Data Overuse Caution! WP8 to WP8 restoring backup

[hopmedic]

Since some of us will be the first group of people moving from one Windows Phone 8 device to another, here's something to keep in mind. Since WP8 does a "backup", the first thing you should do is go into the settings, Phone Backup, and do a backup of your phone. Next, you should look in Phone Storage, and see how much space your apps are taking. This is important, because you could potentially use this much of your data plan the first time you sign into your new phone. If you do not have WiFi access wherever you are, you will want to wait on setting up your phone, because if you choose to restore the backup (which will not restore game progress, BTW), it will take off and go, and burn through your data with wreckless abandon. Myself, I just checked my phone, and it says I have 6.95 GB of apps. Part of that is going to be data that will not be restored, and of course the download will be less than that because they are downloaded in a compressed file, but still... I don't want to have to pay that bill.

First thing you should do is make sure you have a usable WiFi. Test it with your old phone before you start burning into it, if you're not at a known WiFi location. You'll start the restore, and that will be on cellular, and the first part of the restore (grabbing settings) will take place over cellular before you get to the start screen and have the opportunity to sign into a WiFi, so do not sign into your Microsoft account and let the phone go unattended.

Hopefully this tip will save a bunch of you a huge data bill next month!

 

[Curtieson]

This is important, because you could potentially use this much of your data plan the first time you sign into your new phone. If you do not have WiFi access wherever you are, you will want to wait on setting up your phone, because if you choose to restore the backup (which will not restore game progress, BTW), it will take off and go, and burn through your data with wreckless abandon.

OK...maybe I am just being too cynical...but you are warning people that when they are using their data because they are not on WiFi, they may use data....

I know you were just trying to help, but I just think that is a little bit obvious :-D


Warning, when you send out a text to all your contact saying you got a new phone number, you will be sending a lot of texts :winktongue:

 

[daniel_sherlock]

Yeah i had this when i was down at the shops. I just

Signed in activated the backup download

Quickly go into getting disable mobile data

All apps will fail and ask tap to download.

When i got home on wifi went to windows store app and it will have a downloads bit on there and click download all and it will start installation of apps burning through the wifi which i have unlimited or follow the same technique and go to a coffee shop or free wifi place.

It did download my emails and contacts and stuff but i assume they are only a few megs.

 

[DavidinCT]

thank god for unlimited data ! Remember, any app over 50mb wont download over the 3g/4G network. You need Wi-FI for them to even download them. This is good to know if your a gamer like me and has something like 25+ games on my phone (one of the reasons why my HTC 8X does not work for me as 16gb I am always out of space).

This post is good for people with a limited data plan more as a FYI ! Could save someone from enjoying their first month with their new phone

 

[theefman]

I thought the restore only downloaded the app list and not the apps themselves.

 

[DavidinCT]

I thought the restore only downloaded the app list and not the apps themselves.

It's like you just selected the apps in the marketplace. It lists them in your download page...so yes, it will start downloading them.

 

[hopmedic]

OK...maybe I am just being too cynical...but you are warning people that when they are using their data because they are not on WiFi, they may use data....

I know you were just trying to help, but I just think that is a little bit obvious :-D


Warning, when you send out a text to all your contact saying you got a new phone number, you will be sending a lot of texts :winktongue:

The warning isn't that they'll use data. The warning is that they could use LOTS of data. Without realizing it.

 

[Somerichs]

This is sort of off topic, sort of related.

I'm planning to get the 928 tomorrow. I'm coming off a 2+ year old Droid x. I know my android apps can't move over, which is fine as I don't all that many in the first place.

But, will I lose all my text messages and contacts when I switch platforms or are they platform-independent? What about any songs I have, does Verizon's backup assistant cover those or will I need to do that manually (not a big deal either way)?

Anything else I'm not thinking of? I can move all my pics and vids to my computer, so not too concerned with those...

Thanks!

 

[carajean]

This is sort of off topic, sort of related.

I'm planning to get the 928 tomorrow. I'm coming off a 2+ year old Droid x. I know my android apps can't move over, which is fine as I don't all that many in the first place.

But, will I lose all my text messages and contacts when I switch platforms or are they platform-independent? What about any songs I have, does Verizon's backup assistant cover those or will I need to do that manually (not a big deal either way)?

Anything else I'm not thinking of? I can move all my pics and vids to my computer, so not too concerned with those...

Thanks!

I would also like to know this. I am also coming off a droid I dont know how all my contacts will get over. I also sometimes hate when they import all you facebook contact numbers I wish it did your close friends circle.

 

[hopmedic]

Nokia has an app called Transfer my Data. I don't know how it works, since I came from a Windows Phone 7 to WP8, but that's what it is for. It'll be in the Nokia Collection. If you look in Nokia's App Highlights app (it'll probably be pinned to Start), swipe to the left or right until you get to collections, and take a look under Starter Kit. You'll see a bunch of the apps that people generally download early on.

As for Verizon's backup assistant, I don't know how that works with either droid or WP.... I suppose it is possible that it backs up and restores the text messages, but I'm kind of skeptical about whether it will or not in WP. In WP, I don't remember if it defaults on, but if you look in settings | phone backup, you'll find settings for backing up messages. They will back up to a folder in your Microsoft mail account. You'd be wise to set one up ahead of time. Hotmail or Outlook.com, I don't know if Live is still up or not, or if they converted those all to Outlook.

Contacts - the reason I don't bother with backup assistant is because contacts are automatically stored in your Microsoft mail account (unless you create them in phone only when creating), and I don't want Verizon to know any more about me than they do already. Since you're coming from Android, I don't know how that will work - check the Nokia app - they have one in Google Play store, too, for moving your info. I also don't know if you're planning to keep contacts on Google or Microsoft, and whether you can opt not to store them on MS. Sorry I can't be more helpful there.

It will import the data that your facebook friends share, but you can filter them out in the people hub, but unfortunately, at least at this time, you can't show some facebook friends without showing them all.

I'd take a look at the Nokia app both in Google and WP first, to see what they say.

Hope this helps.

 

[Somerichs]

Thanks for the info, hopmedic, it definitely helps. I don't have a good sense of how well android and wp play together when it comes from switching from one to the other. I suspect it's going to be some combo of the nokia app and backup assistant.

As for contacts, i can probably synch those up outside of the phone. I should be able to export them from google and/or yahoo and import them into a hotmail or outlook.com account (which I'll have to set up), then when I access that account from the phone they should all be there.

Anyway, thanks again. I'm looking forward to getting this phone and seeing what the windows ecosystem has to offer compared to what I'm used to with (old) android. The latest and greatest android is so different from what I have on my old phone (at least on the Galaxy SIII my wife got a few weeks ago) I don't think the learning curve will be all that different going to WP...

 

[Curtieson]

As for contacts, i can probably synch those up outside of the phone. I should be able to export them from google and/or yahoo and import them into a hotmail or outlook.com account (which I'll have to set up), then when I access that account from the phone they should all be there.

As long as your contacts are stored SOMEWHERE on some sort of an email client, they will easily pull into your Windows Phone.

If you go to Outlook.com you can import all your contacts over, and that works really well. Do you have a Windows 8 PC or an Xbox LIVE account? Those are already all set up for a WP8.

 

[hopmedic]

I'm sitting in the Microsoft Store playing with a Surface Pro, while my phone completes its backup. I've used 1.5 GB of data through their WiFi so far, starting with 204 downloads when I was first able to look at the store, and I have 91 downloads left (some of which will not download - most likely the 822's settings apps). I'm on the Surface that's next to the JBL Play-UP speaker, so I'm listening to Pandora while I wait. Man, this Play Up sounds good for as small as it is.

 

[Somerichs]

Do you have a Windows 8 PC or an Xbox LIVE account? Those are already all set up for a WP8.

I do not. I have windows XP on both my home computer and work computer. I did just set up an outlook account though, and imported a bunch of contacts from my yahoo account. there's an android app for outlook, too, so i'm uploading to my phone to see if i can import or sync the phone numbers from my phone with outlook, too. If not I guess i'll have to use the VZW backup assistant. Thanks!

 

[jmajid]

there is also an app for Nokia Belle (symbian) that is called Skydrive uploader...
copies your contacts and photos to skydrive so that you can download them to a WP.
Might be worth looking into - see if there is something called that also..
I thought there was a Nokia app, other than Transfer my data, that moved your stuff too....

 

[jmajid]

I'm sitting in the Microsoft Store playing with a Surface Pro, while my phone completes its backup. I've used 1.5 GB of data through their WiFi so far, starting with 204 downloads when I was first able to look at the store, and I have 91 downloads left (some of which will not download - most likely the 822's settings apps). I'm on the Surface that's next to the JBL Play-UP speaker, so I'm listening to Pandora while I wait. Man, this Play Up sounds good for as small as it is.

How is the Pro??
And what good use of their wi-fi
If you're still there, can you ask them if they will be getting the 928 or 925?? TIA

 

[hopmedic]

How is the Pro??
And what good use of their wi-fi
If you're still there, can you ask them if they will be getting the 928 or 925?? TIA

They had the 928 - that's what I was doing is getting a new 928, restoring the backup from my 822.