Database Info

How can I create a "disk image" of my device?

Greetings everyone! First off, thank you for a wealth of information on this site as well as the coolest apps and ROMs. I'm glad I came across this site.
I've been trying out different ROMs by different developers. They're all great! I feel like a dude driving a different sports car every week! My question is, how can I create a "disk image" of my current setup? Is there a program for WM6 like PQDI or Norton Ghost?

Thats a good question... this is what we need... than ill test more roms ^^

This part is tricky.
There are two major backup utilities: Sprite and SPB backup.
Trouble is that while they both create a full backup including registry, messages and apps you can not deploy this backup on a different ROM (specially if it is different AKU version or different OS 5 / 6) without serios side effects.
This is because some internal structures (like PIM.VOL) and registry settings are different in these ROMS.
Thats why it is recommended that you backup your contacts, emails and stuff to outlook then sync and reinstall all the apps on the new ROM.
Alternatively, both apps allow you to manually select what is backed up. You can play with that option to only backup "generic" stuff.

Understood.
What I was hoping to find is a utility that takes a snapshot of my current setup and creates one file, or one EXE. It's kinda like swapping hard drives with each having a different OS's. I'd have one "favorite" ROM though (with my personal settings, including keyboard layout, ringtones, contacts, WiFi key info, voice commands, etc) and if I'm done testing someone else's ROM, I can reload that 'favorite' one to continue on with my day, all with one flash.

problem is that many difference between roms also is what registrys are set to what
so if you take that with you some optimezes could be lost

Really?
I've used an old program called PQDI (just like Norton Ghost) and what I'd do is after doing a fresh load of OS on my PC, I'd start to load some of my favorite software like Premiere (I do video editing) and Sonar (I also do music). Then, I create a disk image of my hard drive. Months later, after installing tweaks and stuff, and if for some reason (and this has happened before) I screw up my registry, get a virus, or my PC starts to run slow because of junk that have collected over the months, I'd reload that image and the very next time I turn on my PC, it would have a fresh load of OS with Premiere and Sonar, and nothing else, it's just as if I had bought a new computer.
I was hoping it would be the same on my 8525. There is a feature right now called "Clear Storage" (installed on every WM device) that clears up every things and reloads the ROM. But that erases all the tweaks you've done and starts you off with a fresh load of ROM. :/

Ok, there is one thing you don't seem to be clear on:
On PC stuff you install and OS all can be treated the same because they all reside on an HD and if you can take and image of that you can restore it all whenever you want.
But on devices like the 8525 this is completely different. The ROM on each device is stored and encrypted in a different matter, and needs to be written in a special way so there can be no "generic" tool for ROM flashing. This is also why there are no apps that take complete image of a device (ROM + user apps and data).

Thanks for the clarification. It would have been great if there was, huh? That would make beta testing and reporting much more efficient. Oh well. I'll move on. Thanks again! (Hmm...now what ROM should I try next...)

duplicating phone

I have multiple tilts, and want to make them all the same... is there a way that after I've got one working the way I want it to quickly duplicate/copy everything to another tilt?
I've looked at the kitchen stuff, but need a good walk thru to make heads or tails,,,
I basically am taking someones already cooked ROM, then modifying it and adding the CABS I want, and the config settings I want for the phone. I am also changing start menu layout to my liking.
thanks in advance!
-mike

I did a search and can't find an easy answer to this. Anyone have a suggestion?

you can use sprite backup and then do a "upgrade" restore to get most of your stuff on the other tilts. will need to reconfigure email though. please read the help and faq at Sprite's website before you do it.

You want aprogram called SPB Kiosk. I'ts not cheap, but I did some beta testing for them & can probably send you a test copy that's fully functioning. PM me if u want.

why do you need multiple tilts? not to be a smart ass but just dont see the logic. in regard to your question why not install the same rom/radio on each and load your preferred cab files on an sd card and just load them up. its a bit tedious however it shouldnt exactly be brain surgery. plus use pim backup so each phone can have same contacts etc...

Probably b/c like me they are for family &/or business use.
swtaltima said:
why do you need multiple tilts? not to be a smart ass but just dont see the logic. in regard to your question why not install the same rom/radio on each and load your preferred cab files on an sd card and just load them up. its a bit tedious however it shouldnt exactly be brain surgery. plus use pim backup so each phone can have same contacts etc...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Correct me if I'm wrong but I think the suggestions so far are to backup the programs and settings but not the ROM. Am I confused?

What you are looking for is something like Sprite Clone (but it aint cheap).

"Kloning the Kaiser"
KODIAC said:
I have multiple tilts, and want to make them all the same... is there a way that after I've got one working the way I want it to quickly duplicate/copy everything to another tilt?
I've looked at the kitchen stuff, but need a good walk thru to make heads or tails,,,
I basically am taking someones already cooked ROM, then modifying it and adding the CABS I want, and the config settings I want for the phone. I am also changing start menu layout to my liking.
thanks in advance!
-mike
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Spb Backup does a complete backup and restore of everything you have installed, all PIM data, and all Register settings, but doesn't install the ROM. I would think you could flash the ROM you want on every other device, and then take the Restore file from the complete unit and run it on every other unit. The Restore file is a self-contained .EXE file, it doesn't need the program to be installed (because the whole point is that it will reinstall everything even if your current program structure is FUBAR)

New idea:New ROM Backup Install Packs

I'm a newb at all of this and this is just a suggestion. One of the things that has stopped me from flashing is the well-known time-consuming process of re-installing programs, settings, tweaks, etc. i imagine after doing it a dozen or so times, it gets faster and easier, but I'm still leery.
What if it were possible to create a package of common and not-so-common programs/tweaks, etc. that could be installed via backup package? It would require at least one volunteer (mostly likely the ROM cooker but it could be anyone). This is how I see it working:
1) Person A installs a new ROM.
2) Using that fresh ROM, Person A would then install demo versions of the most popular commercial apps and also install the most popular freeware titles, tweaks, etc.
3) Person A would then do a backup using Sprite or SPB Backup.
4) Person A would then make that backup, a New ROM Install Pack, available to other users of the identical ROM.
5) Anybody who has installed that same ROM could then simply use that backup to re-install all of the apps and registering the commerical apps with their own serial numbers. They could also simply delete the programs they don't want.
The commercial apps are all demo software so there are no warez or copyright issues involved.
Yes, it would be time-consuming for the volunteer and that person could be rewarded with Paypal Praise or simply a very kind thank you. Restoring from a backup takes maybe 10 minutes. Hundreds and thousands of other users could forever be spared the hours and hours of re-installing apps.
What do you all think?

diar,
While that may sound all good the realitity is that it doesn't work out for the better.
First who's to say everyone uses all those apps? What free apps do you use? I use my phone for work so i have ftp, tftp, putty, wifi apps, vpn, mail apps, biz contacts apps, etc. I don't care for the Audio apps or the 10083829 games or whatever.
Second, it makes the ROM too big and slow. And personally the reason some of us move to these roms is to make them smaller and faster.
Also have you actually tried using that sprite backup or and backup feature where you backup form one phone and go to another? Its horrible. sure if you must use it go for it but it is never quiet the same. i've even had problem with that on the same phone.
However your intensions are in the right place and that is why you have apps like pmmbackup to help you with these kind of things. but another thing you can try doing is learning to create cab files to do the things you want. Heck before the network config wizard was put into the roms i created a cab file to configure all my network settings to i would have to enter my AT&T settings, and with the 8525 i had to have a cab for the keyboard settings. Etc.
Check it out this forum has many how tos to get you started and if not live.com is always there for you.
-Other

I haven't tried it myself but i was just browsing the spb website (great stuff!)
The Program 'spb clone' might do what the topic starter hates to do (re-install all the settings and programs)
or am i wrong and is 'spb clone' not working with different roms..?
http://www.spbsoftwarehouse.com/products/clone/

No experience with clone, but I'm fairly certain that it assumes all the hardware is identical and running the same ROM.
Problem with backup/restore software is each ROM is unique, has slightly different software installed or not. If you do a backup with Voice Command embedded in the ROM but then restore it to a ROM without it, I don't think it works...

Cooking newbie - Question doesnt seem to have been asked before

Hi
I'm wanting to cook a myself a ROM that has everything i will ever need. Is there a way to cook my contacts list into a ROM so when i do a hard reset the contacts are all there?
Sorry if this is a stupid question

I have to ask why you'd really want to. When you edit the contact list, those edits would be lost when you hard reset. You'd have to recook your ROM every time you edited or added a contact. Plus you technically don't have a backup of your contacts should your phone be stolen/lost/destroyed. You are far better off using Outlook so you have a backup. It's not difficult to sync your contacts/tasks/appointments when you hard reset.
Also - FYI...I'm going through the ROM cooking learning curve right now. Alex's tools make everything relatively easy to get started. I evolved by creating packages for literally every piece of software I use. There are two problems with that....like the contacts issue, anytime a piece of software is updated your ROM becomes outdated (assuming you want the most up-to-date version). As such, I am now not cooking in those programs that get updated with any frequency. Also, there are technically two copies of many of the files for the programs you cook. While it really isn't a huge problem, it does negatively impact your storage. As such, I'm spending a lot of time scaling my ROMs back and using more cabs. The best thing I've spent my time learning is creating a cab file with all my personal settings and the programs I always install so I can customize any ROM super fast. FWIW from someone who has been there.

Maybe I am not understanding, but why not just save them to your sim card unless you have that many contacts that it is not possible to save all of them.

perhaps because the sim does only store one number per name?
Its way more comfortable to have one contact with alle the information in it...
A nice backup on sd card does the job well.

You could use this application to make a backup of all you contacts, after flashing use the same program to restore the contacts.....
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=299705

Or I don't know call me old fashioned but you could use Outlook to save your contacts.

Flashing + UC + Manilla = Lockups

Hey all,
I have a very crazy provisioning script, this thing installs all my apps, moves start menu items, sets up e-mail, sets up network connections, and does a whole buttload of customizations (I am willing to share if you like) and I noticed that any app that needs to shutdown/access outlook during the script locks the phone because manila is running in the background. Even windows Livesearch asks to shut down outlook, but then the phone locks because i guess the manila process wont let it go. I havent tried PIM backup/restore with manila running, but I wanted to share my findings with everyone incase people were having problems.
To get around this, I have a part of my SDCONFIG that enables the phone so I can go to the today settings and turn off manila for the rest of the install.
I'd love to see a reply to this thread and see if anyone has found a workaround other than what I do.
Maybe some chefs can come up with some ideas like disabling manila before customizations begin and then turning it on in the registry before a reboot or something like that. We've got some great minds here im sure we can think of something!
~Rick

RickoT said:
Hey all,
I have a very crazy provisioning script, this thing installs all my apps, moves start menu items, sets up e-mail, sets up network connections, and does a whole buttload of customizations (I am willing to share if you like) and I noticed that any app that needs to shutdown/access outlook during the script locks the phone because manila is running in the background. Even windows Livesearch asks to shut down outlook, but then the phone locks because i guess the manila process wont let it go. I havent tried PIM backup/restore with manila running, but I wanted to share my findings with everyone incase people were having problems.
To get around this, I have a part of my SDCONFIG that enables the phone so I can go to the today settings and turn off manila for the rest of the install.
I'd love to see a reply to this thread and see if anyone has found a workaround other than what I do.
Maybe some chefs can come up with some ideas like disabling manila before customizations begin and then turning it on in the registry before a reboot or something like that. We've got some great minds here im sure we can think of something!
~Rick
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe the chef when cooked in manilla can add reg key to disable at first boot, and then in the preconfig add a reg key to enable at next boot.
suggest it to the chef.
Either way man, Good disscussion!! and good luck
I'll have to test this in my roms to see if it's possible

Yah thats what I was thinking, only thing is that on my phone, my UC script reboots @ the end. So maybe they can just not have manila enabled my default then during the UC script it enables it in the registry after the boot. its pretty easy I have my UC script disable all of the default today items using the app I wrote TodayDisabler, then it goes into the reg and enables just the today plugins I typicaly use (need to update to use manila instead of HTC home and the others i use)