[Tilt, TyTN II, MDA Vario III General] meltwater:
No joy with the backup. The problem with the certificates was because SunnySoft program wasn't restoring the whole backup (I guess due to its size), works better when files restored bit by bit.

However, everything appears to be fine until I try to Remove installed software...Nothing I can do allows me to remove anything from the program list, just says it wasn't uninstalled properly do I want to remove it from the list (but doesn't). I can't even reinstall the software to fix it, just fails install.

Is there anyway to rebuild the program list or reinitalise the list to install over the top again and allow items to be uninstalled? Where are these settings located?

Failing that, I'll want to rebuild the system from scratch, but I need to know where the contacts and SMS messages are located in the system (so I can at least keep these).

Thanks for any assistance in advance. By the way, what is the best backup software which works for WM6.1???

Solution...

Moved on a bit with this (sorry if no one is interested in my self replies but this might help someone with the same issue)

The Remove Programs seems to end up in two different states:

1) Blank and new installs fail 2) Populated but programs can not be removed but new installs work (This state we can work with).

I think to get to state 2 the difference is installing Sunnysoft Backup after the Hardrest via active sync (I guess this helps it initialise the Remove Programs list).

Restore Data:

As mentioned before if the Restore doesn't work in one go (mine is about 50Mb compressed) then only restore the files (all except windows/internal store/registry/database), this gets a good chunk out of the data out of the way (the system resets after which is why we purposely miss out anything which effects what runs on the system). Now restore all the "folders" within windows (except appdb/AppMgr/Start Menu/Start Up/System and files within Windows), again this avoids anything new running without everything being ready when it restarts. Finally, restore the Database, Registry, Internal Storage and any remaining folders & files within windows. If you don't get certificate issues and the Remove Programs is populated it is ok to move on to the next bit.

Remove Programs:

This problem here is the SunnySoft backup defaults to not including tmp files. Unfortunately the registry references to tmp files stored in Windows\AppMgr\{appname}\ which are now no longer there (THANK YOU SO MUCH!!), this is what is stopping the program from being removed or reinstalled correctly.

1. Look up the name of the tmp file in the registry: HKLM\Security\AppInstall\{appname}\Uninstall\

2. Copy an old tmp file with the correct name i.e.1001.tmp in Windows\AppMgr\{appname}\. NOTE: Install a new program, copy it's tmp file. Then uninstall the new program again.

3. You can also note down the references to the other files if you don't have the original install (but this won't be the cleanest way).

4. You can now go ahead and remove the program from Remove Programs List.

5. Finally remove the files you noted or reinstall the program (and uninstall as you would before if required)

How stupid.