Backup and flash questions - EVO 4G Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

I rooted my Evo a while ago. Now I want to try a different rom and I am not clear about somethings. If the new rom requires a data wipe how can I migrate my data to the new rom?
I can use recovery to do a full backup then wipe and install the new rom. Can I then flash my old data back? Or would that not be considered a wipe? In other words does a wipe for a rom require all new data or is it OK that the data be "reinstalled"? Is the issue the actual contents of the data or the location in flash of the data partition?
If I can't use my existing data with a new rom is Titanium backup the only way to migrate existing data to a new rom?
Second, and related, is a basic question about partitions. If the size of a partition is fixed, at least at installation of a rom, then is there any benefit in deleting bloatware? If I install a rom that still has some sprint apps and then I delete one do I get that space back? Or is the size of that partition fixed so the deleted space is now empty but not available to my data partition?
Finally, if I install a rom that has new versions of an app is there an easy way to tell and to delete the version from data? For example if i have Google maps in data and then upgrade to a rom that has new maps how can I tell which is newer? Can I just uninstall the app in market, if the data version is older or the same as the rom?
Thanks for help with these basic questions.
I realize that I am missing a basic understanding of the "disk structure" of android. But I have not been able to figure out a good source to explain this.
Sent from my Xoom using XDA App

If the new rom requires a data wipe how can I migrate my data to the new rom?
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Contacts and calendar should be backed up to google, as long as they are "google contacts" and not "phone contacts".
Texts can be backed up with SMS Backup and Restore.
Pics should obviously be on the sd card.
Apps and their settings can be backed up and restored with Titanium Backup.
Using the above things, the ONLY thing that you should have to setup when flashing a new rom is: first, your google account, and then your homescreen layout and system settings. Keep in mind, Titanium will back these up for you, but this is NOT to be used to restore between roms, it is only to be used within the same rom. If you try to restore system settings and home screen layouts between roms, it will mess up the rom.
I can use recovery to do a full backup then wipe and install the new rom. Can I then flash my old data back? Or would that not be considered a wipe?
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No, as that would defeat the purpose of wiping data in the first place. I know it's a pain, but you NEED to wipe data when flashing roms, if you dont you WILL have many problems with the new rom. I've got it down to about 20 minutes from flashing a new rom to being fully set up again.

Related

backups and flashing

Can someone explain a few things about backups and ROM flashes, please?
I've got a custom ROM on my Desire, and I'm using an Ext partition to hold my apps using App2SD.
I've run a full backup with Titanium Backup.
If I want to wipe and flash a new ROM, how does it work?
I do a factory reset, wipe cache, wipe dalvic.
I then flash a new ROM. New ROM will presumably be faced with the apps I've already got on my SD card ext partition.
Do they just install back, or do they cause problems?
If I reinstall Titanium Backup on the new ROM and restore everything, do I end up with new ROM and all my old apps back as they were before?
Or do I need to wipe the ext partition too, before doing a restore?
Any pointers would be great.
Ric
Doing a factory reset wipes all apps so if you do that before flashing the ROM all the apps will be gone from your ext partition.
You can then restore your apps using titanium backup. Be careful though, your market apps are fine to restore but you should be very selective about restoring system apps. I only restore data on the green coloured system apps to get back things like SMS, my custom sense layout, that sort of thing.
If you go from sense to non-sense ROMs then you may not even want to do this much.

[Q] Regarding backups and restores. Please help!

Hello XDA, I am in need of great assistance regarding backups and restores, I am somewhat new and not very experienced with this. I'll keep this short.
Here is what I would like to do:
I have a Galaxy Nexus from the Play store and running 4.2.1 from a stock google image I flashed, I have it set up the way I want to with all my apps, etc. Turns out I don't like the performance from this version on my phone as it feels slugish so I want to either try a 4.2.1 ROM or go back to 4.1.2 but I don't want to set up everything again, both having to download the apps and setting them up the way I have them right now, same with my phone settings (brightness, keyboard settings, etc).
Can I do that and if so how? I have a pro version of Titanium Backup but having my backup restored on another rom breaks it and puts me in a boot loop upon reboot. I also tried making a nandroid backup but upon restoring it brought everything back, including the old ROM! Upon some reading I found out about the advance restore and to just restore data but that puts me back in the same boot loop on the new ROM.
Ultimately what I want to do is restore my phone and app settings in a simple way, I don't care about to manually downloading the apps but I do want to restore their settings and phone's settings in an easy way so I can safely try out new ROMs without having to set up every configuration again.
Please help me I've struggled with this for a while and it always keeps me from trying roms.
dont restore system apps/settings, that can cause you to get bootloops... you can try this if you want
- Backup your current setup either with TWRP or CWM (I prefer TWRP)
- Do a full wipe (cache/dalvik cache, system and factory reset)
- Flash the new ROM, gapps and your preferred kernel
- Restore ONLY data from the backup your made
- Reboot and enjoy
k786 said:
dont restore system apps/settings, that can cause you to get bootloops... you can try this if you want
- Backup your current setup either with TWRP or CWM (I prefer TWRP)
- Do a full wipe (cache/dalvik cache, system and factory reset)
- Flash the new ROM, gapps and your preferred kernel
- Restore ONLY data from the backup your made
- Reboot and enjoy
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Click to collapse
I think that's exactly what I did the last time, I created a backup in CWM, performed a full wipe, flashed the ROM, etc, booted up the phone, then went back into recovery and restored the data only from the advanced restore in CWM and that caused me to be stuck in a boot loop when I rebooted.
Could really use some help hopefully someone else can respond.
Zevh said:
I think that's exactly what I did the last time, I created a backup in CWM, performed a full wipe, flashed the ROM, etc, booted up the phone, then went back into recovery and restored the data only from the advanced restore in CWM and that caused me to be stuck in a boot loop when I rebooted.
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Restoring the /data partition is the problem, it contains the settings for both system and user apps. Probably some system settings are the issue.
Just use TB to restore user apps and their data and then selectively restore system data (NOT the system apps.) I usually restore only SMS/MMS, call logs, and WiFi access points.
Restore system data one or two apps at a time, rebooting after each restore. If bootloop or FC's occur then you know what not to restore next time. Just clear data for the effected app and continue.
Also, in TB the xml restore is usually a safer bet where it's available.
cschmitt said:
Restoring the /data partition is the problem, it contains the settings for both system and user apps. Probably some system settings are the issue.
Just use TB to restore user apps and their data and then selectively restore system data (NOT the system apps.) I usually restore only SMS/MMS, call logs, and WiFi access points.
Restore system data one or two apps at a time, rebooting after each restore. If bootloop or FC's occur then you know what not to restore next time. Just clear data for the effected app and continue.
Also, in TB the xml restore is usually a safer bet where it's available.
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This did it! Tried it yesterday and it worked, I got almost everything back, thanks!

Flashing without data loss

I have my concerns. I am trying to flash to the new Synergy ROM and when I was about to run it, it asked about wiping my data. I was never the type to install my apps to my SDcard because I wanted that open to my musical needs. Any recommendations how to keep all my apps alive? Thanks for you help guys.
dubjdub said:
I have my concerns. I am trying to flash to the new Synergy ROM and when I was about to run it, it asked about wiping my data. I was never the type to install my apps to my SDcard because I wanted that open to my musical needs. Any recommendations how to keep all my apps alive? Thanks for you help guys.
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there are several app backup options including Super Backup on the play store. it will allow you to backup apps, sms, contacts, call logs, etc. always do a full wipe before flashing a new rom. ask yourself how well you want your phone to perform on any particular firmware and then decide whether you want to wipe and flash or not. follow the developers instructions and wipe data.
i wouldn't suggest backing up any System related apps and restore on different rom though
if it is User Apps, you can do it
pcshano said:
i wouldn't suggest backing up any System related apps and restore on different rom though
if it is User Apps, you can do it
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To clear this up: DO NOT RESTORE SYSTEM APPS
But like mentioned, Super Backup or Titanium Backup will let you backup your apps' data and restore after a factory reset.

[Q] formatting data and flashing roms with tarp

probably a noob question but when you flash a new rom do you lose your contacts? i know you lose all apps and basically almost everything but what about contacts and if you do how do i restore them?
title edit: i meant twrp not tarp
nty123 said:
probably a noob question but when you flash a new rom do you lose your contacts? i know you lose all apps and basically almost everything but what about contacts and if you do how do i restore them?
title edit: i meant twrp not tarp
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Click to collapse
Wiping data will delete all ROM data, which includes contacts. Anything stored on the internal SD will not be wiped unless you select it under Advanced Wipe. Assuming your contacts are synced to Google, they will restore automatically after you add your Google account back.
Yes wiping data and flashing a new rom will physicaly wipe out your contacts from the phone. However they should be synced with google and reloaded after you sign in on the new rom. That is if you have contact sync enabled, which i believe it is by default. Verizion backups up your contacts too if you allowed them to with the vzw backup app. There are also apps like Titanium Backup which can backup and restore your contacts. I would just make sure google contacts sync is on and do a manual sync to make sure they are all backed up. Then flash away.
ok thanks to the both of you everything should be fine then when i can flash a new rom

[Q] How do I restore /system on same stock HTC 4.4.3 ROM and keep apps?

HTC Clock widget looks weird today after running filesystem repair in TWRP on /system, white background with white data so I am going to restore /system back up in TWRP as something is wrong when trying wp_mod.ko on my rooted S-ON HTC One M8 4.4.3 T-Mobile Sense 6.
But I have few questions as I only found how to restore to stock for warranty/returns or from different non-stock ROMs. ANd I have same stock ROM that I want to restore before /system got damaged.
I want to keep my apps and their data. Possibly home screens and settings to save lots of time.
I did back up user and system apps and their data in Titanium Backup and /data and /System partition in TWRP
1. When flashing different ROMs it is always required to do wipe in TWRP. What about if it is the same stock ROM?
If I want to just restore my /system partition backup before it got file system errors, what do I need to do exactly to keep my apps and settings if possible?
2. Is wipe to factory required?
3. WIpe just certain things and which?
4. Is there a way to back up and restore Xposed modules' settings?
Thank you in advance for help.
Hi,
1. Flashing different roms should always start with wiping system, data, cache and dalvik. Use titanium backup to backup your user apps. And you can restore them after. Don't restore sysyem apps. Usually if you are just flashing an update of the same rom, you can dirty flash, unless the Dev says otherwise. That means just going into recovery and flashing the rom update. No wiping. If you have any issues though, the first thing you'll be told is to clean flash.
2. For a different rom, yes. See number one.
3. See number one.
4. See number one... Titanium backup.
As far as system settings, like sounds and what not... You will have to set them again after a clean flash. If you use a launcher from the play store, like Nova for example... You can backup with titanium and restore after and your home screens will be restored. With the stock launchers, no. You will have to arrange them again.
Hope that helps. ?

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