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Author Read this! Back up your contact without synching!
adolfo
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Joined: Jan 02, 2003
Posts: 133
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Posted: 2005-12-06 12:04
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Perhaps some of you already learned about this very handy trick on how will you back up your contacts database without using anything, just a few clicks on your phone and yeebbaahhh! all contacts, no matter how big that is, hundred or thousands, with notes, address, other numbers, company, job title..etc...everything will remain intact!

just follow these procedures:

1.) go to contacts, be sure that you select the ALL folder.
2.) click CONTACTS>SEND THIS FOLDER> select MMS..
3.) you will then be forwarded to the MMS editor app. Notice that the mms message has an attachment in it. That's "ALL.VCF"
4.) you will not be sending this MMS to anybody anyway. so click cancel.
5.) using a third party app SMAN or any File Manager application where you can browse all the phone's file directory, go to C:/system/app/mail
6.) from there you can see a lot of subfolders.. select the the first one.
7.) from the first folder you selected..there are again a lot of subfolders in its hierarchy. now you have to open all of that folders and find the file named "ALL.VCF"
8.) if you found it, move it somewhere in the memory stick! that's all! you can now reformat the phone safely!
9.) after reformatting, go to where you saved your "ALL.VCF" file and click it.. the phone will now prompt you to save all the contacts in your contact database. you can check all the details in eacj contact..everything is intact!

i hope this will help..

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[ This Message was edited by: adolfo on 2005-12-06 11:06 ]
chemos
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Posted: 2005-12-06 12:54
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Works well - nice one Adolfo!

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[ This Message was edited by: chemos on 2005-12-06 11:54 ]
adolfo
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Posted: 2005-12-06 13:40
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dont mention it..
hard core p-series user
t68i, p800, p900, p910i, p990i
jcwhite_uk
Sony Xperia Z1
Joined: Feb 18, 2004
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Posted: 2005-12-06 13:45
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If you have bluetooth or Infra-red on your computer you can "send all contacts" to your pc and get the same file.
nesbitt_bub1
P910
Joined: Nov 23, 2005
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Posted: 2005-12-06 19:21
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thats almost the same method i used to transfer all my contacts from my p800 to the 910.

select all the contacts, send as, Bluetooth. it sends the same file to the new phone (takes about 20 seconds). Then when you open the message it unpacks the contacts straight into the phone book!
wannabegeek
P910
Joined: Nov 06, 2005
Posts: 62
From: Cape Town
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Posted: 2005-12-07 00:05
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Hi adolfo and all. Seems to me that some of my teething problems might be linked but this is the one that pertains to your helpful post.
I tried to send my contacts via BT/dongle (to the PC)and it send "sent"/110% and then message on fone=send failed (have been trying to work around the sync prob...maybe see my post higher up) Now i try your method and send as MMS = "Cannot add object.The Message size will become too large" Come to think of it I sent my wife 2 MMS's which she said did not arrive (they were in my sent box though?)
Phew...i luv my SE but talk about a baptism of fire...lol

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[ This Message was edited by: wannabegeek on 2005-12-06 23:07 ]
adolfo
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Posted: 2005-12-09 03:03
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okay..i do hope this one will help you out bro..

install SMAN ver1.4.. it seems that your contacts database is very big due to adding and erasing entries, yup you heard it right, yes, erasing contacts should lessen the size of contacts database but it's not, erasing entries increases the size of the database. you need to compress it..i mean some sort of defragmentation..hehehe.. at SMAN, go to Fn>Utilities>Compress contacts..after tapping this, your contacts size will be compressed.

then try the procedure again...

the trick i shared is very handy if you need to back up your contacts should the pc, bluetooth or ir dongle or the presence of another phone is unavailable..hehehe

well.. by the way..some sort of clarifications here.. the file ALL.VCF will be found in C:/system/mail and not in the c:/system/app/mail..sorry for that..
hard core p-series user
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Residentevil
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Posted: 2005-12-09 04:58
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Now that is a good one.
Tough times don't last, tough people do!
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cadcad
Satio Silver
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Posted: 2005-12-12 01:47
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Isn't it faster to sync normally or via remote sync? Plus that method can be used for contacts ONLY.

This message was posted from a P910

Burgaz
P990
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Posted: 2005-12-12 02:42
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Some people have had trouble syncing or just don't want to... Always nice to have an alternative!
petrutms
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Posted: 2005-12-12 07:04
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www.mobical.net. you`ll like it. Plus is free
hyperken
Samsung Galaxy Note
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From: Malaysia
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Posted: 2005-12-12 07:36
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how to back up mms or beamed itemS???
T18>T68i>P910i>P1i>Samsung Galaxy Note
32MB>256MB>1GB>1GB M2>2GB M2>16GB M2>32GB SanDisk MicroSDHC
adolfo
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Posted: 2005-12-12 10:01
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you're right burgaz.. since the nature of my business relies on my contacts in my phone..i dont really care synching my calendar and sms entries. also, i am not really in front of my pc most of the time. im always mobile..it's good to know there is this alternative to back up your contacts eventhough you are in a subway train or a bus, or in the middle of wilderness..hehehe
scormie
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Joined: Oct 22, 2004
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From: Wessex UK
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Posted: 2005-12-12 10:02
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Quote:

petrutms wrote:
http://www.mobical.net. you`ll like it. Plus is free



I'd like to give mobical.net a big thumbs up too.

It's all very well backing up to a pc or to a memory card -- but what if you lose your phone when you happen to be away from home for an extended period? (I speak from bitter experience!)

Mobical gives you web access to all your info until such time as you've got a replacement phone sorted out, and then once you've got a new phone, you simply recover your data from the mobical server on to it, wherever you happen to be.

Additionally, because you've been backing up remotely while you've been away, you're assured of having up-to-date info.
zol
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Posted: 2005-12-12 10:47
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Quote:
adolfo wrote:
Perhaps some of you already learned about this very handy trick on how will you back up your contacts database without using anything

Why repost old news? If you search the forum for "all.vcf" you will see how many times the same has already been described.
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