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[Q] Format SD-card?

Hey guys, ive got little space left on my sd card in my nexus.
Can i format it? What do i do with the clockwork folder?
Thank you

If you do not intend to flash a new ROM then no you can't. I'm pretty sure you can if you flash a ROM, but remember to backup your photos and music first.
Is there a reason why you can't just delete some of your media or photos? If you've done a few nandroid backups in CWM you can delete any old ones in the app.
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Actually, after a few more seconds thought, if you've copied your music and photos onto your computer, I'm pretty sure you could do this:
1) do a complete nandroid backup
2) locate it, copy the entire directory to your computer
3) make a note of where it came from (the directory tree)
4) format your sdcard
5) copy your nandroid backup back to your sdcard making sure the directory structure is the same as before
6) restore your nandroid backup
There may be important catalogue files in the CWM directory, so it may be better to copy the entire CWM backup directory tree from its root.
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Ive tought the same thing. I deleted my old backups, then i backup music and photos (7gb~) theni copy the whole clockwork folder back to the telephone?

elinho said:
Ive tought the same thing. I deleted my old backups, then i backup music and photos (7gb~) theni copy the whole clockwork folder back to the telephone?
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To restore from a nandroid from complete stock just create a folder called clockworkmod. Inside that folder create another called backup. In that folder paste your old backup file. If you format the whole sd card some files and settings will be missing when you restore.
IMO its easier to copy all the files you want to your pc, then just go through your phone and delete all the files you don't use on a regular basis
Sent from my illuminated black thing

elinho said:
Ive tought the same thing. I deleted my old backups, then i backup music and photos (7gb~) theni copy the whole clockwork folder back to the telephone?
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I just did that, and it worked fine. Everything was te same as before the format. I only had 2gb of photos though. Maybe you should go through yours before copying back to your phone and weed out any you don't need.

I use the instant upload with G+ (WiFi Only) and as I take photos, they get uploaded to a private album. Once they're uploaded I delete them from the phone. Saves space .

ka24e said:
I use the instant upload with G+ (WiFi Only) and as I take photos, they get uploaded to a private album. Once they're uploaded I delete them from the phone. Saves space .
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Does it keep them at full Q? Been thinking about it but was waiting for G+ to allow Google Apps accounts

Extract CWM nandroid backup

Hey all,
I used CWM to make a nandroid backup. I am trying to extract data from it specifically the sdcard/DCIM where all my pictures are. I tried to just perform a restore of the nandroid backup but it fails the md5 checksum. Been there done that, got the t-shirt and I just can't fix the md5 checksum. So my next option is to just extract the sdcard/DCIM from the nandroid backup. I looked in system.ext4.tar and its not in there. Also checked data.ext4.tar and its not in there. Only other place it could be is in boot.img or recovery.img. Let me know if I am wrong about this! Anyways, I tried using unyaffs.exe and the command code "unyaffs.exe recovery.img" to extract and I get a "bad image file" error. I tried with all my backups even the ones I know work and they all give me the error so all my backups can't be bad so something either I am doing wrong or unyaffs.exe does not support newer versions of .img?
As of right now I am out of options. Does anyone have any ideas as to how I can extract/recover my sdcard/DCIM folder from my CWM nandroid backup?
Thanks!

JDubbed said:
Hey all,
I used CWM to make a nandroid backup. I am trying to extract data from it specifically the sdcard/DCIM where all my pictures are. I tried to just perform a restore of the nandroid backup but it fails the md5 checksum. Been there done that, got the t-shirt and I just can't fix the md5 checksum. So my next option is to just extract the sdcard/DCIM from the nandroid backup. I looked in system.ext4.tar and its not in there. Also checked data.ext4.tar and its not in there. Only other place it could be is in boot.img or recovery.img. Let me know if I am wrong about this! Anyways, I tried using unyaffs.exe and the command code "unyaffs.exe recovery.img" to extract and I get a "bad image file" error. I tried with all my backups even the ones I know work and they all give me the error so all my backups can't be bad so something either I am doing wrong or unyaffs.exe does not support newer versions of .img?
As of right now I am out of options. Does anyone have any ideas as to how I can extract/recover my sdcard/DCIM folder from my CWM nandroid backup?
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A nandroid backup will never have your internal data backed up in it. It backs up your system and the data incorperated with apps and and all that stuff. Pictures, music, video, etc. does NOT get backed up every time you do a backup (thank God!). That stuff is ALWAYS still there unless you do a wipe data/factory reset on the phone. I'm sure someone else will chime in here but I'm almost 100% positive I'm right. If you are looking for your pictures just boot your phone and hook it up USB to your computer. Open up the drive on your computer and look in the DCIM folder, your pics will all be there.

copene said:
A nandroid backup will never have your internal data backed up in it. It backs up your system and the data incorperated with apps and and all that stuff. Pictures, music, video, etc. does NOT get backed up every time you do a backup (thank God!). That stuff is ALWAYS still there unless you do a wipe data/factory reset on the phone. I'm sure someone else will chime in here but I'm almost 100% positive I'm right. If you are looking for your pictures just boot your phone and hook it up USB to your computer. Open up the drive on your computer and look in the DCIM folder, your pics will all be there.
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Thanks for that. Unfortunately my phone came back from Samsung after a storm fried my phone and they wiped my phone crystal clean. I thought that was one of the points of a nandroid backup was that it also backed up or at least gave you the option of backing up your personal files like music, pictures and so forth. I was under the impression this whole time that my files were safe in my nandroid backups now I cannot believe all my irreplaceable pictures are gone. Years of pictures lost. Maybe a recovery software could bring it back?

Nope they gone bro let it go if it fried the phone and SD card
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using Tapatalk 2

Suggestion...
From here on out... I would install Google+ and instant upload that stuff or PicasaTool or something... That is what I do... I have them set as private unless I want to share it. It's the best form of picture backup, unless you plug your phone into your computer on a daily basis and transfer them...
I would go for the instant upload method in the future... does pics and videos....
Sorry man... they are gone...Factory doesn't mess with that stuff... If your phone got fried, its a different board inside and the internal SD is on the "motherboard" of the phone...

It also doesnt hurt to just backup your memory card(s) files to your pc every so often, via good 'ol fashioned drag and drop.
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onealvideo said:
From here on out... I would install Google+ and instant upload that stuff or PicasaTool or something... That is what I do... I have them set as private unless I want to share it. It's the best form of picture backup, unless you plug your phone into your computer on a daily basis and transfer them...
I would go for the instant upload method in the future... does pics and videos....
Sorry man... they are gone...Factory doesn't mess with that stuff... If your phone got fried, its a different board inside and the internal SD is on the "motherboard" of the phone...
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Yes. Another option is Dropbox, which you can also set to automatically upload pictures. Then, they sync with the Dropbox folder on your desktop.
If nanbackup backed up your SD card every time, people would run out of space in no time. Especially if you keep more than one backup handy. This is why I would encourage OP to use an external SD and be sure to physically take it out of the phone before wiping, flashing, anything like that. Multiple redundant backups, bro.

Thanks for the replies. Yeah I am just going to let it go. Probably a new internal SD card anyways like suggested. I still think there should at least be an OPTION in CWM to backup full internal SD card and make it default no. I have a 32GB card and having 1 to 2 concurrent FULL SD and nandroid backups wouldn't dent it. But it is what it is.
Since I want everything backed up not just pictures and videos I think the infamous old fashion drag and drop method is the best option. I'll store the data on my PC HDD or something for safe keeping.
If anyone discovers an app that not only backs up nandroid but complete internal SD or selectable internal SD folders as well please post it here. Between Titanium Backup and CWM it still does not backup everything. Maybe a 3rd app is needed to cover my ass with internal SD data or an all-in-one backup tool is yet to be created.
:good:

If you ask sk8tr I am sure he would try to integrate it....
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Restoring Back Up

Well since this was my first root I guess I made a mistake or maybe not?
So this is the case :
I have an HTC One S (Rooted using SuperSu Method)
What I did for backup is just copy all the content from the phone (in hard drive mode) to a folder on my pc (which ended up being around 7gigs)
My question is how do I restore all that data\pics\apps\profiles back to my phone?
(Tried to copy past it back into the phones SD-Card and rebooting, The phone doesn't recognize any of the data)
Any way to actually make this work? or is it a lost cause?
Thanks for the help! :laugh:

As far as apps and their data goes, only some info is saved on the sdcard, the rest is saved on the devices internal memory.
Only restoring the stuff saved on the SD card aint gonna bring back any apps. They need to be reinstalled properly.

Goatshocker said:
As far as apps and their data goes, only some info is saved on the sdcard, the rest is saved on the devices internal memory.
Only restoring the stuff saved on the SD card aint gonna bring back any apps. They need to be reinstalled properly.
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How about all the Contacts \ Messages and ect?
Because I have all the files on my PC (Exactly the same files that have been on the phone before the ROOT\Unblock)
Can I recover those back to the phone somehow?

Messages and contacts are stored on internal memory, unless you export them.
You dont have access to anything except /sdcard/ through the PC, unless you use ADB.
edit: What I mean is, if you have only backed up /sdcard/ (which seems to be the case), you have lost everything on the internal memory (such as messages and contacts etc).

Goatshocker said:
Messages and contacts are stored on internal memory, unless you export them.
You dont have access to anything except /sdcard/ through the PC, unless you use ADB.
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So basically even tho I copied all the content from the phone itself to the pc, All I copied is squat.
All the raw data I get is pictures.
So no encrypted data can be found on the storage partition and I have to just start over from scratch?
And the next time I root or flash, just use Recovery backup?

You didnt copy all the content. You only copied what was stored on the /sdcard/ (which is more or less the only thing you have access to without root).
Theres a very slim amount of data android uses on the sdcard, unless the user specifically tells it to.
Next time you flash, you should back up all your apps you want to save with for example titanium backup (requires root, which you now have), save all the contacts to the sim card, and export all messages.
Then after you have wiped and flashed a new rom, just restore the backups with titanium backup again, and import contacts from sim.
The backup/restore in recovery backups/restores the WHOLE system, so when you restore it it will be exactly like the way it was when you made the backup. (edit: to clarify, if you flash a new rom, then restore a backup made on another rom, you will return to that rom the backup was made on)

Goatshocker said:
You didnt copy all the content. You only copied what was stored on the /sdcard/ (which is more or less the only thing you have access to without root).
Theres a very slim amount of data android uses on the sdcard, unless the user specifically tells it to.
Next time you flash, you should back up all your apps you want to save with for example titanium backup (requires root, which you now have), save all the contacts to the sim card, and export all messages.
Then after you have wiped and flashed a new rom, just restore the backups with titanium backup again, and import contacts from sim.
The backup/restore in recovery backups/restores the WHOLE system, so when you restore it it will be exactly like the way it was when you made the backup. (edit: to clarify, if you flash a new rom, then restore a backup made on another rom, you will return to that rom the backup was made on)
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Got it
I actually found some encrypted data such as : Whats up message history, Some Contacts, Specific apps.
And I recovered all my contacts VIA my google account.
Only thing lost is the applications, which I will reinstall in like 30 minutes.
Anyhow I am quite happy I got into the rooting business, Already feel the different abilities and the uncovered raw code + new line of root supported apps waiting to be savaged by me.
Thank you for the help anyways (and the quick reply as well)
And I think the original ROOT tutorial post should have a step which is a "back-up step" which explains how to back up most of the info before rooting, and the ability to back up with root.
Cheers!

What do I NEED to keep on my SD card?

I'm trying to clean up my SD card and free up some space. I have some files on there that I am wondering if I need to leave them, or if I can store them on my computer instead.
I always have 2 roms on there.
Synergy_backup_HWkeys_signed.zip (I think that has something to do with my IEMI backup)
MB1 modem
MF1 modem
SuperSU_bootloader_fixed.zip
triangleAway-v2.37.zip
The tibu backup folder......is there only one (the most recent back up in there)
Anything else I can delete that you can think of?
Thanks so much!

Sdcard as in internal or external sd? If external, I doubt there are many apps that see it besides music/vids/pics apps. If internal then if that's all you cherish, everything else can be deleted. I'd save pics/vids but to each his own. Some folders will be rebuilt if you're flashing a rom as well.

You can delete the modems and the SU zip, you won't need those anymore. And I don't know about you but I have 1 TiBu folder which only holds my most recent backups. And if you are referring to an Ext SD Card then you can be liberal with what you delete, no important system data should be going there
If you're responding to me, make sure to quote me so I get an immediate email

You should be able to delete everything (if you don't want pics, etc). However, I remember there was some sort of bin file or something like that on the top most layer of files. I tried deleting it (after opening it and not finding any data), and it messed everything up to the point where I had to reflash the ROM. To this day, I don't know where it came from. But now whenever I reflash a ROM I completely wipe my internal card to get rid of any weird files that may still be around.
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Full Backup using the TWRP Backup Tool program

Good afternoon,
My question is as follows,
1. The Backup Tool program creates a unique file when it generates the complete backup by the computer, different from the one created by TWRP, if it only needs to restore a single item has?
Note: I use the Backup Tool to be able to back up directly to the PC because I do not have enough memory card to fit the DATA folder.
2. With the complete backup, I read in some topics in the forum, that do not go type information, photos, downloads, etc. Is this right? If so, why in full backup is this information missing?
Thank you.

costafabiof said:
Good afternoon,
My question is as follows,
1. The Backup Tool program creates a unique file when it generates the complete backup by the computer, different from the one created by TWRP, if it only needs to restore a single item has?
Note: I use the Backup Tool to be able to back up directly to the PC because I do not have enough memory card to fit the DATA folder.
2. With the complete backup, I read in some topics in the forum, that do not go type information, photos, downloads, etc. Is this right? If so, why in full backup is this information missing?
Thank you.
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Click to collapse
You can use twrp to pc and copy your internal storage off. Just drag and drop the folders you want from internal to your pc. No need to do a back up of it

godkingofcanada said:
You can use twrp to pc and copy your internal storage off. Just drag and drop the folders you want from internal to your pc. No need to do a back up of it
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Click to collapse
Good afternoon,
Are you telling me that when I connect the phone to the PC via TWRP and all the folders appear, if I copy them, is it the same as doing a full backup by TWRP?
Because if so, what caught my attention is that, folders total 700 mb and backup 6 gigs.

No what he's saying is that TWRP only backs up the system content. So your ROM, apps, app settings, customisation etc is all saved in the TWRP backup.
But it doesn't save "loose" user files, so things like photos, downloads, etc saved to your SD or internal storage aren't included in the TWRP backup.
So for a complete backup, you want a TWRP backup + copy the photos, downloads, etc folders via PC onto your desktop.
Copying the folders is NOT going to be equivalent to a TWP backup, as you don't see any system/firmware files in PC.

What to use to Backup Complete phone Firmware, pictures and Everything on the phone??? So if it crashes you caab restore phone back to like it was before Crash? Thanks