Back up and Restore SMS without PC Suite
Sorry m8 i have fixed the method

Here is the step by step guide to back up your SMS without using PC suite.
1. Use Epoc Fileman or desktop fileman, goto "C:\System\Mail"
2. Copy the folder "C:\System\Mail" into your desktop
3. Remember to copy all files in "C:\System\Mail"
We are just finishing back up our SMS

Then how to restore your SMS message
1. First goto Messaging on your phone Then choose "Option>Other"
2. You will see "Memory in Use = Phone Memory"
3. Change it into "Memory Card" then click ok
4. Goto "C:" then replace "C:\System\Mail" with the one that we had backed up before
5. Then goto Messaging on your phone Then choose "Option>Other"
6. You will see "Memory in Use = Memory Card"
7. Change it into "Phone" then click ok
Then your message should restore like before.

Thanks for the bug report, its my fault, this one should be working.

** Moderator please make this one sticky coz i think some people need this guide thx **

it is really useful method

Amazing work ..... kudos to u dude

Many many people wanted such a thing ... n u hav done a good job

I cant find the index file ? Only found in C:System/Mail

1. Use Epoc Fileman or desktop fileman, goto your phone memory or C: Drive
2. You will see a file named "index", copy this one into your desktop


Problem : I only find an index file in the Mail folder? I tried using tat n follow ya instruction at the end the files are restored but index is there but mail cant be open? How?

me too, can't found the "index" in c:drive.
is this file on c:drive root??
or it is inside some folders??
pls help

isnt it just easier to save your messages to the memory card by default ?? that way whenever you reset your phone to factory settings ..your messages are gonna be safe in your memory card. unless of course..you plan on formatting or changing your memory card too...

thats two problem there

1st after awhile it lags da phone because it read from a memory card especially when u got alot of sms.

2nd What about the old sms files ? There are some meaningful sms u wanna keep right?

thats two problem there

1st after awhile it lags da phone because in read from a memory card

2nd What about the old sms files ? There are some meaningful sms u wanna keep right?

yeah..the phone lagging bit is unavoidable. but its better if you wanna transfer huge files via bluetooth ....or else you get the white screen of death ..when u dont have enough place in your inbox. as for the old sms files...nokia phones give you the option to copy all ur msgs from phone memory to memory card when u switch ur storage device to memory card .

hmmm... LoL

1. Firstly i wanna do a HaRd ForMat and only restore back my SMS because PCsuite allows you to restore contact and calendr without restoring everything. I want to restore back my old smses only without system files.

2. garnet4david2001 (special thanks for reply) his method sound realistic and i tried but failed.

ReaSoN : First i cant find the index in C: but there's one in the mail folder C:System/Mail . I did everything you told me but result was my smses all restored problem is u cant open any of it. Only new messages ! ! !
I think there's something he forgotten to post.

3. I am really sorry to trouble you guys again this the best forum i ever joined . So was hoping all da best people for advice : :D All i need is garnet4david2001 correct is post tat i would be happy.. Suffering wit a laggy phone for the past 3 weeks.

yup david, need ur advice on this.
bcoz of unable to find "index" file in c:drive.

i am support wat jasonteh84 says,
pc suite are not allow to back up sms, so we need the others way to restore our meaningful sms.
i've try to use sms storer b4, it only can make ur sms in txt file.means that we only can open it in notepad.

Sorry m8 juz reading ur message. Ok first could you please tell me what kind of phone do you use?I m really sorry, the index file located on "c:\Mail\" Index here is a file not a folder. That is the most important thing for your phone to identify your SMS.

Guide 1.2
U just need to copy folder "c:\system\mail" to your desktop coz index file is in that folder too.

1. Copy Folder "c:\System\Mail" into your desktop
2. goto Messaging on your phone Then choose "Option>Other"
3. You will see "Memory in Use = Memory Card"
4. Change it into "Phone" then click ok
5. Goto "C:" then replace "C\System\Mail" with the one that we had backed up before
6. Then goto Messaging on your phone Then choose "Option>Other"
7. You will see "Memory in Use = Memory Card"
8. Change it into "Phone" then click ok
Then your message should restore like before.

For jasonteh84 this method shoud be used periodically when you want to backup all your sms and restore your old sms later.
"Note for example if you receive SMS on 9/12/2005 but your back up file 2/12/2005, SMS received on 9/12/2005 wont be restored" So i recommend you to backup periodically

I am using a v4.09.1 Nokia 6600

Dear mate its not working i restore everything but i cant even open any sms. In the index you can see da mail but cant be open. Any idea why?
I think something is still missin

1st sms A new msg tat can be opened
2nd sms after i restore da mail folder cant be open even u click no response

Image after a Full Format and restoring the Mail Folder back into da phone

thanks for this guide... i wanted this guide to format my phone

anyone have tried ? and work for him or her? i am totally lost haha

anyone have tried ? and work for him or her? i am totally lost haha

usefull infos

I had made a backup of my contacts from my nokia 6600 via the nokia PC suite for the 6600 but now ive lost the cell and have brought the Nokia 3230 now the problem is that i cannot restore the backup of my contacts cuz the format was .dat and it was via the 6600 pc suite and the restore format of the new pc suite (version 6.41) is .nfc or .ncc so the pc suite doesnot read the backup of the old nokia pcsuite 6600

so could i still restore my backup though itz a diffrernt format??

PEACE OUT (Y)

:bye:

Terry_boy.

hi terryboy, this topic is discusing about restore the sms, not contacts.
pls share ur knowledge regarding how to restore the sms, thx.

this method wont works on
7650, nagage, 6260, 3230

its not working for me :( so wondering is it working for anyone else? for nokia 6600?

jasonteh84 ur problem is u cant open the sms even u see your message on the index files. Please becareful, have you restore all files in "c:\system\mail" You have to restore all files n folder in c:\system\mail or you wont get your sms back. I think this a bit confusing coz of my bad english, other who have this worked please post n help, coz its really working on my 6600. Hope my xplanation this time will help you, please feel free to ask again if you find any difficulty.

I Tried it n it works on my n-gage classic.
Thks for the guide garnet4david2001.

Btw, at first i can't copy all the files in C:\system\mail\. It says that the file 'index' can't be copied. Then i realized that the file is currently in use, so i change the 'memory in use' option to 'memory card' (in this case, i use msrdrieE). Then I tried co copy C:\system\mail\ to my mmc, n it works.

so, the steps would be :


1. First goto Messaging on your phone Then choose "Option>Other"
2. You will see "Memory in Use = Phone Memory"
3. Change it into "Memory Card" then click ok
1. Use Epoc Fileman or desktop fileman, goto "C:\System\Mail"
2. Copy the folder "C:\System\Mail" into your desktop
3. Remember to copy all files in "C:\System\Mail"
5. Then goto Messaging on your phone Then choose "Option>Other"
6. You will see "Memory in Use = Memory Card"
7. Change it into "Phone" then click ok

We are just finishing back up our SMS

Then how to restore your SMS message
1. First goto Messaging on your phone Then choose "Option>Other"
2. You will see "Memory in Use = Phone Memory"
3. Change it into "Memory Card" then click ok
4. Goto "C:" then replace "C:\System\Mail" with the one that we had backed up before
5. Then goto Messaging on your phone Then choose "Option>Other"
6. You will see "Memory in Use = Memory Card"
7. Change it into "Phone" then click ok
Then your message should restore like before.


CMIIW[/b]

So newest report that this method works for symbian 6.0 too

sorry again i did follow oc hwp method but still da same thing the sms cant be open :( i gonna bang my head on da wall soon. If i restore using da backup (pcsuite) the sms can be open. But there's alot crap there making my phone lag. All i wan is my sms. Any other suggestion? why is it not working Arrrggghhh shoot me please someone

i m sorry jasonteh84 it seems that your back up has been corrupted, or maybe you forgot to backup something and when you restore your sms message, then your phone read a corrupted index files, my suggestion is restore your SMS using PC Suite then redo the SMS back up using my method, hope you dont bang your head to wall, bang it to pillow should be gr8 ^_^

haha thanks garnet4david2001. I did try restoring my backup using pcsuite then copying the mail folder again. :( same result. I gonna pull all my hair out of my head ARRRGGGHHH.
I dont know where went wrong ure using nokia 6600 so am i !!! This stubborn crap phone juz dont want to work haha. Anyone with a nokia 6600 tried to above method and worked ? or anyone have another method ? Restoring backup takes around 35 minutes restoring mail takes 15 mins.I am scare to try it again.

where can I get Epoc Fileman???

Search the forum for epocware fileman or Vdisk

hi dude, i hv follow the step by step, but it not working on my 3650.
may be somebody can post some screen shot for the success back up.

Leeuss if ure using a 3650 i can help you. Use Desktop Manager it works for your phone

yes it shoul work. cos my 3660 works. i use saleq. u have to copy e mail in c/system.everything. then go to e(mmc) & copy it anywhere. eg: others. now try delete all msg.eg: inbox,outbox,sent.draft. now put back folder mail in c/system.it will be batter if u restart the phone.

u can even open some file that ur friend send example sis file or wave file not using inbox. just go to saleq or fexplorer open c/system/mail or e/system/mail.(if u using mmc to store massage) then search for the file that u just recieve.

hi dude, finally i got it work.
the errors i can't make it is i didn't copy the "index" file to my MMC.
the problem is it is in use and unable to copy.
so i follow the step to change my storage memory to MMC.
It is able to copy the index in C: drive.
thx for info dude.

Glad its working 4 saome people hope my tips usefull for everyone here

thx for ur tips, david.
actually without changing the storage memory, we can also copy the "Index".
this is a good tips for Ngage user coz Ngage didn't hv the options to change storage memory.

The way is using selectQ to copy, and then it can paste in anywhere,and never promt the message
"in use" again. This is try on my Ngage and work well. Hope this will help too.

is this trick work on Qd?

this trick is work for all S60 devices

thanx, but on my QD, it doesnt have an option to move the mail into my mmc,
in other words,
is it possible to copy the c:\system\mail folder into e: (backup), and copy it back to c:\system\mail (restore)?
sorry for my bad english..

@ryuganteng :
just follow the steps. For n-gage users, u can use msdrivee to change the storage used for SMSs to mmc.

Btw our friend leuss said that it could be done without having to change the storage to the mmc, he used SeleQ

leeuss wrote :
[quote] thx for ur tips, david.
actually without changing the storage memory, we can also copy the "Index".
this is a good tips for Ngage user coz Ngage didn't hv the options to change storage memory.

The way is using selectQ to copy, and then it can paste in anywhere,and never promt the message
"in use" again. This is try on my Ngage and work well. Hope this will help too.[/qoute]

that's right mate, for me i am using handy file to copy the mail folde.coz it is faster than using selectQ, but it can't copy the "index" file.
so wat i do is using selectQ to copy the index and paste it in the mail folder i copied b4.
now the backup is done.
anybody try this??pls give some respond on this!!!

YESSSSSS!!!!!! it's work!!!
i have done this backup & restore sms by copy the c:\system\mail folder by using seleq.
for my contact i'm using smartvcard,
for my callendar : smartvcal,
for my game : game manager (on the phone )
thanks everybody!

but it cant work...it can dameg the file...

What-A-joke
hell got ideas
simple n better to make a back up through sprite back-up
You find it somewhere in the forums...

spritebackup? It break up my QD... i don't know why, but everytime that i want to restore the file, it seems the beckup file has been broken... so it can't be restore.
i recommend to all QD user not to use this spritebackup...

this is work on my Ngage, thx leeuss for the info.
coz Ngage doens't hv options to choose storage memory.
and for contacts backup i've use the way leeuss post b4, and it's work also.
really appreaciate a lot to i-phone.

CAN I TRY THIS ? PLESE GIVE SOME COMMENTS

1. copy the folder c:/system/mail into e:/system/mail ? and when i got the option -> other -> and change it into Memory Card . will i be able to read my messages ?

btw u guys said what copy the folder to desktop. where is the deaktop ?? or can i just backup the folder anywhere in my mmc card ?

I have tried with my ngage classic. It doesn't work.

Then how to restore your SMS message
1. First goto Messaging on your phone Then choose "Option-Other
.
.
.


In my NGAGE classic, i don't see menu like Messaging-Options-Others

It's on my Ngage or i don't understand what you mean?

im using 6260 ...but i havent got memory card saving option...........wht about me

hi arsenmen,
pls view previous page.
you can using selectq to copy c:\mail and paste it somewhere in ur pc.
after formatting ur phone, just replace the folder at same dir.....
it's work fine for all s60 phone without the msg saving storage option.

feel free to pm me if not working.

CAN I TRY THIS ? PLESE GIVE SOME COMMENTS

1. copy the folder c:/system/mail into e:/system/mail ? and when i got the option -> other -> and change it into Memory Card . will i be able to read my messages ?



anyone answer the issue ?

Thanks for that :D saved me a lot of hassle remembering dates and things i had texted to me in the past :D

thx alot..ill try it...

i have a n73 and neither Fexplorer either Y-browser seems to have the c:/system/mail folder
any i ideas? i used to do that with my 6600 and worked fine..but now...

To read the text messages out of the backup.arc file on PC, you can try Noki at http://www.nokisoft.com which is a Nokia backup file parser/reader/extractor. The supported formats are .nfb, .nfc, .nbu, backup.arc and contacts.cdb.