Downgrading from 4.2.2 to 4.12 - Galaxy S III Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

I know there are a few other threads out there regarding this but I'm still not completely sure of the steps. (Doing this for my brother's phone, not mine thats why)
Could someone outline a detailed method of downgrading to 4.1.2 again, while retaining all user files? I know 4.2.2 introduced that /0/ folder bull**** together with the multi user support.
I know the usual wipe via CWM, and flash 4.1.2 but how would this be different since its 4.2.2 before? File structures are different as said before. Don't wanna mess up since it's not my phone haha. Trying to get him to use 4.1.2 with perseus kernel since it's way better than stock.

Read the "Flashed 4.2?" thread in General

You can't keep user data, unless you do a full wipe during flash you will end up with a bootloop. Copy files from the internal sd to your pc, wipe and flash, then copy them back.
Backup apps only via titanium, don't restore system settings or data.

Just move everything from /data/media/0 to data/media.
Best bet actually would be to copy everything from /data/media/0 to pc first, full wipe and format of internal sd then flash rom
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

boomboomer said:
You can't keep user data, unless you do a full wipe during flash you will end up with a bootloop. Copy files from the internal sd to your pc, wipe and flash, then copy them back.
Backup apps only via titanium, don't restore system settings or data.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You could also backup SMS, MMS, call log, clock alarm using Titanium\Mybackup Pro.
User data files, and application data files (what's up, waze, etc) will have to be done manually as mentioned, using external SD.
I also recommend full format of internal SD card before installing new ROM. It will make the "0" folder go away or being abled to be deleted.

Related

How to backup Internal SDCard

Hello,
I got my international S3 2 months ago and I would now like to try a new ROM.
I am worried about looding data.
I did backup my device using CWM and Titanium Backup but it seems to me that neither backs up all of the contents of the internal SD.
Shall I worry about backing up these folders;
.AllSharePlay, .aptoide, .clipboard, Alarms, Andoird/data/(many files under this directory), Gameloft and many many more folders.
How do I know all was backed up with Titanium / CWM
Another irritating issue is that via Windows 7 browser it is impossible to tree size or Beyond compare the phone storage, (both internal and external SDCards). Am I missing something?
If you
Wipe data (factory reset)
Wipe cache
format system
then your internal sd card stays as it is and you dont have to worry about backing it up
CuttyCZ said:
If you
Wipe data (factory reset)
Wipe cache
format system
then your internal sd card stays as it is and you dont have to worry about backing it up
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Half right, CWM will not wipe the internal SD with a factory reset, but stock recovery will.
And I don't think Titanium backs up the internal SD, all you can do is copy the files to your PC.
delsus said:
Half right, CWM will not wipe the internal SD with a factory reset, but stock recovery will.
And I don't think Titanium backs up the internal SD, all you can do is copy the files to your PC.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
By saying stock recovery you mean flashing new ODIN?
The thing about copying files to my PC as you stated is a pain, tree size or beyond compare cannot work on the phone's memory, also some files are in use by the system causing the copying to stop and then you have to start guessing what was / not copied.
Consumes a long time, I'm sure there should be an easier way.
Are these files seen in the img I attached needed at all or all is covered by the TIT and CWM backup?
Thanks
rmetanes said:
By saying stock recovery you mean flashing new ODIN?
The thing about copying files to my PC as you stated is a pain, tree size or beyond compare cannot work on the phone's memory, also some files are in use by the system causing the copying to stop and then you have to start guessing what was / not copied.
Consumes a long time, I'm sure there should be an easier way.
Are these files seen in the img I attached needed at all or all is covered by the TIT and CWM backup?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Stock recovery is what is included with stock ROMs, can't remember exactly what it's called.
I have never had problems backing my internal sd up on my PC, and the files in your pic seem to be your files and some app data, CWM does not back up the internal SD, but it also does not wipe the internal sd, if you wipe data in CWM, it only wipes the data partition and cache partition, 100% not the internal SD. I also don't know Titanium will backup app data from the SD.
delsus said:
Stock recovery is what is included with stock ROMs, can't remember exactly what it's called.
I have never had problems backing my internal sd up on my PC, and the files in your pic seem to be your files and some app data, CWM does not back up the internal SD, but it also does not wipe the internal sd, if you wipe data in CWM, it only wipes the data partition and cache partition, 100% not the internal SD. I also don't know Titanium will backup app data from the SD.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Delsus, so you only copy and paste the Internal SD to your PC I guess.
rmetanes said:
Delsus, so you only copy and paste the Internal SD to your PC I guess.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Pretty much.
Internal SD card Backup
If U use apps like Lexicomp and Medscape
The file size for lexicomp is about 850,225,187 bytes (only for med not for dental) and number of files are 32037 and Medscape are 60,843,144 bytes and number of files are 2926. It takes more than 1 hour for the PC to determine the time to calculate the duration, to copy the files to PC.......android is still in its infancy comparing to PALM OS
Main Phone is Centro after treo 680, My secondary phone is SIII (a phone with lots of bugs, no one never denies it)
Thank you all guys.
I did rest to FD and you were right the internal SD was not wiped and I have also successfully installed Omega Rom on my S3.

[Q] Flashed from stock to CM10.1, data gone...or is it?

Hi guys.
I just flashed my SGSIII from Stock 4.1.2 to the latest CM10.1 nightly using CWM.
These are the steps, in chronical order, i went through:
Root device
Install CWM
Titanium Backup my apps and app data
EFS Backup
several other manual backups such as sms backup, dcim folder, whatsapp images etc.
Nandroid Backup using the CWM
Transfer all backup files to my MAC, as i don't have an external SD, just in case
Flash CM10.1, Flash Gapps, Wipe Data/factory reset, wipe davlik cache
Everything works fine, therefore copy TB Backup form Mac to device and restore it.
First of all: I didn't expect "wipe data/factory reset" to delete my complete internal storage (in the past being reffered to as sdcard0) containing all my user data like photos etc. But in fact it did! Nowhere to be found right now, which doesn't really matter as i did backup the most important stuff. But anyway...
And here comes the strange thing:
My system tells me that i have 11,35gigs of storage overall but only 6gigs can be used? The internal storage is literally empty. I don't have any files on it except my TB Backup data which is about 450-500mb. Another stange thing is that these 4 or 5 gigs of data which cannot be found anywhere (except DiskUsage) just happen to be as much data as i had on my phone before the whole flashing process.
So, I gotta ask myself: Could this be my old data? If yes, where is it to be found?
Another hint: I used the DiskUsage app to scan my internal storage. It shows me "system data" with a size of a little over 4gigs. What is that? Is this my old - but unaccessible - data?
I wanted to post a screenshot here, but I am not alowed as a new user. So here is my link 0cn[DOT]de[SLASH]ug5c
I'd be very appreciative if you could help me somehow. And yes, I did perform a search before asking, but couldn't find anything. :good:
/sdcard used to mount to /data/media/ but now its /data/media/0 so android is looking here for your data.
Basically all your 11.35 GB is in /data anyway so it accounts for /data/app, data/data (where apks are and app data) but also /data/media (now /data/media/0)
So using a file manager, look for stuff in /data/media and /data/media/0.
In data/media you should only have:
0
obb
Legacy
Often you'll find a clockworkmod folder here due to a backup
Factory reset from stock recovery / android wipes /sdcard. But clockworkmod recovery (and others) do not
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
Thank you so much!
Indeed, a copy of my whole old data is in /data/media, so it's full with a bunch of folders, containing my old stuff including the CM.zip and the Gapps.zip etc.
According to your post, this is not right? Should I move the data somewhere?
Is there a good reason why they changed the filesystem and the folder structure in 4.2.x so massively?
And again, thanks!
domemvs said:
Thank you so much!
Indeed, a copy of my whole old data is in /data/media, so it's full with a bunch of folders, containing my old stuff including the CM.zip and the Gapps.zip etc.
According to your post, this is not right? Should I move the data somewhere?
Is there a good reason why they changed the filesystem and the folder structure in 4.2.x so massively?
And again, thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
first of all, it's not a copy, those are the original files. you can move it to /data/media/0 to be able to access it from the ROM.
the reason for the change is the multiple users feature. /0 is internal SD for the first user, /1 is for the second, and so on
Glebun said:
first of all, it's not a copy, those are the original files. you can move it to /data/media/0 to be able to access it from the ROM.
the reason for the change is the multiple users feature. /0 is internal SD for the first user, /1 is for the second, and so on
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This makes a lot of sense! Thanks for clarification.
One last question
Strangely enough I found my whole old data here as well: /mnt/shell/emulated
Is there a reasonable explanation for this as well?

[Q] how do I install the official (but rooted) rom without restocking?

I would really like to check out the recently released i717 official rom, but i don't want to have to go through the process of backing everything up, wiping everything, running odin, risking bricking my device, and then have to move all my data back over.
Is there a version of this rom that has been rooted and zipped so i can install it with twrp like every other rom i've ever come across?
thanks in advance,
cpgeek
If you use the Kies software on your pc it will install the stock rom and save your apps and data.
If you use the stock rom in the development section by pmtr3 you can flash that as a zip and it is rooted.
But when you change a rom to a different base you should factory reset and wipe first. If you skip this procedure (called dirty flashing) you can have troubles later.
rangercaptain said:
If you use the Kies software on your pc it will install the stock rom and save your apps and data.
If you use the stock rom in the development section by pmtr3 you can flash that as a zip and it is rooted.
But when you change a rom to a different base you should factory reset and wipe first. If you skip this procedure (called dirty flashing) you can have troubles later.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thank you for your fast reply, I apologize my search-fu rather tanked on this one d'oh
thanks again though!
Yeah buddy, the xda apps stink. I usee the odin tar from samfirmware.com to get the stock JB. This morning I flashed the pmtr3 stock on top of what I had without backups or resets. But its the same base.
At least be sure to do usual wipes. If it borks your phone you can always fix it later.
rangercaptain said:
If you use the Kies software on your pc it will install the stock rom and save your apps and data.
If you use the stock rom in the development section by pmtr3 you can flash that as a zip and it is rooted.
But when you change a rom to a different base you should factory reset and wipe first. If you skip this procedure (called dirty flashing) you can have troubles later.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I should have spoke more carefully - I *always* run "factory reset", wipe "system" and "caches" from TWRP, it's the internal sd filesystem data that I wanted to retain which is separate from the OS image and it's active data files. I don't want to have to move around my music, pictures, app archive, etc.
cpgeek said:
I should have spoke more carefully - I *always* run "factory reset", wipe "system" and "caches" from TWRP, it's the internal sd filesystem data that I wanted to retain which is separate from the OS image and it's active data files. I don't want to have to move around my music, pictures, app archive, etc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You shouldn't have to worry about wiping your internal memory. I updated with kies and didn't touch my internal memory, and neither did kies. However it is recommended. I now have some extra folders that aren't being used on my internal memory. I'd delete them but last time I did that I kept getting errors. So now I make a spot on my external sd card saying "internal backup" and copy everything to it. Then I wipe internal as I do a factory reset. Once up and running I move what I need back to the internal memory from the sd backup.

[Q] Data Recovery from sick galaxy s3

My partner's phone has suddenly decided of its own accord that it wants to reformat the internal memory, presumably due to some sort of unrecoverable data corruption. The message that came up informing us of that was something along the lines of "Phone memory is damaged. The data partition is damaged, you should restore your phone to factory settings. Doing so will delete all your data" and then a single button saying "Restore phone to factory settings". (I say something along the lines because that is a translation from the actual Spanish message that comes up)
So, she has a bunch of data that she would prefer not to lose (mostly backed up, but some apps not, and photos missing for last month or so of our daughter - usual story).
So I have been hunting around to see if it would be possible, and mostly what I have found isn't too optimistic. I did however find the following link that did seem somewhat promising:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1994705
So it is for the Nexus and the title refers to internal data, but then also refers to SD cards, but the process does seem to refer to internal data. I have a bunch of questions about the process in the context of an S3:
1. Anyone think this process is transferable to the S3? If so what is the equivalent data partition name? For the Nexus it appears to be /dev/block/mmcblk0p12. Would that be the same for the S3?
2. I am going to have to root this device first unfortunately (meaning I am going to have to write to the internal memory ahead of doing the RAW dump, obviously not ideal, but I see no way round it). Is the process described here (root only option):
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2046439
appropriate, or am I going to need to somehow find out what version my partner was on (not 100% sure but I think it was 4.1.2) and adjust accordingly?
3. Do I have to have a fully working version before I can install busybox, or is that something that can be put in place using CWM?
4. Likewise do I have to have a fully working version before I can get ADB working or can I get ADB to work with CWM? I have found a couple of threads that suggest ADB works natively with CWM and others that suggest not.
5. I know how to turn on USB debugging if I can get into setttings of a normal Android system, but how do I do that without a working version, can that be done via CWM?
I guess basically I want to know what would be the minimal set of steps that I can run through to get Busybox installed on the phone, (presumably rooted) and talking ADB to my PC. I say minimal set of steps becuase the less writing I do, the more data might be salvagable.
I am surprised that there isn't some bootstrap version that can't just pull off the existing data and allow you to manipulate it elsewhere (which is what the process I have put the link to seems to do) but it seems much more involved than just a bootstrap.
Be gentle with me - I am just a noob!
bobalucci said:
So, she has a bunch of data that she would prefer not to lose (mostly backed up, but some apps not, and photos missing for last month or so of our daughter - usual story).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
if its only that I would do it a bit more simpler:
for app data: make a nandroid backup and after the reformat you can use nandroid manager to restore your apps and their data (if you simply restore the damaged data partition as a nandroid backup the problem could accur again). but maybe if the apps and data are damaged because of the damaged data partition they could maybe not be restored.
for photos etc. you can flash philz touch and then follow the steps in the main thread of philz touch on how to put the aroma.zip onto an external sd card (just search for aroma in the thread, you'll find it). aroma is like a file browser with root priviliges which can be executed through recovery. with that you can copy your photos onto the external sd card
btw. I am not sure if the standard factory reset wipes the internal sd cards data. if you only format your data partition photos etc. shouldn't be affected (for example through philz recovery you can just format data partition).
Data Recovery from sick galaxy s3 (installing custom recovery)
Thanks for that... that makes sense... any way I can get the custom recovery onto the phone without having already reformatted the data partition? All the methods I have seen for installing a custom recovery require normal access to the phone... and I don't have that at the moment - just to a screen that tells me that it will reformat the data partition - and I don't want to do that if I can avoid it - as it will modify the data I am trying to save.
Darkened_Sky said:
if its only that I would do it a bit more simpler:
for app data: make a nandroid backup and after the reformat you can use nandroid manager to restore your apps and their data (if you simply restore the damaged data partition as a nandroid backup the problem could accur again). but maybe if the apps and data are damaged because of the damaged data partition they could maybe not be restored.
for photos etc. you can flash philz touch and then follow the steps in the main thread of philz touch on how to put the aroma.zip onto an external sd card (just search for aroma in the thread, you'll find it). aroma is like a file browser with root priviliges which can be executed through recovery. with that you can copy your photos onto the external sd card
btw. I am not sure if the standard factory reset wipes the internal sd cards data. if you only format your data partition photos etc. shouldn't be affected (for example through philz recovery you can just format data partition).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Data recovery sticky ???
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2344125

Help with Nandroid Backupping

Hey,
I have a Samsung S6, and want to install my first ever ROM (gonna be Cyanogen Mod 12 or 13). It's recommended that I backup my device, but need help with using TWRP.
I clicked 'Backup' in recovery, and it comes up with options to backup: Boot, System, Data, Cache, EFS and another thing I can't remember. I assume I need to backup Boot and System, because I am assuming that this is the Marshmallow OS and Boot. I also want to backup Data, because I do not want to lose my apps, pictures and music. However, to backup all of them at once is too large of a file.
Instead, I decided to backup them all separately, then move them over to my PC and delete them from my phone. My question is, if I want to restore my phone, is it possible to restore each backup separately, of do I need to join them up into one file. If so, how do I do it?
Cheers in advance )
P.S. DO I NEED TO BACKUP THE EFS, CACHE AND OTHER THING I CANNOT REMEMBER???
You can backup to a flash drive using USB OTG cable as well. You will want to backup boot, system, and data. EFS is not needed, but I find it a good practice to back it up and save it to a safe spot like your computer. The nandroid will back up each partition separately into a folder marked with the date. You can restore each individual part as needed. Just keep everything in the folder as it was set up for ease of use.
Also, your /data backup will not include music and pictures. It will back up data/data and data/app. The pictures and music are stored in data/media, or what the phone and recovery see as /sdcard though it is an emulated point and not a physical "sd card". When you perform a factory reset in recovery, it does not wipe /data/media, thus leaving everything on /sdcard intact. Though I do recommend making a copy of that to a safe space as well. It's just not what a nandroid backs up.
es0tericcha0s said:
You can backup to a flash drive using USB OTG cable as well. You will want to backup boot, system, and data. EFS is not needed, but I find it a good practice to back it up and save it to a safe spot like your computer. The nandroid will back up each partition separately into a folder marked with the date. You can restore each individual part as needed. Just keep everything in the folder as it was set up for ease of use.
Also, your /data backup will not include music and pictures. It will back up data/data and data/app. The pictures and music are stored in data/media, or what the phone and recovery see as /sdcard though it is an emulated point and not a physical "sd card". When you perform a factory reset in recovery, it does not wipe /data/media, thus leaving everything on /sdcard intact. Though I do recommend making a copy of that to a safe space as well. It's just not what a nandroid backs up.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for helping me, Ill back it up now )
No problem. Let me know if you have other questions. I've literally flashed roms 1000+ times on over 100 different kinds of phones.

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