[Q] very random question about Nandroid backups - Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Is it possible to dig through the backup and recover the text messages from it?

Nandroid backup doesn't backup messages. U should have done it using apps like go backup.
life!

if you do a restore to a backup the messages from that point are there. Ive done that before to recover some that I forgot to back up for my girlfriend in the past.

Lifehacker7 said:
Nandroid backup doesn't backup messages. U should have done it using apps like go backup.
life!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A nandroid is a complete image of your device. Messages, call logs, wifi settings etc are in the image. That's why it's called backup.
The titanium backup pro version lists that it can restore from nandroids, but I've never tested it. The play store has some on- device nandroid browser apps; xda has threads about how to mount and open the image files here. (Can't link to them, tapatalk limited)

-star- said:
A nandroid is a complete image of your device. Messages, call logs, wifi settings etc are in the image. That's why it's called backup.
The titanium backup pro version lists that it can restore from nandroids, but I've never tested it. The play store has some on- device nandroid browser apps; xda has threads about how to mount and open the image files here. (Can't link to them, tapatalk limited)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've tested it and it works very well. It displays all the apps in the nandroid and you can specify which ones to restore and whether or not you want the app or just the data.
So, yeah it can...

micro2112 said:
Is it possible to dig through the backup and recover the text messages from it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Technically yes. But it's not straight forward.
First, you need to mount the img file of datadata or data (depending upon what is there in your nandroid backup) using yaffs / ext4 mount tools, the actual file that stores the text messages is in /data/data
Once you've the datadata file system mounted, you need to look for the database file that stores the messages - i think its called smsmms.db or something like that. This is an SQLite database file.
Use any SQLite viewer to open the db file and look at the tables and contents to get the messages. You can google for this part - there might be tools/scripts to extract the messages from db file into text files / import formats of popular backup tools
Some parts might change between versions of android, my data is from ICS

Awww sorry about that.! I thought it didn't!
life!

Thank you so very much everyone! That is exactly what I needed.

Related

[Q]Preferred method of efs backup?

I'm still very much a noob and i was wondering if there was a consensus as to which tool between kTool and EFS Pro is the best and most noob friendly way of backing up your efs folder.
I was also wondering if there are any more precautionary steps one should take after rooting for the first time besides doing an EFS backup, a CWM nandroid backup and a titanium backup.
Thanks
kTool. Get it from Market, couple of clicks, keep one copy of your EFS on your external SD card and one copy on your PC (and copies on a CD/DVD and a couple of external drives if you're ultra paranoid ), go to the kTool thread on here & buy Hellcat a beer.
Done
If you're doing a Nandroid backup, EFS backup & Ti backup right after you root your phone for the first time you're well on the way to un-noobing yourself You'd be surprised at how many people who have been here ages don't do those things.
You could go to the trouble of using dedicated contact and SMS backup apps, but you can just as easily backup your contacts to Google, and you can restore them easily enough from your Nandroid backup. There's an app in Market called AppExtractor which allows you to restore individual apps, SMS, contacts and other stuff from your Nandroid. Haven't tried it yet tho.
But I'd reckon you've pretty much got it covered.
As far as backing up sms's goes I find sms backup+ to work really well, backs up your sms to your gmail account!
MistahBungle said:
kTool. Get it from Market, couple of clicks, keep one copy of your EFS on your external SD card and one copy on your PC (and copies on a CD/DVD and a couple of external drives if you're ultra paranoid ), go to the kTool thread on here & buy Hellcat a beer.
Done
If you're doing a Nandroid backup, EFS backup & Ti backup right after you root your phone for the first time you're well on the way to un-noobing yourself You'd be surprised at how many people who have been here ages don't do those things.
You could go to the trouble of using dedicated contact and SMS backup apps, but you can just as easily backup your contacts to Google, and you can restore them easily enough from your Nandroid backup. There's an app in Market called AppExtractor which allows you to restore individual apps, SMS, contacts and other stuff from your Nandroid. Haven't tried it yet tho.
But I'd reckon you've pretty much got it covered.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Also worth grabbing a copy of original firmware as handy to have......
Sent from the valley of the shadows....
stylez said:
Also worth grabbing a copy of original firmware as handy to have......
Sent from the valley of the shadows....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And in case of corruption of internal SD (Happens) remember to take backups of pictures/etc and store copies of your backups (nandroid/EFS/ETC) off the phone.
Rule of thumb, if you cant afford to lose it, back it up. Speaking of that, better make a nandroid and copy it to the PC
I currently have two b/u's:
-one generated by Hellcat's Ktool,
-one generated by Galaxy S Unlock.
Both live on my sd card, and on my PC.
Both tools available on Market (Ktool also on XDA). Ktool has saved my bacon once already.
Go with kTool, it works flawlessly. EFS Backup failed (freezed) first time I used it (luckily nothing bad happened do efs partition).
Also kTool can easily install new kernels, installing speedmod takes just few seconds.
This is my no 1 root utility (although it has... weird interface).
Best way to restore from a backup?
nakizzzle805 said:
Best way to restore from a backup?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ktool, Just deleting the whole thing with root explorer and copying it over, using a terminal editor to extract the backup over your EFS.
All should work.
nakizzzle805 said:
Best way to restore from a backup?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Both apps have inbuilt restore features; they save .img's and .tar's to your SD. Ktool saves it to the root of your sd and Galaxy S unlock saves to a folder, and each app can call on these files upon you selecting restore.
As far as restoring the EFS via adb, that's one thing I have to learn still. I'm not sure whether extracting EFS from a nandroid is possible, and how it would be done, via adb, etc...
Looks like Veyka replied whilst I was typing this, he's fast
mudferret said:
<snip>
Looks like Veyka replied whilst I was typing this, he's fast
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Fingers of fury(!)
veyka said:
Fingers of fury(!)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry, I try to avoid OT comments, but I can't...help...myself:
The girls must dig that
mudferret said:
Sorry, I try to avoid OT comments, but I can't...help...myself:
The girls must dig that
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hahahah

Sms folder?

Can someone tell me where the "physical" folder of the sms'es are located? I need to do a recovery on a galaxy s2...The bloke deleted his sms'es, now i'm trying to recover the lost info...
tia
Based on Root Explorer search
Doing a search for sms found this file on my phone - /data/user/0/com.android.providers.telephony/databases/mmssms.db
I can't say for sure if this is it, but that database sure has all of my sms in it
As I'm sure you will also recommend that your friend does future backups of his sms, I thoroughly recommend SMS Backup & Restore. It has worked well for me for a long time, and automatic backups are very easily scheduled
Jacko
njackson said:
Doing a search for sms found this file on my phone - /data/user/0/com.android.providers.telephony/databases/mmssms.db
I can't say for sure if this is it, but that database sure has all of my sms in it
As I'm sure you will also recommend that your friend does future backups of his sms, I thoroughly recommend SMS Backup & Restore. It has worked well for me for a long time, and automatic backups are very easily scheduled
Jacko
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Believe it or not, i have tried locating/searching for mmssms.db before my post...and found nothing
Think what i'll do, is download sms backup and restore....backup my sms'es...and see what the backup file is called...hopefully it will give me an idea where to search (for future ref)...thx for the tip
One thing i DID notice though, is that the "internal" storage, is actually called SDCARD? what a way of naming an internal storage. If i think about INTERNAL storage, its def NOT called an SDCARD...rather call it intstorage, or something like that....it will def confuse people...as we all accept the word SDCARD as a device you plug INTO th cell...and not a build in device...
RobinHoodSnr said:
Can someone tell me where the "physical" folder of the sms'es are located? I need to do a recovery on a galaxy s2...The bloke deleted his sms'es, now i'm trying to recover the lost info...
tia
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you want to backup your sms when switching from a stock samsung rom to another install Titanium Backup from the store (it's free). Find something called [SMS/MMS/APN] and do a backup.
After you install another samsung rom (with wipe), you can just open Titanium and restore Data from the save you made. Make sure you go inside the sms app first and untick 'Delete old messages'. Do a reboot and youre done.
If you are interested in adding new sms messages to your samsung rom (when you used cm9 for example, use Sms Backup and Restore, it's also free on the store). Do a reboot. Save your sms/mms with titanium and youre done.
I havent found a way to transfer mms messages between samsung and cm9/aosp/aokp roms yet.
victorator said:
If you want to backup your sms when switching from a stock samsung rom to another install Titanium Backup from the store (it's free). Find something called [SMS/MMS/APN] and do a backup.
After you install another samsung rom (with wipe), you can just open Titanium and restore Data from the save you made. Make sure you go inside the sms app first and untick 'Delete old messages'. Do a reboot and youre done.
If you are interested in adding new sms messages to your samsung rom (when you used cm9 for example, use Sms Backup and Restore, it's also free on the store). Do a reboot. Save your sms/mms with titanium and youre done.
I havent found a way to transfer mms messages between samsung and cm9/aosp/aokp roms yet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have all those apps...Thing is, i need to attach the phone to my PC, and then do a recovery on the phone...thats why i need to know the "exact" location of the sms-storage directory...as i will have to access the phone via my PC via USB...
RobinHoodSnr said:
I have all those apps...Thing is, i need to attach the phone to my PC, and then do a recovery on the phone...thats why i need to know the "exact" location of the sms-storage directory...as i will have to access the phone via my PC via USB...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The files you're looking for are:
mmssms.db
telephony.db (this one contains contacts and call logs)
They are located in:
/data/data/com.android.providers.telephony/databases/
Internal storage (sdcard)
RobinHoodSnr said:
One thing i DID notice though, is that the "internal" storage, is actually called SDCARD? what a way of naming an internal storage. If i think about INTERNAL storage, its def NOT called an SDCARD...rather call it intstorage, or something like that....it will def confuse people...as we all accept the word SDCARD as a device you plug INTO th cell...and not a build in device...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I guess that you are aware of this but ... just in case ...
The internal storage that you are calling "sdcard" is only partly correct. If fact sdcard is below the top level root. So, sdcard is actually /sdcard, and the data directory where I found the database is /data (not on sdcard, but off the root directory). To get to this you need a rooted phone, and a file explorer like Root Explorer or ES File Explorer.
Sorry if you already knew this, but the sdcard thing was quite confusing to a newby like me before I had done quite a bit on the rooted phone.
Jacko
victorator said:
The files you're looking for are:
mmssms.db
telephony.db (this one contains contacts and call logs)
They are located in:
/data/data/com.android.providers.telephony/databases/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks Victorator...i manage to manually find it. Weird...Although my phone is rooted, doing a search didnt get it
(althought i DID start the search from "root" )
...think i had a crappy explorer program, lol
deleted sms on Gal S2
RobinHoodSnr said:
Can someone tell me where the "physical" folder of the sms'es are located? I need to do a recovery on a galaxy s2...The bloke deleted his sms'es, now i'm trying to recover the lost info...
tia
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi RobinhoodSnr, did you ever manage to retrieve the deleted sms's? Because I have the same problem. Deleted by accident this morning!
ticker64 said:
Hi RobinhoodSnr, did you ever manage to retrieve the deleted sms's? Because I have the same problem. Deleted by accident this morning!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
At the end of the day...I just left it and couldn't find it, although i could recover my contacts at location "/data/data/com.android.providers.telephony/databases/" ( as a previous member has mentioned )
Apparently the smses are located as "data/data/com.android.providers.telephony/databases/mmssms.db"
...hope this helps

[Q] restore sms backup made with stock message app

Hello,
I was using WildChild custom rom for my WildfireS and created a SMS backup before flashing and moving to m1ndh4x8 ROM. In this ROM there is no backup/restore function though.
-How do I restore my messages? Can I upgrade the stock message app? Or is there any B&R app that can read the backup file? so far I tried many but non of them worked.
Thanks for your help.
maestro_mihagi said:
Hello,
I was using WildChild custom rom for my WildfireS and created a SMS backup before flashing and moving to m1ndh4x8 ROM. In this ROM there is no backup/restore function though.
-How do I restore my messages? Can I upgrade the stock message app? Or is there any B&R app that can read the backup file? so far I tried many but non of them worked.
Thanks for your help.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Whats the file format of the backup u did is it a *.csv or a *.xml?
the file saved by the stock app doesn't have any extension. I tried to import it in excel but I can see only strange characters. I also tried to rename as *.xml and start the restore with SMS Backup and Restore but it says "Failed:Null".
Thanks for your interest.
maestro_mihagi said:
the file saved by the stock app doesn't have any extension. I tried to import it in excel but I can see only strange characters. I also tried to rename as *.xml and start the restore with SMS Backup and Restore but it says "Failed:Null".
Thanks for your interest.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmmm
My stock sms does not contain resotring and backuping messages so i dont know if u want to be on the safe side the next time use super backup from the market
its backing up all ur sms contacs and the call log each one in a single file so u can easily restore
thanks, I restore the message in a very long way
1- i did a backup with CWM of the actual rom
2- I flashed the phone with the previous rom
3- I restored the sms backup with the stock messages app.
4- I made anotehr backup with SMSBackupandrestore
5- I restored the new ROM with the CWM backup
6- installed SMSB&R and imported my texts! Yeah..
Next time i will use directly third part software to do backup.
maestro_mihagi said:
thanks, I restore the message in a very long way
1- i did a backup with CWM of the actual rom
2- I flashed the phone with the previous rom
3- I restored the sms backup with the stock messages app.
4- I made anotehr backup with SMSBackupandrestore
5- I restored the new ROM with the CWM backup
6- installed SMSB&R and imported my texts! Yeah..
Next time i will use directly third part software to do backup.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hahahah thats exactly what i had to do a few weeks ago but in my case i just lost one numer and had to do the whole procedure xD
Hi,
Just wondering if there is a solution for me here. I did a CWM backup before soft-bricking phone and now all is up and running again. I still have the clockworkmod folder on sdcard but no boot.img etc. I notice Titanium Backup is the paid version which offers the options mentioned here. Is there any chance of locating and recovering my sms from this cwm backup folder? TIA
I have a similar problem.
I have used stock message app for backup and tried to restore my messages after a factory reset of my HTC Sensation (stock rom). Backup file is 3MB big and I guess that is the "reason" why it keeps reporting that it is "Unable to restore messages".
The backup file is located on SD in the apropriate folder.
I tried with some old 768KB file and succeded. Sent 1 sms and did the new backup to be sure that folder is asociated with the app - everything is ok. Even though I have restored that 1 sms in order to test the restore function and the path to backup files. Everything works just fine.
Conclusion: The backup file I need is too big.
How to solve this issue?
Perhaps I could shrink it somehow or use another app to read the file? Any idea?
edit: I forgot to tell. Those messages are veeery important to me (business, love, contacts, etc...) so I'll try anything I can to restore them.
I guess I always ask some too dificult or stupid questions or am not being loved arround here
Sensation won't restore
pezzilla said:
I have a similar problem.
I have used stock message app for backup and tried to restore my messages after a factory reset of my HTC Sensation (stock rom). Backup file is 3MB big and I guess that is the "reason" why it keeps reporting that it is "Unable to restore messages".
The backup file is located on SD in the apropriate folder.
I tried with some old 768KB file and succeded. Sent 1 sms and did the new backup to be sure that folder is asociated with the app - everything is ok. Even though I have restored that 1 sms in order to test the restore function and the path to backup files. Everything works just fine.
Conclusion: The backup file I need is too big.
How to solve this issue?
Perhaps I could shrink it somehow or use another app to read the file? Any idea?
edit: I forgot to tell. Those messages are veeery important to me (business, love, contacts, etc...) so I'll try anything I can to restore them.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi Pezilla
Did you resolve this issue? I did a factory reset of my HTC Sensation and have the exact same problem. File size is 2.3Mb. No problem restoring smaller files. I can't think how to reduce the size of the file because I don't know how to read it!!
Retrieving old SMS
anbo1x said:
Hi Pezilla
Did you resolve this issue? I did a factory reset of my HTC Sensation and have the exact same problem. File size is 2.3Mb. No problem restoring smaller files. I can't think how to reduce the size of the file because I don't know how to read it!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, I have a similar problem. I have an SMS backup file from my HTC Wildfire S. This backup file was created on the SD Card by my unrooted and unmodified phone. I then rooted the phone, and now run WildChild on it. I cannot restore my old SMS from the original backup file.
As mentioned above, I have a file with no extension.
How can I restore my SMS messages? What apps do I need and where will I get them. (Total Noob!!).
Thanks
jamsy said:
Hi, I have a similar problem. I have an SMS backup file from my HTC Wildfire S. This backup file was created on the SD Card by my unrooted and unmodified phone. I then rooted the phone, and now run WildChild on it. I cannot restore my old SMS from the original backup file.
As mentioned above, I have a file with no extension.
How can I restore my SMS messages? What apps do I need and where will I get them. (Total Noob!!).
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I searched that issue very much, so sorry but no other application reads that stock sms backup You have to flash stock rom first, after that you can restore your sms.

Extracting SMS from CWM6 nandroid

Hi all, i've been trying to restore my sms-es from a nandroid backup. Apps like appextractor do not work as my backup was made using the new method introduced in CWM 6. The data files are store in a file called data.ext4. is there anyway to extract my data? Thanks!
Use the app called NANDROID browser to find the SMS files (something.db I think, google "where are texts stored in android"), extract them to the sd card, and paste them into the correct system location.
Sent from my LG-C800 using xda premium
Tried that but it only shows boot and recovery
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda app-developers app
bump
Not sure about sms
but i guess titanium backup has that option
vNa5h said:
Not sure about sms
but i guess titanium backup has that option
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
cant find the restore from nandroid option in titanium...
Do you have any luck? I need to extract a file from CWM6 nandroid
Most of the time , nandroid backup do NOT save SMS , most of the time ... :/
Germain67 said:
Most of the time , nandroid backup do NOT save SMS , most of the time ... :/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well AFAIK, CWM nandroid backup is backing up every single file what's in the phone's flash chip. System, boot, recovery and data (which contains database for SMS's too) so if other files are there, so should be SMS database also. Can't tell how to extract it from there since its using this new blobs structure now, but maybe there's a way..
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2
I was wondering why appextractor wasn't restoring sms backups on nandroid.
I tried the TiBk and it works but when showing conversation list when opening mms app, the time of when the last message was received is the time when it was restored. all the sms's time/date are good though when viewing the thread.
EDIT: Nevermind, it works perfectly, date/time is all good in conversation view, just when it was restoring that it was messed up.
I can't find a program that can "explore" nandroid's made with CWM 6+ based recoveries, due to the change in format. Nandroid Browser and Titanium Backup no longer work for this purpose. Anyone find one?
Protonus said:
I can't find a program that can "explore" nandroid's made with CWM 6+ based recoveries, due to the change in format. Nandroid Browser and Titanium Backup no longer work for this purpose. Anyone find one?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try to open with ext2explore
Almost a month ago now so I'm not sure if you're still looking for a solution, but I've found that the beta version of AppExtractor v2.0 from AppsByAndy is able to read and extract apps and data from nandroid backups created with CWM6.
I went and bought a couple of his apps even though I didn't need them. Just for appreciation.
Oh and specifically I used the app to restore SMSes. Worked so well I'm going to use it for clean installs in the future.
Titanium Backup Pro allows you to Extract Messages from CWM.
prboy1969 said:
Titanium Backup Pro allows you to Extract Messages from CWM.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As discussed in this thread, Titanium is unable to read from backups created with CWM6.
tonyamazing said:
As discussed in this thread, Titanium is unable to read from backups created with CWM6.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you tried hooking up to a PC via USB. Then explore the CWM backup that way ?
TEAM MiK
MikROMs Since 3/13/11
prboy1969 said:
Have you tried hooking up to a PC via USB. Then explore the CWM backup that way ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Even that is difficult. I've tried using unyaffs but CWM6 no longer produces a data.img to explore / extract.
I can't post links yet (10 post miminum before I can link). If you can be bothered, do a Google search for "Koushik Dutta New ClockworkMod Backup Format" and the first link should be a Google+ post giving an overview of the new backup format from ClockworkMod 6.
Edit: seems I can link.
https://plus.google.com/103583939320326217147/posts/L5aVZe7C9vg
Thanks for the Info.

[Q] Galaxy S III Backup

I am new with this and I have one question.
Is it possible to back up wifi passwords, email accounts and all those stuff, before flashing a custom ROM so I can just restore them after flashing.
djvesic said:
I am new with this and I have one question.
Is it possible to back up wifi passwords, email accounts and all those stuff, before flashing a custom ROM so I can just restore them after flashing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes. Root your phone and use a backup app like Titanium Backup. Then save the folder somewhere, flash the new custom rom, restore the folder and then everything else you want with the app.
Tyxerakias said:
Yes. Root your phone and use a backup app like Titanium Backup. Then save the folder somewhere, flash the new custom rom, restore the folder and then everything else you want with the app.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have Titanium Backup.
Is there anything else I should backup other then "Backup all user app + system data"?
djvesic said:
I have Titanium Backup.
Is there anything else I should backup other then "Backup all user app + system data"?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, just copy the TitaniumBackup folder with all the backups somewhere that won't get lost.
Also, when you restore after installing another rom, DO NOT restore the system data. Only the user stuff. Or at least not all the system data. For example wifi points are ok, but don't restore any system apps.
Tyxerakias said:
No, just copy the TitaniumBackup folder with all the backups somewhere that won't get lost.
Also, when you restore after installing another rom, DO NOT restore the system data. Only the user stuff. Or at least not all the system data. For example wifi points are ok, but don't restore any system apps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is it a problem for you to be a little more specific, please.
When I look at "Restore" section of Titanium, I don't see how can I restore only wifi points or email accounts.
djvesic said:
Is it a problem for you to be a little more specific, please.
When I look at "Restore" section of Titanium, I don't see how can I restore only wifi points or email accounts.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Press the option button on the main page from TB.and scroll down to:
Backup data to XML....
Than you can choose to back up your WiFi,email and call log.
Verzonden door mijn GT-I9300 met xda premium
You can restore user app and data without any problem but if you want to restore system data then always use xml (TitaniumBackup will suggest you for that). If you will not use xml for system data then after restoring data your phone will crash and a lot of services will not work and terminate itself.
and finally you will have to reflash again.
rl421403 said:
You can restore user app and data without any problem but if you want to restore system data then always use xml (TitaniumBackup will suggest you for that). If you will not use xml for system data then after restoring data your phone will crash and a lot of services will not work and terminate itself.
and finally you will have to reflash again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did xml backup for messages, wifi and call logs and I did "Backup user app+system data".
Is that what are you talking about?
djvesic said:
I did xml backup for messages, wifi and call logs and I did "Backup user app+system data".
Is that what are you talking about?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes.
Always use XML for system data restore.

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