Gentlemen, (and ladies if any of you are hiding around here)
Whenever I flush my device I use PIM Backup and Sashimi to restore PIM data and install some of the apps I use. The thing I'm missing is a simple way to backup other device characteristics and features. These are many small things, like the order of the manila tabs, communication settings etc. They are all pretty simple to set manually, but since there are many of them it would be nice to find an automatic way to do them.
Below is a numbered list of things I would like to restore. If you have a good solution to anything on the list, please post it here. If you have other things you would like to backup, please add them as well.
1) Tab order in TF3D [hint]
2) List of apps included in the "Start" menu [solution - files]
3) List of cities in the weather tab [solution - Reg entry]
4) List of "Favorites" in the People tab [solution - file]
5) Browser Bookmarks [solution - files]
6) Internet Services Settings (e.g. The default access name is "uinternet" and I have to set it to "internet" manually) [possibe solution]
7) Default ring tones
8) Programs in the Program Launcher tab [solution - Reg entry]
9) Email accounts (PIM backup fails to set up my IMAP accounts. I'm not even sure it suppose to) [hint]
I'm aware of apps that can be used change many settings, like "Diamond Advanced Config", or the "Diamond TF3D Config". If possible don't just pint to apps that can do something manually, but suggest how to script a solution that can make the changes automatically.
For the purpose of this thread please assume that Sashimi is installed and can be used, but if the solution calls for a script or a registry entry change, please include or quote the file that can be used with Sashimi.
This is my first post in this tremendously helpful, active and important site, so I would also like to say thanks to all of the contributors, chefs, admins, moderators etc. who are supporting this site.
Owlen
owlen said:
1) Tab order in TF3D
2) List of apps included in the "Start" menu
3) List of cities in the weather tab
4) List of "Favorites" in the People tab
5) Browser Bookmarks
6) Internet Services Settings (e.g. The default access name is "uinternet" and I have to set it to "internet" manually)
7) Default ring tones
8) Programs in the Program Launcher tab
9) Email accounts (PIM backup fails to set up my IMAP accounts. I'm not even sure it suppose to)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm sorry I can't give you working Mort scripts or .reg files etc. At least, not yet. But I'm searching for similar info and solutions, as I have the same need to automate installation after hard reset as much as I can. In general, for settings that are saved in the registry, you'll have to find out where the registry keys are saved, so you can export and import them using Sashimi.
1) I suggest asking sushilange, the creator of Diamond TF3D Config, or schaps, the creator of Advanced Config, how and where Manilla saves the TF3D tab order. If the registry is used, we can export the keys and import them using Sashimi. If the tabs are saved in one or more of the obscure Manilla files in \Windows, we can also save and restore them using Sashimi.
2) If I understand you correctly, just save and restore any shortcuts you like from \Windows\Start Menu with Sashimi.
3) You can try to add cities for your Manilla/ROM by setting up and running this application as part of your Sashimi setup. Or you can contact the creator, or the creator of the WeatherDatabaseEditor and find out which file(s) to backup and restore using Sashimi, after you're done editing your cities..
4) Don't know yet. Maybe sushilange, D-MAN666 or any of the other guys working on editing Manilla know how and where Manilla saves the TF3D contact favorites..
5) For Opera Mobile save and restore \Windows\Opera9\opera6.adr. For Pocket Internet Explorer save and restore \Windows\Favorites
6) Have a look at the provisioning functions in Makisu. I know the previous version of Makisu can setup e-mail accounts and maybe the new version can setup connections as well..
7) Don't know yet, probably somewhere in the registry
8) I suggest seacrhing or asking sushilange how and where Manilla saves the programs in the TF3D Programs tab. If the registry is used, we can export the keys and import them using Sashimi. If the tabs are saved in one or more of the obscure Manilla files in \Windows, we can also save and restore them using Sashimi.
9) Have a look at the provisioning functions in Makisu. You can't create your e-mail accounts with the backup applications I know..
favorite people seems to be in the pim.vol file. You can copy that file to internal storage and restore is using total commander.. or spb backup restores the favorite people as well
programs in manilla are listed in the registry under this key:
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\HTC\Manila\ProgramLauncher]
cities found under weather are in the registry here:
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\HTC\Manila]
back it up and pop it in sashimi
good luck with the rest... its sad we have yet to see an all-in-one backup solution. Actually, i think it'd be great to see a manilla backup program developed for the issues you're raising.. tab order, people, programs, weather, etc
im eagerly awaiting this, ROM updates are so annoying when there's no simple backup solution
Please take a look before you post a thread in a certain section. This has nothing to do with ROM development...
Thanks for the hints, people. I'll start linking to them.
I'm still not sure how to contact the apps developers. If anyone can point them here that would be great.
mccune, I considered putting it elsewhere, but I think the issue of automating many small stuff like that is mostly common for people who flush ROMs. I believe that currently this thread is the one they read most often. If this thread will have some good solutions, or even better, lead to a development of a tool that can take care of all of this, I guess it could be placed anywhere and maybe the standard sticky tutorials would link to it.
If anyone has additional stuff he would like to restore – please post and I'll try to put it up in the list.
Mandragore & racerx_, thanks for the answers!
I have opened a thread here with all info to do automatic backup of all you have asked for, and more.
kika.93 said:
I have opened a thread here with all info to do automatic backup of all you have asked for, and more.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Very good, thanks!
Related
hi guys,
I've been following all the different threads and topics for a while and it has been a very nice friendly place to be in.
Anyhow.. i would like to know if someone can direct me to how to make a cab file which will input all my setting, owner name, install program a, b, c, d, e, f, g and etc then will fix up the registry key and enter all the serials i have brought in the past. This way i don't have to reinstall each program (both cab and exe) again after upgrade the ROM
I'musing Black 2.5 atm and looking forward to get balck 3 today
Thanks guys
Ditto!
I think such app would be very useful for all of us beta testers
Or taster of new flavours!
Maybe our chefs already has something like this that they use!
Some are in the works
JJ and walshieau are working on projects similar to this.
JJ has "Pimp my Black" which is HTweakC on steriods and walshieau is building an app that will restore your carrier settings.
Loading apps back on are easy, as long as you sync with a PC. They never uninstall from your PC, just simply re-check the ones you want to reload on your device and there they are again.
Backup programs like SPB and Sprite have known issues between builds, as I'm sure you know since you posted as if you've read the forums on this subject. Kudos.
It would be really cool if JJ and walshieau would combine forces and make that one killer app for all customizations to be saved to a file and restored once flashed, and if a customization were to have a format or length issue, then toss an error and let the user know. (hint, program spec??? )
I keep a backup on storage card of each of the roms I've tried...just in case.....I wonder if this is misguided somehow.
Thanks.
This is my current method:
put all the cab files (inc carrier setting -offline by walshieau) in the storage card and also along with all the serial numbers in there.
I tended to do things on the go (out of the house/ no pc) so if i happened to flash my phone before i leave my house then i will be able to install all the apps back by the time i get to work. Altho it's a lengthy instalaltion process (swapping the apps, folder, serial number, folder, app, enter rego).
i actually i was going to ask so if SPB backup and other back up will not work properly right? Say, i am using black 2.5 and backup here.... then upgrade to black 3 version then if i use restore program.. it will restore me back to 2.5 instad of 3 ... is this information correct? i read it somewhere....
I used SBP backup on Black 2.0 and then flashed 2.5 and restored from the 2.0 backup. It worked and shows the new com manager skin but it reports as 2.0 in the "about" screen so I know that this isn't the right way to go. Knowing that 3.0 was comming soon and considering that the device works great I've left it this way.
When 3.0 comes out I will load my apps and data without SBP. Then after it's up I will make a backup of the fresh 3.0 installation.
i am interested in such tools too although using the Dopod D810 aka Trinity.
RemE said:
I used SBP backup on Black 2.0 and then flashed 2.5 and restored from the 2.0 backup. It worked and shows the new com manager skin but it reports as 2.0 in the "about" screen so I know that this isn't the right way to go. Knowing that 3.0 was comming soon and considering that the device works great I've left it this way.
When 3.0 comes out I will load my apps and data without SBP. Then after it's up I will make a backup of the fresh 3.0 installation.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am using Sprite 5.1 and it does the backup and migration from Black 2.0 to 2.5 very well only have to redo my Wifi and Email settings, all my apps works fine. The FAQ to do it is available at Sprite's website on doing devie upgrade or OS upgrades with Sprite and WM5, works fine with WM6
Be aware that SPB Backup and Sprite Backup cant restore backups on different ROM's. Mobile Backup 2007 says it can but I havent tried it yet..
Dunno if I can post the follwing link but its the place you can get Mobile Backup:
http://www.ipmart-forum.com/showthread.php?t=157755&highlight=mobile+backup
I have Sprite but last time I used it on WM5 after a hard reset, it would not restore my data So I dumped it and went with SPB which has worked flawlessly ever since. I just don't see how any backup would work properly when restoring onto a different rom, I got away with it but I know that it's not 100% right now.
i was thinking of making my own cab file where specific to install
A, B, C, D....... G software (cab files), then install carrier setting, patch all the serial numbers to each softwares, change the look and all the setting in WM6 to match my like... damn it sound so hard and i don't even know how to make a cab file...
is something like this possible to learn?
I am slowly reducing the number of cabs I need to keep on my storage card by combining and creating them with my set ups.
As I have limited knowledge, this involves using sktracker to see exactly what changes were made in the registry when I changed a setting, and then using cabmanager to create a cab containing the reg settings (or say for spb weather, adding the changes to the original cab).
I understand that patching in the serials is not straightforward as it is not meant to be easy by design.
Am having trouble with some settings like email account setup, but am working through others.
crazyC: Im having the same trouble with email accounts. It doesnt look like they are saved in the registry settings, must be in the database somewhere.
Also if you add your own registry settings to the original Cab files do you know what order things are done? ie. if it writes your reg file then installs the app it might overwrite yours.
senergy said:
crazyC: Im having the same trouble with email accounts. It doesnt look like they are saved in the registry settings, must be in the database somewhere.
Also if you add your own registry settings to the original Cab files do you know what order things are done? ie. if it writes your reg file then installs the app it might overwrite yours.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah I don't know anything about creating the database entries so am going to have to leave that.
As for the second point - I am kind of winging it so to speak, so no I don't realy know.....
As I said, am most pleased with my custom SPB weather cab, as this installs the BBC template and sets up my work and home locations as the two tabs, linking off the bbc weather source.
Have also modified the Phone Alarm cab for my skin and settings, but as there is anew beta every few days at the mo, not so useful
Am about to start work on O2 plus, and setting up my shortcuts etc on install.
looking for mobile backup 2007...is this the one
trial here
CrazyC-
been messing around with the same ideas and it's driving me crazy ha.. Do you have to manually duplicate the registry entries you want when you're adding them to the original cab file (phone alarm, for instance)?
I was trying to extract the relevant registry entries, and have a program that would let me pack them into a cab, but everything i found wanted me to manually create registry keys..
any thoughts? cause it's flashing season ha
The safest way when going between ROMs is reinstalling. I use a few techniques.
1. Install CAB files from SD card. Then you just install them one by one by tapping. Installing from Activesync can be problematic memorywise as the CAB will copy down to main memory and then be deleted after installation. This can be an issue if you have too many apps to install at once.
2. Unless the new ROM has the same device ID, email settings really have to be manually entered each time. I experimented with workarounds but they simply don't work.
3. After you install all your programs, import registry keys containing your common settings. Before erasing the previous setting, do a registry dump and then search for and find those registry keys that contain the settings. Most (but not all) are in HKEY Current User. Be careful. Don't import stuff that might break the new ROM.
4. Copy files or shortcuts from old ROM to new one. Careful though - if you are going to copy directories, use Total Commander or something. SPB Backup and WM File Explorer will REMOVE the old contents of a directory and replace it with only the stuff you have in your new copy of the directory! Total Commander only updates the new items.
5. Unfortunately, the only way to REMOVE files or registry keys (short of writing a DLL file or fancy XML?) is to manually search and delete them. I think you could probably use Mortscript to automate this but not worth the time probably unless you are flashing every day.
Between copying certain files and registries, many of my programs end up 'pre registered' on the new system. (SPB time, etc.)
Actually, I make a cab file with my preferred settings and files. I just click and go. This covers pretty much everything except email. Unfortunately the program I use cost 89$... but when I consider my billable hours, it's worth the saved time over the long run.
I can get all programs + settings in place in about 40 minutes now.
Actually, I am using visual studio 2005 and making the adjustments to the emulator image, whilst watching the registry in the remote registry viewer. Once have identified the keys, I export them as reg files and then simply import them into cabmanager.
Depends on if you have access to VS2005.
I am sure there is a simpler way, (and am happy to learn it) but as I have occassional access to VS2005, this was how I decided to do it. Am using the WM6 SDK as well of course.
Because I keep updating the Phone Alarm beta, I actually modified the cab for the VisDaPhone skin to include my modified icons, and also to install the PA export file. Just running that cab after installing Phone alarm, and then importing the theme etc works for me. I did roll it all into one on an earlier version of PA, so it all started as per my settings, but then there was a new beta......
khammo01 said:
I can get all programs + settings in place in about 40 minutes now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I reckon (thanks to the exchange server) I can be back up in twenty!
If I can sort out the O2plus setup then I will reduce that as well.
I keep a word document on my sd card with a step by step guide for myself with serial numbers etc and settings.
khammo01 said:
Between copying certain files and registries, many of my programs end up 'pre registered' on the new system. (SPB time, etc.)
Actually, I make a cab file with my preferred settings and files. I just click and go. This covers pretty much everything except email. Unfortunately the program I use cost 89$... but when I consider my billable hours, it's worth the saved time over the long run.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
do yo mind telling what's the program name/url that woul dbe?
Is there any way to backup email accounts settings in WM6 to transfer it between various ROMs ? I've searched this forum, but didn't find any solution - there are only programs to backup email messages. I also tried to find where are email settings saved in registry - but did not find anything ...
It is tiring when you have to create several email accounts after upgrading to new ROMs when you can't use full backup/restore
Hi
Sprite backup highly recommended...
I've tested sprite and spb backup, but there are only two options: full backup (useless when changing ROMs) and messages backup (this restores only messages, but it doesn't create email account (with all its settings) if it doesn't exist)
Hi,
What version of Sprite have you tried? If you are running V6 I think you will find that the email settings are saved when you change the ROM.
Rob.
i made a reg-backup before entering the settings, then i made the settings and another reg-backup.
after comparing both files i made a cab with the changes and it works quiet well.
How do you create a CAB-file? That would be something I would really like to know because I flash my phone regularly. Using a cab would be very easy to restore a lot of programs
with wincecabmanager you can easily create cabs
Thanks for the quick answer I'll take a look at it.
petervbeck said:
i made a reg-backup before entering the settings, then i made the settings and another reg-backup.
after comparing both files i made a cab with the changes and it works quiet well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How you can compare the difference in content of reg files with too many of items.
If you did compare the reg file, could you help to show the location with different contents
Further more, please help to change the location of mail storage to SD card.
export and compare
o2exec said:
How you can compare the difference in content of reg files with too many of items.
If you did compare the reg file, could you help to show the location with different contents
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You could use CERegedit to create the dumps and WinMerge to check the difference between the dumps.
It shows the differences highlighted in a GUI...
o2exec said:
Further more, please help to change the location of mail storage to SD card.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry, no idea how to change that setting.
Hello Folks!
About 10 days ago, I got myself the brand new HTC Touch Pro 2 as - as a birthday present and to replace my old P3300 (Artemis) which was becoming more and more defective.
Some of you probably share the opinion that the Touch Pro 2 is a great piece of technical art - both the hardware and the software. I think HTC made a terrific job by inventing the appealing and intuitive TouchFlo 3D surface (TF3D) and knitting it so deeply into the Operating System (OS) of Windows Mobile (WM) that you will hardly get in touch with WM itself anymore.
As I eagerly startet to play with the device and to migrate my data from the old P3300, I got into deeeeeeep trouble: SMS were there and threaded, but only visible in the Messaging application of WM (Pocket Outlook) - no SMS visible neither in the Messages tab of a contact nor when tapping on the SMS in the basic Messages tab of TF3D. MMS not visible at all. As I wanted my MMS back and my messages to show up in the contacts, I started to investigate and looking for a solution.
I can assure you that I spent a lot of hours looking for solutions, in this forum as well as on the whole Web. I tried and learned a lot (I'm not a developer), but couldn't find a working approach. I called HTC, wrote to HTC and wrote to Arcsoft (the manufacturer of the MMS Composer on HTC devices) about a solution to correctly migrate all kind of messages to higher versions of WM. HTC replied pretty quickly, but did not have a solution for the issue: "[...] We have indeed been asking Microsoft for this for quite some time, and as far as we know, they are working on it. Indeed, there appear to be rumours that they have been working on adding SMS to PC backup to the next version of their Activesync/WMDC software for WIndows Mobile 6.5. [...]"
Therefore, I had to figure out how I could help myself. I found a way, and because it took me sooooooooo much time (!!!!), I would like to share this with you and possibly help to save your time. If you don't want all the background information, you can skip the sections "Starting position" and "Findings" in the next message and go to message 3.
Part 2: Starting Position and Findings
Starting position:
I had a Sprite backup of my messages (SMS, MMS, emails) from my old P3300 which was running on WM 6.0. As the P3300 was not working anymore, I had no other option than using this backup on my new Touch Pro 2. So, I tried to restore all mail-related items from this backup using Sprite - which created the above and below mentioned problems.
Until and including WM 6.0, MMS were saved in a separate account called "MMS". In WM 6.1, MMS are stored in the same account as the SMS ("SMS/MMS"). An existing MMS account in a cemail.vol file from WM 6.0 or earlier that is restored on WM 6.1 is not visible.
WM 6.1 introduces the new "Messages Threading" feature. Threading organizes received and sent text messages (and MMS because they're in the same account now) into threaded conversations.
Findings:
I have no clue why my SMS did not show up in the contacts of TF3D. I tried some approaches that I found on the Web and that might have been able to solve my problem, e.g. clearing all SMS/MMS and restore the messages with PIM Backup (link to proposal), or renaming cemail.vol resp. deleting it by placing a shortcut in the startup folder (link to proposal). None of these worked.
The cemail.vol file (container of all messages of all types) cannot be renamed or copied or moved. The only possibility I found is MortScript that can copy/backup the file during startup of the device before WM gets hold of the file. You can find the script itsself below.
In Pocket Outlook (Messaging), the MMS folder was gone. However, the folder showed up as an account in the email-tab of TF3D with sender, date and headline, but tapping on the message had no effect. PIM Backup (with action "Backup") also showed the MMS folder with all the subfolders and the correct number of MMS.
I could not find a solution or registry tweak to make the MMS account show up in Outlook.
The hidden WM6-MMS-account might look like corrupt to WM 6.1. If so, there could be a relation between the MMS issue and the problem of not having messages in a contact's messages tab because of old, "corrupt" data in the cemail.vol file. I have no proof that this assumption is true.
It is also possible that restoring an entire cemail.vol file somehow confuses the threading process in WM 6.1. I have no proof that this assumption is true.
PIM Backup is currently (V 2.8) not able to backup and restore MMS due to proprietary binary saving by Arcsoft's MMS Composer.
If you try to restore MMS with PIM Backup, the MMS shows up as MMS, but has no content when you open it. It seems as using PIM Backup on MMS makes the reference to the MMS content (each MMS has a dat-file in \My Documents\UAContents\MMS UA\) being lost. Backing up and restoring cemail.vol as a whole keeps these references.
As far as I understand, PIM Backup backs up/restores messaging by reading/writing them via Outlook interface. This is a different approach to just copying/replacing the entire cemail.vol and might be the reason for the above mentioned loss of MMS reference: Using the Outlook interface, each restored MMS might look like a new incoming MMS to MMS Composer, so it creates a new reference number for the dat-file.
I found that the binary Arcsoft-MMS data in cemail.vol could be considered as irrelevant: If you rename an existing dat-file with the new reference number that is created for a MMS restored with PIM Backup, the content of the MMS is shown as it should. This even works with text-mode based PIM Backups where there is no binary data included at all.
The binary backup mode of PIM Backup is faster than the text mode, but the text mode has 2 advantages: 1) The backup file is a zip-file containing csv-text-files which you can extract, read and edit. 2) From my point of view, the text mode is more reliable, particularly in backing up and restoring emails' contents.
Using Pocket dbExplorer, I tried to have a look into the cemail.vol file and extracted some content. I judged it as not feasible to figure out the layouts and contents of the various databases and records in order to alter cemail.vol directly.
Part 3: The solution and tools
Solution:
Based on my investigations and the findings above, I tried the following steps which finally worked and solved all my problems regarding the migration of messaging data. However, especially the MMS part is quite some work, so maybe someone has ideas on how to speed this up.
If you can't access your old device anymore, goto step 2. If you still can use your old device, you're luckier than I was and have a much easier process: Install PIM Backup on both your old and new device and create a text-mode based (deselect the 'Binary backup' option) backup of all your messages on the old device. Copy the following files to your storage card and goto step 5 after:
PIM Backup file
Folder "\My Documents\UAContents\" (dat-files with MMS content)
Folder "\Windows\Messaging\" (text and attachments of emails)
If you can't use your old device anymore, but you have a text-mode based PIM Backup file as well as the 2 folders mentioned in step 1 on your storage card, then you can skip the next steps and goto step 5.
If you have a backup of a backup software (like Sprite Backup), including the cemail.vol as well as the 2 folders mentioned in step 1, then do restore this backup on your new device now.
(Note: If you don't have access to your old device and no backup file, there's nothing to restore and you can start your life with your new device free of history . If you have a binary PIM Backup file, you can restore your SMS, but you won't be able to restore your MMS as described in this approach.)
Only if you have executed step 3: Install/start PIM Backup on your new device and create a text-mode based (deselect the 'Binary backup' option) backup of all your messages on your new device.
In WM 6.1 MMS are stored in the same account as SMS, so we need to alter the PIM Backup file a little to make sure that PIM Backup does not restore the MMS into a hidden account again:
Open the PIM Backup file like a ZIP file and extract the msgs_<date>.csm.
Open the csm file with any text editor.
To redirect your MMS in the MMS-Inbox to the Inbox of the SMS, replace all occurrences of the string "\\%MDF1";"MMS";"IPM.MMS1" by "\\MMS\\in";"SMS";"IPM.MMS".
To redirect your MMS in the MMS-Sent Items to the Sent Items of the SMS, replace all occurrences of the string "\\%MDF3";"MMS";"IPM.MMS1" by "\\MMS\\out";"SMS";"IPM.MMS".
(Note: If there are no occurrences of the above search strings, you can delete the "1" from "IPM.MMS1" and try again.)
Save the csm-file, place it back into the PIM Backup-ZIP-file and copy the backup-file to your storage card.
If your new device is not "fresh" and contains messages, then you need to delete the existing cemail.vol file in order to start with a fresh messaging-file that has no "legacy pollution" on your new device. As the file is locked during operation of the PPC, MortScript helps you to perform the deletion on startup:
Install MortScript on your new device.
Copy and extract the attached script (cemail.vol_backup-restore-delete.mscr in ZIP-file) to your computer. This script is based on hercule18's work (Thank you!). It didn't work on my device, so I fixed it and added two more options that we need for our purpose here.
The script backs up to and restores from the storage card. In the script, you find 3 occurrences of the word "Speicherkarte" which is the german translation of storage card. Open the script with any text editor and replace these 3 occurrences with the name of your storage card exactly as it shows up in the explorer on your new device.
Save the altered script, copy it to your new device and run it. Choose "Backup & Delete" or "Delete" (we won't need the old cemail.vol anymore, but maybe you feel better with a backup) and Reset Yes. When your device restarts, MortScript deletes the messaging file and WM replaces it with a fresh, empty one.
If you've manually copied the necessary directories with the MMS- and email-content (unlike step 3), you can copy these folders from your storage card to your device now:
Folder "\My Documents\UAContents\"
Folder "\Windows\Messaging\"
Now you are ready to start restoring all the messages. First you only restore the Inbox and Sent Items of SMS (text messages) in order to allow WM 6.1 the threading process (organizing received and sent items into conversation threads). Start PIM Backup, choose action "Restore" and load the text-mode based PIM Backup file that you've created before. Choose ONLY messages, and in the messages' options, only Inbox and Sent Items of the SMS/MMS-account. Go!
On completion of the restore, open Messaging (Start --> Messaging) and choose your SMS/MMS account. In the Inbox, you can watch WM now threading the messages. Give WM the time to complete this process until you feel that it's done and your device is reacting at normal speed again.
Check if TF3D shows the threaded messages if you click on a text message in the Messages tab or if you choose the Messages tab in a contact.
Start PIM Backup again, choose "Restore" and load your PIM Backup file again. Select ONLY messages, and in the messages' options, select all other folders of the SMS/MMS-account, EXCEPT Inbox and Sent Items. In the last dialogue, choose "Add messages..." Go!
If you want to restore email-accounts, you have to create this accounts in Messaging/Outlook first, because PIM Backup does not restore to accounts that don't exist. After creating the corresponding accounts, you can restart PIM Backup, "Restore", load your PIM Backup file and select all the folders of the email-accounts you want. Make sure you choose "Add..." instead of "Delete..." in the last dialogue!
Finally, we need to recreate the reference between the restored MMS and the MMS-dat-files in "\My Documents\UAContents\". This is how I did it:
Create a list of your dat-files with name, date and size, using the attached Excel-Sheet (MMS-Renaming.xls in ZIP-file). To populate the sheet with your data, you can access your storage card (where you have a copy of the above mentioned directory) with your computer and create a text-file by --> Start --> Execute --> "cmd" --> navigate to the drive and directory with your dat-files (e.g. E:\My Documents\UAContents\MMS UA\) --> "dir >list.txt". Copy the content of the list.txt into the xls-sheet and put the data into the right columns (yellow columns). Order by date (descending).
Connect your device to your computer via ActiveSync and open an explorer window showing the content of \My Documents\UAContents\MMS UA\ on your device (not on the storage card!).
Now you have to find out the new reference number that MMS Composer is looking for when you open an MMS. If you did the above steps (altering and restoring the PIM Backup file) correctly, you can find your MMS in the subfolders MMS\in and MMS\out in your SMS/MMS account. Navigate into these folders in Messaging/Outlook, order by date (descending) and do the following steps for each MMS:
Open the MMS (it doesn't show any content).
While leaving the MMS open, refresh the explorer window on your pc, showing the content of the MMS UA folder.
Now you will see that a new folder appeared - the name of this folder is the new reference number we are looking for.
Find the right row in the xls-sheet (same date and size as the open MMS) and note the new reference number in the green column (only number, no ".dat"-suffix).
When your xls-sheet is complete, you have a list of MortScript-commands in column F. These commands will rename your dat-files with the correct number so that MMS Composer will find its targets. Put the content of column F (without the title in row 1) into a normal text file and save it as "mms-renaming.mscr".
Close Messaging/Outlook.
Copy the mms-renaming.mscr to your device and start it. The script runs only a few milliseconds and does not inform you about completion.
You're DONE! When you open an MMS now, you should see its content as it used to be.
Mentioned tools for the solution:
PIM Backup (Freeware)
MortScript (Freeware)
Other tools mentioned:
Sprite Backup (Commercial)
Pocket dbExplorer (Commercial)
Part 4: A looot of questionmarks!
Open Questions:
Maybe someone has an idea on how to speed up this process, particularly step 13?
Could Arcsoft save the reference number as a normal field in cemail.vol instead of in binary blobs? This would allow PIM Backup to backup and restore this reference and would save us all the renaming hassle.
Why the heck do I have to do this? I pay to buy a working phone, I'm not paid to make the phone working!!! My job is in IT, too, and I learned so far that migration is a very important part of producing software. Why does migration apparently not count for upgrades in PPC-software/-OS? Why do I as a customer have to spent so much time to find a workaround for this bloody problem? In this case, 3 companies are involved: HTC, Microsoft and Arcsoft. It would be fairly easy for these people to implement a migration mechanism that stores the customer's important data in a file format of the current OS's/software's specification and restores the data on the new version considering the changes in the new version. So, why don't they do it??? I have no understanding at all for this!!!
As a loyal customer who buys products from the same manufacturer again (HTC in this case), can I expect to have support and solutions that help me to migrate my data when buying a new device? Or is that a completely weird expectation?
Remark:
I really have already lost a lot of time on this issue. I've created this thread to maybe save you some time in case you have the same problems, but for me, the issue is now closed. I won't spend more time and ask you for your understanding that I will not be able to give any support or answer questions. In case of further questions, please search the forum and the Web. All I can say is that the manufacturers should take the bait and do their homework. Migration counts - life (and life is a lot about communication and interaction) is not a game that restarts from scratch only because I buy a new PPC or upgrade my software!
Thanks
This post was really helpfull. I was not migrating from wm5 to wm 6, but was just looking for a solution to restore my MMSs after a rom upgrade.
What a neglected Problem
Thanks Vivalis !!! I stopped looking for a "quick fix" once your post was read.
I could not believe HTC, MicroSoft and/or ArcSoft didn't provide for backing up/restoring important user data when migrating or performing an OS upgrade or firmware update, etc.
Not only is MMS not restored, but all the MicroSoft One-Note files are lost (not backed up by ActiveSync - my wife nearly beat me to death - and I got the phone to make her happy). I later found these are saved in the Windows directory on the mobile device (HTC XV6900) and not with other MicroSoft documents for some reason.
MicroSoft/ActiveSync needs to get up to speed with these mobile phones. Messaging is what it is all about! People like to have their messages!
Dear Vivalis,
I can not describe how I thank you for your thread. I was seeking for days to find a solution to move my MMS from my ORBIT to the DIAMOND. I succesfully moved them with your "guide". But it was a bit complicated to me to understand all steps because English is not my native language. I spent some hours (every day a few) and today I finished with success. Now my memories which are very important to me are on my DIAMOND.
THANK YOU SO MUCH!
Best regards from Bremen (Germany)!
Reason why MortScript probably didn't restore and the fix
I was migrating from a failed HTC Touch Pro (Mobile 6.1) to a second one (keyboard when out on the first) and wanted to get the cemail.vol to the new phone. The MortScript backed up my 5meg cemail.vol from the old phone with no problem. BUT when I went to restore it on the second phone, I got xcopy errors. Looking at the script I noticed there "Restore" / Case 2 scripting the second line did not have double quotes around the root directory back slash. I edited it to read:
rest = "XCopy (""Storage Card\cemail.vol"" , ""\"" , 1)"
Storage Card being the part that needs to match the name of your flash disk name.
I ran this script and all my sms and mms messages now show up on my new phone.
I had previously copied the folders
Folder "\My Documents\UAContents\" (dat-files with MMS content)
Folder "\Windows\Messaging\" (text and attachments of emails)
to this device, so I"m sure that is why the MMS messages still have their photos attached to those messages.
I hope this helps people out!
Cheers!
Cool trick!
V useful post. Thanks a bunch for the info.
I was looking for a way to get the images out of the .dat files from a backup when I found this post. After reading this I was able to recover some images I wanted from just the back up of UA Contents\MMS UA .dat files with no MMS/PIM backup or folders available.
Step 1 Send yourself an MMS with an image attached. (This is because you can only save the image from an MMS you have received, not from a draft copy!)
Step 2 Open up the MMS you've just received from yourself!
Step 3 Peek at the MMS UA folder on your device - look for the folder made of numbers that matches that of a .dat file. (Neat trick that helped me find the dat file I needed out of all the files in that folder! Cheers Vivalis.)
Step 4 Close the MMS
Step 5 Rename the .dat file you want to recover to the numbers of the magic folder you just spotted and copy it over the top of the .dat file of the same name.
Step 6 Open the MMS with hey presto your recovered image.
Step 7 Save your image from the MMS.
Repeat steps 4 to 7 for as many .dat files you need to get your precious pics from and viola! Now I no longer use MMS to store my pics - I always save the attachment to the Storage Card as soon as I get them and delete the mms. Ya never know when that phone is gonna crash next..
Vivalis said:
Solution:
If you can't access your old device anymore, goto step 2. If you still can use your old device, you're luckier than I was and have a much easier process: Install PIM Backup on both your old and new device and create a text-mode based (deselect the 'Binary backup' option) backup of all your messages on the old device. Copy the following files to your storage card and goto step 5 after:
PIM Backup file
Folder "\My Documents\UAContents\" (dat-files with MMS content)
Folder "\Windows\Messaging\" (text and attachments of emails)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hello i need to migrate sms and mms from windows mobile 6 to 6.1, the same problem you describe in your guide, but i have a great problem, i can't find the dir UAContents with the data of my mms. I have a lot of mms but My Documents folder does not contain a folder UAContents... Why ? Thanks in advance for your help....
I'm in deep doudou, I backed up my phone using PIM backup (binary) then gave the phone to somebody. Then I restored my stuff into my new phone, the sms were there and so were the emails (that's what I thought) but then later during the day I tried opening my email and to my surprise the emails were there but when I opened them they were blank. Every single email that was restored was blank so I'm stressing I got the phone back and copied the folders specified here but the person I gave the phone to had already deleted a lot of the emails. What are my options?... I tried doing the instructions above and couldn't get it to work. plzz help!
Folder "\My Documents\UAContents\" (dat-files with MMS content)
Folder "\Windows\Messaging\" (text and attachments of emails)
THanks for the good tips in the thread really useful
I have another qn, currently am trying to migrate a HTC Tytn2 on WM6 to HTC HD2 - WM6.5
i find the phone cannot complete the copying of sms and typically dies halfway..
i have about 6000 sms in the inbox and 1800sms in the sent box and about 10 mms
will this consitute any problem for WM6.5? Anyone with experience of handling such large number of sms ?
will the threaded sms feature impact my transfer?
thanks!
I wish I've looked around and found this thread sooner ..M$ is such a capitalist.. why don't they let people make free stuff to take care of problems that people went through everyday because of their lack of customer service?
how can transfer Windows Mobile SMS - MMS from windows mobile 6.1 to iPhone iOS 6?
1) where are the Palringo settings stored (userid/password in particular)?
2) Where are the SmartLock settings stored?
3) I am not getting my email and attachments to load to my SD card. I am using the technique (I believe) that has been well documented. I update my registry (via Sashimi) with the entries (below) and the reboot, and then do the XML provision for the email accounts (also Sashimi). The emails are getting stored on my main Storage, so I'm not downloading attachments. The folders are present on the SD card, but not getting populated.
email registry settings:
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\Inbox\Mail Settings]
"AttachPath"="\\Storage Card\\Mail\\Attach"
"PropertyPath"="\\Storage Card\\Mail"
thanks
Theres an app out there called CeRegEditor, it allows you to backup and compare your registry.
I've used this app many times to find out where a program saves login info and other settings.
you simply back up your registry onto your computer before you log on, or do whatever changes you want to find.
Then log in to palringo, and once you've dont that, in CeRegEditor, you compare your phones registry to the one backedup
It will point out to you the differences in the two registries allowing you to find a lot of useful info.
or you could just open a reg editor on your device and search for "palringo" and go through to see if you spot your logon info.
best of luck
1 down
that worked very well for Palringo. I knew that and was apparently just being lazay. Smartlock appears to be saving settings from flash to flash now, not sure why (I started installing it to the SD card, so it must have settings stored there somewhere).
Still confused about why my email isn't saving to the SD card. I'm sure those settings used to work, but maybe that was for an earlier Windows or Manila.
Firstly let me say, Thanks for taking the time to read my post.
I don't know about y'all, but, i kinda get a little fed up of re-entering all my settings after each flash, wouldn't it be nice if someone developed either a script or app that backed up email, sound, wallpaper, visual style's and just about everything else into a cab or xml file?
Well i have searched the forums and have come up with nothing so far!!!
Now... I haven't looked into this in great detail, but, i have written many a script and such for Desktop Windows that when run create a backup copy of documents and certain registry settings then reboot into PE (in a separate partition) format, reinstall windows and applications and then re-apply settings and files (see http://www.msfn.org/board/forum.html search for my username for confirmation)
I know that Windows Mobile and Desktop are very different, but, i feel confident that i can accomplish the same results (with the help of ROM Chefs and other apps already written)
My Goal... To write an app/script that when run, backs up various registry keys/values and/or files and saves to either a .cab or .xml file in a UC folder stored on a memory card and if a RHODIMG.nbh file is present then will reboot the phone into bootloader mode and install the new ROM (this is where ROM Chefs need to come together and become uniform) if it isn't present and is connected to a pc asks for the location of a ROM and copies it to the memory card (renaming if needed)
Problems... Unlike Windows Desktop there are so many different things that i have to account for EG: Each Chef has their own style and preference, i CANNOT create an automated backup for every chef (nor can i be biased) so to start i will choose my own way and if chefs/developers want to jump in and help then perhaps we can create something with template files to suit, i don't want to sway anyone or anything and I have tried many, many ROM's (have never created a ROM so i dare not criticize, but, more often than not, my preference has been NRG's and that's where i will start...) as such i will have to look into the main core of ROM's to see what is available on MOST ROMS, IE: Facebook, twitter, email, sound...
This is likely to be a long project and very unlikely to be a one man band. And like i said, i have not looked into this all that much, and may be a little more difficult than i first thought (please remember i have to learn a whole new environment and depending on the complexity AND the amount of free time i have "kids!!! who'd have'em...lol..." depends on the timeframe of this potential project)
So if you can bare with me and/or share a little knowledge to speed up the process of this, then please do... It will be greatly appreciated
Happy Flashing
Lee
You might check Sashimi and XDA_UC.
Also commercial apps, spb backup & spb clone...
PimBackup does the same thing...
Well minus the reg entries.
You could also script using the beta form of AutoHotkeyCE (version of Autohotkey being ported to PPC), I know you could write a script to backup the reg entries and automate the restore of stuff in that too.