Sprite Software Pocket Backup Plus 2.0

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.handango.com/brainstore/PlatformProductDetail.jsp?siteId=311&productId=65427' target='_blank'>http://www.handango.com/brainstore/...productId=65427</a><br /><br /></div><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/pack_pocket_backup_plus.gif" /><br /><br />At one point or another, I've owned nearly every Pocket PC that has been on the market, starting with the HP 545 way back in April 2000. Since that time, many Pocket PCs have come with integrated backup software, and I've yet to be satisfied with any of them. Every OEM should throw out what they have now and bundle Pocket Backup Plus 2.0 - it's that solid. <br /><br />Good backup software needs to have two components to make it successful in my eyes: scheduled backups (humans are unreliable creatures at best), and painless restores. Pocket Backup Plus 2.0 from Sprite Software delivers on both of these promises in full. It works exactly the way you'd expect it to: you set up a schedule (once, daily, or weekly), it backs up at that time, then soft resets the Pocket PC when it's done. I have mine set to back up at 4:30 PM every day, and it's reassuring to hear the "bing" of a soft reset, precisely on schedule, every single day without fail. Pocket Backup Plus 2.0 is very stable, even when I have doubts about how stable my Pocket PC is. You can specify the backup location (backing up to a memory card or Flash ROM for instance), and one of the new features is backing up across the network (I haven't tried this yet myself). Backups can be compressed, encrypted with a password, and are self-extracting. This last point is extremely important: if you lose everything in RAM, you don't want to end up with a backup file you can't open.<br /><br />The real test of a backup application is using it, then purposefully trashing your Pocket PC to test the restore scenario. I did exactly that, and it worked out almost perfectly: the only glitch was that after the restore, I docked my Pocket PC, and ActiveSync gave me the <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/scaryprompt.gif">dreaded combine/replace prompt</a>. Oh how I loathe that prompt! I chose to replace everything on the Pocket PC, and after that process was done my Pocket PC was back to perfection. I talked to Sprite Software about this, and they said it was a limitation of ActiveSync. What a surprise! :roll: The only other thing I don't like about this software is that when you set it to create a new archive every day, there's no functionality to automatically delete old entries, or something like "keep last three backups". The end result is that my storage card gets full after a few weeks and I have to go in and delete the old backups. Not a show-stopper, but a small hassle I hope they fix later.<br /><br />If you haven't tried it yet, <a href="http://download.handango.com/shareware/101451/pocketbackupplussetup.exe">download the trial version</a> and take it for a spin. The price for the <a href="http://www.handango.com/brainstore/PlatformProductDetail.jsp?siteId=311&productId=65427">full version is $29.95</a> (affiliate), which is on the high-end for most Pocket PC applications, but the security I feel from data loss is worth at least that much. I give this software my highest recommendation - it's something I install immediately on any Pocket PC I use, and I'd encourage you to check it out for yourself.<br /><br /><b>UPDATE:</b> Sprite Software just gave me a coupon code for Pocket PC Thoughts readers to save 20% off the price at Handango. Awesome! This makes the software even better. :mrgreen: Use 6AXBXDF2 as the coupon code.

[entropy1980]

I give it 2 thumbs up as well, hands down the best back-up program, network backup works great BTW!!

[piperpilot]

I have been using a trial version of this program on my iPAQ 5455 and have been backing up to both an SD card and my PC. I am impressed with the speed of the backup to the SD card--less than 5 minutes. Backing up to a PC takes a lot longer--about a half hour.

Jason, in his initial post, mentioned that the backup files created by the program are self-executing. I found that not to be the case. I had to do a hard reset yesterday and tried to restore my system from the SD card. Instead of restoring my system, I got a message saying that the file was corrupted. As a result, I had to create a new ActiveStink profile, download the program and install it onto my iPAQ and then restore my system from the SD card. This really messed up ActiveStink, as the profiles were different, but I eventually got it corrected after about two hours of work. I would be interested to know what I did wrong that the restore file did not self-execute. :?

[Jason Dunn]

Jason, in his initial post, mentioned that the backup files created by the program are self-executing. I found that not to be the case.

I can give you a 100% promise that they are - I just took my SD card with a backup and put it in my other Axim that has never had Pocket Backup installed, and the file opened and started to restore. Something else is going on with your setup (possibly bad hardware or software install?), but that aspect of Pocket Backup Plus works exactly as it should.

[entropy1980]

Jason, in his initial post, mentioned that the backup files created by the program are self-executing. I found that not to be the case. I
Stupid question but.... did have the box checked for make self extracting in the options?

[piperpilot]

Stupid question but.... did have the box checked for make self extracting in the options?

I just checked it, because I thought I was going to have a "boy, am I ever stupid" moment, but, fortunately for me, it is checked--that would have been too embarassing, even for me! :oops:

[VanHlebar]

Will this help out after say a hard reset? I was wanting to put the lastest update on my Axim, but I don't want to have to go thru all the reinstalling of the different software packages that are currently on my Axim.

Would this keep me from having to reinstall each program and then putting in all the registration codes again? Would I just do a "complete" backup and then restore and have everything back to the old way?

Thanks,
-Eric

[SofaTater]

I just finished a trial of this sofwtare. Couple of questions for those of you with experience:

1. The standard version of the software just lacks the ability to backup to a PC or network, correct? I guess being able to do an "offline" backup is probably worth $10 extra...

2. What do you do to backup your memory cards? I've just been using File Explorer to copy my SD card to my PC hard drive -- is there a better way?

[Steven Cedrone]

Will this help out after say a hard reset? I was wanting to put the lastest update on my Axim, but I don't want to have to go thru all the reinstalling of the different software packages that are currently on my Axim.

If you do a ROM update, you will have to reinstall everything from scratch...

Steve

[Jacob]

I just finished a trial of this sofwtare. Couple of questions for those of you with experience:

1. The standard version of the software just lacks the ability to backup to a PC or network, correct? I guess being able to do an "offline" backup is probably worth $10 extra...

Correct. You also get the today plugin and the space detective app for your $10.


2. What do you do to backup your memory cards? I've just been using File Explorer to copy my SD card to my PC hard drive -- is there a better way?

By default it ignores persistant storage (i.e. SD card). You can deselect this and create a backup of everything including your SD card to your desktop.

[piperpilot]

Will this help out after say a hard reset? I was wanting to put the lastest update on my Axim, but I don't want to have to go thru all the reinstalling of the different software packages that are currently on my Axim.

If you do a ROM update, you will have to reinstall everything from scratch...

I thought you could use the backup as long as you uncheck the registry box so that the registry is not restored.

[bbarker]

This is excellent software. I exchanged my Jornada 568 through HP and used it to back up everything and then restore. Worked very well. I did get the ActiveSync combine-or-replace message (I chose replace) and I couldn't get the executable to work. I think it either has a glitch or its usage isn't properly accommodated by the user interface design.

I didn't think I'd prefer this backup program to the one that came with my Jornada. I've always thought that was a pretty good one. So was the one that came with my Cassiopeia E-105 four years ago. But this one is much faster and more thorough. I can back up everything on your PPC, which the others can't.

[Kirkaiya]

Strangely enough, I don't really have a compelling need for this type of software.

I can see where it would be useful, for people who install and uninstall apps a lot, but for me, even after having been thru 2 or 3 hard-resets on my original iPaq, I never lost any significant data.

Mainly, this is because I have a certain set of apps that I always install (certain utilities, games, FlexWallet, a today-screen plugin, etc).

After I install everything, I do a full backup using ActiveSync. After that, everytime I sync, all my contacts, calendar items, tasks and other PIM data syncs to Outlook.

My FlexWallet files and a couple of PocketAccess DBs sync automatically.

Soo... I have little or no need to backup anything else. Oh, once in a blue moon I'll do an "incremental" backup, but since all my important info is either PIM data (syncs to Outlook on desktop), or FlexWallet, or another file (that gets synced every time), well... that's it.

The last time i had to do a "restore" was when my wife put my new HP 1910 thru the washer. I just did a restore (from a backup done the month prior), then synchronized, and viola, I was back.

That's just me, anyway, not sure how typical I am.

[piperpilot]

The last time i had to do a "restore" was when my wife put my new HP 1910 thru the washer. I just did a restore (from a backup done the month prior), then synchronized, and viola, I was back.

The 1910 survived the washing machine?!?!?!?! Did it go through the entire wash, rinse and [gulp] spin cycle? How come your wife didn't notice that your pants pocket was unusually heavy?

[Steven Cedrone]

I thought you could use the backup as long as you uncheck the registry box so that the registry is not restored.

The problem with that is you lose any modifications your programs have made to the registry during install...

Also, if you restore the windows directory(even though you don't restore the registry), the older files there will be used by the system, not the files in ROM...

It will be a mess and a probable hard reset anyway...

Steve

[Jason Dunn]

Will this help out after say a hard reset? I was wanting to put the lastest update on my Axim, but I don't want to have to go thru all the reinstalling of the different software packages that are currently on my Axim. Would this keep me from having to reinstall each program and then putting in all the registration codes again? Would I just do a "complete" backup and then restore and have everything back to the old way?

Yes and no. In the case of everything OTHER than a ROM update, that's exactly what this is meant for. In the case of a ROM update, I don't normally recommend putting a previous image over a new ROM. However, Dell seems to think it's ok, and I've had a few MVP buddies do it without problems. So you can give it a try and see what happens. :wink:

[Steven Cedrone]

However, Dell seems to think it's ok, and I've had a few MVP buddies do it without problems. So you can give it a try and see what happens. :wink:

Interesting! I am having a hard time seeing how this would work though. Does Dell use a proprietary backup solution that maybe checks for newer versions in ROM before restoring system files???

Steve

[dbman]

Will this help out after say a hard reset? I was wanting to put the lastest update on my Axim, but I don't want to have to go thru all the reinstalling of the different software packages that are currently on my Axim.

If you do a ROM update, you will have to reinstall everything from scratch...

Steve

I own this program and used it to restore my Axim after upgrading the ROM. Doing a restore was all that was necessary to get everything back. Otherwise, what value would this program have?

Also, as many of you know by now, you can also purchase the 2.0 without the extra programs and ability to backup to a net store or PC. This version costs only $19.95. I own MightySync 2.0 and use it to copy my backups to my PC when I sync.

[Steven Cedrone]

I own this program and used it to restore my Axim after upgrading the ROM. Doing a restore was all that was necessary to get everything back.

Hmmm...

Like I said before: interesting... :wink:

Steve

[Jason Dunn]

I own this program and used it to restore my Axim after upgrading the ROM. Doing a restore was all that was necessary to get everything back. Otherwise, what value would this program have?

The value would be there for every instance of data loss other than an intentional hard reset as part of a ROM restore - which is likely more common anyway. ;-)

Dell is the first OEM to manage ROM updates that didn't conflict with restored RAM images - remember your device is running on a blend of RAM and ROM files, which is what has traditionally caused the problems with restoring a RAM image over a new ROM.

[Transfxb]

:idea: Just a point about scheduled backups :
If you don't want to have an increasing list of backups on your storage, just uncheck the option to have the file name automatically set (as date is chained to ne name, it will create a new backup file everyday).
This way, backup file name will be the same and last backup will replace previous one without creating useless stack of old ones :D

TransFXB

[Jason Dunn]

Want to save 20% on the cost of this software? Use this coupon code that Sprite Software just gave me: 6AXBXDF2

Woo hoo!

[Gerard]

piperpilot; As to the backups not being self-extracting executables, sounds like you have version 2.0 installed, not the current 2.01. We testers discovered just as the release was being readied that the program was actually 'forgetting' to make the EXE version backups properly, while still naming them as such. If you just rename such backups to *.pbf from *.exe, then install Pocket Backup, they will be perfectly usable for full or partial restores. Version 2.01 repaired this, and all the EXE backups I've tested have been se;f-extracting, as promised.
Further refinements are due to be released soon, such as a patched version which will not allow PB to be installed to the \iPAQ File Store directory in 38xx series iPAQs, as these devices have some quirky file system structure that makes the program behave inconsistently. I also found that when installed there successive tries, it would vary in exactly what components were installed. PocketMon, especially, would not work correctly. Of course, as such locations fall late in the startup order, it is generally not a good plan to install Today items or Startup group items there, or on an SD card for that matter. However, I have been using 2.01 installed to SD for a few weeks, all components, without problems. I've had several hard resets or partial restores necessary in that time (I test a lot of stuff), and it's been good. Never more than a few minutes to get back to normal, and with just registry restores it's only a few seconds.
An older problem, due to major difficulties in how the PPC OS handles the Start Menu structure, made for some real misery for some users. The new version has a simple checkbox which enables 'automatic menu handling', and this it does flawlessly now.

[Kirkaiya]

The last time i had to do a "restore" was when my wife put my new HP 1910 thru the washer. I just did a restore (from a backup done the month prior), then synchronized, and viola, I was back.

The 1910 survived the washing machine?!?!?!?! Did it go through the entire wash, rinse and [gulp] spin cycle? How come your wife didn't notice that your pants pocket was unusually heavy?

OOps- I should have been more specific.

The 1910 didn't (fully) survive the wash cycle (yes, the entire cycle). Amazingly, after I dried it out, and plugged it in after a day of waiting, I did see the HP logo briefly and fainly on the screen, but that was as far as she went.

Luckily, I had bought the dumb "TAP" warrantee (not so dumb now) at CompUSA, so I exchanged it for a new one.

I don't know how my wife missed it - maybe that's the price of a PDA that's TOO light!! :-) She's wasahed my wallet twice also, so....

anyway
sorry about the confusion. I backed up to the new 1910, and did a sync, and was back in business like nothing had changed.

[Lday]

I've been using this for a while now, it really saved my bacon when I got my E740 back from "repair" and it had more hard resets the first 30 minutes than in the 10 months I've owned it. Every time it reset, I just set the date and time, tapped the backup executable, did a sync (combine/replace) with no problems. I was never down for more than 10 minutes, and I have a LOT of stuff. Highly recommended!

[stitics]

This is what (typos and all) I posted to their site...

"what I woudl like to see in future releases (and the reason I am not buying now) is the ability (if I am reading the comments correctly) to schedule backups, as opposed to scheduling running the program. Also, I would like to see an ability to (not sure ho to describe this) preset backup names within a range... For example, for daily backups, have the first one be named Backup-M (for Monday), then the next one be Backup-T (for Tuesday), Backup-Th (for Thursday), etc. for the week and then repeat. that way, you always have the last 7 backups in case you did something stupid in the last week, you can restore from right before that."

Can I get a "Woot, woot"?

:wink:

Maybe it's just me.

[piperpilot]

piperpilot; As to the backups not being self-extracting executables, sounds like you have version 2.0 installed, not the current 2.01. We testers discovered just as the release was being readied that the program was actually 'forgetting' to make the EXE version backups properly, while still naming them as such. If you just rename such backups to *.pbf from *.exe, then install Pocket Backup, they will be perfectly usable for full or partial restores. Version 2.01 repaired this, and all the EXE backups I've tested have been se;f-extracting, as promised.


Gerard, you were right. I was using the older version. As a little test, I installed the new version, backed up my device, then did a hard reset. The restore went flawlessly and within minutes, my 5455 was humming right along. Thanks for the heads up!

[doogald]

I thought you could use the backup as long as you uncheck the registry box so that the registry is not restored.

The problem with that is you lose any modifications your programs have made to the registry during install...

Also, if you restore the windows directory(even though you don't restore the registry), the older files there will be used by the system, not the files in ROM...

It will be a mess and a probable hard reset anyway...


On a Dell Axim I think that this is incorrect. Dell itself advises you when doing the ROM upgrade to do an ActiveSync backup, do the ROM upgrade, and then an ActiveSync restore as Guest, followed by a soft reset. If you can do an ActiveSync restore, you should be able to do a Pocket Backup Restore.

Anyway, that's exactly what I did for both Dell ROM upgrades so far, with no ill effects.

The only issues that I have had are that I have to reenter my Pocket Backup registration key, and I have to change some of the "Settings" options (I have mine set so that button presses do not power on the device, and that does not survive a restore). Otherwise everything works fine.

[Gerard]

doogald; It sounds to me a lot like Activesync is not backing up or restoring your device registry, or at least not properly. Pocket Backup always restores its registration key with a full Pocket Backup restore, as it always restores all other aspects of the registry, and all other software registrations, and all user settings like button mappings. Activesync Backup is, I think, primarily aimed at backup and restore of user data files, like the stuff in \My Documents. I have never once had a successful Activesync Backup, the backup failing part way through at best, so I cannot tell you anything much from personal experience. Still, if you have Pocket Backup installed, I'm puzzled as to why you'd use that other. Following instructions, it seems... I don't do that a lot. Like to find out what happens when I don't, learn from that, and eventually learn the better way, which seems rarely to be the one Microsoft spells out. Go figure.
After ROM updates, I use raw files, database imports (via Pocket Backup) of all PIM stuff, and an otherwise manual rebuild. My experience restoring one 'image' via Pocket Backup after my first ROM update told me that a few things in the registry had changed enough to make for a mess if I restored that way, so starting from a clean registry seems advisable. With the help of CabInstl (http://s-k.al.ru/wincepdaru.html), it's pretty easy to get a custom setup going in a few hours, as I keep copies of all my CAB files in a couple of locations. There are only a few apps that need a PC link in my device, like Stowaway, Textmaker... I forget what else. Been a couple of months since my last rebuild. Hmm. Maybe time for a new go. I've probably tested 30 new programs since then. :)

[doogald]

I was not clear enough with my post. Actually, the issues that I mentioned were after a very successful Pocket Backup Restore. I actually used ActiveSync Backup and Restore once just to test it, for Disaster Recovery testing, right after I bought the Axim. I also heartily recommend Pocket Backup to *anyone* over ActiveSync. It is worth every penny if you need access to your device on the road and are away from your host computer.

Button mappings are fine, by the way; it is the power options to turn on the unit when the buttons are pressed that does not get successfully restored. (I turn that option off because I carry the device in my pocket with a soft case and occasionally it was getting powered on inadvertently). It's not that big an issue to me. I can simply go into the settings to check everything after a restore.

I only mentioned the ActiveSync backup and restore cycle because that is exactly what Dell recommends with the ROM upgrades. My point is that they do not say that you must reinstall all of your applications, etc., after a ROM upgrade and restore. You do the ROM upgrade, you do the Restore, you soft reset and you are back in business. It is the same with Pocket Backup.

That's been exactly my experience twice now (though using Pocket Backup rather than ActiveSync).

[bbarker]

piperpilot; As to the backups not being self-extracting executables, sounds like you have version 2.0 installed, not the current 2.01. We testers discovered just as the release was being readied that the program was actually 'forgetting' to make the EXE version backups properly, while still naming them as such. If you just rename such backups to *.pbf from *.exe, then install Pocket Backup, they will be perfectly usable for full or partial restores. Version 2.01 repaired this, and all the EXE backups I've tested have been se;f-extracting, as promised.


Gerard, you were right. I was using the older version. As a little test, I installed the new version, backed up my device, then did a hard reset. The restore went flawlessly and within minutes, my 5455 was humming right along. Thanks for the heads up!
I, too, have upgraded to 2.01 after reading this. I'm not going to do a hard reset to try it; I'll just trust the two of you. Thanks!

[BugDude10]

I have not had any problems with the DataBackup util that came with my e740, and I've had to use it for real (as opposed to just testing) four or five times. I'd appreciate the ability to schedule backups, but not for $30 though (or even for $24). At $15, I'd take it; otherwise, I can get by with the OEM backup, ActiveStink tracking my PIM data and internal My Docs, and two storage cards holding the rest.

Just my $0.02.

B.D.

P.S. Sprite: despite the foregoing, I really appreciate you offering a discount for PPCT readers. That's excellent customer relations!

[Certified Optimist]

...well isn't it typicall... :devilboy:

...had finally made up my mind to buy this product, and while I was completed the order on Handango (using the discount code) I was trying to tweak an upgrade on my Pocket PC... :bangin:

...I hadn't but completed the order, when my screen went BLANK and no matter how many soft-resets I made... DOOOOMED...

Luckily enough I use my HP back-up daily (to CF card) and ActiveStink (back-up on connection - yes it's a pain, but I am paranoid).

Currently waiting for the restore to finish...

Now... if I had only first bought Pocket Backup and installed it before I started my tinkering...

But... we live and learn... and... Good thing is that I didn't (knock on Pocket PC) loose anything.... Just need to manually clean up the mess ActiveStink has created.... :?

[Certified Optimist]

...and yes... forgot to mention....

This is the first and only time I've had to do a hardreset since I bought the thing 8 months back...