Develop Bugs

ROM Change - Best way to keep the apps and files

Hi all,
I'm thinking about the change the ROM. What is the best way to keep all my apps and files? Can I just backup with Titanium Backup and restore it? I'm not sure if the SD card will be restored too through a factory reset.

I use MyBackup Pro - Paid app but does all the work for you in theory. Backs up everything. Quite cheap for a backup app.

And what's with the SD card? If I'm not completely wrong, I think the SD card is going to be deleted...

Maerki said:
And what's with the SD card? If I'm not completely wrong, I think the SD card is going to be deleted...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not unless you want it all to be deleted. When I flash a new ROM and wipe data, it doesn't delete the files on it, all my wallpapers are still in there and APK's I want to install.

I use titanium backup, a complete backup tool for root users which works really well

I use titanium, it works great even the free one
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium

Titanium Backup all the way mate.
There is a special partition layout that prevents the SD card (/dev/media) from being wiped. The only exception is if you flash a stock Google ROM - that will wipe the SD card.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA App

my backup root is the way to go saves all apks and data as well as photos, txts, call log, and most settings only have to redo a couple things whenever i flash

also think about using a custom launcher to preserve your homescreen setups, most people are loving NOVA launcher available here in the forums and it allows you to backup all your home screens so that after you push your new rom you wont have to re-set up your shortcuts.

I use both Clockwork and TiBu. I have never flashed a ROM that alsoformats my card, but I suppose its possible.
However, I have not always had good luck with TiBu restoring all icons and widgets. Apps and data always come across fine, except in cases of dramatically different ROM versions, like jumping from Gingerbread to ICS where data like contacts can fail to transfer. No big deal because I just re-sync with Outlook.
Sent from my Inspire 4G using Tapatalk

For those using MyBackupPro, anyone have issues when backing up just data?
When I select data and use the default directory, /mnt/sdcard, I get "Error during backup:unable to open database file." Using version 3.0.6. I usually just tell it to backup SMS,MMS,Call Log.

Titanium backup synced to Dropbox

Full wipe and still no space..

So I've been using paranoid android for a while and I've been wanting to go to Slim Bean rom for a while. So i flashed everything correctly blah blah performed full wipe etc. Directly after the full wipe and flashing it says i have 866 MB available.. How is that possible? I just performed a full wipe, every piece of data is gone.. No apps, music, pics, or cached data and have not even a single GB of data available?
Before switching ROMS i deleted all of my themeing data - custom lockscreen and wallpaper data and widgets. They take up a ton of space. But none of that is on my phone anymore.. Why the hell am I only being granted that tiny amount of space?

Just so we're on the same page, where does it say 866mb and what all was wiped in by our full wipe?

It says 866 MB on the storage setting in settings menu and on the internal storage menu on my computer - when i plug the phone in

I would check your nandroid backups as well as your ''0'', see if there are copies of it.

You wiped your internal SD card from recovery? Or did you just wipe data?
Sent from my SGH-I747 using xda premium

Rawbster said:
So I've been using paranoid android for a while and I've been wanting to go to Slim Bean rom for a while. So i flashed everything correctly blah blah performed full wipe etc. Directly after the full wipe and flashing it says i have 866 MB available.. How is that possible? I just performed a full wipe, every piece of data is gone.. No apps, music, pics, or cached data and have not even a single GB of data available?
Before switching ROMS i deleted all of my themeing data - custom lockscreen and wallpaper data and widgets. They take up a ton of space. But none of that is on my phone anymore.. Why the hell am I only being granted that tiny amount of space?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In order to completely wipe the device, you need to wipe the sd card from recovery, or with a file manager.
Try this:
1. Download your favorite root file manager (My favorite is Root Browser Lite)
2. Check to see if your /sdcard folder is empty alternatively you can go to /data/media/0 to check this
3. If it is try navigating to /data/media/legacy/ this will be all of your stored files from before flashing to 4.2
Before deleting make sure you aren't deleting your clockwork folder or TWRP folder because that is likely where any nandroid backups would be located
If I have helped slap that thanks button please.

aeppacher said:
In order to completely wipe the device, you need to wipe the sd card from recovery, or with a file manager.
Try this:
1. Download your favorite root file manager (My favorite is Root Browser Lite)
2. Check to see if your /sdcard folder is empty alternatively you can go to /data/media/0 to check this
3. If it is try navigating to /data/media/legacy/ this will be all of your stored files from before flashing to 4.2
Before deleting make sure you aren't deleting your clockwork folder or TWRP folder because that is likely where any nandroid backups would be located
If I have helped slap that thanks button please.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok, so I deleted a few things from my 0 file because it had duplicates of existing files in it. I gained about 1 gb of extra space from that, thanks.
But now when I go redownload an app that I once had ( i.e widget locker ) it says unknown error code during application install : -24
I was searching and I think i may have deleted the widget locker that was located in my "0" folder. Is there a way around this? Can i make a new folder titled Widget Locker or something?

Try format data.
Sent from my SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 2

pcshano said:
Try format data.
Sent from my SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know how to do that but will it erase all of my data?

Rawbster said:
I know how to do that but will it erase all of my data?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yep it will wipe everything,
so make sure you save all your photo, documents before you format

pcshano said:
yep it will wipe everything,
so make sure you save all your photo, documents before you format
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ok i'll be sure to do so. apps as well?

Rawbster said:
ok i'll be sure to do so. apps as well?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well if you want, make sure you save the backup on your computer
Sent from my SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

[Q] Flash GNex without losing data

Hi!
My nexus is becoming somewhat slow and laggy... Well, I don't format the phone since last year and I've made some updates so it's alright, but I want a easy way to flash the stock rom again and don't lose data.
I want to keep the data from some games (apps), my SD data and contacts, everything else I don't mind if erased. I made the backup of the SD in my PC but I don't know how to backup only the data from specific apps (not the app, just the "saves").
I have titanium backup in my phone but I don't know how to export its backups to the computer... I think I need some help xd
Thanks!

Rayaxe said:
Hi!
My nexus is becoming somewhat slow and laggy... Well, I don't format the phone since last year and I've made some updates so it's alright, but I want a easy way to flash the stock rom again and don't lose data.
I want to keep the data from some games (apps), my SD data and contacts, everything else I don't mind if erased. I made the backup of the SD in my PC but I don't know how to backup only the data from specific apps (not the app, just the "saves").
I have titanium backup in my phone but I don't know how to export its backups to the computer... I think I need some help xd
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
assuming that you have unlocked bootloader
flash stock images with fastboot except userdata.img

Just backup with TiBu and don't wipe your SD card.

NOOB Q About Memory

Hi All,
Hopefully this should be a very quick question. I'm loading CM onto my phone, and this is the first ROM I've ever used. I've loaded CWM, made a backup, and I'm about ready to go and load CW on. I've noticed though that out of the 5 or so gig the phone comes with for internal memory, about 4gb is used up. Is this just the system and the back up and apps?? It seems quite a lot. Will CM fill this up further? Will I encounter any issues?
I hope thats all clear, but excuse me for being a beginner.
EDIT: This is now even more relevant now CM is flashed. I've just looked in the file viewer, and there's still all the folders etc from the old samsung, and amazonmp3 etc etc. I thought the "wipe data/factory reset" in CWM would have cleared all this.....
Many thanks for looking.

floateruk said:
Hi All,
Hopefully this should be a very quick question. I'm loading CM onto my phone, and this is the first ROM I've ever used. I've loaded CWM, made a backup, and I'm about ready to go and load CW on. I've noticed though that out of the 5 or so gig the phone comes with for internal memory, about 4gb is used up. Is this just the system and the back up and apps?? It seems quite a lot. Will CM fill this up further? Will I encounter any issues?
I hope thats all clear, but excuse me for being a beginner.
EDIT: This is now even more relevant now CM is flashed. I've just looked in the file viewer, and there's still all the folders etc from the old samsung, and amazonmp3 etc etc. I thought the "wipe data/factory reset" in CWM would have cleared all this.....
Many thanks for looking.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Factory reset only wipes the data partition. For the first time installing a custom ROM, and especially going from stock to cm for the first time, you should wipe the system partition which can be done from cwm.
Sent from the dark side of the moon.
Want to know how to boost your devices performance and battery life? See my thread here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2495269

iKlutz said:
Factory reset only wipes the data partition. For the first time installing a custom ROM, and especially going from stock to cm for the first time, you should wipe the system partition which can be done from cwm.
Sent from the dark side of the moon.
Want to know how to boost your devices performance and battery life? See my thread here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2495269
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi again.
So I finally got round to trying to get this sorted.... and I'm failing. I've booted into CWM, rerun the "wipe/data factory reset", rerun the "wipe cache" then went into "mounts and storage" and did a format of the system partition, but it still hasn't cleared any of the data.
Am I doing something incorrectly? I didn't want to play around with it too much, in case i bork it all. Any help would be massively appreciated.
Also, I'm a bit concerned about what formatting the system partition will do. Does it just clear the rom already on there, and I can then flash Cyanogenmod back on from my sd card?
Thanks

floateruk said:
Hi again.
So I finally got round to trying to get this sorted.... and I'm failing. I've booted into CWM, rerun the "wipe/data factory reset", rerun the "wipe cache" then went into "mounts and storage" and did a format of the system partition, but it still hasn't cleared any of the data.
Am I doing something incorrectly? I didn't want to play around with it too much, in case i bork it all. Any help would be massively appreciated.
Also, I'm a bit concerned about what formatting the system partition will do. Does it just clear the rom already on there, and I can then flash Cyanogenmod back on from my sd card?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Formatting system partition wipes the currently installed rom / system apps.
How do you know that it is not wiping the data? If you do a system format and your rom still boots then it isn't working properly.
It could be a problem with the version of recovery (cwm / twrp) that you're using. It can't hurt to update it, which could be the case here.
Good luck. Let me know how it goes.
Sent from the dark side of the moon.

iKlutz said:
Formatting system partition wipes the currently installed rom / system apps.
How do you know that it is not wiping the data? If you do a system format and your rom still boots then it isn't working properly.
It could be a problem with the version of recovery (cwm / twrp) that you're using. It can't hurt to update it, which could be the case here.
Good luck. Let me know how it goes.
Sent from the dark side of the moon.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for coming back so quickly!
So if you see the attached, this is what I'm looking at. The phone has 5.5gb internal memory, of which, looking at the below, I'm using about 1.5gb, BUT I only have 1gb left to use, and I get warnings about lack of memory.... So there's 3gb being used for.... I don't know.
When I first put cyanogen on, I noticed that the file structure from stock was still there (i.e. all the folder my old apps made). I expected when I put CM on that it would wipe everything, including all of those folders.

You can try an app called es file explorer, it has a feature that fully scans the contents of the internal SD card.
It should show a list of all the folders from the old stock data folders. You can multi select and delete what you want.
Another option which is more efficient, is to make a full backup of all the internal data in your PC. Then fully format the internal SD card via cwm and transfer which contents you need back from the PC such as photos and music. Asides from photos, music and other media items, most of those internal SD contents aren't needed as Android uses these folders for app data etc.
Always make back ups.
Your welcome.
Sent from the dark side of the moon.

iKlutz said:
You can try an app called es file explorer, it has a feature that fully scans the contents of the internal SD card.
It should show a list of all the folders from the old stock data folders. You can multi select and delete what you want.
Another option which is more efficient, is to make a full backup of all the internal data in your PC. Then fully format the internal SD card via cwm and transfer which contents you need back from the PC such as photos and music. Asides from photos, music and other media items, most of those internal SD contents aren't needed as Android uses these folders for app data etc.
Always make back ups.
Your welcome.
Sent from the dark side of the moon.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I have got ES File explorer. I couldn't find a "scan" but I've gone through all the folder on my device and I can see the following:
/storage - 3.83gb
/mnt - 2.11gb
/sdcard - 893mb
A lot of this seems to be duplicated though.... The stuff on mnt seems to be a shortcut to whats in sdcard, and all that in storage seems to be in the other two. I don't technically think it's all duplicated, but different ways to get to the same stuff, which makes me very nervous about deleting any of it....

Just got a liitle program to give a break down. See attached.
Surely my system data shouldn't be that big?

I recommend you make a full back up in your PC and format the SD card and transfer the contents of your current SD folder back. I've done it before on different devices, I do it on first root / cm install coming from stock because of all the old obsolete data. Apps like clean master won't removing it because it's marked as important for stock users. It shouldn't be a problem.
Note:
Having different links to the data partition is normal. It's purpose is compatibility.
Sent from the dark side of the moon.
---------- Post added at 12:01 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:54 AM ----------
It's possible that's reserved for the system. Mine is similar. You can still use it if you convert user apps into system ones.
Sent from the dark side of the moon.

iKlutz said:
I recommend you make a full back up in your PC and format the SD card and transfer the contents of your current SD folder back. I've done it before on different devices, I do it on first root / cm install coming from stock because of all the old obsolete data. Apps like clean master won't removing it because it's marked as important for stock users. It shouldn't be a problem.
Note:
Having different links to the data partition is normal. It's purpose is compatibility.
Sent from the dark side of the moon.
---------- Post added at 12:01 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:54 AM ----------
It's possible that's reserved for the system. Mine is similar. You can still use it if you convert user apps into system ones.
Sent from the dark side of the moon.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just found this: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2083107
It's something to do with backups. I'm gonna read through that thread and see if I can find out what I can/can't delete without bricking the phone.
Massively appreciate your time and repsonses on this iKlutz. Just out of interest, did you do a backup when you installed a rom? Have you found that the backup is this big??

Use ES file explorer or other file manager with root explorer capabilities.
Go to /data/media
You should see:
0
clockworkmod
legacy
obb
In clockworkmod folder I've found a backup (2.0GB) that was made by mistake to internal sotrage, since I allways do backup in CWM Recovery to external SD.
Deleted and 2.0GB were gained.

luisbraz said:
Use ES file explorer or other file manager with root explorer capabilities.
Go to /data/media
You should see:
0
clockworkmod
legacy
obb
In clockworkmod folder I've found a backup (2.0GB) that was made by mistake to internal sotrage, since I allways do backup in CWM Recovery to external SD.
Deleted and 2.0GB were gained.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmmm. Data/Media is empty.... I might delete the back up from CWM. If the worst happens, I can always flash from the external SD card can't i? Do I "need" that back up of the device when it was stock?

floateruk said:
Hmmm. Data/Media is empty.... I might delete the back up from CWM. If the worst happens, I can always flash from the external SD card can't i? Do I "need" that back up of the device when it was stock?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do not delete.
Copy the folder(s) that you have in the "backup" to the external SD card to the "backup" folder in the "clockworkmod" folder.
Then, you can delete the backup folder located in "data/media/clockworkmod/".
I allways save the backup of the stock ROM's.
To restore in CWM recovery, simply choose "restore from external SD card". And to backup, choose "backup to external SD card", or it will backup to the internal memory.

floateruk said:
Hmmm. Data/Media is empty.... I might delete the back up from CWM. If the worst happens, I can always flash from the external SD card can't i? Do I "need" that back up of the device when it was stock?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you solve the issue?

luisbraz said:
Did you solve the issue?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No.... I don't really know what to do with it.
I've got an s3 mini with Cyanogen and CWM and the system data portion is only 54mb.
I might go into CWM and start deleting things. If I delete the backup I made of my stock phone when I first rooted and added CWM, I can't see too many issues.... I can always flash a stock ROM again can't I?

floateruk said:
No.... I don't really know what to do with it.
I've got an s3 mini with Cyanogen and CWM and the system data portion is only 54mb.
I might go into CWM and start deleting things. If I delete the backup I made of my stock phone when I first rooted and added CWM, I can't see too many issues.... I can always flash a stock ROM again can't I?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, using Odin you can flash stock ROM again.
Next time do the backups in CWM to the external SD card!

Damaged CM11 and limited ability to access my backups

I ran in quite a bad trouble on my Nexus 7.
I a using bruce2728's version of CM11 ( http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2545628 ) which is from my point of view the best around.
Last version got pretty nasty fc when using ART (which is my daily driver). This happens. I rebooted in Recovery (TWRP) and tryied flashing my previous ROM over. Unfortunately I ended up with a screwed up CM11. Notifications don't show up, neither does the top menu with parameters, etc... The home button is not working either. I can boot. I can launch applications (Most of which are ok). #g Network doesn't work anymore either, but Wifi does.
I obviously wiped cache & dalvick, also wiped system just in case. No improvement.
So... I thought to go for a factory reset. However as far as I understand if I do that in TWRP, I will lose my data. Which I don't want...I back up everything with Titanium backup on a regular basis. But I am now in a situation where I cannot access my internal SD card from my PC. Whenever I connect the Nexus to the PC, I can see the device but when I click on it I can't see any data. I tried disabling re-enabling MTP, tried disable-enabling USB debug, wiped all drivers from my PC and then reinstalled... Never works. The Nexus shows up, but always an empty folder.
It's extremely frustrating. The ROM half works (at least enough to access my data) but I just can't move them out
I am left with the possibility to upload my data to Gdrive or DropBox but it will take weeks to upload and then redownload (I am on a slow Wifi)
Is there anyway I can wipe the system data without touching my Internal SD Card? I guess that would be the right solution, then reinstall the ROM. I also thought about backing up with TWRP, but given the size of what is being backed up it very much looks like I am backing up my System data and not my internal SD card.
Aaah it's so frustrating not to have any external SD... Was so simple to fix on my Samsung

Do you have all your data backed up to sd?
Factory reset will wipe only /cache and /data NOT /sdcard with titanium backups
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app

Ra1nst0rm said:
Do you have all your data backed up to sd?
Factory reset will wipe only /cache and /data NOT /sdcard with titanium backups
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Only the system data and a few stuff. Pics, etc are on my SD card. Don't wanna lose them.
But do you mean my /sdcard is protected from factory reset? I am on TWRP I thought factory reset also takes away the sdcard
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app

Alcibiade said:
Only the system data and a few stuff. Pics, etc are on my SD card. Don't wanna lose them.
But do you mean my /sdcard is protected from factory reset? I am on TWRP I thought factory reset also takes away the sdcard
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can just select advanced wipe and choose system,dalvik cache,cache and thats all.then just reinstall your current rom and you shouldnt lose any of your sdcard files

Ra1nst0rm said:
You can just select advanced wipe and choose system,dalvik cache,cache and thats all.then just reinstall your current rom and you shouldnt lose any of your sdcard files
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's what I initially did. But unfortunately it didn't fix my ROM at all
Still completely screwed
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app

Try to boot into recovery - plug phone in pc and start adb. Then use - adb pull /sdcard/ /sdcard
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app

Ra1nst0rm said:
Try to boot into recovery - plug phone in pc and start adb. Then use - adb pull /sdcard/ /sdcard
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks that was the next think I was considering. Was just a bit busy to reinstall the android dev framework. Will try. Crossing finger for it to work.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app