[Q] Include 'Preload' in Nandroid of Stock 4.1.2? - T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy S II SGH-T989

I noticed in TWRP 2.5 that there is the option to backup/restore 'Preload'. I have also read that the ROMs based on TMo 4.1.2 need preload working properly to boot, unlike previous ROMs. Should that option to include it be checked when backing up and restoring the stock 4.1.2-based ROMs?
I've also noticed that the the Preload size is 0 when backing up other roms in TWRP, so I haven't concerned myself with it. Before TWRP 2.5, I knew nothing of preload (I guess I still don't really know anything). Any thoughts?

Well, I guess I'll find out what to do by trial (and error?). I backed up JMT JB3 (including preload) to flash the Koodo update and run it for a while. I'll restore it later on and see how it boots.

I'm not sure how it works. I'm on JMT3 myself right now. I used ODIN to update to the official release when it came out, and it was doing fine, but I wanted to try some of the custom ROMs out there that are based on it. I was rooted with CWM, and did the usual backup that has worked since I can remember. I don't remember what ROM I tried next, but I didn't like it much, so I restored my back up. It restored correctly, or so I thought. After some use I started getting FC here and there. I couldn't fix it, so I did a factory reset from within the phones settings, not through recovery. As soon as it tried to reboot I kept getting a boot loop. I never was able to get it booted. I was able to boot to recovery, flash cache and wipe scripts that were recommended, and flashed JMT3. All is good now. I know trying a cache wipe or factory reset through CWM won't work since I tried it before, so I didn't even try it for this one.
So long story short I don't know how CWM (or any recovery) handles the preload. All I know is the scripts work to flash clean, or wipe cache/dalvik/fix perms, but I haven't gotten them to work after restoring a back up. My thinking is to be careful until someone figures it out because I don't think backing up will help if I ever need to. I'll have to start fresh each time I want to flash anything.
Here are the scripts I'm talking about: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2235141

Thanks for sharing your experience. I have those same scripts handy - had to use them when I flashed JMT3.
If or when I restore, I figure I'll wipe my current preload and restore the preload in my JMT backup, then flash the Infamous cache wipe script (or equivalent function in recovery if TWRP develops something similar). I'll post again to share my results when the time comes.

I ended up wanting to restore old stock 4.0.4 in TWRP 2.5.0.0 recovery. Part of me wanted to do it just so I could test the backup/restore of the preload.
I first backed up my current rom (stock Koodo/Telus 4.1.2) with the cache and preload included. I then wiped data, system, caches and preload, and ran the restore of my old backup. The 4.0.4 booted just fine. Once I was done checking for the info that I wanted, I went back to recovery and wiped all the same stuff (everything except internal and external SD) under advanced wipe options. I then restored my stock Koodo/Telus 4.1.2 backup. It seems to be running fine now although I haven't experimented much to test for any FCs. It didn't seem to have any issues booting at least.
I may have been doing some excessive wiping - I assume restoring a partition also formats it before overwriting it. I'm not even sure I needed to wipe anything to restore 4.0.4, but I didn't want a preload (110 mb) causing issues in a rom that doesn't need it at all. In any case, I know what can be done to avoid issues restoring stock 4.1.2, although I'm still not sure what needs to be done to avoid issues.

You did it exactly right. When using a 4.1.2 Samsung rom, be it custom or stock, and backing up or restoring; the preload folder is just as important as data or system. Basically the point of the preload patition is to get the system partition to fit. By symlinking the apps from preload to system Samsung has saved room and allowed a bigger rom to work on our hardware.
As an example, I am on TWRP 2.4.? and cannot backup preload. When I tried a different rom, then went back to my backup I had FCs like crazy. Because I had used the Infamous wipe script it had wiped the preload folder but there was nothing to restore to it from my backup. I had to reflash the rom I was using (really I just wanted the preload folder installed) and then restore my backup to get it working.
I hope all this makes sense. I'm going to Twrp 2.5 so I can backup my preload folder (when I stop being lazy).
Thanks guys.

Related

Some good old noob questions

I was looking to flash to Bakedsnack 1.8 with ROM manager, has anyone done this successfully? Or would you recommend doing it a different way. I ran the backup current ROM for the standard one that came with phone just rooted... but does that save EVERYTHING??
Yes, a nand backup saves EVERYTHING. Think of it like having a clone of your hard drive on your computer. If something goes wrong with your new ROM you restore a nand backup and everything is there.
Backing up through ROM Manager is fine. Make sure you do a complete data wipe and cache clear before flashing your new ROM of choice. If you don't do the data wipe and cache clearing you will likely end up going into a boot loop after flashing the new ROM. If that happens it isn't a big deal. You'll simply have to reflash the ROM, this time remembering to do the data wipe and cache clear.

[Q] Wiping then restoring with CWM

This is a Noob question, if I wipe data and cache 3 times with CWM and then restore a backup created just before with CWM doesn't it put back all the stuff that I tried to wipe for clean ROM flashing? Or is there garbage in there that does not get backed up and restored?
Thanks.
It will put pretty much everything back. It doesn't backup and restore the kernel, though.
So what is the purpose of wiping 3 times. Does that allow the new ROM kernel to install properly? Then we can restore everything back on top of the new kernel? The main reason I ask is after flashing a new ROM and only wiping once (I know!) about once every other day my txt messages get stuck sending. I have to reboot to send and then the clock starts again until this reoccurs. So is it best to backup with CWM, wipe 3 times, flash, then restore with CWM?
Thanks.
Wiping three times is because there has been a question about whether clockwork 2.5.x wipes certain partitions properly. Apparently it returns back from the function much faster than it should. Some people do seem to have intermittent problems when wiping once. I generally only wipe once between roms, but if anything isn't working right I go back and wipe 3x and reinstall.
Generally, when you wipe something, you aren't going to be restoring it all back. You want to wipe between different roms because certain things may be set up differently in the two and you may get weird glitches and force closes. If you are wiping to get rid of a bug, then you shouldn't restore a buggy backup or you will probably still have the bug.
You can try doing a reinstall of the base rom, wiping first of course. Then you can go restore->advanced restore->restore data to get apps and settings back. See if you still have the problem. If so, then you're going to have to wipe again and reinstall the base rom, but DONT restore your backup. You may be able to carry some apps and settings across with something like Titanium if you absolutely can't start from scratch again.
AH! Now I get it...thank you for that explanation. Tried the 3X wipe today with restore from CWM 2.5.1 so will wait and see if the SMS problem shows up again. Thank you again.

[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] Now CM 10, 4.1.2 going to 4.2.2. How easy to go back?

I've been running CM 10, 4.1.2, on Verizon gn. Works fine.
But I can't leave well enough alone, and want to try 4.2.2.
That should be easy right, just flash the recent CM 10.1. No cache wiping. Right?
But if I do that and I don't like it. how do I go back? Is it as simple as just flashing CM 10?
Also, I have Ti backup. The backup folder is sdcard/TitaniumBackup. I've read that 4.2.2 creates /sdcard/0/ for data. Does this mean that my present backup will be deleted?
Any help appreciated.
Since you are migrating Android versions, I would recommend that you do a full wipe, so system, data, and cache (and restore apps from TiBu if you must). You can do a nandroid backup from recovery; if you don't like 4.2 just restore it. When restoring a nandroid backup everything will be exactly the same.
seandarcy said:
Also, I have Ti backup. The backup folder is sdcard/TitaniumBackup. I've read that 4.2.2 creates /sdcard/0/ for data. Does this mean that my present backup will be deleted?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just upgraded from 4.1.2 to 4.2.2 and had the same concern about being able to go back if I had problems and knowing that the partitioning of internal storage would be changed.
I recently got my GN back from Samsung after getting the screen replaced. Before sending it off, I totally wiped and reset the phone to stock. I made sure I did a full Ti backup first, then a Nandroid backup, and finally copied the entire contents of internal storage via "adb pull" to my desktop computer. When I got the phone back, I reversed the process and was able to restore the phone entirely to where it was before the wipe.
I did the same operation before upgrading to 4.2.2, without wiping the phone. So if I'd have wanted to go back to 4.1.2, I'd have wiped the phone, including internal storage, and restored as described above. I'm pretty confident that this would have removed the new partitioning from 4.2.2 and reset it to where it was before the 4.2.2 upgrade.
Sorry to be dense, but...
So I do a nandroid backup from TWRP 2.4.4.0, system, data and cache
From TWRP flash the CM 4.2.2.
Do nandroid restore from TWRP?
Flash gapps, restore apps from TiBu.
Now if want to go back to 4.1.2:
Flash 4.1.2, wipe system data cache.
Flash gapps, restore apps from TiBu
Do I have this correct?
Nandroid the entire thing from TWRP, wipe system, data and cache from TWRP, flash CM10.1 and gapps from TWRP, restore apps from TiBu in ROM. If you don't like it just restore the nandroid from TWRP. TiBu only restores apps, nandroid restores everything: ROM, account, system settings, apps, etc.
The only extra thing I referred to was making a full copy of your phone's internal storage to your computer using "adb pull". This would allow you to wipe the internal storage and restore it, in case the partitioning change from "/storage/sdcard0" to "/storage/emulated/0" needed to be removed. But if TWRP's nandroid backup and restore takes care of this, this step isn't necessary.
How easy? Dead easy.
Sent from my Nexus

TWRP - is DATA backup necessary?

Hi,
So the official 4.3 ROM UEMK8 was released today for my Note 2 n7100.
I'm currently running UEMK4 4.3, so I thought of backing up everything through TWRP before backing up, as the file I used to flash Odin with (the leaked 4.3) is no longer available as I deleted it by mistake.
so as I'm backing up, everything works but DATA gives me error tarring split files.
so is DATA backup necessary? can't I simply just install the K8 ROM , then if something fails I just wipe my data/cache then restore System and Boot? as I don't need the DATA inside, unless DATA is part of the OS and I MUST have it.
thanks
No one replied.
Conclusion:
No, just perform full wipe.

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