Can I restore my data from galaxy note 3 folders stored on my computer?

[Android Central Question]

Hi, Using an USB cable a month a go, I copied all my galaxy note 3 folders to my computer (wasn't a back up but merely coping of all folders to my computer). My phone a month later froze and a technician did a reset and restored the phone to factory settings - and downloaded all the samsung programs. I was able to get back my media files from the folders on my computer and get back some of my contacts from the sync function with gmail ...... but however, I lost hundreds of contacts and data that was not available through the syncing with my gmail accounts. How can I get all my data back. I tried to copy and replace the folders with my older folders on my computer but that does not work. Would appreciate any ideas in this regard. Is there a way to retrieve the contacts information and other data from the older folders on my computer?

 

[SpookDroid]

Unfortunately you can't. Unless the back up was done using either Samsung's own software (Smart Switch) or a 3rd party alternative like Titanium Backup, the files you copied were not only unusable for a 'fresh' install, but also incomplete (unless you had rooted your phone, files you needed were not even available).

If the data was in another cloud service like Dropbox or Microsoft's then that could work too, but only if you backed up previously.

 

[Rukbat]

The contacts are stored in a database file that you wouldn't have copied to your computer unless the phone was rooted, because it's a system file, so you can't get to it unrooted. That's why all contacts should be entered as Google contacts, so they get backed up to Google's server, and restored to any phone you put on that Google account. (And unfortunately, you can't change that in a Note 3 [due to the last version of Android written for it], so you have to play tricks [see the Contacts section of Backing up an Android Device for that].)

 

[skishaka]

Thanks for information - much appreciated. Answered my question.