Database Users

Restoring Sprite Backup after ROM upgrade

Hi all,
If I upgrade the ROM on my Orbit 2, can I use my latest Sprite Backup to restore my personal settings after upgrading?
If not, what settings will I need to manually replace:
e.g.
1) Contacts, appointments, etc. - via activesync
2) Copilot / Tomom - from original SD cards
3) Network settings - using "Connection Setup" program
4) ...
Am I missing anything? I'm worried that after upgrading the ROM I will spend days getting everything back to normal!

At first, you will spend an hour getting everything back to normal. Then, when you become addicted to flashing roms, you will master the "reload" and it will still take an hour (or close to it). I know with PIM backup (as indicated by the name "PIM"), you can only restore appts, sms, email, contacts, phone logs, tasks and the like. Not sure about Sprite but I'm sure you can't do much more...

timpharrison said:
Hi all,
If I upgrade the ROM on my Orbit 2, can I use my latest Sprite Backup to restore my personal settings after upgrading?
If not, what settings will I need to manually replace:
e.g.
1) Contacts, appointments, etc. - via activesync
2) Copilot / Tomom - from original SD cards
3) Network settings - using "Connection Setup" program
4) ...
Am I missing anything? I'm worried that after upgrading the ROM I will spend days getting everything back to normal!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The full last version of Sprite Backup (6.x) provide an "upgrade" mode that should allow a user to restore all his data after a ROM update (without touching the OS part). I never tested it as in my concern I spend less than one hour to fully reconfigure my Polaris after a ROM upgrade. But I'll be interested by all experience sharing with tools like Sprite Backup.
Please check directly to Sprite web site for more informations and welcome back with your findings that I'm sure, will interest more than myself

academic said:
The full last version of Sprite Backup (6.x) provide an "upgrade" mode that should allow a user to restore all his data after a ROM update (without touching the OS part). I never tested it as in my concern I spend less than one hour to fully reconfigure my Polaris after a ROM upgrade. But I'll be interested by all experience sharing with tools like Sprite Backup.
Please check directly to Sprite web site for more informations and welcome back with your findings that I'm sure, will interest more than myself
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have used it before on my Artemis and believe me, it's crap. Just an backup works fine but when you have switch to another rom, forget about it. Some apps work decent, most of then not. (80%) The only thin you can do to be sure you can go back after an Flash is to dump you're own rom.

It hangs on me
Sprite hangs on me when I want to restore Bepe 0.53 full backup after flashed back to 0.53 from 0.66. I am trying all the ROMs version to see what is best for me and so far 0.53 is what I called baseline for me. It took me only 2 hours to reconfig my device but the damm sw hangs and I waited much longer than that. When it finished, the device does not boot and I have to do a hard reset.
Sprite is crappy so does spb backup. I have not found anything works!

HaiLe512 said:
Sprite hangs on me when I want to restore Bepe 0.53 full backup after flashed back to 0.53 from 0.66. I am trying all the ROMs version to see what is best for me and so far 0.53 is what I called baseline for me. It took me only 2 hours to reconfig my device but the damm sw hangs and I waited much longer than that. When it finished, the device does not boot and I have to do a hard reset.
Sprite is crappy so does spb backup. I have not found anything works!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thats the point. All those back-up progams work well but now when you flash your rom. You really need a dump of your rom to get back to original. For the rest, SPB, Sprite And whatever back-up apps work all well if you just want to play around with apps and return if you don't like them.

Keep Softs after ROM Upgrade

Hi Guys,
I'm looking for a solution that can give me the possibility to upgrade my Polaris ROM without loosing all installed softs and parameters. Is it possible?
Thanks for your help.

lionelfryd said:
Hi Guys,
I'm looking for a solution that can give me the possibility to upgrade my Polaris ROM without loosing all installed softs and parameters. Is it possible?
Thanks for your help.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This topic is a perennial. There are many definite opinions on the wisdom of doing this, with some people absolutely sure that it simply won't work ...
BUT
1) make sure you have HardSPL installed 1st, before any cooked ROM upgrade
2) backup your Registry with a Registry program (eg PHM Registry). This is purely a last line of defence if you have to revert to the original ROM
3) backup to your micro-SDHC card with either Spb Backup 2.0.1 or Sprite 6.2.2. I use both for "belt and braces" security
4) flash cooked ROM of choice
5) use backup from 3) to restore over ROM upgrade. Mostly I have found the Sprite restore with Merge Level 1 + database restore to work OK, but the Spb restore with Overwrite files unchecked will probably work just as well
If in the end, none work properly, then just revert to your original ROM and use 3) backups for a full restore ... no harm done !!
I have done this many times on both a Polaris and an X500. Sometimes it doesn't work (eg. the earlier swtos and pdaviet Polaris ROM's) but I eventually found ROM upgrades for both devices that did work. Occasionally for the Polaris I found some Registry entries repeated - eg. \HKLM\Control Panel\MyCtrl - but these are easily deleted.
Be adventurous - you can easily revert if it stuffs up.

SPB restore after flashing, good idea?

Hiya,
Just got my HD and loving it.
I am about to flash Dutty's 1.5 rom to it and as I haven't installed much yet, not much of an issue..
Once I've got it set up as I want it, not sure if I want to go through installing everything each time.
Now SPB creates auto extracting backups, is it wise to use this to restore the apps after a new rom version?
Cheers,
Paul.

MrRalphMan said:
Hiya,
Just got my HD and loving it.
I am about to flash Dutty's 1.5 rom to it and as I haven't installed much yet, not much of an issue..
Once I've got it set up as I want it, not sure if I want to go through installing everything each time.
Now SPB creates auto extracting backups, is it wise to use this to restore the apps after a new rom version?
Cheers,
Paul.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not recommended by SPB although the application does have a ROM change option (??):
http://faq.spbsoftwarehouse.com/content/7/16/en/can-i-restore-my-data-after-the-rom-upgrade.html
Confusing: here is the manual (v 2.0):
"
Device and ROM Upgrade Modes
Now you can safely upgrade your device ROM or change your device and seamlessly restore your data. Spb Backup will automatically detect if the restore process is being performed between different devices or ROM versions and prompt you to select the upgrade mode to perform.
"

Spb Backup too "smart"?

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

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

Understood. Thanks.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I'm not sure I updated my rom O_o

I downloaded the new rom from htc (1.66) and put it on my phone.
I then restored my backup (done with spb backup on 1.48 rom) and everything works fine.
When I turn on the phone the red numbers in the bottom left of the screen say that I have 1.66 but if I go in "software identity" in htc sense it says I have still 1.48.
who should I believe?
since there isn't any "visible" features in this new rom I'm quite unsure ^^'
♦

Drom said:
I downloaded the new rom from htc (1.66) and put it on my phone.
I then restored my backup (done with spb backup on 1.48 rom) and everything works fine.
When I turn on the phone the red numbers in the bottom left of the screen say that I have 1.66 but if I go in "software identity" in htc sense it says I have still 1.48.
who should I believe?
since there isn't any "visible" features in this new rom I'm quite unsure ^^'
♦
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
SPB backup will restore a registry value that holds the ROM number. It's there so that software doesn't have to query the ROM to see what version is running. Software just looks in the registry.
You do the ROM update and it changes it to 1.66. You then restore your backup and it puts it back to 1.48.
Believe the little red startup text - it never lies

You have 1.66 the backup will just have changed some registry settings i expect. I think most people would advise against restoring backups from old roms on to new roms. Can cause some weird problems when it changes stuff back.
I just you MS MyPhone to make sure i don't lose my messages. I restore settings myself.

bzdemes said:
You have 1.66 the backup will just have changed some registry settings i expect. I think most people would advise against restoring backups from old roms on to new roms. Can cause some weird problems when it changes stuff back.
I just you MS MyPhone to make sure i don't lose my messages. I restore settings myself.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1 to MyPhone.

bzdemes said:
You have 1.66 the backup will just have changed some registry settings i expect. I think most people would advise against restoring backups from old roms on to new roms. Can cause some weird problems when it changes stuff back.
I just you MS MyPhone to make sure i don't lose my messages. I restore settings myself.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I always used spb backup when I changed roms on my old touch hd without any problem (they were all miri's rom) so I thought it wouldn't be any problem using 2 official roms.
however everything works fine, it only seems that my old backup changed the rom number displayed in htc sense, I can live with that xD
♠

I have just restored my HD2 with SPB Backup after upgrading to 1.66 like before however this time the restore didnt detect the new rom version. I used the "Force ROM upgrade" option on the full restore and hey presto!
Even so no restore will be perfect and I do notice some other issues; I use SPB Mobile Shell rather than sense, and HTC messaging text is in a huge font since the upgrade. If anyone has a suggestion how to tweak the font I will be much obliged!