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

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

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] Rooted my phone, now how do I flash a custom ROM/kernel?

Finally was able to succesfully root my phone last night, and now I am wondering how to actually flash a custom ROM. I figured I'd start with Cyanogen since its the most popular and seems like a good starting point. So, I have a few questions.
1. How do I install the custom ROM? (Cyanogen in this case) Also, is this process the same regardless of what android version I have? (I'm currently on the stock 4.1.1 OTA)
2. Should I install a custom kernel? If so, is it the same process? Also, is my data wiped just the same as with flashing a custom ROM?
3. If I make a backup with Titanium Backup, will I simply be able to access/redownload my app data it if I redownload Titanium after I flash the ROM?
Any and all help is appreciated!

goat666 said:
Finally was able to succesfully root my phone last night, and now I am wondering how to actually flash a custom ROM. I figured I'd start with Cyanogen since its the most popular and seems like a good starting point. So, I have a few questions.
1. How do I install the custom ROM? (Cyanogen in this case) Also, is this process the same regardless of what android version I have? (I'm currently on the stock 4.1.1 OTA)
2. Should I install a custom kernel? If so, is it the same process? Also, is my data wiped just the same as with flashing a custom ROM?
3. If I make a backup with Titanium Backup, will I simply be able to access/redownload my app data it if I redownload Titanium after I flash the ROM?
Any and all help is appreciated!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm sure everyone has their own advice, but I would say first thing you'll need is ROM Manager
Download the ROM you want and place it on your sdcard. Use Titanium Backup to backup your applications, and then restart your phone in Recovery Mode. When in recovery mode, make a backup by going to "Backup and Restore" > backup. Then do a factory reset and wipe your cache. Install the new rom and enjoy the addiction

Also...be careful making sure that any kernel flashed is compatible with the ROM you are flashing. If not you can brick your phone.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

And don't forget to unlock your bootloader!

^^^^^^^
This. And read, read and read.
And backup your imei.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using xda app-developers app

Backup & restore rom

hi everyone,
i have just rooted my lava iris 454(ICS 4.0.4). i am very happy with my engineering (thanks to those members who helped me).
now before going to try custom ROM's i want to make a back up of company provided ROM.
SO, somebody please give me step by step instructions :
1) how can i backup my ROM.
2) After installing custom ROM how can i restore my backup ROM.
please somebody help me. i will be grateful.

aakashing said:
hi everyone,
i have just rooted my lava iris 454(ICS 4.0.4). i am very happy with my engineering (thanks to those members who helped me).
now before going to try custom ROM's i want to make a back up of company provided ROM.
SO, somebody please give me step by step instructions :
1) how can i backup my ROM.
2) After installing custom ROM how can i restore my backup ROM.
please somebody help me. i will be grateful.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can install ROM Manager from PlayStore and use Clockworkmod to backup your ROM. Or you could also backup your rom by entering your device's recovery. You can trigger it by pressing a specific combination (Volume Up, Volume Down or both alternatively - depends on your device) of buttons while the device is switching on.
You can find elaborate explanations here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1587607
Hope I helped.

In a nutshell, what you are looking for is called a making nandroid backup. There are many programs which can accomplish this. My favorite is 4EXT recovery, which you can download from the play store. It does require you have root to install 4EXT! After you have a program such as 4EXT or ClockworkMod which can make nandroid backups, then you can save them and restore them in the future. This is how you can return your phone to the exact way it was when you make the backup.

thank you for advising me 4EXT recovery and ROM Manager.
What about titanium backup?
i made a backup(i hope so) by Titanium backup, by selecting the option "Backup all user apps and system data".
my questions are:
1) is that enough for back up?
2) how can i restore it after installing a new rom?
3) in between the process of installing if my phone become dead or blank how it will possible to access titanium backup?
oh its so much complicated. plz any developer help me.
thanks in advance.

installed ROM Manager Premium v5.0.2.7
if select
1) "Flash CWM Recovery"
asks to confirm ph model-> select iris 454 -> says "it does not have an official supported CWM yet. Have u installed a cwm based recovery manually?" -> if i select "yes," 2 option comes for confirm version cmw 2.x and cmw 3.x -> after selecting one of those nothing happen.
2) Backup current ROM
displays "new backup name..." -> if i click OK the system reboot. -> in reboot process an android symbol comes and suddenly it lay down like a wounded man. -> system hangs ->only removing battery makes it solve.

Yes, that's enough backup. You have backed up all your system data and applications. So you can restore your phone's last known working state.
After installing a new ROM, you can download Titanium Backup from PlayStore and use it to restore everything.
Note: Some ROM's don't have PlayStore available in their package in which case you'd have to download the gapps package separately and flash it too while flashing the ROM.
You cannot use Titanium Backup if your phone doesn't come alive. You'd have to restore the stock ROM or flash some other known-to-be-working ROM. You can then restore your stuff.
Sent from my LiveWithWalkman

I've never used a nandroid backup, I usually do a backup with go backup (sms,phone log,wifi passwords and apps with preferences) which is an easy and intuitive app. If something fails i have a tested rom which i flash before do anything else.
Why it's better to do a nandroid backup and not just this??

Voldizard said:
Yes, that's enough backup. You have backed up all your system data and applications. So you can restore your phone's last known working state.
After installing a new ROM, you can download Titanium Backup from PlayStore and use it to restore everything.
Note: Some ROM's don't have PlayStore available in their package in which case you'd have to download the gapps package separately and flash it too while flashing the ROM.
You cannot use Titanium Backup if your phone doesn't come alive. You'd have to restore the stock ROM or flash some other known-to-be-working ROM. You can then restore your stuff.
Sent from my LiveWithWalkman
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thnx dear.
titanium backup is enough for me.
but now what about" if your phone doesn't come alive"? how should i restore the stock ROM if it is unavailable?
can i make stock rom or make a back up of stock rom? how?

Sewrizer said:
this means that your device is not supported by CWM recovery so there is not much to do, unless your stock recovery can perform the same tasks as CWM. for instance sgs2 recovery mode only allows you to install zip and to wipe cache and factory reset.
On the other hand there is a risky method you may try but i am not sure whether it would work. Install odin on your PC or mobile odin on your device and look for a kernel which has CWM recovery in it. THIS IS A RISKY OPERATION SO THINK BEFORE YOU DO THIS. I'm saying this because i bricked my sgs2 and the only way i could make it work was to restore, but again, you need CWM to restore. good luck.
hit thanks if i helped or reply/ send me a PM if you need further details.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
"for instance sgs2 recovery mode only allows you to install zip and to wipe cache and factory reset"
unable to understand this.
i want to try with other rom (because custom rom unavailable for my device); if it fails how should i make alive my phone?
is it possible to recover the company provided rom?
plz response.
thanks in adv.

aakashing said:
thnx dear.
titanium backup is enough for me.
but now what about" if your phone doesn't come alive"? how should i restore the stock ROM if it is unavailable?
can i make stock rom or make a back up of stock rom? how?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can find the entire procedure for backing up your Stock ROM here: http://androidadvices.com/backup-stock-rom-clockworkmod-rom-manager/
In order to restore Stock ROM, turn off your phone, boot your phone into recovery and use the restore option in the screen you see.

Sewrizer said:
Can you put your phone in recovery mode? I if so, take a picture of it and post it in a reply.
Sent from Area 51 using my Samsung Galaxy i9100p
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
when i press power+ vol down key in booting time it displays Factory mode.
Under this heading the sub menus come like this (i dont know whether it is recovery mode or not.)
Full test
Item test
Test Report
Clear eMMC
Version
Reboot
is it enough info? otherwise ill shoot a photo.
plz make some way-out bro.

it sounds like you need to flash a custom recovery on your thing first

tsomclovin said:
it sounds like you need to flash a custom recovery on your thing first
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
whats that man?
whats d process?
i badly need to solve that.
thanks in advance.

[Completed] Restore OS After Wiping System Partition - Galaxy S5

Due to problems with Google Services on my rooted Galaxy S5 (SM-G900F) I opted for a reset from TWRP and it returned to a condition where after some initial screens it was just stuck at "Checking for Updates" so I went back into TWRP and told it to wipe the other partitions. Whoops - now I have no OS (I was sort of assuming that the factory reset OS was somewhere else)
Which is the stock ROM for my Region - UK, unbranded - where do I get it from and how do I load it using Odin and/or TWRP?
TIA

Hello,
Did you make a nandroid backup of your stock ROM or a nandroid backup of a custom ROM if you installed one? If you have a nandroid backup of either of those then you can restore them in TWRP by choosing the restore option and then your nandroid then swipe the slider at the bottom of the screen. If you installed a custom ROM at any time before this and you still have the ROM file then you can reflash the ROM and Gapps.
If you don't have a custom ROM stored anywhere but can still get to recovery, then you can download any of the custom ROMs compatible with your device and a Gapps package that matches it and put them on your extsdcard then boot to recovery and flash the ROM and gapps, do the normal wipes in recovery after flashing, the normal wipes(wipe data/factory reset, wipe cache and wipe dalvik cache), DO NOT CHOOSE THE ADVANCED OPTIONS THAT LET YOU WIPE PARTITIONS.
Check this thread to see if it is your stock firmware, it SHOULD be but double check first, it also has instructions for rooting again and installing recovery.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s5/development/stock-rom-root-recovery-sm-g900f-t2967725
If that doesn't work then go to Sammobile.com and search for your stock firmware by using your device model number.
The firmwares can sometimes be found at samsung-updates.com also.
Find the right firmware for your exact model number and flash through Odin.
For further assistance, post your question in the forum linked below.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s5/help
Good luck.

Droidriven said:
Did you make a nandroid backup of your stock ROM or a nandroid backup of a custom ROM if you installed one?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sadly not - wasn't expecting to need it, thought it would revert to factory default - I have Titanium backup of apps and data.
I am hopefully a few minutes away from downloading the stock ROM and hopefully can reflash that using ODIN.
KD

colehill said:
Sadly not - wasn't expecting to need it, thought it would revert to factory default - I have Titanium backup of apps and data.
I am hopefully a few minutes away from downloading the stock ROM and hopefully can reflash that using ODIN.
KD
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Making nandroid backups in recovery is the most important and valuable function of custom recovery, flashing ROMs is its' secondary purpose Android is not like PC with a recovery partition that restores a factory IMG, on PC that factory IMG is stored in a recovery partition. The factory reset feature in stock android does not restore an IMG, it deletes all data from the user partition and leaves everything in system partition the way it is, if you delete a system app and then do a factory reset then you will still not have the system app that you deleted. Anything you modify in system remains the way you modified it if you use the factory reset option. You should only use the factory reset in recovery, not the factory reset in system settings when you have a rooted device with custom recovery.
I'm sure that when you found the recovery, the directions had to have mentioned making a nandroid backup of your stock ROM before flashing anything, your present situation is why you do that, so that if anything goes wrong then you can easily restore to the one ROM that you know for sure works with no issues.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

Droidriven said:
I'm sure that when you found the recovery, the directions had to have mentioned making a nandroid backup of your stock ROM before flashing anything, your present situation is why you do that, so that if anything goes wrong then you can easily restore to the one ROM that you know for sure works with no issues.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I installed the TWERP recovery as part of the rooting operation and I didn't pay any attention to the backup option - I thought that's what Titanium did.
I am learning and will make sure that I take a Nandroid backup once I have it back up and running. Life would be so much simpler if only Samsunng didn't stuff their 'phones with bloatware that can't be deleted in stock mode.
KD

colehill said:
I installed the TWERP recovery as part of the rooting operation and I didn't pay any attention to the backup option - I thought that's what Titanium did.
I am learning and will make sure that I take a Nandroid backup once I have it back up and running. Life would be so much simpler if only Samsunng didn't stuff their 'phones with bloatware that can't be deleted in stock mode.
KD
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Titanium backup can only backup data that you installed or downloaded, it does not backup anything that comes on the phone itself, that is what custom recovery is for.
When following guides to mod your device, read and understand ALL instructions before you even make the first move to touch your device. Get used to being thorough about reading and understanding first or you'll end up in a mess, possibly even hard brick your device, all it takes is one wrong move. Not all mistakes are fixable with android devices.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk