Recovering Contacts from dead PBA

Forums › Android › Recovering Contacts from dead PBA - S3 Galaxy

zaptor

741 posts

Ultimate Geek

#154446 28-Oct-2014 15:40

Had an S3 repaired recently.
Unfortunately, none of the main numbers were backed up onto the SIM.
Apparently the PBA (whatever that is) was replaced.

The faulty PBA is still with the Samsung repair/service agent. However, they don't do data recovery.

Anyone know of an outfit in NZ that does data recovery on an S3? (assuming it can be done of course)

TIA.

EDIT: Grammar correction

johnr

19282 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#1163672 28-Oct-2014 15:56

Have you checked they are not in Gmail and why did you not do a backup before sending the handset away?

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Inphinity

2759 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

#1163674 28-Oct-2014 15:57

Not synced to your google or samsung account?

timmmay

19622 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1163676 28-Oct-2014 15:58

Contacts are likely backed up to your Google account. Look here. If not then maybe to some kind of Samsung account.

This is why sync with Google servers is great. Lose your phone, replace it, many things come back (not text messages or data generally).

zaptor

741 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1163806 28-Oct-2014 17:28

Sorry, no gmail or anything internet-related account.

It died suddenly (dead as a brick), so wouldn't have had the opportunity to backup to SIM or internet unfortunately.

Not my phone. Just helping someone out.

johnr

19282 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#1163808 28-Oct-2014 17:30

zaptor: Sorry, no gmail or anything internet-related account.

It died suddenly (dead as a brick), so wouldn't have had the opportunity to backup to SIM or internet unfortunately.

Not my phone. Just helping someone out.

This is why backups should be done every so often! I know people that have 100s if not 1000s of photos stored on handsets and fail to back them to up!

Then get angry / upset cause a handset dies or is lost or stolen and the data is all lost, I don't feel sorry for them as it's not difficult to back this up these days

timmmay

19622 posts

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Lifetime subscriber

#1163820 28-Oct-2014 17:41

You're likely out of luck. Next time have them use the smart phone features to back up important information.

ajobbins

5050 posts

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#1163866 28-Oct-2014 18:47

It always surprises me when I see things like this. With so many easy and secure cloud options for contacts, I have no idea why people have device only contacts any more. I moved mine to my Google account years ago, and switching between devices (and having multiple devices) the contacts all stay in sync.

I still see friends posting on Facebook every now and then with comments like "lost/broke my phone so send me your numbers" :/

Twitter: ajobbins

zaptor

741 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1163938 28-Oct-2014 20:37

timmmay: You're likely out of luck. Next time have them use the smart phone features to back up important information.

The user in question isn't very tech savvy, and doesn't use data either (including WiFi). I know, why get an S3 in the first place... my place is not to judge.
I think the best solution is to simply switch all contacts to be written to SIM.
I'm hoping using the SIM as the default contacts storage doesn't entail too many (if any) issues.

ajobbins

5050 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#1163962 28-Oct-2014 21:04

zaptor: I'm hoping using the SIM as the default contacts storage doesn't entail too many (if any) issues.

The SIM is only a slightly better place to store them. If they lose their phone, they are going to lose the SIM anyway.

If they really want to be 'off the grid' at least convince them to do a phone backup a couple of times a year so they have a good proportion of their contacts if this happens again

Twitter: ajobbins