TWRP backups - Google Pixel XL Questions & Answers

Been running a stock rooted set up for a long time. Looking at flashing a few Custom Roms and trying them out. I want to backup my stock setup so I can go back if need be. Are backups working in TWRP? If so is there a certain version of TWRP that needs to be used? Also, what all needs to be backed up? I'm not familiar with backing up the A/B partition setup. I know on single partition phones you selected data, system, and I think maybe boot or one other thing. Thanks in advance!

Related

[Q] Back to KK aftet LP Update via Nandroid

I'm wondering if I can use a Nandroid backup to restore KitKat after I flash a Lollipop update in TWRP? I need KK for work apps but wanted to play with LP at home and was just wondering if a person could flip flop back and forth using Nandriod back ups.
Also while reading to research this I saw where people were having issues flashing the LP OTA from KK 4.4.4 via TWRP because of the software was being reported as the wrong version of Android (4.4.3) on the tablet. It appears that this was resolved with the updated version of TWRP so I installed the latest version 2.8.6.0.
So will this work or am I stupid for thinking it would?
thanks,
fasthair
I think just to be safe it would be better to reflash the KK firmware and then restore from the nandroid. I've never tried it, so I could be wrong. I would wait for someone with direct knowledge of the process to chime in so you don't brick.
Obviously you'd need to backup the nandroid data somewhere other than the tablet because it would be wiped when you reflash.
Another option could be using the factory images, assuming you bootloader is already unlocked (probably is if you're rooted/etc). When I upgraded from 4.4.4 to 5.0/5.0.1/5.0.2 I removed the -w flag from the batch file that wipes data. I don't know if you can use factory images to go backwards without wiping. I know you can use the factory images to go back, but not sure if you can do it without wiping.
Again, I'd wait for someone with experience chime in before trying anything if you aren't sure.
You can go back and forth no problem. Just don't mix the system and data partitions. They need to stay together. 4.4 system files with 4.4 data files.
Aerowinder said:
You can go back and forth no problem. Just don't mix the system and data partitions. They need to stay together. 4.4 system files with 4.4 data files.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just so I'm clear on this "don't mix data" part. The Nandroid backup will keep these data partitions separate in the separate backup folders if I'm not mistaken correct?
Thanks to both of you for the help.
fasthair
fasthair said:
Just so I'm clear on this "don't mix data" part. The Nandroid backup will keep these data partitions separate in the separate backup folders if I'm not mistaken correct?
Thanks to both of you for the help.
fasthair
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes it will. I meant that if you restore the system partition (from 4.4 to 5.0 or vice versa) that you need to restore data with it (and boot).
If you were on 5.0, and wanted to go back to 4.4, but only did a restore on the system partition, you will probably bootloop.
system, data, boot all must stay together.
Why not use multirom? Works flawless for me.
Solved
pargas said:
Why not use multirom? Works flawless for me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I hadn't really thought about multirom to be honest.
Thanks everyone for your replies. I flashed LP after backing up my stuff. For whatever reason I couldn't get it to flash in TWRP using the update file Google pushed to my device some time back. Even after installing the latest greatest 2.8.6.0 it still came back with the error about the wrong version (4.4.3 in my case) being on my N7. So a fresh flash of LP with a wipe and I'm good to go.
Must admit I kind of like LP all though I'm not crazy about all of the white ever where or how it a takes 3 or 4 clicks to do what was 1 or 2 clicks on KK. Plus Plus I think KK was much better to look at instead of this Material Design UI but it is what it is. Going to have to go hunting around here for a transparent theme for the Google Search so I can have my transparent search bar and app drawer back. Anyone know of one?
Anyway thanks for the help everyone,
fasthair

Problem with restoring twrp backup

Hi everyone. My phone doesn't boot up after restoring twrp backup. Yesterday I made a Full backup and now if I try to restore that my phone just go into a bootloop. How can I resolve this problem?
mr.banana said:
Hi everyone. My phone doesn't boot up after restoring twrp backup. Yesterday I made a Full backup and now if I try to restore that my phone just go into a bootloop. How can I resolve this problem?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It depends on a lot of factors.
What ROM, what TWRP version, what partitions did you back up, etc.
If you want to get your phone working, you can flash any ROM of your choice from TWRP or restore stock image.
indian84 said:
It depends on a lot of factors.
What ROM, what TWRP version, what partitions did you back up, etc.
If you want to get your phone working, you can flash any ROM of your choice from TWRP or restore stock image.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
TWRP Version is the last one (I think). I backup every partition so I made a full backup of everything. The rom Is the simple aosp. I very want back all my stuff
mr.banana said:
TWRP Version is the last one (I think). I backup every partition so I made a full backup of everything. The rom Is the simple aosp. I very want back all my stuff
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Backing up all the partitions was the mistake.
Getting your stuff back looks difficult.
If you flash ROM using TWRP, your media files and anything stored on your phone won't be deleted.
But all your apps and stuff will be lost.

What should I backup with TWRP?

So I'm still learning how this device works with a/b partitioning and such. I'm wondering what I should backup in TWRP in order to be able to fully restore my ROM, apps, and settings without backing up mg entire system image.
dave31g said:
So I'm still learning how this device works with a/b partitioning and such. I'm wondering what I should backup in TWRP in order to be able to fully restore my ROM, apps, and settings without backing up mg entire system image.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just back up user data. Last I knew, TWRP had issues with backups and I think it hasn't been fixed yet

Restore a TWRP backup with A/B system slots!

CHANGED: You must flash the dm-verity.zip on ROM install to use the backup/restore feature of TWRP. It won't work if /data is encrypted. I jumped the gun when making this thread.
EDIT2: I had also flashed dm-verity on install so /data wasn't encrypted.
Which Dm Verity did you use which version??
Does this mean even today with the latest versions of twrp and magisk you cant restore the backups made of an encrypted phone? I just got a new Moto G7 Power and got it setup with those two things and made a backup - havnt tried restoring yet. Does your solution of flashing the dm-verify.zip thing mean the phone will be unencryped then? Because I cant have that, I rather not have backups. What about the old "adb backup" type command line does that still work?
I've had my phone since the day they were available at metro and I can't and don't even try to backup or restore anything anymore. On roms it always has broken lockscreen where you cannot secure phone. Because of this I stay encrypted and setup my **** all over again when I change roms.
flash713 said:
I've had my phone since the day they were available at metro and I can't and don't even try to backup or restore anything anymore. On roms it always has broken lockscreen where you cannot secure phone. Because of this I stay encrypted and setup my **** all over again when I change roms.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I see, too bad it's a nice function to backup/restore I guess I'll just backup my important data individually and try not to mess up my Rom.
TaZeR369 said:
I see, too bad it's a nice function to backup/restore I guess I'll just backup my important data individually and try not to mess up my Rom.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Check this out. I haven't used it yet but I'm about to try it. Join «Migrate - Custom ROM Migration Tool» on Telegram: https://t.me/migrateApp
https://forum.xda-developers.com/android/apps-games/app-migrate-custom-rom-migration-tool-t3862763
There's a new add-on for it on telegram link
TaZeR369 said:
I see, too bad it's a nice function to backup/restore I guess I'll just backup my important data individually and try not to mess up my Rom.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Me too. I haven't a bit of luck with encrypted stock restores. I was told it would work if you don't restore /data, but when I made a backup without /data, it failed to restore. I HAVE been able to restore unencrypted customs though. I only backed up system, data, and boot when I succeeded. It's been a while. I think you have to wait a long time for the 1st boot after the restore, as if it were rebuilding ART or something. Haven't had any luck stopping stock from encrypting either. I hate not messing up my ROM. Boring.....
Perhaps I am missing a critical detail, but I just successfully restored my latest LOS(lineage-17.1-20200524-UNOFFICIAL-ocean) & older CRD(crDroidAndroid-10.0-20200405-ocean-v6.4) backups(*) using TWRP(twrp-installer-3.3.1-2-ocean).
SELinux is NOT enforced, but "Trust"(lulz) claims the phone is encrypted.
My methodology requires installing the same base f/w I used when originally installing the ROM(former newest RETAIL for CRD & newest RETUS for LOS), root, flash copy partitions zip, flash>factory reset>1st boot of the original ROM zip, enable debug, install TWRP, boot into TWRP, wipe all & restore backup(*).
I just restored successfully 2x's on my xt1955-5.
I loaded LOS 10 & 3rds from scratch, made all my settings tweaks & made Titanium b/u(JIC), made TWRP b/u(*) then restored my previous CRD daily install using steps above. Then I repeated the above steps(again) to go back to my new, fresh LOS. It is annoying to have to reload f/w, et al, but def easier than reloading & retweaking the OS & all 3rds from scratch... Titanium fails to restore most settings + other nits.
To restore a backup(*) of a ROM I am currently running, I just boot to TWRP, wipe all & restore.
*: To make the original TWRP backup, I will run it & it will fail. I open the log file and find the last file/folder that "error"ed, delete the offender & re-run backup(boot, data & system). It works for me, no DM-verity flash required.
As always, YMMV.
Edit: PS: The problems seem to be stemming from beta testing the new "Trust"(lulz) framework, on all 10 ROMs(?). Would be nice to get that ironed out. A new Recovery wouldn't hurt, either. AFAIK, these problems exist in OFR, too.
googleverifysux said:
Perhaps I am missing a critical detail, but I just successfully restored my latest LOS(lineage-17.1-20200524-UNOFFICIAL-ocean) & older CRD(crDroidAndroid-10.0-20200405-ocean-v6.4) backups(*) using TWRP(twrp-installer-3.3.1-2-ocean).
SELinux is NOT enforced, but "Trust"(lulz) claims the phone is encrypted.
My methodology requires installing the same base f/w I used when originally installing the ROM(former newest RETAIL for CRD & newest RETUS for LOS), root, flash copy partitions zip, flash>factory reset>1st boot of the original ROM zip, enable debug, install TWRP, boot into TWRP, wipe all & restore backup(*).
I just restored successfully 2x's on my xt1955-5.
I loaded LOS 10 & 3rds from scratch, made all my settings tweaks & made Titanium b/u(JIC), made TWRP b/u(*) then restored my previous CRD daily install using steps above. Then I repeated the above steps(again) to go back to my new, fresh LOS. It is annoying to have to reload f/w, et al, but def easier than reloading & retweaking the OS & all 3rds from scratch... Titanium fails to restore most settings + other nits.
To restore a backup(*) of a ROM I am currently running, I just boot to TWRP, wipe all & restore.
*: To make the original TWRP backup, I will run it & it will fail. I open the log file and find the last file/folder that "error"ed, delete the offender & re-run backup(boot, data & system). It works for me, no DM-verity flash required.
As always, YMMV.
Edit: PS: The problems seem to be stemming from beta testing the new "Trust"(lulz) framework, on all 10 ROMs(?). Would be nice to get that ironed out. A new Recovery wouldn't hurt, either. AFAIK, these problems exist in OFR, too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have u tried the new 3.5 twrp
Lol...and here it is a couple years later and I'm still searching whether a force-encrypted twrp backup of stock has been figured out how to restore...Pulled up my own thread. Lol.
i miss being able to backup android properly. it made me behave completely differently with my phone. it was a toy instead of just some tool. i'd just install every single rom, kernel modem operating system i could find or i'd just plagiarize the hell out of you guys for sh*ts and giggles and man i loved android so much back then but now its my cell phone. :\ i just liked the colorful language, i wasn't signing anybody else's code.
it's such a tedious thing now, even compared to before and i suppose that's their intention perhaps.

Question How does restoring work in this phone?

For context, I want to clear up a few things before trying to root so I don't end up bricking the phone.
So after reading a few threads it seems even recovering via twrp is messed up in this phone. Can someone shed some light on this matter?
Can I restore system, data, and boot partitions via twrp in case something goes wrong (while staying on official miui roms everytime, I don't intend to install custom roms) and I have to revert the phone back to the state it was in at the time of a backup?
It feels like at the very least we would be required to re-flash the entire firmware via mi flash tool and then restore whatever is needed via twrp later. Will this work?
Also I hear using twrp to install the official firmware is not a good idea, what's that about?
I know long post and a lot of questions, so please bear with me.
Thanks.
Custom ROMs and Stock ROMs differ in one aspect, which partitions are left untouched. Since stock ROM is a lot more invasive and formats all partitions, official flash method is recommended.
When you mess things up, mi flash tool is safest option. Its safe to experiment, backup, restore on boot+system+data in TWRP across ROM installs but don't mess up recovery partition. Remember to format data between ROM installs unless dirty flashing on same android version
miravision said:
Custom ROMs and Stock ROMs differ...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I see. Thank you for the reply!

Categories

Resources