How to rescue my data?

[thelibertine]

Hi!
Same old story: I dropped my Nokia Lumia 520 and screen cracked. That's okay though as I have insurance. Also, everything else works fine - phone gets calls, texts, notifications from apps etc, I just cannot use touchscreen anymore. And since repair allegedly wipes everything out, I'd need back up, but the only way to transfer my data onto PC is through Windows Phone app that wants me to type passcode using the phone...
I asked for help in several stores, but they limit themselves to suggesting MS account recovery, which I don't have. My precious notes and contacts are only on this broken device then.. Although I can't believe there's no way to save them, eventually it's just a silly passcode which I could enter anytime if there would be a chance to use the screen remotely! Or browse files on some software. Maybe erased data recovery program? Anything..?

 

[shmsnh]

Just to confirm: you haven't signed in with a Microsoft account on your device?

 

[thelibertine]

I haven't..

 

[shmsnh]

How did you install apps on your phone? If I recall correctly, I wasn't able to download any apps until I signed in with a Microsoft account. I'm asking this because there's a difference between a Microsoft account and outlook/hotmail/live account. Even if you don't use Microsoft's email service, you can still have a Microsoft account, and thus recover your OneNote notes and contacts. I can't think of any other location this information is backed up to.

 

[thelibertine]

Well, yesterday I tried to sign in with all my e-mail accounts, even included possible variations, but they're all wrong. After your post I did it once again in case I missed something. Fruitlessly. So I either don't have MS account or I used some weird e-mail completely unconnected with phrases I have in my other addresses. Although second option is highly unlikely.

 

[Curtieson]

Go to Settings-> "email+accounts" and the top option should be your Microsoft Account (should have a square made of 4 squares as a logo).

Click on that and it will tell you your Microsoft Account username.

But if you are looking to save your Notes and Contacts...1) move your notes to OneDrive, but you'll need your MA for that...or email them to yourself 2) Contacts...either they are saved to your SIM or to your email account contacts [Outlook, Yahoo, Gmail] so you should be able to get to all of that no issue once you have the password.

 

[user928]

Hi!
Same old story: I dropped my Nokia Lumia 520 and screen cracked... ... I just cannot use touchscreen anymore.

Did you even read the original post? He/she can't, as you say, Go to Settings-> "email+accounts"

 

[thelibertine]

*he
But thanks for trying anyway.

Also, I've been to another workshop today and some dodgy guy told me that he can do back up on another phone with the same USB socket for ?15. Anyone knows what is this about?

 

[shmsnh]

Also, I've been to another workshop today and some dodgy guy told me that he can do back up on another phone with the same USB socket for ?15. Anyone knows what is this about?

To my knowledge, WP encrypts phone data with BitLocker, so I am not sure how this would work. Sorry I couldn't help with data recovery.

You said you tried to sign in with various accounts. Sign in where?

 

[thelibertine]

Could I use BitLocker to decrypt data then?

And I tried to sign in to Microsoft account. Seems I don't have it.

 

[Curtieson]

Did you even read the original post? He/she can't, as you say, Go to Settings-> "email+accounts"

They said eeverything worked fine, just had a cracked screen. I did not take that to mean the digitizer was broken.