Updated and lost all contacts

ellje

Well-known member
May 7, 2011
261
9
0
Visit site
Anyone else run into this? I just got the update, finallly installed the thing and much to my disappointment, all of my contacts have been erased. I tried to import from SD Card, and it gives an error saying there is no 'vCard' file found on the SD card.

Any ideas? Never run into this before.

EDIT: I just found the backup, which restored the contacts, but I think it only updated the people and phone numbers, lost all of the joined contacts and pictures.
 

JihadSquad

Well-known member
Aug 24, 2011
74
0
0
Visit site
Why weren't they backed up on Google? That is pretty much the best way to store your contacts on Android, and if you use Gmail, Google Talk, or Google Voice it syncs them to that, too.
 

ellje

Well-known member
May 7, 2011
261
9
0
Visit site
Why weren't they backed up on Google? That is pretty much the best way to store your contacts on Android, and if you use Gmail, Google Talk, or Google Voice it syncs them to that, too.

This is my first Android, I'm not very smart on how the contacts are backed up.

Why are there multiple options if one is clearly better? Backup to gmail, SIM, SD, phone, etc.

How do I back them up to Google... or if they already were (I have no idea) how do I retrieve them?

Either way, why did they disappear with an OTA update?
 

expidia

Well-known member
Jun 15, 2011
161
2
0
Visit site
I feel your pain. I thought I had backed up to Google and the VZ tech told me they could not find it or I set it up ander a different account. Somethinbg wrong there because I've only had one account and always had the setting on "back up my data".

I lost all my 1200 contacts but was able to recover them from my work laptop that also had them backed up on Act.

I find what you say is true in that even I used the VZ back up program and the Google back up. When I needed them neither would restore when I really needed them too!

I had to re-install 50 programs I had installed on the Charge. Even the Market.android.com would not put them back on.

But then many will respond with "I had no issues on the upgrade" that does not help the ones of us that did. Glad we are not getting Ice Cream upgrade so I don't have to deal with this again!

I'm sure there are programs that will back everything up for us but one would think the programs that came stock with the phone would do that for us. I never had issues with my former Blackberries as backing up was flawless.
 

fclifton

New member
Dec 2, 2011
2
0
0
Visit site
After the OTA update, I also seemed to be missing my contacts. I went to my online Gmail account and looked at the Contacts there and found that they were all there but none of them were in the My Contacts group. I put them into My Contacts and now they are back on the phone.
 

Landshark

Well-known member
Jan 11, 2011
4,434
1,382
113
Visit site
This is my first Android, I'm not very smart on how the contacts are backed up.

Why are there multiple options if one is clearly better? Backup to gmail, SIM, SD, phone, etc.

How do I back them up to Google... or if they already were (I have no idea) how do I retrieve them?

Either way, why did they disappear with an OTA update?

If you synced your contacts to your Google account, you can log into Gmail on a computer, click on contacts, and you will find an option to sync with phone. If you didn't sync with Google you have a couple of options. On your phone, go menu=>settings=>accounts and sync, and click on backup assistant. If that doesn't work, log into your verizon account on your computer. Put the cursor on My Verizon, then click on backup assistant, you should see all your contacts. Click on "Select all", then click the actions tab, then click export Contacts. You will have several options, choose the option for exporting to an email account such as Gmail. This will create a CSV file. You can then log into your Gmail account and import that CSV file to your contacts. Then just sync with your phone. Now all your contacts will be google contacts and will sync to your phone as soon as you sign into your google account on your phone. This will greatly help when you switch phones, especially if you switch carriers. As long as you have an android phone, your contacts will follow you since they are synced to your google account.
 

ellje

Well-known member
May 7, 2011
261
9
0
Visit site
If you synced your contacts to your Google account, you can log into Gmail on a computer, click on contacts, and you will find an option to sync with phone. If you didn't sync with Google you have a couple of options. On your phone, go menu=>settings=>accounts and sync, and click on backup assistant. If that doesn't work, log into your verizon account on your computer. Put the cursor on My Verizon, then click on backup assistant, you should see all your contacts. Click on "Select all", then click the actions tab, then click export Contacts. You will have several options, choose the option for exporting to an email account such as Gmail. This will create a CSV file. You can then log into your Gmail account and import that CSV file to your contacts. Then just sync with your phone. Now all your contacts will be google contacts and will sync to your phone as soon as you sign into your google account on your phone. This will greatly help when you switch phones, especially if you switch carriers. As long as you have an android phone, your contacts will follow you since they are synced to your google account.

Very nice, thanks for that info.

I'll play with it when I get home tonight. It appears that my backup assistant replaced all of my contacts, and going to accounts and sync and syncing gmail brought back some more information. The thing I seem to have lost is all of the joined contacts and any pictures that I had attached to contacts prior to the update (i.e. pic of my dad, but he doesn't have a gmail or facebook profile, now the contact shows no photo)
 

DeepPuddleDynamics

New member
Dec 14, 2011
1
0
0
Visit site
Droid Charge - having the same problem. Went to send text and seemingly had no contacts except #BAL, #DATA, #MIN and #PMT - didn't do or click anything to prompt this wipe.

Synced Google account and loaded all those contacts that way, but lost all contact info I had selected to save to my phone and contact info transferred from previous phone that saved to current phone.

I have work contacts I saved to my phone so as to keep them separate from my Google account that are lost. I opened the call log and their names appeared briefly ---- went to contacts list and they were not there, went back to call log and it was just the number..... WHAT'S THE DEAL?!?

Already tried display options, all tabs under "Phone" are selected. Also lost all photos associated with contacts I'd transferred over from my old phone. Hadn't activated Back Up Assistant prior to issue, so when I log into it online I get an "() Invalid Invocation" error message...

In the immortal words of The Fly - - - HELLLLLLLLLP MEEEEEEEEEEE
 
Last edited:

Wallace2422

New member
Apr 4, 2012
4
1
0
Visit site
Hey all, I just posted a full solution the the vanishing contact problem. You can find the post by clicking my name and finding all posts. Please read
 

tamertolba

New member
Feb 3, 2013
1
0
0
Visit site
I have lost 1000 contact from 1500 suddenly from my Samsung although I m saving them as my Google account I checked my page at Google also I was chocked that 1000 also lost from my account
then I had to make restore from more action at contact page then I got them back
but till now I don't understand why that happened
any explanation
 

chegore

New member
Feb 15, 2013
1
0
0
Visit site
Its sad but Google Sync creates a problem every now and then, I faced this problem twice in one month, if you keep your contact sync with google acount it actually dont workout in most cases may be the connection speed or some other technical issue, however by any chance if you loose google account or sync with your google acount you may find this issue of loosing contacts after you remove and add the google account once again... my adv is to always export your address book on phone internal or external memory as well as your Notebook or laptop or Desk PC for a safer side every month or so to keep a backup of your valuable contacts and other data, I am finally doing the same as once data is lost its pain in the As$ to collect it from here and there so be updated by taking regular backups
Chego
SAP BASIS & CCNP Security Consultant
 
Feb 25, 2013
5
0
0
Visit site
Hello Guys,
I had the same problem when doing the upgrade to Android 4.2.2. After the upgrade I found all my contacts were missing their numbers, pictures and ringtones associated to them.
I did not have the gmail synch on, but with the upgrade it synched automatically, now I can only see their whatsapp numbers, but cannot message or place a call from the address book. I cannot see my contacts' name on the call lists, and in my messages. I tried importing, exporting, all the different display options, but nothing seems to work.
I believe I saved them in the phone, do you know if I can select the phone memory option or how I can sort this?

Thank you
 

Conrad Maybir

New member
May 13, 2013
1
0
0
Visit site
I have the Samsung Galaxy SII 4G, i updated my phone for the first time and to my horror lost all my contacts. I turned off phone removed sim card, replaced and turned back on. And surprise all my contacts were back again. Now im happy again. Hope this works for you :)

- - - Updated - - -

Always save ur contacts to ur sim card
 

Latest posts

Trending Posts

Forum statistics

Threads
942,379
Messages
6,913,751
Members
3,158,383
Latest member
nilsgutkowski