Registered: Oct 1999
Location:
Posts: 32

Can you back up everything on your Visor...including installed software, or should I get the 8meg flash module?

Alos, are either of these backordered?

Registered: Oct 1999
Location:
Posts: 95

I just got my BVD and my backup module today, and I read your post and decided to have a little fun.

Sync'ed, installed 4 MB of programs, then made sure the install went OK. (BTW, the USB sync is SUPER fast!). I even played a coupla games of Giraffe and Yahtzee.

Then, I backed it up, deleted all of the installed programs, and purged all of my datebook entries.

The restore operation went flawlessly, and automatically did a soft reset afterwards.

Ouila, my programs and datebook entries were back on board!

As for being backordered, like I said, I just got mine today (11/8). Other than that, your guess is as good as mine .

MJH <><

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Cedar Knolls, NJ
Posts: 38

Got my BVD and backup mod yesterday, but on the order it said my 8mb Flash is backordered.

Backup module works great...

Jason

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: West Hollywood, CA 90069, USA
Posts: 126

nicholasr,

I have both the backup module and the flash module.

The backup module works simply. Plug it in and you get an option to "backup" or "restore". That's it. It works very well for it's intended purpose, but is of little other value.

The flash module allows you to "copy" or "move" (or delete) apps & data files between the Visor and Module. Apps & files that have been moved to the flash module remain available (and executable) to the Visor. The manual that comes with the flash module indicates that not all apps will run while on the module, but I haven't found one yet.

If all you really want to do is have a convenient way to backup your Visor without syncing it, save yourself the money and get the backup module.

If (on the other hand) you would like the ability to backup critical files, and want the flexibility an extra 8MB of available storage can bring, then spend the extra and get the flash module.

If I could only get one, I'd get the Flash Module.

Dave

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Columbus, Ohio USA
Posts: 255

So if you had to give a generic term to the two modules, would you I be correct in saying the Backup module is comparable to Hotsync and the Flash module is compared to Backup buddy?

It seems you can put whatever on the 8mb card, but does it also back up your phone book, schedule, etc..?

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Mililani, HI, USA
Posts: 256

BizEchilD,

No. It's easier to compare the backup module to a tape drive on a PC--COMPLETE system backup of the Visor. The hotsync is a hit-or-miss operation that backs up some files and misses others. (While BackupBuddy allows you a choice of which files are to be backed up.)

On the other hand, the 8MB flash is more like a very big FlashPro app. Flashpro was an app that made use of the remainder of the flash ROM used to store the OS on certain Palm units (like your IIIx). You could use Flashpro to backup files and also to keep executable apps, provided that the database files were kept in RAM. (Forgive me if you already know all of this.) So the 8MB module is dual-purpose. It's backup--in a qualified sense--but it's also executable storage which effectively expands the usable room on your Visor. (So you can use it to backup your address book and datebook, but you'd have to select those database files to be copied--not moved--to the module.)

Have I succeeded in confusing you further?

[This message has been edited by ragamuffinn (edited 11-17-1999).]