Content

• Steps
• Tips
• Warnings
• What do you need
• Links
• General information sites
• Mobile phone software web pages
• Special cases
• Other relevant and half-relevant sites

The sad reality is that mobile phones, like any device more complex than a desk lamp, are prone to accidental catastrophic failure. In some cases, restoring to factory settings and / or deleting data from a device may be justified for various reasons.In any case, if such a thing happens, one way or another, you will lose everything that you have saved on this phone. Here's how to be prepared for this.

Steps

1. 1 Understand your phone. Get information about your phone. Play with him. As they say in our technical circles, RTFM (Read The Friendly Manual - using the more polite term "Read the friendly manual"). Since 2000, mobile phones have been capable of more than just a phone call, and on many orders of magnitude. Therefore, to deal with your phone is the de facto first step in the ability to connect it; without it, you will be confused.
2. 2 Find a way to connect your mobile phone to your computer. USB, Bluetooth, and in some cases IrDA (Infrared) will all do well. Some mobile phones require a dedicated cable and you can simply buy one (when not in the box). If it cannot be done in one way, find another; if it can't be done at all, it's time to buy a new phone that can handle the task. Again, the manual - refer to it to see if this can be implemented; if not, read one of the links in the Shared Sites section below. If you still cannot find the information, please contact your carrier to see how they can help you with this matter. If the operator cannot help you, look for the phone manufacturer or information on the Internet.
3. 3 Get a program for your phone from its manufacturer. Remember that your carrier doesn't make phones: your carrier's "contribution" to the phone is additional software to make it work on their network the way they want it, as well as any additional branding. But, as a rule, they are NOT responsible for this. (Most carriers will provide software support for more advanced brands such as Blackberry, Palm, and anything else that runs Windows Mobile.) Most mobile phone manufacturers have software that will allow you to back up your device, and the vast majority these programs are free to download from the operator's website. Search the manufacturer's website and find your phone - it's usually found under their tech support links. (Some links are collected below.) If your phone manufacturer has software, please consider this before purchasing and / or downloading anything from a third party developer.
4. 4 Install the software. This requires a little computer knowledge (clicks on web links and double clicks) and a little patience. You can go for a coffee, as this part can take a few extra minutes for you to wait for it to complete. In addition, do not panic while the installer is performing the installation, it pauses in the middle of the process - this is normal.
5. 5 Follow the instructions on the screen. The software will invariably guide you through the steps required to create a "communication" between your phone and your computer. If you follow these directions, you can't go wrong.

Tips

• Most (US) mobile operators have various options for backing up at least some of your phone's data (usually contacts). Check with your carrier for details on any mobile backup features.
• Always read the documentation and help files that come with the software.
• Don't be afraid to play with the software - this is the best way to find out what the software can do. Usually it is not only for backing up your phone to a computer: for example, Nokia PC Suite will allow you to send and receive text and picture messages, manage files, or even use your mobile phone as a modem for your computer.
• These steps also provide an opportunity to migrate from one mobile platform to another (for example, from Nokia to Samsung). Exactly how to do - remains as an exercise, but the general rule is to install both software packages, back up the old phone, export data from the old software, and then import into the program for the new phone. (The new software will take care of downloading to the phone).
• It's pretty safe to ignore these steps for Android devices; contacts and calendar items have already been copied to Google servers. Just make sure to turn on the sync features: Home ==> Menu ==> Settings ==> Accounts and Sync (Home ==> Menu ==> Settings ==> Accounts and Sync (or Sync in earlier Android 2.0)).

Warnings

• If using USB: some mobile phones require a dedicated cable and not all cables are built in the same way. Even USB cables can be "false". Make sure you have the correct phone cable. (These cables can be expensive, so this is a warning.)
• Not all phones are equally capable of backing up, either because they are not designed that way in terms of software, or they simply lack the necessary connections to connect to a computer. In any case, the best way out is to copy the contacts to your SIM card (if you have a GSM operator), or in the worst case, grab a pen and paper and start rewriting.
• Not all mobile phones will accept all data from the backup. In addition, some attempts to transfer data between different brands and / or models of a mobile phone may result in data loss. This is the expected behavior - mobile phone manufacturers are not interested in this kind of cooperation in this sense. Check with your phone manufacturer for details.
• While most phones will charge when connected to a computer, some mobile phones do not. (Nokia devices made before 2009 tend to do this, as Nokia supported using a separate plug to power this point.) Have a charger ready just in case.
• Motorola demands payment for their software. Be ready.
• Always read the documentation and help files that come with the software... It is quite important to do this several times.
• Not all Bluetooth chipsets are built the same. There are some that do not have the required profiles for certain functions. This can be on any mobile phone, a Bluetooth adapter (aka a dongle) that is connected to the computer, or in cases where Bluetooth is built into the computer, the chipset and / or driver on the computer. Make sure you read your hardware specification.

What do you need

• Computer
• Mobile phone
• Connection method for 2 devices
• Internet connection
• A little time

Links

Please note that many of these web pages are US Centric.

General information sites

In general, these sites will give the general characteristics of most mobile devices in a nutshell. These are usually good "one-source" web pages for such information, as well as providing equipment reviews.

• Phonescoop (one source of mobile phone information))
• GSM Arena (another source, specifically a GSM phone)

Mobile phone software web pages

These pages are more specific in terms of mobile phone manufacturers rather than operators, or, as indicated above, sites for conventional mobile phones.

• Nokia PC Suite and Ovi Suite
• Blackberry Desktop Software
• iPhone - iTunes downloads

Special cases

These pages contain information about phones that are not directly simple - there may be basic system requirements, additional requirements, or simply cannot load directly in the browser of your choice.

• Motorola Phone Tools and other related downloads. This software requires payment from Motorola if you want to sync. (Note, USB drivers are free).
• Sony Ericson PC Suite website (software for Sony Ericsson phones).This page is in the Exceptional Cases section as it is misinterpreted in the Google Chrome web browser.
• Windows Mobile - Activesync or Windows Mobile Device Center - which one to download - depends on the version of Windows (the site will explain this), and if you don't have Microsoft Outlook, you won't be able to back up your contacts to your computer. (A link for a 60-day trial is included on this page.)
• Kyocera and Sanyo - Like Motorola, a software purchase is also required, however in order to find it you will have to search for your phone and purchase it that way.
• Palm or Pocket Devices - as of 2009, Palm is moving towards webOS (which effectively supports itself on the cloud), and in 2010, they stopped any and all development for PalmOS. For their other devices (Treo and centro):
  • Support Main Page - Please select a device and / or note the following:
    • Palm Desktop for any PalmOS device
    • Activesync or Windows Mobile Device Center for any device running Windows Mobile
• Htc - see above Windows Mobile

Other relevant and half-relevant sites

• Google sync - Very useful for remote backup of advanced devices; EXTREMELY useful for navigating between any devices listed on them.
• Data Pilot by Susteen - While we do not endorse or endorse mobile phone software (or any software, for that matter), in a pinch it can help out if your phone is not listed above. You probably still need a cable. This software costs money.