Hi, I'm new here as I just switched from my iPhone 3G to the atrix. I'm planning on rooting it soon but I want to make sure I don't screw anything up. I'm used to the iTunes backup and sync features, so I was wondering how that works on android phones, the atrix in particular. If something goes wrong and I can't access my phone, how can I restore it from my computer?
Also, how do apps sync? If I restore my phone to factory settings but apps are listed as installed on my account, then it won't let me reinstall those apps, will it?
Ok, I'm assuming there's no way to backup the phone without rooting. I was referring to something like making an image of the phone or atleast getting the basic firmware(like for the iPhone).
As for apps, if I get a new phone or wipe my current phone, I won't have to redownload anything right? Will it sync from the market?
But my data will be lost right (like game saves)? So I can use apps like Titanium Backup to that data right?
I just wanted to clarify this before I messed around with anything.
If you've wiped your phone, or get another phone, you can always download the apps you've purchased either from your phone or from a pc. They're linked to your gmail account.
Once you're rooted, you can use Titanium Backup. You can also use Tenfar's port of the Clockwork Mod to make what amounts to a snapshot of your current system via a nandroid backup. I've had to restore from that once after hosing my system. Works well.
Related
So I would like to get the Ubuntu hack working on my atrix but I already rooted, installed 1.57, and installed GladAtrix.
I'm wondering what the best method is to get back to 1.26 and then getting back my data after I do the Ubuntu hack?
I made back-ups with Titanium and CWM, but if I would restore my data, wouldn't that overwrite the Ubuntu hack?
Which program is better for a full system back-up/restore? CWM or Titanium?
I use TiBU and restore ONLY the apps NOT ANY DATA. Restoring system data or app data will likely get you lots of force closes. Its happened to me more than once on the Captivate and I'm not making that mistake again. I restore only the user apps w/ no data. So I'm stuck configuring my settings after every restore but Id rather do that than mess up the phone and be stuck and step one again.
Ok, so if I go back to 1.26 then I can use TiBU to re-install all my programs?
What I would like is something that essentially makes a "ghost" image of my phone so I can return to my exact settings, is that where CWM comes in?
I've recently lost the ability to enter webtop while trying to install Ubuntu. I'm thinking of just going back to 1.26 and starting over since I messed around with some other stuff and dont want to brick my phone later.
uisgdlyast said:
Ok, so if I go back to 1.26 then I can use TiBU to re-install all my programs?
What I would like is something that essentially makes a "ghost" image of my phone so I can return to my exact settings, is that where CWM comes in?
I've recently lost the ability to enter webtop while trying to install Ubuntu. I'm thinking of just going back to 1.26 and starting over since I messed around with some other stuff and dont want to brick my phone later.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
CWM will attempt to restore your phone to the exact state it was in when you made the backup, so cwm restore would revert any hack or any changes you have made since the backup.
Yes you can use TiBU to restore your user apps going from any upgrade/mod, even across ROMs. But like i said USER APPS w/o DATA ONLY. Do not restore data or system apps.
I'm running streakdroid 1.9 but I would like to do some experimentation with my streak. If I flash a new rom what will I lose? How do you backup your data so you can flash to your hearts content?
Thanks
if u flash stock roms, they do a factory reset during first start up.
So u end up loosing everything.
However if u flash .zip version of the stock roms using CWM or streak recovery , u will retain almost everything but may loose somethings like root and so on.
Remember stock roms will flash its default recovery everytime it boots up
Ok thanks. Is it wise to do a factory reset anyway?
What tools can I use to backup messages, apps, photos, etc?
I use titanium backup.
If you do a nandroid backup, when you restore it, everything will be just as it was before you flashed another ROM...
As far as using Titanium... it has never worked for me completely, nor has MyBackUp Pro, they cause me more headache than being useful...
I have gotten to the point to when I flash a new ROM, I just manually install everything, I know it sounds like some hassle, but you end up with a much smoother operating phone.
I even do a nandroid backup first, then go into my ROM and manually uninstall everything, so that when I boot up my new ROM and setup my market account, it doesn't try to install everything on its own and bog down my phone at first, I install everything manually in the order I want and set them up as I go.
I know this sounds cumbersome, but I have found it creates a cleaner environment and practically eliminated force closes
That is the way I like to do things also but what about the things that you can't just re-install e.g. sms, application specific data?
Advice
I was having a sim card and constant restart issue after updating to streakroid 2.4.4, and even after flashing dsc, the problem persisted. After I reviewed the steps I had taken I realized that I never did a factory resest (fearing I would forever lose my precious app data, which I did -_-). It turned out that was the fix, after doing the factory reset, my sim card was recognized immediately and a couple of the text I had missed showed up. However, I fixed one fixed problem and developed another.
Even though I restored a MyBackup and Titanium backup I did right before resetting I recovered my several apps without their precious data (setting, notes, bookmarks). I tried doing internal backups within the apps, some conveniently had syncs to a cloud yet I missed doing that with a few apps because I have over 100+ and I use more than half on a regular basis (even if for 5 minutes). All my apps are on my device, which is a good thing but I cant appreciate that given the missing data.
So my advice is:
Use apps that have can automatically backup or sync data -- there are enough apps with similiar utility that you can avoid ones without that function.
Do a manual backup within your important apps. -- Some apps backup files to locations that may be wiped during update, doesn't have auto backup or the last backup is months old.
Pics, texts, call logs are easily backed up -- Backup programs will explicitly state or ask what to back up in that regard.
Do a nandroid backup -- I believe this only restores rom and apps but someone can correct me.
Caveat
Through all the research done before actually need to restore a backup I missed the fact when restore apps depending on the restore program every app has to be reinstalled individually. If you have more than 25 apps then #$#@!, also for some reason when restoring with titanium if during a batch restore you come across an app if you hit cancel during one of the install prompts because you actually don't want to restore that app the batch will freeze and you'll have to force close titanium and start the restore all over. Go through the list of restore options and choose each app one by one, save yourself the time.
Lastly, to piggy back off what was said before, a factory reset( FR) after updating rom is always recommended but its not always needed. Most roms will update without causing you to lose any data but like I said previously I had sim card issues when I updated without a FR. YMMV
At this point I don't know if this helps the OP but maybe it will benefit someone else who reads this thread.
This guide by _n0p_ tells how to do an upgrade and minimize the re-installation of apps.
Key items:
Use the backup function of any apps that have it
Don't count on restoring data with TB or My Backup
Make a nandroid - just in case
I have found TB and My Backup to be useful for things like browser bookmarks.
The post linked to discussed going from Froyo to Gingerbread but the same techniques apply for moving to any other ROM.
Last time i changed roms, i used the Dell backup utility for evertyhing but the apps, which can be backed up together with their data with QtADB which creates a backup folder on your SD. After installing the new rom, i chose advanced recovery from the Dell Utility and set it to recover everything but the apps, which i recovered with QtADB. However, I also strongly recommend nandroid, in case the steak doesn't boot after the install.
I am new to HTC devices, coming from Motorola Droids. I have read a lot of the info here but still have a few noob questions. I am currently running RezROM 1.5 and like it a lot. But I would like to get the OTA update for the new radio and I would also like to check out some of the ICS ROM's.
So question is: Is there an easy way to restore user data and apps after flashing ROM's? Many of the ROM's I see suggest or require full wipe and often recommend not restoring anything. I have had problems restoring data (both on Motorola and HTC) with Titanium backup.
Thanks!
TahoeTexan said:
I am new to HTC devices, coming from Motorola Droids. I have read a lot of the info here but still have a few noob questions. I am currently running RezROM 1.5 and like it a lot. But I would like to get the OTA update for the new radio and I would also like to check out some of the ICS ROM's.
So question is: Is there an easy way to restore user data and apps after flashing ROM's? Many of the ROM's I see suggest or require full wipe and often recommend not restoring anything. I have had problems restoring data (both on Motorola and HTC) with Titanium backup.
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The apps part is easy. Backup your /data/app/ somewhere before changing ROMs. Then drop it everything back in /data/app/ afterward. All you're backing up though is the installed application, not the data. Data is not recommended across many ROMs so I don't even think about it.
I've tried a few ways... but ultimately. I just deal with resetting everything up the way I want.
I've used MyBackup. It does alright. Takes forever if you have a lot of SMS messages. And it doesn't exactly get all of your system settings either. I also had a problem where I factory reset, re-installed all my apps. and then ran MyBackup restore to get the home screens back in order and while it did, none of the app buttons worked. So I had to replace everything, but at least I knew where things belonged I guess...
Eitherway, haven't been that impressed with any of the backup/restore things as of yet. I'm feeling bold enough to say there isn't a SlamDunk solution out there that'll work for everyone, but the ones that do exist might do enough for you to be happy.
The best way I have found by far is to use the app "App Monster Pro".
You can have that app made a BU copy of the APK for all your installed apps to a folder on your storage card. Then, after a ROM flash you just go to that folder & click on whatever APK's you want installed for the new ROM & you get a completely clean new install of everything in no time.
That way it a little slower than a TI batch recover, but the difference is it works 100% right 100% of the time (something TI & My BU Pro NEVER do)
It doesn't restore text messages, but I never had any desire to do that anyway (it always cracked me up when I had my TouchPro 2 & people would post I just restored 4200 text messages to my new ROM & now my phone is freezing constantly when texting, what do I do??)
I just use ES File Explorer to backup my apps, as for data, for me, my critical data are my contacts, so I just sync those up with my google account.
I second AppMonster Pro for just apps. I love that as soon as you download an app it makes a backup of it so you never have to think about it. And when restoring it's easy on the eyes, unlike TiBU which I find I have to search around a lot before I find what I'm trying to restore. Still I use three back up systems - AppMonster Pro, MyBackup Pro and Titanium Backup Pro - just in case so if one fails I have others to turn to.
i've really only used rom manager in the past, and now with the LTE i'm using Goo manager, and TWRP for a recovery. my question is, for those that want to try a new ROM, what is your procedure for backing up your ROM and apps, etc.? i ask because i flashed to viperROM, and backed it up via TWRP recovery, went to try another ROM out, and then wanted to reflash with the backup i had created, but wasn't sure where to find it to flash back. was it just a matter of not knowing what directory it had been saved into? also, when you make a backup (is it still referred to as nandroid?), do you have to use something like titanium for backup of apps and their data? i take it that's the case but wanted to be sure... maybe i need to do more searching for titanium backup i guess.
edit: just to add that i have used TB root in the past after flashing, only to find that things like some of the games etc. were as if it was a fresh install... no save game data. what's the proper way to ensure that apps are backed up with all of their associated data? or is that something that's more of a case by case/manual thing?
What's the best way to restore in titanium backup after flashing to a new ROM?
From an apps perspective, have the phone setup the way I want, apps frozen, etc I thought after flashing, I would be able to restore to that setup, but clearly doing something wrong. I do a batch restore and wind up will old apps, unfrozen apps and basically have to do the whole setup over.
Assuming this is user error, and hoping someone can provide insight. Do you create an update.zip and flash to that?
Thanks.
I don't believe you can save frozen app setups and such. All the update.zip does is allow you to flash titanium backup in recovery so you don't have to download it from market again and is just installed as a system app
Sent from my ADR6425LVW using Tapatalk 2
pmgreen said:
What's the best way to restore in titanium backup after flashing to a new ROM?
From an apps perspective, have the phone setup the way I want, apps frozen, etc I thought after flashing, I would be able to restore to that setup, but clearly doing something wrong. I do a batch restore and wind up will old apps, unfrozen apps and basically have to do the whole setup over.
Assuming this is user error, and hoping someone can provide insight. Do you create an update.zip and flash to that?
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can choose what to restore when you you do that batch restore.
Maybe you are not setting it up right?
Every other night i have TB set to backup new data for selected apps,
New versions of selected apps
System data like messages, call logs, etc...
I can then restore them almost perfectly. Opera bookmarks give me fits, but that's about it.