Windows Mobile Device centre just deleted all my contacts!

[CHAD2420]

I have a Samsung 780i and just did the ActiveSync. All my contacts wiped out !

When I created the account I was particular to indicate ....Mobile phone data as priority over Outlook but it just ignored it.

What a stupid <edited> software.
Years ago I use to sync contacts with an old Nokia with their simple software (Suite or someting) and evertyime, I got a question before deleting ONE contact.

Now, one more time my weekend is ruined because I have to reinstall a backed up Contacts. This is the not the first time my weekend is spent over a Windows related software glitch. Maybe, I should bill these guys for every weekend that I spent reparing a damn Windows software.

It is really frustrating that Gates is the richest person in the world while producing the most mediocre software in the world.

[mcfmr]

I registered here to report that this happened to me too!

Windows Mobile Device Center is a piece of complete GARBAGE!!!

I'm no newbie to computers either--I've been running them, building them, and even simple programming since the original PC. I've suffered through probably 10 hard drive crashes over the years without losing any data whatsoever.... Well, I'm on the edge now.. . I lost a couple of drives at the same time, and my PST file is corrupt on my backup. Therefore, my only current copy of my contacts (about 1500) is on my phone.

I setup an entirely new Vista machine (been on XP pro), and plug in my Mobile Phone. It promptly wipes my contacts clean on my phone EXCEPT for TWO contacts!!! What <deleted> is going on with this????

I pull out my 2 year old Window Mobile phone, set up a clean XP system, install ActiveSync 4.5, plug in the old phone, it loads all my (outdated) contact in Outlook. I plug in my 6 month old Windows Mobile phone, it puts them all on it. THAT IS HOW IT SHOULD WORK!!!!

I curse the programmers at Microsoft. I have lost several hundred new contacts that were very valuable to me. Valuable enough that I will be paying a few thousand dollars to have my RAID drive recovered so I can recover my PST files (hopefully).

I knew I had to guard against drives crashing, viruses, power surges, etc. I finally got caught without adequate backups.

Now I know I need to guard against the arrogant, <deleted> programmers at Microsoft who will, by DEFAULT wipe my phone. How can this new software work OPPOSITE of ActiveSync 4.5??? It wiped me out by DEFAULT.

Tips for Microsoft Programmers: Be clear what is happening. NEVER NEVER NEVER erase someone's data without then KNOWING without QUESTION what is happening. NEVER!!!!

\end rant

[finlay666]

Do I need to point out the obviousness of syncing to from pc>phone when pc has no contacts and the phone does that the phone would lose the existing contacts?

Or am I the only one that uses My Phone, the free WM app for storing contacts in a cloud

[bigben1021]

I too have done this! I was totally against sync-ing with my PC/exchange server because I envisaged it going wrong at some point or other, but I eventually gave in and did it.

I had to format my PC, and ended up losing all my contacts from my phone - a bit worrying until I managed to re-establish a new sync profile and get them all back... but that left me wandering how on earth i permanently break this connection and remove the profile from my phone whilst retaining all of my contacts?!

Clearly I can back them up from Outlook, but I cannot then restore these directly to the phone without sync-ing with a PC, and again using Outlook. So the only way to leave my PC behind would be to manually re-create all of the contacts on my phone again! I guess the deal is now that I have got into the sync situation, I cannot go back!

May be nice if there was a way to migrate from exchange/PC sync to MyPhone i.e. transfer all of your contacts, calendar etc.

[Jiff Lemon]

It's IMPOSSIBLE to lose your contacts, Calender etc if you have your Outlook (PST) backed up or you use Exchange server. Your mobile is a COPY of your data and not the MASTER!!!

If your PC Failed, how have you recovered your Office Outlook (not Outlook Express rubbish) email?

WM phones is designed to sync with your Exchange server, or manually to your Office Outlook. It will sync new contacts and Calender entries that you add to your phone over GPRS, Wi-Fi if your using Exchange, or by USB or Bluetooth if your using conventional pop3 email in MS Office Outlook.

You can't blame Active Sync or WMDC for not backing up your PST data

Quoted !!!!

I've blow my windows mobiles away on a regular basis (at least once a month) and have NEVER lost a single contact/email. Done it with active sync (from 3.6 up to 4.5) and device centre in both Vista and windows 7.

[CHAD2420]

Yeah ? Well, next time, I won't buy an ActiveSync or WM phone. In this way I will not blame myself by not doing a BACK-UP before connecting anything.
Admit it. It's just a lousy software which does not ANTICIPATE THE FACT the case when its own software (Outlook) crashes, as usual ?

<removed>

[peterb]

Yeah ? Well, next time, I won't buy an ActiveSync or WM phone. In this way I will not blame myself by not doing a BACK-UP before connecting anything.

Common sense would dictate that you back up data before doing anything to it - especially if it has happened to you before. Once bitten... etc

Valuable enough that I will be paying a few thousand dollars to have my RAID drive recovered so I can recover my PST files (hopefully).

If the data is that valuable, perhaps you should have backed it up anyway - or perhaps restore it from the back-up of your RAID array. It astounds me that you didn't take more care of something that important to you. Yes, you could argue that you should be able to trust the application - but even so, backing up is a basic precaustion to mitigate against accidents (and bad programming)

Admit it. It's just a lousy software which does not ANTICIPATE THE FACT the case when its own software (Outlook) crashes, as usual ?

It may well be - all the more reason to back up or use a different application.

And please observe these.. http://forums.hexus.net/faq.php?faq=...q_hex_swearing

[[GSV]Trig]

Got a hotmail/passport account?

Use My Phone.

Problem solved.

[burhanor]

Hi,

Even I had the same problem and the contacts got deleted. Moreover, I have been using Microsoft's Myphone service and thought I can sync back. To my utter shock, this program has deleted all the contacts even on the website . Not sure how to get out of this situation. Just wondering if this can be reported to microsoft for retrieving sending back my contacts file from their server.

Regards,
Burhan.

[[GSV]Trig]

If you lost everything on myphone check the archive section...

[burhanor]

Thank you for the advice !!

It worked and I could restore them.

Thanks again!!

[InkZ]

I got in trouble at work, as I synced a new phone hoping it would transfer all numbers on the phone to exchange and it wiped them all off instead.... ooops. Got to be careful with that

[ilovesbux]

Sometimes software devs really do make me wonder. Basically, I plugged in my TyTN II and it asked me to create a partnership, I said ok, said there were already two to 'windows PC' and 'windows PC 2'. Actually the same computer, but over a year it gets formatted etc.

So anyway, remove these partnerships as it says it can't have more than two. Know what it does? Deletes every piece of information on my phone that was backed up by these partnerships. So even if I went out, got someones phone number, then it automatically synced to outlook, it deleted it.

It's deleted a few files too, but the main issue is that of contacts. It didn't spare a single one!

Can't believe it's designed to work like this, surely a user should be asked then triple asked if they want to delete everyone off their phone, rather than just assuming it because you remove a partnership to a PC? Going to see what can be salvaged now, but not too hopeful...

OMG that just happened to me. I was wondering why there were like 30 random contacts left and now I realize those were probably the most recent contacts that were added to the phone. Nothing in Outlook Deleted Items. UGHH I hate Windows... Oh well I guess it's a "fresh start"

[Biscuit]

i have synced mine with my Google account ever since they introduced mobile device centre instead of active sync. Its pretty good knowin that even if you lose your handset (as i did the other day) i wont lose my totally 100% up to date contacts list.

[SiM]

Why not backup indepently of anything microsoft, PPCPimBackup

[CrazyMonkey]

I've had this many times with my HD2 (mainly after flashing a new rom and sycning to computer.. it deletes previous partnerships if you arent careful (which in turn deletes essentially everything lol))

Using microsoft myphone saved me a few times (and i would advise those running winmo to use it once in a while).

I also now make backups using SPBackup (which is a dream to use, and backs up everything from contacts to apps/mods to settings and configurations).

Id say -

Sync to 2 computers
Sync to Microsoft Myphone
Keep an SPBackup

Atleast that way you'll be safe (and its saved me countless times).

Cheers.