a hitch!

naughty said:
I am planing on a ROM upgrade, I don't want to lose all my settings, so I am looking at a backup utility. I read a lot about sprite backup, is there a TOP list that I can choose from? Share good/bad experience pls.
10x
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
naughty,
After I posted I re-read your post and realized what you are hoping to do.
A word of advice - don't!
Backups are great for restoring your device after a hard reset - especially those most-hated unexpected hard resets.
But for a ROM upgrade, you really want to start with a completely clean device. Your device most likely has a lot of abandoned registry entries, shortcuts, and general crap that you really don't want cluttering things up after a ROM update. I do a lot of beta testing so I always have a lot of crap left over from continually installing and uninstalling applications.
On any device running WM5 has, to some degree, a problem with uninstalling and/or upgrading programs. It's a Microsoft bug that hasn't been fully corrected yet. So even if you think that you have kept the device clean, it has junk left over from every time you had difficulty uninstalling something.
For any hard reset where you are just reinstalling exactly what you had before the reset, by all means, restore from a backup.
But for a ROM upgrade, I would advise against it.

J-Mac said:
But for a ROM upgrade, I would advise against it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was suspecting something like this..
I will probably delay the ROM upgrade, now that I think I have to re-do my
1. Voice dials
2. GPRS settings (my provider doesn't have wutomatic)
3. MMS settings
4. Email settings.
5. the installed software should be re-installed and configured..

Does anybody know what files contain the contacts, calender, tasks, notes etc. (The equivalent of the .pst files in Outlook)

i belive at the root level in file explorer, there is a file called PIM. I think that is it. Pretty sure.

Claudio said:
Does anybody know what files contain the contacts, calender, tasks, notes etc. (The equivalent of the .pst files in Outlook)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You need to be able to view the databases on your device. These are not readily available via the file explorer.
You can see them with some third-party applications, such as SK-Tools amd Mem-Maid.
You cannot view the contents of the DBs except by looking at your contacts, calendar, etc.
Actually I have heard that someone has created or updated an app that does let you view individual items in DBs. Not sure which one offhand, but I'll post back if I find out.

I'm with Jmac on this.
I went from 287 to 217 ROM afterwhich I restored my apps with SPB.
The new comm mgr was overlaid, activesync is no longer active nor does it sync and some stuff don't work ne more.
SPB only provides the option to selectively restore PIM, system and ? (something else). It doesn't have the option to restore specific apps.
Tonight when I flash again, I'm going to manually install my stuff again and just use Activesync to get my PIM data.

Claudio said:
Does anybody know what files contain the contacts, calender, tasks, notes etc. (The equivalent of the .pst files in Outlook)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes pim.vol in the root directory of the device contains all contacts and appts - copy to storage card as backup

dimushor said:
Mesias said:
GliTCH82 said:
I would also recommend SPB backup.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I changed from SPB Backup to Sprite Backup. This one is more versatile. You can better choose what to backup or to restore. Make sure you install on your SD-card, so you can use it after a hard reset.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
zou can do the same with SPB backup. and by the way, who needs a serial for spb backup, pm me
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Um, no you can't. You can select specific files and folders to backup but you cannot restore when you are away from your PC. Sprite allows selective restores even on the device itself.
A word of advice - don't!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Most of time I would agree with you. However, with Sprite's restore after upgrade feature, you can safely restore a backup. I have done it several times on pre-WM5 devices and Sprite has updated the current WM5 version to do the same.

JNGold,
I understand that Sprite just released 5.1 a day or two ago; that's the version thar is supposed to do this.
Have you tried 5.1 yet to see if it works now?

JNGold said:
dimushor said:
Mesias said:
GliTCH82 said:
I would also recommend SPB backup.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I changed from SPB Backup to Sprite Backup. This one is more versatile. You can better choose what to backup or to restore. Make sure you install on your SD-card, so you can use it after a hard reset.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
zou can do the same with SPB backup. and by the way, who needs a serial for spb backup, pm me
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Um, no you can't. You can select specific files and folders to backup but you cannot restore when you are away from your PC. Sprite allows selective restores even on the device itself.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How come? I always do restore from my miniSD card.

The new SpriteBackup also allows to create self-installing/self-extracting backups. Works great on my Wizard. I restored backups several times - without any problems.

Backup?

Hi, everyone. I am tired of installing all the stuff to the phone every time i hard reset it. Is there a program that does a full backup? I want to hard reset it, run the backup program and have all the things working. Regardless if they are installed on the phone or on he memory stick.
Is spb backup well suited for the job. Remember i want everything to work.

Hi
What about the SPB backup ?
It cost a little, but it deserve it .

i prefer sprite backup

Spb backup is what I use...
It creates an executable backup file.
So after you hard reset, just run the backup. Nothing to re-install!
I always make a backup before I install any new apps!!
Stuart

Does Spb backup backs up messages and contacts?
or does it only backs up programs?

Spb will backup everything from contact, sms.... to anything/everything on your storage card!
Stuart

scl_electronics said:
Spb will backup everything from contact, sms.... to anything/everything on your storage card!
Stuart
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OK, thanks, i'm going to give it a try .

flext said:
i prefer sprite backup
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That one seems also great and profi.

i also recommend spb back-up

I think Resco Backup is the most complete backup / restore software, but as it's a new challenger in Windows Mobile, they still have some small issues. For me everything works except the SMS / MMS restore, which I backup / restore temporary with PIM Backup 4.8 (which is a freeware).

I have made a backup with SPB from R1 Generic_UK ROM and I'm trying to use the backup file for the R2 Generic_UK ROM.
After restoring I got the error message:
"MainWnd.cpp 198
Unable connect to server"
Any solution?

I had problems with spb backup as well. mine did install, but i ended up with flickering screen and as soon as I clicked on settings the phone froze, so i had to take the battery out. I have been reinstalling and resetting everything for the past 4 hours.

You need to remember, If you are updating your rom...
This is essentially putting an new version of the OS your Xperia!!
So the Only items you want to restore is Databases(contacts, datebook, sms...etc) and Data(my docs area)
You do not want to restore system files or registry!!!
This will conflict with the new ROM!!!
So You after you restore only the Data.... You need to re-install apps!!!
hth,
Stuart
btw, when you run your current SPB Backup file. It will give you the option of a full retore or choosing what you want to re-Install (selective restore)....stu

I recommend SPB Backup. I use it to restore my phone about 3 times and it works great.
Features I like:
- Very fast backup and restore!
- Backups *everything*, stand-alone restorer.
- Can compress the backup.
- Can choose what to backup/restore.
- And the best thing: SPB Backup Sync! It's basically an application like the Active Sync program on your PC. You can configure it to make backups everytime you sync and copy them to your PC automatically. Works great.

Myself had trouble with it, and I did try the Pim backup, small software perhaps do not backup all the programs, but, back-up, contacts and differents folders

orelsi said:
Hi, everyone. I am tired of installing all the stuff to the phone every time i hard reset it. Is there a program that does a full backup? I want to hard reset it, run the backup program and have all the things working. Regardless if they are installed on the phone or on he memory stick.
Is spb backup well suited for the job. Remember i want everything to work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I test drove a few of the backup programs out there a while back and posted my fave two here: http://xperiancer.blogspot.com/2009/01/data-backup-be-prepared.html
I recently was notified of HTC Backup utility - a free utility, as well as the new version of Resco Backup which is supposedly better than SPB Backup. I will be checking them out in the next day or so and posting more at the blog.

What about a restore after a firmware update. Will it work?

orelsi said:
What about a restore after a firmware update. Will it work?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I prefer to just backup pim.vol, cemail.vol, the weather database and a few other files. Then just let the new ROM run and install everything I want and put the backup files in play. It's fast and automatic. No fuss and it's all built in.

sprite backup does the same as spb backup,it has all the same features but i found it does not give me half as many errors as spb

Backing up for Rom Upgrade

I know when I was using the myTOUCH 3g there was an option to backup all my files settings of that nature with nandroid, is there something similar? Or will it just wipe it all off and have to do all the settings n etc?
Just flashed the n spl for the TMOUS

If you are flashing a new rom then it will wipe everything out. Save you PIM data with PIMBackup or similar program, contacts and emails should be okay when you re sync. You will have to reload any programs as well you have put on.
Not sure you would want to save registry settings etc from one rom to another as they may not be applicable to the new rom and cause you more issues than you would want.

InRBigness said:
If you are flashing a new rom then it will wipe everything out. Save you PIM data with PIMBackup or similar program, contacts and emails should be okay when you re sync. You will have to reload any programs as well you have put on.
Not sure you would want to save registry settings etc from one rom to another as they may not be applicable to the new rom and cause you more issues than you would want.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok thanks, another question, if installing a new rom wipes it how does PIM backup? Does it do it to the SDCard?

djdant said:
Ok thanks, another question, if installing a new rom wipes it how does PIM backup? Does it do it to the SDCard?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
it saves the backup database to wherever you tell it to.
Save it among my documents and it will be synched via activesync.
Save it to SD and it will be ready to be restored after flash.
Pimbackup only saves PIM tho, that is contacts/calendar/sms/call records

ephestione said:
it saves the backup database to wherever you tell it to.
Save it among my documents and it will be synched via activesync.
Save it to SD and it will be ready to be restored after flash.
Pimbackup only saves PIM tho, that is contacts/calendar/sms/call records
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Alright thanks, its been a while since i used an WinMO device thanks for all your help

SPB backup will save all your contacts, email accounts etc.
You can save it to the Storage Card.
After you install new ROM, install SPB backup and restore
your contacts and whatever else you saved with it.
​

Can SPB Backup perform a COMPLETE system backup?

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...
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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.
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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
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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?
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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.