W508a - how to transfer Contacts?

[westernwombat]

I have tried to transfer Contacts from my wife's Sony-Ericsson W508a (ex Telstra), using both the cable, and Bluetooth.
I'm using a Windows computer, and have downloaded the latest Sony PC Companion and updated all the individual programs it uses.
The phone is just not recognized using the cable, and our experience with the charging cable and this transfer cable is diabolical – it's the worst USB transfer cable I have used on any phone in the last 10 years.
With Bluetooth, I can transfer one contact at a time to my 2 Windows Lumia phones (Nokia Lumia 920, Windows Lumia 640XL Dual SIM).

The W508a has an SD card, but its only purpose seems to be to backup the system (and I assume, Contacts, etc) but there seems to be no other option open to me except emailing all the Contacts – and that seems to be a one-by-one operation.

Under Contacts, there is an option to Send All Contacts (Contacts > Options > More > Advanced), and the only method I have is Bluetooth.
That sends only ONE contact, which is the one selected.
Using the Mark option to select a number of Contacts, I can't get any further.

I have internet access available to this phone's plan, but haven't activated it.

A couple of years ago, I did use the Sony Windows desktop software with the USB cable, and transferred to Outlook desktop (20013 at the time, probably) but the cable connection just isn't working. I have 2 cables, and have spent more that 2 hours on trying connections, and I can't see any other solutions apart from holding each phone in a hand and manually typing in contacts to the Windows phone.

Suggestions?

[Qatrium]

Check if your sony phone has the option to Export contacts to SD card. Mark all contacts and find this option and all your contacts will be saved in one CSV file. Move he file to your new phone via email/PC/BT and execute and "Import contacts" or whatever equvalent on this Lumia.

[westernwombat]

I don't see the option "Export contacts to SD card" or anything similar.

[edit]

Sorry, when I am in Contacts, I do see this, under Contacts > Options > More > Advanced -

Back up to m.card

"Select if you want information in Contacts to be saved as a backup on your memory card"

I had already done that.

But I don't see any way - apart from using the opposite function "Restore from m.card" which isn't going to help me.

I need a way to get that backup off the memory card (standard size SD card) into a Windows phone that uses a microSD card. The first step would be to read the proprietary format, with some utility, when putting the W508a's SD card into a card reader.

Is there such a utility? Sony employees? You must have such a program.

I don't have a suitable card reader, but someone I know will.

[Uliwooly]

@westernwombat

What if you use MyPhoneExplorer?

http://www.fjsoft.at/en/

I'd noticed that you been asking the same question on other forums 

http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/2435538

[westernwombat · Accepted solution]

@uliwooly -

If MyPhoneExplorer relies on a cabled connection, and the Sony-Ericsson cable isn't working, then it's not going to work.

However - as I wrote, if the Contacts are backed up to the SD and (as I would expect) Sony has software that can get stuff off (obviously, if there is a restore function for the phone), then this is the right forum to use.

Whirlpool is a good forum, but I would expect that a Sony forum may be monitored occasionally by their professionals, which is why I do the extraordinary thing of posting the same question at both locations.

[edit]

It was a waste of time, as anticipated, but I downloaded and installed the software, selected the recommended phone group and interface - but it wants COM1 whereas my computer-end is USB, the phone end their own flakey multipin and quite delicate connector.

[Uliwooly]

@westernwombat

I'm sorry to hear that, what if you contact your local Xperia Care

http://support.sonymobile.com/global-en/contactUs/

@Thommo any suggestions?

[Thommo]

The only idea I would have is to save the contacts to your Sim card then if needed cut said Sim card to size and place this in your new phone then copy contacts to new phone from said Sim