Reader D.K. asks: not sure who to ask on this one, but on an htc device (imate sp5) – do you know if there’s a way to recover contacts on there if the device had them wiped off by outlook via activesync over usb? i have not done anythign to the device since it was wiped, im hoping that the data is still on there, but needs to be reassociated with its metadata.
First, ouch! I’m not even sure how something like that can happen. But, I won’t ask. I’ll assume some unfortunate accidental user error was the cause. Second, the data may or may not be there. But, I don’t know of any utility off-hand to recover from that sort of error. Third, this is a good time to get on the soapbox for a general message to my fellow users of Windows Mobile Devices…
Two weeks ago when writing about the recently released Windows Mobile 6 Reference Model, I noted that none of the four user categories noted in the manual included a consumer end-user group. Microsoft designed Windows Mobile for enterprise use, not for individual consumers. The by-product of this design focus means that there is an implicit assumption that the Windows Mobile user is part of an enterprise that uses Microsoft Exchange Server and has an IT staff that performs tasks like configuration, backup, and restore. If you, like me, bought one as an individual consumer without enterprise support, you need to be prepared to do things like think about issues like disaster recovery and business continuance as an individual without supporting staff. I plan to discuss how I’ve tried to plan for my own DR/BC in a post or two later this week.
Comments
10 responses to “Recovering Windows Mobile Outlook Data?”
Windows realy outdone itself this time. Same thing happened to me. Do the folks at redwoods ever learn to make proper software?
Wanted to back my contacts and calendar onto my laptop from my phone but instead it deleted everything on the phone without asking. I’m hoping it’ll all come back from my desktop. It should allow much more configuration and ask before it removes anything from phone.
Damn… I lost ALL my contacts last night. I use active sync to transfer some pictures FROM the phone and i found my contacts deleted.
Why? It syncronize the data FROM PC -> TO PHONE. I had no entries on Outlook.
What a stupid software….
My girlfriend tried to sync her HTC with windows 6.0 to a laptop with Vista on it. Without any usually annoyingly abundant ‘Are you sure’ warning, Activesync decided to wipe the phone contact list. No recycle bin, no way to recover any contacts. I already hated Windows really bad due to this type of ill-designed crap, but now it’s on a whole new level. Windows is crap. Go Google OS!
yeah..d same prob is wit my HTC cell..i have lost all my contacts..n i reli dont knw how to recover them,..plz plz plz do let me knw if anybody knows d solution ok..mail m here..p_shirgaonkar@yahoo.co.in
I wanted to back up my contacts on my t-mobile dash phone to my 2007 Outlook contacts on my Vista 64 OS laptop. I called T-mobile for their help and in the end I had no contacts on my cell phone or PC. How can I recover these contacts? T-Mobiles answer was we can’t help you after walking me through the total deletion of all my contacts.
Have the same prob. Connected my HTC TyTN II to my laptop running vista. It started syncing, and next thing I know, all my phones contacts are gone. How do I restore them or undo the sync??
I had the same. Lost all data while synchronizing. Does anyone know a solution? Can’t find the data in the deleted items anywher. Using Windows Mobile 6.0 on TyTn II too!
I installed OneNote Mobile on an HTC smartphone (wm6).
I think there was a brief syc process after installation. Didnt let it continue since i didnt want anything overwritten.
The next thing i know, the device stopped sync-ing. All Outlook contacts in the Address Book were wiped off and even a restart didnt help.
I uninstalled OneNote and was able to use ActiveSync again.
But the contacts are still lost. 🙁
Dont understand what onenote has to do with outlook contacts.
The exact same thing happened to me. I found all my contacts sitting safe and sound in the “deleted items” file. You just have to drag and drop them back into your contacts folder.