[Touch HD General] Chef_Tony:
you should always rely on more than one backup.

let me explain it this way:

when you flash a rom, you want to change something and not everything to be exactly the same because then you wouldn't need to flash a rom in the first place.

for something to be different, there needs to be another windows mobile base underneath and another touchflo/manila/sense/cookies version on top. so you cannot plainly backup everything, restore it on another version and expect it to work. the main differences between roms is that chefs set certain values so that their roms work best. that goes for font sizes, cachse sizes and various other things, so you won't want to override that with your settings that were made for another rom, or it wouldn't be stable and fast anymore.

but what you want to backup is your apps (apparently, you already have your cab files, good first step) and your personal information (appointments, tasks, notes, contacts, sms...). the latter can be done with ppcpimbackup.

this thread was made in 2009, when there was not such a great variety in roms. i wouldn't use it anymore. it is a huge amount of work to set it up, and when you flash a new rom and find that it did not work properly, then your data is really lost.

so to go completely sure, here is a checklist on how i would procede in your place:

1. prepare your computer:

1.1 in case you have windows vista/7, determine, which version (x86 or x64) and install the proper drivers

from the forum

(if not done already). the normal sync drivers will not suffice, in bootloader mode, another driver is required.

1.2 get blackstone advanced ruu from the blackstone themes and apps section.

1.3 get a copy of your current rom from shipped-roms.com

1.4 get hspl

1.5 get the rom you want to flash

1.6 if you want, get a new radio rom

1.7 get ppcpimbackup by dotfred

1.8 get a trial version of spb backup from spbsoftwarehouse

2. the backup stage

2.1 perform a full backup with spb backup

2.2 then perform several single aspect backups, like \program files\ only, or only sms...

2.3 perform a full ppcpimbackup

2.4 perform a ppcpimbackup without email

2.5 sync the phone with outlook to backup your personal data once more. can't get safer than that.

3. flash your new rom

3.1 flash hspl if not done already, flash the actual rom, perform a hard reset, maybe flash the new radio and perform another hard reset

3.2 set up the system completely, including your email accounts

3.3 install your apps again (as posted before, your future rom will probably come with a feature to install an entire folder of cabs at once)

3.4 a backup test phase

3.4.1 perform another full spb backup

3.4.2 restore the ppcpimbackup with email

3.4.3 check if email actually still works

3.4.3.1 if it doesn't, restore the just created spb full backup and restore the other ppcpimbackup without the email

3.4.3.2 if it does work, you are good to go

now you have a new fresh rom, set up from scratch, but you still have the same apps and all your personal data. it doesn't get better than that, and don't be scared of the many steps, altogether, if you know, what you are doing, it takes an hour or two.