Restoring My Contact List from a backup file

[Don Last]

I do not know if the software on my magic jack updated automatically, but I do know that as of yesterday, my contact list was empty. I do have a backup of the contact list file...(AddressBook.xml ) on my computer.

Can somebody please tell me how to restore that file to active service on the Magic Jack. The file currently exists on the 2nd drive that magic jack creates on a Windows XP computer. But none of the contacts appear in the contact window.

Do I have to manually reenter all of the contacts individually? I have tried restarting the magic jack a couple of times without any success. The contact list still appears empty.

Thank you very much for any replies, in advance.
For any help... my e-mail address is:
[email protected]

[Alesana]

First, make sure that all hidden files and folders are shown.. After that, open the removable storage drive that the magicJack creates when you plug it in.. And after that, open the folder named magicJack and paste back the addressbook.xml file in there, and after that restart your magicJack.. Hope it helps out..

[Don Last]

First of all, thank you very, very much for replying to my request for help.

I've tried copying over the AddressBook.xml file a number of times and then restarting magic jack. I've also tried unplugging it, then rebooting the computer, but nothing seems to get the magic jack to recognize the newly copied file labeled AddressBook.xml.

When I look at the 2nd virtual drive that magic jack creates I see that the AddressBook.xml file is in place, and the content of the file is correct. It has all of my original contacts in it. But magic jackit insists on still displaying an empty contact list.

By the way, my magic jack is otherwise working perfectly so far with the exception of this loss of contact list, which happened I believe yesterday.



Sincerely,

Don

[SyntaxJO]

Try to open the xml in the magicjack folder itself instead of replacing it - then just PASTE the info in there and click save. I just tried removing an entry - save and reset - and it took it away. Then I opened it again - pasted the entry back in - saved and restarted - and it added it back in again. Give it a whirl.

[Don Last]

Resolution to the Problem.

I spent about 45 minutes in the Magic Jack help chat window and finally resolved the problem. For some unknown reason, my XML file had become corrupted and the Magic Jack contact database module was not able to read it.

The Magic Jack drive was re-formatted. All of the entries had to be re-entered individually, one at a time using the normal entry method in Magic Jack.

Immediately after doing that, the file was saved to a secure backup location on my computer, and this will be done on a regular basis.

A very personal thank you to everybody who offered assistance to me.

Don

[dmfh]

Ok

I copied my .XML contact list from the MJ to my desktop.

Reformatted the MJ...once reformatting was complete I unplugged the MJ for 30 sec (not sure about exact time needed) and plugged it back in.

I then created one contact using the MJ's softphone interface. Doing so created a new .XML contact list since the old one was deleted when the formatting took place.

Opening the new .XML file I deleted the contact I had just made and left the very top line alone.....top line being (<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>)

Then I copy and paste my old .XML text (other than the top line) and restarted my MJ....everything back to normal.

PS...Not sure if the top line has to remain there or not but left it for safe measures.

[Don Last]

Thank you for taking the time to explain it all!!!!

Will give it a try!

Again Thanks!!

Don

[Darkman90808]

FWIW, there is also a utility called MagicJack Contacts Importer, which lets you bring your MS Outlook contacts directly into MJ. I did a quick search on "importer" and "MagicJackContactsImporter" but it didn't come up. The author must be shy, 'cause I couldn't find any identification in the associated files. I can send it as a zip file if necessary.

NOTE: Never mind. Here are the links.

http://sites.google.com/site/importcont ... magicjack/

http://www.phoneservicesupport.com/impo ... t7148.html

[MJ Problem Solver]

Before you can transfer your saved contacts you have to do a few things.
1) Bring up the MAGIC JACK dial pad on your desktop.
2) Contacts should be empty at this time.
3) Click on MENU and then ADD CONTACTS
4) type in bbbb in the NAME AREA and 2222 in the NUMBER AREA and then click OK
5) Double click on MY COMPUTER then click on the DRIVE where your addressbook file is located.
6) You should see a folder called MAGIC JACK
7) Drag your saved addressbook.xml file into the MAGIC JACK FOLDER
You will be prompted if you want to replace files...click YES
9) Bring up the MAGIC JACK Dial Pad onto your Desktop again.
10) Click MENU then ADVANCED USERS then RESTART
11) Once Magic Jack restarts your contacts will be back.
Follow these same steps if you ever have to "format"
Whenever you format you will need to know your email address and password you used when first setting up magic jack.

[CaptMike]

[b]This Does Not Work. [/b]

The files are in the folders as Noted but every time you start MagicJack it DOWNLOADS a *.pf file off the MagicJack server and this is where your Contacts and Call info come from.

I spent Three Hours trying everything possible trying to restore my Contacts as the Above Instructions and tried Every Thing Possible. Last resort was to Contact MagicJack, after I'd totally deleted my contacts and Made a NEW One when MagicJack restored my contacts it was EMPTY.

If MagicJack Did Not Load Your Contacts, Unplug MagicJack for 2 Hours And When You Reconnect They'll Appear. (This is from the MagicJack Technician.) If you've Make a NEW Contact List... To Bad, The New Contact List Will Wipe The Old One Off Their Server!)

[Nobody beats the Whiz!]

This Does Not Work.

Yes, well that is because MJ has changed the software since those instructions were posted. Most of us had our contacts carry over properly after the recent update.

I'm curious to hear if anyone actually finds success with the two hour rule you were given.

[klorfzore]

MagicJack's website has a page dedicated to the 3 most common problems. The first being "Contact List Empty"

I installed the application and it worked perfectly.

http://www.magicjack.com/6/fixes.asp

[Bobd]

Tried all these suggestions and like everything else magiccrap it don't work.

[JerseyJohn]

Yes indeed the address book has moved from the device to the servers

And it took quite a while for MJ chat staff to find that out.
Two out of Three did not know it had moved

Thus at this time I am looking for some way to bulk load
It looks like the Outlook sync addin does not work either
At least I cannot make it work now.

The hidden addressbook.xml file does not even show up
in the "Phone" Drive on my new, 3 days ago, MJ

There is no way for the user to have a backup of the addressbook
MJ does that for you - right good luck getting one off their backup system

[Nobody beats the Whiz!]

I still see a copy of my address book on my MJ.

I wonder if this is a function of operating system and MJ version.

[WAGGGG]

I finally gave up trying to backup the contact list on my computer and have decided to use the old reliable address book on paper method.