Flashing without data loss - AT&T, Rogers, Bell, Telus Samsung Galaxy S III

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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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.

Related

[Q] A few questions about flashing ROMs

Hey All,
I am curious about a few things...
I had a couple/few nandroid back ups that were stored on my phone, do you all only keep 1 nandroid and delete your previous backups?
I am running mikfroyo and flashed another ROM about 2 days ago, had some issues so I went back to mik. I think I may have done it in a way that nobody else does...I did it like I was flashing it for the first time, wipe everything and flash from sd card.
Should I have just did a nandroid restore? What does this actually bring back? Text, recent calls, apps?
When doing a nandroid restore should I wipe all before doing so? I would imagine the answer is yes.
And one more, before switching to any new ROM, should I always flash Caulkins Format All zip?
Thank you.
Nand restore will restore everything that was on your phone when you made the backup. Definitely a good idea to flash the zip when installing a new ROM. I also do it to restore though.
When you restore, unless you are backing up the cache, which isn't necessary, you need to minimally wipe the cache/dalvik before you restore. Also, if your SD Card is partitioned, you would need to wipe SD EXT. I pretty much flash Calk's format all anytime I restore or flash a new ROM.
I almost never have one back up. I have a few ROMs I like so, I set them up the way I want and restore between them when I get bored, which is like 100 times a day it feels like.
I do usually only keep the latest backup of any one ROM though. At any given time I probably have at least 5.
Edit: I re-read your post and I think I misunderstood one part the first time. Sometimes, when I got back to a previous ROM, I do just reflash it and start over, but I am anal about fresh starts. Usually I do just nand restore, especially if I know the setup was running well. I don't typically restore a lot between ROMs b/c I feel like it just adds to something that can go wrong. A lot of times I redownload apps instead of restoring, especially if they are purchased, since they are just stored in my apps in the market anyway. And I never restore app data. Usually end up only restoring about 30 apps w/out data, but most people do backup/restore a lot of info with no problems.
You should have just restore from a previous backup. When you restore, it bring ti back to EXACTLY how it was, texts, number of calls, ect. Actually you don't need to wipe when doing a restore. Well you can manually wipe all of them, or flash the format all, so I'm saying yes.
Also, I suggest against wiping data before creating a nandroid backup, lol. That would defeat the purpose, as your info and apps will be gone! Just wipe cache and davlik before a backup, or nothing at all, just so there's no confusion.
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App
Yeah, I didn't mean to wipe anything before backing up. But if your going to restore a different ROM and there's no cache included in the nand back up you're going to restore, then best to wipe it before you restore.
jstalford said:
Also, if your SD Card is partitioned, you would need to wipe SD EXT. I pretty much flash Calk's format all anytime I restore or flash a new ROM.
It is partitioned, what gets stored on there that needs to be wiped, apps?
Thanks for your help
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is partitioned, what gets stored on there that needs to be wiped, apps?
Thanks for your help
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If the ROM has a2sd built in, yeah, if not, nothing. I always wipe it just so I'm in the habit of doing it for when it's there. Also depending on how a2sd is set up, dalvik can be on there.

Backup and flash questions

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?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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.

[Q] How to upgrade rom without data wipe

Hello,
I have an Amazon Kindle Fire with gedeROM v1.7. I love the updates because it makes my device better and better.
But can i update my device without data wipe so i don't have to reinstall and reconfigure the entire device every time. And if I can can someone please tell me how.
My usual procedure is download file, data wipe, clear davlik and cache, flash, wipe cache restart and wonderfull a better device. But all the data and apps go with the wipe so any help would be awesome!
Thnx for all the help!!
Moaely said:
My usual procedure is download file, data wipe, clear davlik and cache, flash, wipe cache restart and wonderfull a better device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you're not switching to a different ROM (ie, from CM7 to CM9, or from hashcode to energy...) then you can optionally skip the data wipe (factory reset), which will retain your data and applications...
Alternatively, you may want to take a look at Titanium Backup.
Thnx for the info.
I have been hearing a lot about Titanium Backup, can you give more info about the program.
With TB you can back up any apps on your device. Then when you update a rom just download TB again and then you can restore your apps that you backed up. I love TB and use it on every device that I have rooted. It is a lifesaver!! Ok maybe a time saver anyway!! LOL!!!!
I had a REALLY bad experience from not wiping everything completely. I'd definitely do a backup, like Titanium or MyBackupPro, and wipe it all just to be safe. To many goofy things can happen if you don't.
It really depends on what ROM your flashing. There are rare occasions you can cross flash without issue. Not recommended. Just updating the same ROM so wipe is necessary, unless mentioned by the dev.
If you do wipe than BUYING titanium backup is the way to go. The free version doesn't auto install apps, each needs confirmation.
I can get any ROM on the kf or my gnex but up and running in less than 15 minutes.
this is what I have been doing and I am not sure if it's bad to do or not. I make a backup of just my data using twrp, then I wipe the caches and do a factory reset. Then I install the rom, and then restore my data using twrp
chris_m128 said:
this is what I have been doing and I am not sure if it's bad to do or not. I make a backup of just my data using twrp, then I wipe the caches and do a factory reset. Then I install the rom, and then restore my data using twrp
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Restoring your backed up data is akin to not having done "factory reset" in the first place.
You shouldn't encounter any major issues so long as you're flashing newer versions of the same ROM and there hasn't been a large change (for example, switching to linaro).

[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
Click to expand...
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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This did it! Tried it yesterday and it worked, I got almost everything back, thanks!

[Q] Will Wipe system and data in TWRP wipe out my ROM but not my back-ups?

Hey,
I an trying to wipe my ROM and reinstall a fresh ROM. In TWRP Recovery, if I hit wipe system and data wipe, will that effect my back-ups on TWRP? Trying wipe the current one and restore the very first backup after installing the revolution HD M8 9.1 .
Only wiping Internal SD will wipe twrp backups. So wiping system, data and caches should be fine.
Sometimes things go wrong though. Good to have a backup of a backup off the device. And/or another rom zip. Titanium backup backups are good to store off device too. And pics, etc.
Bad things happen... And it's a drag when all your stuff goes away. :good:
Storing things as backup on an external sd is good too... But not fool proof either.
Darth said:
Sometimes things go wrong though. Good to have a backup of a backup off the device. And/or another rom zip. Titanium backup backups are good to store off device too. And pics, etc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agree to all the above. Always give yourself multiple ways out of a jam; and taking a few minutes to backup off-device is a great way to avoid regret and headaches.

Categories

Resources