hi guys,

this only works on WM5.0 devices...

imagine if you are in a scenario that you want to hard reset your device and could not get access to any backup/restore software or any PC that can get back your Contacts/Appointments via Activesync, this is one way you can restore your contacts and Appointments back without any problem ...this is what you can do...


these are the steps to manually backup your PIM to your SD Card...

1. Open up your FILE EXPLORER
2. Go to root directory of your device
3. Then copy PIM.VOL...if you can't see it, just tap Menu then Show All Files
4. Then paste the PIM.VOL to your SD card
5. this PIM.VOL will be your backup file in case anything happens ...

To manually restore your PIM

1. Open up your FILE EXPLORER
2. Go to root directory of your device
3. Rename current PIM.VOL to something else like pim1.vol, pimold.vol or anything else
4. Copy the backup PIM.VOL that you already have in from SD card to the root directory
5. Wait for 15 seconds and then perform a soft reset

you can then manually BACKUP and RESTORE your PIM ..

this is a gd 1.

I was wondering, does it apply to SMS? since there's a messaging folder inside the windows folder... are those all the sms?

Wow, this is a good tip... =)

Rivaldo

Does it apply to sms as well?

No it doesn't apply to emails or SMSes.
For backing up of SMSes, you can use Jeyo Mobile Extender

or go for the complete backup solution in Sprite Backup or SPB Backup

Thanks for the top... does it backup the NOTES/TASKLIST as well??

good tips!

is it apply to contacts??

thx

I should imagine it does since these are both included under PIM too.



Much as I am quite patient, I am amused by this question.

hi datoknakal,

it applies to all PIM (Contacts, Appointments, Tasks etc)

Rivaldo,

Very nice of you to answer the question. I am normally very patient. But in this case, your very first post actually said:

Where in the device's filesystem do the SMS's and emails reside? (for 838pro, if tt makes a difference)

EDIT:
I see there is: \Windows\Messaging
It contains a whole lot of *.mpb files. But they seem to be all zero byte size...
What's up?
Oh and can someone recommend a good plain text editor for WM5? (i.e. similar to those notepad replacements for Win32)

Do the above programs back-up the SMS's so that they can be easily reviewed on the PC?

Jeyo Mobile Companion looks into your boxes and show you all the messages. Ifyou want to save them on your pc you need to export them out as text file.

I was wondering how can you copy PIM.VOL and paste it to SD card?
When I tried to copy the file and paste it to SD card (or anywhere else), I got this message window:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Action Failed
Cannot move file "pim.vol".
The process cannot access the file because another process has locked a portion of the file.
Press "Yes" to continue.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I was using File Explorer or even Resco File Explorer.
Anyone please let me know the way I could copy PIM.VOL and paste it to SD card.
Thanks

Hi,
I got that the first time I tried too.
It doesn't give tt msg if u do it after a fresh reboot (quick poke using stylus).

Just wanna say that this pim.vol backup seemed to work for contacts and calendar, but it did not work for "notes".
I am a bit pissed off.

Next time I'll do the same as my dad with his Nokia 9500... he stores misc notes as contacts.

And SMSs.... what's up with the .mpb files in \Windows\Messaging ?
Why do they appear as zero size empty files?
help!

EDIT:
oh, and the reason why I did hard reset?
because when I described my intermittant phone problems (intermittantly cannot call out or receive calls even though in cell range, and good signal bars displayed) to Dopodasia, the tech told me to factory reset and if it still happens then send in.

make sure you use Copy and not Cut

i think you can save your Notes directly to the sd card

It's still no good.
After fresh soft reset, I quickly open File Explorer and tried to copy PIM.VOL BUT I got those windows message again
Would you tell the procedure step by step, 'cause maybe I miss something in there.
I'm using E-TEN M600 and hp iPAQ rw6828 (both WM 5.0 devices).
Thanks



Yes, of course I COPIED PIM.VOL, NOT CUTTED it.
Thanks

i can only see pim, there's no PIM.VOL. sorry... does root dir means the dir in 'my device' tap?

oops.. now i can see it when using resco explorer bot not the file explorer...

And can you copy it?
may I know what kind WM 5.0 device you're using?
Thanks

what root u refer to, i don't see the pim vol u mentioned even after i go menu press show all file,but only see pimgdll, pimg, pimstore, pimutil. pls englighten

I think root directory does not mean "My Device/Windows" or other directory but "My Device" directory. "pim" is listed there. I think the file extension is hidden.

I just tried first time and there was no problem copying it. Those with problems, maybe the file is locked or in use by some other program. Did you close all applications including activesync etc? Then just go straight to file explorer to copy it.

I am using Dell x51v running on WM5.0.

Of course I closed all applications running in the background before tried to copy it. I even soft reset it (please read my posting before),



Anyone have same experience using Pocket PC Phone version?
Thanks

Old thread but I got someone may need it when doing a search.

People who complain that they getting a lockup when trying to copy pim.vol, here's the resolution.

You must use the built-in FILE EXPLORER to do the pim.vol copy. Other file explorer will not work.

works fine on my atom pure. learnt something new today....thanks.

Rivaldo, you mention in the very last line... "you can THEN--manually backup and restore your PIM" (as if there is a manual process that follows the 10 steps you've graciously outlined)....

If so, what are they? -- because I'm an IT person by profession, and meticulously followed your steps on my MotoQ - but yet following the soft reset, my Contacts area is empty.

BACKGROUND:
New phone (3-4wks old)...been trying to get Active Sync to work properly - but it has not been working right -- even though I've used it before with other devices....

Last night, I read that I should try "SIMPLY" deleting the email address and start over. I clicked on the email address to delete, confirmation said: You are about to delete an Outlook Email Address, do you wish to proceed? After confirming, I see that it not only wiped out the email, it cleared my huge contacts area!

Been researching and calling support people and no one had a solution - except YOU (however, it appears I need to do something more at this point)

My PIM.VOL file is 416K which tells me there's something on it! I just need to figure out how to get it restored! - Any further advice??

I even tried emailing it to my PC and opened the file with Notepad to try to salvage - and don't see everything - but amongst the foreign language code, I can make out some....

Rivaldo's manual backup and restore procedure is as per stated in his post. Copy out the PIM.vol file and copy back. That's all. If you PIM.vol file contains garbage in the first place, this procedure is not going to help you recover the data that may have been in the file.

maybe motoQ is not a WM phone. so does it still contains the contacts in the PIM.vol file? maybe tt's y u didn't manage to get it.