Database Info

Backups: Nandroid v. TiBu

Can someone help me understand the difference between a Nandroid backup and using Titanium Backup? Is it similar to the difference between image-based backup vs. file/application based backup? Under what circumstances would one be better than the other?

Your simile is spot on. Nandroid backup is used to completely restore a system with all apps and data.
Titanium Backup is used to restore/reinstall apps and data without changing your system. It's really handy if you get brave and decide to flash a new ROM on your phone. TiBu can put all your previously installed apps into place very quickly.
If you don't like the new ROM, just restore your old system from the Nandroid backup.

Ok, so help me think this through.
I've already Rooted/S-off/flashed a ROM on my phone. So presuming that the ROM image I download via CWM or XDA is on my card anyway, and I have TiBu (I have the paid version) that I can use to selectively restore apps, settings and data, would not Nandroid be redundant in this case?
OlafTheOx said:
Your simile is spot on. Nandroid backup is used to completely restore a system with all apps and data.
Titanium Backup is used to restore/reinstall apps and data without changing your system. It's really handy if you get brave and decide to flash a new ROM on your phone. TiBu can put all your previously installed apps into place very quickly.
If you don't like the new ROM, just restore your old system from the Nandroid backup.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

The point of a nandriod backup is to easily go back to a working setup without having to spend time installing apps and tweaking all the numerous settings to your liking. 5 minutes to restore a nandroid backup vs. 2 - 4 hours of installing & tweaking.
DInc with CyanogenMod 6.1 & Invisiblek #28 kernel.

Download Nandroid
Where do I download Nandroid?
Will this one work from the G1 thread?
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=459830
Thanks

Nandroid is actually part of Clockwork Recovery. If you reboot to recovery mode you can make and restore backups from there.
As you say your on a custom ROM I assume Clockwork Recovery/CWM/ROM Manager was installed as part of the process.

There is a good overview of ClockworkMod Recovery at http://www.addictivetips.com/mobile/what-is-clockworkmod-recovery-and-how-to-use-it-on-android-complete-guide/#features

BillTheCat said:
Can someone help me understand the difference between a Nandroid backup and using Titanium Backup? Is it similar to the difference between image-based backup vs. file/application based backup? Under what circumstances would one be better than the other?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was just wondering about the same thing, so thanks for the thread.
Making a Nandroid backup right now ;-)

BTW, nandroid backups are stored on your SD card. You can free up space by either deleting or moving them to storage off the phone. Just keep a backup of your preferred restoration ROM on the SD card. Also, at the very least, it's a good idea to save a backup of the original manufacturer's ROM somewhere.
DInc with CyanogenMod 6.1 & Invisiblek #28 kernel.

technoplunk said:
There is a good overview of ClockworkMod Recovery at addictivetips dot com
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thanks for the link.
One issue though... it says ClockWorkMod requires ROOT access to create a backup rom image, which on my phone (ATT Aria with HBOOT 1.02) require to have S-OFF first with alpharev, yet most instructions tell you to create a nandroid backup first (which makes sense in case something goes wrong)...
Am I missing something ? you can't create a back, and you take risk doing S-OFF+Root to get there.
I want to remove unwanted ATT crapware, and install non market apps, but I need root access for all this. right ?

[Q] Backups and restore. Titanium and Nandroid.

I have few questions about backups:
Nandroid:
1) So when I restore from a nandroid backup what do I exactly restore. I restore the rom this means any .zip mods I installed are gone. Do I restore radio, kernel, firmware, hboot?
2) When I do nandroid backup what happens to applications and data?
Titanium
3) What exactly system data backup (batch) backups? If I want to backup my my settings and WI-fi pairings and sms and phone call history and maybe some other 2-3 little things. If I do system data backup I will backup these things but when I restore if my previous configurations had lots of bloatware would I get unwanted things on my new configuration and slow down my phone?
4) Backing all user apps backups only .apks it means it installs the applications again?
5)User apps+ data means it will reinstall the apps and include saves and settings and etc right?
6) I've heard when backing up apps it's better to skip data why?
Thank you!

1. If you restore a previous backup then your mods will be gone (if they were not in that backup). kernel & firmware restored; hboot & radio not.
2.They get backed up (but not the data from the SD Card - just internal memory).
3. What you select (in Batch you can select). You just delete bloatware using TB after restore.
4. Correct, for settings and data you need the APPS+DATA option
5. Right
6. To avoid any complication with newer/older firmware - I always restored with data, and had no issues.

Thank you!
I just didn't understand completly about nandroid backup and apps.
If I use my phone for 5 days and install 5 aps and do a backup then use it 6 more days and install 6 more aps. After I do a nandroid restore the 6 aps installed after backup are lost and from the 5 installed before backup the ones that are not on SD will be restored. Correct? And if this is correct the restored apps will be only apk or apk + data?

Nandriod backup is the backup of Whole System the things u flashed the boot animation the theme every bit of ur phone
while just titnaum backup just backups ur apps+data nothing Else

janarioo said:
Nandriod backup is the backup of Whole System the things u flashed the boot animation the theme every bit of ur phone
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Except radio and hboot.
Sent from my HTC Pyramid using xda premium

Question about ClockworkMod Recovery and ICS Rom

I was suggested to flash an ICS ROM, so first I was wondering which one is best for beginners. I was previously using Andromeda.
Anyways, I am following the instructions for CyanogenMod9 but when i go into recovery mode and choose backup there is no choice that says "NAND Backup"....I just clicked backup is this something different. Please help...
I have some things on my phone that I would not want to lose

Before anything backup everything on your phone you don't wanna loose cuz you never know. There are many great roms around have fun flashing them. I personally recommend AOKP.
Sent from my SGH-I897 using xda premium

thanks, but was the backup I performed the proper one to do before flashing a new ROM??

It was, for the most part. The backup you perform (called a Nandroid Backup) makes a snapshot of the system configuration at the time you backed it up.
If you ever want to come back to where you were, just flash back to Andromeda and restore that backup.
If you're wanting a backup that will cross the Andromeda-ICS gap, though, you'll need something like Titanium Backup, as a Nandroid backup is specific to the configuration it was created in (i.e. you have to be in the same ROM to restore from that backup).
NOTE: --VERY IMPORTANT-- Nandroid backups DO NOT back up your pictures, music, documents, etc. These are separate items on the Internal SD card.
I would highly recommend that before you go any further that you plug your phone into your computer and copy everything that shows up on the internal SD card to a safe place. While you're at it, make a copy of your /efs folder.

thanks I made a backup of everything else...what was the efs folder? from it being unlocked?
anyways now I can proceed to wiping the data to flash the rom of my choice?

[Q] How to use Nandroid backup and what exactly it does restore?

Hello,
I have problems restoring from nandroid backup.
Here what I did"
1) Flashed ROM1 and Flashed Kernel1.
2) Installed all My apps which I use.
3) Took Nandroid back-up.
4) Flashed ROM2. Flashed Kernel1.
5) Installed all apps.
6) After 1 days reflashed ROM1 and Kernel1.
7) Tried restoring Nandroid back-up I created 1 day back.
AND IT FAILS!!
Everytime I did a complete wipe of all data and catch and dalvik.
Same happened with CWM and AmonRa
CWM: md5 sums mismatch!!
AmonRa: Oops! Something went wrong!!
Am I mistaken about Nandroid back-up? Am I doing something wrong?
Actually I wanted to restore all my apps and data related to apps. I took whole system and data and everything backed up in the option.

1 Nandroid backup means it reflashes your backed up system with all your installed apps i.e if you have gb rom and do nandroid backup it will backup your current system( in this case gb) with all installed apps at the time you did backup.
2 You said it failed did it display any error while backing your nandroid backup.
3 Never heard of a backup being failed, you must have messed up something.
4 Md5 checksum mismatch means you either had a bad flash or if you moved or replaced some file also backup from different recovery will not work if you backed up from cmw then you cannot restore from amonra recovery, did you change recovery after backing up if you did then it wont work.
5. If you want to backup your apps and data next time try backing it with titanium backup root.Open titanium backup and press batch and then press backup all apps + data.
6. After flashimg new rom install titanium backup root from google play and press restore all app+data this will restore your apps with data.
7. If you use nandroid backup then your rom also changes to the rom that you had while backing up.
hope this helps

Go to your SDcard.. search and go to clockworkmod folder.. go to backup.. now whichever file you see.. Rename it xyz or anything WITHOUT any space!!
Try restoring then!!

hsingh1993 said:
1 Nandroid backup means it reflashes your backed up system with all your installed apps i.e if you have gb rom and do nandroid backup it will backup your current system( in this case gb) with all installed apps at the time you did backup.
2 You said it failed did it display any error while backing your nandroid backup.
3 Never heard of a backup being failed, you must have messed up something.
4 Md5 checksum mismatch means you either had a bad flash or if you moved or replaced some file also backup from different recovery will not work if you backed up from cmw then you cannot restore from amonra recovery, did you change recovery after backing up if you did then it wont work.
5. If you want to backup your apps and data next time try backing it with titanium backup root.Open titanium backup and press batch and then press backup all apps + data.
6. After flashimg new rom install titanium backup root from google play and press restore all app+data this will restore your apps with data.
7. If you use nandroid backup then your rom also changes to the rom that you had while backing up.
hope this helps
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I hadn't change anything but the name of the folder with some appropriate name like "CM-9.1.1 Final + CandiedIce Kernel + Apps", so that I can recognize it when I need it. No changes in the 5-6 files of recovery.
Didn't try restoring CWM back-up with AmonRa. Tried Amonra to Amonra and CWM to CWM. Failed all times (almost 5 to 6 times).
Does making folder name without any spaces in between work? If it's so, it's weird!! Is it that way? Should the folder name has to have NO SPACE?
"clockworkmode > backup > CM-9.1.1 + CandiedIce Kernel + Apps" - won't work.
But "clockworkmode > backup > CM-9.1.1+CandiedIce_Kernel+Apps" - will work??
Also, as known CWM couldn't back-up sdext. But otherwise No Error. While AmonRa did all back-up without any sort of error.

Dude.. just do it. WITHOUT ANY SPACE.. if you want to restore!!
And keep a small name!!
Eg: cm9.1.1.candied.ice
Dont use any special characters like $ & #

Thanks
rr0yy said:
Dude.. just do it. WITHOUT ANY SPACE.. if you want to restore!!
And keep a small name!!
Eg: cm9.1.1.candied.ice
Dont use any special characters like $ & #
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the betterment of my knowledge. I shall keep this in mind for future use!! Recently I am stable with CM 9.1.1 without Gapps.

rr0yy said:
Dude.. just do it. WITHOUT ANY SPACE.. if you want to restore!!
And keep a small name!!
Eg: cm9.1.1.candied.ice
Dont use any special characters like $ & #
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks man for the tip! :good:
I usually put spaces in my backup though i have'nt encountered that problem.

wyndcryst25 said:
Thanks man for the tip! :good:
I usually put spaces in my backup though i have'nt encountered that problem.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So keeping a small name and without spaces is important??

sn809 said:
So keeping a small name and without spaces is important??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes, this is Linux, means no spaces.

i have a question about this subject,
if i want to backup my rom my stock 4.1.1 on my galaxy nexus how can i do that so that when and if i choose to return or sell the phone i would like to load up the stock Rom back on the phone in case the person isnt tech friendly.
does a Nandroid back up Rom files and kernel as well ???
thanks for any help guys

fariswheel said:
i have a question about this subject,
if i want to backup my rom my stock 4.1.1 on my galaxy nexus how can i do that so that when and if i choose to return or sell the phone i would like to load up the stock Rom back on the phone in case the person isnt tech friendly.
does a Nandroid back up Rom files and kernel as well ???
thanks for any help guys
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Use a custom recovery to backup. You can find them at galaxy nexus forum on xda
Yes, it restores everything. Nandroid backup is 1:1 copy of your entire phone memory. It will even restore your messages, call logs, accounts etc

sarus_b said:
Use a custom recovery to backup. You can find them at galaxy nexus forum on xda
Yes, it restores everything. Nandroid backup is 1:1 copy of your entire phone memory. It will even restore your messages, call logs, accounts etc
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So any NANDroid backup is 1:1?
Does that mean that NANDroid also wipes all data?

Searz said:
So any NANDroid backup is 1:1?
Does that mean that NANDroid also wipes all data?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes, is 1:1; if you restore a nandroid it will take the same space as the rom you backed up, and no, if you make a nandroid backup, you won't loose any data whatsoever, you still can continue using the rom you backed up, but if you are going to restore a nandroid it's better to make a full wipe, like if you are installing a rom, that's the way i do it...

gabo_lope said:
yes, is 1:1; if you restore a nandroid it will take the same space as the rom you backed up, and no, if you make a nandroid backup, you won't loose any data whatsoever, you still can continue using the rom you backed up, but if you are going to restore a nandroid it's better to make a full wipe, like if you are installing a rom, that's the way i do it...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, I didn't mean that you'd lose data when making a backup. That defeats the point of making a backup in the first place, lol.
I was talking about when you restore it. And from what you just wrote I assume that files that aren't overwritten when restoring remain. Similar to how you can flash a ROM "dirty".

Searz said:
No, I didn't mean that you'd lose data when making a backup. That defeats the point of making a backup in the first place, lol.
I was talking about when you restore it. And from what you just wrote I assume that files that aren't overwritten when restoring remain. Similar to how you can flash a ROM "dirty".
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Files will be overwritten. For example, if you make a nandroid, then update an app, when you restore that nandroid, you will restore the previous version of that app.
Sent from my LG-VM670 using xda app-developers app

upconvert said:
Files will be overwritten. For example, if you make a nandroid, then update an app, when you restore that nandroid, you will restore the previous version of that app.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea, exactly how I thought it worked. Thanks for confirming that for me.

guys i have some questions.........
1) nanadroid backs up all system apps and saved data like messages, phonelogs, contacts, saved settings right ??
2) if I flash a new ROM and then want to go back to the previous state by flashing nandroid backup, does it unroot my device?
3) I backup system apps + data by nandroid backup and SD card apps by Titanium Backup. Is this right ??
Searz said:
No, I didn't mean that you'd lose data when making a backup. That defeats the point of making a backup in the first place, lol.
I was talking about when you restore it. And from what you just wrote I assume that files that aren't overwritten when restoring remain. Similar to how you can flash a ROM "dirty".
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
4) If I have a backup of stock ROM then flash a custom ROM like CM, system files will be different in CM. SO when I restore the stock ROM, files that are new to CM will still remain right?
sorry for asking noob questions..........I'll really appreciate it if u guys answer this

Hmm
mike_24_11 said:
Hello,
I have problems restoring from nandroid backup.
Here what I did"
1) Flashed ROM1 and Flashed Kernel1.
2) Installed all My apps which I use.
3) Took Nandroid back-up.
4) Flashed ROM2. Flashed Kernel1.
5) Installed all apps.
6) After 1 days reflashed ROM1 and Kernel1.
7) Tried restoring Nandroid back-up I created 1 day back.
AND IT FAILS!!
Everytime I did a complete wipe of all data and catch and dalvik.
Same happened with CWM and AmonRa
CWM: md5 sums mismatch!!
AmonRa: Oops! Something went wrong!!
Am I mistaken about Nandroid back-up? Am I doing something wrong?
Actually I wanted to restore all my apps and data related to apps. I took whole system and data and everything backed up in the option.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
do you use cwm recovery or twrp idk about twrp but if you are using cwm go to the cwm recovery go down to backup and restore now backup it to sdcard1 (sometimes its shown as backup to external sd card depends on your phone what u use) or just press backup it backups your current rom and your files and now press restore and chose your restore file or if you backup it to your sd card you can do the same thing just chose restore from external sd card and chose your restore file :good: done :good:

[Q] Backup for nexus 5

what is the best tool do backup my apps and app data, for flashing different roms.
Titanium backup pro (seems to be everyones preference), Rom toolbox pro (seems to do a lot more, and cheaper, better UI) or any other easy and better alternatives?

xkawsx said:
what is the best tool do backup my apps and app data, for flashing different roms.
Titanium backup pro (seems to be everyones preference), Rom toolbox pro (seems to do a lot more, and cheaper, better UI) or any other easy and better alternatives?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I personally backup my apps using Titanium then do a nandroid backup so i can revert to where i was should i want to go back to it without doing a fresh install of that rom.

titanium for apps and data. Nandroid to restore as is...

Sorry for being noob, but a bit confused. Say if i'm wanting to play with different roms are these the steps?
1)backup apps/data titanum
2) backup nandroid on TWRP
3) factory wipe/reset
4) flash rom
5) flash gapps
6) wipe cache/dalvik
7) restore nandroid
8) restore apps from titanium
correct?

Remove steps 6 and 7.
You rarely need to wipe dalvik/cache despite how many times people around here say it as if it's essential
A nandroid backup is a complete backup of the state of your phone as it is. ROM/apps/settings/contacts/texts/homescreens...basically everything
If you restore a nandroid after you you install a new ROM, you are essentially restoring your old ROM as it was when you made the backup

so the nandroid backup part is only used to restore if flashing new ROM has failed? just as backup backup lol?

xkawsx said:
so the nandroid backup part is only used to restore if flashing new ROM has failed? just as backup backup lol?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes.
and 6 isn't required because you'v already done a factory reset

xkawsx said:
so the nandroid backup part is only used to restore if flashing new ROM has failed? just as backup backup lol?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Precisely.
Unless you are absolutely confident of what you are flashing, you should really do a nandroid backup before you flash any zip file, not just when changing ROMs. It's good common sense practice.
A nandroid backup is a safe point to restore to in case anything goes wrong. When/if that horror happens, you'll be glad you took the extra time to make the nandroid
- If you have a bad flash without a nandroid backup (e.g. bootloop or device doesn't boot), it can be much harder to recover
- If you have a bad flash with a nandroid backup, restore the nandroid

thanks guys, felt like ive learnt a life lesson lol!
I shall purchase titanium backup!