It's been awhile since I've dabbled with messing with my phone much (on the 2XL, had a 6P before that and unlocked it but that was it). I am thinking it might be time to wipe the device and start fresh, but wondering what the "best" method for backing up and then restoring is for the wipe. I was never great with making the proper backup to restore from so usually ended up re-adding stuff manually and setting everything up again - would love to avoid that. Is the android/google drive backup and restore option sufficient? Is there a better method out there? I don't have a ton of customizations on this phone this time around but avoiding the hassle would be sweet. All photos are backed up to drive, and I can turn on to backups a few other folders as well. Otherwise its just passwords, wifi networks, bluetooth devices, home screen setup, app settings, etc, etc that I hope to maintain.
Also, this phone is NOT unlocked yet but I will probably do that when I wipe it.
I've never used the native backup and restore method, so I can't really comment on that.
- I use Titanium Backup for all my apps
- I create a Nova backup for my launcher (Nova Launcher)
- I transfer my internal storage to my computer (music, photos, videos and so on)
- once I wipe, I restore all that and the only thing I need to setup from scratch is basically everything in system settings, which I've gotten pretty quick at doing now that I've done it several times.
Unfortunately, Titanium Backup requires root, something I guess you can't achieve without unlocking your bootloader first (which requires a wipe).
I guess the best thing would be to try the native backup and restore option or wait for someone else to provide you with better non-root alternatives.
Norcalz71 said:
It's been awhile since I've dabbled with messing with my phone much (on the 2XL, had a 6P before that and unlocked it but that was it). I am thinking it might be time to wipe the device and start fresh, but wondering what the "best" method for backing up and then restoring is for the wipe. I was never great with making the proper backup to restore from so usually ended up re-adding stuff manually and setting everything up again - would love to avoid that. Is the android/google drive backup and restore option sufficient? Is there a better method out there? I don't have a ton of customizations on this phone this time around but avoiding the hassle would be sweet. All photos are backed up to drive, and I can turn on to backups a few other folders as well. Otherwise its just passwords, wifi networks, bluetooth devices, home screen setup, app settings, etc, etc that I hope to maintain. Also, this phone is NOT unlocked yet but I will probably do that when I wipe it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Google Backup has improved vastly over the past year or two, so make sure you have it switched on and actively working (including Photos). It's great. I use TiBu also but I don't use it for any System/GApps- usually only "non-market" and root apps so if you don't have those, you don't necessarily need it, but if you do store it OFFLINE. If you use a 3rd party launcher (eg. Nova), backup your "shortcuts" and settings beforehand OFFLINE. Here's one suggestion:
Disclaimer: Before you start, make sure you have the very latest fastboot/adb binaries installed (August 2018). A standalone version is available you just dump into one folder and verify it is working.
Unlock your bootloader (twice) using sticky guides (Nathan). It's important to do the unlock_critical at the same time. You will be starting from a blank slate. Flash the latest full factory image from Google using the provided script (See the Guide). Once you log back into your account, let Google Backup do it's thing fully and completely. Once finished, run TiBu (OPTIONAL) and restore "missing apps" ONLY which are any apps remaining not already installed by Google Backup. Restore your launcher backup, and you are done. I did this last weekend and from a blank slate it took me about one hour to get back everything the way I had it (not a gamer). If you have no non-market / root apps you can skip TiBu be back up and running even quicker. Google Backups is your friend. In closing, don't under-estimate the value of using a 3rd party launcher and it's built-in backup file. Which ever launcher you choose will really pay dividends when you finish restoring from Google Backup. Your desktop icons, widgets, and all pages will be restored just like you had them before. Best of luck.
Appreciate the response, thanks. Is the desktop/home screen config only able to be backed up and restored with the 3rd party launcher? Haven't touched a different non-stock launcher since I think Nova on my Samsung S4, but sounds like there could still be a benefit there?
v12xke said:
Google Backup has improved vastly over the past year or two, so make sure you have it switched on and actively working (including Photos). It's great. I use TiBu also but I don't use it for any System/GApps- usually only "non-market" and root apps so if you don't have those, you don't necessarily need it, but if you do store it OFFLINE. If you use a 3rd party launcher (eg. Nova), backup your "shortcuts" and settings beforehand OFFLINE. Here's one suggestion:
Disclaimer: Before you start, make sure you have the very latest fastboot/adb binaries installed (August 2018). A standalone version is available you just dump into one folder and verify it is working.
Unlock your bootloader (twice) using sticky guides (Nathan). It's important to do the unlock_critical at the same time. You will be starting from a blank slate. Flash the latest full factory image from Google using the provided script (See the Guide). Once you log back into your account, let Google Backup do it's thing fully and completely. Once finished, run TiBu (OPTIONAL) and restore "missing apps" ONLY which are any apps remaining not already installed by Google Backup. Restore your launcher backup, and you are done. I did this last weekend and from a blank slate it took me about one hour to get back everything the way I had it (not a gamer). If you have no non-market / root apps you can skip TiBu be back up and running even quicker. Google Backups is your friend. In closing, don't under-estimate the value of using a 3rd party launcher and it's built-in backup file. Which ever launcher you choose will really pay dividends when you finish restoring from Google Backup. Your desktop icons, widgets, and all pages will be restored just like you had them before. Best of luck.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
Norcalz71 said:
Appreciate the response, thanks. Is the desktop/home screen config only able to be backed up and restored with the 3rd party launcher? Haven't touched a different non-stock launcher since I think Nova on my Samsung S4, but sounds like there could still be a benefit there?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you are asking how complete the stock Pixel launcher backup is (or if it even offers a backup), I cannot answer. I have always used Nova on all my devices and can only speak to the backup/restore capabilities of it. I don't want to get up on a soap box here, but Nova is worth every penny. Once you restore all your apps, run the launcher backup/restore and you are DONE. Everything is back. Once, I lost my tablet launcher backup and used my Nova phone backup and it restored perfectly to my tablet. I would venture to say that if the launcher is not backed up, THAT is where all the time is in recovering an existing setup. Creating pages of shortcuts and widgets is a pain and that is even if you kept screenshots of them. I also know Nova will "import" your Google launcher settings, so you can easily switch over to Nova before your wipe and then backup your settings. Give it a whirl.
I always used Titanium Backup and still do as a backup but Swift Backup has become my main app for flashing and restoring between ROMs etc. Nicer interface and I don't have to pick and choose between stuff I want to restore as much compared to batch restore missing apps on Titanium.
Titanium Pro and TWRP nandroid...
Related
I'm new to the rooting, rom'ing, etc and was wondering what the best way is to try a new ROM and minimize setup of all my apps(and their settings) again on the new ROM??
I tried the Warm Z 2.2 ad reloaded my installed apps with Astro but I had to redo all the settings for the apps and where they were on the screens. is thre any way to avoid this and make switching ROM's fast and easy?
THANKS !!
-Chuck
You can use apps like Titanium Backup to backup not only the apps themselves, but their settings. That said, it's generally not a good idea to restore data (i.e. settings) between ROMs. You can introduce some buggy behavior by doing so.
As for backing up your home screens, that is trickier. Widgets? Forget about it. Shortcuts: maybe. Some programs like MyBackup Pro can backup home screens. Some launchers (like LauncherPro) have their own backup features built in for homescreen shortcuts. But even these methods of backing up will be unlikely to restore widgets unless the framework between the ROMs is almost identical.
byrong said:
You can use apps like Titanium Backup to backup not only the apps themselves, but their settings. That said, it's generally not a good idea to restore data (i.e. settings) between ROMs. You can introduce some buggy behavior by doing so.
As for backing up your home screens, that is trickier. Widgets? Forget about it. Shortcuts: maybe. Some programs like MyBackup Pro can backup home screens. Some launchers (like LauncherPro) have their own backup features built in for homescreen shortcuts. But even these methods of backing up will be unlikely to restore widgets unless the framework between the ROMs is almost identical.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok, so I shouldn't restore my apps w/ settings if I load a different ROM, only the downloaded apps..and then set them all up again?
Would I be OK to continue with Astro or is Titanium any better for this purpose, I have both now... Or should I dump Astro and just use Titanium Pro?
Thanks !!
KB3MMX said:
Ok, so I shouldn't restore my apps w/ settings if I load a different ROM, only the downloaded apps..and then set them all up again?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can always take a gamble if you want, but yes: only restoring the apps themselves is the safest bet.
If you want to think of it as a spectrum...
Safest > Download apps again from market
Still very safe > Restore apps from Titanium (or Astro, or whatever), but don't restore data
Moderately risky > Restore apps with their data, but don't restore system settings
Very risky > Restore all apps, all data, all system settings
KB3MMX said:
Would I be OK to continue with Astro or is Titanium any better for this purpose, I have both now... Or should I dump Astro and just use Titanium Pro?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Been a very long time since I used Astro, so I don't know what the functionality is like. That said, backing up apps is not a hard task, so if Astro is working, I'd say there's no harm in continuing to use it.
byrong said:
You can always take a gamble if you want, but yes: only restoring the apps themselves is the safest bet.
If you want to think of it as a spectrum...
Safest > Download apps again from market
Still very safe > Restore apps from Titanium (or Astro, or whatever), but don't restore data
Moderately risky > Restore apps with their data, but don't restore system settings
Very risky > Restore all apps, all data, all system settings
Been a very long time since I used Astro, so I don't know what the functionality is like. That said, backing up apps is not a hard task, so if Astro is working, I'd say there's no harm in continuing to use it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Awesome! That help me alot, thanks !!
Not that I have discovered for initial set up of a new rom, but if you make a backup of that rom when switching between ones you have already set up, switching between backups is quick and easy, no additional set up required
0soPolar said:
Not that I have discovered for initial set up of a new rom, but if you make a backup of that rom when switching between ones you have already set up, switching between backups is quick and easy, no additional set up required
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Great idea, thanks !!
The big "how do you restore your apps and settings after flashing a ROM" thread?
Hi all,
Just rooted my phone a couple of days ago and been playing around with some ROMS.
Now I've found one to my liking so I am installing configuring everything again but what if there's a new version of my ROM I want to install, I have to do everything all over again which is a bit silly in this modern time
As I see it
- you have apps installed from market
- you have manually installed apps (e.g. modded widgets, applications and stuff)
I currently use Astro to backup the apps, this works well but
- the market doesn't recognize the apps (to do with market cache I suppose)
workaround: you can use the atrackdog app to follow application updates
- it doesn't restore app settings
some of my apps have backup mechanisms of their own but not all
I've flashed a GB rom now and I've selected the google backup option, is this reliable? What does it exactly backup?
Any other tools available? I heard about titanium back but also read stories where it doesn't always work.
Anyhoew: what do you use? what works for you?
Would be great if we could consolidate everything here and figure out the best/easiest way.
Cheers
B
Titanium Backup - restores apps and data
Job done
EddyOS said:
Titanium Backup - restores apps and data
Job done
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do the apps show up in the market again?
Cheers
B
Titanium backup - backups apps dta/settings fo apps. and basically everythig (settings,sms etc.).
berre said:
Do the apps show up in the market again?
Cheers
B
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, they do.
ok great so how's the best way to use this?
I've downloaded the free version, and the busybox
I guess I have to use the filter for files of type "user" so I only see my apps?
which batch should I run then, backup all user data + system data?
*edit will this restore stuff like my launcher settings and design, email accounts in enhanced email and stuff like that too?
cheers
B
Don't know, just used it to backup my Angry Birds saves as the rest I do from scratch anyway
berre said:
ok great so how's the best way to use this?
I've downloaded the free version, and the busybox
I guess I have to use the filter for files of type "user" so I only see my apps?
which batch should I run then, backup all user data + system data?
*edit will this restore stuff like my launcher settings and design, email accounts in enhanced email and stuff like that too?
cheers
B
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Almost everything will be restored. Free version will prompt for each app
Swyped with my Starburst based Desire. Forgive any typos!
Be careful backing up system settings though as they often don't restore very well on different ROMs, i broke my first flash on Cyanogen by restoring bluetooth settings from a Sense ROM.
I use My backup Pro app for this
And I can backup and restore everything but the widgets
Open Titanium, click Backup/restore, hold down the menu key then go to batch, then backup all user apps. Don't back up system settings, as this will conflict with the new OS and cause instabilities. Android should auto backup Wi-Fi and calendars online for you, mine does, but it's Gingerbread 2.3.3 I'm not sure if this feature was around in the Froyo days.
Everything will be restored as it was, except widgets on the homescreen, you'll need to remove them and put them back on, all settings for them will save so you don't have to mess about customizing things.
You've probably worked it out by now, but just in case this is my 2 cents.
I'm using Titanium Backup for the Apps.
For the Messages I've got MyBackup and MIUI Backup but I prefer MyBackup because I've got different Roms.
But I never restore the System Settings.
I just don't factory reset, format, wipe or however you call it when I flash a rom, I lose the texts though.
Hello everyone,
I have been rooting for a long time since I had a G1. I never understood clearly how to transfer apps without the need to manually install them. Does creating a partition in the SD card to ext3 or ext4 have some factor to it? I would simply follow directions but didn't understand the process. Whenever I installed a new ROM, sometimes all of the apps would be install automatically and some ROMS would require me to install them manually. I also got Titaniumbackup Pro also. Is that still a good app to use to back up these days? Is there a popular app to back up text messaging as well or does many of the
Lately, I have been trying to find a good rom to use after many crashes of Andromadus V13. I am using the latest Anrdomadus Mimicry now and its great. Though, I realized that I didn't transfer any of my apps. As I was rooting a few ROMS previous to it, some would install a majority of the apps and others would require me to install them myself. Im curious of why this is so.
the auto restore is a function of the market, I don't like this method and choose no when I sign in (don't like wasting time and slowing things down cause of all the data over network or wifi
titanium back is my personal favorite way to restore apps on a new rom, there are other apps that will do this (romtollbox etc) tb will do texts but I have had issues with it
I use sms backup + for that and connect it to my google account
Sent from my HTC Vision using xda premium
Apps are tied to your Google Play account and normally get automatically re-installed after you start your phone back up after a new ROM. Except, sometimes installing your ROM gives your phone a new "name" and Google Play doesn't know that it's the same phone (even though it's on the same account). So, if you go to Google Play on your computer, you would have more than one choice of phones to download apps to - your old phone name and your new phone name. And I've also had the occasional app out of many that just doesn't re-install for some reason.
Two words : Titanium Backup (though mainly only useful if you can restore your old rom, run a backup, then flash the new rom back).
While google can half-ass restore your downloads (settings may not always be intact), Titanium Backup will actually restore all your backed up apps along with their full settings/etc. It can also restore your rom's Android ID so that restored apps don't conflict.
But yea since you already have it, you should know least that much. Personally I have not found anything better than 4EXT Recovery and Titanium Backup Pro when it comes to backing up and restoring data.
ps: it can backup your SMS/Call Logs/Wifi Access points, etc to XML files on your SD card which can be re-imported later, just in case the SMS/Etc backups performed are not compatible with your new rom's apps.
Is there anyway to get a complete backup without root. By complete I mean including the app configurations. I used to do this on my Nexus 6 with Titanium Backup. But I haven't rooted the Pixel 3 (or unlocked the bootloader) yet so I can't run Titanium.
My sense is that the google backup/restore just reloads the latest version of the apps without configuration (or at least seems to do that on many apps).
This is only a Pixel 3 question in the sense that my hope is that there is something new by now.
The only way besides using the cloud backup would to have a second phone running pie. Wipe it and set it up as new then use the transfer tool to transfer everything over. Then do the same to your pixel when you need the backup.
It's alot of work and most people don't have a spare phone, but it is an option
Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk
kmandel said:
Is there anyway to get a complete backup without root. By complete I mean including the app configurations. I used to do this on my Nexus 6 with Titanium Backup. But I haven't rooted the Pixel 3 (or unlocked the bootloader) yet so I can't run Titanium.
My sense is that the google backup/restore just reloads the latest version of the apps without configuration (or at least seems to do that on many apps).
This is only a Pixel 3 question in the sense that my hope is that there is something new by now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You could just unlock the phone and run a TWRP backup. Does not require root.
Of course, because you didn't unlock the phone when you received it, doing so now will wipe the device.
superchilpil said:
The only way besides using the cloud backup
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
By the cloud backup, do you mean the built in backup to google drive? Does that really save all the app configuration? It certainly didn't when I did my Nexus 6 to Pixel 3 migration. Some of the apps came up as if they were first time installs.
kmandel said:
By the cloud backup, do you mean the built in backup to google drive? Does that really save all the app configuration? It certainly didn't when I did my Nexus 6 to Pixel 3 migration. Some of the apps came up as if they were first time installs.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have tried and experimented with endless apps that promise to do this without success. Helium Backup works with very limited success in some cases and only for some apps. The problem is that it's not supported anymore and never really worked well. But this is one of the shortcomings of Android. I don't know why in 2018 (almost 2019) they still haven't figured out a way to backup all settings, app content and everything else without having to root the dam phone. To me, this is one of the main reasons why I rooted literally out of the box. I installed Titanium and had everything up and running in less than an hour. IMHO, it's worth wiping the phone, going through the headache once in your life and then ensuring you have the backup forever in a safe place. My previous phone was a rooted Note 4. I just transfered the Nite 4's Titanium backup to a USB-c drive, attached this drive to the new Pixel 3 Xl and recovered every single app and it's configuration in a matter of minutes. I have over 250 apps on my phone and some very specific configurations I like to use. The alternative would have been spending a day or two manually setting up each app and repeating it all over again each time I buy a new phone. I got tired of that in the past. Root is one of the main reasons why people get Pixels. Sadly, I don't know of any other way to effectively do it.
Sent from my [device_name] using XDA-Developers Legacy app
kmandel said:
Is there anyway to get a complete backup without root. By complete I mean including the app configurations. I used to do this on my Nexus 6 with Titanium Backup. But I haven't rooted the Pixel 3 (or unlocked the bootloader) yet so I can't run Titanium. My sense is that the google backup/restore just reloads the latest version of the apps without configuration (or at least seems to do that on many apps).
This is only a Pixel 3 question in the sense that my hope is that there is something new by now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No there is not. You may try one of the many non-root backup programs like Swift Backup that are better at restoring app settings. That is why it is always better to unlock as soon as you get the phone. Any time at all spent setting the phone up is wasted until after it is properly unlocked. Google backup has come a very long way and it will quickly restore all your (Play) user apps but has many caveats as you have found. If the app data is small, it usually is restored, but if you have game data, MMS, music, etc. It obviously will not. The combination Google cloud backup + Titanium Backup (to restore missing apps and data) is the best way I have found when starting with a completely blank slate. In advance of a complete wipe, I transfer a copy of my latest TiBu folder to the PC, along with Nova Launcher backup. After initially setting the phone up (not using data transfer), I allow Google backup to restore until fully complete 100%. When it is done, I transfer the TiBu folder back on to the PC and run it to restore only missing apps and data. Lastly I use the Nova backup file to restore all launcher settings, shortcuts and widgets. This doesn't take very long and gets me to about 95%.
kmandel said:
Is there anyway to get a complete backup without root. By complete I mean including the app configurations. I used to do this on my Nexus 6 with Titanium Backup. But I haven't rooted the Pixel 3 (or unlocked the bootloader) yet so I can't run Titanium.
My sense is that the google backup/restore just reloads the latest version of the apps without configuration (or at least seems to do that on many apps).
This is only a Pixel 3 question in the sense that my hope is that there is something new by now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can try running the backup command in adb. https://9to5google.com/2017/11/04/how-to-backup-restore-android-device-data-android-basics/
Eudeferrer said:
I have tried and experimented with endless apps that promise to do this without success. Helium Backup works with very limited success in some cases and only for some apps. The problem is that it's not supported anymore and never really worked well. But this is one of the shortcomings of Android. I don't know why in 2018 (almost 2019) they still haven't figured out a way to backup all settings, app content and everything else without having to root the dam phone. To me, this is one of the main reasons why I rooted literally out of the box. I installed Titanium and had everything up and running in less than an hour. IMHO, it's worth wiping the phone, going through the headache once in your life and then ensuring you have the backup forever in a safe place. My previous phone was a rooted Note 4. I just transfered the Nite 4's Titanium backup to a USB-c drive, attached this drive to the new Pixel 3 Xl and recovered every single app and it's configuration in a matter of minutes. I have over 250 apps on my phone and some very specific configurations I like to use. The alternative would have been spending a day or two manually setting up each app and repeating it all over again each time I buy a new phone. I got tired of that in the past. Root is one of the main reasons why people get Pixels. Sadly, I don't know of any other way to effectively do it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And the problem is you won't get notifications for many of the apps if they are restored using Titanium Backup
For some reason I'm unable to find restore backup, where do I look for this? You would think it would be beside backup but no, and can we not back up all our apps?
There is no separate restore. It will (should) offer to restore during the initial setup after a wipe. Supposedly, it will also restore when you sign into your Google account. More info here.
And, Google incorrectly calls it a backup - it isn't. It stores info on what apps were installed, and re-installs them from the Play Store. If you sideloaded any, you have to do it again. You also have to re-login to most apps. Finally, it will only reflect the state at the last "backup." If you want to go back to what you had a month ago instead, you can't. If you had older versions of some apps, because the newer were broken or whatever, you're SOL. It will restore some settings, like wallpaper, the position of app icons, SMS messages and call logs. But overall, you will still have a lot of work to do to get your phone back to the same as it was.
If backup is "really" important, would you recommend and give a "thumbs up" to the Swift Backup application ? Recently, I woke up and discovered my old backup ( Titanium ) was now failing in its job and transitioned to Swift.
kevinireland11 said:
For some reason I'm unable to find restore backup, where do I look for this? You would think it would be beside backup but no, and can we not back up all our apps?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
During the initial setup of the phone, at the point the phone offers to have you physically connect your phone to your "old phone" via USB-C, there's an option to click telling it you don't have the old phone available. Once you choose that, it takes you down the path of restoring from the cloud backup instead.
Naturally, you have to have it connected to Wi-Fi or mobile data before that point, preferably Wi-Fi but should work either way.