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haydnw Posts: 106

Ok, I know I started a topic vaguely related to this yesterday, but thanks to the wonders of @nixin it's descended into random garbage. But don't get me started on that.

I've backed up my P800, formatted the C: drive and backed up again. My plan was to take the contacts.cdb file from the old backup file, and put it into the new backup file. By then restoring this modified new backup file, I get a clean P800 but all my old contacts! (Could sync with Outlook but need my Contact pics as no archive copies!).

Problem is, if I view the .ecs file using winrar, the program crashes when I try and add the replacement contacts.cdb. I have also tried to extract all the files from each of the backups, and then move the contacts.cdb file from the old backup to the new, and zip the file again (zip format) and rename from .zip to .ecs. However, when I try and import the file in the SE Backup & Restore program, I get a message saying it's not a valid backup file. Has anyone got any ideas on how to remedy this??

Cheers guys & gals.
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Posted: 2003-10-11 22:36:12
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Jackalus Posts: 6

I wanted to bring this old post back to the fore...

My replacement P900 won't accept a restore of my old P900, using either old or current versions of SE PC Suite.

Can anyone tell me how I can get contacts from an old P900 with a broken screen, or it's backup .ecs file to my new P900? Replacing contact.cdb to a backup file from the new P900 may be my only option. Is it possible? Other posts don't seem to answer this.

Is there an alternative way of 'stealing' the contacts without synching (that won't work due to some blank name fields)? The old P900's screen is completely broken so I can't do more than blindly press buttons!

Thanks to all you helpful souls!
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Posted: 2005-05-03 12:20:46
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masseur Posts: > 500

here is my post about "Restoring a single file from backup?"

hope that helps

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Posted: 2005-05-03 12:23:54
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Jackalus Posts: 6

Very quick response Masseur! 3 minutes!

Inexplicably, I didn't find your post, so thanks. I had read how to do this but HaydnW said above it wouldn't restore after switching files.

What I suppose I REALLY want is to know is... has it worked for anyone? I already had the contact.cdb file opened, via WinZip, in M$ Excel (a pointless excercise!). I imagined that backups may have had a checksum type function or other files dependent upon the existing contacts.cdb file... Is it really that easy? Just replace this one file?

If so, wow! A solution! (I may wet myself if you say yes)
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Posted: 2005-05-03 12:42:51
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masseur Posts: > 500

Ive certainly used this solution before on a P900, I always test stuff before posting it, but I don't have a P series any more unfortunately
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Posted: 2005-05-03 12:58:54
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Jackalus Posts: 6

My! Oh, my! I just wet myself. I'll try it now and post on success or failure, for future users.

Thanks, Masseur.

p.s. No SE Pxxx? Don't blame you! ;-p Don't know why users hereseem to hate Nokia so much; in terms of user interface, they've always impressed me whereas SE have frustrated me so regularly. They just don't produce anything like the Pxxx.
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Posted: 2005-05-03 13:07:06
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masseur Posts: > 500

well I guess thats a whole other conversation

good luck and be sure to report your success
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Posted: 2005-05-03 13:08:20
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Jackalus Posts: 6

Unfortunately I'm reporting on failure...

Transferring contacts.cdb between the old and new backup files, using WinZip 8.0 created a file which wasn't recognised as a valid backup file by the SE Backup & Restore application.

I did this:
1 Found and extracted 510.dat file representing Contacts.cdb from OldP900Backup.ecs
2 Created Copy of NewP900Backup.ecs file
3 Found 257.dat file in NewP900Backup.ecs which represented Contacts.cdb
4 Renamed extracted old 510.dat file to 257.dat
5 Replaced new 257.dat file with renamed version, containing desired, old contact info.
Note that WinZip listed this error:
Action: Add (and replace) files Include subfolders: no Save full path: no
Include system and hidden files: yes
Warning: garbage at end of Zip file ignored
Adding 257.dat
replacing old Zip file

6 Attempted restore using modified backup file but SE Backup & Restore said that it wasn't a valid file.

I feel wiser for tinkering, stupider for wetting myself prematurely, and ultimately back at square one.... Any tips? Any alternative methods of salvaging my old contacts?

Jack
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Posted: 2005-05-03 14:43:15
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chemos Posts: 111

I've just had the same problem, but after a bit of searching I found the solution. I extracted the contacts.cdb file from the ecs zip file, renamed it to contacts.cdb & copied it to the documents folder on my phone. Then I used the demo version of QuickContact to import the .cdb file. Worked great.
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Posted: 2005-05-03 15:50:47
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Jackalus Posts: 6

Solved!

My solution, as I don't have a better File Manager than the tosh SE & Orange supply with the phone (so I can't access the phone's internal files), was to download a demo version of Remote Px00. This allowed me to use my old P900 with the broken screen (you get to see your phone on your PC and use your mouse and keyboard). I then used Contacts Manager to beam the contacts from one phone to the other, via infra red. Here's a screenshot.

I'd like to wholeheartedly recommend this program. I'll buy it as soon as I've got some cash.

Cheers to everyone who helped, especially Masseur.

Jack
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Posted: 2005-05-03 18:22:08
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