yes phone reverts to factory

pim file does not backup text messasges

To be 100% accurate (and not to be a smartass), a hard reset will restore your phone to a "clean" version of whatever ROM/extROM you have flashed.

We can assume that since you are asking the question, you probably haven't changed the ROM, but I don't like to assume, since you know what happens when you do that.

My phone never came from the factory with what comes on it when I do a hard reset now!

If you haven't changed anything in the ROM/extROM, then Marctronixx's orignal answer stands as correct.

__________________
Peace ~ Trident
Using my own custom WM6.5 ROMGO GATORS! NCAA National Champs x3~ Football & Basketball(x2)!

That's a good clarification, Trident.

If you have an older phone and did the "official" ROM upgrade from Sprint's website, a hard reset will not erase that either.

Unlikely. The PIM.vol files are not compatible with different ROMs/major revisions/AKUs. If you are just doing a hard reset and not changing anything, it might work, but I wouldn't count on it.
In most cases, you are better off syncing your PDA to your PC, doing the hard reset and then resyncing- and making sure to select "replace items on my device with items from my PC" (paraphrasing). You could also do a backup using Sprite or Spb, but those also are often incompatible with major ROM changes. Some people get lucky and they work, but why bother if you can just resync to your PC?
By the way, we can read your posts just fine if you don't put everything in BOLD.

__________________
Peace ~ Trident
Using my own custom WM6.5 ROMGO GATORS! NCAA National Champs x3~ Football & Basketball(x2)!

Thanks Trident. About this synching business, where on the Pc does this information get stored?

The information that is getting sync'ed is stored wherever you have Outlook set to store your contact/calendar data. Newer versions back up to a *.pst file. I believe that Activesync will sync to other contact managers, but probably not as effectively.

__________________
Peace ~ Trident
Using my own custom WM6.5 ROMGO GATORS! NCAA National Champs x3~ Football & Basketball(x2)!

try this on for size. I have it installed in my custom rom.

http://forum.xda-developers.com/show...ight=pimbackup

__________________
Custom Apache AKU 3.5 roms and rom kitchens available
ALWAYS FLASH BACK TO AN OFFICIAL ROM BEFORE TAKING YOUR PHONE IN FOR SERVICE OF ANY KIND
If you have found me helpful or would like to support the developers of roms and apps that I use, please Donate