i just flashed a rom and forgot to backup nandroid.
but i backed it up straight away after flashing it , will it be ok?
also how does all this nandroid backup thing work what does it really do,
last time i flashed a rom i still got that backed up if it will be any use.
thanks
A Nandroid backup backs up the entire state of your phone apart from its SD card. You should do one when you have a fully working (and rootable) phone, so that if you screw up flashing it in future you can get back to a working phone with it set up how it was before.
It's not enough just to do the backup, you need to ensure that you can restore from it too. I had to do a restore recently and realised I couldn't use fastboot because I didn't have the right SPL (part of the bootloader) installed. Luckily the recovery image I had let me manipulate it via adb etc. I learned a lot of things the hard way and I suspect I came very close to having a bricked phone.
I don't understand..hopefully I don't mess up my phone, when do I have to restore.nandroid
When flashing a ROM goes wrong (usually unlikely), you can end up with a phone that won't boot. If you do a nandroid backup before you Flash, you have a backup of your entire phone's state before you flashed. There are ways to restore Nandroid backups (or flash other images) even if your phone won't boot normally. You really have to research this and make sure you have everything right before you flash any ROM.
If you don't understand these concepts, you probably shouldn't be flashing ROMs. Just use the official updater provided by HTC in your country.
how can i restore nandroid then if my phone gets messed up thats the main question
hawwy said:
how can i restore nandroid then if my phone gets messed up thats the main question
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Google is your friend. Seriously, there are thousands of resources on this around the web - frankly if you are not willing to do the research into this, just don't flash any ROMs. Doing so is only for technically minded people who know how it all works or are willing to go off and learn about it thoroughly. It doesn't sound like that is you.
This stuff isn't easy, for the same reason flying a 747 isn't easy: it shouldn't be attempted by novices.
I can't just explain it in a couple of sentences.
Hey guys, I'd first like to thank everyone posting guides on the forums, has made my job a lot easier. I'm currently in the middle of trying to root my telus hero with the gold card method. I made the gold card, i think anyways, but before i go ahead and run the RUU file to downgrade, I want to make a nandroid backup of my phone. I downloaded the recovery image which is supposed to have nandroid v2.2 in it, but I'm not to sure how exactly to use it... I'm kind of a reallllly big nub.
chaosthebomb said:
Hey guys, I'd first like to thank everyone posting guides on the forums, has made my job a lot easier. I'm currently in the middle of trying to root my telus hero with the gold card method. I made the gold card, i think anyways, but before i go ahead and run the RUU file to downgrade, I want to make a nandroid backup of my phone. I downloaded the recovery image which is supposed to have nandroid v2.2 in it, but I'm not to sure how exactly to use it... I'm kind of a reallllly big nub.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
From my understanding, as I saw it, I believe that the RUU's are safe, since they're HTC approved images, just that the gold card allows you to revert to a lower version of an HTC rom. Think of it as the RUU's as an official update, but an older official update, and the gold cards make your phone seen as a phone that can accept any update (new or old). So there will not be any harm when you run an official update like this unless your computer crashes midupdate or you pull the battery..or the cable gets unplugged.
Nandroid backups can be produced using the recovery image (i call it a menu since that's all you really see from it), which is covered later in a tutorial if you're reading one. This recovery image is applied after a downgrade (the downgrade gives you the ability to have root access, which is i believe necessary to get the recovery image installed), and thus be able to make these nandroid backups. The nandroid backups then get saved onto the SD card to which you can transfer to your computer for safe keeping. This ensures you can revert to an official rom with previous settings applied in case of an awry custom rom installation. The nandroid backups can also be used for nonofficial roms that you've deemed stable when you tested them, and this can be done as many times as you want.
I'm not sure if I'm entirely right, but I believe I have the gist of it. If anyone can correct me for any errors or can elaborate more, please feel free to share After all, we're all new at one point, hopefully veterans of this will chime in and allow us all to learn!
Also, welcome to the forums! Glad to have you!!
alright, so if I understand correctly, I first need to root my phone to gain root access to perform these nandroid backups?
I'm using this guide" Get started rooting Telus HERO130! (No need for QMAT!)", I'd post a URL but it seems that since I am a new member I'm not allowed to post URL's. I've gotten up to step 6. When I run that RUU file it says its going to erase everything on the phone, so I decided its probably best if I backed up my phone before I try this in the event that I mess everything up horribly.
Is this possible without having root access to use the recovery image with nandroid on it? or am I just having another noob moment?
thanks for the help!
So I am new to the whole Root and ROM Android arena. And I came up with a few questions that hopefully you guys can help me with.
1. I read people saying they lost their ROOT after an update from 4.1 to 4.2 or 4.2.1 to 4.2.2? How did this happen for them?
Do you have to Un-root and flash to stock before updating to a different build (Such as 4.1 to 4.2 or 4.2.1 to 4.2.2)?
2. Right now I am using a custom ROM on Android Version 4.2.2.... if a new Custom ROM with a new android version released (Let's say 4.2.3) can I flash from one Rom to the other with just wiping Cache/Factory wipe and Dalvik Cahce or is there something else I would need to do because of the Android version update?
Sorry those two questions above are very similar but I wanted to ask them both ways.
3. If I were to get bored of the Custom ROM I am currently on. Are there any Best Practices "rules" I should know about when switching from one custom ROM to another?
4. Last if I am on a custom ROM with a nightly build..... is it more common to update to every nightly build that releases? Or is it more common people to only pick and choose choice nightly build versions. And if people do update to every new Nightly build.... can you update too much and destroy your device?
Sorry guys I know these seem like very basic questions..... and Yes I did search the forums. However while I found some very basic answers nothing went into great depth in explanation. All the answers seemed to be very vague.
does anyone have some suggestions on where to find these answers?
1. If you are on stock, rooted, and you update versions of the OS, you are essentially UPDATING the /system partition. That is how you lose 'root' when upgrading. If you modify any system files while rooted, you have to either revert to stock or change those modified files back to the original before running the update.
2. Just run FACTORY RESET in your custom recovery and flash the new custom rom. No need to wipe any caches (/cache is wiped during a factory reset anyway). It doesnt matter what version to what version. Sometimes new versions might require new bootloaders, but you will be bombarded with that information here if that becomes the case.
3. See number 2. Its the same thing. backup your apps with Titanium Backup, do a Factory Reset in custom recovery and flash new rom....done.
4. doesnt matter. you can update as much or as little as you like. some people prefer stability over new shiny, but then others are just crack-flashers....and will literally flash ANYTHING posted to see what happens
Pirateghost said:
1. If you are on stock, rooted, and you update versions of the OS, you are essentially UPDATING the /system partition. That is how you lose 'root' when upgrading. If you modify any system files while rooted, you have to either revert to stock or change those modified files back to the original before running the update.
2. Just run FACTORY RESET in your custom recovery and flash the new custom rom. No need to wipe any caches (/cache is wiped during a factory reset anyway). It doesnt matter what version to what version. Sometimes new versions might require new bootloaders, but you will be bombarded with that information here if that becomes the case.
3. See number 2. Its the same thing. backup your apps with Titanium Backup, do a Factory Reset in custom recovery and flash new rom....done.
4. doesnt matter. you can update as much or as little as you like. some people prefer stability over new shiny, but then others are just crack-flashers....and will literally flash ANYTHING posted to see what happens
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks I really appreciate the response. :good: You'd be surprised how many "Tiny Parts" of answers you get from searching. Very rarely the whole answer you need.
I am glade to hear that Question 2 only requires you to just factory rest. From the misinformation gathered on other forums... I was starting to think you had to flash back to stock before updating to another Custom ROM Build.
@20mmrain
You've probably looked at a number of posts by confused newbs. For better or worse, this site is nothing like a moderated wiki, so you find treasure mixed in with trash.
Rooters fall into four broad classes:
(a) Those that "root & modify" stock ROMs
(b) Those that abandon stock and use custom ROMs and kernels
For each of the above cases, there are diligent and careful users who make full (nandroid) backups... and lazy idiots who do not. It is almost always the lazy idiots you observe coming in here in a panic, independent of whether they are in class (a) or (b).
Beyond that, newbs taking approach (a) seem to perpetually labor under the false impression that their modified versions of a stock ROM should be able to be upgraded by the OTA process - when in fact that there is absolutely no reason to believe that. The OTAs carefully check hundreds of different files before they perform any changes; if even a single one of them has been altered, the OTA aborts without making any changes.
It is *possible* that if none of those hundreds of files are changed that an OTA will succeed on a "nearly stock" ROM. When this happens though, it is quite typical that:
- the "su" binary (part of a root kit) in either /system/bin or /system/xbin gets its' setuid permissions reset by a recursive permission-setting command in the OTA
- the custom recovery can possibly be overwritten by the new stock recovery.
Folks tend to refer to either of the above as "losing root". True in principle, but they are trivially fixed up - if the user actually understands how Android rooting works. (With fastboot, you simply reflash the custom recovery, boot into that and reflash the same root kit originally used).
It's too bad that folks who put together rooting guides seem to neglect putting an emphasis on making backups. They give you both security and freedom.
Bottom line: whatever you choose to do, make nandroid backups. You don't need to keep them all on the tablet - but for convenience reasons, you should have at least one known good ROM as a backup available to be restored.
good luck
Wow that is a really in-depth explanation and that is exactly what was looking for! Since I have been working in the IT world for years I will say with pride that I am an individual who believes in safety first and always back up any important project I am working on! So I am happy to hear I made the right decision there.
I guess a great deal of my questions also stem from working in a windows based world for so long ....that I am still learning Linux/android.
Right now I do keep a nandroid backup on my nexus 7 but only one. How backups do you have? And do you just keep the rest on a thumb drive?
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app
20mmrain said:
Right now I do keep a nandroid backup on my nexus 7 but only one. How backups do you have? And do you just keep the rest on a thumb drive?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
At the moment I have 6 on the tablet - all generated in the last 60 days. Two in the last two days (one a rooted stock/jdq39, another a cm10.1 nightly). Plus recent TiBu market app & data backups. 32 GB model, so I have plenty of room.
That doesn't reflect any particular strategy or goal. I hook it up to a PC every once in a while and at that time either copy off any backups worth saving or delete them. Most of the those I have on the PC will eventually be deleted as well without ever being used. You could use a USB key if you want to. Really you only need to keep one on the tablet - mostly as a convenience in case you wedge your daily driver ROM with some random mod: you can restore a working ROM right from your tablet rather than having to find a USB key or return to your PC to get the tablet booting again.
There is one type of ROM backup that I think is very useful to keep a permanent copy of - a pure stock ROM. The reason for that is that any radio images (tilapia) or bootloader upgrades that are *sometimes* delivered by OTA can be trivially installed by:
- make a backup of the current ROM
- restore a pure stock ROM backup (including the stock recovery! ***)
- take the OTA
- ***soft-boot a custom recovery and make a backup of the NEW stock ROM (including its' recovery!)
- hard-flash the custom recovery to the tablet
- restore the backup from the first step above.
Doing things this way is the safest possible way to install either a bootloader or a radio image. Not only that, but for folks that prefer to mod stock ROMs, it gives them a backup archive of /system to recover arbitrary (stock) files from.
*** soft-booting a recovery is the most convenient way to capture a stock recovery as part of a nandroid backup. I.E.
Code:
fastboot boot recoveryimagefile.img
If you hard-flash a custom recovery before you make a nandroid backup of a stock ROM, you lose the opportunity to get a copy of the stock recovery along with the rest of the stock ROM.
good luck
So I just dropped my Note 3 of 2 weeks on the floor (with a case on it) and although the glass isn't cracked, the LCD and digitizer is definitely junk since its all warped in color and mostly black. Thank the gods I have insurance.
I have it Rooted and Safestrap installed and luckily made a backup before I installed Xposed when all was still well. I'm familar with Clockworkmod and flashing that way but new to Safestrap. What is the best way to get my new phone back to how the dropped one was like? Not sure of what files to copy onto my PC and back onto the new phone once I get a new one. Would it make a difference if the backup is from another phone?
My main concern is getting all my username and passwords out of the OI Safe app so it's the main reason for wanting to flash my old backup to the new phone. Other than that I'm not to worried about the rest of the phone since it's fairly new and didn't have it long enough for lots of pics and getting it set up the way I really wanted it.
Thanks
That should work with the following big caveat: if you were on the MJ7 kernel (or earlier), and the new phone is on MJE, restoring the full nandroid backup probably won't work at all and is not adviseable. (Remember that Safestrap "ROM"s do not replace the stock kernel).
If the two phones are from the identical release, then what I would do is the following:
- Root and install SafeStrap as usual.
- Immediately make a Nandroid of the Stock Slot using Safestrap. Get it copied off the phone someplace safe (and named in a way that you can remember it) too.
- Make a second slot in Safestrap and restore the backup from the previous phone to this alternate/second slot.
( Note if you were using a ton of the userdata partition on the old phone you will need to right-size the 2nd slot when you create it. Of course, if you were a data-pig on the old phone and there is no room for a sufficiently-large 2nd slot, then this method of rescue is not available to you. In this case you could restore the original nandroid backup directly to the stock slot - only if you were 100% positive of the same kernel release being used on both phones - but if something goes wrong here you might be making a trip to Odin to re-flash stock and then going through the rooting process all over again ).
- You can use it this way for a little while if you like to see if things are working, or rescue critical data from individual apps, or perhaps make TiBu backups of individual apps (that can be later restored into a different ROM). If things seem to be going swimmingly, you can certainly repeat this process, restoring to the stock slot and then destroying the alternate/second slot.
Note that there are other means of rescue of individual apps which do not require a full restore; this is because the Nandroid backups are (concatenated) "tar" archives, and with sufficient command-line knowledge, you could manually splice into place the appropriate folders from /data/data/*, /data/app/*, and /data/lib/* for individual market apps you wanted to rescue from the old backups. Essentially you are doing the same thing that TiBu does, but manually using adb with the phone in Safestrap recovery mode and the command line.
I'm not going to document this, as it is too tedious to do so - either you already have the working knowledge to do this or you don't. The only tricky part to it is getting the user/group ownership of the files correct. (The easiest way to do this is to install the app from the market, then record the owner/group information it used for the new install of the app, restore the /data/data/* files into the correct place, and then as root "chown" them to the correct user ID... either that or run the "Fix Permissions" script of the recovery).
good luck
I am about 99% sure it was on MJE, I remeber checking it before rooting and following the newest root method available for the newest kernel among other things such as installing Safestrap and Xposed framework.
I unfortunately don't have any experience using Odin or adb, which is something I should know how to do seeing I'm always tinkering with all the phones I get. I'm pretty good with figuring things out when someone points me in the right direction such as you did by searching and following guides here on xda so I thank you for that! I'll try your idea of rescuing the individual app such as TiBu would do using adb. Or even restoring the ROM into a second slot, grabbing the data I need, then get rid of that rom.
And for anyone else reading this...it's never too early to use TiBu or any other backup app for all your important data. Never expected my brand new phone to break after only 2 weeks of owning it but lesson learned.
Thanks a lot for the help, I'll let you know how things go once my new phone arrives.
Here's my understanding of getting custom ROMS for your device by doing little to no work.
If SHARP isn't releasing the source code, can't we just go and flash a ported ROM zip?
First, you find a device with exactly the same specs as yours: Easiest way to do this is googling phones with the same processor.
https://www.kimovil.com/en/list-smartphones-by-processor/qualcomm-snapdragon-400-msm8926
Now, we press "Compare" and see if we can find a phone that has exactly the same camera and/or other components.
Let's assume that our cameras are going to work out-of-the-box, and sort it down.
https://forum.xda-developers.com/leon
Oh, lookie! A phone with pretty much exactly the same specs, and a community that is making/porting ROMS for it?
https://forum.xda-developers.com/leon/development/aosp-5-1-1-lg-leon-ms345-t3611883
Hey, an Android 5.0 ROM?
Now, knowing the information we know now. Can't we logically go into the (aosp-5-1-1-lg-leon.zip) and change around the MANIFEST values to make sure they point to the correct places? Can't we change around the configuration so it will install?
I don't know all too much about porting ROMS, but if it's as truly as easy as I'm explaining it, why haven't we done it yet?
(Feel free to correct me if I have any details wrong! I'm open to criticism!)
Quick Update:
To begin porting other ROMs, I am compiling an actual flashable ZIP (Stock ROM Image) to use as a base for the other images. I am getting my sources from here: http://www.sharpusa.com/Home/CustomerSupport/SharpCareCenter/MobileSupport/OpenSourceCode.aspx
And compiling them using AnyKernel. I will post flashable ROM.zip here when I am done.
updates
Rhioun said:
Quick Update:
To begin porting other ROMs, I am compiling an actual flashable ZIP (Stock ROM Image) to use as a base for the other images. I will post flashable ROM.zip here when I am done.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
any progress?
Yes, I managed to make a flashable Aquos Sharp zip, based off Kernel Version S4081.
Currently, I'm attempting to get a ported ROM over.
I'll post the flashable Stock ROM though:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0Fuy6MV4s8RU0NUMzRvLVp5WjA/view?usp=sharing
hi thanks for all very good news
can i flash with 305sh factory unlocked and rooted ?
No, that is a ROM for the 306SH.
The 305SH files are on a Japanese version of the Sharp website.. the links on these forums somewhere.
I can't test 305SH files, since I only own a 306SH.
If you could find the links for the 305SH system.img and boot.img, I could compile a flash able ROM for you.
Else, search around for a TWRP backup for the 305SH that you could restore on your phone.
Rhioun said:
Yes, I managed to make a flashable Aquos Sharp zip, based off Kernel Version S4081.
Currently, I'm attempting to get a ported ROM over.
I'll post the flashable Stock ROM though:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0Fuy6MV4s8RU0NUMzRvLVp5WjA/view?usp=sharing
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can you paste a few pictures? THX
This seems like a cool idea. I'm willing to help with some testing if I can catch up. I remember getting this phone a few years back and due its low popularity I never thought it would get rooted. Now that it is I am at a loss of what to do. (I think I may have messed up a few things during my previous attempts at rooting, I can no longer access my security tab and my phone no longer detects the sim card.)
Any tips on how to get it safely backed up? (not that it's in great shape) I tried the TWRP tool and that gave me the option to backup "recovery" and "boot" (not that I really know what those are). I am not sure if it's actually making the files or where I should be storing them or how I would recover from them. I can see the files with ES file explorer but not with windows.
I really need to figure out what I'm doing XD
A TWRP Backup is a nandroid backup, in essential, it took a backup of the whole partitions. The partitions include names that identify them, such as boot, recovery, cache, system, etc.
It is just asking you to restore what partitions you want from your nandroid backup.
Let's say, you updated to a new TWRP version, but it is buggy or something, and you wish to switch back. Simply click "Restore" and select only "recovery" and it should flash your nandroid backup of the recovery partition to your existing recovery partition, and you'll have your old TWRP again.
Since you messed a few things up already, I'd suggest you go with the full nandroid backup, leave everything selected, and click "Restore".
Hopefully you made the backup before you began fiddling too much with your phone!
Rhioun
Any progress at work?
I've tried porting multiple ROMs, looking for compatibility. I've had zero success in getting one to boot up. Either the device goes to a black screen after the primary Sharp Boot Logo, or it boots up TWRP immediately after the Sharp Logo.
I saw how another guy on these forums also made a flashable room for the Sharp Aquos Crystal using Superr's Android Kitchen, so I believe my next trial-and-error phase will lie there. However, before I do that, I plan to use his flashable ROM as a base to port other ROMs, and see if I have any more luck.
Maybe my flashable ROM was invalid somehow.
Anywho, I highly recommend anyone who's interested in porting ROMs for this phone to begin to do so. We have plenty of materials scattered about, and DuckDuckGo is your friend.
Don't hesitate to try.
Thanks, and I'll hopefully keep this thread updated about my progress.
I've working on an Android 5.1 RR ROM from the LG Leon. I've (so far) replaced a majority of firmware files and updated symlinks, dumped vendor files, replaced a few .ko files, edited the build.prop and updater-script, configured the fstab from the ramdisk, copied over the kernel built for the Sharp Aquos Crystal, and rebuilt the boot.img. I customized the updater-script to include chameleon.img, modem.img, and persist.img (partitions that assist with connecting to Sharp, and some kernel configurations).
This has been a lot of tweaking to the ROM, and I tested it and was thoroughly disappointed when my device began to bootloop. (Goes to Sharp 1st boot screen, and reboot, go to 1st boot screen, reboot, etc.). TWRP won't boot when this happens, and holding Volume Down+Power will yield nothing. You can't even power off the device, troubling because the battery is (nigh impossible to remove) not meant to be removed. No matter, although, holding Power Up+Power puts the device in fastboot more (the led will hold solid white) and from there you can successfully power off the device and start up TWRP. Luckily, I made a TWRP backup before I tried flashing the ROM, so I was able to restore back to that. However, I edited a good deal of things, so I just need to know what is causing the bootloop, or maybe then ROM, even ported, is simply incompatible with our Crystals.
I looked around, and found XDA Forums that promote the use of logcat to figure out why a device isn't booting. I am going to try this next, and if it yield nothing, I will find another phone to try porting a ROM from. (We have a good deal with the same processor, shouldn't be too hard.)
Sent from my Aquos Crystal
Still patiently waiting for a ROM. I'm still holding on to this device just because i have been watching this thread and i have hope it will have run custom ROM one day.
Geodripp said:
This seems like a cool idea. I'm willing to help with some testing if I can catch up. I remember getting this phone a few years back and due its low popularity I never thought it would get rooted. Now that it is I am at a loss of what to do. (I think I may have messed up a few things during my previous attempts at rooting, I can no longer access my security tab and my phone no longer detects the sim card.)
Any tips on how to get it safely backed up? (not that it's in great shape) I tried the TWRP tool and that gave me the option to backup "recovery" and "boot" (not that I really know what those are). I am not sure if it's actually making the files or where I should be storing them or how I would recover from them. I can see the files with ES file explorer but not with windows.
I really need to figure out what I'm doing XD
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry for my reply earlier, I skimmed your post and thought you were trying to RESTORE a backup since your phone was in such terrible condition.
Just to be clear, unless the 306SH gets a new recovery, there is usually no reason to backup "recovery" as that is just backing up your current TWRP.
(Usually used in case a new TWRP version is buggy and you want to restore back to your old one)
However, certainly backup boot as that contains all kernel files and ramdisk settings, and without it, the phone would not 'boot'.
Just backup everything. Leave everything checked. (Unless you're a stickler for space.)
I recently made a flashable Aquos Crystal Stock ROM (seems camera and data and everything work fine) with no carrier-specific apps installed.
I can supply you with that, or, if you'd prefer, I can make a TWRP backup of a factory default 306SH phone and send it your way,
for either of them, just put one on your SD Card and if TWRP Backup, press "restore" and select the backup I provided you with, or for flashable ROM, press "flash" and navigate to it.
There is really no difference between them.
However, some things to note if you do want me to supply you with a backup.
It has SUPERSU preset installed. (I can't change this. It made its way into about everything.) So, if you want to use apps like (Android Pay, Applike), you will have to open SuperSU, and click "UNRoot" and take it off.
I have fixed Kitkat 3rd Party SD Card write privileges, (bug in android 4), and that fix has also seemingly worked itself into my factory default as well. (No disadvantages to it, although..)
Both of these files will fix your issues and supply you with a factory default environment.
If you, or anyone else in this forum would like a factory default TWRP backup, or flashable zip, feel free to say so.
I'm at a standstill. I've gotten my hands on a niche version of CyanogenMod 11, and replacing some vital files, I got it to boot on Sharp Aquos Crystal.
However, files I replaced were apk's, system ui, libs, and breaks some (most) functionality of Cyan 11.
I need a boot log tool of sorts so I can replace files, do a boot log, figure out what is causing a boot loop, or forever boot, and fix it.
I looked online, and everyone is all about the logcat. However, I tried this and it says "waiting for device".
So the device does not reach booting adb daemon.
I need a tool that will save a boot log.txt to the SD card at boot, (I imagine init.rc ) so that I may debug the ROM and then use the working ROM (and logging tool) to port more recent ROMs.
Anyone know of any such logging facility/tool?
keep it up
Does anyone know of a boot debugging/logging tool? There must be one. Please reply to this forum or PM me about one, as I do need one.
It is vital to building a ROM, rather than stupidly copy-pasting and blind guessing playing at Roulette trying to get the ROM to work.
Please. I need one.