Keef
22nd Jul 2009, 23:43
Does anyone know of a reliable, trustworthy way of backing up Pocket PC (Windows Mobile) calendars, contacts and files?
I've been trying to use ActiveSync and its later incarnation (Windows Mobile Device Center) for years, and have had much grief with them all that time. This evening, WMDC caused me to say many rude words. That process is off the agenda for Keef, for evermore!
There are two major issues:
1. Calendar Sync seems to like duplicating entries and reinstating old appointments or times/places. It's a bit confusing to find several copies of the same entry, and I was once deeply embarrassed when it removed an appointment and substituted an older one. This evening, I sat for about three hours, checking that the diary entries "looked right" while deleting duplicate and obsolete entries that it had stuffed back in.
2. Contacts and files disappear without warning. After the Win 7 crash of last Monday (now fixed - see separate thread) I thought I should back up the Phone, which is also my diary, contacts list, and much more. I plugged it in to the laptop, which has been "master backup" for a while. It proceeded to delete every contact from my address book older than last Sunday. My list of several hundred people is now a list of six. It was about to start on files when I saw what it was up to, and pulled out the USB cable. It had already screwed up the diary - see 1!
I've lost a couple of pictures but I don't think any other important files have gone. But my catalogue of names, addresses and other contact stuff is all gone :( It doesn't even keep an "undo" file against errors: stuff is zapped with no further recourse. There was a backup - it was on the laptop prior to the crash.
I'm hoping that when I get back to Essex, I'll find that the copy on the desktop isn't too old and I haven't lost too many. (I synch from laptop to desktop once in a while, but haven't done for some weeks). The VPN is, of course, not working so that's a job for next week when I get back home.
No way am I ever going to trust ActiveSync again. What I'm looking for is a package that will copy everything off the phone and keep it safe - and maybe allow me to restore it to the phone when i ask it. In the days of the Psion, that was easy. I had nary a hiccup with that.
I've set up a Google calendar, which has the option of "one way only" calendar sync. If I can find a way to use that between the phone and Google, without Windows messing with the stuff on the way past, that will do the calendar bit - I think.
Has anyone any recommendations or warnings about suitable PC-based software?
I've been trying to use ActiveSync and its later incarnation (Windows Mobile Device Center) for years, and have had much grief with them all that time. This evening, WMDC caused me to say many rude words. That process is off the agenda for Keef, for evermore!
There are two major issues:
1. Calendar Sync seems to like duplicating entries and reinstating old appointments or times/places. It's a bit confusing to find several copies of the same entry, and I was once deeply embarrassed when it removed an appointment and substituted an older one. This evening, I sat for about three hours, checking that the diary entries "looked right" while deleting duplicate and obsolete entries that it had stuffed back in.
2. Contacts and files disappear without warning. After the Win 7 crash of last Monday (now fixed - see separate thread) I thought I should back up the Phone, which is also my diary, contacts list, and much more. I plugged it in to the laptop, which has been "master backup" for a while. It proceeded to delete every contact from my address book older than last Sunday. My list of several hundred people is now a list of six. It was about to start on files when I saw what it was up to, and pulled out the USB cable. It had already screwed up the diary - see 1!
I've lost a couple of pictures but I don't think any other important files have gone. But my catalogue of names, addresses and other contact stuff is all gone :( It doesn't even keep an "undo" file against errors: stuff is zapped with no further recourse. There was a backup - it was on the laptop prior to the crash.
I'm hoping that when I get back to Essex, I'll find that the copy on the desktop isn't too old and I haven't lost too many. (I synch from laptop to desktop once in a while, but haven't done for some weeks). The VPN is, of course, not working so that's a job for next week when I get back home.
No way am I ever going to trust ActiveSync again. What I'm looking for is a package that will copy everything off the phone and keep it safe - and maybe allow me to restore it to the phone when i ask it. In the days of the Psion, that was easy. I had nary a hiccup with that.
I've set up a Google calendar, which has the option of "one way only" calendar sync. If I can find a way to use that between the phone and Google, without Windows messing with the stuff on the way past, that will do the calendar bit - I think.
Has anyone any recommendations or warnings about suitable PC-based software?