[Q] (Clockwork Mod) What is Nandroid Backup and How Does it Work? - General Questions and Answers

This is a noob question, but I have a bit of experience under my belt just so you don't have to worry too much about using "confusing" terminology.
I have rooted/ROMed many devices in the past and have heard guides talking about doing a Nandroid backup. My question is how exactly does it work? Say for example: I am on the stock ROM (rooted of course) and I do a Nandroid backup while on stock. If go to say Cyanogen and I don't like it can I just restore from my nandroid backup like I would flash any other ROM to go back to stock. And if that will get me back to stock does it also preserve all of the user data that was in that ROM when it was backed up?
Any other information about about nandroid backups would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!

From my understanding, the backup backs up all the stuff on your phone EXCEPT for what's on the SD card.
The idea is that you do a back up. Then install a new rom that you want to try out. BUt you don't like it, so you just restore the backup and woolah! your old phone is back along with all your settings, data, etc.
I'm not sure why it's called a nandroid backup, but from what I gather, you can do it with clockworkmod, just boot into recovery. And use the backup and restore option.

That was my understanding as well. I just wasn't sure on the situation with the user data (or the backup in general really). So all it takes is a nandrid backup to revert back to (rooted) stock?

A Android backup takes all the files on your device and saves them as a data.img,system.I mg,cache.I mg,user data,and recovery.img. It is also restorable through fastboot. It can also get you out of a tough spot. Say you are messing with a new theme and it causes your device not to boot up or causes unwanted problems. You can restore a backup to a time when your device was working correctly.

saintmagician said:
From my understanding, the backup backs up all the stuff on your phone EXCEPT for what's on the SD card.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
this is true unless you do a nandroid+android_secure backup. this also backs up your external app data

dunngh said:
This is a noob question, but I have a bit of experience under my belt just so you don't have to worry too much about using "confusing" terminology.
I have rooted/ROMed many devices in the past and have heard guides talking about doing a Nandroid backup. My question is how exactly does it work? Say for example: I am on the stock ROM (rooted of course) and I do a Nandroid backup while on stock. If go to say Cyanogen and I don't like it can I just restore from my nandroid backup like I would flash any other ROM to go back to stock. And if that will get me back to stock does it also preserve all of the user data that was in that ROM when it was backed up?
Any other information about about nandroid backups would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes you're correct. You can restore but just remember some app might have ext data in sdcard. If you don't delete it, when you restore you'll get the same as before
Sent from my HTC Desire Z using XDA App

rootfan said:
A Android backup takes all the files on your device and saves them as a data.img,system.I mg,cache.I mg,user data,and recovery.img. It is also restorable through fastboot. It can also get you out of a tough spot. Say you are messing with a new theme and it causes your device not to boot up or causes unwanted problems. You can restore a backup to a time when your device was working correctly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So if you want to restore say just your data can you just delete the images you do not wish to restore from the backup folder and it will just keep the ones you have? Or won't it work at all if you start deleting images?

rfp101 said:
So if you want to restore say just your data can you just delete the images you do not wish to restore from the backup folder and it will just keep the ones you have? Or won't it work at all if you start deleting images?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i wouldnt tamper with a nandroid backup, but if you have clockwordmod recovery, that is possible. clockwordmod recovery gives you the option to restore one of those images (but only one at a time).

does a nandroid backup include your kernel?

Pender1 said:
does a nandroid backup include your kernel?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It does! It's a compelete "snapshot" of your phone with all apps/settings etc.

Does it also backup the stuff which has been stored on the external ext2-Partition, which is mounted to enlarge the space for apps?
Same with restore of this nandroid-backup. Will it also place the backup again to the same space?
As I know there's a (symbolic) link put into /data which might get problems.

dunngh said:
This is a noob question, but I have a bit of experience under my belt just so you don't have to worry too much about using "confusing" terminology.
I have rooted/ROMed many devices in the past and have heard guides talking about doing a Nandroid backup. My question is how exactly does it work? Say for example: I am on the stock ROM (rooted of course) and I do a Nandroid backup while on stock. If go to say Cyanogen and I don't like it can I just restore from my nandroid backup like I would flash any other ROM to go back to stock. And if that will get me back to stock does it also preserve all of the user data that was in that ROM when it was backed up?
Any other information about about nandroid backups would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
its back up all yore staff and programs so if u will back to the backup it eill be exactly the same as beafore

If you install another ROM with different kernel and then you want to go back to nandroid backup, does it work ?

Nandroid backups
I was wondering if the framework is saved as well. I recently updated to the ICS firmware and am wondering if I restore with a backup from the old GB firmware will that be restored as well or will it still stay on the ICS? From my understanding ICS firmware will run previous versions

will nandroid backup (made from cwm) un-brick your phone if say, you installed a custom rom via cwm and it bricked it?

dunngh said:
This is a noob question, but I have a bit of experience under my belt just so you don't have to worry too much about using "confusing" terminology.
I have rooted/ROMed many devices in the past and have heard guides talking about doing a Nandroid backup. My question is how exactly does it work? Say for example: I am on the stock ROM (rooted of course) and I do a Nandroid backup while on stock. If go to say Cyanogen and I don't like it can I just restore from my nandroid backup like I would flash any other ROM to go back to stock. And if that will get me back to stock does it also preserve all of the user data that was in that ROM when it was backed up?
Any other information about about nandroid backups would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes,It restores all data and apps nandroid backup is a mirror copy of your phone.after restoring you will get your previous stock ROM.

cheebs42 said:
I was wondering if the framework is saved as well. I recently updated to the ICS firmware and am wondering if I restore with a backup from the old GB firmware will that be restored as well or will it still stay on the ICS? From my understanding ICS firmware will run previous versions
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Interesting question. Anyone?

Snake X said:
will nandroid backup (made from cwm) un-brick your phone if say, you installed a custom rom via cwm and it bricked it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
im not sure, i think nandroid backup will unbrick your phone as long as you can boot to recovery. atleast when i installed a roms pach it didnt fully boot, got stuck at bootanimation, no loop, just froze, then i got it back with nandroid backup

I have the latest CWM 5.xxx, but there is no Nandroid backup option.
but only those below';
- backup and restore and under it
- backup
- restore
- advanced restore
- backup to internal sd card
- advanced restore from internal sdcard
Where is NANDROID Backup?

sas_sas said:
I have the latest CWM 5.xxx, but there is no Nandroid backup option.
but only those below';
- backup and restore and under it
- backup
- restore
- advanced restore
- backup to internal sd card
- advanced restore from internal sdcard
Where is NANDROID Backup?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
all the options with the word backup are.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using xda premium

Related

Best way to convert back to bone stock after custom roms?

My phone is rooted, backedup with clockwork and I even used sprite backup to backup the phone just in case. I plan on flashing my phone for the first time with the Epic Experience rom since it seems to be the most popular.
I'm pretty happy with my phone's current state except the battery life once in a while. So after flashing with a custom rom how do I revert back and restore my phone to the "EXACT" way it is now?
Make a nandroid backup in clockwork, then you can go back whenever you like.
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App
Restore nandroid backup and flash stock kernel. You will most likely have to flash a non stock kernel for a custom rom, and even if you dont HAVE to, you will probably want to.
So to go back to stock, flash back to a stock kernel, and then restore the nandroid backup.
are the steps to creating nandroid backup the same on the epic as others? I can't locate a tutorial for the epic specific
dannieboiz said:
are the steps to creating nandroid backup the same on the epic as others? I can't locate a tutorial for the epic specific
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yeah its pretty self explanatory, boot into clockworkmod > backup. or you can choose backup current rom an rom manager if you use it. thats your nandroid system backup
that's just confusing. So basically, a nandroid backup is the backup creating using clockwork? lol if so, that was the first thing I did after I installed clockwork.

[Q] Full backup/restore

I've had my sensation for a few weeks now. Still on stock room 2.3.3, no root.
I want to do a full backup and restore of the ROM, like a nandroid backup, before experimenting with other ROMs.
If I boot into the recovery/backup mode and do a backup, is that the same as a nandroid? Will it backup the entire ROM as is?
If so... if I then S-OFF, experiment with other ROMs, and then recover from that backup, would my phone still be S-OFF or would it revert back to S-ON?
I know the preferred method is to root and then do ClockWork Recovery, but I'm wondering if it's possible to do a full ROM backup before rooting.
Thanks.
MPenguin said:
I've had my sensation for a few weeks now. Still on stock room 2.3.3, no root.
I want to do a full backup and restore of the ROM, like a nandroid backup, before experimenting with other ROMs.
If I boot into the recovery/backup mode and do a backup, is that the same as a nandroid? Will it backup the entire ROM as is?
If so... if I then S-OFF, experiment with other ROMs, and then recover from that backup, would my phone still be S-OFF or would it revert back to S-ON?
I know the preferred method is to root and then do ClockWork Recovery, but I'm wondering if it's possible to do a full ROM backup before rooting.
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A nandroid backup is done using ClockworkMod rcovery, which means you need to S-Off and install CWM before you backup. This will be a full backup of the phone at that point and would allow you to restore to that same point.
So what is the difference between the nandroid/ClockWork backup and the backup done after holding the volume down and starting the phone?
The latter only backs up contacts/settings/etc?
MPenguin said:
So what is the difference between the nandroid/ClockWork backup and the backup done after holding the volume down and starting the phone?
The latter only backs up contacts/settings/etc?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When you hold the Volume down and Power button, it takes you to the HBoot screen. If you select Recovery, that takes you to the Recovery mode. If you have ClockworkMod installed, you will get a recovery menu which has the backup and restore options ands this is a nandroid backup. I have never seen the standard HTC recovery screen, so I don't know if there is a backup/restore option or not. Every thing I have read about nandroid backups has been in reference to CWM and that's the way I have always done it on my 3 HTC devices.
Someone please correct me if I'm wrong. I'm always eager to learn.

[Q] about nandroid back stock and rooted

i have a nandroid stock rom backup i did it when my phone is not yet rooted.
now i successfuly flashed hybridrom v2.1 in my phone.
my question is
1. is it ok to restore the nonrooted stockrom back up in my phone?
2. should i delete phone data ang cache before restoring the backup?
3. what cw recoverry mod i'll use in my SGY? ive found out thre are lots of ver its confusng .
i'm just new with andriod its almost a month that ive got this phone so any help from you guys is much appreciated!
Sent from my GT-S5360 using Tapatalk
1. IMHO, you should extract necessary settings or data and restore to your new rom. You can use AppExtractor
2. No need to delete everything before restoring
3. Your choice. There is touch version out there. Try and love it
beth22 said:
1. IMHO, you should extract necessary settings or data and restore to your new rom. You can use AppExtractor
2. No need to delete everything before restoring
3. Your choice. There is touch version out there. Try and love it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for your reply i really appreciate it.
i was saying that if i wana go back to my stock rom (original rom) wich is not rooted can i restore it using CW?
if i flash back to my stock nandroid backup using CW my phone will not be rooted and it will restore the default samsung rom?
its just my theory though i haven't tried it yet i`m asking question like this for my future reference
Well...
Yes your device wont be rooted and will return to the stock rom.
Since the nandroid backup copies the whole partition. just like Norton Ghost does on the pc, so your phone will just go back to its exact status it was at that time.
You wont need to wipe user data/factory reset, because of the data partition being restored by CW.
Well you are asking for a recovery. How did you make a nan backup if you have no recovery?
Or you used the stock one? if you used the stock one, aren't you able to use it to restore?
Or do you want a new more powerful recovery?
As in the previous post they mentioned, use the one you like, with the most options
A little click to the 'Thanks!' button if I helped you

Issue with CM9 ROM on Motorola Defy

Few months back i flashed CM9 ROM by Elypson3 on my Moto Defy.Presently there is a new version of that ROM which i downloaded and flashed.I have Nandroid Backup of the previous ROM.After flashing the updated version of that ROM i am getting ROOT problems using Superuser.When i use the ALLOW all app the root permissions in Superuser,the apps does not allow the root(Tested onany apps including Titanium Backup Pro),but when i use the PROMT option in Superuser settings,the root works on all apps when i tap ALLOW button on promt.
Is there any problem in ROM or i have to ROOT my phone again?Also if anyone can post some simple steps to flash ROM freshly(like a very new ROM and not including a single bit of data from previous versions,like wiping data etc.) would be really helpful.
Go into superuser app & check for update. You can try to unroot, reboot, & reroot. Play around how you like, since you (smartly) made a backup.
-- Sent from my TouchPad using Communities
post-mortem said:
Go into superuser app & check for update. You can try to unroot, reboot, & reroot. Play around how you like, since you (smartly) made a backup.
-- Sent from my TouchPad using Communities
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the reply.Ya I had a backup and unfortunatly had to go back to that as the update had some changes which i didnt like .I have a question, how to flash the stock nandroid backup?I have the ROM and its Fixed SFB.So what to flash first ROM or SFB?And after flashing stock ROM and SFB will i be able to get back to CM9 using nandroid backup?
I have problems with SMS. I don't receive certain texts. just randomly.Anyone else with this problem?
Thanks for the reply.Ya I had a backup and unfortunatly had to go back to that as the update had some changes which i didnt like .I have a question, how to flash the stock nandroid backup?I have the ROM and its Fixed SFB.So what to flash first ROM or SFB?And after flashing stock ROM and SFB will i be able to get back to CM9 using nandroid backup?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't know what SFB is, but I'm guessing you need it for the ROM to work on your phone? In that case, ROM first.
Nandroid backs up your whole phone's internal memory, so restoring will take you back to whatever state your phone was in when you made the backup. The contents of your SD card are not included in the backup.
-- Sent from my TouchPad using Communities
post-mortem said:
I don't know what SFB is, but I'm guessing you need it for the ROM to work on your phone? In that case, ROM first.
Nandroid backs up your whole phone's internal memory, so restoring will take you back to whatever state your phone was in when you made the backup. The contents of your SD card are not included in the backup.
-- Sent from my TouchPad using Communities
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Restored Nandroid ROM first and its rebooting again and again after Motorola logo.And cant go to cwm recovery too.What to do now?
Edit:Fixed.Thnx to this thread http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1618718

[Q] General Nandroid question about restoring a backup and custom kernels

Hi
I have a couple of questions, been digging around xda and the web and found some conflicting answers...
1) Does a Nandroid backup also back up the kernel? I'm thinking about dabbling with some custom kernels, but don't want to potentially mess things up as well as have an easy way back to the stock kernel if I don't like the custom one for one reason or another.
2) What would happen if I made a Nandroid backup from recovery, did a full wipe (/data, /system, /sdcard, caches), rebooted then restored from the Nandroid backup?
I'm still pretty new to all this but I've done some reading and a wee bit of flashing & rooting on Nexus devices and the HP Touchpad. I also have an old TF101 that I'd really like to tinker with as well.
Thanks!
cardula said:
Hi
I have a couple of questions, been digging around xda and the web and found some conflicting answers...
1) Does a Nandroid backup also back up the kernel? I'm thinking about dabbling with some custom kernels, but don't want to potentially mess things up as well as have an easy way back to the stock kernel if I don't like the custom one for one reason or another.
2) What would happen if I made a Nandroid backup from recovery, did a full wipe (/data, /system, /sdcard, caches), rebooted then restored from the Nandroid backup?
I'm still pretty new to all this but I've done some reading and a wee bit of flashing & rooting on Nexus devices and the HP Touchpad. I also have an old TF101 that I'd really like to tinker with as well.
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't know much about kernel but I do know that Nandroid backup backups everything exactly where the phone is.
That means if you do factory reset and restore Nandroid backup it will restore everything from the day you made the Nandroid backup.
I hope it clarifies everything.
Let me answer your questions.
1. When you do a nandroid backup, it backs up everything. Including the kernel.
2. If you nandroid backup, factory reset your device then restore your nandroid backup. Your device will return to the same state you had it previously. You will have all your content, files and settings. However if you do a backup, then factory reset and reboot, your device will be wiped of everything but it will boot up. As if the device was just turned in upon purchase. Also note, if you do a backup, then wipe your device (factory reset) you will not lose your backup.
Just note, if you ever flash a ROM, even if the developer states there is no issues. MAKE A BACKUP, sometimes things go wrong.
Happy flashing
If I helped, don't hesitate to hit that Thanks button
Thanks for the quick replies!
I was a bit confused about 2) because I read somewhere that if you make a nandroid backup of a stock ROM, then install a custom ROM (non-Stock based ie CM, PA or OmniROM) you must flash the stock ROM again before you can restore the nandroid backup, or else restoring the nandroid backup will not work. Is this true?
Consider the following example, say I:
-flash TWRP on my device and root
-make nandroid of stock, rooted ROM
-wipe /data, /system, /sdcard and caches and reboot back into recovery
-ADB push a non-stock custom ROM .zip file and flash the custom ROM
-decide I want to return to stock, rooted ROM after a while
-Boot into TWRP, then wipe /data, /system, /sdcard and caches and reboot back into recovery
-ADB push my original stock, rooted nandroid backup to /sdcard while in reocvery
-restore nandroid backup
What would be the outcome of the above example? I'm very curious...but I'd like some advice before attempting something like this myself as I'm still kinda new to all this
BTW I'm now comfortable flashing back to stock using fastboot and the google facotry image to restore a Nexus device so I now know how to do this in case things go south. I'm just curious if this would work on a device where returning to a full stock state isn't so easy.
No you don't need to install anything to get back to the previous state. So if you had a stock rooted ROM, then backed it up. But you decided to flash, let's say. Cyanogenmod but you wished to return back to stock, you don't need to flash stock ROM, all you have to do is just wipe data and restore your backup.
And for the example.
The outcome would be, you would be resulted with a stock, rooted rom.
If I helped, don't hesitate to hit that Thanks button
Thanks again, krishneelg3 for the quick reply. Been wondering about this for a while.
Cheers
No worries, if you have any other questions to ask, just ask. xda is a giving community !
If I helped, don't hesitate to hit that Thanks button

Categories

Resources