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] Nandroid Backup Question

Can you use a Nandroid backup across any ROM, or is it specific to the one you backed it up on? Sorry if this seems like a dumb question... I just switched ROMs cause I'm trying a few of them out, but for some reason it's saying my SIM card has no contacts. I'd also like my SMS's back too. THanks

I think so, wait for confirmation as I'm not 100 percent. But I do believe that is one of the main capabilities of a nandroid.
Sent from my Inspire 4G using XDA App

@OP:
Nandroid backup holds good ONLY for the ROM u flashed.
1. Flashed ROM 1
2. Took a nandroid backup
3. Cleaned and flashed ROM 2
At this point, the nandroid backup at step 2 will not hold good for ROM 2. If u restore it after step 3, u'll get back to ROM 1.
If u want internal stuff like contacts, etc, u got to use an app like TiBu.
1. Flashed ROM 1
2. Took a backup of user apps and data with TiBu
3. Cleaned and flashed ROM 2
4. Restored user apps and data using TiBu
For contacts, u wud need to back up and restore system data (only) "Contacts and Storage". This is the only system data I have been able to successfully restore across multiple ROMs.

Do I need to be flashed to that ROM to restore a backup of it? I've been getting stuck at the HTC loading screen, and after using HBoot or w/e and returning to stock, tried using CWM to restore from a backup. Do I need to flash RCMix3D ROM before I can restore from the backup made from it?

Restoring a nandroid backup from rcmix3d will put you back to that Rom with all apps and data you had at the point you made the backup. If you are restoring apps and data using titanium backup, you will have to flash rcmix3d first.
Sent from my Inspire 4G using the power of the dark side.

I thought so too, but all it's too is getting me stuck on the HTC boot screen. Been like that for 20 minutes so far. Dunno what I did wrong, but I'd like to get everything back to the way it was

A couple of my backups refused to flash. Do you have more than 1?
Sent from my Inspire 4G using the power of the dark side.

I have two for each of my ROMs, so four total. Created days apart though.

Do they all hang when booting?
Sent from my Inspire 4G using the power of the dark side.

A nandroid backup makes a complete copy of your phone as is when you perform the backup, obviously this includes the rom you are currently running.
If you are running rom A and do a nandroid and then flash rom B, and then restore the nandroid backup you previously made you lose everything you've done since the backup and you are back where you were on rom A when you did the nandroid.
Sent from my Inspire 4G using XDA App

biglittlegato said:
A couple of my backups refused to flash. Do you have more than 1?
Sent from my Inspire 4G using the power of the dark side.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Check out if both are EXT4 compatible.
ROM 1: EXT4 not compatible
ROM 2: EXT4 compatible
1. Flash ROM 1 (formats to non-ext4 and flashes ROM)
2. Nandroid backup of ROM 1
3. Flash ROM 2 (formats to ext4 and flashes ROM)
4. Nandroid backup of ROM 2
...
5. Restore backup of ROM 1
This could fail since partitions are ext4 and ROM 1 is not ext4 compatible.
Here is what I do as a standard before restoring any backup:
1. Data/factory wipe
2. Dalvik cache wipe
3. Restore ROM
This worked all the time, except once when I got MD5 error (probably cos I backed up on an earlier version of CWM, not sure though).

@biglittlegato
Yeah, they all hang on the HTC screen. It's starting to piss me off. I know that it's a risk with rooting and stuff, but I'd rather just not have to start all over with my content.... again. I just flashed a clean RCMix3D, so maybe it will let me restore my backup from that.
@Perseids
That kind of thing may be obvious to you, but not to those of us who are new to Android and rooting. Hence why I was asking in the first place. I get that I'd lose everything I haven't backed up... but right now I seem to have lost everything period, as none of my backups want to work for some reason.
Maybe I am doing it wrong? After getting to the stock version of 2.2, I go to ROM Manager, and then to manage backups/restores. I click on that, then hit the backup I want to restore from, and it's supposed to work. It does it's thing, then just freezes on the HTC screen once it reboots. I watched it and read the script, and there were no errors or anything that would give an indication as to why it's doing that...

diablo009 said:
Check out if both are EXT4 compatible.
ROM 1: EXT4 not compatible
ROM 2: EXT4 compatible
1. Flash ROM 1 (formats to non-ext4 and flashes ROM)
2. Nandroid backup of ROM 1
3. Flash ROM 2 (formats to ext4 and flashes ROM)
4. Nandroid backup of ROM 2
...
5. Restore backup of ROM 1
This could fail since partitions are ext4 and ROM 1 is not ext4 compatible.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the help.... but I have no idea what this means haha. I get the basic idea, but I don't know what ext4 is.

elijahpr said:
Thanks for the help.... but I have no idea what this means haha. I get the basic idea, but I don't know what ext4 is.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't worry too much. EXT4 is a partition type. Most recent ROMs support this. Just make sure in the ROM thread OP if it converts partitions to EXT4 (if yes, what all partitions).

I was just reading the script while it was (trying) to restore, and it said something about erasing boot before restore... is that normal? I just did a full wipe, flashed to the ROM I did the backup from, and the backup seems to be stuck again.Dang.

elijahpr said:
I was just reading the script while it was (trying) to restore, and it said something about erasing boot before restore... is that normal? I just did a full wipe, flashed to the ROM I did the backup from, and the backup seems to be stuck again.Dang.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Restoring process erases everything, and restores. Compare this to norton ghost partition restoration process.

I guess I might as well just start over from scratch. It was only a few days worth of pictures/videos/texts and stuff, so not a HUGE loss. Still, wish the backups had worked as they were supposed to. As of right now it's still frozen on the HTC screen hah.

elijahpr said:
I guess I might as well just start over from scratch. It was only a few days worth of pictures/videos/texts and stuff, so not a HUGE loss. Still, wish the backups had worked as they were supposed to. As of right now it's still frozen on the HTC screen hah.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Data on SD card will NOT be deleted unless u choose to format SD card. All ur pics, vids, etc reside on ur SD card.

It doesn't show up anywhere. I just booted into CWM, and tried to select one of the backups, but it said "no file found". WTF. Sooooo it's telling me the backups are there, but don't contain anything I think. Nice.

elijahpr said:
It doesn't show up anywhere. I just booted into CWM, and tried to select one of the backups, but it said "no file found". WTF. Sooooo it's telling me the backups are there, but don't contain anything I think. Nice.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you're backups are not restoring you will lose data that's part of the ROM. Your pics and videos would definitely still reside on the SD card. You'd have to format SD to lost those.
Sent from my Inspire 4G using Tapatalk

[Q] How do I do a full backup of my phone?

I rooted my Desire S and now I want to install a ROM on it, this is my first time so I'm being a little cautious.
How do I make a full backup of my phone? In the case I don't like the ROM and want to return to how my phone is now, is this possible?
If so, how to make this backup? And how would I restore my phone back to it?
Thanks!

Assuming you've rooted your phone and put a custom recovery on it (4EXT or CWM), run a backup - also called a NANDROID backup - and that will give you an image saved on your SD Card that you can restore if you ever need to.

Alright, I've got CWM and just did a NANDROID backup, it created 6 files on my sd card, which are:
boot.img
cache.img
data.img
nandroid.md5
recovery.img
system.img
How do I used these files to restore back to if I ever need to?

Just go into CWM again and select 'Restore'. I don't know if it is 100% necessary, but I always do a full wipe of all partitions (except for sdcard) before restoring as well just to be certain.

Alright, thanks for that!
Since that back up is done, going to back up all my app's now then flash my first ROM

Assuming (again) that you are using Titanium Backup to backup your apps - although this is probably true for other backup methods - be careful when restoring. There can be problems if you are restoring Sense app backups to an AOSP ROM or vice-versa. If you start getting problems post-restore then try restoring a few apps at a time to see if you can pin-down the problem app. From my experience, it's often better to install the app fresh from the marketplace and then restore just the settings (if you need them).

Make sure to use md5 sum check and verify them after every backup. It's good practice to avoid corruptions.
I use 4Ext control for that
Sent from my HTC Desire S 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: