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Motorola BACKUP

 
faqs
 

Here are answers to some of our most frequently asked questions.

What is Motorola BACKUP?
The Motorola BACKUP application copies the information in your phonebook from your phone and stores it on the Motorola BACKUP server. You can copy your phonebook as often as you need, and retrieve it as often as you need. That's a lot easier than re-entering 500 names and phone numbers, isn't it?
Why are phones on the T-Mobile Network not supported?
Presently the Motorola BACKUP application has passed all Motorola BACKUP certification testing. T-Mobile has a different certification process and must accept the Motorola BACKUP application. At this time T-Mobile has not accepted the Motorola BACKUP application into its certification.
Do I need a data plan from my carrier to run Motorola BACKUP?
Yes, you will need a minimum data plan from your operator. A backup and restore of 100 contacts will require approximately 16K of data. Remember that after the first backup, the application sends new changes only, so the data used is much less.
Can you back up and restore the phonebook on any phone?
For a complete list, visit our supported phones page.
I always back up to my SIM. Why do I need Motorola BACKUP?
With the spate of mobile phone thefts, backing up to your SIM alone puts you at risk of losing all your contact information if your phone is stolen. Backing up your data ensures that even if you lose your phone, your pain is not aggravated by having to reconstruct your contact list again.
When I try and download Motorola BACKUP to my phone I receive the following error: 'Root Certificate Missing Application not installed'.
This is caused by the date on the phone being wrong. Correct the date by selecting the 'Settings' menu on your phone. From this menu select 'Initial Setup' and then from this menu select 'Time and date'. Highlight the date and change it.
I have a prepaid SIM, and when I launch Motorola BACKUP, I keep receiving transaction cost messages.
There are a number of processes that our application must run to setup your phone correctly, and they sometimes involve sending text messages from the application. These text messages trigger prepaid SIMs to notify you of the status of transaction costs. Once your phone is set to the correct web session and your account has been created through our number validation process, these messages won't be as persistent. From that point forward, you should only receive a transaction cost message each time you exit the Motorola BACKUP application.
What data do you back up?
Motorola BACKUP currently saves the phonebook from your phone and from your SIM (the names and phone numbers, email addresses, and so forth).
Do you copy my SIM or my phone memory data?
Either or both. And Motorola BACKUP can restore to both, too.
Is the data transmission encrypted between Motorola BACKUP and my phone?
Yes. Your phonebook data is important and treated accordingly. Protection takes two forms: encryption of data between the cellular phone to and from the Motorola BACKUP server, and protection of the Tarsin (Europe) Limited server from intrusion. For an extra amount of security, each encrypted message transaction between the user and Motorola BACKUP uses its own data encryption key, and the keys are never transmitted over the air.
Can I use the data from another cellular phone?
Yes, in two ways.
  1. If you're moving to a new phone, you'll want to use the data that came originally from your old phone. If the old phone and new phone both have the same phone number, start the Motorola BACKUP application on your new phone, and restore your personal data in seconds. You will need to enter your PIN Code.
  2. If your new phone and your old phone do not have the same number, you´ll need the phone number and PIN Code from the old phone´s account and you´ll set up a new account — phone number and PIN Code — for the new phone (see How to start a new Motorola BACKUP account). When you set up your new account, you can start off by using the information from the old account, then immediately back up your information to your new account. You cannot keep using an old account associated with a phone number that does not belong to your phone.
Can I merge the personal data from two different phones?
Yes, at least initially:
  • If both phones have Motorola BACKUP installed.
  • If you can move the SIM chip from one phone to the other. This temporarily transfers the first phone´s number to the second phone.
  • If both phones use the same cellular carrier. Most phones can work with only one carrier, and most SIM chips are tied to one carrier. Moving the SIM chip still means that both phones must work with the same carrier.
Using this technique, it is possible to start two phones off with the same phonebook. However, it is not meant to keep two different phones up-to-date with the same information. The steps are not hard, but there are several. If you believe that this is a capability you will need regularly, please contact support@tarsin.com.
I switched phones and when I try to run Motorola BACKUP, I get a message that says you cannot automatically switch my account from my current phone to my new phone.
Contact Customer Support at the number listed on that message. Some phones have incompatibilities with other phone models. Customer Support has a process that allows you to switch between those phones.
I received a message that some contact items will not transfer due to formatting differences on my old phone.
Different phone models provide different length limits on phonebook data. If you switch to a different phone and use an existing account, copy or rename an account, you might see this message. If you continue on from the message, and then log in to the website, you can view which phonebook data did not transfer properly in either the phonebook or Deleted Items folders. We flag the problem data with an icon, so that you can edit it to fit the length specifications for your new phone.
What do I need to do to get my network set up to run Motorola BACKUP?
  1. Start the Motorola BACKUP application on your phone.
  2. When presented with the Network Needed message, select 'Yes' to set it up.
  3. On Settings Sent screen, press 'EXIT' after reading the text.
  4. When Browser Message arrives, read it, then select 'Install'.
  5. Locate your Web Sessions settings on your phone through your phone's menu (most likely under Web Access / Web Sessions). Select your web session, and press the menu key to set your web session as the default, if it hasn't already been set for you.
  6. Now you can restart Motorola BACKUP to set up your account.
Each time I try to run Motorola BACKUP, I am served a network unavailable screen.
If you have run Motorola BACKUP in the past, the problem may be that your carrier is having temporary difficulties. In that case, try again later. If you have never run Motorola BACKUP successfully, contact Customer Support for assistance in troubleshooting.
What do each of the Motorola BACKUP menu items do?
If you launch Motorola BACKUP, then select the menu key on the splash screen, you will see the following items:
  1. Show Account: This displays your phone number, the last date that you backed up your phonebook, the version number of the application, and the URL of the website.
  2. Change PIN Code: This allows you to change your PIN Code to the Motorola BACKUP application and website at any time. You need to know your current PIN Code to do this.
  3. Clear Settings: This allows you to enter your PIN Code and clear the settings of your Motorola BACKUP application on your phone. This will put the Motorola BACKUP application on the phone to a clean state, as if it was never run on the phone. It has no effect on your account on the server. The next time you run Motorola BACKUP on the phone you will be asked to set up an account on the phone.
  4. Unsubscribe: This allows you to unsubscribe from the Motorola BACKUP service from the phone.
  5. About: Explains how the Motorola BACKUP service works.
How long do you retain my data?
Motorola BACKUP keeps your phonebook live and available on-line as long as your account is current and you periodically use the account. If you do not use the service for about twelve months, Motorola BACKUP archives the data (we save it in computer storage, but in a way that´s not immediately available) and then we mark your account as "inactive." When you reactivate your account, Motorola BACKUP makes your data available again.
I'm having trouble inputting a numeric PIN Code.
The Motorola VA76r Tundra has a known issue with earlier software versions in which the password field defaults to letters. If you attempt to input numbers in the abc mode, you will be blocked. You need to switch into numeric or 123 mode using the # key on the phone's keypad in order to be able to input a numeric PIN Code containing 4-15 digits.
I forgot my PIN Code and can't log in to the website.
Option 1: Reset PIN Code through the Website

On the website just below the login boxes is a link that reads, 'Forgot your PIN Code?' Click that link, enter your phone number and email address, and we will send an email to that address containing a Support Code. You must use the same email address that you created in your Profile on the website.

Option 2: Reset PIN Code through Customer Support

If you've never logged in to the website and you forgot your PIN Code, contact Customer Support.

Whether going through the website or Customer Support, follow these steps:
  1. Check your email for a message sent from Motorola BACKUP.
  2. Select the Motorola BACKUP application on your phone and press START.
  3. The phone will prompt you to enter a Support Code and your new PIN Code. Please enter the Support Code that was provided by Motorola BACKUP Customer Support via email or phone. Your new PIN Code can be 4-15 digits.
After following these steps, you will have successfully reset your PIN Code.

Option 3: Reset PIN Code through your Phone.

If you have a new phone with a Motorola BACKUP application that has never been run and an existing account you created on an old phone, you can follow these steps.

  1. Launch the Motorola BACKUP application.
  2. When prompted to input PIN Code, put in anything between 5 and 15 digits. You will be informed that the PIN Code is incorrect.
  3. When asked if you want to enter a new PIN Code, say yes.
  4. Input the new PIN Code twice to verify it, and the PIN Code will be reset to the new one that you entered.
Now you can log in to the website.
How do I start a new Motorola BACKUP account?
Locate the Motorola BACKUP application in the appropriate menu item on your cellular phone. Before you start, you´ll need to think of a PIN Code of 4 to 15 digits (it must be a number) that you can remember easily. Please keep your PIN Code safe and secure as you will need it to access your account.
  1. Start Motorola BACKUP and select New Account.
  2. Enter your number-only PIN Code.
  3. Motorola BACKUP connects and notifies you when setup is complete.
Does Motorola BACKUP work with both Macintosh and Windows?
The Motorola BACKUP website works with Mac, Windows, Linux, UNIX, or any other operating system that provides a modern web browser. We suggest that you work with the most current web browser you can. Motorola BACKUP does not currently work with the browsers found on PDAs and phones.
Can I see and manage my data on the Motorola BACKUP website?
You can see, add to, modify, or delete your personal information at http://www.motorolabackup.com. You must log in using your phone number and PIN Code. After you have made any changes to your data on the website, run the Motorola BACKUP application on your cellular phone to make sure your changes appear on the phone.
Do I need to use the website to back up my data?
No. You can use the Motorola BACKUP application from your cellular phone without ever going to the Motorola BACKUP website (other than to download the application if it did not come with your phone). Think of the website as a tool that makes it easier to work with your personal information — the contacts, names, email addresses, and phone numbers — on your phone.
What if I make a change on the phone, and then make a different change to the same contact in the website data?
In short: Your phone wins the next time you back up. Motorola BACKUP assumes that the phone you use every day contains the most accurate personal information.
I had a space before the name of one of my contacts and now it is an underscore '_'.
We replace leading spaces within names, with an underscore '_' to alleviate any duplicates that may occur.
How do I discontinue the Motorola BACKUP service?
Option 1: Go to your Motorola BACKUP Profile at Motorola BACKUP Profile. Select the "Unsubscribe from Motorola BACKUP" checkbox on the page and then select the 'Submit' link. To access your profile page you must login with your phone number and PIN Code. If you cannot remember your PIN Code you may contact support@tarsin.com with a request to cancel your subscription.
Option 2: Start the Motorola BACKUP application on your phone. When the main splash screen is displayed, select the 'Menu' button. From this menu select 'Unsubscribe' and follow the onscreen instructions.
Option 3: When you receive any text message regarding Motorola BACKUP, reply to the message with any one of the following words:"Stop", "Quit", "End", "Cancel", or "Unsubscribe".
Important note on ringtones:
The phones supported by Motorola BACKUP offer a wide variety of ringtones that you can customize on a contact-by-contact basis. Your normal and periodic backups don´t affect any ringtones you may have assigned to individuals. However: If you add a new contact via the Motorola BACKUP website and then restore that new contact to your phone (without that contact having been on the phone previously), the contact may have its ringtone set to ‘Silent’ by the phone´s operating system. In that case, you will have to assign that new contact a ringtone manually.

If a contact’s ringtone is set to ‘None’ or ‘Default’ and the contact’s category’s ringtone is set to ‘Silent”, this could affect your ability to hear the phone ring when a contact in the ‘Silent’ category calls. You can fix that by changing the category’s ringtone to something other than ‘Silent’.

If you restore all backed up contacts in your phonebook to a new phone where they have never been entered before, all contacts may have their ringtones set to ‘Silent’, depending on your phone model.

To avoid this, turn off custom ringtones before restoring contacts that have never been on the phone. After the phonebook has been restored, you can turn custom ringtones back on and set those you want for specific entries.
Important note on mailing lists and speed dial numbers:
If you run Motorola BACKUP and see "Error reading mailing list, please try again", you need to edit the mailing list on your phone and change the speed number to be some number equal to or less than 255. Some older phones allow you to assign a speed number higher than 255 to a mailing list, but Motorola BACKUP cannot synchronize it. If the number of contact phones, contact emails, and mailing lists in your phonebook exceeds 255 total entries, and you create a new mailing list on the website, and then run Motorola BACKUP, the mailing list will be sent to your phone, and your phone will assign the next available speed number to it. If the next available speed number is greater than 255, you can hit this error. We suggest assigning a contact phone or email that has a speed number less than 255 to a higher available number, and then changing the speed number of the mailing list to the lower speed number that the contact item previously used.
Important note on contact email addresses beginning with a lowercase 'w':
Some phones may cause Motorola BACKUP to throw an 'Unknown Error' when processing contact email addresses beginning with a lowercase 'w', or may corrupt contact email addresses beginning with a lowercase 'w' when they reach our website. Though this issue has been fixed in newer software versions, some people may still experience the problem. You can correct the problem by editing all contact email addresses that begin with a lowercase 'w' to begin with an uppercase 'W'.
When I run Motorola BACKUP, I get the message "Error saving changes... There are no slots for new category."
Some Motorola phone models limit you to ten categories. This message appears if you had ten categories and edited the name of one, and then ran the application. To get past this, you will need to delete the edited category and re-create it with its new name before synchronizing.
Important Note about the Motorola A1200 model:
With the Motorola A1200 phone model, you must turn the phone off and back on for any changes to show up in your phonebook that were synchronized from the web server.
How can I store phone numbers longer than 20 characters in the phonebook on my phone?
On some phone models, such as the Sony K610i, Sony K750i, and Sony K800i, phone numbers previously entered or edited on the Motorola BACKUP website which are longer than 20 characters are shortened to 20 characters in the phonebook on the phone and on the Motorola BACKUP website after running the Motorola BACKUP application. This is a known limitation of the method on some phones. If you need to store or edit a phone number in excess of 20 characters in the phonebook on your phone, create or edit the phone number using your the phonebook on your phone, and then run Motorola BACKUP. The full phone number saved in the phonebook on your phone will then be stored both in the phonebook on your phone and on the Motorola BACKUP website.
The "Export" function of the phonebook does not support some special characters.
When accessing your phonebook from our website, there is an "Export" link that exports all phonebook data from the website into a spreadsheet. If you find that some characters are not displayed correctly on the spreadsheet, it is because some spreadsheets do not display characters encoded in UTF-8 format. You can try the following steps when using Microsoft Excel:
  1. Open Contacts.csv using NotePad and "Save...", choose "ANSI" encoding instead of "UTF-8", and then reopen the file in Excel.
  2. Or, follow these steps.
    1. Import the file as external data.
    2. Open Excel and create a new blank file.
    3. Go to "Data" -> "Import External Data" -> "Import Data"
    4. Choose "Contacts.csv" and click "Open".
    5. Continue to the "Text Import Wizard":
      6. Step 1: Make sure "File Origin" is "Unicode UTF-8".
      Step 2: For Delimiters select "Other" and put a "," (comma) in the empty text file next to it, and then click "Finish".
How do I select or move between fields on the phone when there are no soft key options to do so?
Use the center of the direction selection wheel on your phone's keypad. If you find that just using the up or down buttons on the keypad does not move your cursor, press the center key first to enter your data, and then up or down to move to the next field. On some phone models, you need to press the center of the direction pad to enter your PIN Code from the edit screen onto the form.
Note about duplicate contacts when moving SIM card between MotorolaOS and LinuxOS phones:
Some models of phones containing the Motorola or Linux operating systems use a different SIM card implementation. A side effect of this is that when you move your SIM card between these phones, you may find that each SIM-stored contact has a number appended onto the end of its name.

When you sync Motorola BACKUP, it recognizes those contact names as being different from what was previously stored on our server, which results in duplicate contacts being created on both your phone and our website. The workaround is to move all SIM-stored contacts to phone memory and not have any contacts on the SIM card before moving it into the new phone.
When I launch Motorola BACKUP, I receive a message that the application has expired.
For some Motorola phones, the signed certificate within the application has expired. You can get up and running again by downloading a new application to update your old one. Please visit the website at http://www.motorolabackup.com/getit.htm for instructions on two different ways to download the application. Once the application is downloaded, you will be prompted to update the existing software on your handset. Please select the affirmative option to continue whenever prompted. Once the most recent application has been installed, you should be able to run it successfully.
 
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