[Q] How can I backup/restore ENTIRE phone? - Galaxy S II Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Hello.
I'd like to give MIUI a try, but, of course, I'd also like to switch back to my stock ROM if things go wrong or if I don't like MIUI.
How can I backup my entire phone (rooting, Recovery Mode capability and other on-power key-combination-activated features etc etc) and 100% failsafe restore it at any time?
Thanks in advance.

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Rooted stock = do a nandroid (CWM) backup which is essentially an 'image' of the phone at the time you make the backup. Try MIUI; don't like it ? Restore the nandroid you took of your rooted stock setup. Sorted (You will need to ensure you backup the contents of your external SD card separately if you have one).
Be careful you don't 'overthink' this, it's really very simple both ways (backup/restore).

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My Recovery Mode doesn't have a backup option
MistahBungle said:
Rooted stock = do a nandroid (CWM) backup which is essentially an 'image' of the phone at the time you make the backup. Try MIUI; don't like it ? Restore the nandroid you took of your rooted stock setup. Sorted (You will need to ensure you backup the contents of your external SD card separately if you have one).
Be careful you don't 'overthink' this, it's really very simple both ways (backup/restore).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for prompt response. I took a look at current Recovery Mode menu and it doesn't include a backup/restore option like in http://forum.xda-developers.com/wiki/ClockworkMod_Recovery. It shows only the above:
Code:
Android system recovery <3e>
Volume up/down to move highlight;
power button to select.
reboot system now
apply update from external storage
wipe data/factory reset
wipe cache partition
apply update from cache
test redbend fota[FS]
-----------------------------------
# MANUAL MODE #
-- Appling Multi-CSC...
Applied the CSC-code : ZVV
Successfully applied multi-CSC.
I've already downloaded Recovery from clockworkmod.com but didn't do anything with it yet.
Sorry if it has already been detailed in another thread, but I didn't find it and I don't know how to make such nandroid backup.
Thanks.

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OBackup
I've just downloaded OBackup app from Play store and am doing my backup.
My question is: after I flash MIUI, what are the tools/steps I'll need to restore my backup?
Thank you very much.

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That's the stock Android recovery.
OK...
What you need to do is not install CWM separately. That will only persist until you reboot & is designed to allow you to flash whatever rom/kernel you want which will have it's own version of CWM baked into the kernel.
That backup program you're using; no idea as I've never used it.
What I recommend you do is find a custom kernel you like (actually, any custom kernel will do given you're going to flash Miui) which will have CWM. Flash that into your stock setup, then make a nandroid (CWM) backup of your stock setup so you can go back to it if you don't like Miui/whatever else you try (If you restored this & wanted to go back completely stock/unrooted/etc, all you'd need to do is flash a stock kernel). This is what you asked for in your OP. I warned you not to start overcomplicating things, and this is exactly what you're doing.
The kernel supplied with Miui should have CWM, so if you find you don't like it, you should be able to simply restore the backup you made of your stock setup in CWRecovery.
I also very strongly recommend you learn 'the basics' as you seem to be lacking in this knowledge. Flashing stuff/etc without knowing these things leads to busted phones. Read the tutorials/guides stickied near the top of the General section; there's a wealth of information in those.

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Hi!
I've a similiar problem with my GT-i9100!
Can I do a restore of my stock ROM (that have android 4.1) if I've install a costum ROM like RootBox that have a different version of android (4.2.2)?
Can my phone brick because there are a differents kernel?
Tnx you all! ^^

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Rox666 said:
Hi!
I've a similiar problem with my GT-i9100!
Can I do a restore of my stock ROM (that have android 4.1) if I've install a costum ROM like RootBox that have a different version of android (4.2.2)?
Can my phone brick because there are a differents kernel?
Tnx you all! ^^
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No it won't brick.

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sadekmefti said:
No it won't brick.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi and tnx for reply!
I've try to do a restore of my sock rom from recovery but it's says to me that there is an error on md5 check sum...
I've install the RootBox ROM in my gt-i9100...but I can't come back to sock from recovery because the stock kernel dosen't work with RootBox's Kernel...
so I've to use odin to flash the stock firmware.......at the origin, my idea didn't comprised use odin because of download mode counter (so that why I did a backup!)...but now I don't have any other way...!
...what a sad story.. XD

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Rox666 said:
Hi and tnx for reply!
I've try to do a restore of my sock rom from recovery but it's says to me that there is an error on md5 check sum...
I've install the RootBox ROM in my gt-i9100...but I can't come back to sock from recovery because the stock kernel dosen't work with RootBox's Kernel...
so I've to use odin to flash the stock firmware.......at the origin, my idea didn't comprised use odin because of download mode counter (so that why I did a backup!)...but now I don't have any other way...!
...what a sad story.. XD
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can't restore your backup because of a different MD5 SUM which means that your backup has been corrupted.
Flashing a stock ROM or Kernel via ODIN will not increase your flash counter.
Flash NeatROM Lite, this is the best ROM ever, it like stock with additional things.
Sent from GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 4

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sadekmefti said:
You can't restore your backmyf a different MD5 SUM which means that your backup has been corrupted.
Flashing a stock ROM or Kernel via ODIN will not increase your flash counter.
Flash NeatROM Lite, this is the best ROM ever, it like stock with additional things.
Sent from GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 4
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
DIO *******************
I will cry...... :'( so the recovery hadn't save well my backup..I read about similar error and I hoped that was thet...
My last chance is use Odin..
Only a question: can I flash the stock rom from recovery renaming the file .tar.md5 in .zip?
Tnx for you for the counsel! I will try thet rom after solving this problem! For now I have changed rom and I'm using MIUI and it works really well!!

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Rox666 said:
DIO *******************
I will cry...... :'( so the recovery hadn't save well my backup..I read about similar error and I hoped that was thet...
My last chance is use Odin..
Only a question: can I flash the stock rom from recovery renaming the file .tar.md5 in .zip?
Tnx for you for the counsel! I will try thet rom after solving this problem! For now I have changed rom and I'm using MIUI and it works really well!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can't flash a stock ROM from recovery by changing .tar.md5 to .zip .
You want to change ROM to Stock, use Mobile Odin to flash a Stock ROM or Flash NeatROM v4.8 Lite.

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sadekmefti said:
You can't flash a stock ROM from recovery by changing .tar.md5 to .zip .
You want to change ROM to Stock, use Mobile Odin to flash a Stock ROM or Flash NeatROM v4.8 Lite.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Tnx you! I understand what I have to do! I'll try your rom today
Tnx again!!!