Develop Bugs

[Guide] How to Backup your Phone Between Wipes [Updated 24/04]

Just a quick guide for those of you who are unaware. It assumes no previous knowledge and you are running the program for the first time.
Contents
General Setup (Titanium Backup)
Backup Program Settings
Backup System + Program Settings
Restore Program/System Settings
SMS Backup + Restore - coming soon
Backup ROM (Nandroid)
Restore ROM (Nandroid)
General Setup
This will need to be done before wiping (for backup) and after installing the new ROM (for restore)
1. Download Titanium Backup from the market
2. Open Titanium Backup & wait
3. Select "Always Allow" when the SU request pops up
4. Press OK until you reach the main screen "Overview"
5. Select the "Backup/Restore" tab
Backup Program Settings
For those who don't want to save system settings (simpler).
1. Press Menu & Select Batch
2. Click "Run" next to "Backup all user apps"
3. Select the apps you wish to be backed up, and deselect any you don't use
4. Click "Run the batch operation" from the top of the screen
5. Mount your SD card and backup the "TitaniumBackup" folder onto your computer (just in case).
Backup System + Program Settings
For those who want to save system settings as well as your programs (more complex).
1. Press Menu & Select Batch
2. Click "Run" next to "Backup all user apps + system data"
3. Select the apps + data you wish to be backed up:
The green ones are things like calandar notes, sms messages, system settings etc
The red ones are generally crap and don't need to be backed up
The white ones are your programs
4. Click "Run the batch operation" from the top of the screen
5. Mount your SD card and backup the "TitaniumBackup" folder onto your computer (just in case).
Restore Program/System Settings
1. Press Menu & Select Batch
2. Click "Run" next to:
"Restore missing apps + all system data" (for System + Program settings)
"Restore missing apps with data" (for just Program settings)
3. Select the apps you wish to be restored, and deselect any you don't really want
4. Click "Run the batch operation" from the top of the screen
5. OK and Done on any confirmation screens.
Backup ROM (Nandroid)
1. Turn off your phone
2. Hold Home + Power to turn it on into Recovery Mode
3. Press the following:
Backup/Restore
Nand Backup
Home
4. Wait until you see the confirmation message: "Backup Complete!"
Restore ROM (Nandroid)
1. Turn off your phone
2. Hold Home + Power to turn it on into Recovery Mode
3. Press the following:
Backup/Restore
Nand Restore
4. Select the folder and then the latest backup (date is backwards in the name). Press Home to confirm and wait for confirmation message: "Restore Complete!"

Thanks for the guide! One question.. Backup all your apps + system data, what's that do? Is that backing the actual ROM up?

scouzer said:
Thanks for the guide! One question.. Backup all your apps + system data, what's that do? Is that backing the actual ROM up?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, to backup the ROM use Nandroid. I'll add that section to the guide, though it's pretty self explanatory.
To be quite honest i don't know the differences between the backup processes. If you want to do it with the system data to go for it, i'll try n research the differences.
Edit: updated with newer details, hopefully this should clarify things!

Great guide, but i want to add other 2 backups that i always do: sms and call log...for the contacts google does prefeclty its work!
for sms i use Sms Backup and Restore
for call log details i use Android backup tool...with this tool you can also backup bookmarks and dictionary info and sms, but i don't suggest you use this tool for the sms because it never woked for me

bookmarks
thanks never used titanium will try it.
Does it backup Bookmarks?
Google chrome allows you to sync bookmarks, any way to enable this on android?

magokh said:
Great guide, but i want to add other 2 backups that i always do: sms and call log...for the contacts google does prefeclty its work!
for sms i use Sms Backup and Restore
for call log details i use Android backup tool...with this tool you can also backup bookmarks and dictionary info and sms, but i don't suggest you use this tool for the sms because it never woked for me
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'll check that out. I think Titanium Does that too, but i've never tested it properly.
blueflash said:
thanks never used titanium will try it.
Does it backup Bookmarks?
Google chrome allows you to sync bookmarks, any way to enable this on android?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Possibly, i've never tried.

I normally do a Nandroid + Ext back-up. That way I can wipe my Ext partition between roms

I additionally use "SMS Backup & Restore" from the market.
It exports all SMS into an XML file on the sd-card and can re-import them again on every ROM. So you can even switch from 1.5 to 2.1 without loosing any sms.

paul9619 said:
I normally do a Nandroid + Ext back-up. That way I can wipe my Ext partition between roms
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have only just started using Ext, i'll add this section to the guide in the future (once I have added the A2SD section in my other guide )
androcheck said:
I additionally use "SMS Backup & Restore" from the market.
It exports all SMS into an XML file on the sd-card and can re-import them again on every ROM. So you can even switch from 1.5 to 2.1 without loosing any sms.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There seems to be a lot of support for this. I'll add a section in when I get the chance to test it.

non-rooted backup
Titanium needs root. But I just want to root my phone first time. So Titanium doesn't work
How can I backup all my apps, sms, contacts, phone history, bookmarks, etc... ?

Try SMS Backup & Restore for messages
Contacts - sync with google automatically & you can manually sync others with htc sync
Apps - write them down... (purchased ones will show up automatically)
Bookmarks - not sure
Phone History - (like calls?) not sure
I'm still working on finding a program which will do them all.

zxcat said:
Titanium needs root. But I just want to root my phone first time. So Titanium doesn't work
How can I backup all my apps, sms, contacts, phone history, bookmarks, etc... ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
backup apps using astro backup function.
smsbackup for sms
google for contacts and bookmarks

There is a much easier way.
Most of what you need is kept in /data/data, subdivided by applications/classes
Just do a tar to your sdcard for example, and that's it.
Just remember to preserve file permissions.
This comes in handy when you're changing roms often, for example. like I do when testing new versions of my rom. Especially changes pertaining to framework, which most of the time require re-odexing.
Just do a tar cpf /sdcard/data.tar to backup and tar xpf /sdcard/data.tar to restore.
If your tar supports gzip, you can also pass it through gzip via tar czpf / xzpf.
You don't need any additional programs. Just adb access.

btdag, poddo, adwinp thank you!
I've tried something from the Market, but there is much really useless "backup" software. Now I'll check this. ASTRO is good, I see.
But I don't remember Google pass Restored it once, but again don't remember.
adwinp, I have "tar: permission denied", so simple ADP access is not enough. Btw, ASTRO can't show /data contents - it's empty. So looks like this method not working in non-rooted Hero.

adwinp said:
There is a much easier way.
Most of what you need is kept in /data/data, subdivided by applications/classes
Just do a tar to your sdcard for example, and that's it.
Just remember to preserve file permissions.
This comes in handy when you're changing roms often, for example. like I do when testing new versions of my rom. Especially changes pertaining to framework, which most of the time require re-odexing.
Just do a tar cpf /sdcard/data.tar to backup and tar xpf /sdcard/data.tar to restore.
If your tar supports gzip, you can also pass it through gzip via tar czpf / xzpf.
You don't need any additional programs. Just adb access.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I understand what you're saying, but I think my guides are designed to avoid all the command typing if at all possible and provide really inexperienced users with the ability to do this stuff - try telling a newbie to "tar" something and "preserve file permissions" - they'll have no idea what you're on about - i'll add it in if I can find a newbie friendly way of writing it

btdag said:
Try SMS Backup & Restore for messages
Contacts - sync with google automatically & you can manually sync others with htc sync
Apps - write them down... (purchased ones will show up automatically)
Bookmarks - not sure
Phone History - (like calls?) not sure
I'm still working on finding a program which will do them all.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
AGREE with ABOVE
also, not sure about Bookmarks but
Phone History - (like call log) Call Logs backup and restore from the same dev as SMS Backup and Restore
what about
user dictionary? - that's one thing I can't figure how to backup still.

Does android have that feature? In the settings in 2.1 roms you can backup your user dictionary from there. Can someone check this on 1.5?
Edit: Ignore me, this is a feature of HTC_IME mod - though in theory if you could install that without needing root then you would have access to the backup features

astro can only explore SD.
BTW you can use its backup function to save all the apps you have installed. backup apps, not apps data.
in astro go to tools, app manager, backup

Yeah titanium backup is awesome BUT when it comes to restoring its not so good. It takes ages and need to press ok every app we wanna restore. It would be grate if we click once and it will install all of them!

Foka002 said:
Yeah titanium backup is awesome BUT when it comes to restoring its not so good. It takes ages and need to press ok every app we wanna restore. It would be grate if we click once and it will install all of them!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Then pay for it. The paid version does precisely that.

SMS/MMS location within file system?

Hi all,
I have both a TWRP and a Titanium backup from my phone at an earlier version of my ROM.
I've since done full data format and install so I have lost my MMS/SMS messages.
I did not use another utility to back them up at all.
Does anyone know where in the file system these are stored or how I might be able to restore them from my Ti or TWRP backups?
I've tried doing a TWRP restore to the earlier ROM version but messages was still empty. I've tried doing a full restore and individual restores of dialler storage in TiBU etc but so far have had no luck in restoring the messages.
Thanks in advance

kamold said:
Hi all,
I have both a TWRP and a Titanium backup from my phone at an earlier version of my ROM.
I've since done full data format and install so I have lost my MMS/SMS messages.
I did not use another utility to back them up at all.
Does anyone know where in the file system these are stored or how I might be able to restore them from my Ti or TWRP backups?
I've tried doing a TWRP restore to the earlier ROM version but messages was still empty. I've tried doing a full restore and individual restores of dialler storage in TiBU etc but so far have had no luck in restoring the messages.
Thanks in advance
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you're using nougat, I believe the location is
/data/user_de/0/com.android.providers.telephony/databases/
Then it's the mmssms.db file you need.
When I do a clean flash, I always use the backup function that is built in to export messages to sd card.

squ89r97 said:
If you're using nougat, I believe the location is
/data/user_de/0/com.android.providers.telephony/databases/
Then it's the mmssms.db file you need.
When I do a clean flash, I always use the backup function that is built in to export messages to sd card.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for that info That appears to be the correct location in my case.
Previous to Nougat seems to have been in /data/data/com.android.providers.telephony/databases
I restored the whole com.android.providers.telephony folder from the backup as it also contains the pics from attachments. Initially after a the first bootup messages was still empty, so you need to reboot again and they will be restored.
I'll also make sure I backup messages using the inbuilt backup feature in future.

How to copy the system 1:1 to a new device by using TWRP

I got a new device by RMA and now I want to copy my nandroid backup made with TWRP to the new one.
Which partitions do I have to copy?

Most of the partitions are system based, so don't touch them. All you would want to copy is data, but I am not even sure that would work, without a boot loop? I keep all my data backed up with Titanium. And Google drive would restore most of what you had on your phone as long as you were allowing setting>system>backup.

Sui77 said:
I got a new device by RMA and now I want to copy my nandroid backup made with TWRP to the new one.
Which partitions do I have to copy?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Data, as it is the one where your settings and app updates are stored. Just be sure the new device is running the same version of Android as the old.
Droid_Nut said:
Most of the partitions are system based, so don't touch them. All you would want to copy is data, but I am not even sure that would work, without a boot loop? I keep all my data backed up with Titanium. And Google drive would restore most of what you had on your phone as long as you were allowing setting>system>backup.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Restoring a nandroid backup of the data partition to another, identical, device will work without causing a bootloop given the precautions I describe above. Do note however that Google's backup only restores items acquired through the Play Store. Alternative app stores such as Amazon will not be restored, apps acquired through Amazon will not be restored, and any apps sideloaded will not be restored. Since Google's restore function doesn't restore everything, any backup solution - like a nandroid backup - is going to be a better alternative.

Strephon Alkhalikoi said:
Data, as it is the one where your settings and app updates are stored. Just be sure the new device is running the same version of Android as the old.
Restoring a nandroid backup of the data partition to another, identical, device will work without causing a bootloop given the precautions I describe above. Do note however that Google's backup only restores items acquired through the Play Store. Alternative app stores such as Amazon will not be restored, apps acquired through Amazon will not be restored, and any apps sideloaded will not be restored. Since Google's restore function doesn't restore everything, any backup solution - like a nandroid backup - is going to be a better alternative.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the clarification that you can restore data as long as you are on the same version, does it have to be at the same security update level as well?
That is why I use Titanium for apps I got off of Fdroid and other sources. I will make sure I try the Nandroid data backup next time.

Security level shouldn't make a difference, but that is not something I have attempted. The pair of identical tablets I have here are running the same security update.

Thanks, data did the trick.
I had to delete 2 files due to a non working finger printer by using TWRP files explorer, but now the phone is fine.
Last thing pending are customer ringtones, but this is a nasty one.
Any idea how to do it?

Sui77 said:
Thanks, data did the trick.
I had to delete 2 files due to a non working finger printer by using TWRP files explorer, but now the phone is fine.
Last thing pending are customer ringtones, but this is a nasty one.
Any idea how to do it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am having the same problem with the fingerprint reader after restoring data from one phone to another, what files did you delete in TWRP file manager?

Solution for fingerprinter:
1. Boot into TWRP
2. Go to advanced>filemanager to acces the files in your phone.
3. Enter the folder /data/system/user/0
4. Delete following files: ./fpdata/user.db, settings_fingerprint.xml
5. Reboot to system and set up new fingerprints with the fingerprint wizard
6. Everything should work normal
Was not easy to find, but it's easy to do

Sui77 said:
Solution for fingerprinter:
1. Boot into TWRP
2. Go to advanced>filemanager to acces the files in your phone.
3. Enter the folder /data/system/user/0
4. Delete following files: ./fpdata/user.db, settings_fingerprint.xml
5. Reboot to system and set up new fingerprints with the fingerprint wizard
6. Everything should work normal
Was not easy to find, but it's easy to do
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I didn't think it would be easy to find, but thanks for the tips. :good:

I am just putting this phone online with Q Beta 3 today, I have no notifications for text, and all options are greyed out?

Droid_Nut said:
I am just putting this phone online with Q Beta 3 today, I have no notifications for text, and all options are greyed out?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Turns out this is a bug in Android Q. With Pie there were some many notifications that I set my sound to none, so I just set my sound to Gibbon Call, and now I get text notifications. :good:

seedvault. How do i migrate to seedvault on LOS?

currently on pixel 2xl, going to move to los. how do i used seed vault? do i have to start over with my appdata? i can't find anything about migrating over. only that seedvault exists, and its cool. thats about it. why are there no guides on how to setup and move over to it from google backup.

letrain02 said:
currently on pixel 2xl, going to move to los. how do i used seed vault? do i have to start over with my appdata? i can't find anything about migrating over. only that seedvault exists, and its cool. thats about it. why are there no guides on how to setup and move over to it from google backup.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't think, seedvaut has an interface to Google backup. And you can only use it, if it is integrated in your current OS. If you intend to stay with Google, use Google backup. If you go noGApps, its better to manually setup, anyway.

kurtn said:
I don't think, seedvaut has an interface to Google backup. And you can only use it, if it is integrated in your current OS. If you intend to stay with Google, use Google backup. If you go noGApps, its better to manually setup, anyway.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yeah i can't download google backup either. was curious if i could migrate using titanium backup or something, instead of starting over.
its my understanding lineage os now uses seedvault. so if i use lineage os i must use seed vault?

letrain02 said:
yeah i can't download google backup either. was curious if i could migrate using titanium backup or something, instead of starting over.
its my understanding lineage os now uses seedvault. so if i use lineage os i must use seed vault?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you use lineageOS with GApps, you setup with your Google account. That will automatically install your apps. Google backup is probably part of your current OS. Make sure to have it enabled.

kurtn said:
If you use lineageOS with GApps, you setup with your Google account. That will automatically install your apps. Google backup is probably part of your current OS. Make sure to have it enabled.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well thats what i'm curious about. if lineageos uses seedvault for backup, will my data be restored if i use gapps?, and only future backups will be seed vault?

letrain02 said:
well thats what i'm curious about. if lineageos uses seedvault for backup, will my data be restored if i use gapps?, and only future backups will be seed vault?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
@letrain02, did you find out anything more about SeedVault?
I've searched online and can't find any documentation to speak of, and haven't managed to find out how to use it by trial and error. It's easy to switch between Google and SeedVault in Settings, but not at all clear how to restore SV backups. No manual 'restore' option in Settings, and LOS doesn't offer to find and restore an SV backup on first boot of a reset / reflashed system (although SV is now the default backup service).
I can confirm, though, that if you've installed gapps it still goes through the standard Google setup on first boot, including asking if you want to restore a backup. SV being the default backup service doesn't affect that.

lpedia said:
@letrain02, did you find out anything more about SeedVault?
I've searched online and can't find any documentation to speak of, and haven't managed to find out how to use it by trial and error. It's easy to switch between Google and SeedVault in Settings, but not at all clear how to restore SV backups. No manual 'restore' option in Settings, and LOS doesn't offer to find and restore an SV backup on first boot of a reset / reflashed system (although SV is now the default backup service).
I can confirm, though, that if you've installed gapps it still goes through the standard Google setup on first boot, including asking if you want to restore a backup. SV being the default backup service doesn't affect that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well that's good for migrating to seedvault. I know you can store seedvault to a next cloud account, or file and save it to usb. Im not sure how it would restore without gapps.

letrain02 said:
Well that's good for migrating to seedvault. I know you can store seedvault to a next cloud account, or file and save it to usb. Im not sure how it would restore without gapps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Google's setup will only restore a Google backup, of course. How to restore a SV backup remains a mystery to me.
You can save SV backups to NextCloud, USB OTG storage, internal storage, or microSD card. Backups are stored in a hidden folder .SeedVaultAndroidBackup at the top level of the chosen storage device. If you choose the microSD card, it warns that this is 'internal storage' (even if it's 'portable' storage) and won't be available if you're rebuilding the device ... which isn't true.

Some good news! I found a useful piece of information in https://forum.fairphone.com/t/has-anyone-tried-seedvault-backup-with-lineage-17/62481/8 - how to manually run SeedVault's restore process. It works!
Code:
adb shell am start -n com.stevesoltys.seedvault/.restore.RestoreActivity

Shortly after posting that last message, I re-flashed a LineageOS device that'd had SeedVault active as the backup service, and accepted LOS's offer to restore from backup. It ran SeedVault Restore and restored successfully. So in that sense it works much like restoring a Google backup.
Entering a 12-word encryption key is a bit of a pain, but is still a lot easier than manually reconfiguring the device - and as a bonus, you can run / re-run the restore manually, which is either impossible or very difficult to do with Google backups.
Note that SeedVault never re-uses an encryption code. When you enable / re-enable SeedVault backups it creates a new code. It doesn't seem to be possible to set the code manually.

lpedia said:
Some good news! I found a useful piece of information in https://forum.fairphone.com/t/has-anyone-tried-seedvault-backup-with-lineage-17/62481/8 - how to manually run SeedVault's restore process. It works!
Code:
adb shell am start -n com.stevesoltys.seedvault/.restore.RestoreActivity
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just because it took me some time to und erstand: you connect your device to a computer and run the command via USB. This triggers a programm start in the device. You can then unplug from the computer and connect the USB stick with the Backup.

Question Best Backup Solution?

What is the best backup solution that can backup appdata and apps and system settings?

Google backup? I've been wondering this myself, but haven't found anything but Google's backup/restore. :|

For apps and their data, i suggest SwiftBackup. You connect it with your google account for cloud backup (paid) or create a local folder that you can tranfer to usb drive (free) and use it to restore back to your phone or any other device.
It also backs up call logs and messages and wifi networks.

jprattnu said:
Google backup? I've been wondering this myself, but haven't found anything but Google's backup/restore. :|
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Google backup doesn't backup all apps just Google apps just tried it.

IamTheBRAVE said:
For apps and their data, i suggest SwiftBackup. You connect it with your google account for cloud backup (paid) or create a local folder that you can tranfer to usb drive (free) and use it to restore back to your phone or any other device.
It also backs up call logs and messages and wifi networks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks will try it out

I bricked/un-bricked my phone last night and successfully restored all apps and data with Migrate (NG version downloaded from their telegram channel). Not sure about system settings... I prefer a clean start with those so I didn't try.

IamTheBRAVE said:
For apps and their data, i suggest SwiftBackup. You connect it with your google account for cloud backup (paid) or create a local folder that you can tranfer to usb drive (free) and use it to restore back to your phone or any other device.
It also backs up call logs and messages and wifi networks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1

Migrate is also a viable solution. I had a problem with their sdcard enabler on another phone so used swiftbackup instead. Very satisfied.

vangry2020 said:
What is the best backup solution that can backup appdata and apps and system settings?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The best I've seen(must be root) Swift Backup(Google play store). You can back up messages, call logs, and most importantly apps, app data, ext data, system apps, ext data. Awesome app and easy to sync to dropbox, drive, etc.

IamTheBRAVE said:
For apps and their data, i suggest SwiftBackup. You connect it with your google account for cloud backup (paid) or create a local folder that you can tranfer to usb drive (free) and use it to restore back to your phone or any other device.
It also backs up call logs and messages and wifi networks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for this - Question - Can you still get all app & ext data without being rooted? (Yes I'm a root idiot, sorry)!

IamTheBRAVE said:
Migrate is also a viable solution. I had a problem with their sdcard enabler on another phone so used swiftbackup instead. Very satisfied.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had issues with Migrate on an older phone as well (OP 7Pro) , but so far on this phone it has been solid.
Does anyone know of any apps that can do incremental backups of only modified data? I've used Swift Backup but it doesn't seem to be an option. Swift has an option to back up only "updated apps" but I could care less whether the apk was updated... I'd like something that can back up only apps with modified data on a nightly basis, the way I used to do with Titanium Backup on earlier versions of Android.

jprattnu said:
Thanks for this - Question - Can you still get all app & ext data without being rooted? (Yes I'm a root idiot, sorry)!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No don't think so.

terlynn4 said:
I had issues with Migrate on an older phone as well (OP 7Pro) , but so far on this phone it has been solid.
Does anyone know of any apps that can do incremental backups of only modified data? I've used Swift Backup but it doesn't seem to be an option. Swift has an option to back up only "updated apps" but I could care less whether the apk was updated... I'd like something that can back up only apps with modified data on a nightly basis, the way I used to do with Titanium Backup on earlier versions of Android.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did not see any option for that in the app. You can do it manually by renaming theold backup folder and redoing existing backup option. I think that would work.

IamTheBRAVE said:
Did not see any option for that in the app. You can do it manually by renaming theold backup folder and redoing existing backup option. I think that would work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wouldn't that just back up everything again? Or maybe I don't follow what you mean.

terlynn4 said:
Wouldn't that just back up everything again? Or maybe I don't follow what you mean.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, back up everything again but since you rename the old backup folder you end up with 2 incremental backup. At least that how i see it but it would be a pain to do that if you want nighly backups.
The only other idea may be to set a scheduled backup (paid). Just took a look, it say you can have customisable backups in premium (which i don't have) maybe someone can tell us what that contains?

IamTheBRAVE said:
Yes, back up everything again but since you rename the old backup folder you end up with 2 incremental backup. At least that how i see it but it would be a pain to do that if you want nighly backups.
The only other idea may be to set a scheduled backup (paid). Just took a look, it say you can have customisable backups in premium (which i don't have) maybe someone can tell us what that contains?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're talking about multiple backups, I'm talking about incremental/differential backups, where only modified data is backed up. The purpose is for smaller size and faster backups so they can be run daily or even multiple times a day. I save my backups to google drive and "all apps" is about 20 GB for me. It's insane to upload that much every single night when most of it hasn't changed, but I want my backups always up to date for the next time my phone is bricked unexpectedly. I do have premium, but the option to back up only modified data isn't there. I'm looking for an app that can do that, like Titanium Backup did flawlessly.