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With all the great new ROMs out there, I am trying to figure out the best way to go about backing up and restoring my apps and all of my settings.
I do Nandroid backups, and those work find as a "snapshot" of my Hero. But is there any easy way to back up and restore all of my apps or settings in one fell swoop, without affecting the installed ROM?
I'm trying to find the best way to move from one DamageControl ROM to another, for instance. My current procedure would be to back up the phone, wipe it, then flash the new ROM. From there, I would have to use AppMonster or something to restore my apps. The downside is that that would have to be done manually, and plus I would still be without all of my custom settings.
So is there any easier way to go about this? I have tried flashing a newer DC ROM on top of an older one without wiping, and this seems to work okay sometimes, except for I tend to have a lot of quirks with the new installation then -- force closes and things of that nature.
Anyway, I'm sure you guys have developed some pretty smart ways to go about switching from one ROM to another without having to manually set things up each time, and I'm just trying to find out what's most efficient.
Thanks for your time!
I use titanium backup, I believe it lets you backup personal data as well not a 100% but pretty sure.
I just wipe each time, and install whatever ROM is the flavor of the moment.
I have a couple of Nandroid backups on my computer though.
Thanks for the info. I might give Titanium Backup a try...
imekul said:
With all the great new ROMs out there, I am trying to figure out the best way to go about backing up and restoring my apps and all of my settings.
I do Nandroid backups, and those work find as a "snapshot" of my Hero. But is there any easy way to back up and restore all of my apps or settings in one fell swoop, without affecting the installed ROM?
I'm trying to find the best way to move from one DamageControl ROM to another, for instance. My current procedure would be to back up the phone, wipe it, then flash the new ROM. From there, I would have to use AppMonster or something to restore my apps. The downside is that that would have to be done manually, and plus I would still be without all of my custom settings.
So is there any easier way to go about this? I have tried flashing a newer DC ROM on top of an older one without wiping, and this seems to work okay sometimes, except for I tend to have a lot of quirks with the new installation then -- force closes and things of that nature.
Anyway, I'm sure you guys have developed some pretty smart ways to go about switching from one ROM to another without having to manually set things up each time, and I'm just trying to find out what's most efficient.
Thanks for your time!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mybackup works great for backing up contacts and some settings as well as your apps. You get 30 days free trial I think.
if your using Damage's latest, you may want to avoid Titanium as it seems to be breaking the audio....
Check out a program called Android Commander it backs up apps to your computer. I really like the ease of use, plus it makes editing the phone files easy. Check it out!
partition your SD card and get a rom with Apps2SD(A2SD). Than when you flash a new rom the app .apks will still be on your sd card data (unless you cleared ext3 partition in which you should mount your phone via usb and make a copy of the ext3 folder on your sdcard that you have from partitioning ur sd card via RA and have apps2sd running, now to the app that makes all this come together is this simple app i found on the market called "installer" download this one app from market and launch it, what this app does is scan's your sd card for every single .apk file and puts them in a nice neat list(with icons) than you can simple click on it and choose to install. this is a must have!
I'm using TitaniumBackup on fresh's newest and it works amazing for me.
PlagaDeRock said:
I'm using TitaniumBackup on fresh's newest and it works amazing for me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you tried it going from a 1.5 rom (Fresh 1.1 in this case) to a 2.1 ROM (Fresh 2.0d)?
I tried it on my wife's phone last night. After the restore sense was stuck in an FC loop and I had to wipe and start over. I ended up restoring her 1.5 nandroid so she would stop giving me evil looks and contemplating my death.
smw6180 said:
Have you tried it going from a 1.5 rom (Fresh 1.1 in this case) to a 2.1 ROM (Fresh 2.0d)?
I tried it on my wife's phone last night. After the restore sense was stuck in an FC loop and I had to wipe and start over. I ended up restoring her 1.5 nandroid so she would stop giving me evil looks and contemplating my death.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nah I've been on 2.1 since the eris leak lol. But were you restoring everything? try doing apps first and see if that works, then one by one doing the data it might be something you can pin point and avoid.
PlagaDeRock said:
Nah I've been on 2.1 since the eris leak lol. But were you restoring everything? try doing apps first and see if that works, then one by one doing the data it might be something you can pin point and avoid.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When I did my phone I had no issues...I was like you and was on 2.x from the Eris leak. My wife though doesn't like her phone to be 'tinkered with' (I wonder if that has anything to do with me cursing and screaming when I first bricked my phone with the RUU? But I digress), so she's coming from 1.5 (Fresh 1.1). In any event I tried what you suggest already...the apps install fine. It's when I restore the app settings (only the app settings, not system) that everything goes boom. She's got 120 apps. I'm not going through them one by one, so I'll probably just tell her she's got to live with a nuke and pave if she wants to upgrade. Since she'll likely have the same problem if/when the official Sprint release comes out, I doubt I'll have much trouble convincing her to let go of some of her crap.
My major issue is restoring her text messages at this point. I know that the 1.5 ROMs uses a different database format than the 2.x series. So I'm going to take a guess that I won't be able to save those.
smw6180 said:
When I did my phone I had no issues...I was like you and was on 2.x from the Eris leak. My wife though doesn't like her phone to be 'tinkered with' (I wonder if that has anything to do with me cursing and screaming when I first bricked my phone with the RUU? But I digress), so she's coming from 1.5 (Fresh 1.1). In any event I tried what you suggest already...the apps install fine. It's when I restore the app settings (only the app settings, not system) that everything goes boom. She's got 120 apps. I'm not going through them one by one, so I'll probably just tell her she's got to live with a nuke and pave if she wants to upgrade. Since she'll likely have the same problem if/when the official Sprint release comes out, I doubt I'll have much trouble convincing her to let go of some of her crap.
My major issue is restoring her text messages at this point. I know that the 1.5 ROMs uses a different database format than the 2.x series. So I'm going to take a guess that I won't be able to save those.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
120 apps! Lol, but I might be able to help with the text messages thing, I just found on the market an app called SMS Backup. It actually backs up all your sms to your gmail account in thread form. Its pretty sweet and runs in the background each time you get a message it just uploads it to your gmail account silently. I had the same issue I was just getting sick of everytime I flashed I would loose all my messages at least now I have them backed up somewhere and better yet its in a place where I dont have to worry about running outta space. So overall it might be a better option I read alot of people saying they arent paying attention and a threaded sms reaches 2k+ then their phones start to lag and it wont delete them. Just an option, but its a pretty kick ass app you should check it out.
PlagaDeRock said:
120 apps! Lol, but I might be able to help with the text messages thing, I just found on the market an app called SMS Backup. It actually backs up all your sms to your gmail account in thread form. Its pretty sweet and runs in the background each time you get a message it just uploads it to your gmail account silently. I had the same issue I was just getting sick of everytime I flashed I would loose all my messages at least now I have them backed up somewhere and better yet its in a place where I dont have to worry about running outta space. So overall it might be a better option I read alot of people saying they arent paying attention and a threaded sms reaches 2k+ then their phones start to lag and it wont delete them. Just an option, but its a pretty kick ass app you should check it out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'll take a look at it. But if I understand what it does, it will only get new stuff that comes in, and won't be able to be restored to the messaging database, right? If that's the case she won't go for it. She's 'purist' about her phone (she's great, and I love her to death, but a tech geek she isn't. She just wants it to work, work like it's stock, and not give her problems...a viewpoint I can understand, honestly ).
smw6180 said:
I'll take a look at it. But if I understand what it does, it will only get new stuff that comes in, and won't be able to be restored to the messaging database, right? If that's the case she won't go for it. She's 'purist' about her phone (she's great, and I love her to death, but a tech geek she isn't. She just wants it to work, work like it's stock, and not give her problems...a viewpoint I can understand, honestly ).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lol, I understand. I haven't tried restoring to be honest but I think theres another one similar out there called sms backup and restore or something like that that dumps all the sms into an xml file and allows you to restore it again. Not sure I haven't used it, just read about it in passing and looked it up on the market. But thats always another option.
PlagaDeRock said:
Lol, I understand. I haven't tried restoring to be honest but I think theres another one similar out there called sms backup and restore or something like that that dumps all the sms into an xml file and allows you to restore it again. Not sure I haven't used it, just read about it in passing and looked it up on the market. But thats always another option.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sweet. I'll take a look. Thanks for the tips
Hey guys,
Yesterday I got my 3 button download mode working, so now I'm ready to use a new rom, just have a quick question or 2.
Basically I think I have made my mind up on what ROM to use - I'm going to use Darkys steel ROM - http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=814091
So first question is - is this a good ROM to start with? From what I can tell it seems like a fairly simple install process, and has quite a lot of features, so I'm thinking this will suit me well.
Now I understand that this will wipe all my apps, second question is, will all my purchases be available for download still (cause these are saved on my gmail account, right? )
Lastly, also related to apps, is I only have 2 things I want to save from my current phone, that is I want to save my contacts, and I want to save my messages. If I flash with the above ROM, will kies not be able to restore these for me? If so, is there another way to backup and restore these settings before I start flashing?
I think thats all, I'm still at work, so I can't start just yet, but when I get home I'll get started on my android customization journey!
Also a quick thanks to all the contributors to this forum, you guys do amazing work, appreciate it.
Darky's is a great ROM to start with, however the lagfix corrupted my internal SD card and i ended up just getting a new phone because of it. I would assume this is highly unlikely, and possibly due to error on my part, but keep it in mind nonetheless. (EDIT: I could be completely wrong about this, I used other ROMS and flashed different firmwares so its unfair to target this ROM specifically, its just what I happened to be using when my phone screwed up, it might have been unreleted) Yes, you will be able to redownload your purchases, and as for saving your contacts and messges, can you save them onto your SIM card?
Good luck!
I was in a similiar situation not that long ago, and decided to try Darky's ROM as my first ever. His instructions really were incredibly easy to follow, and I did not have any real issues. in fact it took less than 30 minutes to download it all and get it working. overall, couldn't recommend it more (though I haven't tried any other ROMs).
MyBackUp Pro is what I used to back up all my data on my phone (missed calls, settings, etc). Its a paid up, but it's not expensive and I found it worth the money. it also backs up alot of your apps. It will back up your contacts, but Android actually has an export contacts feature to back them up. look in your options in your address book and you will find it.
Excellent, that pretty much covers my questions then! Just got back from work, so I'll give darkys ROM a go and post back! Really interested to see how this turns out
I had my Droid 2 rooted only to use wireless tether and to kill certain MOTO apps. I was "freezing" pre-installed apps, but accidently froze a Blur app. Now the phone won't operate correctly, icons are not showing up properly, and menu selections won't work either. I did a factory reset, but the same problem still exists. I suppose I need to re-flash a stock ROM, but I am unsure what ROM to use (want to make sure it's a real "stock ROM".
Can someone help?
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=770224
-Gilgamesh- said:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=770224
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yup. SBF's are you friend with Moto phones.
The download link there doesn't work, but you can find the sbf here:
hxxp://www.mydroidworld.com/forums/droid-2-discussion/5323-tbh-mydroidworld-present-droid-2-2-3-20-triple-threat.html (replace xx with tt)
Other than that that guide is golden
OK Guys and Gals, I did follow the instructions to flash the SBF and was able to recover the phone to the proper operation. Thanks so much to you both for a rapid and effective reply. I had done all the searches but there were so many variations on the theme that I was not confident in choosing the right one (even if there was more than one right answer).
Now that I have discovered there is at least ONE app or service that I should NOT freeze (blur,res), is there a list of what can be safely and successfully frozen, and/or perhaps a list of what should definitely NOT be frozen?
I am looking for as close to a pure Android experience for my phone, free of all the pre-installed apps and background services - other than those which are absolutely necessary parts of either the actual Android OS and (as necessary) Blur. I used AntTek App Manager to perform the "freezing", which seemed to be quite (if not completely or even overly) effective. Might I also ask what you suggest as an alternative if this is not my best choice? I am only interested in using free apps at the moment.
Lastly, since you understand that I am interested in (at least for now) a plain Vanilla Android experience, is there perhaps a ROM I should consider flashing in lieu of the Stock Android Froyo 2.3.2?
Thanks again - glad to have you on my team!
Freezing is your best option at this point. Makes it allot easier to put them back if you need to for any reason. (Usually) As far as ROMs, Liberty or Fission are prob going to be your best choices. Liberty being the closest to ASOP.
-Gilgamesh- said:
Freezing is your best option at this point. Makes it allot easier to put them back if you need to for any reason. (Usually) As far as ROMs, Liberty or Fission are prob going to be your best choices. Liberty being the closest to ASOP.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good info. Now, I just need a list of what I can (or can not) freeze to make sure I don't bungle it up again.
I had a better list before, but I cannot find it now. This should suffice though.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=846406
Hey all, I'm visiting from the Evo 4G forum. I'm running Team Xron and SwampGoblin Droid X Port. I must say, I am impressed, I have heard negative things about Blur. But after using the device and the ROM, I am impressed at how it works and runs.
Back to topic, I am interested in what files/APKs are safe to remove. I am mostly interested in the System apps, but other files safe to delete would be nice too. I have experimented before, but I get occasional problems, such as when I click on a contact it closes. So I have come before the Droid X-ers for your help.
So, simply put, what files/APKs are safe to delete? I am running Gingerblur, system version 4.5.596.MB810.Verizon.en.US build number 4.5.1_57_DX5-3
Thanks ahead for the help!
To Be Honest with you, for the gingerbread update it seems that motorola incorporated everything together. I have had to SBF back to froyo about 3-4 times, because I've tried to delete a multi-tude of different native apps / system files. If you delete social stuff, it kills contacts, if you delete other items, your screen goes black and you cant do anything lol. just leave it stock untill another good rom comes out for it.
Ah well, the ROM is pretty slimmed down anyways. I just wanted to get rid of email and stuff that I don't use. Thanks for the help, root on!
It can be very frustrating to figure out which Blur apps do what.
I froze about ten of them and would later find that something like airplane mode is broken, or that adding a contact causes a force close.
I wish Motorola were straightforward about the purpose of apps. Trashing cardock shouldn't make me wonder if anything else will go missing with it.
i'm using an HTC Glacier 2.3.4 non-rooted
i plan to root my phone but i was wondering what would be the best rom for me?
-i want to be able to use the wii ime app (dosnt work w/ htc sense)
-i want to be able to still use my 4g mobile networks,wifi & hotspot and usb tether
-netflix compatible
- skype,oovoo,ect. compatable
-market ( i rooted before and couldnt log into market so i went back )
-working photo/video camera
- and of course all the things android phones should have (phone,text,contacts, account sync ect.)
what would be the best rom for me to use?
also, is there a way to flash a custom (or official) rom without erasing texts and account data?
Since your first point eliminates Sense, you're basically left with one option: AOSP. There are quite a few ROMs based on AOSP, but the biggest would be CyanogenMod 7 and MIUI. CM7 provides you with the basic Android look, but a lot of customizable options. Everything works extremely well, and it has great battery life. MIUI is a Chinese developed ROM that essentially makes your phone look like an iPhone. I have never tried it myself, but I've heard a lot of good things about it's performance and battery life.
My personal recommendation to you is CM7. I'm more of a function-over-fashion guy, so I do not mind that it's missing all the eye candy and flash of Sense. Right now, I'm running TDJ's version of CM7.2.0, and I cannot think of a single downside to tell you. I can't speculate about the Wii app since I don't have a Wii, but it meets all your other listed criteria. As a general piece of advice, look into anything that TDJ develops. The man is a legend around these parts, and everything he gets involved in, always comes out better than before. The links to my setup are in my signature, in case you want to check it out.
As for maintaining data like texts, use Titanium Backup. I recommend you spring for the Pro version because it is extremely handy, especially if you like to flash a lot of ROMs. When backing up data, going to the "Backup/Restore" tab at the top, press the menu button and select "Batch." From there, select "Backup all user apps + system data." Once that is done and you've flashed the ROM you want, redownload Titanium Backup from the Market, and follow the same steps but instead of backing up, you'll want to restore. So scroll down to the restoration options, and select "Restore missing apps with data." It will restore any apps that you are missing, along with their data (like game progress, settings/preferences, etc.). Do not restore system data, because that could screw up your phone. It might be time consuming, but it's better to manually setup your phone instead.
To restore your text messages, from the "Backup/Restore" tab, scroll down until you find "[SMS/MMS/APN] Dialer Storage." It should be labeled in green. Press it, and select the option to restore data. Once that's done, restart your phone and your texts should be back in the Messages app. It might take a few minutes for the app to sort them out chronologically, but it will. If you synced your phone with Google, your contacts should be automatically restore upon signing in.
I would recommend MIUI if customization is what you're looking for. So many themes!!!! Also for backup I prefer MyBackup Pro/Root (either works) for all my apps, texts, MMS, ect. So TDJ's MIUI for my recommendation!
invasion2 said:
I would recommend MIUI if customization is what you're looking for. So many themes!!!! Also for backup I prefer MyBackup Pro/Root (either works) for all my apps, texts, MMS, ect. So TDJ's MIUI for my recommendation!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1 on MIUI. very nice ROM, highly cusomizable.
for backups, use titanium cloud
lcambriz said:
Since your first point eliminates Sense, you're basically left with one option: AOSP. There are quite a few ROMs based on AOSP, but the biggest would be CyanogenMod 7 and MIUI. CM7 provides you with the basic Android look, but a lot of customizable options. Everything works extremely well, and it has great battery life. MIUI is a Chinese developed ROM that essentially makes your phone look like an iPhone. I have never tried it myself, but I've heard a lot of good things about it's performance and battery life.
My personal recommendation to you is CM7. I'm more of a function-over-fashion guy, so I do not mind that it's missing all the eye candy and flash of Sense. Right now, I'm running TDJ's version of CM7.2.0, and I cannot think of a single downside to tell you. I can't speculate about the Wii app since I don't have a Wii, but it meets all your other listed criteria. As a general piece of advice, look into anything that TDJ develops. The man is a legend around these parts, and everything he gets involved in, always comes out better than before. The links to my setup are in my signature, in case you want to check it out.
As for maintaining data like texts, use Titanium Backup. I recommend you spring for the Pro version because it is extremely handy, especially if you like to flash a lot of ROMs. When backing up data, going to the "Backup/Restore" tab at the top, press the menu button and select "Batch." From there, select "Backup all user apps + system data." Once that is done and you've flashed the ROM you want, redownload Titanium Backup from the Market, and follow the same steps but instead of backing up, you'll want to restore. So scroll down to the restoration options, and select "Restore missing apps with data." It will restore any apps that you are missing, along with their data (like game progress, settings/preferences, etc.). Do not restore system data, because that could screw up your phone. It might be time consuming, but it's better to manually setup your phone instead.
To restore your text messages, from the "Backup/Restore" tab, scroll down until you find "[SMS/MMS/APN] Dialer Storage." It should be labeled in green. Press it, and select the option to restore data. Once that's done, restart your phone and your texts should be back in the Messages app. It might take a few minutes for the app to sort them out chronologically, but it will. If you synced your phone with Google, your contacts should be automatically restore upon signing in.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
invasion2 said:
I would recommend MIUI if customization is what you're looking for. So many themes!!!! Also for backup I prefer MyBackup Pro/Root (either works) for all my apps, texts, MMS, ect. So TDJ's MIUI for my recommendation!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
saranhai said:
+1 on MIUI. very nice ROM, highly cusomizable.
for backups, use titanium cloud
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thanks u guys, i guess il try both cm7 and miui and see which one i prefer
also thanks for the help with titanium backup
I really like CM7 but Miui is nice.
Cm7 over miui.
Sent from my HTC Glacier using XDA App
lcambriz said:
Since your first point eliminates Sense, you're basically left with one option: AOSP. There are quite a few ROMs based on AOSP, but the biggest would be CyanogenMod 7 and MIUI. CM7 provides you with the basic Android look, but a lot of customizable options. Everything works extremely well, and it has great battery life. MIUI is a Chinese developed ROM that essentially makes your phone look like an iPhone. I have never tried it myself, but I've heard a lot of good things about it's performance and battery life.
My personal recommendation to you is CM7. I'm more of a function-over-fashion guy, so I do not mind that it's missing all the eye candy and flash of Sense. Right now, I'm running TDJ's version of CM7.2.0, and I cannot think of a single downside to tell you. I can't speculate about the Wii app since I don't have a Wii, but it meets all your other listed criteria. As a general piece of advice, look into anything that TDJ develops. The man is a legend around these parts, and everything he gets involved in, always comes out better than before. The links to my setup are in my signature, in case you want to check it out.
As for maintaining data like texts, use Titanium Backup. I recommend you spring for the Pro version because it is extremely handy, especially if you like to flash a lot of ROMs. When backing up data, going to the "Backup/Restore" tab at the top, press the menu button and select "Batch." From there, select "Backup all user apps + system data." Once that is done and you've flashed the ROM you want, redownload Titanium Backup from the Market, and follow the same steps but instead of backing up, you'll want to restore. So scroll down to the restoration options, and select "Restore missing apps with data." It will restore any apps that you are missing, along with their data (like game progress, settings/preferences, etc.). Do not restore system data, because that could screw up your phone. It might be time consuming, but it's better to manually setup your phone instead.
To restore your text messages, from the "Backup/Restore" tab, scroll down until you find "[SMS/MMS/APN] Dialer Storage." It should be labeled in green. Press it, and select the option to restore data. Once that's done, restart your phone and your texts should be back in the Messages app. It might take a few minutes for the app to sort them out chronologically, but it will. If you synced your phone with Google, your contacts should be automatically restore upon signing in.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1 on CM7.1. It's nowhere near as "ugly" as a lot of users make it out to be. I feel that now there are themes that you can find in the market just by searching CM7 themes that really make the UI very appealing to the eyes. I am running CM7.1 with "stetsonaw's EpicBlue Theme CM7" and it's beautiful. R3Ds Themes are pretty nice too.
I would definitely recommend CM7 to all Glacier owners, from my own personal experiences. But the best way to tell is to flash them all and give them all a test drive.
I've tried some very good Sense ROMs too from MikMik, Darkside, and Virtuous that are significantly better than the stock Sense. TDJ did a very nice job on his MiUI ROM also. I just always end up back at CM7.1
lcambriz said:
MIUI is a Chinese developed ROM that essentially makes your phone look like an iPhone. I have never tried it myself, but I've heard a lot of good things about it's performance and battery life.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not really. The iOS look only applies to the included theme. Most MIUI themes look nothing like iOS:
I personally love performance and battery life. The best i found so far is miui 12.23 by tdj i get about 26 hours with game play but gps is only problem on links once in awhile. Then absolution cm7 rom is getting 16 hours with heavy game play and gps is great. Try them and have fun.
Sent from my HTC Glacier using xda premium
I think you need to go through the down grade process before you ate able to simply root your phone. It is in the forums
Core droid htc glacier