Is it necessary to create a back up before replacing a battery

[louis2008]

My battery is failing and warranty has expired for long time so I can only have it replaced in an unofficial shop. Is it necessary to create a back up before letting them replace my battery? COULD it lose everything if they carelessly do something or hit on some parts during the replacement? I have no experience and knowledge about fixing a phone.

 

[maggiem2481]

It will not lose your phone's data, but you should create a backup because if anything goes wrong during the battery replacement process then your data will be safe.

 

[Unforgiven]

Better to have a backup and be safe.

 

[KarmaHunter]

Always a good practice to do backups regularly, even if the phone is working great.

 

[svim]

Just adding my agreement with previous postings, your saved data will remain whether the battery is or isn't replaced BUT you should still be doing regular backups no matter what. Really, backups are important.
Sending your phone out to be serviced just adds to the already existing risk. Smartphones are not reliable to be long-term storage media. They're too easy to lose or be stolen, and internally they are quite complex so they are prone to just failing at times. Your data is often more valuable than the phone itself so start doing backups now. Sending your phone out to be serviced just adds another layer of risk since the phone is completely out of your possession. Also, this is bordering on just fear-mongering but you won't know the skill level of the tech person that will be working on your phone so again, you want to still be able to access/restore your data in the rare event your phone does get inadvertently damaged.

What phone model do you have? This could determine if there are easy-to-use backup solutions available or more manual, involved options.

 

[louis2008]

Hi all, sorry, I have to bump this thread because I'd like to ask again.

Yes... Yes... Yes.. I understand that one should always create a backup.

But how likely I will lose some or all of the data during the process of replacing the battery? Is there any one button or wire inside the board which will clear all data if hit or touched accidentally?

 

[mikedt]

Hi all, sorry, I have to bump this thread because I'd like to ask again.

Yes... Yes... Yes.. I understand that one should always create a backup.

But how likely I will lose some or all of the data during the process of replacing the battery? Is there any one button or wire inside the board which will clear all data if hit or touched accidentally?

I think it all depends on the competency of the tech who's doing the job, and what exactly is involved in changing the battery on your particular device. There's a risk he/she could short circuit and fry something, or connect the battery in reverse, damage a fragile connector, dislodge a critical component on the board, reset the device, etc. etc. .

There's always a risk that the patient might die on the operating table, so to speak.

 

[louis2008]

I think it all depends on the competency of the tech who's doing the job, and what exactly is involved in changing the battery on your particular device. There's a risk he/she could short circuit and fry something, or connect the battery in reverse, damage a fragile connector, dislodge a critical component on the board, reset the device, etc. etc. .

There's always a risk that the patient might die on the operating table, so to speak.

How about replacing the battery in Shenzhen, China? Do you think most of them have a sophisticated hand? 同志

For some really personal reasons, I don't want to make backup.

 

[Hadron]

Let's give an example: someone accidentally touches the wrong thing with a soldering iron. The motherboard is damaged. The repairer is honest and decides they have to fix the phone at their expense, but the simplest repair, and in reality probably the only practical one, is to replace the motherboard. Your data are in a storage chip that's fixed to the motherboard, so when that is replaced you lose everything.

That, or something similar, could hapen to anyone. Not saying its likely, but why take the chance?

Basically I would never give a phone to someone else to fix without backing up anything of importance first, no matter who that person is.

Ironically the really big risk would be an official service centre! Those places routinely wipe every phone they fix, either because it's policy to do a full update of the software while they have the device or, in some countries, because it's policy to do this to avoid any possible lawsuits because the technician accessed data from the device they were repairing.

 

[mikedt]

How about replacing the battery in Shenzhen, China? Do you think most of them have a sophisticated hand? 同志

For some really personal reasons, I don't want to make backup.

Well in Shenzhen, something like battery replacement might be while you wait, and you can probably watch them doing the work. As for "sophisticated hand", maybe as long as it hasn't had too much pijiu or baijiu for lunch.

 

[louis2008]

Let's give an example: someone accidentally touches the wrong thing with a soldering iron. The motherboard is damaged. The repairer is honest and decides they have to fix the phone at their expense, but the simplest repair, and in reality probably the only practical one, is to replace the motherboard. Your data are in a storage chip that's fixed to the motherboard, so when that is replaced you lose everything.

That, or something similar, could hapen to anyone. Not saying its likely, but why take the chance?

Basically I would never give a phone to someone else to fix without backing up anything of importance first, no matter who that person is.

Ironically the really big risk would be an official service centre! Those places routinely wipe every phone they fix, either because it's policy to do a full update of the software while they have the device or, in some countries, because it's policy to do this to avoid any possible lawsuits because the technician accessed data from the device they were repairing.

Is soldering work normally involved in replacing cellphone's battery?

 

[Hadron]

Have a look at a teardown of your model of phone. That will answer the question (the last time I did this was a few years ago and I don't really remember - it's not as if soldering especially notable for me - and it was a different model anyway).

The question I'd ask is why you are so reluctant to back up? Because you give the impression that you don't really want to and are hoping someone will say that you don't need to do it.

 

[louis2008]

Have a look at a teardown of your model of phone. That will answer the question (the last time I did this was a few years ago and I don't really remember - it's not as if soldering especially notable for me - and it was a different model anyway).

The question I'd ask is why you are so reluctant to back up? Because you give the impression that you don't really want to and are hoping someone will say that you don't need to do it.

One thing I need to emphasize is that I never disagree that one should back up their data!

As a matter of fact, the battery of my phone is so bad that it will just go dead in less than one or two minute when not disconnected to the AC outlet, so this battery has practically died, if not logically. How can I have enough time to transfer the data to my desktop PC when it will shut down in less than 2 mintues?? And then it will probably take another 10 hours (It's an old phone that doesn't support fast charging) before I can use it for another 2 minutes....

That's why I want to take the risk by not creating back up.

 

[Hadron]

Thanks for the explanation: no, you'd never argued against, but seemed very reluctant, which you have now clarified.

In my experience a phone will charge while doing a USB data transfer, but maybe if it's so old that it only has a microUSB port, or your computer only has USB-A ports, that won't deliver enough current to keep it going. If phone and computer both have USB-C you should be OK (I backed up my phone last week over USB and it was almost fully charged when I finished - and while my phone does support fast charging I turn that off as I charge the phone overnight so don't need it).

 

[ocnbrze]

if you were to backup the phone, what sort of data are we talking about? pictures? videos? files? what phone do you have?

some phones like samsung has a backup utility program(Smart Switch) that you can run on both the pc and phone. it will backup most things, but not everything.

if it is pictures, just make sure that your phone has google sync'd turned on. this will backup all google data including your photos. you can verify this by logging on to Google Photos your photos should be there.....no need to for cables or anything.

but i would backup if possible.

 

[KarmaHunter]

Backup? Yes, always. Even for something as simple as replacing a battery: you can drop the phone while prying it open to replace the battery and it'll hit the floor hard, break the screen and when you stand up, you step on it and more damage done, and after you pick it up and start complaining to yourself about NOT having done a backup, it will slip from your hand and land right inside your cup of coffee. Basically, shit can happen for something simple (Murphy's Law)

You can charge and transfer files from your phone to your computer with the same cable or insert a microSD card to your phone (if available) and transfer your files that way. Other ways for transferring files are using LAN and BT.

 

[louis2008]

Thanks for the explanation: no, you'd never argued against, but seemed very reluctant, which you have now clarified.

In my experience a phone will charge while doing a USB data transfer, but maybe if it's so old that it only has a microUSB port, or your computer only has USB-A ports, that won't deliver enough current to keep it going. If phone and computer both have USB-C you should be OK (I backed up my phone last week over USB and it was almost fully charged when I finished - and while my phone does support fast charging I turn that off as I charge the phone overnight so don't need it).

After all, life is full of risk. Whether to take risk is sometimes a compromise and personal decision, isn't it? On top of that, my data is important, but it is not really so important that I cannot take risk. I can decide whether to take risk after getting to know how likely someone will make mistake and clean part or all data during a phone replacement.

 

[Hadron]

Of course, it's your choice. But you asked for advice, and everyone's advice is to take a backup.

(Some stuff you'll be able to back up wirelessly, which is another option if the power is too unstable for anything else).