This is not about backing up data on your phone. It is about utilise your (old) smartphone to backup files from other devices.
If you use any computer system at home or work - you know, you have to make backups to avoid data losses. Often windows computers are used to backup files from network shares. I am wondering, if my smartphones can do that job too?
I think about the following senario:
When going to bed, I hook my phone up on a powered USB-C hub to charge it.
Instead just sitting around and waiting being charged, it could do something usefull.
One could connect a USB harddrive to the hub and run the backup app atomatically at 3am or so.
After a few hours it should have finished the backup and I got my badly needed sleep. --> Win/Win Situation.
Thats the idea, but even if there are a bunch of apps, that can access network shares (via SMB or FTP), I did not find an app, that can do a file synchronisation or backup job to a USB drive.
I started thinking about creating some TASKER jobs, but I hope, there are already wokring solutions to accomplish the target.
Do you have any suggestions or app recommendations for me?
Get 2 or more enterprise class hdds for backup. Keep them electronically isolated when not in use.
Keep one with your main data base isolated except for updates every 1-12 months in case of malware infections. Best to store in a separate location in an earth grounded metal box.
Stagger the updates between the rest.
You absolutely need to use more than one backup device/copy...
If the phone supports OTG then you can fully backup your phone to USB-drive either from inbuilt File Manager or with USB Backup app. This free-of-charge app requires Android version 5.0 and above.
This app enables you to turn automatic backup on with the help of which whenever you connect the same USB Drive and OTG cable, your device’s backup will begin on its own. You can also set backup reminder to remind you after one month that no backup has made till now.
USB Backup (Android)
Back up your Samsung smartphone
usb-backup.en.uptodown.com
Wokoloko said:
This is not about backing up data on your phone. It is about utilise your (old) smartphone to backup files from other devices.
If you use any computer system at home or work - you know, you have to make backups to avoid data losses. Often windows computers are used to backup files from network shares. I am wondering, if my smartphones can do that job too?
I think about the following senario:
When going to bed, I hook my phone up on a powered USB-C hub to charge it.
Instead just sitting around and waiting being charged, it could do something usefull.
One could connect a USB harddrive to the hub and run the backup app atomatically at 3am or so.
After a few hours it should have finished the backup and I got my badly needed sleep. --> Win/Win Situation.
Thats the idea, but even if there are a bunch of apps, that can access network shares (via SMB or FTP), I did not find an app, that can do a file synchronisation or backup job to a USB drive.
I started thinking about creating some TASKER jobs, but I hope, there are already wokring solutions to accomplish the target.
Do you have any suggestions or app recommendations for me?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sync is not just copying files it is much more than that. Sync usually means you create clone of one particular thing into another computer, while if there is any change in future then the change will be copied and only the changing part will copy not the whole thing. There are very good apps for syncing, by far my favourite one is Syncthing. Because it is full free opensource, works under nat(meaning no need to have fix ip). There is power condition. You can set that up. There is file versioning and option for one-way/two-way sync. You can give it a try. available for multiple platforms.
Thx for the suggestion, @jwoegerbauer. But the idea is not to backup data, that is stored on the phone. It is about having data on a Windows server and backing it up to a USB drive, that is connected to your phone.
Try mixplorer. It should be able to achieve that
kouseralamin said:
Sync is not just copying files it is much more than that. Sync usually means you create clone of one particular thing into another computer, while if there is any change in future then the change will be copied and only the changing part will copy not the whole thing. There are very good apps for syncing, by far my favourite one is Syncthing. Because it is full free opensource, works under nat(meaning no need to have fix ip). There is power condition. You can set that up. There is file versioning and option for one-way/two-way sync. You can give it a try. available for multiple platforms.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Syncthing sounded good at first. Although it needs a client to be set up on the source machine (hosting the network share). In my eyes that is a drawback, because it means to set up and install the syncthing on two machines. Especially the installation on the source machine feels unnessessary, because the files are already accessable to the backup machine.
Isn´t there any app, that as a backup machine "simply" reaches for the network share and stores the files on a direct connected OTG/USB drive?
[Edit: Typos]
Wokoloko said:
Syncthing sounded good at first. Although it needs a client to be set up on the source machine (hosting the network share). In my eyes that is a drawback, because it means to set up and install the syncthing on two machines. Especially the installation on the source machine feels unnessessary, because the files are already accessable to the backup machine.
Isn´t there any app, that as a backup machine "simply" reaches for the network share and stores the files on a direct connected OTG/USB drive?
[Edit: Typos]
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can you describe the source machine. I mean is it a windows/linux/mac OR another android device OR an ios device? And do you want to backup files to an usb drive/pendrive that is connected to your android device by OTG?
If that is yes. Then you have 3 device.
1. Source machine. ex: windows/mac/linux.
2. Android device that will receive files/pull files from source machine.
3. USB drive connected to android device by otg, where files will be stored.
One thing to note is that source machine needs to give permission to access files to android device(SECURITY REASON). Or needs additional setup to access them. So you need to install additional software. If you are already running a ssh server you may try rsync.
Install ssh-server in source machine and use termux with tasker to sync using rsync. I am not an expert in rsync. you have to do your research for this matter.
@Wokoloko
Thx for the suggestion, @jwoegerbauer. But the idea is not to backup data, that is stored on the phone. It is about having data on a Windows server and backing it up to a USB drive, that is connected to your phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As with Android fetching file(s) from Windows server can be done by either WGET ( retrieve files via HTTP or FTP ) or CURL ( retrieves files via HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, FTPS ) binary. Both binaries are available in Termux shell.
Simple wget example:
Code:
wget -P <ANDROID-USB-DRIVE> <FILE-URL>
Related
Hi again guys!
Ever since the ATT update usb connecting to the phone in ubuntu is sporadic and unreliable. I can usually get my photos off of it. Sometime I can even get into a non-root basic filesystem as well
However this isn't my main problem. I want to root the phone and install custom ROM's etc... Tried the VMware and a version of windows and installed the samsung drivers to XP but have trouble (again) with the usb and VMware.
Any help would be appreciated.
Additionally I'm pretty pissed off about the update thing. I don't care about tethering per se but that underhanded **** is why I dumped microsoft in the first place. I'll dump ATT too and spend my money elsewhere.
maskvp said:
Hi again guys!
Ever since the ATT update usb connecting to the phone in ubuntu is sporadic and unreliable. I can usually get my photos off of it. Sometime I can even get into a non-root basic filesystem as well
However this isn't my main problem. I want to root the phone and install custom ROM's etc... Tried the VMware and a version of windows and installed the samsung drivers to XP but have trouble (again) with the usb and VMware.
Any help would be appreciated.
Additionally I'm pretty pissed off about the update thing. I don't care about tethering per se but that underhanded **** is why I dumped microsoft in the first place. I'll dump ATT too and spend my money elsewhere.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Linux user here. I haven't had the problems you describe. I have lately been using ES File Explorer to copy to and from a shared folder on my desktop. avoiding the USB for file transfers all together. when I do connect via USB I usually use ' adb push' and 'adb pull' to move files around.
To Root your phone there is an 'update.zip' method that I used (no computer needed)
There is also a tool called ClockworkMod Recovery that you can use to install custom rom's and create nandroid backups. (no computer needed)
And finally if you manage to screw up and can not boot, you can use Heimdall on linux like you would use Odin on Windows.
enjoy your phone...
-p
Thank-you so much!!!
I was thinking about exactly what you wrote. Why not do it the linux way? Admittedly my skills are weak.
Had a little trouble with the update.zip but went to the wiki (again) and the info on how to do it from the phone was there. BTW the wiki has improved since last week.
Rooted phone and installed Titanium Backup and Clockwork Recovery. In my excitement I deleted all the ATT bloatware before backing them up and the ROM. Oh well... Too bad.
Now I just feel great about my phone. Needs some customization but no hurry. Only thing was that TB prompted me to go to settings/applications/ and tick "unknown sources". Doesn't exist.
Thanks again! If you have anymore nuggets of info...?
linux newb here but i try
edit:
the phone can mount to a vm in dowload mode for use with odin or in kies mtp mode as long as debugging is off, otherwise it likes to mount to the host pc as a drive, i dont know a work around but you can make the phone a shared folder with the vm client so you can see the files in the vm, it'll be seen as a network location in that case.
it can mount as a drive in linux but you need to select to mount from the phone. i was having problems with it in eclair in windows and didnt try it in linux but froyo is working great. in eclair it may help to try with debugging on then you can mount from the notification bar.
maskvp said:
Rooted phone and installed Titanium Backup and Clockwork Recovery. In my excitement I deleted all the ATT bloatware before backing them up and the ROM. Oh well... Too bad.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did that also...
maskvp said:
Now I just feel great about my phone. Needs some customization but no hurry. Only thing was that TB prompted me to go to settings/applications/ and tick "unknown sources". Doesn't exist.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To enable side loading(unknown sources). I used method 5 from this post.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=738376
and here is a link to my comments on the method later in the thread regarding some punctuation corrections.
This method uses adb from the SDK to pull the settings.db file off and edit it using sqlite3 before pushing it back on.
I believe you can edit the file directly on your phone once you have root and install a terminal app from the marketplace.
The above forum post is also in the wiki you referenced previously. basically you want to look for methods to "enable side loading"
-p
I'm using Ubuntu and have had no problems. Rooted and removed market restrictions without a hitch.
In progress upgrading to 10.10 64bit. Will see, but right now my machine sees my phone but it won't mount. Though I haven't tried to force it.
maskvp said:
In progress upgrading to 10.10 64bit. Will see, but right now my machine sees my phone but it won't mount. Though I haven't tried to force it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
On the phone I leave my usb settings set to ask on connection. And then chose 'mass storage' when it asks. It then mounts /sdcard as an external drive. (make sure you haven't left usb debuging on)
pietro_spina said:
On the phone I leave my usb settings set to ask on connection. And then chose 'mass storage' when it asks. It then mounts /sdcard as an external drive. (make sure you haven't left usb debuging on)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh I've tried it all-wichaways! That hasn't worked either. The card(s) are seen but no longer mount like they used to. When I choose media player I get this message on the phone: PC connection only available in idle screen. Close all running applications. I think something may be corrupted on the phone.
Before I start flashing anything I'm going to give 10.10 a go. Ubuntu specifies that 10.10 plays nice with Android. Unfortunately, I'm having trouble with my startup disks and have wasted three of them on three different downloads. Won't fully boot. Unfortunately, I've had this experience before with other releases, and it almost always was something being wrong with the .iso that was downloaded. Even tried a usb startup and same experience.
Woes. PITA!
maskvp said:
I've had this experience before with other releases, and it almost always was something being wrong with the .iso that was downloaded. Even tried a usb startup and same experience.
Woes. PITA!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Make sure you burn your disks at a slow speed. Like 4x. Also try downloading over a stable wired connection. Use the md5 tool to check your download and your burn. If you can figure out when it is getting corrupt you have a fighting chance.
Reporting back. Finally got 10.10 to boot from a usb flashdrive by disabling the BootParameters. I guess 10.10 is so cutting edge my 2.5 yo toshiba can't boot it easily.
Reinstalled 10.04 without a hitch and since I didn't format my /home still kept everything. But I tried connecting by usb before any updates. No worky. And not after the 256M of updates either.
It's the phone I'm sure. Not really keen on flashing the ROM yet just to fix this. Recollection is that Samsung didn't put a good effort into this part of the phone. But I think again..
Why not eschew the usb for file transfers? I've got Bluetooth and wifi right here. Who needs clunky old usb? Adhoc network?
Ideas? Wifi would be easiest since my laptop doesn't have Bluetooth.
maskvp said:
Ideas? Wifi would be easiest since my laptop doesn't have Bluetooth.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think I mentioned in an earlier post that I use an app called ES File Explorer (free in the market) to navagate to a shared folder on my desktop.
My (samba) shared folder has no restrictions and works well. Only issue is I have to fix ownership and permissions on things copied over to the computer from the phone. If you choose to password protect yours let me know how that works out for you.
pietro_spina said:
I think I mentioned in an earlier post that I use an app called ES File Explorer (free in the market) to navagate to a shared folder on my desktop.
My (samba) shared folder has no restrictions and works well. Only issue is I have to fix ownership and permissions on things copied over to the computer from the phone. If you choose to password protect yours let me know how that works out for you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OK thanks. I'm going to investigate this. I take it ESFE works over the 3g connection as long as the host (my laptop) is connected to the internet?
maskvp said:
OK thanks. I'm going to investigate this. I take it ESFE works over the 3g connection as long as the host (my laptop) is connected to the internet?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It supports FTP for sure. I'm no security expert but I doubt its a good idea to share a samba share over the internet.
If you want remote access to you desktop there are secure methods for that. The method I would choose would depend on my desire/need for a remote connection.
If I just want to access my shared folder I would probably set up a VPN connection and then use ES FileExplorer.
To fully control the computer, use VNC or other "remote desktop" application.
Been reading up on Samba. It is the linux way lol. Also, I went and got a Bluetooth micro-adapter. Installed drivers from the repository.
Transferred some pics and music back and forth. All GUI based. Worked first time. I'm still this side of the learning curve but my base needs are met.
The Bluetooth works great but I'd like to learn a bit more about the wifi. Seems to me one should be able to move files with a VPN via the wireless adapters and no router. I just lack the knowledge and skill to do it.
But thanks for reminding me about the ES FileExplorer! As far as the permissions in Ubuntu for the shared folder I just checked the box under right-click- sharing options allow others to create and delete files from this folder. I think that works.
My Goal: To be able to backup all the files I want over my home wifi, either to my computer's hard drive, or to somewhere on the internet.
I thought this would be fairly simple. I have Titanium Media Sync, and I set it up to sync with dropbox. I have a lot of dropbox space (I know some tricks ). However, the 300MB file size limit means that I cannot backup my ROMS (they are too big).
This is a frustrating problem for me. I installed the filezilla server, and tried to connect to it via Titanium Media sync, but it didn't work. My idea is that it has something to do with the fact that I am using University internet, and I have a router (that I think is "NAT" though I don't know what that means).
So...what's the best option for me?? I'd rather not mess with all this ftp stuff if there is an easier way to transfer large files over my wifi.
I've considered SMB...but only because I heard of it somewhere...I actually have no idea what that is either hahaha
Hey,
I need a program to sync my movies folder via usb. I tried microsoft sync toy but it doesnt work with the tablet. Dropbox is no option and I think the Asus sync program doesnt have the ability.
the best one for over the air (not usb) is foldersync...building your own dropbox
it´s on the market
regards
Mr.Lee
Have you tried Dirsync?
http://www.dirsyncpro.org/download.html
Since neither FolderSync (which is great over WiFi) nor DirSync support MTP as far as I can see, your options are down to... errrrr... none. I do heartily recommend WiFi-based syncs with FolderSync though, and Titanium Media Sync may do the job as well (although I cannot recall if that provides sync over MTP connections as well).
I will try that but I am not happy. I fly frequently so I often push 10Gb and more up. That takes ages via Wifi.
Is there a know program to wirelesly sync contacts and agenda?
I did a search and this is the best I came up with :s
Cause the asus sync kinda sucks imo. You need to klick it at the tablet then pick dates on the computer and then hit sync? There is no way to do it automatically? HTC and Samsung do a WAY better job, but don't have such tablets :s
usern ameisval idandnot said:
I will try that but I am not happy. I fly frequently so I often push 10Gb and more up. That takes ages via Wifi.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh, yeah, with that kind of transfer volume you can at least shower, have dinner and have a nap in between (and after dinner as well, quite possibly). Isn't a card reader the best option then? (And maybe an extra card so you can transfer content to one card and have the next one pumped full in the meantime?). Do you have the dock as well? That would double your transfer rate, since you could use both cards to transfer at the same time in either a multiformat reader or several card readers used simultaneously.
I'm sorry if I am pursuing a lost cause, but I'm just trying to think with you here.
Netgear recently released a gigabit router so the speed to transfer over wifi will be a lot quicker.
Though yes, i do agree (or at least i can't find a solution myself), surely there must be an easier way to push large files from PC to the tablet.
I inserted the SD Card, however the copying function keeps on crashing for (for numerous small files in many folders)
There must be some software out there that supports MTP! Totally frustrating. I use goodsync to sync to my PC/ phone/ NAS but i can't sync anything to the tablet!
MartyHulskemper said:
Since neither FolderSync (which is great over WiFi) nor DirSync support MTP as far as I can see, your options are down to... errrrr... none. I do heartily recommend WiFi-based syncs with FolderSync though, and Titanium Media Sync may do the job as well (although I cannot recall if that provides sync over MTP connections as well).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What is the recommended way to sync back to your computer if you are using FolderSync? ie. SMB/ FTP/ SFTP etc? I have Windows7.
I dont quite understand your comment re: sync over MTP. Is FolderSync not providing that intermediary between the tablet and the PC? (ie. essentially synching over Wifi to MTP?)
Just want to push this topic!
I couldnt get Folder Sync to work. There are so many options available and it seems you need additional software installed on the computer. There are no manuals available Sync over Dropbox etc. is no option because of their file size limitations. Im using Isyncr now for my music files. Works awesome.
I still have to do the movies, etc. by hand
I want automatic, end-to-end encrypted backup to the cloud of any file(s) from my device with the ability to access them from my PC as well. (My Android device is already encrypted, and my PC is using whole disk encryption. I'm also doing encrypted TitaniumBackup's to the external SD card.)
I love FolderSync and have been using its automation rules to sync my data to DropBox. But I'm worried that my files are stored in DropBox and anyone who hacks them (or subpoenas them, though I'm more worried about hackers) will have access. So now that I want cloud encryption at rest, I see two potential options.
The first is a product called BoxCryptor that layers cross-platform client-side encryption onto DropBox. But I haven't downloaded it to play with and am not clear from the documentation if files can be modified and uploaded via their Android app or only accessed for reading. Further, to integrate BoxCryptor with my FolderSync setup would likely require some extra steps like a local copy to a "synced" folder first, and it seems like it could prove tricky or cumbersome.
So, I'm going with the second option, which is switching to the Amazon S3 cloud. FolderSync already supports S3 client side encryption, so I just need to do a few steps:
1) Create an access key in S3 with read/write permissions only for a new bucket I will create for my Android backup.
2) Add this new S3 account to FolderSync.
3) Modify my FolderSync synchronization rules to use the new S3 account.
VOILA! I will have my files encrypted at rest on my Android device, automatically backed up to S3 after client-side encryption, and then accessible from my PC via an S3 download tool like S3Fox. The only thing I think I will lose is the fancy autosync to PC that the DropBox client provides. But I figure if I search more I can likely find a similar S3 client for windows.
Any thoughts, suggestions, improvements?
Dearth of software supporting S3 client side encryption
So, I've been researching further, and it is a bit more complicated than I expected. I found that there appears to be very little out-of-the-box software that supports S3 client-side encryption.
The Android app FolderSync does (rather surprisingly, though it is labeled "experimental" in the release notes), but for the PC there is very little software that can decrypt client-side encrypted objects in S3. The s3cmd command line tool from s3tools.org does support it, so that may be what I use to sync to my PC. S3Fox certainly doesn't. I don't want to have the files only accessible from my Android.
Many tools support server-side encryption (which still uses keys you manage yourself and seems relatively secure), but since FolderSync doesn't support that, it doesn't help.
Backing up camera photos, messenger pics, contacts, documents etc. to Windows in their original format.
Smartphone: unrooted Mate9 with Android 8
What I used to do:
Connect my previous phone (rooted Ascend Mate) to Windows via USB, it's SD card got connected as a real mass storage device. I then ran a custom robocopy batch routine that backed up/mirrored all the important things to my computer. I folder mounted everything interesting from the internal memory to the SD card, like messenger pics.
This worked really great.
Problem I have now:
My new Mate9 does not support true USB mass storage connection anymore. It only supports this awful pseudo MTP file transfer connection to Windows.
This makes robocopy unusable because it only works with real drives with an assigned letters of course.
I really don't know what to do now.
Any cloud backup solution is not an option for me, because of sensitive data and slow internet. Full phone backups feel like an overkill and I cannot access the files on the computer directly.
I know that some people run a samba server or something on their phones to turn the storage into NAS drives. (Robocopy supports NAS I think) This seems to be maximum overkill and difficult to setup and resource intense but I'm interested if its the only way.
Any tips? Thank you
Don't know much about Windows, or MPT for that matter, but perhaps you could map your device (folders you need) to a letter drive? If I recall correctly, that mapping will allow you to read the files located on the MPT drive.
This is acually possible. I found a commercial software that lets you map a driver letter to an MTP device but it's $40.
Did some more research and getting a drive letter for Android storage over WiFi is acually stupidly easy.
Just install WebDav Server on Android and click the button. Then on Windows Explorer -> Map Network Driver and enter the IP displayed on Android. Thats literally it.
I only hope that I can get two drive letters for internal and external storage. Need to try.
So I found a complete solution that I'm VERY happy with!
Its running two WebDAV servers on Androind, one for accessing the internal storage and one for the sd card. This allows me to map 2 network drives in Windows and that means robocopy magic!
Here is how I did it:
1. Install the free app WebDAV Server Ultimate. This app allows you to run multiple servers at once AND let you specify custom storage paths. Both things that the other popular app WebDAV Server can't do!
2. Create two new servers in the app with the plus button and specify the according storage paths. Also make sure these two servers use different ports. The name can be specified freely. Click on the play button to start the servers.
3. Open the Windows Explorer and click "Map network drive" in the top bar. A new window pops up: Pick a drive letter you want and enter the Network IP of your smartphone and the port under "Folder" like this example sceme: \\192.168.178.01:8080 Also check the box "Reconect at logon" if you want the drives to still be there after a restart. The your current phone IP can be viewed in the WebDAV app when you klick on the info icon.
Thats it basically. After that you have your internal storage and sd card mapped to driveletters in Windows over WiFi. Just write your robocopy routine and do one click backups You can check "Keep the device fully alive" in the WebDAV app settings which helped stability and might improve speed. I got about 4-5 MB/s which isn't fast but fast enough for me.
One more thing:
If you use Windows 7 and you want to transfer files bigger 50 MB you have to do this registry workaround by Microsoft. For security reasons, Windows 7 limits WebDAV filetransfers at 50 MB by default.
Doomkeks said:
So I found a complete solution that I'm VERY happy with!.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good stuff, I'd consider making a how-to thread in your devices forum for others!