[Q] Is it safe to transfer data folder after factory reset? - Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

I'm on my Nexus 7 Tablet and unfortunately I have to do a factory reset yet again due to the issues presented in this thread: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=32943570#post32943570
My Question is if I'm doing a factory reset is it safe to "copy/paste" the /data folder from now to after the reset to preserve my apps and settings? I hate having to download them all again and set everything up from scratch but I want to make sure it's safe. Even if I have to go through it and delete some of the files to make it safe it's better than spending 4 hours setting things up every time it craps out.
I would make a backup.ab with adb backup for the system or a titanium backup for each app but unfortunately I can't get into the apps since it won't boot up. Clockworkmod has an adb interface so that's how I plan to pull and push the /data folder but unfortunately it doesn't have an interface for adb backup.
As my other thread outlines I am on stock everything except for SuperUser su and Clockworkmod recovery.
Any ideas or help would be appreciated. Thank you very much for any assistance.

Related

Is there a way to prevent wiping?

Now that the modified ROMS (fantastic!) are coming to the Hero, sometimes a wipe willl be mandatory. Especially when you switch chefs.
That's a pity when you spent hours downloading apps and setting your device up.
I know of backup programs like backup for root and mybackup but they don't bring your phone back in the same state as before the backup.
Nadroid restores the whole phone including the ROM.
So isn't there a universal way (or a program) to backup all but the ROM and restore the settings and apps after a full wipe.
So I hope someone can find a way to backup and restore the settings.
Or maybe better, to prevent a wipe whatever ROM-upgrade you do.
Please help us save a lot of time and effort.
arene said:
Now that the modified ROMS (fantastic!) are coming to the Hero, sometimes a wipe willl be mandatory. Especially when you switch chefs.
That's a pity when you spent hours downloading apps and setting your device up.
I know of backup programs like backup for root and mybackup but they don't bring your phone back in the same state as before the backup.
Nadroid restores the whole phone including the ROM.
So isn't there a universal way (or a program) to backup all but the ROM and restore the settings and apps after a full wipe.
So I hope someone can find a way to backup and restore the settings.
Or maybe better, to prevent a wipe whatever ROM-upgrade you do.
Please help us save a lot of time and effort.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
By backup, I'm assuming you mean all your personalized settings (accounts signed in, placement of icons on home screens, etc) and your apps, right?
You should be able to do (with your phone connected, assuming you're on windows);
Code:
adb remount
adb shell
#mkdir /sdcard/databk
#cp -r /data/* /sdcard/databk
This backs up all your data folder, but you don't want to keep everything or it might cause problems (though Hero builds don't vary so much amongst them where it would be a problem, most (2.83xx is the notable exception) are odexed, so they don't write much to dalvik-cache, and even if you change framework version, dalvik does a version check and if they're different, it'll replace those caches with new dex dumps.), you really only want to keep the folders app, app-private, data, misc, and property. If you want, you can also go inside the data folder and erase the apps whose settings you don't want backed up (you have to know what you're doing, though worst care scenario, you'll just lose the settings for that app).
After you're finished flashing your rom (clean install, yay), just go again:
Code:
adb remount
adb shell
#cp -r /sdcard/databk/* /data
after it's done, you might want to reboot, but I don't know if it's really necessary, just to be safe.
That should do it... I hope cyanogen works a sort of "backup settings only" into his next recovery image.
Just wipe everything in data except for the apps :
Code:
adb shell
#find /data ! \( -path "/data/app-private/*" -o -path "/data/app/*" \) -delete
Easy...

[Q] Problems restoring data (corrupt Nandroid backup?)

I wanna start by saying that I have been searching and I can't find a similar post...forgive me if I was simply unsuccessful :/
So here's what happened.
Me - "Hey! I've got a rooted phone, but no custom ROM? I think I'll download one!"
I performed a Nandroid backup.
Flashed Macnut 14.
"Awesome, it works. Now I'm gonna restore my data."
I tried doing an advanced Nandroid restore, but it hung at "dalvik-cache".
I then tried doing a full Nandroid retore, but it still hung at "dalvik-cahe".
I then flashed Stock JK6 and repeated steps 5 and 6 with the same results.
I then downloaded and compiled unyaffs in order to get files out of the Nandroid .img files.
I tried "adb install" for apps and "adb push" for both data and apps. I've been getting error messages for both approaches (not syntax errors, but things like "permission denied," "not enough space," etc.), both while the phone is booted and when it's in recovery.
I've also tried moving the files to my SD card and then using "adb shell" to move them to their appropriate folders, but that didn't work either.
Besides these errors, I also had a very hard time figuring out where to put certain things.
So that's what happened...you guys are my final hope. I'm trying to figure out a foolproof way to restore (in order of priority):
Application data (settings, high scores in games, etc.).
Applications themselves (.apk files, preferably not overwriting newer versions of things like GMail, Youtube, etc. included in Stock JK6).
Text messages.
Phone settings.
I've learned my lesson...next time, I should use Titanium Backup.
Thanks,
Gerard
Personally I would:
1. ODIN to JK6
2. Root and use the modified 3e recovery
3. Install ROM Manager from the market and flash CWM Recovery
4. Then attempt to Nandroid restore
If you're not comfortable with the above Step 2 you can:
1. ODIN to JFD and root
2. Install ROM Manager from the market and flash CWM Recovery
3. CWM Flash JK6
4. Attempt to Nandroid restore
You went from eclair to froyo and when you restored your backup, CWR does not restore the kernel.
Try flashing the stock 2.1 kernel and then restoring your backup.
And yes, titanium backup & SMS Backup+ are your friends.
hmm... re-read... it's odd that a restore started and didnt finish. Most people get hung at the vibrant screen when they do not restore the kernel.
Sounds like you nandroid is corrupt, and if that is the case I'm afraid that I do not know the answer you seek.
Yeah, I don't think that a Nandroid backup is gonna do the job...I just tried again after ODIN.
Any other ideas?
EDIT: I was finally able to push all my applications back...However, I'm having trouble pushing the contents of "data/data/" and "datadata/". I keep getting errors like:
failed to copy 'data/com.android.browser/app_appcache/ApplicationCache.db' to 'datadata/com.android.browser/app_appcache/ApplicationCache.db': No such file or directory
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How can I evade this error? :/
You have to flash a kernel as well cause nandroid won't replace that
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA App
Are you trying to adb from linux or windows? If you are on linux try this:
1) sudo adb kill-server
2) sudo adb devices
3) now push your apps
Also I found out the hard way, do not restore apps or system data from nandroid backup, I always had a corrupted system with a lot of force closes. Always use Titanium Backup and SMS Backup.
Hope this helps
brnbock said:
Are you trying to adb from linux or windows? If you are on linux try this:
1) sudo adb kill-server
2) sudo adb devices
3) now push your apps
Also I found out the hard way, do not restore apps or system data from nandroid backup, I always had a corrupted system with a lot of force closes. Always use Titanium Backup and SMS Backup.
Hope this helps
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm actually on a Mac. I tried your method but I still got the same results...is Mac close enough to Linux (since it's Unix), or do you think I should attempt it on Linux as well?
DEFINITIONOFREAL said:
You have to flash a kernel as well cause nandroid won't replace that
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't mean to sound like a douche...but isn't that what s15274n was saying?
ya try it on linux, Mac is BSD based but I'm not sure how permissions are set. BSD is close to linux but there are some major diff and some commands are diff.
So far, for me Nandroid on the Vibrant has been completely useless. I don't even bother any more.
I use Titanium to back up my apps and my SMS messages, and it only takes a couple minutes to re-do the settings once I install a new ROM.
This is way different than my experience with the G1, where I could easily restore a Nandroid backup if I didn't like a new ROM install. On the Vibrant it's easier to just Odin back to a stock ROM and redo all my settings using TB.
brnbock said:
ya try it on linux, Mac is BSD based but I'm not sure how permissions are set. BSD is close to linux but there are some major diff and some commands are diff.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah...tried this too after downloading and setting up everything on my Linux box (java, Android SDK, etc.). Same error as I got on my Mac
I think I'll take like one more suggestion from the community before I finally give up and start my phone from scratch...It's been like 3 days since I lost all my data, ugh.

Is there a way to save/backup shelf data?

Is anyone aware of a way to save shelf data?
My Wife has a lot of books installed on her Nook Tablet, all neatly organized into shelves. My concern is if her NT ever starts acting up or for whatever reason, and we need to perform a factory restore, all the work she put into this organization will be lost and need to be redone. Is there a way to back this information up so that, upon performing a factory restore, she could just restore this information as well, and not need to rebuild her shelve manually?
Thanks.
- Byron
Best way would be to 1. install CWM internal (root needed) 2. Boot CWM from SDcard and make a backup of your current nicely working ROM, that way if something happen you can always make a restore in CWM and so you don't have to start from scratch setting up everything as your wife like, downloading her books from B&N, etc
To read: If you are not rooted, nor want to install CWM internal then read this guide to prep your sdcard in order to boot CWM from it - METHOD 1
~ Veronica

Can't restore NANDROID backup on Nexus 7

Hi, all.
I've been reading and searching, but haven't found any info related to my problem.
Prior to upgrading to 4.2.1, I made a NANDROID backup of my Nexus 7 (4.1.2) using mskip's toolkit. The restoration method copies the backup folder to the device (/sdcard/clockworkmod/backup/), then boots it into custom recovery. At first I was using TWRP 2, but I think I need to be using CWM, so I flashed CWM Touch. I actually went through the motions again of copying the backup over to the Nexus 7, but CWM Touch doesn't see the backup folder. It returns two messages when attempting to Restore:
1. Couldn't open directory
2. No files found
Same with Advanced Restore.
The folder containing the NANDROID backup and all parent folders are readable/writable/NOT Hidden, according to ES File Explorer, but I wonder about ownership.
I'm rooted with SuperSU 0.99.
Anyone have any suggestions about how to make CWM Touch, TWRP 2 or some manual method recognize and restore a NANDROID backup?
I know I could just flash stock 4.1.2 and start from scratch (I have apps + data backed up), and if it comes to it, I'll do that, but while I have some time, I thought I'd make this a learning experience.
Thanks.
ThurstonX said:
...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same problem here, any solutions?
xXSturmiXx said:
Same problem here, any solutions?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I posted this a few minutes ago. It may be TL;DR, but it's got all the gory details.
I'm not sure exactly what's going on, but in essence, you can use adb to push the NANDROID backup folder to /data/media/clockworkmod/backup/, then boot into recovery and CWM will see it.
The weird thing is, after I restored the 4.1.2 factory ROM, rooted, flashed CWM Touch, and then ran a backup from within CWM to create /data/media/clockworkmod/backup/ ... /sdcard/clockworkmod/backup/ was also created. I guess it's a symlink...? Haven't explored that yet, but I seriously doubt the backup data is being duplicated.
Anyway, after pushing my original backup folder to /data/media/clockworkmod/backup/, it's also listed under /sdcard/clockworkmod/backup/ That's why I say symlink.
I was able to restore while still running 4.2.1, but /sdcard/0 still had all apps and data there, which is why I decided to just go back to stock 4.1.2 before restoring my 4.1.2 NANDROID backup. Maybe I did something wrong, but I don't think so.
So yeah, the new CWM Touch Recovery is backward compatible. My 4.1.2 backup did NOT use CWM, so no "blobs" and all that. Good news there.
I suppose if you're restoring a 4.2.x backup over a custom ROM based on 4.2.x, but CWM can't see the backup folder under /sdcard/clockworkmod/backup/ just push it to /data/media/clockworkmod/backup/ and you should be good to go.
Anyone know if a 4.1.2 NANDROID backup can/should be restored over a 4.2..x install? Is the /sdcard/0 problem really a problem. NANDROID doesn't back up /sdcard, correct? I'm guessing it does not.
Boot into recovery w/your tablet plugged into your computer
Code:
adb devices
adb remount
abd pull ./where/your/backup/is/located
adb push ./yourbackup /where/it/needs/tobe
or if you have a jacked rom and cant do anything, you can do what I did
Code:
adb devices
adb remount
adb push ./newrom /sdcard
adb reboot recovery
then wipe and flash your new rom

How to restore a /data partition on Android Q from tarball after factory reset?

Hi! So, I have a newer Android 10 device with no TWRP support. I think my question is not model specific, so I'm posting generally, but if it matters, it's a OnePlus 7T Pro, bootloader unlocked of course.
Anyway, since there's no good custom recoveries for Android Q (none that I know of that can decrypt /data), I was trying to be safe and using a hacked (adb enabled) stock recovery to make backups from the command line. I have a nice tarball created in recovery mode with "tar cvf - /data/". It looks like it was made properly, I can unpack the files on back onto the device in recovery mode, and it's not corrupt or anything.
The problem is that naively trying to restore it back to my /data partition (e.g. tar xvf) after a wipe causes two problems:
1) after rebooting to recovery, the /data partition just looks encrypted again. If it was working properly, stock recovery can decrypt /data
2) normal system boot just bootloops.
If anyone has tried manually saving and restoring /data from a tarball, I'd appreciate any tips on getting it to work.
My best guess is that the ext4 encryption keys are the culprit - since after a factory reset the device creates new encryption keys, I think I need to figure out how to restore 99% of my backup without overwriting the fresh encryption keys that were created after wiping. I think I need to combine the new encryption keys with the other files in my tarball backup. If I can get past that, I might have to worry about things like SELinux xattrs as well, but one thing at a time.
If any experienced Android hackers know how filesystem encryption works in Android 10, I would appreciate a map of which files should not be overwritten. For example, I'm thinking I should probably avoid restoring some of these files:
Code:
/data/unencrypted/key
/data/unencrypted/key/encrypted_key
/data/unencrypted/key/keymaster_key_blob
/data/misc/vold/user_keys
/data/misc/vold/user_keys/de/0/keymaster_key_blob
/data/misc/vold/user_keys/de/0/encrypted_key
/data/misc/vold/user_keys/ce/0/current/keymaster_key_blob
/data/misc/vold/user_keys/ce/0/current/encrypted_key
/data/misc/systemkeys
/data/misc/keystore
/data/misc/keychain
/data/system/recoverablekeystore.db
[edit] spoke too soon
I ended up doing something janky and wrote a little shell script to repack the files from /data/data and /data/app into files that Titanium Backup could understand. I also figured out how to restore my SMS messages from /data/user_de. That was enough to recover the things I cared most about.
Still begs the question of what's the best method of doing backup and restores of /data on Android 10 when you don't have custom recovery but you do have Magisk, root, and stock recovery with adb. I want to keep hacking and playing with this phone so gotta figure something out.
I like Titanium Backup, have used it for many years, but the maintainance hasn't really kept up with Android development, theres a lot of gotchas like it hangs trying to restore multi APK packages. I still want to figure out something more seamless like a nandroid backup solution even if its from the command line. At least until TWRP eventually supports Android 10.
try backing up data partition in a external storage live usb or sd card
DrWowe said:
I ended up doing something janky and wrote a little shell script to repack the files from /data/data and /data/app into files that Titanium Backup could understand. I also figured out how to restore my SMS messages from /data/user_de. That was enough to recover the things I cared most about.
Still begs the question of what's the best method of doing backup and restores of /data on Android 10 when you don't have custom recovery but you do have Magisk, root, and stock recovery with adb. I want to keep hacking and playing with this phone so gotta figure something out.
I like Titanium Backup, have used it for many years, but the maintainance hasn't really kept up with Android development, theres a lot of gotchas like it hangs trying to restore multi APK packages. I still want to figure out something more seamless like a nandroid backup solution even if its from the command line. At least until TWRP eventually supports Android 10.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
try backing up data partition in a external storage live usb or sd card, first you for encryption, then restore from external source after formatting phone storage

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