Okay so I got a Droid 2 Global today and have been playing around with it, the first thing I noticed is a ton of bloatware. I have read a few guides, and though this is my 3rd android phone, I am still somewhat clueless at this stuff. After a bit of searching I managed to root with z4root, and got boostrap recovery and made a backup. Now I am seeing guides that say to freeze the apps with titanium backup, or move them somewhere else or this that or something else. However since I made a backup, does that mean I can just delete the files I don't like, and when an update comes out for my phone, use the backup to put them all back? This seems like the easiest solution to me, but I just want to make sure that would work as I don't know much about recovery things. Thanks for any help
ben7337 said:
. However since I made a backup, does that mean I can just delete the files I don't like, and when an update comes out for my phone, use the backup to put them all back? This seems like the easiest solution to me, but I just want to make sure that would work as I don't know much about recovery things. Thanks for any help
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Yeah you can do that. The reason people were just freezing apps was due to the lack of an SBF for the D2G so if you delete and app and Verizon pushes an update you want you can't do it if you didn't back up your phone so now that there is an SBF you can delete them if you don't like them just don't delete until you know how to restore your phone with said SBF. That way if/when something goes south you are ahead of the learning curve instead of having to learn it all real quick so you can use your phone again.
newk8600 said:
Yeah you can do that. The reason people were just freezing apps was due to the lack of an SBF for the D2G so if you delete and app and Verizon pushes an update you want you can't do it if you didn't back up your phone so now that there is an SBF you can delete them if you don't like them just don't delete until you know how to restore your phone with said SBF. That way if/when something goes south you are ahead of the learning curve instead of having to learn it all real quick so you can use your phone again.
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I don't think I'm following you. I made a backup with bootstrap, but bootstrap was out before the SBF was released, so are you saying that deleting the apps are fine, but my current boostrap backup will NOT restore the apps and I would need to restore with a old SBF that just came out? Also would it make a different that I am on the new 2.4.330 or something software version, but the SBF seems to be for the old 2.4.29 version?
If you mess up the phone bootstrap can't start. And you can't restore anything from it. It is not like the standard recovery which is independent from system image - it just hijacks normal boot to give you recovery where you can flash unsigned files. Or if you mess up and phone sits at M logo, custom recovery isn't going to help you. SBF is the only salvation.
It is fine to flash 2.4.29 over 2.4.330 updated phone. It has been confirmed multiple times to work fine. There is also word going about new SBF based on 2.4.330 that will be released in the following few days.
Hi guys,
I've been playing around with my Nexus S for about 3 weeks and I've decided to root it, but I have some question, I've been searching the answers in older posts but it's not quite clear yet, hope you can help me.
When I unlocked the bootloader, what kind of data will be wiped? It's just the SD card or also all the apps I've already downloaded? what about SMS, pictures and videos?
Is there anyway I can backup that data considering I haven't root it yet???
Thanks in advance.
dont do it man. i just got my phone yesterday at 1 pm and its now 12am and its bricked by lack of support from the cummunity. i studyied and studied 4 around 10 hours. then bricked my device. and i have a good idea i wont be getting a replacement this time
LINKSLOVESANDROID said:
dont do it man. i just got my phone yesterday at 1 pm and its now 12am and its bricked by lack of support from the cummunity. i studyied and studied 4 around 10 hours. then bricked my device. and i have a good idea i wont be getting a replacement this time
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lol what? its nobodys fault but your own. all the resources are available, just because somebody isnt responding to your threads and holding your hand to restore a nandriod backup doesnt make it a "lack of a community".. and your phone isn't bricked, it can be recovered but you are too close-minded and cant install Clockwork Recovery / get drivers working
The data that will be wiped are most likely your SMS/settings/etc. This is standard procedure. And its something you'll go through a lot when you are using custom ROMs.
There are complete instructions for rooting, unrooting and unbricking your phone. It's all here in the forums, and many other places, you just have to look and learn. I read for two weeks before I unlocked and loaded a ROM into my NS.
If you don't have a need to root your phone I wouldn't do it just because you can. I wanted to run the Voodoo app so I had to root and load a ROM. It took a little while but it was painless and I liked learning about the Android system.
You do have to backup your app and your SD, but that was the easy part.
It's close to impossible to brick a nexus device. They purposely come with totally open boot loaders specifically for that purpose!
RogerPodacter said:
It's close to impossible to brick a nexus device. They purposely come with totally open boot loaders specifically for that purpose!
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its not only Nexus devices but like I said people are using the term brick wrong. with these new phones coming out, a lot of them are hard to brick.
if you're phone is able to get into recovery/start/download mode (odin not popular but still an option)/bootloader then its not bricked.
if its unable to start in any form or way.. its considered a brick. please stop using the term in its wrong definition.
"brick" describes a device that cannot function in any capacity (such as a device with damaged firmware)
In the strictest sense of the term, bricking must imply that software error has rendered the device completely unrecoverable without some hardware replacement.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brick_(electronics)
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I think guys you have lost focus about my question, it's not about how to root (there is a lot of info about), it's about what kind of data will be wiped and how to back it up
Netconn said:
You do have to backup your app and your SD, but that was the easy part.
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What's the best way to do it? It's there an app or I have to day it by myself?
Make a nandroid backup first and foremost! Use Titanium Backup to make a backup of all your apps. If you want a backup of your sms, go sms pro really does a great job of that. Dont forget your contacts as well! Then copy your sd card and place it on the hard drive of your computer. When you unlock the bootloader, it does wipe your sd card. Once your unlocked and rooted, you should be able to restore everything once you replace the copy of your sd card back on the phone. Coming over from a Vibrant, I was nervous about rooting the phone but its an easy process. Just take your time and do lots of reading! Hope this helps!
Thenx, but I still have one doubt, if I haven't root my phone yet, will nandroid or titanium work?
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App
Woops..yeah, your right there. Too quick to reply. I followed this method here..
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=895545
and had no problems. Once you get unlocked/rooted and clockwork recovery, then you can make the fore mentioned backups. Export your contacts to the sd card then copy the sd card to the hard drive of your computer before unlocking the boot loader. I do not think apps get affected during the sd wipe unless you have them stored there.
zephiK said:
its not only Nexus devices but like I said people are using the term brick wrong. with these new phones coming out, a lot of them are hard to brick.
if you're phone is able to get into recovery/start/download mode (odin not popular but still an option)/bootloader then its not bricked.
if its unable to start in any form or way.. its considered a brick. please stop using the term in its wrong definition.
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i followed the instructions to flash gri74 back to stock and my phone wont turn on, wont goto any mode, wont read that its hookedup to my pc
isnt that what we call a brick? ive had issues on a galaxy s with this game issue. htc devices i can fly through the root procedure but i got this 1 rooted, tried reflashing to stock and the phone wont turn on at all.
may i suggest a noob proof guide|? i postted 1 in the htc desire forum and people love it. yesterday i returned a moto xoom because ti was overheating , got a nexus s and 2day il b returning that because it wont turn on. can any1 help me think of a good idea i can tell the future shop return people?
kmhil said:
I think guys you have lost focus about my question, it's not about how to root (there is a lot of info about), it's about what kind of data will be wiped and how to back it up
What's the best way to do it? It's there an app or I have to day it by myself?
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you are forced to lose your data to initially root your device. then after that point, you can always create backups and never lose data again while you switch between ROMs and flashing etc. but i think to initially root, you have to lose everything. not the sd card though.
LINKSLOVESANDROID said:
i followed the instructions to flash gri74 back to stock and my phone wont turn on, wont goto any mode, wont read that its hookedup to my pc
isnt that what we call a brick? ive had issues on a galaxy s with this game issue. htc devices i can fly through the root procedure but i got this 1 rooted, tried reflashing to stock and the phone wont turn on at all.
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Do keep in mind, we don't have an i9020 or an i9023, we have an i9020A So the instruction out there all need to take that into considerations. I rooted mine fine with no "Bricking" I had to follow the instruction for the i9023, but it worked. I figure it took me all of 1 minute to root my phone. Admitedly, the "One click root" for the Galaxy series was easier.
I try to make it a point to never be the "First" person to do something on their phone. Much safer that way.
I also find it very unusual that you've managed to brick two phones, I've also had the pleasure of owning the telus fascinate, and not once did i get it bricked, I tried Bionics, CM7, Darky's and a bunch of other ones. Just never mess with the boot loader. When you went back to stock, did you make sure it was a stock ROM for the I9020A?
Have you tried connecting the USB to a computer, holding the volume up (or in the case of the galaxy, both up and down) While powering on the device? I've had to use that a few times to recover my galaxy (Thank you odin!!).
Now in regards to the OP, I would recommend using a program like Ti to back everything up, unlock the bootloader then restore from Ti, it's a little more hassel, but you can pretty much keep your settings and data. Personally, i rooted my phone before configuring a single thing on it.
kmhil said:
Thenx, but I still have one doubt, if I haven't root my phone yet, will nandroid or titanium work?
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App
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there is no way to make a good backup without rooting.
basically yes, you will lose all your settings
there are a few apps you can use to backup your apk before unlocing/rooting the phone.
look for App admin on market https://market.android.com/details?id=az.mecid.appadmin&feature=search_result
the stuff backed to SD does not get wiped
only the internal storage stuff
LINKSLOVESANDROID said:
dont do it man. i just got my phone yesterday at 1 pm and its now 12am and its bricked by lack of support from the cummunity. i studyied and studied 4 around 10 hours. then bricked my device. and i have a good idea i wont be getting a replacement this time
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Click to collapse
i took about 12 minutes total to unlock my bootloader, flash clockwork, and flash a custom rom. its not difficult if you pay attention to what you read. youre phone is not bricked. btw, i read your threads. if you werent so demanding, i would have helped. use the pdanet website the next time you need to install the proper driver, and follow the directions that they give you.
When I unlocked I used Astro to back up my apps, I turned on the Google data sync to back up my contacts and I did a back up of my SD on my computer.
When the unlock and recovery was done NS asked for my Google account then it restored all my contacts, Astro restored all my apps and I restored my files from my computer. A few steps but not difficult at all.
You will have to redo your accounts and data, and maybe an app or two won't load but the market will show them installed, just reinstall any that didn't.
Make sure you follow the directions properly in the forum. I had to use two computers to get it to work, but it did work and nothing was damaged.
With all that said.... This was the first time I have ever owned or altered an Android phone. Sure I was nervous... Now I'm hooked.. haha
I wound up using NSCollab .17 so far so good..
First thing I did when I got my phone was fastboot oem unlock.
Even if you don't want to root, use another ROM. Fastboot unlock it so your data doesn't get wiped.
If your hardware and everything seems okay, then flash Clockwork Recovery and do a nandroid backup so you can restore to pre-flashing point if you need it for OEM purposes.
Afterwards, go crazy and flash like theres no tomorrow and find something that you'll like.
And agreed with simms. You've made so made so many threads about this. I would help you step by step but I've been busy so I can't do that anymore. But if you search, you'll find about two or three threads where I did help somebody get their phone to a working state.
The basic idea is... if your phone doesn't boot but you can get to recovery.
- Download a ROM or Nandroid backup
- Install USB drivers
- Fastboot oem unlock (if you haven't)
- fastboot flash recovery recovery.img (or whatever the recovery.img is named) should be in /sdk/tools
- reboot into recovery (adb reboot recovery)
- mount and storage: mount USB, put the nandroid backup or ROM onto phone
- nandroid restore or flash a ROM (wipe factory,dalvik,cache --> flash ROM (if its CM7.. flash gapps afterwards)
- reboot
your phone boots. alternatively, you can use Odin but thats not a popular method but the choice is available if you wish to go towards that approach
in the worse worse possible case scenario there is always ODIN to the rescue
Why did you guys wait at all?
Once i got the phone i immediately plugged it into my computer and rooted it.
My girlfriend just got a Desire S and we're thinking about rooting it and installing a custom ROM.
Before we even think about starting, we have to make a backup image of the phone because if we need to send it back under warranty then they may decline to honour it if it's rooted.
I'm just installing the Android SDK on my machine now with the USB driver.
I can get into the fastboot on her phone with [vol-]+[power] but not really sure what to do from there.
I did a bit of reading about fastboot here and here but they don't really seem to say much about creating a backup image.
How can I do this?
Ozzah said:
My girlfriend just got a Desire S and we're thinking about rooting it and installing a custom ROM.
Before we even think about starting, we have to make a backup image of the phone because if we need to send it back under warranty then they may decline to honour it if it's rooted.
I'm just installing the Android SDK on my machine now with the USB driver.
I can get into the fastboot on her phone with [vol-]+[power] but not really sure what to do from there.
I did a bit of reading about fastboot here and here but they don't really seem to say much about creating a backup image.
How can I do this?
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Hello, unfortunately I'm not a fastboot expert, although I don't believe that you'll be able to take a useful backup using this method without an Enginerring bootloader which you don't have and can't get without S-OFF.
You be better off getting S-OFF using AlphaRevx, then rooting (using gingerbreak) and then using installing and using a recovery to perform full backup of your device.
You'll always be able to use an RUU to reflash your original ROM if you needed to restore and return for warranty. Assuming that Alpharevx have made their bootloader change reversible, which I'm sure that they will do soon.
Ozzah said:
My girlfriend just got a Desire S and we're thinking about rooting it and installing a custom ROM.
Before we even think about starting, we have to make a backup image of the phone because if we need to send it back under warranty then they may decline to honour it if it's rooted.
I'm just installing the Android SDK on my machine now with the USB driver.
I can get into the fastboot on her phone with [vol-]+[power] but not really sure what to do from there.
I did a bit of reading about fastboot here and here but they don't really seem to say much about creating a backup image.
How can I do this?
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Click to collapse
To make a back up image (Nandroid), you'll need to be rooted and S-off first. Any back up that you make will therefor be of an S-offed, rooted phone! What your looking for is the proper RUU for your device. Goto settings - about phone - software information, to find that out.
I'm getting ready to root my phone, but one thing I haven't been able to figure out is what is the best way to make an image of my stock rom on the AT&T Nexus S before using a tool that's going to delete all my data?
I would really like to make a full system image so that if anything goes wrong, I can flash it back to where it is before the root takes place. Is this possible? Is there a guide out there that I just haven't seen?
Thanks
VillainousVivi said:
I'm getting ready to root my phone, but one thing I haven't been able to figure out is what is the best way to make an image of my stock rom on the AT&T Nexus S before using a tool that's going to delete all my data?
I would really like to make a full system image so that if anything goes wrong, I can flash it back to where it is before the root takes place. Is this possible? Is there a guide out there that I just haven't seen?
Thanks
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i hate saying this, but its true. this should go into the Q&A section, not into development. anyways, i think that you need root for that. but if there is a way, i think that it would be through adb.
Not a problem, if a mod can move it, that'd be great. I thought that a backup before making modifications would fall under the realm of development. After all, without a good backup, I wouldn't want to make too many changes
VillainousVivi said:
Not a problem, if a mod can move it, that'd be great. I thought that a backup before making modifications would fall under the realm of development. After all, without a good backup, I wouldn't want to make too many changes
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what you want is to perform a nandroid backup, and you can do that through a custom recovery. you either need to unlock your bootloader for that(which wipes your phone and sd storage) or you can search how to root without unlocking the bootloader, root it, and use rom manager to flash a recovery/perform a nandroid backup without wiping but getting root.
Just use my back up pro to back up whatever that app will allow. Then copy over all your SDCard contents to your computer....Google takes care of contacts and apps....
Sent using two tin cans and some string.....
I have sadly, yes, not rooted my Nexus or done anything to it. Didn't want to; but, now the bug will not let me go.
Anyways, I'm use to the epic and using Odin and what not. From reading write ups everywhere I'm pretty sure I can root in 10 minutes blindfolded. Excellent.
My question I can't seem to figure out is. BEFORE rooting/WITHOUT root I want to do/be able to do the following:
1) Copy the entire phones content. And entire mirror of what's on the phone now down to the texts, settings, home screens, OS, etc. Doesn't matter if I make the backup from the phone or from the computer. Either way as long as I have access to the file to move to the computer.
2) Be able to plug the phone in to the computer and format the entire storage of the phone. I guess this can be with root as I wouldn't have to do this unless I was already rooted. Just nothing left. Not even the OS
3) Flash the back up from number 1 through the computer and have the phone like I never touched it post that back up.
I would assume this is possible through ADB? Ideally what I'm looking for would be to plug the phone into the computer. Launch ADB. Run a command. Copy the entire phone to the computer. Then, later (Rooting, flashing, etc all in the middle of this period) when I want to go back to stock: plug in the phone. Launch ADB. run a command. Wipe the phone. Run another command. Flash the backup.
That possible on Android?
Thanks.
Looking at some of the ADB commands (Don't know if these are all of them). Would I essentially just be able to run the pull command to pull the entire root directory copying everything on the phone? The OS is in there?
It can't be done. When you unlock the bootloader, the phone will be wiped automatically. Sorry for the bad news.
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using xda premium
Rem3Dy said:
It can't be done. When you unlock the bootloader, the phone will be wiped automatically. Sorry for the bad news.
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using xda premium
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I know it was going to wipe. Actually just did it. Settled on making the IMG files post root with nandroid. Figured if I'm going to flash back to stock I'll just use the ones I have that were posted on some forums. At that point if I'm going stock either sending the phone in for repairs and can flash root imgs back later; or, I'm never going to see it again so doesn't bother me.
I was looking for the commands to make my own backup IMG files from the boot, recovery, system partitions in case I wanted to unroot.