[Q] Frequent ROM flashers - what's your transition M.O.? - myTouch 4G Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Flashed a single ROM, RG1.6, getting ready start flashing various ROMs now that I know more. I have 3 gmail accounts and many apps. I plan to use titanium to back up. I went to privacy and allowed data to be backed up to google servers. I do't know what the heck it's backing up (account names and passwords, etrc?) but they say it makes getting up and running with a new ROM faster. I want to develop a recipe for quick backups to make my flashing life easier. I assume frequent rom testers have this down pat because they dont want to waste time.
1. titanium batch backup apps and data, system apps + data ( i assume later i can choose not to restore system apps and data, but, just in case)
1b. maybe do a second round with mybackup pro? this app says it restore BETWEEN diff types of rom, I dont know if titanium claims this (i.e. between ext3, 4, or between aosp, mysense, sense, etc)
2. run SMS backup + restore, a free market app that backs up SMS to SD card in XML format it seems.
3. run APN backup, a free app from the market, just to make APN restore easier
4. make a backup of my SD card in case i bork everything and have to suddenly format the onboard SD
5. stick (in my next case) royal ginger 2.1 on my SD
6. reboot to CWM3024 (newly reflashed to be safer with the cant mount cache E errors)
7. follow ckisgen instructions in RG2.1 post to wipe all the caches etc,
8. install from zip, pick the zip
9. let it go, follow post instructions on 2 reboots, letting it sit, so on.
10. sign in to google with my main gmail account.
11. (?) will it then restore my other gmail account and settings since I selected "google servers backup" under privacy section in the royal ginger 1.6 rom?
11b. (?) will it then restore all my market apps for the same reason?
12. use titatium to batch? restore apps and data, but not system app and data
13. install APN backup + restore from market (or it will already be there) to put my apn data back
14. same with SMS backup + Restore app
15. what the heck did i forget?
I want to be like a nascar pit stop. Weet! Weeeet Weeet! Safe but fast. Done. Anything you guys would change with this?
Thanks

Ive never known why so many ppl love titanium.....seems slow and unpolished to me. In any case i change roms every few days. my routine is something like this
1. Download My Backup Pro......Set it up to auto backup what things u may want in the future on other roms. For me its bookmarks and apps. thats it. Does it by itself every night.
2. Nand backup my current rom (if i liked it and might want to come back)
3. Wipe everything. Data/cache/dalvik/format system/format boot
4. Flash new rom
5. Log in and sync my google account
6. Download my backup pro and let it work. its all automated and quick so within 10 mins i can have a new rom running with everything i had before and my backup pro saves app data so it already knows to continue the cycle of saving my info each evening.
Hope this helps
ps. the answer to both questions on 11 is yea it should. dont see why it wouldnt. although if u have certain apps u want quickest sometimes its best to go and cancel the download and restart it if your not on wifi.

Ive never used mybackup pro before & just want to make sure if im bckin up the correct stuff.. Do I choose the option to bckup apk & data or do I just bckup apk??
Mytouch 4g-white
Permrooted s-off
Root Method-gfree
CWR-3.0.2.4
Rom-Royalginger v2.1
Kernel-Ckisgen~smartass~v1.2

either is fine. adding the data means it will be a bigger save file but u wont lose anything youve done. i usually pick apk + data unless its a file i dont need or have any data with. For now backup everything u could ever need. (u wont need your old sms or mms messages, {or contacts if they are synced with google} pictures shouldnt need backing up, etc...u get the idea) For me thats as i said before bookmarks and apps mainly, my dictionary, music playlists....

srivers33 said:
either is fine. adding the data means it will be a bigger save file but u wont lose anything youve done. i usually pick apk + data unless its a file i dont need or have any data with. For now backup everything u could ever need. (u wont need your old sms or mms messages, {or contacts if they are synced with google} pictures shouldnt need backing up, etc...u get the idea) For me thats as i said before bookmarks and apps mainly, my dictionary, music playlists....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the help : )
Mytouch 4g-white
Permrooted s-off
Root Method-gfree
CWR-3.0.2.4
Rom-Royalginger v2.1
Kernel-Ckisgen~smartass~v1.2

So just to be sure MyBackupPro will restore apps/data between various ROM types without issue - froyo/gb/etc?
All the work involved with restoring all apps from various places (market/amazon) and all the user settings is what keeps me from trying out more roms - so definitely interested in this thread and any other tips about how to get things switched over quickly...

Related

Need a NOOB guide to EVO and Backing up.

I have read MANY threads, hunderds of pages.. I have rooted my phone... (the hard way, Thanks Toast) and I still really dont "GET IT.."
I would love a white board on the components of the whole process.. including titanium backup..
Meaning a writeup, showing each part of the system, and a paragraph on what it does..
Us Droidnoobs would really like to understand how this works from a high level... (or maybe I just belong on a short yellow bus...lol)
I just dont get what is required for each part, and what it affects..
NandUnlock: What does this do for us?
Engineering SPL: What is this?
Clockwork: ( i loved the movie.. but don't get how it pertains to the phone)
But seriously.. I dont know what is is, so how can I pick from the 2 avaiable?
Recovery: What parts of things dose this include? What is its function?
Nandroid back up: Do i need this and Titanium BK? Which will do what?
I want to figout how to back up my EVO and install new roms, and then re populate all my settings and data.. i use exchange, so i don't care about emails and contacts, but i have other email (pop) accts, that i want the accounts and preferences retained..
I have to root my bosses phone later today, and was wondering if i can do it with out it being activated? I was gonna get it rooted, and then activate it on Monday when I see him..
I'm by far not the most knowledgeable person but I can answer some of your questions... Anyone that knows better please correct me and let me know.
NandUnlock: What does this do for us?
This is required to install custom ROMs. Without it, you could install signed ROMs from Sprint (ie: Engineering ROM or Stock ROM) but not custom ROMs (like Fresh, DC, Cyanogen...).
Engineering SPL: What is this?
The way I understand it's a ROM version before the Stock ROM that Sprint/HTC probably used to test the phone before release. We use it because it is special in that it allows us to unlock the NAND part (Sprint stock ROM does not allow this).
Clockwork: ( i loved the movie.. but don't get how it pertains to the phone)
But seriously.. I dont know what is is, so how can I pick from the 2 avaiable?
Err... Not sure picking what...? But Clockwork is a great recovery app that makes it easy to drop files on the phone even if it wont boot or install custom ROMs/updates whether they are signed or not. It also makes backing up your phone (everything including the ROM, AFAIK, I use it and very happy with it) a snap. It reboots your phone to do this.
Recovery: What parts of things dose this include? What is its function?
Recovery is a special part of your phone that is away from the operating system. The OS can't install on top of itself, so you need separate code to do it. It's also a tool for when the OS is broken/not functioning and doing diagnostics.
Nandroid back up: Do i need this and Titanium BK? Which will do what?
I should know more about nandroid... but don't really. I think it backs up the recovery part/hboot? Errr... someone help me on this one.
Titanium backup makes it easy to backup your paid apps and even stock/OEM apps that came from the mfr or carrier. It has other backup functions, too.
I want to figout how to back up my EVO and install new roms, and then re populate all my settings and data.. i use exchange, so i don't care about emails and contacts, but i have other email (pop) accts, that i want the accounts and preferences retained..
Can't think of how to do this off the top of my head. Does it store on SD card? I can't be sure. I think there's an option to store this information on the SD card, so that should work AFAIK.
I have to root my bosses phone later today, and was wondering if i can do it with out it being activated? I was gonna get it rooted, and then activate it on Monday when I see him..
I'm pretty sure you can I don't see any reason why not but I've never encountered that situation before...
Hope this is helpful.
Thanks..
anyone else have their views on my questions? or differences fro the above?
thanks in advance..
I need more info on the Nandroid back up please..
Clockwork and ArmonRA both provide the capability to BACKUP your ROM, referred to as Nandroid. I know there are some plus and - to each. You should get in the habbit of ALWAYS taking a nandroid backup before you try a new rom. Give yourself something to fall back on.
TB lets you backup applications and OS settings and restore them. It will relink your apps to the market, which other apps will not do.
You must be very careful restoring OS settings, as each rom is built differently. Setting in DC will not work in Fresh for instance. So you can use TB to restore all your apps quickly, but you should still do the configuration manually.
You can root a non activated phone, but I think the activation process can cause you problems. I would wait until it is activated.
Clockwork: ( i loved the movie.. but don't get how it pertains to the phone) But seriously.. I dont know what is is, so how can I pick from the 2 avaiable?
i use AmonRA. why? because it seems that the general rule of thumb is that clockwork is easier for us noobs, but if anyone has issues they are told to use RA. so, i just use RA. i used clockwork for a bit but have i switched to RA; it's really not much different interface. the only thing i wish RA would do would be to allow me to 'browse for the zip to be flashed'. (oh yeah in RA...press both up/down at the same time to go back a level)
i believe you can use clockwork and simply 'flashover to RA' as needed from within the running OS. it can flash RA or Clkwrk or old version. i had something happen last month and wasn't sure what i did...once i got RA working, i said screw it and stayed with it. Clockwork does have a nice interface designed to make it easier to test out new ROMs...RA does not have this. is it needed? not really.
Nandroid back up: Do i need this and Titanium BK? Which will do what?
i use both. when i'm doing a buch of tweaks or testing a ROM, i make sure to make a nandroid backup (think Norton Ghost for phones). i also use titanium, mainly for when i install a new ROM. it allows me to restore just the apps and their settings onto the new ROM. its not perfect but does get most things. you'll need to setup things like email, facebook, twitter, meebo logins, etc.
so, although i often take a nandroid and titanium backup at abotu the same time, they are used to restore slightly differently. nandriod is my 'oh crap, this is bad i want to get off this ride' and titanium is my 'sweet, now how do i get my apps back in place without manually installing and config'ing each and every one'
(make sure to read about 'user apps' vs 'system data' w/ titanium).
I want to figout how to back up my EVO and install new roms, and then re populate all my settings and data.. i use exchange, so i don't care about emails and contacts, but i have other email (pop) accts, that i want the accounts and preferences retained..
titanium will get most of this. but i always seem to have to some tweaking cause some app has been installed or whatnot since my last backup. oh...and the titanium paid version will install all apps w/o manual intervention.
enjoy.
Clockwork: ( i loved the movie.. but don't get how it pertains to the phone)
Use either Clockwork or Amon RA, will not make a difference. Clockwork is used in ROM Manager as default.
Recovery: What parts of things dose this include? What is its function?
Recovery (volume down + power) allows you to flash zip files (rom, radio, apps, whatever), do manual nandroid backup, wipe your device, etc. Clockwork and Amon RA are both recoveries that do essentially the same thing.
Nandroid back up: Do i need this and Titanium BK? Which will do what?
Nandroid backups EVERYTHING on your phone, all apps, data, including rom, radio and kernel. It can be accessed via recovery or via an app called ROM manager.
Titanium Backup allows you to backup all your apps and data. You may ask why would you want to use Titanium Backup if Nandroid backs up everything? When you flash a new rom, you can use Titanium Backup to restore all your apps. (Otherwise restoring via Nandroid will restore your old rom over your newly flashed one)
I want to figout how to back up my EVO and install new roms, and then re populate all my settings and data.. i use exchange, so i don't care about emails and contacts, but i have other email (pop) accts, that i want the accounts and preferences retained..
Search the Market for email backup. Your google account restores all your contacts anyways.
Quick addition for your pop3 accounts. You can actually use GMail to push all your pop accounts. this will retain all the settings for those accounts if you reflash a new rom. There is a tutorial on here somewhere on how to do that. The GMAil push lets you set up labels and seperate email folders for your different pop3's also, you can add labels through the web interface and they will show up on your phone automatically, providing of course you have them set up to sync.
Another quick comment on Nandroid, this is a carbon image of your phne basically, so if you flash a new rom and then do a nandroid it will restore your phone to exactly how it was when you did the backup. So it wont work as an app backup, because if you flash a new rom and use nandroid you will be completed reverted to the rom you were on when you backed up. Make sense? Use titanium or there is even a backup called "mybackup" in the market which works also, I personally use titanium but my backup is a one click everything backup. Although it does not restore your market links, which allow you to get update notifications for your market apps.

[Q] Best way to switch builds and not loose everything

I am looking at switching builds but dont want to have to reinstall everything post the new build install on my sd card.
What back up system do people recommend, and do any actually allow a full backup/restore that will work?
If not then i will have to reinstall everything, but that seems a really long winded way about switching builds!
Thanks
I save the data .img file from the current build. Then I copy the new Android folder on the root of the mem stick. Then I put the data .img file from the old intall back in the new folder.
The above suggestion doesn't always work. If you're going to a completely different build then it may cause problems.
I use Titanium Backup Pro. It does cost, but not much and allows a full backup and restore of all apps and data.
i just use the free titanium backup to backup all my apps. google sync for contacts and then all i have to do it set up a couple of things like wifi and it work
I used to use the free version, but the last restore I did had nearly 200 apps in it, and you have to click "install" and then "ok" for every app with the free version. The paid one does it without you needing to do anything - that's the only reason I paid for it. (Oh, and it can freeze apps too, which is good for finding out what would happen if you uninstalled an app.)

Useful Tips for using Titanium Backup for newbies

Quick Tip for using Titanium Backup
1. Backup "application widgets". Once you restore your launcher, restore this and reboot so that your widgets will work and you don't have to reconfigure your home screen widgets (which would say "problem loading widgets" otherwise).
2. Backup "accounts" to remember the fact that you have "allowed" access to your google account for various apps (mainly google apps and any app that accesses your google account). This is also required to remember your facebook and skype passwords.
3. Backup "LogProvider" for the call log. A lot of people think call logs are backed up by "contacts storage" but they're not.
4. "contact storage" backups your speed dial
5. "dialer storage" backups your SMS/MMS. After you restore you need to reboot for it to take effect.
6. No need to backup "calendar 1.0". Just calendar 1.1. (this backups the setting not the actual content provided that you sync with google)
7. Most settings in Setting cannot be backed up (ie. Voip account, wifi hotspot ssid, ringtones, volume, etc). Simply re-enter them.
8. After upgrading your rom version or migrating to a different rom, before you restore, for "system" apps, make sure you check each one to see if the version has changed. If so, don't restore or you will probably have force-closes down the road. This is especially true if you move to cyanogen or miui, don't restore system apps at all.
9. Generally you don't need to save system apks unless you plan on uninstalling them to experiment instead of freezing.
10. Don't backup/restore "market" settings or you'll lose market links to your apps. In fact after you restore all your user apps you won't see all of them linked in the market even if titanium backup is set up to remember the links. Just use titanium to clear the market user data, restart market and you're ready to go.
11. Titanium backup does not save your default programs. (ie. DEFAULT browser, dialer, and for different file types).
12. Let TB save the settings to sd card. The next time you install TB you won't need to install the "pro" app. It remembers.
13. TB does not remember what apps are frozen. So after a reinstall, you need to refreeze whatever apps you want to freeze.
Other things good to know:
If you migrate to a new rom, although titanium Pro has an option to attempt to restore system apps to be compatible, try only restore user apps just to avoid force closes.
If you have a fixed set of apps you know you want to freeze, create a filter containing these apps. If you install a new rom, you can freeze all of them all at once without having to go through each.
Can you expand on what you mean in point 1.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA App
Scenario:
I have, say, go launcher or touch wiz as my launcher, I put widgets on my home screen like weather, google search bar and maybe a music player widget. I can use TB to backup my launcher, which would supposedly backup where these widgets are located on your home screen. However after reinstalling the rom, if I restore my launcher without restoring "application widgets", the place where these widgets are supposed to be will show "problem loading widgets". And you would have to remove these problematic widgets and recreate them.
So when you backup your launcher, backup "application widgets" as well. When you restore, restore both of them. And preferably after restoring, reboot before you go back to your launcher
By the way "application widgets" is an actual backupable item in TB (shown in green)
Is this making any sense?
Thanks and yes you are making perfect sense.
Many times I've had to delete then replace widgets from my launcher after restoring using TB so I'm interested in where in TB to find this option.
I'm probably looking right at it but just can't see it. Can you steer my in the right direction in TB?
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA App
Nice to learn new things, especially the widgets, hate having the "problem loading widget" all the time.
Thanks for highlighting these.
Ok found it.
It's an item in the app list called "application widgets" with the TB icon next to it.
Cool thanks never noticed it before.
Great tip.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA App
Having a Problem
Ok so I am tring to do an Extract from CWM Backup...
Just Flashed Jugg. 2.0 everything is running great!!!
But TBP is just stuck at Restoring 0% on my first program... I have even followed their help page. cleared the market memory... What am i doing wrong please help...
T-mobile - SGH - T989
ROM: Juggernaut 2.0
Bardouns said:
Ok so I am tring to do an Extract from CWM Backup...
Just Flashed Jugg. 2.0 everything is running great!!!
But TBP is just stuck at Restoring 0% on my first program... I have even followed their help page. cleared the market memory... What am i doing wrong please help...
T-mobile - SGH - T989
ROM: Juggernaut 2.0
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you enabled USB debugging and UNKNOWN sources?!
yes on both
---------- Post added at 08:32 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:16 AM ----------
Ok... Don't know WTF... but its working like lightning now... have no idea... didn't do anything except download google text to voice... weird
Been using it for years and didn't figure out the speeddial backup. Good post. A couple thoughts in general as far as backup strategy.... IMO freezing is better than removing system apps because space is not an issue with the sgs2 like it is with some (older) phones. Swap a lot of roms and sooner or later your are going to either on accident or purpose delete something you shouldn't have and then have to restore. Going down the list and freezing them only takes a minute and is readily reversible with the same end result. If you must be rid of them freeze them first and give it a few days for any oddness to show up. Then uninstall.
Agree on restoring system apps. Always a good way to get odd behavior or fc's and the like. Normally there is no need anyways as the new rom has the same system apps in it and most of the settings can be remembered elsewhere. I do back up system apps though in case I want to grab an apk that isn't in the new rom.
Also IMO its a good idea to copy the entire contents of the internal sd over to the pc after doing a nandroid and ti backup. This way if things go to hell you have everything. The process I use is to do a ti backup and then nandroid in recovery. I mount while still in recovery and copy everything over to a folder on the pc. Now I have all my pics, everything. I use the external sd for music and other items that I know will move from rom to rom so that I don't have to hassle with them. Do this and your covered in every way if you have problems with your ti backup or nandroid. Both can happen sometimes. Also if your phone dies, goes missing etc at least you have a backup as recent as your last rom swap which for us is probably not too long ago. lol I keep the most recent two backups and delete the oldest as I make new ones with each new rom. This only takes a few minutes extra during the rom swap and if you need it you will be glad you have it.
Thank you for tips!
Very helpful. Been using TB for a while now but did not know all the details!
thanx for your efforts...
got some useful tips. I thought I know TB, but I didn't.
Nice write-up!
Any advice on what to do when you try to restore an app and it tells you "problem parsing the package"?
Seam to happen more often with apps that did not come from Android Market or Amazon Appstore...
Very good guide and not just for newbie's.
Thank you.​
App Folders i nApp Draw
i cant seem to figure out where the folders in the app draw are actually stored. i tried to do a restore from a previous rom (apps only, widgets ect) but im not sure where to go for app folders, thats if it will even do this for me.
Many Thanks...
...to the OP & others for this thread & the tips in it ;-)
Just rooted yesterday & ran TI backup. Have run it again incorporating the tips in this thread. Very good suggestion to copy the lot over to PC as well.
Also, people should remember to make a copy of their EFS file & keep that somewhere safe off the phone (keep a copy on your external SD card as well).
Everything I've read so far suggests you're royally boned if you trash your EFS, so making a couple of copies & keeping them in various spots (one on the external SD/one on PC) makes sense to me. Hellcat's kTool does a bangup job & is a nice little app to have handy ;-)
Hi everyone. If someone can give me the confirmation about the following:
1. is Titanium backup saving the settings for the backed up app or only the app itself?
2. are social hub, readers hub, game hub, talk, IM, safe to freeze or unistall cos I don't use that?
3. When you freeze the app, is the icon gone or it stays under "menu"?
4. is Email app safe to freeze/uninstall or I need that for using Gmail app?
I'm on stock 2.3.3 + CF-Root-SGS2_XX_OXA_KH1-v4.1-CWM4 for now.
thank you and regards.
Thanks - very helpful to have more information.
3. Backup "LogProvider" for the call log. A lot of people think call logs are backed up by "contacts storage" but they're not.
This was really helpful. Thank you.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using xda premium

[Q] hand holding needed for changing ROMs

I have not changed ROMs before. IMHO the procedure is simple enough. I am not worried about that step at all. The question is, What am I left with afterward.
What data, apps, etc. do I loose? Do I need to recover them from a back up? If so, what parts do I need to recover?
Also, from what I have read, if the ROMs are closely related, all the data and apps are preserved.
Can some one explain/comment on this?
I know this is a very nubbie question. I'm trying to minimize time consuming mistakes.
U should always wipe data with changing roms or u might end up with lots of fcs. While all the roms are similar and contain the same basic apps, some roms are gonna have different and new apps than others. I recomend backing up the apps that u have on ur current rom with TB and once u install a different rom, all u have to do is download TB from the market and install the apps u once backed up
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App
So all the apps I downloaded from market will then need to be reinstalled.
Do I loose the phone logs, all texts, contacts (but linked to gmail)?
I am unclear what "data" is stored where. What counts are "data" in the backups. Is application data backed up with "data", or included w/ the "apps" backup?
I am backed up with TB. (both data and apps).
I have also backed w/ CWM.
I assume/hope my identity (phone#, etc.) is tied to something like a MAC address that will not be wiped.
your identity is not wiped, are you using a sprint phone?
You should backup 2 ways at least, a nandroid with CWM and maybe Titanium Backup. Then follow the instructions of the ROM you are installing. Most no longer require wipes. After you flash the ROM if something did not restore properly just shut down, boot into CWM. Go to backup and restore, go to advanced restore data from your last backup. All should be restored.
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App
I am on Sprint.
I am a bit confused on the CWM recovery, never having actually used it to restore anything. When i go to the restore utility in CWM, I see each of the backups listed. Not sure if I get the option of what to restore.
I may or may not want to restore the old ROM depending on the outcome of the new ROM flash.
But since u gonna issues TB all u have to do is jst download it from the market and the reinstall the apps u want back. U see, instead of searching for them on the market, u can jst install them from TB. And u won't losse contacts or emails if u sync them with gmail
labumm said:
So all the apps I downloaded from market will then need to be reinstalled.
Do I loose the phone logs, all texts, contacts (but linked to gmail)?
I am unclear what "data" is stored where. What counts are "data" in the backups. Is application data backed up with "data", or included w/ the "apps" backup?
I am backed up with TB. (both data and apps).
I have also backed w/ CWM.
I assume/hope my identity (phone#, etc.) is tied to something like a MAC address that will not be wiped.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My phone is Captivating, Fascinating, Epic and also LEGENDARY!!
If you are changing ROMs on the same version of firmware, like Gingerbread to Gingerbread, you can backup right before flashing (and you should), then when you flash the new ROM it may or may not preserve your data which is apps, contacts, call logs...IF it fails to restore properly you can do a factory data reset in CWM which will clean any bad restore, then do an ADVANCED RESTORE DATA and pick the newest one. They are date coded. It will ask you to confirm before doing it. This will only restore 3rd party apps and data like call logs, wifi links, email accounts and stuff like that.
The deed is done. The SMS messages do not restore. I tried to pick and choose apps to restore. Then restored all data.
The phone is functional, however. That was my main concern.
Thanks to all who read and responded.
now CleanGB 18
Duh.
Needed to reboot for all restored settings to appear.
To refresh, from what version did you move into? WHat do you have now?
labumm said:
Duh.
Needed to reboot for all restored settings to appear.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ha, was just about to tell you that. Glad you are up and running.
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App
I am a tiny bit concerned that I have just restored a bunch of un-needed crap onto my phone, from the TB backup.
Anyone know what the colors and icons of the files in TB signify?
I was looking for help in the tiki, but I don't see a concise explanation.
http://matrixrewriter.com/wiki/tiki-index.php
I presume I would not accidently reinstall carrier IQ and other un-fixes unintentionally with TB by restoring apps and data.

[GUIDE] How to easily Backup and Restore data using Titanium Backup

DISCLAIMER : This guide assumes that you already know how to flash a custom ROM. Also, these instructions work well on my Desire HD running ICS. They should ideally work on any device/ROM/Recovery combination, just that you may have to figure out the system settings/apps that correspond to the ones that I'm referring to. But remember that if you choose to follow these steps, you are doing it at your own risk, and you assume any and all potential consequences, including (but not limited to) loss of data, corrupting your sdcard, bricking your device, physical damage to your phone or self, and/or loss of bladder control.
WARNING : Following this guide may lead to ORD, or worsen your condition of ORD.
When you flash a custom ROM, a full wipe is always recommended. And it definitely is a stressful process, especially if you like to try out a lot of different ROMs. I now follow a method which I find is quite reliable, not as stressful and is fast, so I thought i should share it. I must warn you though, that this is quite an organized approach, so it will require patience from your part to set it up. But I assure you, once you've done it, your ROM wiping and flashing process becomes much easier
I'm going to detail this out in both offline and online methods. With the "Offline(OFF)" method, you will not require an Internet connection to restore all your data. Everything is backed up using Titanium Backup. With the "Online(ON)" method, part of your data will be restored from the amazing "Cloud"
Most of this guide is common to both methods, so I've highlighted the specific methods accordingly. If you're following the offline(OFF) steps, then you dont need to follow the online(ON) steps, and vice versa
APPS YOU'LL NEED
1) Titanium Backup - The free version will serve the purposes of this guide, but its just easier and faster to restore using the Pro version. The Pro version doesnt ask you to tap "Install" every time you restore an app. And if you forget to backup something, you can retrieve it from your Nandroid Backup(provided you remembered to do that ).
2) ES File Explorer - This app allows you to backup an app to the sdcard. Any other file manager/app that can do the same thing will work too..
(ON) 3) SMS Backup+ - This app allows you to backup all your call logs and sms/mms to your Gmail account.
INITIAL SETUP
1) Open Titanium Backup
2) Choose Menu->Filters
3) Tap the "Create Label" button, name your label, and then tap the "Add/Remove elements" button to pick which apps this label will be assigned to.
I have an "Important" label - for apps that I absolutely need on every flash, an "Extras" label - for more occasionally used apps, and a "Games" label. Make sure you dont add any system settings like Accounts, Application widgets, Bluetooth Pairings etc. to any of these labels. We will be handling them separately.
4) Choose Menu->Preferences and enable Auto-sync TB settings
(ON) 5) Now open SMS Backup+
(ON) 6) Set it up to backup your call logs, sms and mms to your Gmail account. You can assign labels to each of them so that they are neatly categorized in your GMail. You can also setup auto-backup for convenience.
1ST BACKUP
1) Open Titanium Backup
2) Choose Menu->Filters, scroll down, select all your labels and tap Apply.
3) Choose Menu->Batch->Backup all user apps + system data.
You'll need to backup system settings separately -
4) Choose Menu->Filters, and in Filter by type, choose System
5) Scroll down and make sure none of your custom labels are selected and then tap Apply.
6) Backup the following, these are the ones important to me, you may want to add more to this -
i) Accounts
ii) Application Widgets - Widgets placed on the homescreen of your favorite launcher.
(OFF) iii) Calendar Storage
(OFF) iv) Contacts Storage - Your contacts and call logs.
(OFF) v) Phone/Messaging Storage - Your sms/mms
vi) Settings Storage - Be careful when you restore this. For eg: its not a good idea to restore CM9 settings to an AOKP ROM or vice versa. This is best used when you know exactly what you are doing. Also, a lot of differences between ROMs will probably be the fact that it provides some new customization options in the settings. So restoring this doesnt make sense unless you know for sure that they are the same. Handle with care.
vii) User Dictionary
viii) Wi Fi Access Points
(OFF) Now you need to backup Titanium Backup itself, since thats the first app you will want to install, after a ROM flash.
(OFF) 8) Open ES File Explorer,
(OFF) 9) Choose Menu->Manager->App Manager.
(OFF) 10) Press and hold Titanium Backup and then choose Backup(the apk will be saved in /sdcard/backups/apps)
(ON) 11) Now open SMS Backup+ and tap Backup
Thats it !! You're all set now !
See post #2 for info on how to easily backup and restore your data.
Hope this helps in making ROM flashing an easier task
If you thought this was helpful, hit "Thanks" !
If you have any suggestion that might make this an even easier process for everyone, please do share !
And Happy Flashing !
Now before you flash any new ROM, just follow these steps.
BACKUP
1) Open Titanium Backup, make sure none of your filters are selected, then choose Menu->Batch->Redo backups for modified data
(OFF) 2) You can optionally backup Titanium Backup's apk again using ES File Explorer. This is only to ensure that when you install it in the new ROM, you have the latest version
3) Take a Nandroid Backup if you wish to(recommended).
Perform a full wipe, flash the new ROM, and reboot.
When the startup wizard pops up -
(OFF) Skip the sign in to Google part, but complete the wizard.
(ON) Sign in using your Google account, and complete the wizard.
RESTORE
(OFF) 1) Open the File Manager that came with the ROM, and go into backups/apps(or wherever you saved your apk) and tap on the Titanium Backup apk to install it
(ON) 1) Open Play Store, and download Titanium Backup
2) Open Titanium Backup, and go to Backup/Restore
3) Choose Menu->Filters, scroll down, select your label("Important") and hit Apply.
4) If any of your "Important" apps are already installed, tap it and choose Restore->Data Only.
5) After that Menu->Batch->Restore missing apps with data
6) Deselect the apps that you dont need and tap "Run the batch operation"
7) You can repeat steps 3,4,5 and 6 for all your labels now or at a later time.
(OFF) Before proceeding, you need to make sure that all the apps that were added to the Accounts & Sync section in the previous ROM, are now installed in the current ROM. Apps like Google+, Facebook, HaxSync, LinkedIn, Twitter, Whatsapp etc. This is because we are about to restore the Accounts, and these apps need to be there if you want their "Accounts" to get restored correctly. Also, when we eventually restore Contacts, the restoration will be more complete if the accounts related to those contacts already exist. So we need to set this up beforehand.
This is where you start restoring System data. Now you need to be careful with this. ROMs that are completely different from each other may start acting buggy if you restore this data. I would suggest not doing this across different versions of Android. And if you know that the 2 ROMs are from different bases then you should definitely pick what you're restoring here.
8) Choose Menu->Filters.
9) In Filter by status, choose Backed up
10) In Filter by Type, choose System and hit Apply
11) And then Menu->Batch->Restore all system data. Now before you run the operation, deselect Contacts Storage. If your new ROM is very different from your old one, then deselect Settings Storage too. If you see anything else that you feel may not be compatible, deselect those too.
12) Tap "Run the batch operation"
13) Reboot(or Hot Reboot)
(OFF) 14) Now open Titanium Backup, Backup/Restore, tap Contacts Storage and restore Data Only
(OFF) 15) Reboot(or Hot Reboot)
(ON) 14) By now, your Calendar and contacts should have gotten sync'ed automatically. Just add other accounts to your Settings->Accounts&Sync section, and the rest of your data should get sync'ed up
(ON) 15) Open SMS Backup+ and Restore your call logs and sms/mms.
wow. after posting it feels like a really really long process !
but trust me, its just how i've explained it. Once you set it up, its a piece of cake
Ha ha quality post for persons that are unaware of how simple this is.
I use MyBackup pro myself for apps and data. Does the same thing imo. But also does a great job of everything else. Sms, bookmarks, dictionary, ect ect all in one application
Sent from my Desire HD using xda premium
Guys when I was on Sense roms I was able to restore my syncs accounts and all my emails accounts with Titanium... but since I'm on ICS, no matter what I do, I can't seem to restore those two things....
I restore data from Accounts (something backed up from TB itself) and data from Email but no go...
Anyone?
Restoring Accounts has worked for me on ICS. There are 2 things you need to do.
1)Before restoring, make sure all the apps needed for those sync accounts are already installed/restored. For eg: Facebook, Google+, Whatsapp, HaxSync, etc...
2) After restoring Accounts, reboot/hot reboot your phone.
crazyjc81 said:
Restoring Accounts has worked for me on ICS. There are 2 things you need to do.
1)Before restoring, make sure all the apps needed for those sync accounts are already installed/restored. For eg: Facebook, Google+, Whatsapp, HaxSync, etc...
2) After restoring Accounts, reboot/hot reboot your phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Normal sync accounts, ie FB Twitter Google etc, I also can restore...
The problem is restoring email and exchange accounts... no matter what I do, cannot seem to restore them... they don't appear on the sync accounts nor inside the email app...And of course, I reboot the phone...
I guess the problem is probably from Titanium...
Too bad that the support for the TB is crappy as hell...
Strange. Not sure why it is not working for you.
I got a chance to test this out today, and it worked.
1) Restore Accounts. reboot
2) Restore Email app - Data only.
Assuming exchange accounts would work the same way.
Next time I'm going to try again... thkx for the feedback...
This can't be the first guide for how to backup before flashing can it?
rootingdestroyer said:
This can't be the first guide for how to backup before flashing can it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm sure you'll find other "how to backup" topics, but I've not found one as in-depth as this one. This is just the way I feel is the easiest to do it, specially because I like to flash ROMs a lot, and am very particular about my data. If that is the case, this is a really good way to do it.
Sent from my HTC Desire HD using XDA
Thanks for the tutorial.
After restore the apps that should auto launch after reboot only start auto launch after I open them once. After that everything runs smoothly. Is there any option I'm missing in order to prevent having to open this apps one by one?
Thanks in advance.
I'm not sure I understand the question. Are you asking about the app defaults? Like say of you have 2 browser apps and you set one of them as the default, you want that to be restored? I'm not sure how :-(
Sent from my Desire HD using XDA
Nope that's not the question. For example tasker or accuweather when i restore them they will only start working on the background after i open each of them manually first.
That's a good point. I'm not sure where the "start at boot" data is stored. SystemUI maybe? Something to try for my next ROM flash
Sent from my A500 using XDA
If you find out, please let know
Sorry i havent tested this out yet, but if it is in the system settings or SystemUI, I wouldn't recommend restoring it, since most ROMs differ from each other in these areas. It might just screw things up.
Will let you know once I find out.
Sent from my A500 using XDA
Tested it out.
1) Restore the app.
2) Restore settings storage
3) Reboot twice.
I dont know the reason. But when you reboot the second time, the app automatically starts.
Try it out and let me know.
Sent from my A500 using XDA
Just happen to have found this post via search. Just a quick question.
Any way we can manage batch restores without the hassle of tapping "install" and "done" for almost every app? Thanks.
Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk 4 Beta
wEgGiE_wORm said:
Just happen to have found this post via search. Just a quick question.
Any way we can manage batch restores without the hassle of tapping "install" and "done" for almost every app? Thanks.
Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk 4 Beta
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you buy titanium you don't have to do that.
Sent from my HTC Desire HD using xda app-developers app

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