I apologize if this post isn't very clear, I'm tired and English is not my native language...
I upgraded to Cyanogen's 5.0.7 Test 5 ROM not too long ago from CM 4.2.14.1. Before doing that I backed up my app data wit Backup for root users. I haven't done that before, so I checked multiple boxes, not knowing which one was the correct one. The tutorial I followed then stated I should check the SD-card to make sure only app data was backed-up, and no system data.
So I checked and found only maps from my apps.
So far so good.
However, when I restored the app data, my home screen got messed up. It thinks the fourth screen is the center one (so it goes there when pressing the home button) and all widgets say "Problem loading this widget". Also I can't change anything. I Can't remove or rearrange widgets or shortcuts. If I try to do so, Android crashes (FC on android.process.acore).
I'm pretty sure it is completely my own fault, not a bug in the ROM. When I restored the data I must have corrupted the file in which the home screen data is stored.
So, finally my questions: Is there a way to restore this without doing a wipe (I'm guessing re-flashing without a wipe will still keep the corrupted settings)?
If anyone can tell me which file is responsible for the home screen settings, can I delete it so Android will restore it with a new (empty) one?
Can I replace it with someone else's? Or extract it from a ROM-file?
That are the solutions I came up with. If its easier to just wipe and re-flash, tell me and I will do so. I just hoped there was a way I can prevent having to set up the phone all over again...
Thanks in advance!
Did you nandroid backup? If you did, restore it and backup all your apps using Titanium Backup. Backup for root users has always gave me problems as well. Titanium Backup allows all the same options that you need, but just works better imho.
If you didn't nandroid and can't do that - I'm pretty sure a wipe is your only option. You can try fix_permissions from the terminal, but I don't think it's going to fix your problems.
I did do a nandroid backup, but that was just before I flashed CM 5... I guess restoring a nandroid backup from my CM 4.2.14.1 setup is not a good idea?
Hmm, guess I will be re-flashing this evening Thanks anyway!
EDIT: I will use Titanium from now on... I had heard of it, but the tutorial I followed used Backup for root users...
Restoring a nandroid backup is NOT bad at all. That's what its there for. It doesn't matter if you nandroided a completely different ROM then flashed CM5. Flashing a new ROM doesn't affect the nandroid backup EVER.
You flash a nasty, nasty ROM and are like, "Oh ****!" Just go nandroid.
I usually wipe all data/cache before restoring, but some people don't. Either way, it completely restores your phone to the state it was at before backing up. This includes applications and everything. (App data, system settings, app settings, etc.)
I thought nandroid just restored system files and settings... But if it completely restores my phone, a might just as well wipe and re-flash since it will restore it to the previous ROM.
Thanks for the info, I have learned some more about my phone
Quick and to the point:
1. Is a clockwork backup a full image of the system, such that if I restore from it no matter what kernel, rom, mod, etc. I've installed, I get exactly the completely system and state that I had when I made the backup? I.e., it is a true failsafe against messing up the phone, so long as CWR will boot and the SD card is intact?
2. A complete backup with Titanium, backing up all apps and system data, is a migration path for trying a new ROM? IOW, I can simply do a complete backup with Titanium, wipe wipe wipe, install the target ROM, then restore "missing apps and data" from Titanium and -- voila! I'm on the new ROM, but with all my apps, configuration, etc. I had before?
I'm getting ready to try out the Syndicate ROM...
dwallersv said:
Quick and to the point:
1. Is a clockwork backup a full image of the system, such that if I restore from it no matter what kernel, rom, mod, etc. I've installed, I get exactly the completely system and state that I had when I made the backup? I.e., it is a true failsafe against messing up the phone, so long as CWR will boot and the SD card is intact?
2. A complete backup with Titanium, backing up all apps and system data, is a migration path for trying a new ROM? IOW, I can simply do a complete backup with Titanium, wipe wipe wipe, install the target ROM, then restore "missing apps and data" from Titanium and -- voila! I'm on the new ROM, but with all my apps, configuration, etc. I had before?
I'm getting ready to try out the Syndicate ROM...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ha! I am searching now for the exact same question! I am looking to try the Epic Experience. I will follow this thread to see what the answer is.
Thanks.
First off might I comment that Syndicate Rom is a great choice. Not just saying that cause any of them are my buddies either, cause IDK Any of them... so far though Running Syndicate Rom/Kernel with SetCPU at 200-1200 has been the smoothest Rom experience I have had up to date.
1. Is a clockwork backup a full image of the system, such that if I restore from it no matter what kernel, rom, mod, etc. I've installed, I get exactly the completely system and state that I had when I made the backup? I.e., it is a true failsafe against messing up the phone, so long as CWR will boot and the SD card is intact?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes in theory it is a backup of everything, data, apps installed, boot, system, literally the entire phone is backed up. Is it a failsafe though? I would rather say not. On some phones we can restore a clockwork recovery and have no issues, but since I've had my epic and switched around with different Roms, I've noticed that restore dosen't work quite as it should, probably because Roms are so much different, and you run into FC's, boot loops, and other issues... Restoring peices in advanced restore works well but a complete restore almost always has bugs.
True statement though that even if you screw up and get a boot loop, or constant force closes/phone restarts, as long as you can get back into clockwork your phone is not screwed. You were right on that one. So no worries if you wanna test and play.
2. A complete backup with Titanium, backing up all apps and system data, is a migration path for trying a new ROM? IOW, I can simply do a complete backup with Titanium, wipe wipe wipe, install the target ROM, then restore "missing apps and data" from Titanium and -- voila! I'm on the new ROM, but with all my apps, configuration, etc. I had before?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You have the idea right. You really don't even need to back all your apps up with titanium anymore these days, though, it too is plagued with FC's and problems. If you are using clockwork recovery, and you have made a backup already... all you have to do when installing a NEW rom is first wipe-fest, then let it boot once, then restart, go to clockwork, go to Advanced Restore, and ONLY restore the DATA part. (Reason for this is if you restore Boot, System, etc it will try to restore the Rom you just installed... Data is where all your apps/settings are at) This will do exactly the same thing as titanium backup will do, only with less bugs and alot easier.
Cool... thanks for the great response.
It's too bad there isn't an iron-clad, 100% reliable means to take a snapshot of the phone that can be restored reliably.
On WM it was simply a matter of using one of the various backup utilities (I used SPB Backup 2) to make an image of the system. No matter what I did to the phone, I could always wipe it back to factory clean, then restore from backup and have my phone back exactly as it was, with no issues.
I'm trying a CW backup, factory reset, restore cycle right now to see what happens. I'll report back on my experience.
EDIT: Okay, one deviation from the WM experience: The factory reset did NOT reset the kernel -- MixUp is still showing as the running kernel. Is Odin the only way to get the factory kernel back?No matter what, I'm on my way after that to the Syndicate ROM!
EDIT: Okay, the CW restore seems to have restored everything back to the way it was, without problems after some brief playing around. No FCs (so far). On to wiping again, installing Syndicate Standard, then restoring data from CW as recommended here.
OperationMove said:
You have the idea right. You really don't even need to back all your apps up with titanium anymore these days, though, it too is plagued with FC's and problems. If you are using clockwork recovery, and you have made a backup already... all you have to do when installing a NEW rom is first wipe-fest, then let it boot once, then restart, go to clockwork, go to Advanced Restore, and ONLY restore the DATA part. (Reason for this is if you restore Boot, System, etc it will try to restore the Rom you just installed... Data is where all your apps/settings are at) This will do exactly the same thing as titanium backup will do, only with less bugs and alot easier.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Alright I took the plunge and it seemed to work well. Some things that I noticed was that on first boot (before I did the restore), all of the preinstalled apps showed up (for instance, wireless tether, wired tether, launcher pro, etc...). Since I did a restore of the data, all of MY apps are there, but some of the apps that were preinstalled disappeared. Not all of them, though. For example, Launcher Pro and Wired and wireless tether disappeared, but Car Home is still there.
Another thing to note is that my widgets on the home screen don't seem to function correctly at first. I had to remove them and readd them to the home screen for them to work.
Other than that, everything is as it should be.
hotwired34 said:
Alright I took the plunge and it seemed to work well. Some things that I noticed was that on first boot (before I did the restore), all of the preinstalled apps showed up (for instance, wireless tether, wired tether, launcher pro, etc...). Since I did a restore of the data, all of MY apps are there, but some of the apps that were preinstalled disappeared. Not all of them, though. For example, Launcher Pro and Wired and wireless tether disappeared, but Car Home is still there.
Another thing to note is that my widgets on the home screen don't seem to function correctly at first. I had to remove them and readd them to the home screen for them to work.
Other than that, everything is as it should be.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmmm... okay. So just to provide a different datapoint, I'll go the Titanium route to get my own apps and settings back, and report. I'm guessing CW wiped the DATA partition before the restore, wiping out the pre-installed stuff from the ROM.
dwallersv said:
Hmmm... okay. So just to provide a different datapoint, I'll go the Titanium route to get my own apps and settings back, and report. I'm guessing CW wiped the DATA partition before the restore, wiping out the pre-installed stuff from the ROM.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok, since yesterday, I tried both ways. I did a wipe back to the default Syndicate Rom and installed Titanium Backup. While restoring, I noticed that not all apps would restore (seemed to be ones that were in the stock ROM so it's understandable). I did a restore of apps + data. Now, I had most of my apps back, however, I noticed that some of the data was missing. For me, most importantly was the SMS Messages. I also wanted to note that doing an application by application restore of the backup was very time consuming! I had to basically reinstall every app (and then Titanium restored the data)
Nandroid doesnt seem to touch the kernel on our phones ether I noticed. I had a problem yesterday after I flashed a new rom and when I went to do a restore through nandroid I got a bootloop. Once I reflashed the kernel it fixed the bootlooping problem. I have noticed this in other instances to with kernels not being backed up since I did one after I rooted my phone so I would have a stock image.
Thanks guys on your experience and feedback on the backup thing that I'm wondering what to do after stock root.
dito33
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App
pyroswithoutfire said:
Nandroid doesnt seem to touch the kernel on our phones ether I noticed. I had a problem yesterday after I flashed a new rom and when I went to do a restore through nandroid I got a bootloop. Once I reflashed the kernel it fixed the bootlooping problem. I have noticed this in other instances to with kernels not being backed up since I did one after I rooted my phone so I would have a stock image.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is what I have been told in the past- a nandroid restore does not replace the kernel
Hi everyone @ XDA,
I think I got a problem…
I just flashed CM6.1 with the following method:
1. Made nandroid backup of my Liberated R12
2. Wipe data/factory reset
3. Cleared dalvik cached memory
4. Flashed CM6 and it works fine, just like a brand new phone without all the previous apps and data from my R12
The I wanted to transfer all user data (apps, contacts, etc) from Liberated R12, so I did the following:
i. Reboot into nandroid
ii. Advanced restore
iii. Restore user data
Did that and now my Aria isn't starting up! The Cyanogen boot animation has been playing for about 5 mins now and I can't force reboot by holding the power button down. Neither does holding volume down + power button do anything other than putting it to sleep.
What did I do?! What can I do??
I think I just need to restore nandroid backup… but how to get there? Manually taking out the battery??
Please help. Thank you very much.
////////* UPDATE *////////
I took out the battery manually and restart the phone, but the same CM6 boot animation kept looping endlessly. So I took out the battery again and restore my Liberated R12 nandroid backup. Now it's running back to before I flashed CM6.
Even though I'm lucky I didn't destroy the world, perhaps someone with more knowledge on this can share what I did wrong so that others may avoid making the same mistake.
I think it was the step where I made an advance restore of user data that something went wrong. If so, then how do I retrieve just the user data from my nandroid backup without installing the R12 ROM?
Now I've experienced first hand the power of nandroid backup! ALWAYS remember to make a nandroid backup all n00bs out there!
Thank you again guys!
emigre said:
////////* UPDATE *////////
I took out the battery manually and restart the phone, but the same CM6 boot animation kept looping endlessly. So I took out the battery again and restore my Liberated R12 nandroid backup. Now it's running back to before I flashed CM6.
Even though I'm lucky I didn't destroy the world, perhaps someone with more knowledge on this can share what I did wrong so that others may avoid making the same mistake.
I think it was the step where I made an advance restore of user data that something went wrong. If so, then how do I retrieve just the user data from my nandroid backup without installing the R12 ROM?
Now I've experienced first hand the power of nandroid backup! ALWAYS remember to make a nandroid backup all n00bs out there!
Thank you again guys!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What user data are you trying to restore? If you used titanium backup and also used Google's syncing for contacts/calendar/etc then what else would you need? I wouldn't put much faith in nandroid's data restore when going across different roms.
I was trying to restore all user data, including installed apps, contact lists, notes, calendars, etc.
My titanium backup is one of the apps (which i need to restore) i would need too if i were to restore using your method right?
So if i were to reflash cm6 again, what is the best and most reliable method to have ALL my current data in R12?
Basically everything except the R12 ROM.
Thanks for your guidance! Appreciate it.
Sent from my HTC Liberty using XDA App
back everything with titanium. Then do a clean wipe and flash cm6 and gapps. from there the only thing you need to download is Titanium backup again from the market. All the backed up data is saved to your SD card so once you reinstall Titanium it can then restore whatever apps/data you backed up from liberated. contacts and calendars you can sync to Google.
Duh! Thanks CallmeAria, you got me there! It is so obvious now that I got it, can't understand why it didn't cross my mind to do it that way!
Just wanna share this though:
Funny thing that when I restored all backup apps and system data (wifi, messaging, etc) —*it didn't really restore everything except for apps. I had to bluetooth my contacts from my other phone (Sony Ericsson w890i) to my Mac, then bluetooth it from the Mac to my Aria.
It just wouldn't connect from the Ericsson to the Aria.
Which now actually brings up 2 questions:
1. Why didn't my contact get restored (Batch > Restore missing apps + all system data) with Titanium backup? I followed the instructions to Batch > Backup all user apps + system data.
2. Aria rejected incoming bluetooth connection from my Ericsson even though I already successfully paired them. Supposed I don't have my whole phonebook.vcf, I'd be a dead man walking by now.
Good news is, finally got a working CM6 with all my contacts. Time for me to tinker around
Thanks again!
That happened to me, i did wipe the data again, then did start. normaly
I recently had to get my phone replaced because it was having weird issues and they gave me a new one. To my sadness it came with the latest update and I didn't know that hasn't been able to get a perm root.
My contacts were never fully synced with google so all the new ones I had are gone. I had just made a titanium backup recently but it was on CM7. I tried to restore just the contacts from it but it kept making the phone crash.
So my question is, is there anyway to get the contacts manually from titanium backup or any other suggestions?
Thanks
You could temp root with method from the thread link below. Then use your contact backup from Titanium Backup.
New Update Temp Root Instructions
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1185243
Yea I have tried doing that once before. Once I did that though I kept getting force closes over and over, I had to do a factory reset to make it stop. I'm not sure but I think its because it was on CM7 when the backup was made.
Hey there, i have my phone rooted, i have installed the OTA update, and i have slowly removed some bloat through titanium backup.
i am still experiencing quite a bit of lag, and want to factory reset my phone, then see if that helps. i want all my data to stay though, can i just back it all up through keis? or is there an easier way?
Dallenn said:
Hey there, i have my phone rooted, i have installed the OTA update, and i have slowly removed some bloat through titanium backup.
i am still experiencing quite a bit of lag, and want to factory reset my phone, then see if that helps. i want all my data to stay though, can i just back it all up through keis? or is there an easier way?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I personally use Titanium Backup Pro (if you haven't bought Pro yet, it's totally worth it - it has saved my @$$ countless times!). I Haven't actually uninstalled any bloatware, but frozen plenty of it. This made it really, really easy to get the OTA installed - all I had to do was unfreeze the 3 magic APKs that let me install the OTA, and even kept the rest frozen. Re-froze when done with OTA.
I have two sets of Titanium Backup backups right now:
- A backup of all system apps plus data. I would never want to restore my system apps, unless I get bored and start modding stuff later. I figured I'd just snag a backup NOW in case it ever comes down to that - I'd be able to theoretically restore a single broken APK, or manually extract the apks out of the backup files later.
- A backup of all my user apps plus data. Be careful not to ever restore system app backups, even the "green" or "yellow" ones in TiBu. Rarely, you can get away with restoring these (like SMS, or WiFi access points, or sometimes even the System Settings), but it's usually asking for trouble. If you're going from the same ROM to the same ROM without any version change, it's usually "okay" to try. Otherwise, use extreme discretion and be prepared for weird behavior.
So to answer your question, I would recommend using Titanium Backup Pro to keep data backed up. If you're thorough and have the patience, you can effectively backup all of your data, individually, for all of your apps and your system settings. I'm actually planning on doing a data wipe for good measure (haven't done so yet since I got the OTA), and this is how I plan to restore all my data and settings.