Here's One Reason You Need a Backup Application

[bheuss]

Well, I had a moment of panic last night.  The Treo is my only email and web access right now.  (Shared DSL with landlord.  Landlord is out of town and, suddenly, there’s no internet connection.  Moral:  think long and hard about a shared connection.)

Treo had been working fine up until about 7:00 last night.  Suddenly, I was getting Error 67 every time I tried to check email or get on the web.  And, naturally, couldn’t search for it to see what the problem was without internet access.  I tried a soft reset.  I tried taking out the battery and leaving it out for 5 minutes.  I checked all the settings (sometimes a rogue copy of the network profile show up and that messes things up).  Nothing worked and nothing to repair.

I called *2 on the Sprint network to find out if the network in my area was down or just what.  The very pleasant CS woman tried to help, but could basically only say the network was fine and to call Tech Support.  That made me shudder.   

Then (why didn’t it occur to me before? ), I thought to try a full restore using Resco.  So, I did another soft reset, hotsynced, and did a full restore from a good backup.

It worked beautifully.  Internet and email were back.  No more Error 67.  (Apparently, Error 67 on the Sprint network means your logon password doesn't match the password in their database.  So, it seems like the password on the Treo somehow got corrupted.)

Whichever one you choose, just choose a backup app and use it regularly.  Resco has saved me several times, but this was a major save.  Plus, there was no need to talk with Technical Support!    

[Alli]

KFU for a happy ending!  I know how that kind of thing goes.  I wouldn't be caught without a daily backup...and now I'm running two just to be safe after suffering a corrupt sd card.

[Perry Gonzalez]

Ditto on the backup thing. I've been using FlyBackUp on my last two Palms. Love it.
[size=07pt]Too bad they discontinued producing it.[/size]
There have been several times where things went bad, giving me an opportunity to
learn/try something...but I get lazy and just hard reset and go to my last backup.
It has been a saver.

[Lizzrd]

Me three...

Haven't been able to hotsync since my husband reformatted his pc on our home network and somehow disabled my access to my treo apps via hotsync.  A fix has been delayed due to our schedules, so when my treo starts acting goofy, I do what PG does...reset/restore. 

But I need to be using Alli's tactic as well...   

[bheuss]

Thanks all.  Yes, backups (and I second Alli's suggestion of double backups) can really be a lifesaver.  Also, backing up the card to the PC.

I'll add that no new apps had been installed, no tweaks done.  Nothing.  The 650 just had a Treo moment and things went kerflooey.

I may check out PDAReach.  If it allows me to copy the Treo RAM/ROM to the PC and back, that would be a great backup backup. 

[bheuss]

PDAReach doesn't sound like it will work.  However, BackupBuddy for Windows (and there's one for Mac) sounds like it will do a full Treo-to-PC backup.  I didn't see BackupBuddy (just BackupBuddyVFS) in the downloads here, so here's a link if anyone else wants to check it out (both Win and Mac versions are available on this page):

http://www.bluenomad.com/bb/prod_backupbuddy_download.html

[Ben]

On the 650 and the 700p, it does it all very well. You can configure what to and not to sync. Ben

[christine600]

However, BackupBuddy for Windows (and there's one for Mac) sounds like it will do a full Treo-to-PC backup.

It not only sounds like it - it actually does take a complete Treo RAM & SD Card backup onto your PC.
And it keeps generations of backup so you can get back that file you had several months and hotsyncs ago.
I love it!

[erikstreo]

Backup?  I don't need no stinkin' backup.
 
-erik's evil twin

Resco has saved my *ss.
-erikstreo

[dmcduck]

I can fully empathize with the "feeling of panic" when you can't restore cuz hotsync isn't available or isn't playing nice and the treo has, as bheuss so eloquently put it, "a treo moment", turning it (temporarily???) into an expensive paperweight.

Resco has certainly saved my butt on more than one occasion.  It (or another like it) is DEFINITELY worth the investment.

[bheuss]

After using both Resco and BackupBuddy, I am feeling more comfortable with Resco for a couple of reasons:

1.  Resco performs scheduled backups to the SD card.  BackupBuddy does not.  I have to manually backup to the card with it.

2.  My scheduled backup for BackupBuddy always says something about the device not being connected.  There may be a conflict with the keyguard.  If I hit the center key to unlock keyguard, OK out of the error message, and press the hotsync button, it works just fine.

I do like the option of backing everything (and apparently BB backs up certain Treo data files that Resco doesn't backup), including the SD card, that BackupBuddy offers, so I may go ahead and purchase it and just do manual backups each day. 

[christine600]

1.  Resco performs scheduled backups to the SD card.  BackupBuddy does not.  I have to manually backup to the card with it.

Mine does backup automagically each early morning. As for your second problem I've never seen that either. Are you sure you do not have a 700w? 

[bheuss]

LOL and KFU Christine.  (Although even hinting at a win-based Treo brings up the urge to smite.      )

When I got mine, I really thought the 650 would be the last Palm-based Treo offered and decided to take the (financial) leap.  With their latest announcement of a partnership with MS and a provider in Europe, it makes one wonder if the POS is disappearing.  Sigh.   

[Lizzrd]

After using both Resco and BackupBuddy, I am feeling more comfortable with Resco for a couple of reasons:

1.  Resco performs scheduled backups to the SD card.  BackupBuddy does not.  I have to manually backup to the card with it.

2.  My scheduled backup for BackupBuddy always says something about the device not being connected.  There may be a conflict with the keyguard.  If I hit the center key to unlock keyguard, OK out of the error message, and press the hotsync button, it works just fine.

I do like the option of backing everything (and apparently BB backs up certain Treo data files that Resco doesn't backup), including the SD card, that BackupBuddy offers, so I may go ahead and purchase it and just do manual backups each day. 

Only manual backups?  What happened?  I have my BB scheduled for every wee hour of 3:30 AM, and it works well.  I occasionally will backup manually additionally when I've added data I don't want to chance losing before I'm able to back up with BB for Windows, but I know I'm covered for at least once daily.  The only time I've had any trouble is if I've moved it from device to card, or vice versa (I can never remember which).  The app has to be loaded onto the device firstand then it will "move itself" to the card...it'll give you a msg stating that there doesn't appear to be a most recent version on the card, and do you want it to move there.

And as for issue #2....maybe it is Keyguard.      

[bheuss]

After using both Resco and BackupBuddy, I am feeling more comfortable with Resco for a couple of reasons:

1. Resco performs scheduled backups to the SD card. BackupBuddy does not. I have to manually backup to the card with it.

2. My scheduled backup for BackupBuddy always says something about the device not being connected. There may be a conflict with the keyguard. If I hit the center key to unlock keyguard, OK out of the error message, and press the hotsync button, it works just fine.

I contacted Blue Nomad about problem #2.  They gave me an updated version to try (not released yet) and problem 2 is fixed.

Problem #1, I think, may be a conflict with Resco and I just like Resco's options better.  So will probably not use BBVFS for backing up to the SD card.

Blue Nomad responded very quickly to my inquiry and did, I think, an outstanding job of letting me use the updated version, even though I'm only trying things out.

They definitely get my support.