One of the innovations that came with Microsoft Windows Mobile 5 for Pocket PC users was non-volitile flash RAM and the storage of key Windows Mobile databases in this RAM. This meant that both Pocket PC users would no longer lose their contacts and calendars when a battery died. Since Microsoft presumed that Pocket PC users would no longer need to restore their system from a hard disk through ActiveSync, they removed the Backup and Restore function for Pocket PCs in ActiveSync!
IMHO, this was a truly bad idea. Let’s say you lose or badly damage your Pocket PC (or Smartphone for that matter since it was never able to Backup/Restore over ActiveSync since it always had non-volitile flash RAM for PIM data). You go ahead and get an identical new Pocket PC. You know have to rebuild the Pocket PC from scratch. Sure, ActiveSync will repartner with it and flow data from Outlook. But, you have to reinstall your applications, rebuild email definitions for Messaging (Inbox), type in your name, etc., etc. In other words, you end up wasting an hour or more rebuilding your setup. This is something that ActiveSync Restore could have handled mostly unattended in much less time and hassle.
Manufacturers didn’t help matters much either. Prior to Windows Mobile 5, many Pocket PCs came with manufacturer supplied backup-to-storage-card utilities. These utilities archived your system RAM contents to a storage card in a single file. This file could be easily copied to your hard drive and further archived on a CD-R, thumb drive, or network store. But, many WM5 Pocket PCs don’t have these add-on utilities in firmware.
So, now what? Fortunately, there are other people who, like me, believe that a simple single file archival backup is a good idea. I use Spb Backup from Sbp Software House on my i-Mate K-JAM Pocket PC Phone Edition. It’s simple, fast, and has a notification area on my Start window to let me know when I last performed a backup.
Comments
19 responses to “Why Did Microsoft Remove Backup/Restore from ActiveSync?”
I use iMobileTool Windows Mobile Backup Suite for my HTC windows mobile. iMobileTool Windows Mobile Backup Suite is an all-in-one windows mobile backup solution,it helps me to backup both sms and SIM card contacts from mobile phone to my computer directly. It works well for me.
Free download at: http://imobiletool.com/windows-mobile-backup-suite.html
Ok.Here I suggest you to try this application, 3GMobile SMS+Contacts Backup.I use it for two years.So far, it’s the best one I’ve ever seen.Have a try:
http://www.3gmobiletool.com/download.html
Good luck!!
iMobileTool SMS Backup may have a trialware download. But, its website says its costs $19.95.
I download a tool called iMobileTool SMS Backup. It helps me to backup SMS messages from Windows Mobile Phone to computer and keep them safe.It works well for me.
Free download at: http://www.imobiletool.com/sms-backup.html
[…] latter will survive a hardware failure other than crushing the entire phone. This blog might help: MobileViews Blog :: Why Did Microsoft Remove Backup/Restore from ActiveSync? __________________ -Jim- __________________________________ Use every part of the buffalo – Brad […]
I connected my HP iPAQ Voice Messenger to the computer with ActiveSync 4.5 and I lost all contact, calendars,… from my phone. Can I restore the lost data?
Jez_Gafys: Actually ActiveSync 4.5 does not have backup/restore. If you connect a pre-Windows Mobile 5 devcie, it reverts to ActiveSync 3.8 protocol and features.
I would like to add that ActiveSync 4.5 does actually still have the Backup/Restore function but it all depends on the attached device.
If I attach my GPA based on Windows Mobile 2003, the Backup/Restore option is there under Tools. But If I attach my Samsung Omnia based on Mobile 6.1 the whole interface chances. The tools menu no longer shows the option, infact the whole look of Activesync changes. Because the function obviously still exists I’m wondering if it’ still possible to somehow get the backup program to load when a newer windows device is attached.
Idiotic!!! How could such a rich and powerful company do such a stupid thing??? I uninstalled 4.5 and went back to 3.8. What other worthwhile option did M$ leave me???
Great blog entry!
My iPaq came with HP Backup to the storage card (came in VERY handy) and of course ActiveSync also backed it up to my work computer each time I syncd.
I was going nuts trying to find where in ActiveSync 4.5 I could set it up to backup the device as my new Spring Mogul didn’t come with any backup software.
I guess SBP Backup is going on the device tonight.
(BTW, I hate ActiveSync 4.5) Both here at home and at work, often if I’ve already syncd, I lose connect to the Mogul (connection scanning shows that it’s connected). I have to reboot the computer and then AS MIGHT see the Mogul.
Tonight it saw the Mogul, informed me that it was already syncing to two computers and that I had to delete a computer from the device. My home computer (called Home) was one of the profiles and was the computer the Mogul was connected to!
Nathalia: Unless you used a 3rd party application to backup your system prior to syncing, it is all gone. Sorry for the bad news
HELP!
I accidentally deleted all my contacts from my pocket pc when I synced with my work computer for the first time!
I have active sync 4.5 and can’t find a backup/restore button anywhere…
Please tell me my contacts are hidden somewhere and I can retrieve them? Or are they lost forever?
thanks!
I find it VERY strange that MS opted to remove this feature from ActiveSync 4.5, I used to use it for restoring my older device, and guess what I needed it to restore my new device but instead I had to re-install the applications one by one, which is not VERY time consuming job.
I think we should put in a request for Microsoft to put this feature back, anyone knows how to do that?
Thanks for this thread. I was told to do a backup via ActiveSync, and was going crazy trying to find it, especially since I figured having the latest A/S version (4.5) would mean I have the MOST tools. This thread (found through Google) saved me a lot of time.
ty todd… i’ll spend my ipaq points for that then 🙂
manego: The only two Windows Mobile backup applications that I know of are Spb Backup and Sprite Software Backup. They are US$19.95 and US$29.95, respectively. Spb Backup is available for the Pocket PC/Phone Edition. And, Sprint Software’s Backup has separate versions for the Pocket PC and Smartphone. I haven’t found any freeware or Open Source backup apps for Windows Mobile yet.
Totally agree with todd.
Activesync backup saved several hours of software re-install with my preovious PocketPc (who was really bad on battery)… not to mention I could try every software around without the fear it could mess up my device.
Btw I read all over the net about sbp backup… anything freeware doing the same job?
Harald: I’ll disagree with you there. ActiveSync Backup was not perfect. But, it was not broken. I used it several times over the course of the last 10 years and it restored several devices without issue. Backup to device memory is not always preferable. My two use-cases makes this clear: (1) If you lose the device, you lose the backup. (2) If the device is severely damaged, there is not thing restore back to.
Backup was broken.
If you restored your backup over ActiveSync it would corrupt your message store, particularly for Text messaging. This would surface as sluggish response from the text messaging application and difficulty in receiving messages.
Backup over ActiveSync makes things really complicated since the device needs to be running and communicating for it to be done, which means a high risk of corruption as files are open and data change while being backed up. And Microsoft does not have the software quality to make it happen.
backup to device memory is to prefer, and have your user data always-on replicated over the cellular line (EDGE or HSDPA)