Database Info

Questions about backups

I have some backups using old recovery, some backups using Rom Manager, and some using TWRP
Can i just put them all into one folder ... will they be flashable using any method i choose? Or will i need to restore them using only the app i used to create the backup?

Im like a lot of people and keep multiple rom's backed up. I'd like to switch between them back and forth.
When I go into recovery and restore a specific backup, so i need to do a wipe first? or will it automatically override what it needs to?

If i backup the rom using recovery or TWRP .. does it also backup all user app data?
meaning, is it redundant to also backup my apps using titanium backup, if i have them freshly backed up with the ROM?

Last question, somewhat unrelated ...
a thread like this one, does it go here under Q/A forum? or does it go in Development forum?
Im asking because on other forums, usually anything root related, even questions, would go into the root section of the forum, not the general QA section.
Just want to know for future reference, to not piss people off lol

1: each backup is independent. Cwm backups are not compatible with twrp backups/vice versa.
2: you can swap around restoring nandroid backups without wiping. Recovery wipes for you before it restores.
3: titanium is for restoring apps generally when flashing a different rom or when doing a clean install. Using a recovery based data restore is generally only recommended on the same rom/nightly. Titanium is an indispensable tool, learn it! Never restore data on a different rom/base with titanium. Recovery data restores are hit or miss. It's an experience thing you'll need to iron out and completely rom based. In general, if it's not a nightly, don't do it, stick w/titanium until you understand exactly what the differences are.
4: you posted correctly in q&a. You would have gotten flagged posting this in development. Development is for tech development, not user knowledge developing!
Hope that helps
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda premium

thanks so much!

[Q] Upgrading to 4.4.3, couple of questions

Hey all
I wanna update to 4.4.3 but I want to wipe everything, then restore some things I want cause the battery life on my phone is pretty bad even using greenify for just about everything I can...
I'm running stock rom with Xposed and Franco kernel, I have Titanium backup pro and a backup I took with my CWM recovery.
How do I go about this? I want everything deleted with the option to restore my apps and their data ,What'sApp conversations, PvZ level progress, and my Xposed settings are the important ones.
Does the Titanium backup I have save these things? Do I need to copy tyhat backup off the phone before doing anything cause it will be deleted in the process?

Pretty sure this has been answered in one of the million duplicate threads posted yesterday. Did you read them / use search?
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

Yes but most asked how to upgrade without wiping, I want to wipe everything then restore some stuff. This is my first Android upgrade so I'm a bit :?
Like restoring Xposed settings with all my modules and stuff, I have no idea how to do that.
Also, do I need to revert to the stock kernel before doing all of this? I'm a bit scared of all this.

Titanium backup is your best bet for backup / restore. Don't wipe your sdcard.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

Well went ahead and downloaded factory 4.4.3, installed with flash-all and now I'm rebuilding it. Hopefully Titanium has everything I was hoping for it to have...

SonicAngel said:
Well went ahead and downloaded factory 4.4.3, installed with flash-all and now I'm rebuilding it. Hopefully Titanium has everything I was hoping for it to have...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Doesn't "flash-all" flash userdata which wipes /sdcard?
I wouldn't ever recommend using those batch files. You only needed to:
Code:
fastboot flash system system.img
fastboot flash boot boot.img

rootSU said:
Doesn't "flash-all" flash userdata which wipes /sdcard?
I wouldn't ever recommend using those batch files. You only needed to:
Code:
fastboot flash system system.img
fastboot flash boot boot.img
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It does which is exactly what I wanted. I wanted a complete overhaul that deletes everything, like a new phone.
I saved my TitaniumBackup folder from /sdcard to my PC and now I restored it, this is pretty much what I wanted and TB really backs up almost everything. I'm happy so far

SonicAngel said:
It does which is exactly what I wanted. I wanted a complete overhaul that deletes everything, like a new phone.
I saved my TitaniumBackup folder from /sdcard to my PC and now I restored it, this is pretty much what I wanted and TB really backs up almost everything. I'm happy so far
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah ok fine.
There was no benefit to wiping the /sdcard though

rootSU said:
Ah ok fine.
There was no benefit to wiping the /sdcard though
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The only benefit was that this is my first Android phone and I tried a lot of stuff before settling with what I like. That left a whole lot of mess on the phone and even in /sdcard there was a lot of crap that I have no idea what it was and weather or not it's necessary. Now I can take another look and if anything is back I know it's needed.

[Q] Restore nandroid backup

Hello Guys,
Since I totally bricked my old Nexus 5 16GB(KTU84P) I am going to get a new one. But I am thinking of getting the 32GB version this time.
Now before it got bricked I made a full nandroid back-up with the help of the Nexus Root Toolkit and TWRP.
Now here are a few (stupid) questions:
~Is it possible to restore a nandroid backup from one phone to another and even in this case a "different" version of the phone?
(I've skipped over this thread real fast http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=728266 which says it is possible for phones of the same model)
~If it is possible how should it be done?
~And well if the first question isn't possible, is there a way to read out out the created back-up files which TWRP created and manually restore them(preferable the data partition)
I hope you guys can help me out
Kind regards

Yes, you can do it. Just make sure you're not restoring the efs partition or you'll have another brick on your hands.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using XDA Free mobile app

Also don't use toolkits next time. Please use the manual methods which are better, safer and teach you the basis you need to recover.
All guides and info threads can be found in general > sticky roll-up thread
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

When you run into issues, as many do after nandroid restoring from one device to another... Wiping and Flashing stock with fastboot is the Fix.
Thought I'd cover that up front. ?

jd1639 said:
Yes, you can do it. Just make sure you're not restoring the efs partition or you'll have another brick on your hands.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
rootSU said:
Also don't use toolkits next time. Please use the manual methods which are better, safer and teach you the basis you need to recover.
All guides and info threads can be found in general > sticky roll-up thread
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey guys sorry I didn't answer immediately, but after I saw the posts I immediately ordered a new Nexus 5 (32GB this time). I got it delivered today and like you said I've done the unlocking, custom recovery and rooting manually this time instead of using a toolkit. Which was to be honest way easier than I thought but also way faster than using a toolkit.
But now I've kinda run into a other 'problem'
When I restore my previous made backup (the one from the bricked phone) I first of all only get the options to restore the 'system' partition and the 'data' partition (which is totally fine cause those are the only ones I actually need).
But when I restore the system partition a lot of apps crash on default(It is basically bricked then), and even when I just restore the data partition the same thing happens. (To be completely fair this problem might come from the fact that I used the MD5 verification option when I made the backup but I can't really remember that. but some of my backup files end with the .MD5 extension) Saying this I also used the restore option with check MD5 verification, but needless to say I get the message that they verifications don't match.
So here are a few questions again.
~Like I said before I only really care about the 'data' partition, Is there an option that I still can use TWRP to restore it properly?
~If the above is not possible is there a manual way to read out the made backup file using a program like 'Ext2Explore'(This crashes though when I open the file)
Or did I just completely screw up by checking the MD5 verification?
Once again kind regards
p.s. If the problem isn't clear tell me and and I'll try to explain it in a different way

You missed quote from post #4. ?
I believe that with a new device.... It should be a clean start. And I read post after post in different device sections of issues from restoring from other devices.
And so I never recommend it. It can, possibly, bring lots of issues.
But to each their own.
Good luck. ?

KJ said:
You missed quote from post #4. ?
I believe that with a new device.... It should be a clean start. And I read post after post in different device sections of issues from restoring from other devices.
And so I never recommend it. It can, possibly, bring lots of issues.
But to each their own.
Good luck. ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ohh right, sorry I completely read over your post my bad. But then again If I have to wipe the device wouldn't that totally remove the point of restoring the data partition ? or is the wipe command just for the system partition?

sambo940 said:
Ohh right, sorry I completely read over your post my bad. But then again If I have to wipe the device wouldn't that totally remove the point of restoring the data partition ? or is the wipe command just for the system partition?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What I'm getting at, is don't restore the data partition. You can try, but I often read of lots of issues doing it.
Yes, I implied wipe the device clean. Flash stock. Start fresh.
Now if you had a titanium backup of user apps on your pc... I'd say you'd have a much easier time restoring that to the new phone.
Just my 2 cents of course.

KJ said:
What I'm getting at, is don't restore the data partition. You can try, but I often read of lots of issues doing it.
Yes, I implied wipe the device clean. Flash stock. Start fresh.
Now if you had a titanium backup of user apps on your pc... I'd say you'd have a much easier time restoring that to the new phone.
Just my 2 cents of course.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I made a clean start yes. Unfortunately I don't have a titanium backup and I get that storing the data partition to a other device isn't a good idea. But well I never had the intention of making a back up and restoring it to another device but unfortunately my other phone got completely bricked. And yes in hindsight I should have made backups in multiple ways.
But like I said I don't really care about the system(including the apps and app settings) it is literally all about the actual data (pictures and stuff), that is also the reason why I asked if there is a way to manually read/open the back-up files.

sambo940 said:
I made a clean start yes. Unfortunately I don't have a titanium backup and I get that storing the data partition to a other device isn't a good idea. But well I never had the intention of making a back up and restoring it to another device but unfortunately my other phone got completely bricked. And yes in hindsight I should have made backups in multiple ways.
But like I said I don't really care about the system(including the apps and app settings) it is literally all about the actual data (pictures and stuff), that is also the reason why I asked if there is a way to manually read/open the back-up files.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The pictures are gone. A nandroid doesn't back those up or anything on the internal sdcard
Sent from my Nexus 5 using XDA Free mobile app

jd1639 said:
The pictures are gone. A nandroid doesn't back those up or anything on the internal sdcard
Sent from my Nexus 5 using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well that certainly is a bummer, and also very misleading from the nexus toolkit. From now on I shall back-up my phone more properly and well stop using those darn toolkits,
Thank you for your time.

sambo940 said:
Well that certainly is a bummer, and also very misleading from the nexus toolkit. From now on I shall back-up my phone more properly and well stop using those darn toolkits,
Thank you for your time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you make an adb backup in the tool kit? That would have your pics. But a flashable nandroid you flash in recovery would not.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using XDA Free mobile app

sambo940 said:
I made a clean start yes. Unfortunately I don't have a titanium backup and I get that storing the data partition to a other device isn't a good idea. But well I never had the intention of making a back up and restoring it to another device but unfortunately my other phone got completely bricked. And yes in hindsight I should have made backups in multiple ways.
But like I said I don't really care about the system(including the apps and app settings) it is literally all about the actual data (pictures and stuff), that is also the reason why I asked if there is a way to manually read/open the back-up files.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Would Nandroid Manager be what you're looking for? EDIT: as above, it won't find and restore any of your pictures/music, as a nandroid backup does not include any of these. There is a chance you find and restore your apps and settings if you so wish. I've used that app before.
Incidentally, I successfully transferred all of my data and ROM from one Nexus 5 to another (had to RMA)
The process I used is:
- Unlock bootloader, install custom recovery on new N5
- Nandroid backup on old N5
- Copy whole /sdcard partition from old to new N5. Basically, all files and folders on the 'root' of the drive when connected to PC. This included all photos, music and the nandroid backup itself.
- Restore nandroid backup on new N5 (only /system, /data and boot.img / kernel), as if you were restoring any nandroid backup really. Though do not restore efs partition as advised above (it wasn't backed up, but worth mentioning again anyway).
Took a while, but the ROM and settings were carried over successfully.

jd1639 said:
Did you make an adb backup in the tool kit? That would have your pics. But a flashable nandroid you flash in recovery would not.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope, I did not. And the ignorant person that I am just assumed that the nandroid backup would back up everything since the toolkit says "Make full Backups"
So well I guess I just have to accept the fact that I lost those things
eddiehk6 said:
Would Nandroid Manager be what you're looking for? EDIT: as above, it won't find and restore any of your pictures/music, as a nandroid backup does not include any of these. There is a chance you find and restore your apps and settings if you so wish. I've used that app before.
Incidentally, I successfully transferred all of my data and ROM from one Nexus 5 to another (had to RMA)
The process I used is:
- Unlock bootloader, install custom recovery on new N5
- Nandroid backup on old N5
- Copy whole /sdcard partition from old to new N5. Basically, all files and folders on the 'root' of the drive when connected to PC. This included all photos, music and the nandroid backup itself.
- Restore nandroid backup on new N5 (only /system, /data and boot.img / kernel), as if you were restoring any nandroid backup really. Though do not restore efs partition as advised above (it wasn't backed up, but worth mentioning again anyway).
Took a while, but the ROM and settings were carried over successfully.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not exactly what I was looking but I'll keep it in the back of my head in case something similar might happen in the future(lets hope not) Thanks.

Install Foldersync and set your sdcard to sync to a computer wirelessly
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

eddiehk6 said:
Would Nandroid Manager be what you're looking for? EDIT: as above, it won't find and restore any of your pictures/music, as a nandroid backup does not include any of these. There is a chance you find and restore your apps and settings if you so wish. I've used that app before.
Incidentally, I successfully transferred all of my data and ROM from one Nexus 5 to another (had to RMA)
The process I used is:
- Unlock bootloader, install custom recovery on new N5
- Nandroid backup on old N5
- Copy whole /sdcard partition from old to new N5. Basically, all files and folders on the 'root' of the drive when connected to PC. This included all photos, music and the nandroid backup itself.
- Restore nandroid backup on new N5 (only /system, /data and boot.img / kernel), as if you were restoring any nandroid backup really. Though do not restore efs partition as advised above (it wasn't backed up, but worth mentioning again anyway).
Took a while, but the ROM and settings were carried over successfully.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am assuming that you used a tool like Android File Transfer.
So what I'm trying to do is the same thing, backup my entire old N5 32GB as I had also requested an RMA of the device. Is it accurate in stating that you want me to copy every folder that shows up on the AFT window (Note: I am using a MAC) and copy that onto a folder on my computer. Then copy over everything on the new device (bootloader unlocked, rooted, same TWRP version installed) and restore via the Nandroid backup from my old phone (which was also transferred as indicated above).

dcxgod said:
I am assuming that you used a tool like Android File Transfer.
So what I'm trying to do is the same thing, backup my entire old N5 32GB as I had also requested an RMA of the device. Is it accurate in stating that you want me to copy every folder that shows up on the AFT window (Note: I am using a MAC) and copy that onto a folder on my computer. Then copy over everything on the new device (bootloader unlocked, rooted, same TWRP version installed) and restore via the Nandroid backup from my old phone (which was also transferred as indicated above).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I didn't use AFT, just plugged straight into PC, sorry no experience with Mac
Basically both phones were connected, and I copied the whole "/sdcard" straight from one phone to another, without making an initial copy to the PC
You want to replicate the same file structure

System Settings Saver App?

A link to a system settings saver app was posted in one of the development threads this morning. I'm trying to find the link but can't. If someone can provide the link to this app it would be greatly appreciated.

What are you trying to achieve? Backing up system settings and then restoring them after switching ROMs?

Yes sir that is what I'm trying to do.

x.0ni.x said:
Yes sir that is what I'm trying to do.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok. There's a problem with that, you should never restore system data after switching ROMs, it can cause major problems. You can backup and restore user apps (with their data) without issues usually, but not system apps, or system data/settings.
Transmitted via Bacon

timmaaa said:
Ok. There's a problem with that, you should never restore system data after switching ROMs, it can cause major problems. You can backup and restore user apps (with their data) without issues usually, but not system apps, or system data/settings.
Transmitted via Bacon
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What if instead I want to do the following?
I am not rooted, so I would like to find a way to do a backup of apps (and their settings) and of system settings, so that I can unlock bootloader (this will wipe everything) root and then restore the backup.
I am staying on he same exact rom, so i should not be a problem.
Is there a way to do so? Maybe HOLO BACKUP or something else?

thegios said:
What if instead I want to do the following?
I am not rooted, so I would like to find a way to do a backup of apps (and their settings) and of system settings, so that I can unlock bootloader (this will wipe everything) root and then restore the backup.
I am staying on he same exact rom, so i should not be a problem.
Is there a way to do so? Maybe HOLO BACKUP or something else?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Without root it's very difficult to make those kinds of backups. Helium claims to be able to do it, but only with user apps. I highly doubt you can backup system settings, and really that shouldn't be a huge problem, setting those up from scratch shouldn't take too long.
Transmitted via Bacon

{help} making a flashable zip of my phone

Like the title says, I'm trying to figure out how to make a flashable zip of my phone with all my installed apps, app data and settings included.
I already have a nandroid backup and I already use titanium to back up my apps and app data, but I want to have a flashable zip as another backup incase all else fails.
I also want to be able to flash the zip on my wife's N5.
Can someone kindly walk me through the process or point me in the direction of a good walk through?
Thanks in advance.
Sent from my SM-N920T using XDA-Developers mobile app

re: zip file rom backups
tamelion1117 said:
Like the title says, I'm trying to figure out how to make a flashable zip of my phone with all my installed apps, app data and settings included.
I already have a nandroid backup and I already use titanium to back up my apps and app data, but I want to have a flashable zip as another backup incase all else fails.
I also want to be able to flash the zip on my wife's N5.
Can someone kindly walk me through the process or point me in the direction of a good walk through?
Thanks in advance.
Sent from my SM-N920T using XDA-Developers mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't you think that if it was something feasible and worthwhile to do many of the developers would have
created something like that already after all these years?
The developers have already developed an excellent way of backing up and restoring android phones using
TWRP and CWM nandroid backup and restore functions in their custom recovery mode which everyone uses.
If you don't trust nandroid backups why not do a simple test and make some nandroid backups and restore each
of them one at a time to see if you can find any kind of issues, problems or difficulties with your phone after you
have restored each of the backups one at a time.
Have you ever created a nandroid backup which did not restore properly or know of anyone who did?
Also why not do a bit of research here in these xda forums and threads to see if you can find any posts here by
people who are having any problems, issues or difficulties using or restoring their nandroid backups.
Good luck,
Have a great day!

Misterjunky said:
Don't you think that if it was something feasible and worthwhile to do many of the developers would have
created something like that already after all these years?
The developers have already developed an excellent way of backing up and restoring android phones using
TWRP and CWM nandroid backup and restore functions in their custom recovery mode.
If you don't trust nandroid backups why not make two of them as a test and restore each of them one at a time
and see if you can find any kind of issues or problems with your phone after restoring each of the backups.
Have you ever created a nandroid backup which did not restore properly or know of anyone who did?
Also why not do a bit of reading here in these xda forums and threads to see if you can find any people here
who are having any problems or issues with their nandroid backups after they have restored them.
Good luck,
Have a great day!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I trust in my nandroid backups. The main reason I want to create a flashable zip with everything backed up in it is to have the ability to create a duplicate image of my phone and flash it on my wife's.
Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note 5 running Darthstalker v8 and Xposed 85.1

tamelion1117 said:
Like the title says, I'm trying to figure out how to make a flashable zip of my phone with all my installed apps, app data and settings included.
I already have a nandroid backup and I already use titanium to back up my apps and app data, but I want to have a flashable zip as another backup incase all else fails.
I also want to be able to flash the zip on my wife's N5.
Can someone kindly walk me through the process or point me in the direction of a good walk through?
Thanks in advance.
Sent from my SM-N920T using XDA-Developers mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well if you really want to learn
here's a simple example of how you can build yourself a rom
http://forum.xda-developers.com/honor-5x/development/custom-rom-starter-template-honor-5x-t3328809
keep in mind you can't use his updater-script and you need to adjust some of the commands to match the note 5
but for the most part all roms are the same
you need:
META-INF <Folder>
boot.img
system.apps.tar.gz
system.therest.tar.gz
and optionally > data.tar.gz
once you have these you essentially have a rom

There's also an app called "zip me" in the play store that will do exactly what I wanted.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=zip.me
Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note 5 running Darthstalker v8 and Xposed 85.1

re: backups
tamelion1117 said:
I trust in my nandroid backups. The main reason I want to create a flashable zip with everything backed up in it is to have the ability to create a duplicate image of my phone and flash it on my wife's.
Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note 5 running Darthstalker v8 and Xposed 85.1
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you want a duplicate image why not create two nandroids and copy one
to your pc then to your wife's phone since you say the phone is identical
which they would have to be in order to use the same backup.
Once the nandroid is on your pc you can simply copy it to your wife's
internal memory then restore using twrp.
I have about 5-6 nandroid backups of different roms for my phone.
Goodluck,

Misterjunky said:
If you want a duplicate image why not create two nandroids and copy one
to your pc then to your wife's phone since you say the phone is identical
which they would have to be in order to use the same backup.
Once the nandroid is on your pc you can simply copy it to your wife's
internal memory then restore using twrp.
I have about 5-6 nandroid backups of different roms for my phone.
Goodluck,
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't think I was clear in the op. I know how to create nandroids, and yes, I could easily do it that way, but what I really want to do is compile my rom, settings apps and app settings into a flashable zip instead. To further my knowledge so to speak.
Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note 5 running Darthstalker v8 and Xposed 85.1