I am new to HTC devices, coming from Motorola Droids. I have read a lot of the info here but still have a few noob questions. I am currently running RezROM 1.5 and like it a lot. But I would like to get the OTA update for the new radio and I would also like to check out some of the ICS ROM's.
So question is: Is there an easy way to restore user data and apps after flashing ROM's? Many of the ROM's I see suggest or require full wipe and often recommend not restoring anything. I have had problems restoring data (both on Motorola and HTC) with Titanium backup.
Thanks!
TahoeTexan said:
I am new to HTC devices, coming from Motorola Droids. I have read a lot of the info here but still have a few noob questions. I am currently running RezROM 1.5 and like it a lot. But I would like to get the OTA update for the new radio and I would also like to check out some of the ICS ROM's.
So question is: Is there an easy way to restore user data and apps after flashing ROM's? Many of the ROM's I see suggest or require full wipe and often recommend not restoring anything. I have had problems restoring data (both on Motorola and HTC) with Titanium backup.
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The apps part is easy. Backup your /data/app/ somewhere before changing ROMs. Then drop it everything back in /data/app/ afterward. All you're backing up though is the installed application, not the data. Data is not recommended across many ROMs so I don't even think about it.
I've tried a few ways... but ultimately. I just deal with resetting everything up the way I want.
I've used MyBackup. It does alright. Takes forever if you have a lot of SMS messages. And it doesn't exactly get all of your system settings either. I also had a problem where I factory reset, re-installed all my apps. and then ran MyBackup restore to get the home screens back in order and while it did, none of the app buttons worked. So I had to replace everything, but at least I knew where things belonged I guess...
Eitherway, haven't been that impressed with any of the backup/restore things as of yet. I'm feeling bold enough to say there isn't a SlamDunk solution out there that'll work for everyone, but the ones that do exist might do enough for you to be happy.
The best way I have found by far is to use the app "App Monster Pro".
You can have that app made a BU copy of the APK for all your installed apps to a folder on your storage card. Then, after a ROM flash you just go to that folder & click on whatever APK's you want installed for the new ROM & you get a completely clean new install of everything in no time.
That way it a little slower than a TI batch recover, but the difference is it works 100% right 100% of the time (something TI & My BU Pro NEVER do)
It doesn't restore text messages, but I never had any desire to do that anyway (it always cracked me up when I had my TouchPro 2 & people would post I just restored 4200 text messages to my new ROM & now my phone is freezing constantly when texting, what do I do??)
I just use ES File Explorer to backup my apps, as for data, for me, my critical data are my contacts, so I just sync those up with my google account.
I second AppMonster Pro for just apps. I love that as soon as you download an app it makes a backup of it so you never have to think about it. And when restoring it's easy on the eyes, unlike TiBU which I find I have to search around a lot before I find what I'm trying to restore. Still I use three back up systems - AppMonster Pro, MyBackup Pro and Titanium Backup Pro - just in case so if one fails I have others to turn to.
Related
I'm running streakdroid 1.9 but I would like to do some experimentation with my streak. If I flash a new rom what will I lose? How do you backup your data so you can flash to your hearts content?
Thanks
if u flash stock roms, they do a factory reset during first start up.
So u end up loosing everything.
However if u flash .zip version of the stock roms using CWM or streak recovery , u will retain almost everything but may loose somethings like root and so on.
Remember stock roms will flash its default recovery everytime it boots up
Ok thanks. Is it wise to do a factory reset anyway?
What tools can I use to backup messages, apps, photos, etc?
I use titanium backup.
If you do a nandroid backup, when you restore it, everything will be just as it was before you flashed another ROM...
As far as using Titanium... it has never worked for me completely, nor has MyBackUp Pro, they cause me more headache than being useful...
I have gotten to the point to when I flash a new ROM, I just manually install everything, I know it sounds like some hassle, but you end up with a much smoother operating phone.
I even do a nandroid backup first, then go into my ROM and manually uninstall everything, so that when I boot up my new ROM and setup my market account, it doesn't try to install everything on its own and bog down my phone at first, I install everything manually in the order I want and set them up as I go.
I know this sounds cumbersome, but I have found it creates a cleaner environment and practically eliminated force closes
That is the way I like to do things also but what about the things that you can't just re-install e.g. sms, application specific data?
Advice
I was having a sim card and constant restart issue after updating to streakroid 2.4.4, and even after flashing dsc, the problem persisted. After I reviewed the steps I had taken I realized that I never did a factory resest (fearing I would forever lose my precious app data, which I did -_-). It turned out that was the fix, after doing the factory reset, my sim card was recognized immediately and a couple of the text I had missed showed up. However, I fixed one fixed problem and developed another.
Even though I restored a MyBackup and Titanium backup I did right before resetting I recovered my several apps without their precious data (setting, notes, bookmarks). I tried doing internal backups within the apps, some conveniently had syncs to a cloud yet I missed doing that with a few apps because I have over 100+ and I use more than half on a regular basis (even if for 5 minutes). All my apps are on my device, which is a good thing but I cant appreciate that given the missing data.
So my advice is:
Use apps that have can automatically backup or sync data -- there are enough apps with similiar utility that you can avoid ones without that function.
Do a manual backup within your important apps. -- Some apps backup files to locations that may be wiped during update, doesn't have auto backup or the last backup is months old.
Pics, texts, call logs are easily backed up -- Backup programs will explicitly state or ask what to back up in that regard.
Do a nandroid backup -- I believe this only restores rom and apps but someone can correct me.
Caveat
Through all the research done before actually need to restore a backup I missed the fact when restore apps depending on the restore program every app has to be reinstalled individually. If you have more than 25 apps then #$#@!, also for some reason when restoring with titanium if during a batch restore you come across an app if you hit cancel during one of the install prompts because you actually don't want to restore that app the batch will freeze and you'll have to force close titanium and start the restore all over. Go through the list of restore options and choose each app one by one, save yourself the time.
Lastly, to piggy back off what was said before, a factory reset( FR) after updating rom is always recommended but its not always needed. Most roms will update without causing you to lose any data but like I said previously I had sim card issues when I updated without a FR. YMMV
At this point I don't know if this helps the OP but maybe it will benefit someone else who reads this thread.
This guide by _n0p_ tells how to do an upgrade and minimize the re-installation of apps.
Key items:
Use the backup function of any apps that have it
Don't count on restoring data with TB or My Backup
Make a nandroid - just in case
I have found TB and My Backup to be useful for things like browser bookmarks.
The post linked to discussed going from Froyo to Gingerbread but the same techniques apply for moving to any other ROM.
Last time i changed roms, i used the Dell backup utility for evertyhing but the apps, which can be backed up together with their data with QtADB which creates a backup folder on your SD. After installing the new rom, i chose advanced recovery from the Dell Utility and set it to recover everything but the apps, which i recovered with QtADB. However, I also strongly recommend nandroid, in case the steak doesn't boot after the install.
so I had a full system + app backup made in titanium while on vipers ROM. I just flashed to team XRONs ROM and then did a full restore through titanium.
My question is, is titanium smart enough to not overwrite newer version of things when restoring?
I'm basically wondering if its technically possible to restore back to an older version of sense components via a restore.
Posted from my Evo3D on the XDA app
Yea it will restore the last backup, so ifs an older version that's what will be restored, you can always select uncheck what you don't want TB to restore.
I know that it won't help here but in the future, you may want to consider MyBackup Root for your backup options. You can find it in the market and it is free.
TB does the restore in batch mode relative to the last incrementally saved
backup, gives you the option to uncheck the apps you would not like to
install, which is very convenient.
I haven't had too much problem restoring backups of apps when jumping from one ROM to another. If you jump between Sense and AOSP ROMs, Titanium doesn't handle that well. With the 3D, there isn't a fully functional AOSP ROM yet, so you shouldn't have to worry about that now.
I wouldn't restore any system backups when jump from one ROM to another though. Just apps that I have downloaded from market, that's always worked for me. I don't usual restore apps that are part of the base ROM like Internet and Messaging. You may be able to do that go from one ROM to another, but you could be restoring older versions of apps.
I will have to look into MyBackup Root. Curious if it handles Sense to AOSP backup of Apps better.
TrofeoSC said:
I know that it won't help here but in the future, you may want to consider MyBackup Root for your backup options. You can find it in the market and it is free.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is only free for first 30 days.
what's a good option for backing up and restoring just text messages and phone logs
Vdubtx said:
It is only free for first 30 days.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think that the Root version is free, the Pro version costs.
I used it coming over from stock rooted to viper. I unchecked everything viper's rom already had so it just imported new stuff for me (saving me at least 15 market downloads) and some other one off items and settings. Worked well. Just takes a second to dig through some times and make sure not to lay down unnecessary crap. Its also color coded for convenience.
I have read that when going to a different rom to do a full wipe.
So clearly if you want to keep your apps you back them up and recover them with titanium backup, but why is it advised to not restore the Data of the apps?
How else would I keep game scores and settings and such?
Thanks
restoring the data for the user apps is fine, don't restore the system data...
Wond3r said:
I have read that when going to a different rom to do a full wipe.
So clearly if you want to keep your apps you back them up and recover them with titanium backup, but why is it advised to not restore the Data of the apps?
How else would I keep game scores and settings and such?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
that would be a bit of misinformation that gets spread around.....
its fine to restore user apps+data. i have been doing it for a long time with every device i have. swapping between devices and all.
do a batch restore MISSING apps+data
unselect anything that might be blur/sense/touchwiz specific (based on the phone you are using)
run the batch and reboot
verify you are not having any FCs on your apps
if you do a batch restore of just user apps+data (and not the MISSING option) you will get tons of issues.
it is not advised to use Titanium Backup for things like text messages, contacts, phone logs, etc. (while possible it will work just fine, i have seen lots more issues trying to restore those from rom to rom rather than just user apps.)
again. use the MISSING APPS option in the batch restore of Titanium Backup
i have been doing it for over a year on many different devices and i even share my titanium backup folder between different phones, with NO issues at all. and i typically flash several times a week on several different devices.
Wond3r said:
I have read that when going to a different rom to do a full wipe.
So clearly if you want to keep your apps you back them up and recover them with titanium backup, but why is it advised to not restore the Data of the apps?
How else would I keep game scores and settings and such?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is advised to do full wipe, if you install a rom.
And if you want to keep your settings, games scores etc, you use Titanium Backup.
Titanium Backup is your friend in those cases..
What is not adviced, is installing a Rom, without wiping your data.. In that way, you keep for example data of apps and games, of a froyo rom, to a gingerbread rom..
Rom to Rom differs(even in same android version), thats why you full wipe, and then TiBu saves you by restoring them, to the new rom's enviroment..
Edit: Agree with others.. I was typing on atrix, and since i wrote this, they already answered!
Also in atrix, NEVER restore FINGERPRINTS backup..
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App
Pirateghost said:
that would be a bit of misinformation that gets spread around.....
its fine to restore user apps+data. i have been doing it for a long time with every device i have. swapping between devices and all.
do a batch restore MISSING apps+data
unselect anything that might be blur/sense/touchwiz specific (based on the phone you are using)
run the batch and reboot
verify you are not having any FCs on your apps
if you do a batch restore of just user apps+data (and not the MISSING option) you will get tons of issues.
it is not advised to use Titanium Backup for things like text messages, contacts, phone logs, etc. (while possible it will work just fine, i have seen lots more issues trying to restore those from rom to rom rather than just user apps.)
again. use the MISSING APPS option in the batch restore of Titanium Backup
i have been doing it for over a year on many different devices and i even share my titanium backup folder between different phones, with NO issues at all. and i typically flash several times a week on several different devices.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That explains it. Ive seen MANY posts where users tell other users to restore apps but not restore data but dont specify they mean system data and not app data!
Also, when people talk of a full wipe, do they mean even deleting the contents of the internal storage (like photos and such?)
This would be for going from one ROM to another ROM, both GB
No they are talking about doing a "wipe data/factory reset" in CMW and not physically deleting your internal sdcard. if you delete your sdcard then you will wipe out data that you need including your titanium backups
morepower71 said:
No they are talking about doing a "wipe data/factory reset" in CMW and not physically deleting your internal sdcard. if you delete your sdcard then you will wipe out data that you need including your titanium backups
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks ! I always feared that the wipe data/factory reset pretty much deletes all the files on your device like photos and music
The short answer is force closes. Which also can happen from restoring app data, altho it is less likely to happen, it can and it will. But yea def dont restore system data.
Is there any other way of saving game saves?
Wond3r said:
Is there any other way of saving game saves?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can use SyncIt or GameOn, you can even back it up manualy with Root Explorer. You should be fine with TiBU, just if you do get a force close you will know why and what to do (delete data and/or uninstall/reinstall).
I am having an issue restoring my app data from titanium backup. The issue first occurred when i switched from a stock ROM to CM7 ICS ROM. When i restored my missing apps+data all of my app data had disappeared. I just started over and didn't worry about it. Then when i switched from CM7 back to a stock rom I received my old apps+data from before i switched to CM7. I read around on the forums that this might be a compatibility issue. So i started to use the setting in the batch menu "Manipulate data and converted my backups to roll back journal mode which says this works with all roms, and started uploading to Dropbox. I recently just switched my Rom from a stock ROM to CM9 ICS. I lost all of my apps again!! and got back all of the app data from when i was using CM7. Could someone please shed some light on what is going on here cause i have no idea. Please let me know if there is anything i can do to get my app data into CM9 from my last stock rom. The stock rom i was using was an old ROM called wet dream.
JonnyCazoid said:
I am having an issue restoring my app data from titanium backup. The issue first occurred when i switched from a stock ROM to CM7 ICS ROM. When i restored my missing apps+data all of my app data had disappeared. I just started over and didn't worry about it. Then when i switched from CM7 back to a stock rom I received my old apps+data from before i switched to CM7. I read around on the forums that this might be a compatibility issue. So i started to use the setting in the batch menu "Manipulate data and converted my backups to roll back journal mode which says this works with all roms, and started uploading to Dropbox. I recently just switched my Rom from a stock ROM to CM9 ICS. I lost all of my apps again!! and got back all of the app data from when i was using CM7. Could someone please shed some light on what is going on here cause i have no idea. Please let me know if there is anything i can do to get my app data into CM9 from my last stock rom. The stock rom i was using was an old ROM called wet dream.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The stock rom uses a different back up location than cm roms. You will have to manually go find the data backups in tibu. Don't bother having it auto detect, wont work. For example, all my backups were at mnt/emmc/titaniumbackup instead of the stock roms location of mnt/sdcard/titaniumbackup
pre4speed said:
The stock rom uses a different back up location than cm roms. You will have to manually go find the data backups in tibu. Don't bother having it auto detect, wont work. For example, all my backups were at mnt/emmc/titaniumbackup instead of the stock roms location of mnt/sdcard/titaniumbackup
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Looks like that was the the problem. I saved my backup on drop box so i just dropped what was on dropbox in my titanium folder and restored it. I now have all of my app data back.
First let me say that I never ran into this problem on my Galaxy Nexus.
On my Note 2 I'm running Beans 2, rooted and unlocked bootloader.
Before I flashed the ROM I created two flashable .zip files with TiBu, one for the app, and one for my backed up apps.
After flashing the ROM, I booted the system, went back to recovery and flashed the .zip for the app.
Then I rebooted the system and opened TiBu. It asked me if I wanted to restore the previous Device ID, which I did, then it rebooted.
Then I went back into recovery and flashed the .zip for the backed up apps.
Rebooted the system and my apps were restored. The problem is that many of them don't work. Not all, but many will FC and require uninstalling and reinstalling from the PlayStore. After that they work.
Anyone run into this problem? Some examples are Netflix and Opera Browser. I've had about five or six others.
I had the same problem with Revision 3, before Beans 2.
Thanks.
By the way, all the apps were initially installed onto the Note 2 from the playstore.
I usually use TiBu and just do a batch restore(there's a little check box at the top right of home screen) and then just check the box to only restore apps (not apps + data), then I'll uncheck all and only select the ones I want to restore.
If there are a few that I want to try and restore data on, I'll do that on the next batch restore, and just leave apps + data checked...but keep in mind sometimes it doesn't properly restore data(and sometimes it doesn't even restore the app. If it's restored but not working properly, a lot of times you can just clear the data on the app in the application manager.
Hope that helps, I've never tried your method but it sounds like it restores EVERYTHING including system apps, which wouldn't be the best way to do it.
Sent from my unlocked & underclocked Galaxy Note 2
try this
Izord said:
First let me say that I never ran into this problem on my Galaxy Nexus.
On my Note 2 I'm running Beans 2, rooted and unlocked bootloader.
Before I flashed the ROM I created two flashable .zip files with TiBu, one for the app, and one for my backed up apps.
After flashing the ROM, I booted the system, went back to recovery and flashed the .zip for the app.
Then I rebooted the system and opened TiBu. It asked me if I wanted to restore the previous Device ID, which I did, then it rebooted.
Then I went back into recovery and flashed the .zip for the backed up apps.
Rebooted the system and my apps were restored. The problem is that many of them don't work. Not all, but many will FC and require uninstalling and reinstalling from the PlayStore. After that they work.
Anyone run into this problem? Some examples are Netflix and Opera Browser. I've had about five or six others.
I had the same problem with Revision 3, before Beans 2.
Thanks.
By the way, all the apps were initially installed onto the Note 2 from the playstore.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
TiBu is one of my favs...
don't do the zip. Just backup all app. Put them on the SD card. You can choose that by going into settings and changing the folder where they reside. The boot into android install both tibu and tibu pro then restore missing apps.
I did this tens of time ( I have severe fla****is) never failed. Takes longer but works for me.
Abe
sleevasteve said:
I usually use TiBu and just do a batch restore(there's a little check box at the top right of home screen) and then just check the box to only restore apps (not apps + data), then I'll uncheck all and only select the ones I want to restore.
If there are a few that I want to try and restore data on, I'll do that on the next batch restore, and just leave apps + data checked...but keep in mind sometimes it doesn't properly restore data(and sometimes it doesn't even restore the app. If it's restored but not working properly, a lot of times you can just clear the data on the app in the application manager.
Hope that helps, I've never tried your method but it sounds like it restores EVERYTHING including system apps, which wouldn't be the best way to do it.
Sent from my unlocked & underclocked Galaxy Note 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No the .zip flash restore was implemented a month or two ago. It takes your app + app data backups and creates a flashable zip. Worked perfect on the Gnex. It doesn't do system apps, unless you included them in your backups. Like I said I noticed it on Netflix and Opera and some other downloaded apps.
sleevasteve said:
I usually use TiBu and just do a batch restore(there's a little check box at the top right of home screen) and then just check the box to only restore apps (not apps + data), then I'll uncheck all and only select the ones I want to restore.
If there are a few that I want to try and restore data on, I'll do that on the next batch restore, and just leave apps + data checked...but keep in mind sometimes it doesn't properly restore data(and sometimes it doesn't even restore the app. If it's restored but not working properly, a lot of times you can just clear the data on the app in the application manager.
Hope that helps, I've never tried your method but it sounds like it restores EVERYTHING including system apps, which wouldn't be the best way to do it.
Sent from my unlocked & underclocked Galaxy Note 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
abe_cedar said:
TiBu is one of my favs...
don't do the zip. Just backup all app. Put them on the SD card. You can choose that by going into settings and changing the folder where they reside. The boot into android install both tibu and tibu pro then restore missing apps.
I did this tens of time ( I have severe fla****is) never failed. Takes longer but works for me.
Abe
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, me too. I started doing the zip restore when it came out. Faster to do it in recovery. But I've done it the old way like you said too. Have you restored any apps on your Note 2 yet? Since unlocking the bootloader and flashing Beans?
old way
Izord said:
Yeah, me too. I started doing the zip restore when it came out. Faster to do it in recovery. But I've done it the old way like you said too. Have you restored any apps on your Note 2 yet? Since unlocking the bootloader and flashing Beans?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes,
and they work like a champ.
I am picky with the aroma settings, so I had to flash 5-6 times beans rel 2 till I got it to my likings.
Each time used the old tibu restore missing apps and data feture. Really nice.
The zip file is cool but if something is wrong with only one app, why mess all of them.
my take.
Abe
The only issue I've had so far with TiBu is restoring my Snote notes. After a reboot can see them (thumbnails) in the business folder, but soon as I click on it the stupid thing goes through a sync and all my notes vaporize.
Root, unlocked, Rev3 ROM. Tried Beans, but wasn't crazy about the ICS graphics.
Did you get this fixed? I ran into some trouble with trying to transfer Opera and Opera Mini onto another device. It transfers my bookmarks, speedial and open pages, so some amount of user data is there. But its missing my login information and feeds and adds the standard speeddials after my own (this actually happens on the source device to, creating a backup changes the source). Whats going on there?
I'm sure it worked before Android 5.1.
Old Skool.....
nurps said:
Did you get this fixed? I ran into some trouble with trying to transfer Opera and Opera Mini onto another device. It transfers my bookmarks, speedial and open pages, so some amount of user data is there. But its missing my login information and feeds and ands the standard speeddials after my own (this actually happens on the source device to, creating a backup changes the source). Whats going on there?
I'm sure it worked before Android 5.1.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've always done it the old skool was as well. It's more time consuming but I prefer to keep the rom flashes as clean as possible to help pick out bugs from non-bugs.
I always just restore the apps (no data) - then put in the time getting everything set up again.
Answering a question about how to do something with "I dont do it" isnt really helping.
Greetings,
I'm loving my GS4 so far and I've gotten it rooted and just wiped data and flashed gruesomewolf_sacs_custom_rom.
My question for ya'll (and forgive me if this is in the wrong place) but how do you handle going quickly and easily between ROMs without brain damage?
What I mean by this is yes I did a Titanium backup and SMS backup before I flashed the new ROM however you still have SO much to restore after you flash a new ROM. I'm the kinda guy who tweaks all my settings, widgets, ringtones and such just the way I like them and I hate when I have to do that all over again. So yes, I am able to restore apps, and some data from the Titanium backups but I still have to go back through and set all my ringtones and all my widgets and settings within certain apps all over again.
That's probably just the name of the game and I need to get used to it if I plan on flashing new ROMs but I'm just wondering what's the easiest way to back the most up and get the most restored?
Thanks for all your input!
I felt the same way as you when I switched ROMs. It was such a pain to reload everything customize it the way you had it before.
My solution was simply use TitaniumBackup prior to flashing the next ROM and Batch backup all the apps and app data that you will want.
TitaniumBackup also has a Batch Restore function. So I just use that function after flashing the ROM. I think it can also restore designated ringtones as long as you back up that system file that contains the ringtone selection. Unfortunately, I'm not sure which one that is.
zilla. said:
I felt the same way as you when I switched ROMs. It was such a pain to reload everything customize it the way you had it before.
My solution was simply use TitaniumBackup prior to flashing the next ROM and Batch backup all the apps and app data that you will want.
TitaniumBackup also has a Batch Restore function. So I just use that function after flashing the ROM. I think it can also restore designated ringtones as long as you back up that system file that contains the ringtone selection. Unfortunately, I'm not sure which one that is.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the reply! Yeah that's kind of what I'm doing, I guess I'll need to explore Titanium Backup a bit more. I'm curious if it actually backs up and can restore system settings as well. It does a pretty decent job of backing up apps + data but I never know if when doing a restore if I should restore the system data as well because it could be different from ROM to ROM.
Thanks for the advice!