Hi guys ... Well I want to export all the contact photos Android is currently storing for all my 'Phone' contacts ..
Does anyone know where Android stores all contact photos/images ?
I'm currently running a Sense 3.6 ROM (Virtuous Affinity) on my Desire Z ..
Well I could not find them anywhere on the SD card, but I did find another solution to this, which can work until something better comes along:
1) Download and install Titanium Backup
2) Open Titanium Backup, and create a backup of the Contacts app
3) Open the SD card on your PC, and then open the 'TitaniumBackup' folder
4) Find your backup here .. if its date sorted, find the backup that was created most recently maybe ..
5) Open the TAR file in WinRAR, and then open the 'files' folder inside the TAR file
6) All associated contact images should be here now ..
Please 'Thank' this post if this helped you out
ahmadka said:
Well I could not find them anywhere on the SD card, but I did find another solution to this, which can work until something better comes along:
1) Download and install Titanium Backup
2) Open Titanium Backup, and create a backup of the Contacts app
3) Open the SD card on your PC, and then open the 'TitaniumBackup' folder
4) Find your backup here .. if its date sorted, find the backup that was created most recently maybe ..
5) Open the TAR file in WinRAR, and then open the 'files' folder inside the TAR file
6) All associated contact images should be here now ..
Please 'Thank' this post if this helped you out
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you so much! I was looking for a way to do this andd your methodd worked like a charm! Maybe this should a sticky for the android tips section. :good:
I tried to do this your way, but i only get cut photos, not original ones. Any help?
Hi,
i run a backup sesseion yesterday with the build-in app "back up & restore" on my ICS 4.04. i had no chance to choose "usb storage" even my mobile was connected with my laptop so i keep it on "internal storage".
but i can't find the backup now on there. There are just a few folders but only some KB's in size.
Where put the app my backup in ?
It's in a folder called .semc-fullbackup
and where is that folder? do I have an access without root?
how to delete backup from app?
can't find it either.... it's not on my internal storage / SD card....
very useful from backup&restore to put the backup onto the phone memory with no option to save it somewhere else <facepalm>
its in internal memory and its hidden so use explorer and then youll see it.
olaf313 said:
can't find it either.... it's not on my internal storage / SD card....
very useful from backup&restore to put the backup onto the phone memory with no option to save it somewhere else <facepalm>
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're supposed to connect a USB flash drive TO your phone, not your phone to a computer. It works, i've tried it.
To view the folders, open them through your computer when connected via a data cable; if you try to view them on your phone via a file explorer they don't show up.
Edit: To get Es file explorer to show hidden files/folders go to: Settings --> File Settings --> Show hidden files
It's great that you can do a backup to a USB flash drive, but you don't get the USB on-the-go cable in the box and most people wouldn't know they exist, or where to get one (I've never seen one on sale in a shop).
(For those that don't know, you can get official Nokia or Samsung ones dirt cheap from Amazon and probably eBay etc).
I use MyBackupPro and found that it was impossible to transfer the folder contents to another folder on my Mac desktop using MTP. Certain files just won't/can't copy. A total joke.
However, I can use a file manager to copy everything in the backup folder to a USB drive via the cable (well, actually via a LiveDock as the phone can't power an awful lot of flash drives) but that's a right PITA.
To be honest, I know Google can now backup app settings but the whole thing is a mess. When you reset, you don't always get the apps reinstalling (even if starts to do it seemingly fine) and I'm not confident it would work if I needed to rely on it. And even less so if I broke my phone and replaced it with another one, where the backed up data wouldn't reinstall either.
Frankly, despite showing off some really cool features in Android 4.1 at Google I/O today, the one thing they've not really taken much care of is making backups. Why not let me make a backup to my Google Drive storage space? Why not back up all applications and data, including apps installed on the SD card (or internal drive) and also backup widget data, home screen icon positions etc?
Even rooted devices are hit and miss when it comes to backups, and most people don't root their devices - or may have rooted the device they have now, but can't always root the device when changing phone or updating the OS.
Anyway, that was a much longer rant than I intended to write. Going back to the start, the backup app for most people is pretty pointless!!
Access Hidden Files Using Phone
Download Astro File Manager from Google Play
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.metago.astro&hl=en
Open Astro ...
Open Preferences ...
Goto Look and Feel ...
Check Show hidden files ...
Then you can see a folder named .semc-fullbackup.
Open the folder ...
Copy its contents to some other location ...
That is all ...
Enjoy
olaf313 said:
Hi,
i run a backup sesseion yesterday with the build-in app "back up & restore" on my ICS 4.04. i had no chance to choose "usb storage" even my mobile was connected with my laptop so i keep it on "internal storage".
but i can't find the backup now on there. There are just a few folders but only some KB's in size.
Where put the app my backup in ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I used ES file explorer to see the folder I said, my phone was rooted, maybe that's the reason the folder was visible by default
meyourchum said:
Download Astro File Manager from Google Play
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.metago.astro&hl=en
Open Astro ...
Open Preferences ...
Goto Look and Feel ...
Check Show hidden files ...
Then you can see a folder named .semc-fullbackup.
Open the folder ...
Copy its contents to some other location ...
That is all ...
Enjoy
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
cheers buddy, that was great.
first i thought "Astro" is a horoscope app :laugh:
lordoftheriffs said:
I used ES file explorer to see the folder I said, my phone was rooted, maybe that's the reason the folder was visible by default
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just checked and you're right, ES file explorer can see the folders (my phone is not rooted), you just have to enable the option in settings.
Es file explorer: Settings --> File Settings --> Show hidden files
HI im ravi...thanks for your post....very good app
I'm not rooted, what I did was:
- connect the phone to you computer
- adb shell
- cd sdcard1
- ls -la
Then you should see the .semc-fullbackup folder. So you need to have android SDK installed, I'm not sure if you need to have developer mode enabled, but I did have it enabled.
Just wanted to add to this because this is the first Google hit I got.
Hey guys,
Since I'm having my board exam, so I don't have my phone right now with me and I'm using whatsapp on bluestacks app players. But after exams are over, I'll be soon back with my Xperia U. So guys can you tell me how do I backup my files, folders, apps, whatsapp full media and its full conversation with people I chat with and every single goddamn thing from bluestacks to my phone??
Thanks in advance.
nirajkaushik said:
Hey guys,
Since I'm having my board exam, so I don't have my phone right now with me and I'm using whatsapp on bluestacks app players. But after exams are over, I'll be soon back with my Xperia U. So guys can you tell me how do I backup my files, folders, apps, whatsapp full media and its full conversation with people I chat with and every single goddamn thing from bluestacks to my phone??
Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try This:
1. WhatsApp stores a backup of all conversations in the SD Card. It can be accessed by doing the following:
1. Install a File Manager such as Astro File Manager, on BlueStacks
2. Navigate to sdcard/WhatsApp/Databases/
3. The message history backups are stored here. Click down on the file msgstore.db.crypt,
select Copy from the options that come up. Navigate to
/sdcard/bstfolder/bstSharedFolder/ and paste the file.
4. This file can now be accessed on the PC by navigating to
C:/ProgramData/BlueStacks/UserData/SharedFolder.
2. Now the messages can be accessed by decrypting the databases (this link tells you how)
I Don't Know That Whether It'll Work Or Not. [Do At Your Own Risk. ]
This worked for me
1. Explore your phone files on your PC, search for whatsapp messages in something like this: phone/whatsapp/databases
2. Upload the last created message database you found to your Dropbox or Drive account
3. Install file manager HD in bluestack (This App allows you to copy/delete files from SD and cloud servers/dropbox)
4. Make sure to uninstall whatsapp from bluestack before you do next step
5. In the file manager HD identify the database you upload in dropbox
6. Install whatsapp, before they ask your phone number do the next step
7. In file manager hd move the message file from dropbox to SDcard/whatsapp/databases
8. Put phone in whatsapp and it will ask you to recover messages, accept, and it should work
while updating the bluestacks whatsapp, i changed my profile name and now no old history is available... how to get my old chat history, Please help.
better idea is install file manager make a zip file of watsapp folder and paste it to /sdcard/bstfolder/bstSharedFolder/
find that zip file on your pc from C:/ProgramData/BlueStacks/UserData/SharedFolder and paste it in your phone and extract it to your internal directory and done
Hello everyone,
This troubleshooting guide is related to the situation where you have a backed up .crypt14 fle (data base file) for Whatsapp and are unable to restore the local backup for Whatsapp using the .crypt14 file and you have no back up done at Google Drive. Just follow the steps I mention and you will get your back up restored from the .crypt14 file in no time.
1. Install Whatsapp. Sign in using mobile number.
2. In Whatsapp, go to Settings > Chats > Chat Backup. Next Select option Back up to Google Drive = Only when I tap “Back up”
3. Switch of Mobile data and Wifi.
4. Now hit Back up button.
5. As soon as Back up shows file uploading to Google drive > Immediately switch to Aeroplane Mode.
6. Press home button on your mobile.
7. Use a file explorer app. Copy the .crypt14 file (your database file) and paste it to /storage/emulated/0/Android/media/com.whatsapp/Whatsapp/Database. Rename it as msgstore.db.crypt14. Overwrite all files.
8. Now switch on Wifi (or Mobile data). Now whatsapp will start to upload your old local database file to Google drive.
9. When complete, uninstall Whatsapp and re-install .
10. Sign in whatsapp, now whatsapp should restore data from your old local database file which you had backed up to Google drive in your previous installation.
Hope this helps to solve your Whatsapp restore from local backup problems.
Thank you. Vicky.
Hi,
I tried it without a success. Any other idea how to do it? I lost all the history
The upload process is continuing while the airplane mode is off so the process failed immediately.
#Edit
Well, it works actually. Just wait until the "backup locally" finish, and then the google backup process bar will appear then turn on Airplane Mode.
Is it feasible to transfer the backup from an older phone to a newer one while using a different individual number than the one used to create the bottleneck?
vickylahkarbytes said:
Hello everyone,
This troubleshooting guide is related to the situation where you have a backed up .crypt14 fle (data base file) for Whatsapp and are unable to restore the local backup for Whatsapp using the .crypt14 file and you have no back up done at Google Drive. Just follow the steps I mention and you will get your back up restored from the .crypt14 file in no time.
1. Install Whatsapp. Sign in using mobile number.
2. In Whatsapp, go to Settings > Chats > Chat Backup. Next Select option Back up to Google Drive = Only when I tap “Back up”
3. Switch of Mobile data and Wifi.
4. Now hit Back up button.
5. As soon as Back up shows file uploading to Google drive > Immediately switch to Aeroplane Mode.
6. Press home button on your mobile.
7. Use a file explorer app. Copy the .crypt14 file (your database file) and paste it to /storage/emulated/0/Android/media/com.whatsapp/Whatsapp/Database. Rename it as msgstore.db.crypt14. Overwrite all files.
8. Now switch on Wifi (or Mobile data). Now whatsapp will start to upload your old local database file to Google drive.
9. When complete, uninstall Whatsapp and re-install .
10. Sign in whatsapp, now whatsapp should restore data from your old local database file which you had backed up to Google drive in your previous installation.
Hope this helps to solve your Whatsapp restore from local backup problems.
Thank you. Vicky.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
this was very clever indeed, it worked , but now ysterdays chats are gone, is there a way to sync my yesterdays chat????
Worked for me.
Also a better methed to restore a less recent backup than what suggested by WhatsApp support
Hi Vicky. Thank you for literally saving me from a broken heart. My whatsapp backup just disappeared off google drive before I could restore and WhatsApp support was useless. I thought I lost 9 years of chat history until i came across your post. It worked for me with a back up i have from June. But the backup from August didnt work. Anyone know why? Nevertheless i am happy to lose 5 months vs 9 years.
Also please note Step 3. Put ON your wifi/mobile data. Not OF/F.
Thank you once again.
i tryed it on Samsung galaxy S21 and android 13 but it always ask me for google backup..
Oh... I only have the "stickers.db.crypt14" from the backup folder and the entire "stickers" folder of the media folder.
Anny chances of restoring it with these files?
you can extract stickers if you pull encryption key from /data/data/com.whatsapp/files/key
Hey @Alecxs
Overseen your message here.
I'm on Android 13 on my new phone now, and things seems to have changed quite a bit now.
Don't actually see an option to go to the /data/ folder anymore. Well, the folder is still there but it looks empty when opened. Even when "show hidden files" selected.
I actually managed to upload the backed up sticker backup file now as it seems.
I need to wait until whatsapp is starting to upload. Which is easy to do by dragging the notification screen down already after hitting "backup". As soon as a google drive notification appears it's easy to hit flight modus from here.
Seems it's actually uploading the bigger sticker backup file too, since it's taking much more time. The same goes for restoring after re-installation. Then the same sticker file seems to be downloaded into the backup folder.
So looks good so far. But unfortunatelly there're no stickers to be found in Whatsapp.
Edit:
I've tried it again to be sure the actual replaced stickers.db.crypt14 file was uploaded to Drive.
And it seems it does.
- the actual file is 50,76MB
- i had checked the backup folder after removing whatsapp, and the complete whatsapp folder was gone.
- after reinstalling it teturned. But without the backup folder in it.
- after hitting backup. Whatsapp showed that a complete backup of around the same size was coppied.
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"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}
- after checking the whatsapp folder again after restoring. The backup folder was there again. This time with the "stickers.db.crypt14" with the exact size of the backed up file.
So it seems that part worked until there. But I can't find the stickers back in whatsapp.
I'm talking about a lot of dtickers I had saved as favourites, but the favourite tab stays empty.
afaik backup to google drive is one-way, unless you wipe app data and setup WhatsApp from scratch. I am not firm with WhatsApp (never used)
I know it once was possible to get encryption key from unrooted device, but won't help you in that case.
[Tool] WhatsApp Key/DB Extractor | CRYPT6-12 | NON-ROOT | UPDATED OCTOBER 2016
** Version 4.7 Updated October 2016 - Supports Android 4.0-7.0 ** SUMMARY: Allows WhatsApp users to extract their cipher key and databases on non-rooted Android devices. UPDATE: This tool was last updated on October 12th 2016. and confirmed...
forum.xda-developers.com
aIecxs said:
afaik backup to google drive is one-way, unless you wipe app data and setup WhatsApp from scratch. I am not firm with WhatsApp (never used)
I know it once was possible to get encryption key from unrooted device, but won't help you in that case.
[Tool] WhatsApp Key/DB Extractor | CRYPT6-12 | NON-ROOT | UPDATED OCTOBER 2016
** Version 4.7 Updated October 2016 - Supports Android 4.0-7.0 ** SUMMARY: Allows WhatsApp users to extract their cipher key and databases on non-rooted Android devices. UPDATE: This tool was last updated on October 12th 2016. and confirmed...
forum.xda-developers.com
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
vickylahkarbytes said:
Hello everyone,
This troubleshooting guide is related to the situation where you have a backed up .crypt14 fle (data base file) for Whatsapp and are unable to restore the local backup for Whatsapp using the .crypt14 file and you have no back up done at Google Drive. Just follow the steps I mention and you will get your back up restored from the .crypt14 file in no time.
1. Install Whatsapp. Sign in using mobile number.
2. In Whatsapp, go to Settings > Chats > Chat Backup. Next Select option Back up to Google Drive = Only when I tap “Back up”
3. Switch of Mobile data and Wifi.
4. Now hit Back up button.
5. As soon as Back up shows file uploading to Google drive > Immediately switch to Aeroplane Mode.
6. Press home button on your mobile.
7. Use a file explorer app. Copy the .crypt14 file (your database file) and paste it to /storage/emulated/0/Android/media/com.whatsapp/Whatsapp/Database. Rename it as msgstore.db.crypt14. Overwrite all files.
8. Now switch on Wifi (or Mobile data). Now whatsapp will start to upload your old local database file to Google drive.
9. When complete, uninstall Whatsapp and re-install .
10. Sign in whatsapp, now whatsapp should restore data from your old local database file which you had backed up to Google drive in your previous installation.
Hope this helps to solve your Whatsapp restore from local backup problems.
Thank you. Vicky.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Another workable method
1. Install Whatsup using older version. Don't open it.
2. Press home button on your mobile.
3. Use a file explorer app. Copy the .crypt14 file (your database file) and paste it to
/storage/emulated/0/Android/media/com.whatsapp/Whatsapp/Database. Rename it as msgstore.db.crypt14. Overwrite
all files.
4. When complete, install latest whatsup apk to update the old version.
5. This time open it and follow through the registration and you will be given the option to restore from local backup
6. Press ok and restore.
I had only local backup, gdrive backup was corrupted.
I did this:
Turn off the backup on Drive in WhatsApp and make a regular backup in the cell phone's memory.
Go to drive.google.com > sprocket in the upper right corner > Settings > Manage Apps > WhatsApp Messenger > click on options and Disconnect from drive
This will disconnect WhatsApp from Drive, because when reinstalling on the S21, WhatsApp asks you "well, you have a backup on Drive - do you want to use it?" and you can either take that backup or continue without a backup.
The backup of WhatsApp is located in the mobile phone's memory in the folder WhatsApp > Databases. You need the one called msgstore.db.crypt14 (no date).
It's a common place, but on Samsung, it's now in Android > media > com.whatsapp > WhatsApp > Databases, so look there if you can't find it in the folder above.
You install WhatsApp on the S21 and transfer msgstore.db.crypt14 to the WhatsApp > Databases folder on the internal memory (create it if it doesn't exist).
You start WhatsApp on the S21 and now it should tell you that it has found a backup on the mobile phone, so if you want to restore from it - select it and the messages will be restored.
But as you can guess from the fact that msgstore.db.crypt14 is about 100MB - it's just text messages.
For media, you need to copy the entire WhatsApp folder from Mate to S21. It contains subfolders Backups, which has some wallpaper and profile settings, and Media, which has subfolders WhatsAppImages and similar - so you can copy only the things you want.
vickylahkarbytes said:
Hello everyone,
This troubleshooting guide is related to the situation where you have a backed up .crypt14 fle (data base file) for Whatsapp and are unable to restore the local backup for Whatsapp using the .crypt14 file and you have no back up done at Google Drive. Just follow the steps I mention and you will get your back up restored from the .crypt14 file in no time.
1. Install Whatsapp. Sign in using mobile number.
2. In Whatsapp, go to Settings > Chats > Chat Backup. Next Select option Back up to Google Drive = Only when I tap “Back up”
3. Switch of Mobile data and Wifi.
4. Now hit Back up button.
5. As soon as Back up shows file uploading to Google drive > Immediately switch to Aeroplane Mode.
6. Press home button on your mobile.
7. Use a file explorer app. Copy the .crypt14 file (your database file) and paste it to /storage/emulated/0/Android/media/com.whatsapp/Whatsapp/Database. Rename it as msgstore.db.crypt14. Overwrite all files.
8. Now switch on Wifi (or Mobile data). Now whatsapp will start to upload your old local database file to Google drive.
9. When complete, uninstall Whatsapp and re-install .
10. Sign in whatsapp, now whatsapp should restore data from your old local database file which you had backed up to Google drive in your previous installation.
Hope this helps to solve your Whatsapp restore from local backup problems.
Thank you. Vicky.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks alot, it helped!
I sucesfully restore internl backup following this.
The backup of WhatsApp on Mate is located in the mobile phone's memory in the WhatsApp > Databases folder. You need the one called msgstore.db.crypt14 (no date).
It's a common place, but on Samsung, it's now in Android > media > com.whatsapp > WhatsApp > Databases, so look there if you can't find it in the folder above.
You install WhatsApp on the S21 and transfer msgstore.db.crypt14 to the WhatsApp > Databases folder on the internal memory (create it if it doesn't exist).
You start WhatsApp on the S21 and now it should tell you that it has found a backup on the mobile phone, so if you want to restore from it - select it and the messages will be restored.
But as you can guess from the fact that msgstore.db.crypt14 is about 100MB - it's just text messages.
For media, you need to copy the entire WhatsApp folder from Mate to S21. It contains subfolders Backups, which has some wallpaper and profile settings, and Media, which has subfolders WhatsAppImages and similar - so you can copy only the things you want.
So msgstore.db.crypt14 will return all conversations, but the media files will be blurred and you won't see them. If you want complete WhatsApp - copy the entire WhatsApp folder to the S21.
Since Android has not had classic access to files for the last few years, copying via USB to a computer and back to the S21 can take an awfully long time - especially when there are several nested folders.
For me, copying to the memory card and then switching from the memory card to the new cell phone turned out to be much faster. However, since the S21 does not have a memory card, you can try to connect USB if you have an OTG cable or create a zip and upload directly to Drive or somewhere like that if you have an ok upload speed.
That might be faster. Also, the built-in file manager (I don't know if Huawei has one) turned out to be faster than a custom one I used.
If you have no choice but to use a USB cable, try to copy folder by folder - so you don't copy a folder that has other folders in it.
I don't know why, but it turned out to be faster for me - or so I imagined.
tinko975 said:
I sucesfully restore internl backup following this.
The backup of WhatsApp on Mate is located in the mobile phone's memory in the WhatsApp > Databases folder. You need the one called msgstore.db.crypt14 (no date).
It's a common place, but on Samsung, it's now in Android > media > com.whatsapp > WhatsApp > Databases, so look there if you can't find it in the folder above.
You install WhatsApp on the S21 and transfer msgstore.db.crypt14 to the WhatsApp > Databases folder on the internal memory (create it if it doesn't exist).
You start WhatsApp on the S21 and now it should tell you that it has found a backup on the mobile phone, so if you want to restore from it - select it and the messages will be restored.
But as you can guess from the fact that msgstore.db.crypt14 is about 100MB - it's just text messages.
For media, you need to copy the entire WhatsApp folder from Mate to S21. It contains subfolders Backups, which has some wallpaper and profile settings, and Media, which has subfolders WhatsAppImages and similar - so you can copy only the things you want.
So msgstore.db.crypt14 will return all conversations, but the media files will be blurred and you won't see them. If you want complete WhatsApp - copy the entire WhatsApp folder to the S21.
Since Android has not had classic access to files for the last few years, copying via USB to a computer and back to the S21 can take an awfully long time - especially when there are several nested folders.
For me, copying to the memory card and then switching from the memory card to the new cell phone turned out to be much faster. However, since the S21 does not have a memory card, you can try to connect USB if you have an OTG cable or create a zip and upload directly to Drive or somewhere like that if you have an ok upload speed.
That might be faster. Also, the built-in file manager (I don't know if Huawei has one) turned out to be faster than a custom one I used.
If you have no choice but to use a USB cable, try to copy folder by folder - so you don't copy a folder that has other folders in it.
I don't know why, but it turned out to be faster for me - or so I imagined.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi Tinko,
I also had GDrive corrupted backup and followed your steps with the local backup I saved on my phone, file size is 588 MB and after it loads it starts restoring messages and the progress bar won't go further 31%, stays there for hours, I'm afraid my local backups are corrupted too, don't have any idea of what else I can do, I'm trying to see if there is a third party software that can assist on the restoring process in order to make it to it's 100%.
Any help and suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
Try to find older backup. Maybe from older phone. Every backup is better than none.
No man, I tried with the las 7 local backups that I had and I got the same issue
Do you know about any software that can assist me on the WhatsApp chat restoring?
Expensive.
[Official] Pricing for Individuals Windows - MobileTrans
Price for Individuals Windows users - Wondershare MobileTrans
mobiletrans.wondershare.com