Database Users

[Q] Is a Nandroid backup of Nexus devices really necessary?

I was reading FadedLite's Guide to root the Nexus 7, and one of the commentors posted that you should create a nandroid backup and bootable image after installing CWM but before adding SU. I'm not entirely sure what the purposes of these backups would be, but anyone can download the factory image from google here. So is a nandroid backup really necessary?
This is my first post on xda (although I've been here since March and have rooted 2 devices already) so I'm really hoping I posted this correctly.

I would say, and a lot of XDA users will tell ALWAYS make a backup. Although there might be factory image at Google backing up your own system is a very good idea.

Well, it's not necessary but it's always that just in case notion. I mean what about that slim chance that your USB port was not working and it suddenly stopped working properly?

I make nandroid backups only when I'm testing new ROMs and PLAN to go back to my original. I made a nandroid backup of my Galaxy S III stock ROM and then tried out jelly bean, once I was sick of it I switched back to the stock ROM because it worked obviously

I was just thinking that a backup stored locally would take up a lot of the tablet's very limited space. As long as you can boot into recovery, couldn't I just store it on another device and move the file over while in recovery? While there is a chance of usb malfunction, it is a slim chance... then again I have already perma-bricked one of my devices already, but that was an issue trying to install cwm so I couldn't have made a backup anyways.

Well, if your USB port goes, wifi or Bluetooth transfer would allow you to transfer your backup over. Unless you also don't have a bootable rom at the same time.
Nandroids are huge but it might be a good idea to have a working flashable build on internal memory at all times so you can boot up and transfer stuff.

Koush is developing a new CWR that creates TINY backups, I have no clue how he does it but he does.

unless you are running pure stock from google or a full final rom like cyanogen final, you should always have a backup.
You can download the image, but you lose ALL of your data. A nandroid backup keeps your apps and data.
A nandroid backup of ICS/JB is around 1.5-2GB in size. and yes that is a huge file size. And yes you can remove it from the device and put it back on. i STRONGLY recommend copying the entire directory and then erasing the individual files from your device so you don't forget where they're suppose to go.
If you are planning on doing custom roms or any root activity a nandroid is basically required.
Going to update to a new release? nandroid.
going to install a new theme, boot animation, metamorph? nandroid.
Are the chances small that something will go wrong? yes. But if it does, do you really want to have to redo EVERYTHING on your device?
I do a backup once a week on my galaxy nexus through clockwork mod that way i don't ever have to worry about something going wrong. restore the backup and at the most i'm back to where i was 7 days before.
Also, with USB-OTG you can connect the nexus 7 to a portable hard drive and store your backups there.

Not all flashable zips wipe the device. I actually find it very annoying when devs add wiping to their zips. I flash without wiping a lot and rarely have problems.

Which backup is better?

Since updating to 4.1.2, I've installed Titanium Backup and TWRP, and used both to backup my N7. Does anyone have a preference of one over another? Or should I continue to do both?
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app

They both serve their purpose. A TWRP serves as a safety net and sort of a last resort if you truly screwed up your device with flashing or the likes, to restore everything to the exact state it was in when you took the backup.
TB is very customizable and app-based. It'll usually allow you to restore your apps across roms, move them across partitions, protect them, set schedules for backing up only their data etc etc etc...
I usually do one nandroid (TWRP) after flashing or updating and regular Titanium backups.

Logic_ said:
They both serve their purpose. A TWRP serves as a safety net and sort of a last resort if you truly screwed up your device with flashing or the likes, to restore everything to the exact state it was in when you took the backup.
TB is very customizable and app-based. It'll usually allow you to restore your apps across roms, move them across partitions, protect them, set schedules for backing up only their data etc etc etc...
I usually do one nandroid (TWRP) after flashing or updating and regular Titanium backups.
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Hi MightyBK. As Logic_ described, both forms of backup have their uses; however, when testing a new ROM for yourself, it is best to typically perform a clean installation (factory reset/wipe cache/ etc) without using Titanium Backup's restore capabilities as soon as you are in the OS. This will give you better insight with regard to how the ROM is performing without the chance of conflicts, and you may always attempt to restore from Titanium Backup after getting a feel for the ROM.
Often, if you are upgrading a ROM to a newer version of the same series, the developer will inform you that a full wipe is not necessary, but it is always important to follow the instructions of the developer every time you flash as, with major changes, they may instruct you to perform a full wipe.
With regard to TWRP's backup, it is like creating an image of an operating system such as recovery media on a new Windows machine. It will save the exact state your machine was in previously. The old ROM/apps/data will all be preserved exactly, so this is intended as a rollback if you do not like your new ROM or if it is not functioning correctly.
I personally keep very little local data on my phone. Google's backup services are becoming more mature and the app restoration works fine for me. All of my pictures and such are all stored with Google+. This keeps everything clean and up-to-date after a clean install. It is admittedly more time consuming, though.
I hoped this helps.

[Q] Any way to do a full offline backup?

I just noticed that the current clockworkmod for the Nexus 4 generates backups that only include images for boot and recovery.
Is there any way to get a full backup of everything on the device, which can be restored to return the phone to exactly the same state it was in? Having all files in formats that can be restored via fastboot would be ideal (just reflash boot/recovery/system/userdata).
Typically the solution is to dump all of this to the sd card, but since this phone doesn't have an sd card it would probably make sense to just send it over adb to be written to a PC (which is how I believe nandroid used to work when I first started using it on my G1).
If nothing exists I guess I can probably just whip up a script that runs over adb from an insecure recovery.
Why not just use titanium/etc? Well, I do, and that would be my solution for restoring individual apps/etc. However, if I want to mess with an experimental ROM for a few hours I'd rather just do a full image of the whole device and then restore it when I'm done. If I have image files I can restore via fastboot then I know that the phone is restored to the exact state it was in when I started.

I just use TWRP once a month or anytime I make critical changes to my system. (aka NANDROID backup) And also Titanium Backup Pro for individuality of app storage.
Sent from my EVO using Tapatalk 2

Hate to self-reply, but the other reason I don't like Titanium is that it isn't atomic. Time passes between the first and last backup, so the phone might not be restored to a consistent state. It is better than nothing, and it is as good as you can do for an online backup without converting the phone to something like btrfs, but I'd really prefer an atomic backup, which is best done offline unless the OS is designed for it.

chinchillables said:
I just use TWRP once a month or anytime I make critical changes to my system. (aka NANDROID backup) And also Titanium Backup Pro for individuality of app storage.
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Believe it or not I hadn't heard of TWRP. That seems to work better - I'll see if I prefer it to clockworkmod - if nothing else I'll just boot it from fastboot for backups.
I also use Ti Backup Pro for individual apps. I think that there is a place for both.

[Q] Smooth Rom 4.4

Hi
As you've prob guessed I'm a noob, hence the help.
Ive just recently rooted and unlocked my nexus 7 with wugfresh 1.6.2 and am now looking at putting a custom rom on it.
Ive followed the advice and put titanium backup on and backed up my apps and system data.
Having read the instructions for installing Smooth Rom 4.4, it states 'Please do not restore a 'system' data backup as it would overwritte some important files'
does this mean I cannot restore my apps from titanium backup as I cant restore system data as they where backed up together or is there some other way for me to do it ?
does titanium backup get wiped as well ?
All Help appreciated, this is my first rom install and I dont wanna **** it up.

Robbie_UK said:
All Help appreciated, this is my first rom install and I dont wanna **** it up.
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The most important thing to do is to make a FULL nandroid backup before you begin.
The 2nd most important thing to do is to get that backup copied someplace else besides the tablet. (PC, USB key, etc) Screw-ups involving accidental erasure of the psuedo- SD card area on the tablet are commonplace with folks that are new to this. It won't do you any good to make a backup if you immediately erase it while fooling around with a custom recovery (or toolkit) that is new to you.
I suggest you learn to make backups using the custom recovery rather than relying on a toolkit.
If you are happy with the tablet in it's current configuration, then a back-up allows you to survive any ****-ups that inevitably follow as you can return back to a known state and proceed again having learned from your mistakes.
FULL NANDROID BACKUPS. COPIED SOMEPLACE SAFE (OFF THE TABLET)
As for TiB, the only thing that is 100% safe is to only restore apps & their data that are NOT pre-installed in whatever ROM you are installing. Note this means not restoring any of the Google gapps as well, as you may have had a different versions of those apps running on your current ROM than on the to-be-installed ROM, whether pre-installed or updated later.
Yeah it's a bit of work restoring apps one by one and re-configuring things. There probably are System apps that can have their data safely restored to the wrong version of the app - but there are absolutely no guarantees that correct operation of the app will follow that.
cheers and good luck

Is there a full nonroot, full back up solution like for iPhone or BlackBerry?

I mean like back EVERYTHING up, and then restore EVERYTHING. Like iTunes for iPhone, and like blackberries of yesteryear did? I'm not talking about helium which does partial adb-esque backups and then one-by-one restores. I'm talking, WHOLE THING backup, including Contacts, Pictures, Phone-logs, apps + app data. Then conveniently restore.
I really don't mind having to plug in to a computer.

Technically yes (rootless), but you'd need to unlock your bootloader and flash a custom recovery (e.g. TWRP) and then perform a NANDroid backup. This can backup literally everything on your phone.
However, assuming you meant stock everything, I don't think it's possible unfortunately.