Easy Free Backup to PC is Possible?

[AC Question]

Hi,

I am reviving my inactive, unrooted One Touch Evolve 5020T (Android 4.1.2) that came from Family Mobile and is going to Us Mobile (T-mobile phone/network). I want to backup every single BIT I can since I have NO existing backup and I have important data on there. I'm undecided whether I need to backup app data or not. I would like to backup at least a comprehensive list of the apps including their versions. I must backup everything else including contacts, messages and logs, call logs, calendar, notes, bookmarks, sd card, photos, videos, non-google apk, etc. NO google please. I am very interested in Apowersoft Phone Manager 2.7.1 but I will NOT pay for it or end up with a useless backup. I downloaded the "free" file from the web but it doesn't connect the phone (UI has no graphics and does not execute; also, get difxapi.dll error) and since they are in Hong Kong they are not available until late Sunday. I am having to look at other options since I can't get it to work and I want to activate the new sim today. Help O learned ones.

 

[srkmagnus]

Welcome to the forums!

I'd suggest using Google or a reputable desktop client.

 

[Feldon]

I have not found one comprehensive backup program for Android that works reliably.

• Google's backup is shockingly limited. It gets SOME of your contacts, SOME of your photos, and your music. That's it. Everything else is lost.
• Everyone used to crow about Kies but if it fails in any part, you are totally screwed and lose everything. Ask me how I know.

My suggestions:

• Since this is not a Samsung phone you can't run Samsung Smart Switch, so I'm going to steer you towards Helium and Titanium. I would make full backups with both.
• Then I would download SMS Backup and Restore and do a full backup with that. Samsung Smart Switch failed to restore any text messages newer than 18 months ago -- thank God I'd run SMS Backup and Restore.
• I would also Export your Contacts as a VCF file (google it). This will get all the contacts that Google Sync misses.
• I would connect the phone to your PC via USB3 and copy all your Photos, Videos, Wallpapers, and Music. Google sure didn't restore them despite those checkboxes being checked.
• Make screenshots or detailed notes of the icons and widgets of all your Home screens. Google doesn't backup or restore this either.

When I did a factory reset on my Samsung S5, it was only because I had done ALL of the above that I got everything back. If I had skipped even one of these steps, I would have lost tons of data. Note that I have no idea if Titanium or Helium copy App or Game data. If you want to preserve your progress on specific games, you may need to dig around and copy those folders too.

It's unclear why Android's backup solution is so laughable. iTunes and Windows 10 Phone are one-click Backup and just work. Maybe Android will get serious about reliable backup in Marshmallow.