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[Q] What does nandroid backup contain?

Before people start coming in to flame me for using the search button, please let me clarify that i have looked into several threads on xda and none of them provided me with a clear cut answer of what i wanted to know.
I understand first of all is that nandroid backup is a complete image of what is on the phone which should include stuff like settings, sms, call logs, data etc. What i have not found, however, if they keep other files that are lying around in the phone. For example, most of my Nexus S consists of videos and music (7-10GB) and in separate folders that are not tied to any apps in particular. Hence, if they are included in nandroid backup i would not have sufficient storage to do so (reminder that Nexus S has 16 GB)
I have "accidentally" posted on the galaxy S forum of xda and someone pointed out that it backs up apps and data from the internal SD. As far as i know this is slightly different with Nexus S because i observed that most apps are already installed in the "external" SD portion of the data.
Overall, i'm just a little confused. Can anyone clarify this?

It is just apps and data. The sd card is i believe split so that it doesnt touch your music, videos, and images. It just takes care of the main system stuff like apps and settings. Hoped i helped
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA Premium App

But aren't most apps on the nexus S installed on the sd card section of the storage? At least they are under Settings->Application settings->Manage applications->USB Storage
For example my Gameloft games would be almost 1 GB in size so would that be backed up as well. I will end up with gigantic nandroid backups.

A nAnroid backup includes
.android_source - apps2sd information/apps stored on /sdcard
boot - boot image
cache - cache files stored on /cache
data - apps, dalvik other stuff on /data
recovery - recovery image
system - system apps, frameworks modules etc on /system
nadroid.md5 - md5 information
nandroids do not include anything on the /sdcard other than .android_source.

how to do it? by using CWM?? am i wrong or correct??

ciwek90 said:
how to do it? by using CWM?? am i wrong or correct??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Correct.
Flash ClockworkMod.
(You might have to rename /etc/install-recovery.sh to get it to stick.)
Boot into fastboot (volumeUp+ power).
Recovery - Backup and Restore - Backup.

Maximilian Mary said:
Correct.
Flash ClockworkMod.
(You might have to rename /etc/install-recovery.sh to get it to stick.)
Boot into fastboot (volumeUp+ power).
Recovery - Backup and Restore - Backup.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Awesome! but if i want to flash custom rom and i do backup first then i flash new custom rom, so i can get back all my apps by restoring nandroid backup is it? or nandroid backup is only for when things went wrong? i confuse...

ciwek90 said:
Awesome! but if i want to flash custom rom and i do backup first then i flash new custom rom, so i can get back all my apps by restoring nandroid backup is it? or nandroid backup is only for when things went wrong? i confuse...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nandroid is basically all or nothing. There is an advanced restore which can restore only the partitions you want (like system or data), but it probably won't play nicely with a custom rom. Your best best is to use titanium backup for user apps & data, and perhaps some select system data like texts, bookmarks, and wifi settings. Check out the batch backup/restore options for user apps & data.

ciwek90 said:
Awesome! but if i want to flash custom rom and i do backup first then i flash new custom rom, so i can get back all my apps by restoring nandroid backup is it? or nandroid backup is only for when things went wrong? i confuse...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nandroid backup backs up everything including the rom... so NO you can't restore apps with it.
To just save apks/apps you use eg Titanium Backup.

NOW i know it! Thank you so much @Maximilian Mary and @rentaric for helping me!
Nandroid = for backup/restore previous rom
Titanium = for backup/restore data & apps
Thanks again!

rentaric said:
Nandroid backup backs up everything including the rom... so NO you can't restore apps with it.
To just save apks/apps you use eg Titanium Backup.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Bro, does nandroid backup include the IMEI also?

heyimCHOLO said:
Bro, does nandroid backup include the IMEI also?
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Click to collapse
Some recoveries have this option buy many don't, just boot to your recovery and see if it is listed as an option, if not, then no

Your apps will still be on your sd card because your just restoring your operating system that you had with all of it settings it will show all of your apps you had but if you deleted it from the sd card when you try opening it it would say app not installed. Nandroid backup saves everything in settings and operating system apps will be on sd card. Some apps can be included in nandroid it just depends where they are located when back up is saved.

[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:

Backup and Restore

What do you guys typically do when you try out new ROMs and want to do a clean flash and get back up and running quickly?
1. Restore via Google
(Very slow to redownload everything, doesnt restore everything)
2. Sony Backup/Restore
(Sometimes Restore doesnt work)
3. Titanium Backup
(This is what I currently do, but can also be extremely slow)
4. Titanum Backup (creating update.zip for use in TWRP)
(Backup only seems to allow backup to internal storage so I run out of space)
5. Something Else

I use twrp recovery menu to backup my data, system and kernel
I usually backup to my internal storage since its faster than my mSD
From there i wipe and flash
Or to restore wipe and restore (since cache/art cache wasnt included in the backup)
Sent from my E6653 using XDA-Developers mobile app

Envious_Data said:
I use twrp recovery menu to backup my data, system and kernel
I usually backup to my internal storage since its faster than my mSD
From there i wipe and flash
Or to restore wipe and restore (since cache/art cache wasnt included in the backup)
Sent from my E6653 using XDA-Developers mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you wipe/restore from TWRP, then haven't you've just wiped your brand new ROM and returned back where you started?
My question is specifically for people who try custom ROMs do a backup and restore.

eng3 said:
If you wipe/restore from TWRP, then haven't you've just wiped your brand new ROM and returned back where you started?
My question is specifically for people who try custom ROMs do a backup and restore.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think i made a bit of a typo there
when going to flash
- backup
- wipe
- flash rom
- flash gapps if needed
when going to restore
- wipe (cache, art cache)
- restore

I'm sorry, I still don't understand.
1. You backup (system, data, etc)
2. wipe
3. Flash rom (which writes new rom to system and data)
4. Then you restore your backup, which now overwrites system and data, thus erasing the new rom you just flashed
I need a way to restore apps and app data while keeping the new rom, otherwise it defeats the purpose

[Q] Things to backup in Nandroid Backup?

Hi, I'm a bit new to Nandroid Backup, so when you click backup in TWRP then there is "Partitions to Backup" options. I read a guide that you have to check Boot, System, and Data. The thing is, can I just backup System and Boot? And when I restore them does my phone will gone wrong?
Thanks

• Boot is to start the phone up. This is always needed.
• System is for the ROM. This is always needed.
• Data is for your installed apps and settings. Basically, if you backup and restore this, it will be like you used a time machine.
Every data backup is for its own ROM! Do not ever try to restore a data backup from a different ROM!
• Cache is basically the cache. It is not needed, but you can. It speeds up the startup after restoring. If you don't backup it, it will be recreated anyway but you have to wipe your old cache first otherwise they will conflict.

UnexpectedGuy said:
Hi, I'm a bit new to Nandroid Backup, so when you click backup in TWRP then there is "Partitions to Backup" options. I read a guide that you have to check Boot, System, and Data. The thing is, can I just backup System and Boot? And when I restore them does my phone will gone wrong?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Backup
System
Boot
EFS
DATA
this would be sufficient and will nt cause changes or harm to your phone when you restore
********************Hit Thanks if i Helped*********************

Gautam Maini said:
Backup
System
Boot
EFS
DATA
this would be sufficient and will nt cause changes or harm to your phone when you restore
********************Hit Thanks if i Helped*********************
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thanks, that's what I need.

Letzen said:
• Boot is to start the phone up. This is always needed.
• System is for the ROM. This is always needed.
• Data is for your installed apps and settings. Basically, if you backup and restore this, it will be like you used a time machine.
Every data backup is for its own ROM! Do not ever try to restore a data backup from a different ROM!
• Cache is basically the cache. It is not needed, but you can. It speeds up the startup after restoring. If you don't backup it, it will be recreated anyway but you have to wipe your old cache first otherwise they will conflict.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
also thank you @Letzen, very helpful :good:

TWRP backup, checkboxes

what boxes should i check/tick during twrp backup. my previous phone had for about five check boxes but my mi mix 2s have alot more (like: boot, cahce,recovery, system, vendor, system image, vendor image, data excl. storage, modem, efs) So what should i check/tick if i want to create backup file that will be able to fully restore my phone? (if something gfoes wrong)

I just need to know what partitions i should restore to properly boot my phone. There is rly none who can give me advice? (Sry for bad English)

plakonn said:
I just need to know what partitions i should restore to properly boot my phone. There is rly none who can give me advice? (Sry for bad English)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's in you! It is always good to have a Backup from EFS.
For me I always backup system, boot and data... That's it

made-in-tirol said:
It's in you! It is always good to have a Backup from EFS.
For me I always backup system, boot and data... That's it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
so what partitions may i restore? i remember on my previous phone there were partitions that couldn't be restored without causing bootloop. i would like to prevent bootloop or prevent damaging partitions and im not sure what partitions are safe to restore.

generally just back up system image, vendor image, data and boot. read here for a more detailed explanation about the system and vendor images, and they should be what you back up, rather than just the normal system and vendor checkboxes.
backing up modem and efs is also a good idea, though not required for every backup.