Did I back up my Android phone correctly (copied phone + card tocomputer)

I connected my Samsung Galaxy S3 to my Windows computer
and slid over the entire "phone" and "card" directories.

Is there anything else I need to back up before resetting
the Samsung Galaxy S3 to factory defaults?

1. Did that save my contacts so I can re-use them?
2. Did that save my programs so I can re-use them?
3. Did that save my Gmail (it's probably on the server)?
4. Did that save my memos (eg Our Groceries lists)?

If not, how do I save those specific items before resetting
the S3 back to factory settings?

John K.Eason wrote, on Thu, 20 Nov 2014 23:50:00 +0000:

This is a Windows support newsgroup not a Samsung one, however a quick Google for
'backup samsung galaxy s3 to pc' (without the quotes) brings up a link to a Samsung
app at http://www.samsung.com/us/kies/

I've always thought of Samsung Kies as an app to just replace
the USB cable, which simply means it's slower than USB cable.

But going to that web page you suggested, it says it backs
up your contacts, text messages, "and more".

Since I've *already* copied all the files over to the Windows
PC, haven't I already copied over my "contacts, text messages,
and more"?

On Thu, 20 Nov 2014 23:58:10 +0000, James P. Doolittle wrote:

Since I've *already* copied all the files over to the Windows
PC, haven't I already copied over my "contacts, text messages,
and more"?

Yes. You're done.

PC Magazine suggests a simple copy always be your FIRST backup!
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2423270,00.asp

In article , lid (James P.
Doolittle) wrote:

I connected my Samsung Galaxy S3 to my Windows computer
and slid over the entire "phone" and "card" directories.

Is there anything else I need to back up before resetting
the Samsung Galaxy S3 to factory defaults?

1. Did that save my contacts so I can re-use them?
2. Did that save my programs so I can re-use them?
3. Did that save my Gmail (it's probably on the server)?
4. Did that save my memos (eg Our Groceries lists)?

If not, how do I save those specific items before resetting
the S3 back to factory settings?

This is a Windows support newsgroup not a Samsung one, however a quick Google for
'backup samsung galaxy s3 to pc' (without the quotes) brings up a link to a Samsung
app at http://www.samsung.com/us/kies/ which might do what you want, and another
link: http://preview.tinyurl.com/ojfcz9p which tells you how to do a complete
backup.

Regards
John ) Remove the obvious to reply...

James P. Doolittle wrote:

John K.Eason wrote:

This is a Windows support newsgroup not a Samsung one, however a
quick Google for 'backup samsung galaxy s3 to pc' (without the
quotes) brings up a link to a Samsung app at
http://www.samsung.com/us/kies/

I've always thought of Samsung Kies as an app to just replace
the USB cable, which simply means it's slower than USB cable.

But going to that web page you suggested, it says it backs
up your contacts, text messages, "and more".

Since I've *already* copied all the files over to the Windows
PC, haven't I already copied over my "contacts, text messages,
and more"?

SOMETHING has to run at both ends of the USB cable (and Kies is an app,
not a USB cable as you suggest, like it's using the cloud to transfer
the files between phone and PC). In your case, you use inbuilt support
on the Windows end to see and copy the files on the PC end from the
phone end. When you said "slower", were you thinking Kies couldn't use
a USB cable or that the Kies app seemed slower than whatever method you
used to copy the files, like using Windows Explorer?

http://rootgalaxys3iii.com/galaxy-s3-backup/

That shows Kies can use either a USB cable or wifi (network) connection
to transfer the data between the phone and PC.

They say "Back up important content from your device—including contacts,
text messages, and more". They don't say what is "more". You copied
over contact and messages to your PC. Without knowing what "more"
means, you've backed up what they bothered to actually mention as data
types. So, have you tried deleting a contact on the phone and then
tried to copy from the PC to the phone the contact (or the contact
database) to see if transfer the other way is just as simple?

Did you download/buy any backgrounds, ringtones, apps, music, or other
stuff to add onto the basic factory-time features of the phone? How
about the call log, To Do list, memos, schedule, and other data? Well,
if you reset, won't you lose those, too?

On 11/21/2014 12:17 PM, VanguardLH wrote:
James P. Doolittle wrote:

John K.Eason wrote:

This is a Windows support newsgroup not a Samsung one, however a
quick Google for 'backup samsung galaxy s3 to pc' (without the
quotes) brings up a link to a Samsung app at
http://www.samsung.com/us/kies/

I've always thought of Samsung Kies as an app to just replace
the USB cable, which simply means it's slower than USB cable.

But going to that web page you suggested, it says it backs
up your contacts, text messages, "and more".

Since I've *already* copied all the files over to the Windows
PC, haven't I already copied over my "contacts, text messages,
and more"?

SOMETHING has to run at both ends of the USB cable (and Kies is an app,
not a USB cable as you suggest, like it's using the cloud to transfer
the files between phone and PC). In your case, you use inbuilt support
on the Windows end to see and copy the files on the PC end from the
phone end. When you said "slower", were you thinking Kies couldn't use
a USB cable or that the Kies app seemed slower than whatever method you
used to copy the files, like using Windows Explorer?

http://rootgalaxys3iii.com/galaxy-s3-backup/

That shows Kies can use either a USB cable or wifi (network) connection
to transfer the data between the phone and PC.

They say "Back up important content from your device—including contacts,
text messages, and more". They don't say what is "more". You copied
over contact and messages to your PC. Without knowing what "more"
means, you've backed up what they bothered to actually mention as data
types. So, have you tried deleting a contact on the phone and then
tried to copy from the PC to the phone the contact (or the contact
database) to see if transfer the other way is just as simple?

Did you download/buy any backgrounds, ringtones, apps, music, or other
stuff to add onto the basic factory-time features of the phone? How
about the call log, To Do list, memos, schedule, and other data? Well,
if you reset, won't you lose those, too?

I have the Kies program installed on my computer. It listss all of the
items one can back up (16 items):
PERSONAL INFORMATION
-contacts
-S Memo
-Message
-S Planner
-Call log
-Videos
-Music
-Photos
-Miscellaneous content files (e.g. documents/videos subtitles/content in
hidden folder)
-Application (you can select individual or all applications)
ACCOUNT INFORMATION & SETTINGS
-AlaRm
-Email account information
-Preferences: home screen/wi-fi/lock screen
-Other preferences (e.g. volume/screen brightness/ringtone)

VanguardLH wrote, on Thu, 20 Nov 2014 21:17:58 -0600:

Did you download/buy any backgrounds, ringtones, apps, music, or other
stuff to add onto the basic factory-time features of the phone? How
about the call log, To Do list, memos, schedule, and other data? Well,
if you reset, won't you lose those, too?

Thanks for clarifying that Kies can work on USB or WiFi.

I'm still working on the manual backup process over USB cable, so,
I don't see how Kies can help me.

Here's what I have, so far, for a manual backup process, where
I'm trying to think of all the "other data" that I would want.

1. Connect phone to PC and copy entire "card" & "phone" hierarchies.
2. Backup the contacts.
[ ]Contacts Import/Export Export to SD card Export contacts to file
/storage/extSdCard/Contacts_001.vcf
3. Backup the text phone logs:
[ ]SMS MMS and call log entries using "SMS Backup+" by Jan Berkel.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/d....smssync&hl=en
4. Backup the audio call logs:
[ ]Voice Records
/Phone/CallRecordings (amr files) (app=Automatic Call Recorder)
/Phone/SmartVoiceRecorder (wav files) (app=Smart Voice Recorder)
/Phone/Sounds (wav files) (app=Voice Recorder)
5. Backup the pictures and screenshots:
[ ]Pictures & Screenshots
/Card/DCIM/Camera (camera pictures)
/Phone/DCIM/Camera (camea pictures)
/Phone/Pictures/Screenshots (phone screenshots)
6. Backup the GPS logs:
[ ]GPS Tracks
Google MyTracksSettingsExport allExport as KML to /MyTracks/kml
/Phone/MyTracks/kml
7. Backup the text files:
[ ]Memos & Todos
/Phone/S Memo (jpg files of the S Memo app)
/Phone/safeway (from Shopping List app)
8. Backup the music and ringtones:
[ ]Music & Ringtones
/Phone/Music
/Phone/Ringtones (ogg files)
9. Backup the WiFi logs:
[ ]WiFi Tracker
/Phone/wiglewifi/ (csv.gz & kml files)
10. Back up WiFi passwords:
Settings Accounts Backup and reset backup account
[ ]Back up my data
[ ]Automatic restore

What else am I missing for a manual backup of Android to a PC
over USB cable?

VanguardLH wrote, on Thu, 20 Nov 2014 21:17:58 -0600:

When you said "slower", were you thinking Kies couldn't use
a USB cable or that the Kies app seemed slower than whatever method

I had (wrongly) assumed that Kies only used WiFi.

Since Kies uses USB, then I don't think it should be any slower
than my manual backup using USB.

If Kies an do more than what I've figured out manually, that's good.

BobbyM wrote, on Fri, 21 Nov 2014 12:44:57 +0900:

I have the Kies program installed on my computer. It listss all of the
items one can back up (16 items):

That's good information.
I've added below how I've manually backed up those 16 items:

1. contacts
Contacts Import/Export Export to SD card Export contacts to file
/storage/extSdCard/Contacts_001.vcf

2. S Memo
S-Memo menu key Export {JPG,PDF} Select all Done
(Export completed /storage/emulated/0/S Memo)

3. Message
[ ]SMS MMS and call log entries using "SMS Backup+" by Jan Berkel.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/d....smssync&hl=en

4. S Planner
I don't seem to have this but I do have the "Calendar" app, which
I don't know how to back up yet.

5. Call log
[ ]SMS MMS and call log entries using "SMS Backup+" by Jan Berkel.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/d....smssync&hl=en

6. Videos
They should be in the DCIM directory, so they're just slid over to the PC.

7. Music
[ ]Music & Ringtones
/Phone/Music
/Phone/Ringtones (ogg files)

8. Photos
[ ]Pictures & Screenshots & Video
/Card/DCIM/Camera (camera pictures)
/Phone/DCIM/Camera (camea pictures)
/Phone/Pictures/Screenshots (phone screenshots)

9. Miscellaneous content files (e.g. documents/videos subtitles/content in
hidden folder)
I'm not at all sure how to save this stuff manually, mostly because
I don't know what it is.

10. Application (you can select individual or all applications)
Currently I'm planning on saving a pointer to the application.
App List Backup by Prizmos
https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...e.backup&hl=en

ACCOUNT INFORMATION & SETTINGS
11. AlaRm
I'm not sure how to manually back this up.

12. Email account information
I'm not sure how to manually back this up either.

13. Preferences: home screen/wi-fi/lock screen
I had not thought of this, so, it's something to think about how to
do manually. Maybe it's done this way?
Settings Accounts Google [select your google account]
[ ]Sync App Data
[ ]Sync Calendar
[ ]Sync Contacts
[ ]Sync Drive
[ ]Sync Gmail

14. Other preferences (e.g. volume/screen brightness/ringtone)
I'm not sure what this is, so, I'm unsure how to manually back it up.
Maybe this will work?
Back up WiFi settings, Application Data, etc.
Settings Accounts Backup and reset backup account
[ ]Back up my data
[ ]Automatic restore

On 11/21/2014 2:23 PM, James P. Doolittle wrote:
BobbyM wrote, on Fri, 21 Nov 2014 12:44:57 +0900:

I have the Kies program installed on my computer. It listss all of the
items one can back up (16 items):

That's good information.
I've added below how I've manually backed up those 16 items:

Whatever floats your boat :)

James P. Doolittle wrote:

I'm still working on the manual backup process over USB cable, so,
I don't see how Kies can help me.

Simple (and probably what BobbyM impugned with his "whatever floats your
boat" comment): Just use Kies instead of having to remember all those
manual steps (which uses other software, anyway).

Seems you are hell bent to do it manually so I'm guessing this isn't
about doing it the easy and thorough way but instead you learning where
is all the data that you want to backup.

James P. Doolittle wrote:
BobbyM wrote, on Fri, 21 Nov 2014 12:44:57 +0900:

I have the Kies program installed on my computer. It listss all of the
items one can back up (16 items):

That's good information.
I've added below how I've manually backed up those 16 items:


And I guess that would be the definition of insanity.
Owning a device that cannot be properly maintained.

This is one reason there's no mobile junk in this household.

Who needs that kind of misery ? Why do I need to know
about "rooted" capability ? And so on.

It's basically these companies, holding their user
community... as hostages.

Do I want to develop a "14 step recipe" ? No... Just, No.

*******

There are software products like this, but they required
a rooted device, to be used.

http://www.addictivetips.com/mobile/...omplete-guide/

Even when a PC is in seriously bad shape here (storage failure
imminent), I can at least take a stab at dd_rescue to make
a copy of *everything*. Doesn't matter what file system is on
it. Could be a FreeBSD system, could be Linux, could be Windows,
at least if you're allowed to copy the raw drive, you've got
some chance of restoring to working hardware. With
mobile_device_of_the_week, the outcome is less certain,
unless you're a level 39 wizard or something.

And there's really no reason for mobile devices
to be this badly designed. No excuse at all. It's
"hostage taking" at its finest.

Paul

On Thu, 20 Nov 2014 23:32:06 +0000 (UTC), James P. Doolittle wrote:

I connected my Samsung Galaxy S3 to my Windows computer
and slid over the entire "phone" and "card" directories.

Is there anything else I need to back up before resetting
the Samsung Galaxy S3 to factory defaults?

You should try asking in comp.mobile.android instead of a Windows
newsgroup. Oh wait, you just did...

Anyway, why don't you use KIES to create a backup?

--
s|b

On Thu, 20 Nov 2014 18:11:27 -0600, Jesse Harris wrote:

PC Magazine suggests a simple copy always be your FIRST backup!
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2423270,00.asp

| The First Copy
|
| I recommend making the first backup of your Android data be a copy of
| the SD card you keep on your computer.

A copy of the _SD card_ which doesn't have contacts on it. (Not in my
case anyway.)

--
s|b

"s|b" wrote:

On Thu, 20 Nov 2014 23:32:06 +0000 (UTC), James P. Doolittle wrote:

I connected my Samsung Galaxy S3 to my Windows computer
and slid over the entire "phone" and "card" directories.

Is there anything else I need to back up before resetting
the Samsung Galaxy S3 to factory defaults?

You should try asking in comp.mobile.android instead of a Windows
newsgroup. Oh wait, you just did...

Anyway, why don't you use KIES to create a backup?

Presumably because he may want to replace his S3 with a something not
made by Samsung. I don't think that Kies can cope with that.