Over the course of the last two years I have flashed the *expletive deleted* out of my Nine and gone through the set up countless times, because I wanted to, and mostly with childlike enthusiasm. Sometimes, like today, it's because I have to. I seem to fail more often than not restoring from TWRP, and recently sometimes with flashfire free version. I never seem to have a problem "testing" the backups after creation, without any major changes they restore without issue. My problems seem to arise after flashing a new rom or preview and then trying to revert back to my previous restores. More often than not these fail on me and I find myself , like today, looking at the set up screen.
What ways (free) work best to save/restore roms, and what the hell am I doing wrong with my back ups? I have a basic grasp of ADB/fastboot. But it appears I have just enough info to be dangerous.
I blame the Vendor partition...
I've not had any problems with TWRP and restoring. I will add, however, that I don't backup the vendor partition. I have had problems with that before. I don't seen any real need to back up the vendor partition, though, so I just exclude that. I keep copies of the vendor image for the ROM that I flash. If I need to restore a backup, I restore it and then flash the original vendor image for that ROM version again.
I don't back up at all any more now that Google is able to reinstall all your apps when performing a fresh install. Just install the rom, choose the restore and let Google do its thing whilst I crack on with other things.
I've had several issues with TWRP backups on 6.x and 7.x, so now I use FF over ADB to make a "NORMAL" backup to my PC. I also use TiBu for apps and store a zip file of the complete TiBu folder on my PC.
Related
Since early July, I've been using 6.5 build 23001 from Da_G's kitchen and recently have been tempted to upgrade to one of new 6.5 builds. I'm at a state where my device is completely stable and functional for my use. How can I backup my device in its entirety prior to upgrading? I've tried solutions like Sprite backup in the past (and that seems to be the popular solution on these forums), but find it inadequate especially after flashing different roms. Is there some way to backup the device so if I have to I can return/flash back to the original state of the previous rom? I'm thinking of something akin to making a system/drive imaging/ghosts on the PC so that I can tinker with a new 6.5 build but can restore fully to exactly where I was before if necessary.
thanks
S A S H I M I
www.winmo-experts.com
Sashimi isn't what i'm looking for--it seems like an automated installer that will cut down the time/drudgery of reinstalling software. i want a solution that i can essentially restore my entire device from it current existing state. think of it like creating an image of the operating system partition on a computer for later restoration. SBP Backup, Sprite Backup, and others like it simply backup contacts, messages, settings, and various data and many times after restoring things are a little wonky. as far as i know, none of these actually back up the ROM as is. i essentially want to go from a hard reset to my formerly working device in no time.
The way I've done it is run Sprite, upgrade to the new ROM, fiddle, then flash the old ROM that I was using, then restore from backup. It's about the only way I've found.
Sunnysoft Backup Manager - never failed me on my RAPH creates self-extracting 1:1 image of internal storage, registry and system databases. You can restore it even without the app installed, it creates 4 files one of which is .exe that restores the backup.
Sprite and SPB can be buggy when flashing different ROMs. Not all of the stuff is in the same place when you go to restore it, so some things get left out, and sometimes the wrong thing gets changed.
If you are restoring the same, exact ROM, the backup should cover all areas and your device should be as it was before.
Actually there's a way to make your backups flashable. I'm trying to find it since I just saw it the other day. Its around this forum. I want to backup my ROM so I can share it with my friend without having to cook my own.
Found it!
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=427507
Doesn't Look too hard....
I'm running streakdroid 1.9 but I would like to do some experimentation with my streak. If I flash a new rom what will I lose? How do you backup your data so you can flash to your hearts content?
Thanks
if u flash stock roms, they do a factory reset during first start up.
So u end up loosing everything.
However if u flash .zip version of the stock roms using CWM or streak recovery , u will retain almost everything but may loose somethings like root and so on.
Remember stock roms will flash its default recovery everytime it boots up
Ok thanks. Is it wise to do a factory reset anyway?
What tools can I use to backup messages, apps, photos, etc?
I use titanium backup.
If you do a nandroid backup, when you restore it, everything will be just as it was before you flashed another ROM...
As far as using Titanium... it has never worked for me completely, nor has MyBackUp Pro, they cause me more headache than being useful...
I have gotten to the point to when I flash a new ROM, I just manually install everything, I know it sounds like some hassle, but you end up with a much smoother operating phone.
I even do a nandroid backup first, then go into my ROM and manually uninstall everything, so that when I boot up my new ROM and setup my market account, it doesn't try to install everything on its own and bog down my phone at first, I install everything manually in the order I want and set them up as I go.
I know this sounds cumbersome, but I have found it creates a cleaner environment and practically eliminated force closes
That is the way I like to do things also but what about the things that you can't just re-install e.g. sms, application specific data?
Advice
I was having a sim card and constant restart issue after updating to streakroid 2.4.4, and even after flashing dsc, the problem persisted. After I reviewed the steps I had taken I realized that I never did a factory resest (fearing I would forever lose my precious app data, which I did -_-). It turned out that was the fix, after doing the factory reset, my sim card was recognized immediately and a couple of the text I had missed showed up. However, I fixed one fixed problem and developed another.
Even though I restored a MyBackup and Titanium backup I did right before resetting I recovered my several apps without their precious data (setting, notes, bookmarks). I tried doing internal backups within the apps, some conveniently had syncs to a cloud yet I missed doing that with a few apps because I have over 100+ and I use more than half on a regular basis (even if for 5 minutes). All my apps are on my device, which is a good thing but I cant appreciate that given the missing data.
So my advice is:
Use apps that have can automatically backup or sync data -- there are enough apps with similiar utility that you can avoid ones without that function.
Do a manual backup within your important apps. -- Some apps backup files to locations that may be wiped during update, doesn't have auto backup or the last backup is months old.
Pics, texts, call logs are easily backed up -- Backup programs will explicitly state or ask what to back up in that regard.
Do a nandroid backup -- I believe this only restores rom and apps but someone can correct me.
Caveat
Through all the research done before actually need to restore a backup I missed the fact when restore apps depending on the restore program every app has to be reinstalled individually. If you have more than 25 apps then #$#@!, also for some reason when restoring with titanium if during a batch restore you come across an app if you hit cancel during one of the install prompts because you actually don't want to restore that app the batch will freeze and you'll have to force close titanium and start the restore all over. Go through the list of restore options and choose each app one by one, save yourself the time.
Lastly, to piggy back off what was said before, a factory reset( FR) after updating rom is always recommended but its not always needed. Most roms will update without causing you to lose any data but like I said previously I had sim card issues when I updated without a FR. YMMV
At this point I don't know if this helps the OP but maybe it will benefit someone else who reads this thread.
This guide by _n0p_ tells how to do an upgrade and minimize the re-installation of apps.
Key items:
Use the backup function of any apps that have it
Don't count on restoring data with TB or My Backup
Make a nandroid - just in case
I have found TB and My Backup to be useful for things like browser bookmarks.
The post linked to discussed going from Froyo to Gingerbread but the same techniques apply for moving to any other ROM.
Last time i changed roms, i used the Dell backup utility for evertyhing but the apps, which can be backed up together with their data with QtADB which creates a backup folder on your SD. After installing the new rom, i chose advanced recovery from the Dell Utility and set it to recover everything but the apps, which i recovered with QtADB. However, I also strongly recommend nandroid, in case the steak doesn't boot after the install.
i've really only used rom manager in the past, and now with the LTE i'm using Goo manager, and TWRP for a recovery. my question is, for those that want to try a new ROM, what is your procedure for backing up your ROM and apps, etc.? i ask because i flashed to viperROM, and backed it up via TWRP recovery, went to try another ROM out, and then wanted to reflash with the backup i had created, but wasn't sure where to find it to flash back. was it just a matter of not knowing what directory it had been saved into? also, when you make a backup (is it still referred to as nandroid?), do you have to use something like titanium for backup of apps and their data? i take it that's the case but wanted to be sure... maybe i need to do more searching for titanium backup i guess.
edit: just to add that i have used TB root in the past after flashing, only to find that things like some of the games etc. were as if it was a fresh install... no save game data. what's the proper way to ensure that apps are backed up with all of their associated data? or is that something that's more of a case by case/manual thing?
I decided to write this guide to describe the method I’ve found to be most useful to restore my data after I've updated my ROM. I’ve discovered this method through trial-and-error for myself, and I thought it could be useful for others who are looking for an easy way to transfer all your apps, settings etc. after doing a clean ROM update.
Prerequisites to use this method
You must have root access
You must have a custom recovery (like CWM or TWRP)
You must have X-posed framework installed (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1574401)
You must have this X-posed mod that disables Play Store encryption (http://www.modaco.com/topic/361776-xmod-disable-play-store-encryption-mntasec/)
Principles behind this method
The idea behind this method is to restore your entire data partition in an easy way when you’ve done a clean ROM update, so that you get the same benefit as doing a dirty flash, except you’re doing it clean instead of dirty (some custom ROMs do not support dirty flashing).
To do this, you must ensure that all your data is actually on the data partition - this is where the X-posed mod comes into play. Normally, paid apps are put in a special encrypted folder (/mnt/asec), and thus not part of the normal /data partition, and therefore also not backed up with a backup of the data partition, but instead backup up as part of the system partition (at least this is what I think, somebody correct me if I’m wrong).
With the X-posed mod mentioned above, all apps go into /data/app instead, and are thus being backed up with the data partition. This is really handy, because you then have all your user apps in one place, instead of several different folders. This again enables you to restore only your data partition, and by that restoring all your apps, settings etc.
This also means that if you previously haven’t used this X-posed mod, you have to uninstall and reinstall all your paid apps with the X-posed mod active, so that they’re installed to /data/app instead of /mnt/asec (I’ve had to do this a couple of times).
I’ve only tried this method when updating a ROM to a later version of the same ROM (like a new build of CM), but it might also work when switching between ROMs, although this is totally untested for my part (I imagine there could be some invalid system settings getting restored, but it would be worth a try if anybody is up for it).
Step-by-step guide
Disable any set-on-boot settings that could be problematic with a new ROM/Kernel (for instance Kernel settings, themes etc).
Backup your apps and data with your backup app (Titanium or the like). This is not strictly necessary as part of the procedure, but acts as a second backup, just in case.
Boot into your custom recovery and make a Nandroid backup of your entire phone. You should do this before every ROM update anyway, and it is especially important here, as you’re later going to restore the data partition from this backup.
Now while in custom recovery, clean flash your new ROM update (factory reset/cache wipe first) - flash any kernel or Gapps as well.
Boot into Android and setup Gapps (if Gapps asks to restore your phone, you can answer no - why use the time and bandwidth to download apps again, when you can use this method?). You now have a freshly installed new system with basic Gapps settings, done as you would with any other ROM update. And now comes the good part...
Boot back into your custom recovery, and clear caches again. From backup/restore, do an advanced restore to restore only your data partition.
Boot back into Android. You will now get the screen “Android is upgrading”, while it initializes all you previous apps.
When this is done, you should basically have your old system back with the all your previous apps and system settings, including launcher, themes etc. (X-posed mods may require an extra reboot though). Some specific system settings might have been lost in translation, but I believe it’s one of the easiest way to get all your user data back, and it’s been working like a charm for me.
You could also dirty flash if your ROM supports it, but sometimes there is an update that requires a clean flash, and then this method will give you basically the same end result.
I hope somebody besides me finds this useful, as it’s been my preferred way to restore my data between updates. In this way, I only keep my app backups as a secondary backup to the data partition. Any feedback on this method is very welcome - all I can say is that it’s been working flawlessly for me so far.
:: AM ::
Reserve Q&A
ameinild said:
I decided to write this guide to describe the method I’ve found to be most useful to restore my data after I've updated my ROM. I’ve discovered this method through trial-and-error for myself, and I thought it could be useful for others who are looking for an easy way to transfer all your apps, settings etc. after doing a clean ROM update.
Prerequisites to use this method
You must have root access
You must have a custom recovery (like CWM or TWRP)
You must have X-posed framework installed (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1574401)
You must have this X-posed mod that disables Play Store encryption (http://www.modaco.com/topic/361776-xmod-disable-play-store-encryption-mntasec/)
Principles behind this method
The idea behind this method is to restore your entire data partition in an easy way when you’ve done a clean ROM update, so that you get the same benefit as doing a dirty flash, except you’re doing it clean instead of dirty (some custom ROMs do not support dirty flashing).
To do this, you must ensure that all your data is actually on the data partition - this is where the X-posed mod comes into play. Normally, paid apps are put in a special encrypted folder (/mnt/asec), and thus not part of the normal /data partition, and therefore also not backed up with a backup of the data partition, but instead backup up as part of the system partition (at least this is what I think, somebody correct me if I’m wrong).
With the X-posed mod mentioned above, all apps go into /data/app instead, and are thus being backed up with the data partition. This is really handy, because you then have all your user apps in one place, instead of several different folders. This again enables you to restore only your data partition, and by that restoring all your apps, settings etc.
This also means that if you previously haven’t used this X-posed mod, you have to uninstall and reinstall all your paid apps with the X-posed mod active, so that they’re installed to /data/app instead of /mnt/asec (I’ve had to do this a couple of times).
I’ve only tried this method when updating a ROM to a later version of the same ROM (like a new build of CM), but it might also work when switching between ROMs, although this is totally untested for my part (I imagine there could be some invalid system settings getting restored, but it would be worth a try if anybody is up for it).
Step-by-step guide
Disable any set-on-boot settings that could be problematic with a new ROM/Kernel (for instance Kernel settings, themes etc).
Backup your apps and data with your backup app (Titanium or the like). This is not strictly necessary as part of the procedure, but acts as a second backup, just in case.
Boot into your custom recovery and make a Nandroid backup of your entire phone. You should do this before every ROM update anyway, and it is especially important here, as you’re later going to restore the data partition from this backup.
Now while in custom recovery, clean flash your new ROM update (factory reset/cache wipe first) - flash any kernel or Gapps as well.
Boot into Android and setup Gapps (if Gapps asks to restore your phone, you can answer no - why use the time and bandwidth to download apps again, when you can use this method?). You now have a freshly installed new system with basic Gapps settings, done as you would with any other ROM update. And now comes the good part...
Boot back into your custom recovery, and clear caches again. From backup/restore, do an advanced restore to restore only your data partition.
Boot back into Android. You will now get the screen “Android is upgrading”, while it initializes all you previous apps.
When this is done, you should basically have your old system back with the all your previous apps and system settings, including launcher, themes etc. (X-posed mods may require an extra reboot though). Some specific system settings might have been lost in translation, but I believe it’s one of the easiest way to get all your user data back, and it’s been working like a charm for me.
You could also dirty flash if your ROM supports it, but sometimes there is an update that requires a clean flash, and then this method will give you basically the same end result.
I hope somebody besides me finds this useful, as it’s been my preferred way to restore my data between updates. In this way, I only keep my app backups as a secondary backup to the data partition. Any feedback on this method is very welcome - all I can say is that it’s been working flawlessly for me so far.
:: AM ::
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Click to collapse
awesome it worked for me without xposed modules cause i didnt had any paid apps. My data partition was encrypted so every time i was going to recovery i had to put password to decrypt it. But i created backup of data partition after decrypting it. Then copied all thhe internal file to the pc after that clean flashed rom with DFE , magisk , gapps. After booting into rom setting it to like new then go to my orange fox recovery clear dalvik and caches restore data partition. wollah got my encrypted data partition to decrypted partition without getting die from reinstalling apps and data.
One reason why I chose to buy this device (aside from official Google support) is the overwhelmingly large amount of developer enthusiasm for it. And with that enthusiasm comes a lot of custom ROMs.
I haven't had time to test all of them, but I will - and here's a guide I made that'll hopefully make testing different ROMs easier.
Prerequisites
Before continuing with this guide, make sure that you have:
a LOT of free time, depending on how many ROMs you want to test;
unlocked and rooted your device;
downloaded all the ROMs you want to test;
have installed a good recovery - I would recommend the latest version of TWRP;
common sense.
(OPTIONAL) a spare microSD card of at least 8GB. This'll make everything easier, as you won't have to delete stuff in order to fit all your ZIPs and backups.
Things to remember
Make sure you know how exactly to restore your device to how it was before following this guide.
You should know what you're doing. One small mistake can lead to your device being completely unusable!
You should know what features you're looking for in a ROM. It's never nice to have gone all the way to flash a different ROM, only to discover that feature X doesn't work. Ask questions in the ROM thread, if you like.
You can always ask help from others, should you have any trouble with your device.
When using custom ROMs (or any customization, for that matter), do NOT ask for ETAs. Our developers are doing their work at their own leisure and during their own time, and they don't get their pay from you.
Ready? Let's get going!
Getting started
A good Android user always backs up before doing anything radical to their phone, and that's precisely what we're going to do. There are three ways to go about this:
The easy way
The easy way is through making a Nandroid backup. This is particularly easy to do in TWRP, as all you need to do is reboot into recovery, press Backup, select the partitions you want to back up and whether to compress them, and start backing up. Simple as that.
Pros: Easy to restore your data once you're finished testing ROMs.
Cons: It's somewhat hard to restore individual pieces of data (such as messages and apps) instead of the whole thing.
The (slightly) more complicated way
This way deals with TitaniumBackup, an absolute must-have app for every Android user out there.
With TitaniumBackup, you can choose to back up individual apps (and even update their individual backups). TB isn't limited to backing up/restoring data, though; it can do so much more - remove bloatware, freeze apps you don't use, make a flashable ZIP out of your backups... the list goes on.
Pros: Finer control over what data gets backed up. Very powerful tool in migrating ROMs.
Cons: Somewhat outdated and intimidating interface; and features are reduced without buying the PRO version.
The Google way
This one is the simplest way of all three, though it only works if you have a) GApps and have signed in to your Google account, b) if you've agreed to let Google back your data up when you first set up your device, and c) if you have Settings > Backup & reset > Back up my data enabled.
Google automatically backs up almost all of your data to its servers, ready to be restored when you do a factory reset/switch to a new phone. A list of all data that are backed up can be seen by going to Settings > Accounts > Google > (your email address).
Notable exceptions to the data backed up are messages, which you have to back up yourself - I recommend SMS Backup & Restore for that.
Now that you have your data backed up, let's get flashing.
Flashing
Put your ROMs/kernels/GApps on your SD card, then reboot to recovery.
1. Wiping / factory resetting
This is why we back up your data in the first place. Different ROMs need different data, and data left over from one ROM can cause another ROM to get stuck in a bootloop.
Tip: If you're using TWRP, try enabling Use rm -rf instead of formatting in Advanced settings. Formatting doesn't really have any perceivable advantages over simply removing the contents of your data partition (unless you somehow corrupted it), and it actually causes higher wear on your storage chip. (Storage doesn't last forever - I've had my old Samsung bricked because I reformatted too much.)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In CWM, it's called wipe data/factory reset; in TWRP, it's simply called Wipe. Wipe your data, dalvik-cache, and cache partitions.
2. Flashing the ROM and other addons
In CWM, it's called install zip (from sdcard); in TWRP, it's simply called Install. Browse to your ROM zip and install.
Tip: If you're using TWRP, you can add ZIPs to the ZIP queue in this order: ROM > GApps (if any) > Kernel (if any) > Addons/Patches (if any).
Users of CWM must manually flash each ZIP, in the same order.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
3. Finishing up
Now all that's left to do is pray for the best and reboot.
Testing
If you flashed GApps, do NOT let Google restore data yet. We'll do that later.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
After initial setup completes and your newly-installed ROM settles down, it's time to get testing. It would be helpful if you listed down all the features you need and check/cross them out one by one if they work or not. For example, I need working screen cast and usable video recording, both of which do not work in all the CM-based ROMs I've tested.
Some ROMs, especially sprout4 ROMs, require patches when installing on sprout8 devices in order to provide the most optimal experience. Try flashing those to see if the ROM gets any better for you.
Rinse & repeat?
So, have you decided that this ROM is for you?
Yes, this ROM is awesome! I love it!
If you backed up earlier using Google, do another factory reset and this time, let Google restore your data.
If you used Titanium for backup, you can safely restore your data now.
If you made a Nandroid backup, you technically can restore your backup as-is since most of the ROMs available for sprout are CM-based; but I wouldn't recommend this as this can cause bootloops. Otherwise, you can manually restore your data one-by-one - but this is a time-consuming process.
I'm not quite sure I like this ROM yet.
Well that's okay, just repeat this guide from the start.
Finishing up
Now that you've decided on what ROM to use, you can safely delete your backups and ZIPs - though it would be better to keep them as they might come in handy if your device starts having problems.
Notes
If you're flashing a Marshmallow ROM, don't flash Xposed right after you flash your ROM as this may cause a bootloop.
Never ask for ETAs on ROM threads. That's rude.
That's it for this guide! Happy flashing! :fingers-crossed:
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Awesome post. Enjoyed it!?
aureljared said:
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Sry for digging up this old thread. I was wondering if there is a tutorial for Titanium Backup specifically targeting a switch between custom roms, having different versions of android.
I'm in the midth of moving from cm 13 to lineageos 15 and just tried to backup apps+data in Titanium Backup and restore them and the new system is now somewhat buggy..I'm not sure if the restored backup is the reason for this or not....Maybe there are specific settings to be set..... I mean it's common sense for me not to backup and restore system data but maybe I am missing other important things to be set prior to a backup in Titanium Backup.
trohn_javolta said:
Sry for digging up this old thread. I was wondering if there is a tutorial for Titanium Backup specifically targeting a switch between custom roms, having different versions of android.
I'm in the midth of moving from cm 13 to lineageos 15 and just tried to backup apps+data in Titanium Backup and restore them and the new system is now somewhat buggy..I'm not sure if the restored backup is the reason for this or not....Maybe there are specific settings to be set..... I mean it's common sense for me not to backup and restore system data but maybe I am missing other important things to be set prior to a backup in Titanium Backup.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's hard to say, some apps might work improperly or refuse to terminate in the background due to a mismatch in the restored data. I only backup/restore game data nowadays, as Google Backup takes care of my contacts, SMS, settings, and customization. No problems encountered so far.
The only setting I change in TiBkp is the compression method, as the default (gzip, I think) produces somewhat large backups. I use bzip2.
If you really need to restore everything, it might help for you to wipe /data and restore apps in TiBkp one by one until you find the culprit.
aureljared said:
It's hard to say, some apps might work improperly or refuse to terminate in the background due to a mismatch in the restored data. I only backup/restore game data nowadays, as Google Backup takes care of my contacts, SMS, settings, and customization. No problems encountered so far.
The only setting I change in TiBkp is the compression method, as the default (gzip, I think) produces somewhat large backups. I use bzip2.
If you really need to restore everything, it might help for you to wipe /data and restore apps in TiBkp one by one until you find the culprit.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Trying the Google Way was also my thought, unfortunately it does not work for me. I posted this today in the rom I used until now:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=76022005#post76022005
The initial setup was quite some time ago and now I cannot recall what I may have done to insult the google sync service
Thanks for this.
Can I ask something?
If I'm on stock rom and have magisk and modules installed. To switch rom, do I need to uninstall those first?
or when using nandroid backup... is its okey to backup with magisk+module on it?
watatara.102 said:
Can I ask something?
If I'm on stock rom and have magisk and modules installed. To switch rom, do I need to uninstall those first?
or when using nandroid backup... is its okey to backup with magisk+module on it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You might want to uninstall your modules first to be safe, but if you're sure they're compatible with the ROM you're switching to, then you might be fine keeping them. As always, backup before trying anything dangerous. :good:
Nandroids are whole-device backups, so if you backup while Magisk is installed, Magisk and your modules will still be there when you restore the backup. If that's what you're aiming for, then go ahead and backup. Just make sure to backup the boot image too, since that's where Magisk is installed.
Sent from my starlte using XDA Labs
Can I install a nandroid backup of a totally different ROM to replace the current ROM I'm using with TWRP?