Nandroid Backup - G2 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

I'll just put this out there for other noobs using twrp. I've never done a nandroid backup before, and I'm currently running twrp v2.6.3.2. When I select backup, it directs me to select which partitions, with boot, system & data already checked. Do I need to check any of the other options (Recovery, Cache, EFS)? TIA.

thestrangebrew said:
I'll just put this out there for other noobs using twrp. I've never done a nandroid backup before, and I'm currently running twrp v2.6.3.2. When I select backup, it directs me to select which partitions, with boot, system & data already checked. Do I need to check any of the other options (Recovery, Cache, EFS)? TIA.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
most important is the EFS one, somewhere mentioned it contains your IMEI etc. Backup it, and copy it for safe keeping. Everything else you should be able to recover, but EFS if lost might lead you to a non-usable phone.
Cache not needed.
Recovery well depends, but its just 8-11MB more I would check it as well.
Actually you can back it up all.
The most space will take the SYSTEM and DATA anyways, the rest is few MB's. Let's say SYSTEM is your ROM (system apps etc), and DATA is your config and installed apps. (Not entirely true if you do some modifications but these 2 partitions you need to restore the backup as you had it)
Boot is the kernel. Which might be needed by the specific System if you go custom, again only some MB's.
Just remember that you can even choose what you will recover. So when you change your recovery, kernel etc and you go for restore of some older backup, careful of compatibility in between ROM and KERNEL for example

Awesome thanks for the quick informative info. I figured it wouldn't hurt to just backup everything, but I thought I'd ask just in case I missed something.

Related

"image" backup

I want to experiment with flashing different ROMs and kernels, but I would like a quick and easy way of restoring my stock 4.1.2 ROM with all my settings/apps if I need to. I tried to do this with Titanium Backup, but after flashing back to stock I had to wipe data and cache and when I reinstalled Titanium backup there was no apps/settings.
Is there any way to make an "image" of my default environment which I can then flash from recovery?
Create a backup(nandroid)
You will need a custom recovery installed, doing this will give you a complete system image and restoring it will put your phone back to the exact state it was in when you made the backup
slaphead20 said:
Create a backup(nandroid)
You will need a custom recovery installed, doing this will give you a complete system image and restoring it will put your phone back to the exact state it was in when you made the backup
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, I have made a backup using CWM Recovery. I also selected the "create image.zip" option - I assume that I can flash that .zip and be back to the current state after playing with some ROMs?
Vlad_M said:
Thanks, I have made a backup using CWM Recovery. I also selected the "create image.zip" option - I assume that I can flash that .zip and be back to the current state after playing with some ROMs?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not sure about that option as I use quote an old recovery that doesn't have that option unfortunately, so can't help you there
slaphead20 said:
Not sure about that option as I use quote an old recovery that doesn't have that option unfortunately, so can't help you there
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok, I made both backups (the normal .tar and the image.zip). One more question though - the last time I flashed the stock ROM (using Odin), I had to wipe data and cache because the phone got stuck in a boot loop. If I restore from backup and have to wipe data and cache again, won't this render the whole restore useless (i.e. I will go back to default state)?

nandroid + flashing/restoring across roms

I'm having a little trouble understanding nandroid vs. other forms of backup and would appreciate some clarification. I'm running CM nightly on my Fido (Canada) G4. I took a nandroid as well as titanium backup of the factory stock image before I flashed CM.
A poster in the last thread I made suggested if I wanted to restore to stock, I could simply restore the nandroid, but I've also seen people say you shouldn't use nandroid to go across ROMs. My understanding is that nandroid is like having a filesystem backup, which would obviously not react well if you restored it over a new operating system (e.g. two different versions of windows). Or is nandroid more like say Acronis, which takes an entire disk image and overwrites everything?
Other misc questions:
- If I do restore via nandroid, do I need to wipe all data / cache / system data before or after the restore?
- I assume I can use titanium to restore SMS + all non-system apps across ROMs, which would save a lot of time.
- If I'm going from one CM nightly to another, would titanium work for system apps (e.g. all my settings, or contacts, etc)
- If I want to flash a new CM nightly, do I need to follow the entire wipe procedure just as if it were going from one ROM to a completely different one?
Thanks!
always make a nandroid in recovery. i recommend keeping it on your micro sd card. in the event you need to return your device to it's previously functioning state, restore the nandroid in recovery. if you are running an aosp rom and your nandroid is touchwiz, wipe data, cache & dalvik before restoring the nandroid. if the backup is on your micro sd then feel free to wipe system as well.
if you want to flash a nightly or update to a rom you are currently running, simply wipe cache and dalvik then flash the update, gapps and any custom kernel that you may be running.
i cannot answer your titanium backup questions because i do not use that program
xBeerdroiDx said:
always make a nandroid in recovery. i recommend keeping it on your micro sd card. in the event you need to return your device to it's previously functioning state, restore the nandroid in recovery. if you are running an aosp rom and your nandroid is touchwiz, wipe data, cache & dalvik before restoring the nandroid. if the backup is on your micro sd then feel free to wipe system as well.
if you want to flash a nightly or update to a rom you are currently running, simply wipe cache and dalvik then flash the update, gapps and any custom kernel that you may be running.
i cannot answer your titanium backup questions because i do not use that program
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes, that's about what I have. ok, thank you for the clarification of what to wipe! that's good to know.
re flashing a nightly/update: using your method should preserve system data yes? so no need to reinstall all apps or system data?
and thanks, I'll hold out hope that someone with titanium expertise will be able to answer that one
kabutar said:
re flashing a nightly/update: using your method should preserve system data yes? so no need to reinstall all apps or system data?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes, system/user data will remain. understand, however, that if you perform one of these dirty flashes and you have a problem with the functionality of the ROM, you'll need to do a full wipe and flash to see if this clears the issue before you report the problem in the development thread.
kabutar said:
yes, that's about what I have. ok, thank you for the clarification of what to wipe! that's good to know.
re flashing a nightly/update: using your method should preserve system data yes? so no need to reinstall all apps or system data?
and thanks, I'll hold out hope that someone with titanium expertise will be able to answer that one
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your right on both titanium questions.. However its not recommended to restore system apps you backed up on a aokp/aosp ROM to a touchwiz ROM and the other way around... Other than that like I said your fine
Sent from my WANAM'ED AT&T S4

TWRP sayd system not mounted, then rebooted during restore, phone is softbricked

I was bootloader unlocked, latest TWRP installed, systemless root with SuperSU 2.6, cataclysm rom, ex kernel, layers, xposed. I had made a ton of backups and even kept some of them backed up in another locations. I needed to restore a backup in TWRP. At first it wouldn't let me, kept saying that phone system was mounted as read only.
this is my question #1 - How do you mount system for read in TWRP? I see there's an option called "mount," I go in there, i see settings I can select, but I don't see any option to "execute" or "apply" settings (like TWRP has on other screens - swipe to backup, swipe to restore, etc). There's no "clicke here to mount option." what do you do here?
#2 - it finally mounted rw, i think, but after picking my latest backup, it started and then when it got to 19% it reboot the phone. Phone is softbricked.
#3 - I'm very confused about all the checkboxes to restore, and all the checkboxes to wipe.
What should I be wiping and what should I be restoring? When making backups I checked all the boxes.
I had the galaxy nexus before and I knew that phone and clockworck mod inside out. TWRP is confusing and glitchy to me. I'm stuck and work with a phone without an OS and I'm starting to freak out, and don't have A to C cables with me.
Please explain where I went wrong here and how to do things correctly. I want to understand what I'm doing better, not just follow steps.
When you restored, with all the check boxes did you click "system image" for restore?
You should wipe then restore only system, data, and boot.
dontbeweakvato said:
When you restored, with all the check boxes did you click "system image" for restore?
You should wipe then restore only system, data, and boot.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, I selected all the boxes, including system image I believe.
I did a wipe. I selected all the boxes. Went back into TWRP and now all my backups are gone. I said reboot, and TWRP said there's no OS installed. I think I deleted everything. I should not have wiped. I do have a backup saved on a computer, it's a folder with lots of .img files inside. How can I get that onto my phone with only having fastboot and TWRP modes available? I mean how can I place it on the phone in a way that TWRP would recognize it and restore from it.
I ended up just flashing the stock google image and that at least gave me a working phone back.
Yes. You beat me to it, that's what I was going to say. You have to reflash. Just remember for future references you only need to backup boot, system, and data( and efs etc). But Not "system image" that'll Bork your stuff up.
dontbeweakvato said:
Yes. You beat me to it, that's what I was going to say. You have to reflash. Just remember for future references you only need to backup boot, system, and data( and efs etc). But Not "system image" that'll Bork your stuff up.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'd like to really understand this better. Do you know why system image borks the phone? Also, when you say efs etc., do you mean "absolutely everything except system image"? (I actually didn't see EFS listed there)
Well boot system and data. But you also need efs cause thats your imei. So just look around and familiarize with what youve found so far. Right now Im trying to flash 6.0.1 with a systemless root. Its kinda goin ridiculous right now because there aren't any directions or suggestions.
If you get to "no OS installed" restoring system image, then system will get you back
Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk
zgroten said:
If you get to "no OS installed" restoring system image, then system will get you back
Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
After it said no OS installed, I tried to restore system image from my TWRP backup, and the restore failed and the phone reboot itself at 19% restored. I had to ADB flash the factory system image from google. This brings me back to the original question.
Why was the restore in TWRP failing?
Did you mount system in TWRP before attempting to restore?
Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk
mistermojorizin said:
After it said no OS installed, I tried to restore system image from my TWRP backup, and the restore failed and the phone reboot itself at 19% restored. I had to ADB flash the factory system image from google. This brings me back to the original question.
Why was the restore in TWRP failing?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
actually in twrp you could of wiped, then restored boot, system , data and it would of restored everything

N9005 TWRP restore fails

Hi everyone,
Im having trouble restoring a TWRP backup. I was on Morningstar's unofficial CM13 rom, first release. Since development has stalled a bit I decided to switch to Slim ROM by Sparx. I did a TWRP backup of evwrything, only excluding internal and external SD memory. I had some trouble so I tried to restore my Morningstar backup. Then the trouble started.
When I restore the backup, nothing happens after TWRP is done with redefining space or something like that (can't rmemeber exactly what it says) so I have to remove battery to get my phone to reboot. Not to bad. My phone reboots into CM13, but it reboots like it is the first time I turn my phone on. Only stock apps appear. None of my downloaded apps appear, which I don't understand at all. Also, root access is gone.
I'm using TWRP 2.8.7.0 on my N9005. Any hints on what might be going on? My backup is around 1.3 GB BTW.
TL;DR: did full backup, restoring it looks like clean install, no root.
Try lower version of twrp. 2.8.7 has some issue sometimes in restoring nandroid.
Sent from my SM-N920C
Rosli59564 said:
Try lower version of twrp. 2.8.7 has some issue sometimes in restoring nandroid.
Sent from my SM-N920C
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As it seems. Though I might have accidentally only backed up the rom itself without apps, or is that impossible?
When selecting the backup option in twrp, you select what to backup, including efs, cache, data, system, etc. so it is possible you unchecked data?
audit13 said:
When selecting the backup option in twrp, you select what to backup, including efs, cache, data, system, etc. so it is possible you unchecked data?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yesterday I tried again and noticed the 'data' option. I'm indeed an idiot. Good thing I did Titanium Backup so I didn't lose anything.

TWRP 3.1.1-0 - help me understand what to backup please

Hi,
after few soft-bricks and hours, i was able to transform my stock A2017 B16 to stock A2017U B25 and everything is working.
now the device is B25, android 7.1.1 + TWRP 3.1.1-0 and i want to make full backup as i know the need it if something goes wrong (and it probably will )
in the back up options i see the following:
Boot (64MB)
Recovery (64MB)
System (4740MB)
System Image (6144MB)
Data (excl. storage) (4001MB)
Cach (27MB)
Modem (NON-HLOS) (95MB)
Bluetooth (BTFM) (1MB)
EFS (6MB)
for now, i did backup of all of them but didn't tried to restore because i saw somewhere that i can get you brick .
can you help me understand what to backup for *complete backup* which one i can use in emergency recovery cases?
Boot - This is your bootloader. I usually back this up.
Recovery - This is twrp, you could back it up by itself once, but it isn't necessary.
System - This is your rom and stuff. This is the main thing to backup/restore if you want to keep the current ROM you are on.
System Image - I'm not positive on this, but I think its a full image of the whole system with everything.
Data (excl. storage) (4001MB) - This is all of your personal data, apps settings, call logs, etc.
Cach - no point in backing this up
Modem (NON-HLOS) - I don't back this up either as you can always flash the newest modem files
Bluetooth (BTFM) - bluetooth settings/devices I think, probably don't need to back up.
EFS - Do one backup of this and keep it forever. If you ever wipe or mess the EFS up you are in trouble.
Don't count on all that 100% as I'm not a dev, but I've been doing this for years. Besides the one time backups I mentioned, I routinely just backup the boot, system and data and have never had any problems restoring.
If you are brave and installing a rom that runs on a similar base, sometimes you can backup only the data, and flash the new rom, then restore just the data and have all your settings and apps stuff back.
Hopefully that helps.
Boot, System, Data- just like the person above me.
That's all you really need to do. Sometimes I'll even do things like wipe system only if I'm having problems with the ROM, Gapps, or some random mod, and reinstall the ROM & Gapps to bring it back to a clean slate. Say, if I tried out A.R.I.S.E. sound mod but it was acting goofy and I wanted to make sure I removed all of its remnants.
Recovery is unnecessary I'd think.
EFS - I guess backup once.
Why not backup everything? It doesn't take up much space. System image seems to be the only one I'd leave out. I still back it up anyway.
ThePublisher said:
Boot - This is your bootloader. I usually back this up.
Recovery - This is twrp, you could back it up by itself once, but it isn't necessary.
System - This is your rom and stuff. This is the main thing to backup/restore if you want to keep the current ROM you are on.
System Image - I'm not positive on this, but I think its a full image of the whole system with everything.
Data (excl. storage) (4001MB) - This is all of your personal data, apps settings, call logs, etc.
Cach - no point in backing this up
Modem (NON-HLOS) - I don't back this up either as you can always flash the newest modem files
Bluetooth (BTFM) - bluetooth settings/devices I think, probably don't need to back up.
EFS - Do one backup of this and keep it forever. If you ever wipe or mess the EFS up you are in trouble.
Don't count on all that 100% as I'm not a dev, but I've been doing this for years. Besides the one time backups I mentioned, I routinely just backup the boot, system and data and have never had any problems restoring.
If you are brave and installing a rom that runs on a similar base, sometimes you can backup only the data, and flash the new rom, then restore just the data and have all your settings and apps stuff back.
Hopefully that helps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're mostly correct except boot, which is the kernel and not the bootloader, and system image is this as mention in an old TWRP changelog:
The Team Win Recovery Project has released version 2.8.7.0 of its custom recovery, known simply as TWRP. This update brings a system read-only option that's intended to help you make a pure backup of your system image that you can later flash to receive over-the-air updates after having rooted or ROMed your device.
Cheers.
@mb0 Basic backup is system data and boot to have a working device, but I'd backup everything at least once just to be on the safe side.
The "backup all" solution sound nice to me??
At least one full backup and i keep it in safe place(es).
Let's try the restore function and hope not to be surprised
Hehe, good luck mate!
I'm back to update...
Full backup (except 'cache') --> reboot to recovery --> normal 'wipe' --> reboot (to make sure that it wiped) --> reboot to recovery --> restore everything (except 'cache') -->reboot --> ITS ALL GOOD :good:

Categories

Resources