I've just upgraded my Helix LT firmware from 2.12.2 to 2.30 without a "backup and restore" and to my surprise I didn't lose my user presets. The current version of HX Edit did not appear to be compatible with version 2.12.2 and wouldn't connect to the Helix; also, I couldn't locate any earlier versions of the software. So, I just went ahead with the upgrade fully expecting to lose my custom presets. But, hey presto, they're still there!
Does this imply that the backup and restore steps are no longer essential as parts of the upgrade process? If so, this really should be made clear on the website.