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[Guide] Nandroid Backup - backup & restore

What is a Nandroid Backup?
It is a full backup of the partitions on your device’s NAND flash (NAND actually stands for NOT AND, which in simple terms means an electronic gate). Basically a backup of your phones hard drive if you will...
The Nandroid Backup is a snapshot of your device (it means everything on your phone – your apps, data, your current ROM and even the kernel is backed up) at the time you do the back up. If you restore the back up, it changes your phone BACK to that state. You will need clockworkmod (CWM/TWRP). So make sure you have CWM on your device.
The SD Card data is not backed up in the process. Although, the Nandroid Backup itself is created on your SD card. Make sure you have enough space on your SD card to make a COMPLETE copy of your phone.
It’s highly recommended that once you have done a backup, you manually copy it to your computer in case your sd card is wiped or corrupted.
Pre-requisites:
1. Rooted Device:
2. Custom Recovery (CWM or TWRP)
While the OS is running you cannot do a backup. The boot loader in the recovery enables you to take a backup of the OS while it’s not running.
How to Make a Nandroid Backup via CWM:
Backup via CWM:
1.Boot into Recovery pressing in the same time Volume Up + Home + Power buttons for our Galaxy S Advance phones
2. Select ‘Backup and Restore’ from the recovery.
Once you are in recovery, scroll down to the option ‘Backup and Recovery’ with volume Up/Down and select it (Power button for select).
3. Start the backup.
Once you are on the Nandroid screen, select ‘Backup’ to start the backup process. You have the option to ‘Restore’ backup on the same screen.
The backup process may take a while. Take a break for a coffee.
4. Transfer the backup to your computer (recommended).
Once you reboot, you can see the backup in the ‘clockworkmod/backup/…’ (or similar file) directory on your SD card.
Move, copy, or paste this folder on your PC safely.
Restore from a Nandroid Backup via CWM:
1. Boot your device into CWM and navigate to the Nandroid screen.
2. Choose ‘Restore’ and begin the process.
If you select ‘Advanced Restore’ option, you may select which part of the backup to restore – i. e. the boot,system, data or cache. Or choose the whole backup.
3. Reboot your device. Your system is now restored and is exactly the same as the time when the backup was taken.

R_a_z_v_a_n said:
<SNIP>
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why make a new thread? Add it to your cwm guide!
I do not respond to tech support via PM

Agreed. This needs to be incorporated into the CWR guide.
Thread Closed....But I will also give you ownership of the 2nd post over in that thread so you can port this over.
Edit: I gave you #2 and 3 and moved this over to that thread for you.

Need help with Flashing ROM

Hello, I rooted almost 20 days ago and I want to change my rom and I have some questions,
Because I don't want to lose ANY data or delete my OS like the last time I tried rooting
so this is what I'm gonna do:
1. take nandroid backup
2. backup all user apps and data using titanium backup
3. move backups to somewhere safe you can get back to (SD card)
4. Download the following files:
LineageOS - Gapps - SU
Of course latest versions
5. go to Recovery and do the following:
1. Wipe (System, Data, Cache)
2. Flash (LineageOS then Gapps then SU)
3. Wipe (dalvik cache, cache)
to make sure everything goes smooth
Reboot system
6. If you fail:
restore from last backup and do it again
7. If you success:
Congratulations.
8. Restore apps and data using titanium backup
So, that's all?
now to the question part.
1. which partition should I backup in twrp for a nandroid backup?
I'm still not sure, I'm guessing all of them
2. does magisk work instead of the LineageOS su add on?
3. what does data partition include if I wipe it?
(I want to know what data Id lose)
4. do I need no Verity opt encrypt or not?
(I used to flash it alongside the SU file)
Please answer the questions, and if you know that something is wrong with the steps I'm gonna do help

1. Whenever I backup I tick everything, better safe than sorry right? Largest my backup has reached is 9gb
2. Magisk does include MagiskSU which you can use in place of another SU
3. If flashing a ROM new then you should wipe system, so you'll basically lose everything that's not on the SD card. After flashing your phone will basically be like you just took it out of the box.
4. I haven't flashed that since the very first time I flashed it and not had any problems with ROM's - but I can't say I'm 100% sure if you're meant to or not

Phone boots to OS immediately shuts down and reboots to recovery

Hi,
My OP6 is unlocked, running TWRP (3.2.3-0) recovery and magisk. I didn't flash zips for about 2 years, and I actually don't even remember what magisk version or what OOS version I run...
Today my phone suddenly restarted while using some navigation app. Since then, every time I turn it on it boots to OS but immediately shuts down and reboots to recovery (TWRP). I just can't boot to system. I can boot to trwp or fastboot. Both slots yield that behavior.
My phone used to restart every now and then, but this is the first time that it won't boot to system afterwards.
I got a 2 years old twrp backup (system+boot), if it can help.
Do you think I can somehow boot to system (preferably without wiping data)?
And if not, is there any way to transfer data from the phone to pc? (I couldn't make my pc recognise the phone)
Thanks

Try timing it just right before your phone starts up again with holding power and vol down button so you can get into TWRP. You then should be able to see your phone on your PC to back up.
Sounds like your data might be corrupt.

I am able to enter twrp, just the data is corrupt somehow.
So I spend a whole day fixing it:
1) Created a nandroid backup of the current (unbootable) state - this will just backup my applications data
2) Wiped data+cache from twrp (factory reset)
3) Now it boots normally, but all data is gone (I also copied the nandroid backup to my pc just to be safe)
4) Flashed magisk
5) Installed all missing apps using some Nandroid Manager app
6) Restored the data of all those apps using titanium backup ("restore from nandroid" option). Note that TB couldn't restore the apps+data, I had to preinstall the apps for it.
7) Remember to create snapshots and backups more frequently
Thanks!

eviatal said:
I am able to enter twrp, just the data is corrupt somehow.
So I spend a whole day fixing it:
1) Created a nandroid backup of the current (unbootable) state - this will just backup my applications data
2) Wiped data+cache from twrp (factory reset)
3) Now it boots normally, but all data is gone (I also copied the nandroid backup to my pc just to be safe)
4) Flashed magisk
5) Installed all missing apps using some Nandroid Manager app
6) Restored the data of all those apps using titanium backup ("restore from nandroid" option). Note that TB couldn't restore the apps+data, I had to preinstall the apps for it.
7) Remember to create snapshots and backups more frequently
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Glad it, worked out. I actually use migrate app from the playstore. Always make a backup and keep it on my PC . Restores everything .

Question What about backup of MIUI?

Hi all. I have Poco X3 Pro. I would like to test custom rom (propably ArrowOS, Android 12). But i need option to revert(with data/settings) to MIUI if custom roms are not for me. There is solution for this? I remember from older smartphones option in TWRP - full backup, after reflashing to another rom this providing option to restore backuped system.
There is solution like this for X3 Pro?

im looking for it too but still no idea

matibu06 said:
Hi all. I have Poco X3 Pro. I would like to test custom rom (propably ArrowOS, Android 12). But i need option to revert(with data/settings) to MIUI if custom roms are not for me. There is solution for this? I remember from older smartphones option in TWRP - full backup, after reflashing to another rom this providing option to restore backuped system.
There is solution like this for X3 Pro?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is nothing special about MIUI. It is just a ROM, like any other ROM, and you backup and restore the same way as you would do with any other ROM.
Backup
1. Remove ROM lockscreen password/PIN
2. Backup all your personal files in the internal storage to an external storage medium (eg, MicroSD, or USB OTG, or the Cloud)
3. Make sure that you have a flashable zip, on an external storage medium, of the exact MIUI ROM that you are currently running, and want to backup
4. Reboot to recovery, and backup the boot and data partitions to an external storage medium (some recoveries, eg, OrangeFox) let you add your internal storage partition as part of the backup
Restore
1. Boot to recovery
2. Format (not just wipe) data
3. Flash your MIUI ROM's zip file
4. Boot the newly flashed MIUI ROM
5. Do some basic ROM configuration
6. Reboot to recovery
7. Restore your backups of the data and boot partitions (and internal storage, if your recovery enabled you to make a backup of it)
8. Reboot to MIUI ROM, and hope for the best (at this point you might get a black or weird-looking screen - if so, restart the ROM with the hardware power button
9. Restore your backups of your personal files to internal storage (if not already done as part of the restore of your backup).

DarthJabba9 said:
There is nothing special about MIUI. It is just a ROM, like any other ROM, and you backup and restore the same way as you would do with any other ROM.
Backup
1. Remove ROM lockscreen password/PIN
2. Backup all your personal files in the internal storage to an external storage medium (eg, MicroSD, or USB OTG, or the Cloud)
3. Make sure that you have a flashable zip, on an external storage medium, of the exact MIUI ROM that you are currently running, and want to backup
4. Reboot to recovery, and backup the boot and data partitions to an external storage medium (some recoveries, eg, OrangeFox) let you add your internal storage partition as part of the backup
Restore
1. Boot to recovery
2. Format (not just wipe) data
3. Flash your MIUI ROM's zip file
4. Boot the newly flashed MIUI ROM
5. Do some basic ROM configuration
6. Reboot to recovery
7. Restore your backups of the data and boot partitions (and internal storage, if your recovery enabled you to make a backup of it)
8. Reboot to MIUI ROM, and hope for the best (at this point you might get a black or weird-looking screen - if so, restart the ROM with the hardware power button
9. Restore your backups of your personal files to internal storage (if not already done as part of the restore of your backup).
Click to expand...
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but it still needs twrp. we need fastboot flashable files.

wb1016 said:
... we need fastboot flashable files.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why?

DarthJabba9 said:
Why?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
to escape bricked state, to restore without handling integrity checks, and much more.

wb1016 said:
to escape bricked state, to restore without handling integrity checks, and much more.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've never had any of those problems.

DarthJabba9 said:
I've never had any of those problems.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i need those so much because i want to keep my storage encrypted. messing with encrypted environment can make partitions non readable easily due to forced checks. thus, users need to keep steps in exact order.
but dumping all partitions (excluding cache) can replace all procedure. using dd, i can restore those without switching boot mode, so checks are not executed at all.
also, it makes hot boot possible. this is really helpful in some cases.
these can reduce risks of testing significantly.

Saving settings and data while updating LineageOS

So I've read that regular LineageOS updates work with "dirty flashes" but the bigger updates (between majoe Android versions) require "clean flash".
Is it possible to somehow save all the system and application settings and data between the big upgrades requiring clean flash?
Thanks and sincerely

heybaybee said:
So I've read that regular LineageOS updates work with "dirty flashes" but the bigger updates (between majoe Android versions) require "clean flash".
Is it possible to somehow save all the system and application settings and data between the big upgrades requiring clean flash?
Thanks and sincerely
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Boot into TWRP, select the Backup option, then select "advanced", select the data partition but do not select any other partition, swipe the slider to start the backup. When the backup finished, move the backup file to external sdcard or PC if you don't have external sdcard.
When you flash your ROM(do not store your ROM and gapps in your internal storage, store it on external, if you, don't have external, store it in your internal but don't wipe your internal when you do your wipes), wipe system, data, cache and dalvik cache then flash your ROM. After the ROM finishes, while still in TWRP, you can either go ahead and restore the data backup that you created or you can reboot into system to let the ROM do its initial load then immediately power off, reboot into TWRP, select Restore, then restore the backup of your data partition and reboot the device. I would let the ROM boot then go back to TWRP and then restore the data.

Thank you sir!
Is there any downside of restoring from backup instead if setting up everything manually?
Are there any downsides of choosing one if the two options proposed by you over the other?
Sincerely

heybaybee said:
Thank you sir!
Is there any downside of restoring from backup instead if setting up everything manually?
Are there any downsides of choosing one if the two options proposed by you over the other?
Sincerely
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1) no downside, it restores all settings, apps and app data to exactly what you had before flashing the update.
2) no downsides, it is just that letting the ROM boot first then going back and restoring the backup reduces chances of things being buggy after the update.
I recommend that you boot into TWRP, select Backup and make a full backup of everything except for internal storage. Then, when you flash your ROM then let it boot then go back to TWRP, select Restore, then select "advanced restore" then select only the data partition and none of the others(this will restore only the data partition from the backup and not the others), then swipe the slider to start the restore process then reboot the device.
The reason I say to create a full backup of everything is so that you have a working backup to restore if something goes wrong with the update process. It gives you a restore point to go back to so you can troubleshoot what went wrong then try again. And if everything goes right with the update, you won't need to restore the whole backup, you can just do the advanced restore and restore only the data partition and then you should be where you want to be.
I don't know if this will backup and restore your SMS/MMS text messages, you may need to backup/restore those via one of the SMS backup and restore apps in the PlayStore, there are several that can do this.

Thank you again.
Does this backup work for migration between any custom ROMs let's say from LineageOS to PixelExperience or only between versions of the same ROM like from Lineage 18 to 19?
Is it possible to migrate the same set of settings and data from stock ROM with locked bootloader to a custom ROM?
Sincerely