Pocket Backup Saves the Day - Again...

[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>Last night I was working with my wife's <a href="http://www.mobileplanet.com/private/pocketpcthoughts/product.asp?dept%5Fid=2621&pf%5Fid=MPK00215">iPAQ 1910</a> (what an amazing little machine!), and I connected it to the desktop PC using a <a href="http://store.yahoo.com/cgi-bin/clink?gomadic-new+jQKYD5+tose3powsync.html+ppcthoughts">Gomadic Sync 'N Charge cable</a>. For some odd reason, when I connected the cable, the screen on the iPAQ went blank. The screen was still on, but it was displaying nothing but black. I tried soft resetting it - no luck. I pulled out the battery, put it back in, and still couldn't get it to boot. Was I stressed out about losing data or having to set everything up again? Not at all. :mrgreen: I knew Pocket Backup has run earlier that day, so I left it overnight with the battery pulled so the backup battery would drain (it takes about 60 minutes or so), and when I woke up this morning, the iPAQ had hard reset. I put in the battery, the device came up as it should (the screen problem was fixed somehow), and I had the device restored from the daily scheduled backup within about three minutes total. Perfection!<br /><br />Again, I highly recommend this tool - you never know when your Pocket PC will decide to throw a fit. If you haven't already, <a href="http://download.handango.com/shareware/101451/pocketbackupplussetup.exe">download the trial version</a> or <a href="http://www.handango.com/brainstore/PlatformProductDetail.jsp?siteId=311&productId=65427">buy the full version</a>. I'm not sure if the 20% discount coupon still works, but you can give it a try: 6AXBXDF2. [Affiliate]

[lurch]

I'm becoming more and more convinced to buy this software, especially when I test software I wrote on my own Jornada -- makes me a little :worried:

Also, I don't have a 1910, but can't you do a hard-reset somehow? Do you really need to drain the backup battery?? (is the backup battery rechargable also or did you have to go buy a new one?)
Hmm..

[Noel]

Hey Jason... it's so rare to get GOOD news about "Backups"!!!
:lol:
I do wonder though, whether the software is $40.00 CDN better than the
standard OS Backup utility or a standalone CF card for backups?

Noel

[Ivan]

Also, I don't have a 1910, but can't you do a hard-reset somehow? Do you really need to drain the backup battery??

You can do a hard reset of the 1910 by holding the power button while doing a soft reset (i.e. by pressing and holding down the power button while pressing the soft reset button with your stylus)

BTW Jason, what happened?, I'm curious to know since I have a 1910. Was this the sudden unexplained battery drain problem that some people have reported on?

[Jason Dunn]

Also, I don't have a 1910, but can't you do a hard-reset somehow? Do you really need to drain the backup battery?? (is the backup battery rechargable also or did you have to go buy a new one?)
Hmm..

Yes, you can hard reset it with a button combo, but I didn't remember how. The backup battery is internal and rechargable.

[Jason Dunn]

I do wonder though, whether the software is $40.00 CDN better than the standard OS Backup utility or a standalone CF card for backups?

Well, I can only say that although I got the software for free as a reviewer, I would absolutely buy this software regardless - and I don't say that for many software packages. It's simply solid, and it works.

[Jacob]

Hey Jason... it's so rare to get GOOD news about "Backups"!!!
:lol:
I do wonder though, whether the software is $40.00 CDN better than the
standard OS Backup utility or a standalone CF card for backups?

Noel

Well if you're using an iPAQ then it's essentially just an upgraded version of the same software. I"m not sure about their upgrade policies for that, but I think you can upgrade for free to the regular version and pay $10 for the Pocket Backup Plus edition.

[Jason Dunn]

BTW Jason, what happened?, I'm curious to know since I have a 1910. Was this the sudden unexplained battery drain problem that some people have reported on?

I have no clue. :| It was fully charged, working fine, but as soon as I connected the cable, wham, it went funky (black screen displayed) and it wouldn't respond to a soft reset push, which is VERY odd.

[animlmed]

I bought Sunnysoft backup manager for 11 bucks, and its probably the best 11 bucks spent for a program! Its saved me a time or two on my e310. And the best part of this program is that you can put a small version of the program on the sd card so that if you need to backup from a hard reset, all you have to do is run the program from the storage card.

[Noel]

I'm not sure if the 20% discount coupon still works, but you can give it a try: 6AXBXDF2.

It DOES!
:lol:

Noel

[Kevin Remhof]

Backups are great, but... I don't bother backing up my iPaq. I keep a fair amount of software on it but it's all easy to re-install. Actually, I kind of like when my PDAs lose their memory. I enjoy putting the software back on them. I end up with less but I like that. It's a way for me to prune the software down a bit. Besides, Outlook does a great job of syncing all of my "important" information.

Anyone feel that PDA backups aren't that important?

[Noel]

Last week my wife woke up at 5am all ready for the limo to the airport.
She grabbed her iPAQ to double-check the address in Edmonton for her meeting. Black SCREAM!. Before the bags were loaded her backup had her completely back to GO!

Sorry, what was your question?


Noel

[dlangton]

The easiest way to do a hard reset is to use Philippe Majerus'
Task Manager. Just use the ShutDown|Hard Reset option. You'll never need to remember a hardware key combination again.

[Mike Temporale]

Anyone feel that PDA backups aren't that important?

I haven't felt the need. All my information is either on the storage card, or I have the application readily available to reinstall. I could loose everything in my iPaq as long as it would sync and allow me to install, I couldn't care.

I have never had a crash, or even had to do a hard reset. Well, okay I have done a hard reset by mistake. When I first got the device and was loading it full of junk apps. I mistakenly did a hard reset instead of a soft reset after installing some app. 8O

[lurch]

The easiest way to do a hard reset is to use Philippe Majerus'
Task Manager. Just use the ShutDown|Hard Reset option. You'll never need to remember a hardware key combination again.
Yes but you can't do a software-controlled hard reset if the machine isn't turning on, now can you? ;)

[Ekkie Tepsupornchai]

Actually, I kind of like when my PDAs lose their memory. I enjoy putting the software back on them.
I kind of think the same way, though I find that my "enjoyment" over lost memory decreases exponentially with the amount of time I last did a sync with my laptop.

I keep a lot of important data in my "My Documents" directory which I backup onto my storage card and laptop weekly (I know, ActiveSync automatically backs this up but I maintain deep directory structures and I'm not too fond of the filtering process that AS puts everything through).

Aside from that, I also don't mind reinstalling software as I find that it forces me to reevaluate what I really use.

Of course, there are cases where you need your PDA up and running again immediately and don't have a few hours to burn on reinstallations and re-registrations...

[thomas1973]

Noobie-backup-q: What's the big deal with 3. party backup utilities? Can they do anything the built in AS backup can't? :confused totally:

Thomas.

[Jason Dunn]

Noobie-backup-q: What's the big deal with 3. party backup utilities? Can they do anything the built in AS backup can't? :confused totally:

Have you ever tried to restore a backup? ActiveSynd does not make it easy. It also only works when you sync your Pocket PC - my wife doesn't sync every day. There's also no way to schedule the ActiveSync backups - it's "every time" or "manually". When you need to sync and run, waiting for the painfully slow ActiveSync backup to complete is agony. Need I go on? :wink:

[Don Tolson]

Also, ActiveSync and HP's for the Jornada only work to restore you from a complete crash (i.e. reinstalling everything after a hard reset). There's no way to selectively reinstall a portion of the backup (like just the appts or just one application).

Even worse, ActiveSync seems to keep track of which backup was the latest, and will only allow you to restore THAT one -- if you kept separate backups of separate weeks (for instance) you can't restore to what you were a week ago.

For me, Activesync and HP Backup are for emergencies only. (But I still do it to the CF card each week and once a month to my laptop).

[Noel]

At one point after doing a hard reset and ROM update I went to restore via AS only to realize it will only restore to the same (earlier) ROM image.
YIKES!!!
Now, how USELESS is THAT!!??
Thank God I had a CF backup that worked.

All this talk about backups creeped me out enough to try Pocket Backup Plus... backed up 54M in 9.5 minutes - now all I have to do is summon up enough courage to hard reset and
&lt;gulp> R E S T O R E.

8O

Noel

[sprite]

Here are a few of the important features missing from the OEM backup utilities that we're aware of:-
1. Automatic backup on low battery
2. Scheduled backups - daily or weekly
3. Backup whatever you want - not just everything
4. Restore whatever you want
5. Backup to PC or network (up to 20 times faster than Active Sync).

In addition Pocket Backup Plus comes with a system resource monitor (PocketMon) and an advanced storage analysis tool (Space Detective).
Give it a try and let us know what you think.

[woa1]

The 1910 does not come with a Backup Utility built-in (something HP probably left out to fit the OS in ROM), so a third party backup is necessary. I also use Pocket Backup.
Also in regards to using AS to Backup, if the HP crashes while you away from your PC, you are stuck without any data.

--RANT ON--
The 1910 is the most unstable PDA I have ever owned. I have had it hard reset on me at least twice for no reason and got saved by Pocket Backup like Jason. With an SD Card installed this device crashes if two of the Pocket Office (Word, Excel, Notes) are running at the same time when it is turn off and then turned back on. It seems to soft reset itself a lot without me actually initiating it. Sometimes it turns itself on and crashes, staying on and draining the battery. I have had to buy a second battery just in case. I also have to try to remember to shut all Pocket Office Apps evertime I am going to turn it off so it won't crash on turn on.
-RANT OFF-

Wonderful in size and execution but absolutely not in useability. Hopefully HP will come out with a patch to fix this.

[Crystal Eitle]

--RANT ON--
The 1910 is the most unstable PDA I have ever owned. I have had it hard reset on me at least twice for no reason and got saved by Pocket Backup like Jason. With an SD Card installed this device crashes if two of the Pocket Office (Word, Excel, Notes) are running at the same time when it is turn off and then turned back on. It seems to soft reset itself a lot without me actually initiating it. Sometimes it turns itself on and crashes, staying on and draining the battery. I have had to buy a second battery just in case. I also have to try to remember to shut all Pocket Office Apps evertime I am going to turn it off so it won't crash on turn on.
-RANT OFF-

Huh. I have not noticed any instability problems with mine (knock on wood.)

[ctmagnus]

Yes, you can hard reset it with a button combo, but I didn't remember how.

And you're the admin of this site!

:twak:

(you're lucky the font sizes don't work with the emoticons, otherwise that would've been a 24-point :twak: ;))

[jimski]

--RANT ON--
The 1910 is the most unstable PDA I have ever owned. I have had it hard reset on me at least twice for no reason and got saved by Pocket Backup like Jason. With an SD Card installed this device crashes if two of the Pocket Office (Word, Excel, Notes) are running at the same time when it is turn off and then turned back on. It seems to soft reset itself a lot without me actually initiating it. Sometimes it turns itself on and crashes, staying on and draining the battery. I have had to buy a second battery just in case. I also have to try to remember to shut all Pocket Office Apps evertime I am going to turn it off so it won't crash on turn on.
-RANT OFF-

Huh. I have not noticed any instability problems with mine (knock on wood.)

I don't have a 1910 but would not be too quick to RANT on the device. I was soft resetting my 5450 almost every time I turned it on, after it had been off for more than a few minutes (either no response of constant hourglass). I too suspected open applications in the background and started closing apps before shutting the device off (so much for multitasking and convenience).

I finally got tired of the constant resets and started removing one plug-in at a time from the Today screen thinking that was where the probelm was. I narrowed the culprit down to a battery/memory plug-in. Don't know why, but it just did not like my 5450. Since removing that tool (and replacing it with another one) I have not performed an unplanned soft reset in two weeks. This includes keeing 2-4 apps open all the time, turning WiFi on and off repreatedly, etc. I actually soft reset the device yesterday, just to perform general maintenance. What a pleasure this device has become.

Before condeming the 1910, try clearing your Today screen of any plug-ins and see how things go for a few days. If that does not help, RANT :evil: away!

[woa1]

Before condeming the 1910, try clearing your Today screen of any plug-ins and see how things go for a few days. If that does not help, RANT :evil: away!

After the 2nd hard reset, with no additional programs installed, I still got it to crash with an SD Card installed practically everytime I had at least two of the three "Office" apps (Word, Excel, Notes) running when it was turned off and then turned back on.

We went through a long thread on this on Brighthand without any resolution.

Having a serious love/hate relationship with this HP (My 6 HP PDA starting with a 200LX)!

[chrisnian]

Well... I finally broke down and made the purchase.

GOOD NEWS :D

The discount code still works :ladysman:

Ian :wink:

[ChristopherTD]

The iPaq Backup utility that came with my 5450 has been extremely useful for me after several spontaneous hard resets.

So I happily upgraded to the $10 PB Plus and so far I am very pleased with it, and I like PocketMon and Space Detective as well. Well done Sprite!

Now that I leave my Thinkpad behind, I am doing more actual work on my iPaq and like the comfort factor of reliable backups.

As for the hard resets, I think they were down to flaky USB charging from my Thinkpad. Since I stopped USB charging they have not occurred.

Regards
Christopher

[Noel]

Hard reset 54M into oblivion - and I didn't faint or arrest!
Pocket Backup Plus restored perfectly!!!!

:lol:

One thing I noticed tho' ... I sync @ work and @ home and intended to do a PBP there, which I did manually... it's too bad it's not possible to specify at least two times in Scheduled Backup so that this can be done automatically while syncing in both locations.

Otherwise, it's :clap: all the way - thanks for the encouragement Jason!


Noel

[thomas1973]

Noobie-backup-q: What's the big deal with 3. party backup utilities? Can they do anything the built in AS backup can't? :confused totally:

Have you ever tried to restore a backup? ActiveSynd does not make it easy. It also only works when you sync your Pocket PC - my wife doesn't sync every day. There's also no way to schedule the ActiveSync backups - it's "every time" or "manually". When you need to sync and run, waiting for the painfully slow ActiveSync backup to complete is agony. Need I go on? :wink:
Nope, never had to hard reset, never had to restore a backup :mrgreen: --- yet :worried:

But thanks for the reply. Maybe I should start to take backups - today? Nah, I'll wait 'til tomorrow... :lol:

Thomas.

[MRSB86]

Does this back-up program work for the Dell Axim?

[Ed Hansberry]

Does this back-up program work for the Dell Axim?
Yes. All Pocket PC 2002 devices are supported.

[Certified Optimist]

Nope, never had to hard reset, never had to restore a backup :mrgreen: --- yet :worried:

But thanks for the reply. Maybe I should start to take backups - today? Nah, I'll wait 'til tomorrow... :lol:

Thomas.


As I mentioned in the original thread...

...I had never had to do a hard reset... That is... until the other day when I was completing my purchase of Pocket Backup Plus while tinkering with my Pocket PC...

...had but completed the purchase, when my screen went blank... 8O "Hmmm..." I thought "...haven't seen that one before...".... soft reseting it didn't work... so I had to do a hard reset... :devilboy: (-must be the conspiracy... I am sure I know who's behind it all :wink: )

But, since I'd backed up my Pocket PC the day before using HP backup I was ok... But, ActiveStink seriously messed up my mailbox on both my Pocket PC and my stationary PC (...like emails disappearing...)...

If I has only first completed the purchase, installed Pocket Backup Plus, and then started to tinker... :roll:

Live and learn... And Pocket Backup Plus is working nicely on my Pocket PC now... No more hard resets so far.... 8)

[darrylb]

Does this back-up program work for the Dell Axim?
Yes. All Pocket PC 2002 devices are supported.

What about the new devices just around the corner? Do you think HP will put the new version of PocketBackup on them?

[Ed Hansberry]

Does this back-up program work for the Dell Axim?
Yes. All Pocket PC 2002 devices are supported.

What about the new devices just around the corner? Do you think HP will put the new version of PocketBackup on them?
Dunno. I do think it would be hard for HP to go back to a lesser backup app than the iPAQ Backup which was essentially PB 1.0. They would probably omit goodies like scheduling and the like.

[darrylb]

[They would probably omit goodies like scheduling and the like.

Although the iPaq backup (PB1.0) includes scheduling. I can see them leaving out the desktop agent though...

[Narny]

Here are a few of the important features missing from the OEM backup utilities that we're aware of:-

&lt;snipped items 1..5>


0. You can restore wherever you like.

Others have commented that you can restore apps and resync data. I always had the same attitude to my backups too, except when I went on holiday or away on business for a few days. Then I'd get nervous. Now with an automatic, self-extracting, daily backup to CF I feel a lot more secure.

I'll also chime in with another affirmation that it's a polished, rock-solid, essential application.

[Crystal Eitle]

Pocket Backup saved my butt today.

Ironically, I was just talking about what a fix I'd be in if I lost everything on my Pocket PC.

Here's what happened; I wanted to upgrade tAgenda to version 1.1. I removed the old version using Remover, and accidentally removed some kind of important Windows directory. Whoops. All of a sudden my Pocket PC wasn't working anymore. All the stuff was still there, it just didn't know how to find any of it.

I held my breath and did a hard reset. I had to install Pocket Backup again, because for some reason I didn't make the files self-extracting.

And... it worked!!!!!!!

Yay! :multi:

Unfortunately, my backup was a week old. I had let the demo version expire, and haven't bought the full version yet. Once I get paid this Friday, Pocket Backup is the first thing on my shopping list.

[darrylb]

We should make a Backup Forum for all these success stories. Or maybe create a forum specifically for success stories with the PocketPC in general. This way we would have a link with stories we could give to people considering a purchase :D