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Office Re-install - (ActiveSync Question!)

Hi
I have a complex situation, that probably has a very simple answer. I am probably being paranoid, but hopefully someone knowledgeable about ActiveSync will be able to quickly sort me out.
My laptop was recently repaired, (with a replacement motherboard fitted). When I got it back, Windows XP & Office XP of course both asked to be re-activated.
Windows succeeded, however Office asks me to insert the Office CD to be able to activate. When I do this the activation notification disappears, but Office is left in Reduced Functionality mode (eg I never get to the phone Microsoft to activate bit!)
Unfortunately, my phone is now 6 weeks out of date with Syncing (also due to the laptop being in repair!). I haven't run an ActiveSync since I got the laptop back as I have been worried about running an ActiveSync whilst Outlook is in reduced functionality mode. I was concerned it might lose data (as most Outlook features become read only!), so I have kept them out of sync (and getting more so daily) until I know the best way to proceed.
So, I need to either fix Office re-activating, (which doesn't seem possible) OR to find out how to get ActiveSync to work, with an Office re-install from scratch, without losing or duplicating any of my data. I just don't know enough about ActiveSync to know if it will just work without a problem, or if I need to do things in a certain order.
The current thinking is that I will have to manually remove Office XP (as the uninstall process also doesn't work!), before reinstalling it again, and re-activating the new copy.
So lots of possible paths to the solution, but I'm not sure which order to proceed in.
I ultimately want Office re-activated and fully working again and want the phone fully synced and no lost or duplicate data in either the phone or Outlook.
So some direct questions:
Can the phone Sync with Outlook in Reduced Functionality mode? (or might I lose data?). It seems that if they are synced before I uninstall Outlook, then everything becomes a lot simpler.
Failing that....
What will happen if I forceably remove Office by a manual uninstall. When I re-install Office and put in the my PST files, will ActiveSync cope OK, just pick up where it left off, and happily cope with the data currently being out of Sync? (might I get missing or duplicate data?)
What would be the suggested method to achieve my end result with minimum grief and hassle? And which order should I take these steps?
Thanks for reading this far.
Details:
Windows XP; Office XP Pro (the Product key is valid, I just can't get the software to get far enough to the actual activation screen);
Activesync 4.1; XDA Mini-S;
Mike

If you have a backup program for your phone just make a backup to your memory card. You will now always have a copy of where you are today. Set your active sync in your phone (activesync, menu, options, select your computer, settings) to 'keep the item on your device' and sync away. The worst that could happen is you may have to restore your phone to where it was today when you made the backup. Most likely all will go well and you'll sync up normally. My outlook information on my computer was accidentally erased and fully restored this way. Made my day!

I've always treated active-sync as my backup of the phone, and I am quickly realising why this a foolish approach to have taken!
Your advice seems to be spot on and is what I will do. However, as I don't currently have a backup program for my phone, which would you recommend? I guess it needs to be something that I can install without Active-Sync?
I suspect that a backup to the memory card is a better plan than running an activesync with a new computer (temporarily) as a means of backup - is that right?
Thanks for your help.
Mike

Try putting the office cd in while the PC is booting, so that when it asks, it's already there, which it may or may not detect?
Also, you could do set-up an account on http://live.mail2web.com to sync your contacts, calendar etc too, but you will lose any mail on there. Hopefully this isn't something you are desperate to keep though?

When I to do a "detect & repair" of Office, it actually says "source not available", but it doesn't give that info when I try to re-activate with the CD. However it doesn't give me an option to find the source. I've tried leaving the CD in when booting up, but sadly it made no difference. Certainly if I can just get Office to re-activate without any un-installing then there are no other problems, however that is looking increasingly unlikely. I do have one suggestion to follow there, which is to remove various registry entries before doing another "detect & repair", which might sort itself out.
Failing that I am on a backup PDA, then mannual removal route.
I will look into http://live.mail2web.com and see what it can offer me by way of a backup.
Thanks for your help.
Mike

Final update.
Thanks everyone for your help. I have finally got it all sorted. It turns
out I probably WAS being overly paranoid (but better that, than losing all my
data because I didn't think first!).
What I did:
1) I got a trial copy of SPB Backup for my Phone. (you get 5 runs of the
program before you have to buy - but I will be buying it anyway as I am very
impressed with it). The big advantage of this program is that it can be
installed directly on the storage card which some others can't. It could even
be downloaded as a CAB file (directly in Pocket Internet Explorer) and
executed on the device directly without needing an ActiveSync install. This
was the clincher for me, as I needed to take a backup before running
ActiveSync.
2) Took backups of the phone with SPB and of the PST files from Outlook.
3) Tried an ActiveSync with Outlook in reduced functionality mode. It worked
mostly fine. Came up with some "support code 1" errors for a handful of
contacts, but nothing major. So it appears that ActiveSync mostly works fine
with reduced functionality mode (hence I was probably being paranoid for not
trying this sooner!).
4) With the phone & Outlook now back up to date, there was less of an issue
as to what happened next. However I decided to see which bit of the various
instructions solved my problem. I did this by trying them bit by bit, and
testing with re-activation, re-install, detect & repair etc at every stage.
By process of elimination, I found out that removing the program files folder
made no difference, as did deleting the two Office reg key branches. The
crucial part was the Windows Installer Cleanup. So I restored all the reg and
program files back as they were before the tests, and ONLY ran the Windows
Installer Cleanup program.
5) I was then able to re-install Office over the top of itself, and I was
pleased to note that by keeping the files and reg keys all my settings were
retained.
6) Office happily Activated by the Internet. Hurray!
7) Connected to "Microsoft Update" to get SP3 and all subsequent updates &
patches for Office (re-installing over itself loses all the updates
previously installed)
8) Checked my email accounts, rules, etc and ActiveSync are still working
correctly. Which they are!
So, it seems that if I'd had the guts to go for it, I could have JUST done
the Windows Installer Cleanup trick keeping everything else intact ready to
sync. OR equally I could have just run ActiveSync to get the up to date and
them blown Office all away for a complete re-install. As it happens I am VERY
pleased with the route I took and the end outcome. It is far better than my
expectations of the hassles I would face. The hardest part was gathering all
the information to make me happy enough to proceed... oh and finding the
guts! The actual re-install was totally painless.
Anyway, I hope my findings of using JUST Windows Installer Cleanup, help
someone else who wants to try keeping their settings in the future.
I also hope my findings that ActiveSync mostly works in reduced
functionality mode, also helps others.
Anyway, so thank you to everyone who patiently shared their knowledge with
me. Without you all I would have gone into a flat-spin and struggled to get
my head round it all.
Thanks again

Orbit 2 Backup

Hi All,
My Orbit 2 has a faulty screen and O2 have agreed to replace my phone. The only issue I have with that is that I will have to somehow backup my data so that I can transfer it to my new phone. Whats the best software to use? Can I somehow take an image of the whole phone?
Thanks
Andy

Backing up Orbit 2
What is that you need to backup?
If you perform an active sync then all your contacts and playlists should be backed up. You only need to plug your device into your pc's usb port for the sync to be completed.
If you use your storage card for storing all your other data then you shouldn't have a problem.
If the data is elsewhere on the phone then use 'explore this device' from your pc's desktop sync window to transfer that data to your computer before returning the phone to O2.

Well, if only screen is faulty and device works, you might try MyMobileR http://www.mymobiler.com/ for remote control., and PPC PIM Backup http://www.pocketpcfreewares.com/en/index.php?soft=1806 for backup.
However, I am using both programs, but in "normal" conditions, where device is functioning normally.

If yours is anything like mine which also came from O2, they supplied Sprite Back up with it on CD, that'll do a full back up for you.
But if the screen is toast you may still need some remote software to help view the Orbit.

Quick Question on a hard rest

If I perform a hard reset, what do I loose? what do I keeep? IE I am aware I will loose all the data i hav DLed on it but do I have to reprogram the phone and all?

Here's your answer, copied directly from the TP2 user's manual:
Performing a hard reset
If a normal reset does not solve a system problem, you can perform a hard (full) reset. After a hard reset, the device is restored to its default settings—the way it was when you first purchased it and turned it on. You
will lose any programs you installed, data you entered, and settings you customized on your device, and only Windows Mobile® software and other pre-installed programs will remain.
Warning! Your device will be set back to factory default settings. Make sure that any additional installed programs and/or user data have been backed up before you perform a hard reset.
Important If Encrypt files when placed on a storage card is enabled, backup all files from the storage card before using Clear Storage, hard reset, or updating the operating system. Otherwise you will no longer be able to
access the encrypted files on the storage card. Use ActiveSync or Windows Mobile Device Center to transfer files between your storage card and computer. After the procedure, copy your files back to the storage card.

Thank you for the reply. I have read that (in fact it was the first thing I read, and I as said I understand I will loose my files and what not) and it doesn't answer my question about programing on the verizon network. The reason why I asked is because the programing was a difficult process for several reasons that I wont get into.

Sorry, I wasn't (and still am not) clear about what you mean by "reprogramming". The hard reset leaves you with a phone that is the same as it was when you first opened the box EXCEPT that you do not need to initiate phone service. There are no contacts, no emails, no preference settings, but you can immediately make and receive phone calls. There are some free cabs that you can use to backup much of your data before doing the hard reset. This will reduce some of the pain of losing so much of what you put into the phone before doing the hard reset.

Thanks that does answer my question. When you get a phone you have to go through verizon programming dial *228 before using it. If you dont think i need to do this, then i should be al set

On a hard reset, you will need to dial *228 to activate the phone.

Android lacks the security

I read somewhere that Android keeps your personal data even after hard resetting the phone as it only delete the path of files nd original files are remain untouched. I just want to know if it is true or not..
Sent from my A110Q using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

Isn't that true for just about every storage device? I think the issue is when you erase the storage media, traces of the files can be recovered from the storage. This is true for your phone and also your personal computer. If you formatted your hard drive, someone could still use a data recovery to recover your data. Short of totally destroying your physical media, there may be no 100% way of erasing all data. The realistic goal would be erasing the data to the point where an average person can't recover it.
Based on what I read from the article, the issue is that if you erase your phone, the data can still be recovered from the phone using off-the shelve tool. Apple is a bit better since later generation of iphone handles encryption better. If you want to avoid this situation, look into an android phone with encryption features.
Paul

Check the settings, you might have the option to encrypt your data in there. Takes around an hour if your device is fairly new.

Glompish said:
Check the settings, you might have the option to encrypt your data in there. Takes around an hour if your device is fairly new.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good way of making sure your 'deleted' files, if they're still there, are inacessable.
But can make backup and recovery a real *****....

paul.siu said:
Isn't that true for just about every storage device? I think the issue is when you erase the storage media, traces of the files can be recovered from the storage. This is true for your phone and also your personal computer. If you formatted your hard drive, someone could still use a data recovery to recover your data. Short of totally destroying your physical media, there may be no 100% way of erasing all data. The realistic goal would be erasing the data to the point where an average person can't recover it.
Based on what I read from the article, the issue is that if you erase your phone, the data can still be recovered from the phone using off-the shelve tool. Apple is a bit better since later generation of iphone handles encryption better. If you want to avoid this situation, look into an android phone with encryption features.
Paul
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes some of the data can be recovered but that is only as long as it has not been over written. The easiest thing to do is to wipe the device and use a Stock rom flash file to over write the system a few times formatting all partitions.

After hard-reset, data will be erased from device.
But, if your data was synchronized with Google cloud services, they will remain alive after Android hard-reset.

All user data have been lost after hard reset

I imagine that after a factory reset, all information stored on the device previously will be erased, however, i believe that information synced with email accounts or applications will be saved

A factory reset is theoretically the best way to clear data and should work for most phones, see Settings > Backup & reset > Factory data reset. However, a company called Avast Software did a study recently and found they were able to recover photos from 20 handsets bought on Ebay. They say the owners did a factory reset but I'm a bit skeptical that maybe they claimed to but didn't.
Marc

i think the same thingh.

google keeps all of our information in its database... we are not its user but just product...

As zelendel said, data can be recovered after a factory reset. Have a look at this thread 'Deleting data' part.

full phone back up / clone.

is this possible?
if so please share which methods you have used
for example, i have a work phone that could be lost or damaged. its a massive pain to reconfigure a replacement phone manually
is it possible to make a mirror backup state of the whole phone that can be restored?
i would assume its hardware specific? as it has to be the same phone? if it possible
thanks

It needs to be rooted.
It needs the be the exact model in most cases.
Regardless -all- critical data should be backed up redundantly to at least two hdds that are physically and electronically isolated from each other and the PC.
Cloning is not recommended for music databases. I only cut/copy all my backup files and then check files size/folder number and spot check to make sure they're readable.
Never encrypt data drives as you are the most likely to be locked out.

IMO if your work-phone is encrypted then you probably cant't successfully create a fully restorable backup. If that's the case then decrypt it first means do a Factory Reset before doing a NANDroid-backup.

hello, where did i say anything about encrypted ?
i am also not talking about music. im talking about the OS, and app config and setup being cloned\mirror backed up so a restore would be just as before. thanks