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How to backup Android (and HTC Hero) phone

September 11, 2009 - 17:07 |  Jan Polzer

A few days back I’ve got my first Android powered phone – HTC Hero. I have to say, it is much better than my Windows Mobile HP iPAQ 514 Voice Messenger. However I am not sure what is better – the touch screen or the Android system itself? Being the responsible user I immediately started searching the backup applications through the Android Market. There are the results.

By the way, Android market is very good place for looking for your software online. As I know, Microsoft is starting to prepare something similar to the iPhone App Store and Android Market. However the current situation is rather poor for Windows Mobile users. There is no central place to download the software.

HTC Hero - Android powered phone

HTC Hero - Android powered phone

So, I have found several backup applications for my new HTC Hero with Android operating system. The synchronization with Google services itself is a backup tool too. As soon as you will add any new contacts, e-mails or events to calendar, the synchronization starts. If you don’t have an internet connectivity immediately, then the synchronization will be done later, of course. So using this, your basic data are backed up to the Gmail a Google Calendar.

However this is not enough. You don’t have to use the Gmail and could prefer another way to backup your HTC Hero or another Android powered phone. So what are the backup applications Android marketplace offers?

SMS Backup for the Android and HT Hero

Do you have a lot of SMS messages you wouldn’t accidentally delete or lost? Then try the application called SMS Backup. This software will backup all of your HTC Hero (or Android phone) SMS to the Gmail. At first, provide your username and password, then the software will inform you that the first backup needs to be initiated manually. So click the OK and Backup buttons and wait for a while. The SMS will be backed up using 100 pieces batch. Then you can set up Auto backup option.

After you will log in to your Gmail account, you will see a new tag with SMS label.

MyBackup – backups all your applications and data

Another interesting software is MyBackup. This is a paid application, but you have 30days trial for testing purposes. So try before you buy. Using this software is very easy. Just start it, click the Backup button and select what you would like to backup from your HTC Hero/Android phone. You have two options: Applications or Data.

If you select Applications backup, then you will be prompted with the list of all your application installed in your Android device. Click Check all (or manually select only some items) and continue with the OK button. Provide a name for this backup and wait for a while until the apps are backed up to the memory card in your device.

The Data backup gives you another two options – SD Card and Online. I have used the SD Card option since I would like to see my backed up data. And again. You will be prompted with a list including Contacts, Call log, Bookmarks, SMS, MMS, System Settings, Home Settings, Alarms, Dictionary, and data from another installed applications. Check all, click the OK button, provide the backup name and wait for a while.

The backup process can be scheduled and you can easily manage and restore from your previous backups.

By the way, the online backup here is a very good idea. You can have your backup on the SD Card, but as soon as someone will stole you phone, you will lost this backup with it together.

Backup using Astro File manager

Astro File manager is another useful app for your Android device. It is something like Total Commander for Windows or Midnight Commander for Linux. This great freeware file manager has a backup functionality too. It is able to backup your application to the SD card.

Click the Menu button on your HTC Hero device (or something similar on another phones), select Tools and tap the Application manager/Backup option. The Astro will load the application list. Select one, more or all of the applications and click the Backup button. Your software will be copied to the SD card.

Your tips for Android backup

Do you have another tip for Android backup application? Let us know using the comment below this article. I’m sure all of the readers will appreciate this.

And just a note at the end. If you would like to see what is in the Android Market using your desktop web browser, go to the www.cyrket.com. It is and Android Market Browser available for everyone.

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Comments

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on March 17, 2010 - 06:59.

I have an HTC Hero (Sprint) and I'm running out of room on the 2 gb card. What is the best strategy for transferring the files to a bigger card? What do I have to watch out for? I'm sure many people are in this position, but I can't find a solution to this problem

Jan Polzer's picture
Submitted by Jan Polzer on March 17, 2010 - 08:51.

I think that you need just to put the card to the computer, copy the whole content and then put it to a bigger card.

Jan Polzer, Backup HowTo owner

Submitted by Tamara (not verified) on March 29, 2010 - 21:15.

Thanks so much for this information, this helped me a lot!

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on April 5, 2010 - 18:36.

Yes, that is exactly how I migrated my HTC Legend from its initial 2GB card to an 8GB card. Just copy the contents of the old SD card over to the new SD card. Any operating system will suffice, however, watch for hidden files ("."-something files) when using, say Linux.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on May 11, 2010 - 14:56.

Hi

I have just got the htc desire and want to copy over all my apps from my hts magic.
Is there an easy way to do this.

Please help.

Jan Polzer's picture
Submitted by Jan Polzer on May 11, 2010 - 17:49.

Hi, being you, I will use the Astro File manager to backup all apps on the HTC Magic. Then you should download and install Astro File Manager on HTC Desire and restore the rest apps from the backup on your memory card.

Jan Polzer, Backup HowTo owner

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on May 12, 2010 - 08:00.

Hi,
Thanks for the articel..I really like it.
Hope I found this article before I made a backup using wrong app..
Can you help me?
I using sprite back up,the back up file is in. Sbf not in .zip..
When I want to restore it,the application is always failed to restore as the result..and the funny things is all my new picture is also missing..
I really don't know what to do..and desperately wants all my pictures back..
Please help me..

Jan Polzer's picture
Submitted by Jan Polzer on May 13, 2010 - 12:49.

Hello, I don't use Sprite Backup, maybe someone of the readers will help.

Jan Polzer, Backup HowTo owner

Submitted by Prodigy (not verified) on May 17, 2010 - 13:23.

I just format my memory card on HTC Hero with all the backups and other files...big mistake. Now my phone is running with the factory OS version and when i try to enter the root an warning image appear. Do you have any ideea how to install the new Android 2.1 OS? thx in advance

Submitted by rajivdhawan on May 19, 2010 - 15:15.

Hi...
I got a good deal on HTC Hero two months back and post buying I have become fan of my HTCHero....One Problem.
The GOOGLE ACCOUNT of last buyer is locked and i am not able to surf and net on ANDROID Market coz its asks for google password.

Can yu guide how to un-install and re-load the programme or.... can i only delete Google Application and reload again...

Wil appriciate any word on same,,,,,

Njoy,,,Rajiv

Jan Polzer's picture
Submitted by Jan Polzer on May 23, 2010 - 15:18.

Hi, you should have to reset your HTC Hero. Info, about how to do it, is here http://www.sizzledcore.com/2009/09/19/how-to-hard-reset-htc-hero/.

Jan Polzer, Backup HowTo owner

Submitted by ryan fritz (not verified) on May 31, 2010 - 05:53.

Im sorry if this was covered, Im simply trying to back up all my HTC Droid contacts to my computer so I can run the the new Droid Update. Can someone put this in laymens terms for me? I assumed these contacts were possibly synced to my computers Gmail account but cant find them....thanks in advance!!

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on June 4, 2010 - 22:01.

I have to backup my HTC Hero because I have a needed update. I downloaded MyBackup, so do I just need to re-install it after I update my phone?

Jan Polzer's picture
Submitted by Jan Polzer on June 5, 2010 - 10:09.

Hi, the answer is yes. When I did a HTC Hero firmware update, I had backup all my apps using Astro File Manager to memory card and then restored them again.

Jan Polzer, Backup HowTo owner

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on June 8, 2010 - 07:40.

Thanks for the blog. I updated to Android 2.1 using MyBackup Pro and it worked great. Even brought back my HTC Sense setup. I went ahead and bought the Pro version, also been using Astro, seemed like the best file manager application.

Submitted by Will England (not verified) on June 20, 2010 - 22:24.

Great round up of backup solutions! I've referenced your blogpost in the Sprint Community blog about Android Backup Solutions:

http://community.sprint.com/baw/community/buzzaboutwireless/phones-and-d...

Jan Polzer's picture
Submitted by Jan Polzer on June 20, 2010 - 23:12.

Thanks, Will.

Jan Polzer, Backup HowTo owner

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on July 2, 2010 - 23:48.

Hi, thanks so much for this article. Its amazingly useful n im very glad to find this information. Amazed with technology nowadays. Also amazed with android's technology.

Submitted by Khurram (not verified) on July 12, 2010 - 11:51.

Hi .. i wanted to know if there is any possible way that i can transfer my previously stored text messages into my htc hero?

Jan Polzer's picture
Submitted by Jan Polzer on July 12, 2010 - 15:08.

Hi, you can check the tutorial about moving the messages from the Nokia to the HTC Hero. Maybe it will helps: http://vinodmishra.com/2009/09/how-to-import-smss-from-nokia-to-htc-andr...

I didn't transfer my SMSes from my old phone, so I couldn't help more.

Jan Polzer, Backup HowTo owner

Submitted by Khurram (not verified) on July 12, 2010 - 15:12.

hey thanks .. this might help .. though i tried to edit nokia messages to rewrite them as the ones i got in another phone, but nokia just doesnt seem to open the edited file.
let me see if this transfers the nokia messages first then will tell you about it
thanks.

Submitted by Lauren (not verified) on July 12, 2010 - 23:16.

This was a lot of help! I have been looking for a great way to backup my info. I came across a new app called m:IQ. It was previously offered on just BlackBerry and Windows Mobile and a friend of mine used it there. I downloaded it from the Android Market and it's pretty awesome. It backs up my contacts, calls, calendar, photos, videos, text messages and I can text message over the web. It backs up your info to a private web account where you can manage your phone and its free. It's pretty awesome and I would highly recommend it. An easy one-stop-shop compared to downloading a few apps, or having Google Sync and then some other apps.

Jan Polzer's picture
Submitted by Jan Polzer on July 13, 2010 - 06:54.

Hi, is m:IQ able to restore data backed up on Windows Mobile to the Android device?

Jan Polzer, Backup HowTo owner

Submitted by David (not verified) on July 25, 2010 - 16:48.

Hi!

I've ourchased a new android phone and sold the previous one. I didn't pay too much attention however to restoring my settings. I've turned on the restore settings in Privacy settings that said it was backuping all the related data (phone settings, cookies, etc.) to some google servers. Now I have the new device and have no idea how can I restore those settings from the 'Google servers'. do you have any idea? Or I shiuld have used a program like MyBackup and it's too late to think about it?

Submitted by Mark (not verified) on July 26, 2010 - 07:22.

Yes! I just finished doing it myself earlier today....

Jan Polzer's picture
Submitted by Jan Polzer on July 26, 2010 - 07:44.

Hi, I don't know, how did you perform the backup, but for all information saved to Google applies you can login on your new Android phone a perform synchronization to get them back to the new phone. I did it for my mails, contacts, calendar and so.

Jan Polzer, Backup HowTo owner

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on August 1, 2010 - 00:41.

Since your name was "Jan". Oops.

Jan Polzer's picture
Submitted by Jan Polzer on August 8, 2010 - 13:25.

Jan is John in English :-)

Jan Polzer, Backup HowTo owner

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on August 20, 2010 - 21:05.

Hi guys. I need help please? Is there anyway I can set my desire to auto save to the SD card? I am unable to download any other apps as my internal memory is full. I have tried and tried to figure it out. Please help.

Submitted by Sorcha (not verified) on August 22, 2010 - 16:34.

'John' is 'Sean' in English already. Sean is an Irish name. Maybe its the American English version? (are you American?)

Jan Polzer's picture
Submitted by Jan Polzer on August 22, 2010 - 16:42.

I'm the Czech. And about the name Jan... Check this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan

Jan Polzer, Backup HowTo owner

Submitted by Merlin (not verified) on August 27, 2010 - 15:46.

I have been asking all sorts of people and not had help. Can you help? The automatic synchronising of contacts is fine if I have entered the contact on my PC but if I enter it on the phone it dies not sync and then gets deleted! Any assistance welcomed.

Jan Polzer's picture
Submitted by Jan Polzer on August 27, 2010 - 16:15.

Hi. I think the best working solution is to enter the contacts on your Android as a "Google type contact". Then it will be sync with your Google account and you can edit it via the web browser.

I didn't experiment with classic phone contacts on Android and synchonizing them against the desktop.

Jan Polzer, Backup HowTo owner

Submitted by Z (not verified) on September 7, 2010 - 23:07.

I'm getting my HTC legend replaced tomorrow. How can I move all my texts from my old HTC onto something so that when I get my new HTC, I can put them on there?

Jan Polzer's picture
Submitted by Jan Polzer on September 7, 2010 - 23:45.

Use the SMS Backup and Gmail as desribed in the article above.

Jan Polzer, Backup HowTo owner

Submitted by Z (not verified) on September 7, 2010 - 23:46.

i did but how can i transfer from gmail bak to a phone?

Jan Polzer's picture
Submitted by Jan Polzer on September 8, 2010 - 17:55.

I think there is not restore functionality. However you can read your SMS using Gmail on the web or using the Gmail app in the Android - just switch to the SMS folder.

Jan Polzer, Backup HowTo owner

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on September 21, 2010 - 18:55.

this is a bad app! Jan, please forget this app, and dont tell anyone other people this app.

oh, i had see, the name of this blog is backuphowto. Tip, jan: If you tell anyone backup-howtos, try google with the keywords backup restore (and the other phone)
like: windows movile backup restore
and then need nobody any helpful/less blog.
(since the blogs was started, i need more time for correct wrong information, and find the correct information, as before. i hope google will build an blocker in the default search, an extra blog-search is also aviable, but i think the blogger will there not active use)

@z
sorry, i had now help i you... if Jan wil not remove my true comment. Oh im so sad, that this was my first vist on this Blog...

use this app:
http://de.androlib.com/android.application.com-riteshsahu-smsbackupresto...

Jan Polzer's picture
Submitted by Jan Polzer on September 21, 2010 - 20:41.

I don't understand, where do you see a problem? I use SMS Backup mentioned in the article above and don't have any problems with its functionality. All my SMS are backed up to the Gmail. If anyone likes other apps, it's his/her decision.

And about your tip. Tell me, why do I think this is your own app and you do an ad here? It is so typical for anonymous users... :-( Maybe a time to restrict the comments for the registered users only.

By the way, the SMS Backup has a better score on your link than your recommended app ;-)

Jan Polzer, Backup HowTo owner

Submitted by tensigh on September 24, 2010 - 08:50.

Does HTC Sync blast your pictures? Before I had HTC Sync installed, I had a number of pictures. I installed HTCS and now they're all gone after a sync. Naturally, they don't seem to be on my HD anywhere, and I can't find them on my HTC Desire.

Am I screwed?

Submitted by Nino on January 23, 2011 - 04:34.

Hi Jan, I found this app called VeryAndroid SMS Backup. It is an Andriod sms backup software that can backup and restore sms on CSV file for android.

More: http://handheld.softpedia.com/get/System-Utilities/Backup/VeryAndroid-SM...

Hope it can help.

Jan Polzer's picture
Submitted by Jan Polzer on January 23, 2011 - 13:32.

Thanks for the tip, Nino

Jan Polzer, Backup HowTo owner

Submitted by kaviarora on January 31, 2011 - 01:18.

Hi Jan
I bought Samsung i5510 galaxy 551 recently but i am not able to understand the features if you can plz help me. i want my old sms backup from my Nokia N95 mobile but i cant please help me to send my old sms from nokia to samsung mobile. Is samsung i5510 having themes or not if yes then where the themes option in phone. i want to set my choice sms sound but i think i can set only that sounds which given in samsung mobile. please help me soon. i am very thankful to you.

thanks
kavita
(kaviarora@rediffmail.com)
delhi

Jan Polzer's picture
Submitted by Jan Polzer on January 31, 2011 - 12:58.

Hello, thanks for your post. Unfortunately, I'm not sure I can help you. Yes, Android powered phones could have something like themes, you can change the wallpaper for example. The user interface depends on the manufacturer, for example, my HTC Hero uses its own interface instead of the general Android UI. And I don't know how to work with Samsung i5510.
If you need to backup your SMS from the Nokia N95, you can try to use the Nokia PC Suite to export the SMS to the CVS file (if possible) and use some software to import it to the Android.

Jan Polzer, Backup HowTo owner

Submitted by Adan_Mir on January 31, 2011 - 22:56.

Hi, it started when on my message bar it said that i needed to unmount my SD card so i did. I took the SD card out and then put it back in but it only works for about 30 secs sometimes less and then says 'SD card unexpectedly removed'. i dont understand how to fix this problem and would be greatful if you could help thanks.

(adan2@hotmail.co.uk)

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