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One of the two best pieces of advice I can give any Pocket PC user out there is to:
1. Backup their device and back it up often.
2. Read number one again
Backing up your Pocket PC gives you some peace of mind when you are making changes to your device that if everything goes wrong, you can bring it all back again.
So this weeks tip will be a walkthrough on how you can use Activesync to easily back up your device and automatically back it up every time you dock your Pocket PC. Step 1: Open Activesync on your desktop computer and go to the tools menu and choose backup/Restore...
Step 2: If this is your first backup, go ahead and choose the radio button that says "Full Backup" Step 3: Take note of the "Incremental Backup" and the "Automatically back up each time the device connects" options. You can come back to this screen to set up Activesync to do incremental backups every time you sync your Pocket PC.
P.S. Incremental backup means that ONLY things that have changed since your last backup will be backed up. It saves a great deal of time. Step 4: Hit the "Back Up Now" button. Step 5: Let the backup complete without undocking your Pocket PC. It may take a few minutes the first time, but for the sake of this tutorial I did a full backup and it only took about 2 minutes. So it's not too bad. If you go back and set it for "Incremental backups" - see step 3 above, then it will be even shorter. -=RESTORING =-- Step 1: To restore after a hard reset or disaster, open Activesync on your desktop again and go to Tools> Backup/Restore (see step 1 in the backup portion).
Choose the Restore Tab: Step 2: Push the "Restore Now" button and away you go. Conclusion:
Backing up your device isn't only recommended, it makes logical sense. If you are someone who wants to tweak your device, or try a lot of new programs, then there will be a time when something from out of nowhere causes your device to lose data, or hard reset. Backing up, gives you peace of mind so you can experiment, play and become more knowledgeable about your device.
It should be noted (from one who found out the hard way, back up does not include your stortage card... back that up manually unless someone has a better idea?
Yes you are right about that. This type of backup will only work for your Pocket PC itself. You'll have to use a card reader or other method to backup your storage card data.
After you backup and you do a Hard reset..do you have to reinstall all of your applications again?
I do not backup on a regular basis but I do Hard Reset more often than most people....I count on Outlook to keep a hold my important information and the only thing I do is reinstall all of the applications but if backing up means I don't have to do that then I should be smacking my forehead.
__________________ Cingular 8525
SUPERCID/SIM UNLOCKED
WM6 for Hermes LVSW 20070423
Radio Version: 1.40.30.00
Hard-SPL v7
After you backup and you do a Hard reset..do you have to reinstall all of your applications again?
I do not backup on a regular basis but I do Hard Reset more often than most people....I count on Outlook to keep a hold my important information and the only thing I do is reinstall all of the applications but if backing up means I don't have to do that then I should be smacking my forehead.
Get Sprite Pocket Backup. It will backup everything including storage cards if you so desire. As one who ends up hard resetting far too often myself it's a lifesaver. Backup. Install beta s/w that crashes your device. Hard Reset. Restore backup. 10 minutes and you're back just like you were.
__________________ James Kendrick Microsoft MVP - Tablet PCwww.jkontherun.com Lockergnome contributor- Mobile Lifestyle...using mobile devices since they weighed 30 lbs.
I just did this back-up process, but I was left at the end with an error message saying that SyncKey.vol could not be backed up. After this I found that Double Launcher (software that allows me to assign more than one operation to a button) no longer worked.
Any ideas?
Sounds like launcher software is something that runs at all times? If so some running processes cannot be backed up.
What I would do is go to settings> remove programs and uninstall Launcher
Then I'd reinstall that one application.
Thanks. I have reinstalled Double Launcer, and that now seems fine.
However, I have got another, for worse, back-up problem. It worked OK the first few times, and was quite quick, whizzing through more or less as quickly as synchronisation.
However, I changed some of my USB connections around (thus I unplugged my cradle) and now the sycnchronisation works just as quickly, but the automatic back-up seems to get 'stuck'. I watch the little bars, and it goes quite quickly and then gets stuck on backing up deleted items. It goes so slowly that I just have to give up. It won't Cancel or close with the X so I have to unplug the Sync cable to stop it.
I wanted to disable the automatic back-up in Active-Sync, but it isn't possible to select it (it is just grey, in the background). So now I'm stuck with it, and worse still as it is hard to synchronise my data, so I tend not to do it as often, which is more of a worry than having my applications not backed up.
What do you think I should do to fix it?
Cathy
Cathy, it's just a guess but here's what I'd do.
I'd soft reset my pocket pc, then shut down all running programs including the launcher app. I'd dock my PPC and let it sync and backup. Hopefully since no processes were running you'd get past the sticky spot.
Then I'd try to disable the automatic backup.
I have 2 useful programs Datemate and Worldmate by Mobimate, the problem is that when I have had to do a Hard reset and then restore an Activesync backup I loose all the category information from both programs.
All dates are restored but I have to spend a lot of time figuring out what each date is (birthday or anniversary etc.,) and re categorizing it.
Can anyone explain this? I thought that Backup was supposed to make a mirror image of everything. A soft reset does not loose the categories so I don't see how it could be a runing process that can't be saved as mentioned in a previous posting.
Worldmate also looses similar information although this is not such a problem as I can reinstall the whole program however I still have to re-enter the customised information. Mobimate have not been of any help in solving this problem.
I would like to install the update for PPC2003 operating system but don't like the idea of having to spend several hours re entering information.
Can someone explain why resore does not bring ALL information back. Would one of the other backup programs work better? Incidentally I am not using a storage card for the backup.
Would appreciate any help, Thanks
Hey Brad,
Thanks for ALL the tips.
If I backup on say Monday, then enter or change a bunch of Word docs and calendar and contact info., then have a crash on Friday, then restore from that last restore- isn't it going to lose all the Word and Outlook data?
Would it work to use the "Monday" restore, then just sync to get the updated data?
Thanks, Chris
Just came across your web site. Lot's of good, informative tips and tricks. Let me ask you, I have been using iPAQ Backup (to my SD card and PC) in the past. I just tried the ActiveSync backup to my PC from your 'Tip of the week' and notice that the file size is roughly twice that of the iPAQ Backup file. Two questions.......
1. Is one method better than the other?
2. Why the difference in file sizes (30K vs 15K)?
Keep up the good work. I'll be back for more!!
Just came across your web site. Lot's of good, informative tips and tricks. Let me ask you, I have been using iPAQ Backup (to my SD card and PC) in the past. I just tried the ActiveSync backup to my PC from your 'Tip of the week' and notice that the file size is roughly twice that of the iPAQ Backup file. Two questions.......
1. Is one method better than the other?
2. Why the difference in file sizes (30K vs 15K)?
Keep up the good work. I'll be back for more!!
Welcome to Pocket PC Addict!
My first thought is that it could be a compression issue. ipaq backup lets you compress the backup on the fly.
I like the idea of backing up automatically, and didn't know ActiveSync did that. Thanks!
However, my iPAQ 2215 came with a backup utility, and I have since bought Sprite Backup. So, is there a reason why one approach would be "better" than the others, other than the automatic-ness? I don't have a pressing need to back up my SD card, so for me that's not a major reason one way or the other. There are times when backing up RAM to the SD card is nice, but that's not a major every-time issue for me, either.
I suspect this is one of those "your mileage may vary" situations, where "the right answer" depends on individual needs and situations, but I thought I'd ask.
Doug
The good thing about sprite is that you can restore a backup from the road with little difficulty. The good thing about the activesync backup is that it's free.
I'm going to purchse Sprite Backup .....since I'm in the middle of reinstalling everything after an inadvertant hard reset.
The reason that I'm going to purchase Sprite is.....today I was having problems with Synchronization...the ppc was connecting but it kept giving me an error with synchronizing....so I tried to back up using Activesync but it wouldn't let me....I tried to do a backup with the utility that came from Toshiba but it would only allow me to backup to ROM and I didn't have enough space....so I believe Sprite will allow me to backup to a removable card or on to my laptop...
BTW...Installing is the not the hard part...it's inputting all these serial keys that is the pain....
__________________ Cingular 8525
SUPERCID/SIM UNLOCKED
WM6 for Hermes LVSW 20070423
Radio Version: 1.40.30.00
Hard-SPL v7
I am having trouble backing up Synckey.vol on my H2210 iPAQ PPC. The only programs in my add/remove are Westtek ClearVue Presentation. Do I need to uninstall this to backup Synckey.vol ? What is the purpose of this file ? Also, if someone can help me, I am getting 'cannot delete xxxxx.lit: There has been a sharing violatio. The source or destinantion file may be in use." - I know it isn't in use. I have tried switching on and ff but the error won't go away. Anyone please ??? The HP search facility is hopeless for assistance, I am sorry to say. Thanks.
Hi,
I tried backing up using activesync but got the following message. I have closed all programs on the Ipaq except activesync but still get this message.
Backup could not copy the following file(s). To correct this error, please close any programs on your device that may have locked these files: backup will retain any previous backup copies in the storage file.
Name Location Modified Type Size
Crdsys.vlt \Windows 09/01/2005 File 201KB
Any help or ideas would be appreciated.
Regards
I recommend you try solitary setting your device before starting your backup. It looks like he might have a word document open or something. You can also go to start>settings>memory and choose running programs. Make sure everything is closed except for ActiveSync
I recently installed a wifi card in my Asus MyPal. Works a treat, but seems to suck the battery down even when the unit is off.
The end result is an 'erased' pocket pc that activesync thinks needs a new partnership. I don't wanna new partnership, I want activesync to use the 'erased' MyPal on the 'Pocket_PC' partnership already in existence. But I'm told it is in use when I attempt to sync using it.
Next up, I try to do a restore. Lo & behold when I select 'Pocket_PC' active sync tells me it's not a valid 'restore' or some thing equivalent. So perhaps I never backed it up. OK My Bad. But in my defense I never had to think about it before. I've had lots of battery-dead, cap-depleted palms ressurrected by a simple syncing. Programs and all. (these were very old palms).
Am I screwed?
Can I at least sync up outlook by 'forcing' the software to renew it's strained 'partnership' with the erased MyPal.
Hello Slack and welcome to our forums!
First thing...I'd work out some sort of plan to fix your battery problem. Dim your screen if possible. Turn off WiFi when you aren't using it. Scale down the processor speed. And finally, you may want to invest in another charger or change your docking habits. For instance, when I sit down at my desk, I always cradle my PPC - so it will charge and sync. This prevents the loss of power issues.
As far as the activesync error with the partnership, You can go ahead and delete the partnership. Just back up your sync files folder if you use that option. Delete the partnership AND the files so it's clean and then re-establish. It will then sync all your Outlook data. Then you can enable files and move your files backed up prior to the Pocket PC.
Good luck!
just hard reset and use the activesync restore to put everything back. Takes just a few minutes 
