Develop Bugs

Inadequate backup for contacts

All,
After replacing a TP2 with a not-so-good button, I had the joy of re-doing all my contacts. Even though I had the contacts backed up in multiple forms (myphone, sim card copies, etc), I still had to re-enter all the ringtones and facebook account connections. No fun!
How can I make a safe backup copy of ALL the contact data? Not just the least-common-denominator data that all phones share, but ALL the data including TP2-specific items like FB links and ringtones?
Thanx,
/Mark

Try Pim Backup.

No joy, PIM backup does not include the Facebook link.
To recap, I am trying to find a COMPLETE backup tool, which can backup Contacts, including Ringtones and Facebook links.
HTC people, is there anything for this? Please let me know what I can do. Otherwise, I'll be very unlikely to take advantage of hotfixes (which I understand must wipe the device).
Thanx,
/Mark

Try My Phone
http://myphone.microsoft.com/mkweb/Start.po?lc=1033&mkt=en-US

t4p said:
No joy, PIM backup does not include the Facebook link.
To recap, I am trying to find a COMPLETE backup tool, which can backup Contacts, including Ringtones and Facebook links.
HTC people, is there anything for this? Please let me know what I can do. Otherwise, I'll be very unlikely to take advantage of hotfixes (which I understand must wipe the device).
Thanx,
/Mark
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
People might start thinking I am working for Google, but I am not. If you use Gmail, you can sync with Gmail using Exchange and the photos are synced back and forth, which means that they keep their facebook pictures or any other picture used.
http://www.google.com/support/mobile/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=138636
I don't work for Google, but I may apply...

i dont know of any app that saves the facebook link in contacts, but what i've done is renamed all my contacts to how their names are spelled on facebook and it took care of the issue for me.

fone_fanatic said:
i dont know of any app that saves the facebook link in contacts, but what i've done is renamed all my contacts to how their names are spelled on facebook and it took care of the issue for me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea, this is the easiest way to do it, but you don't need the full name. Just the first name or the first part of their name. It will list the closest match and you just go through each one and select them.
BTW, the Gmail thing saves the pictures only, not the link. Still, I was thinking that was a pretty cool thing because it also reflects that in Gmail apps.

What are the best ways to back-up the data on my phone?

I'm going to start flashing my phone whenever any new NRG ROM's come out, but I don't know how to back-up all the data on my phone so I don't have to start all over again.
What programs are best to use? And how do I use them?
Cheers.

define data.
contacts, notes, tasks, calendar?
try outlook. or myphone.
though. there are others.
names escape my mind though.

ya men, plenty out there. depends on what your needs are.
some just care about messages, some wants to have all back.
maybe configuration of apps.
-
I am using an small easy script I wrote in mscr, you can give it a try.
no good for messages but doing all the rest.
it works the way that ONCE you have to copy files holding configuration to SD card to dedicated folder, then it's doing it itself on scheduled time.
once you reflash rom, it will restore them all back. registry as well.

just back up your contacts to your sim and use Microsoft My Phone. Backs up all the basics, simply, quietly and not a problem to restore the info. It even holds your douments too. Should already be on your phone (the best part). I now never hesitate to hard reset if I want to do something

Cheers guys.
But stuff I'd like to save are the likes of all the settings. All my contacts etc. are all on my account on Microsoft's exchange server, it's just all the individual settings which i wish i could keep instead of flashing then spending half an hour doing them all over again!

daniel_lfc said:
Cheers guys.
But stuff I'd like to save are the likes of all the settings. All my contacts etc. are all on my account on Microsoft's exchange server, it's just all the individual settings which i wish i could keep instead of flashing then spending half an hour doing them all over again!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
that's what this script is doing, if you are familiar with creating reg files. and you are able to point out files responsible for settings in whichever app, give it a try. it's launging somewhere around on xda-dev, but i would update it if you like.
e.g. skype:
you copy application data\skype to SD\backup\application data\skype
and it will every 2 weeks copy them, again and again. It's done in background and very slowly, not slowing other processes, you can't notice. then there is simple restore which through config.txt herds them back.
for registry e.g facebook, create facebook.reg and put in SD\backup
just adding pim.vol will take care of contacts and calendar.
there is an option to add a file: "backup.all" which would mean that the whole folder is going there.
it's simple but what more I need?

hi guys
....... and sorry wich is the best way to back-up all he sms?

75ls said:
hi guys
....... and sorry wich is the best way to back-up all he sms?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i am using PIMbackup:
http://www.dotfred.net/default.htm
it's simple, small, free and the guy who wrote it looks smart, he did the fdc task manager too, there is no concurrence in that one.
I've been using something payed and fancy and big before and it messed my messaging.

thank you very much i downloaded it and as soon as possible i'll try it.from the web site it seems very good!

Titanium backup not restoring contacts ..

Yes, I know there are several topics already on this topic, but I haven't seen a reasonable solution in any of them ..
I was running Virtuous Unity Sense 3.0 v1.27 ROM this evening when I created a complete backup using Titanium Backup Pro Root .... I have now flashed a fresh copy of Virtuous Unity Sense 3.0 v2.37 ROM, and Titanium Backup Pro Root .. I am trying to restore my contacts by restoring 'Data only' for [CONTACTS/CALLS... Storage], but this only restores the groups I had defined in contacts, and not the actual contacts themselves ... I have restarted the phone after doing such a restore, but still, no contacts ..
So how do I get Titanium backup pro to restore my contacts as well ?
Luckily, I did create a nandroid backup of my Desire Z before reflashing, so I can go back and backup my contacts through some other means, but I want to know how to get Titanium Backup to restore them ..
And please don't say that I can use Gmail sync ... I don't trust gmail contacts sync because of my past experiences ..
Thanks for your help !

Don't trust google sync?
Sent from my HTC Vision using XDA Premium App

Titanium Backup isn't configured to backup and restore contacts. It knows that Google backs up all of your contacts to your gmail account.
Make sure your contacts are syncing and the ones you're adding aren't 'Phone Only' contacts, and then sync and flash the new ROM. When you put in your gmail address it will pull all of them back down.

Why not just use MyBackup or sync with Google?

Spastic909 said:
Don't trust google sync?
Sent from my HTC Vision using XDA Premium App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
martonikaj said:
Titanium Backup isn't configured to backup and restore contacts. It knows that Google backs up all of your contacts to your gmail account.
Make sure your contacts are syncing and the ones you're adding aren't 'Phone Only' contacts, and then sync and flash the new ROM. When you put in your gmail address it will pull all of them back down.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
blackknightavalon said:
Why not just use MyBackup or sync with Google?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Guys, I appreciate your help, really, but I've already said in OP that I don't want to use Google Sync .... Let's just say I have had a really big mishap before by going down that road ..
Secondly, Titanium claims to back up *everything*, and people on this forum suggested similar to me, so I'm wondering why does nobody know how to backup/restore contacts using Titanium ...
So you guys are claiming that Titanium cannot backup/restore contacts ?? ... If this is the case, why does everyone like Titanium so much .. ? .. I mean contacts is such a basic thing ..

ahmadka said:
So you guys are claiming that Titanium cannot backup/restore contacts ?? ... If this is the case, why does everyone like Titanium so much .. ? .. I mean contacts is such a basic thing ..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
E-mail the developer about it.

^^ I was actually thinking that maybe I'm not doing something right, but I guess if you all are convinced that Titanium indeed cannot be used for backing up/restoring contacts that yeah maybe I'll email the developer
But is it a bug in Titanium, or is the feature itself (i.e backup/restore contacts) missing or something ?

ahmadka said:
Guys, I appreciate your help, really, but I've already said in OP that I don't want to use Google Sync .... Let's just say I have had a really big mishap before by going down that road ..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So you use a smartphone... A Google Android smartphone... and you're worried about using google sync?? Not to start a flame war but if you're worried about this you need to go back to a dumbphone...
So you guys are claiming that Titanium cannot backup/restore contacts ?? ... If this is the case, why does everyone like Titanium so much .. ? .. I mean contacts is such a basic thing ..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No it does not. Everyone likes it because it backs up apps+data, and System data and restores when you flash a new ROM. Its an amazing app that has saved me hours of time when flashing ROMs. It doesn't back up contacts because when you use Android, contacts are backed up 100% every time. Using a Gmail account to use the phone automatically leads to backed up data. Why make an app to back it up when your phone does it automatically?

^^ I also have no intention of starting some kind of a flame war, and I only made my statement bold so that new repliers can see that point .. Like I said, I am grateful for your help ..
The reason why I dont like Google Sync for contacts is because two times my contacts got wiped out from both server and my phone, leaving me contact-less .. in the end I had to resort to an older nandroid backup to recover a partial amount of my contacts back ... now whether that was my fault or google's is unknown to me .. what is known to me is that for one reason or another, Google Sync for contacts has never really worked for me .. But apartment from this, I use google technologies, and google sync for many other things, and I love the company and their ideas ... I just don't like google sync for contacts, thats all .. And I had mentioned this point clearly in OP, and its not like I HAVE to use that, right .. ?
Anyways, I thought that Titanium could also backup contacts .. even if Google Sync does backup your contacts, it doesn't hurt to have other methods too, right ? ... I mean if you search on market for backup apps, you'll find tons of them .. redundancy ... so why should contacts backups be exclusive to google only .. ?
Anyways, the reason why I had made this post was because Titanium DOES show a backup of contacts, which is not working for me ... so I thought that I'm not doing something right ... if Titanium didn't support it entirely, then it shouldn't even make the backup in the first place, right .. ? But it did, and its just not working .. So I thought maybe I was doing something wrong myself, and that the app (i.e. Titanium Backup Pro) is fine as literally millions of people use it ..
I'm sure its able to backup/restore contacts ... I'm sure I'm making some mistake somewhere ..
And like I said, I didn't make this thread to start a flame war .. I just made this thread to get an answer to my problem, that all ... hope you understand

I guess I scared everyone off ... oh well .. :/

Titanium backup is awesome. It has saved me hours - multiple times, but to the best of my knowledge it backs up only the contacts application/settings... if it does backup actual individual contacts I would never know; as everyone else has said, I personally use Google sync. I imagine most users are in this boat. Maybe it's time you and Google contacts sync makeup.
Sent from my HTC Vision using XDA App

I'm telling you, use MyBackup to handle the contacts.

Ditamae said:
Titanium backup is awesome. It has saved me hours - multiple times, but to the best of my knowledge it backs up only the contacts application/settings... if it does backup actual individual contacts I would never know; as everyone else has said, I personally use Google sync. I image most users are in this boat. Maybe it's time you and Google contacts sync makeup.
Sent from my HTC Vision using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I believe this to be true. It backs up the 'contacts' app and the settings for said app, but doesn't handle individual contacts info.

Why not use google contacts then export contacts to file,then you have your contacts in triplicate,phone,google and file?I must be luckly as I love the google sync function

TitaniumBackup does save contacts, you need to restore manually maybe Contact-backup-blabla (text is colored green in the list) and you need to reboot device.
But what is strange - for some reason data from my Gemini Calendar has not been restored I entered so many events... Damn...

there is backup for "Contacts and dialer" which i suppose is the app, and other entry for "CONTACTS/CALLS" which i think is the actual data. but since i have google sync up i'm not sure.
Also if you are so worried about google, how about that CarrierIQ that lies deep in the kernel and logs all your key-presses and sends em to everybody?

Cant help you with ti but i can recomend useing the option to download all contacts from google. That way you have a backup if they ever get wiped for some reason. Good luck
Sent from my HTC Vision using Tapatalk

love TB makes romming a breeze! Just use google contacts sorry you had a bad experiance but i have always used them or the carriers backup service in the past. Like the others said if you want that feature then get an app that supports is specifically or export from google lol.

Got a solution?
Hi everyone,
ahmadka, did you manage to restore your contacts?
Because I am facing the same problem. I switched from stock 2.2 to Cyanogenmod 7.1
I did a backup with TiBu. I backed up the ROM with ROM Manager.
I even backed up my SMS and Call logs using separate applications.
I thought TiBu would restore my phone contacts, but no.
There is an entry called contacts in TiBu, but it only restores a few contacts, not all.
I know the contacts are in the stock ROM, in a contacts database file, but how to retrieve them?
Do I have to flash the stock ROM, backup my contacts and reflash Cyanogen?
Isn't there a simpler way?
Thanks!

never had or heard of anyone loosing contacts stored through google, but whatever. i doubt there are many developers trying to make apps for android for something google does so well already.
titanium back isnt and i doubt will ever be a place to backup and restore contacts.
solutions, use google sync
use a pen and paper
download to simcard
download to sdcard
make your own app that does this
by an iphone, then go on apple forum and complain to them
ok just being an ass, sorry in one of those moods

[Q]Is there a way to backup joins in people app

In the people app in ICS you may join contacts between gmail/facebook/friendcaster/linkedin/skype etc.
Some contacts join automatically but not everyone has the same name accross all networks. But when I perform a full wipe I loose all my joins.
Is there a way to back them up and restore them?

matrixlord said:
In the people app in ICS you may join contacts between gmail/facebook/friendcaster/linkedin/skype etc.
Some contacts join automatically but not everyone has the same name accross all networks. But when I perform a full wipe I loose all my joins.
Is there a way to back them up and restore them?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i wanna know this too.....

I wish there was - I believe that if you root and use Titanium and backup Contacts Storage, it *might* backup these links too, but I don't know for sure.
I know I pine for the days of HTC sense with its contact app's merge feature...at least I could merge multiple contacts into another at one time.

I know it has been a long time since this questioned has been asked, but I wanted to let people annoyed by this problem that I have made a free application that can backup and restore those joins. It can help those with mild OCD like myself.
It is called Total Backup and can be found in Google Play at https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.softwareshack.totalbackup. If you happen to use it don't hesitate to write to me any bugs or features you may like. Feedback is very important to me.

Backup info

Hello
After several years of Apple, I bought Oneplus 7T.
Among the good things of the iPhone, surely there is the backup that copies all data and at the time of recovery puts everything in its place. So it wasn't for my OP7t. I used Oneplus switch, but the restore was not painless, I had to redo the connections of the icons on the main screens, but above all I had to enter all the data of each individual APP, as if I had used them as the first time, it was a long and noisy work. I ask you if there is a more effective and faster method to restore from backup
I hope I have been clear and thank you

If you were coming from an Android it is much more seamless. iOS just doesn't interface the same and thus some data doesn't transfer. However logging in to apps is normal after a transfer for security reasons.

autosurgeon said:
If you were coming from an Android it is much more seamless. iOS just doesn't interface the same and thus some data doesn't transfer. However logging in to apps is normal after a transfer for security reasons.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you very much for your reply
But I still ask, is there another system or an app that does backup in ios style?
I shudder at the thought, when it will still have to restore in this way.

Cafiata63 said:
Thank you very much for your reply
But I still ask, is there another system or an app that does backup in ios style?
I shudder at the thought, when it will still have to restore in this way.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you have "Backup" selected in your google settings (Settings / Google / Backup) it will automatically back nearly everything up to your Google account (Google Drive). When you need to wipe and restore your current phone or a new one, you can select what backup you want to use during the setup process.
Other than needing to sign in to different accounts it's pretty seamless. It does backup your texts but not pictures, if I recall. SMSBackup does a much better job at that.

If your phone is rooted, there are at least two solutions: Titanium Backup (powerful but little complicated user interface) and "swift backup" (smart userinterface)!