Database Users

[Q] Proper ROM Installation and Concerns

Hello everybody, I am a proud Nexus 4 user and android user since February of 2013. I'm currently contemplating the use of custom ROMs and have decided on MIUI because it has amazing aesthetics and it really seems like a good ROM for me to use. I have several questions concerning using custom ROMs however:
1. I currently have root access on 4.2.2 and CWM Touch Recovery on my Nexus 4. How should I go about keeping my apps, contacts, information, etc., on my phone, but installing the new custom ROM? Is this even possible/ recommended?
2. I have many apps I rely on through my everyday uses of my phone, and I'm wondering if normal play store APK files will still be able to be used and installed on custom ROMs such as MIUI.
3. Are there any other small things I should note when installing custom ROMs?
4. Will I lose all my data if I install a custom ROM?
5. Is MIUI v5 recommended?
Thank you in advance.

nelsonlee96 said:
Hello everybody, I am a proud Nexus 4 user and android user since February of 2013. I'm currently contemplating the use of custom ROMs and have decided on MIUI because it has amazing aesthetics and it really seems like a good ROM for me to use. I have several questions concerning using custom ROMs however:
1. I currently have root access on 4.2.2 and CWM Touch Recovery on my Nexus 4. How should I go about keeping my apps, contacts, information, etc., on my phone, but installing the new custom ROM? Is this even possible/ recommended?
2. I have many apps I rely on through my everyday uses of my phone, and I'm wondering if normal play store APK files will still be able to be used and installed on custom ROMs such as MIUI.
3. Are there any other small things I should note when installing custom ROMs?
4. Will I lose all my data if I install a custom ROM?
5. Is MIUI v5 recommended?
Thank you in advance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. Contacts -> Sync to google. Apps -> Helium / Titanium Backup.
Factory reset is recommended for switching ROM base. For same ROM base is generally not required unless you're told. Always make backups. Bootloop? Factory reset, restore afterwards.
2. Some apps may not working 100%, FC, etc.
3. Remember to install gapps?
4. Flashing the custom ROM will NOT wipe your app/data, but if factory reset is required, you would lose apps and data. However /sdcard will remain. Backup, backup, backup.
5. Nice UI, very iPhone-ish, may lag heavily sometimes, all operations just feel slower, some apps may not be working 100%.

ksilver89 said:
1. Contacts -> Sync to google. Apps -> Helium / Titanium Backup.
Factory reset is recommended for switching ROM base. For same ROM base is generally not required unless you're told. Always make backups. Bootloop? Factory reset, restore afterwards.
2. Some apps may not working 100%, FC, etc.
3. Remember to install gapps?
4. Flashing the custom ROM will NOT wipe your app/data, but if factory reset is required, you would lose apps and data. However /sdcard will remain. Backup, backup, backup.
5. Nice UI, very iPhone-ish, may lag heavily sometimes, all operations just feel slower, some apps may not be working 100%.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you very much for the quick response, this information has helped me greatly!

1-to save your info you can use titanium backup from the play store i dont have it myself so check out exactly what it backs up as for contacts those should be tied to your gmail account so no need to back those up also the internal storage is not wiped so you wouldn't need to backup pics/music but you can if you want to be safe
2- when i used miui i never had any issues using play store apks
3-as always have a backup also i dont know if this was just me but miui has a different file structure so not all of my pics in the albums app were showing up also my music was not showing as well
4- depends on what data you mean any installed apps will be erased but pics and music will still be there
5- I am personally more of a stock/ cym guy myself but if you like miui then by all means use it that's the fun of having a rooted device experiment!

Speaking of MIUI, if you just want to find out, or for fun, you can try my suggestion below:
1. Backup all user apps in Helium / Titanium Backup. Boot into recovery.
2. Do a Nandroid backup in CWM. ( This is important! )
3. Factory reset in CWM, flash MIUI and included gapps, fixes, mod, and whatever.
4. Reboot into MIUI, install Helium / Titanium Backup from Play store, restore your user apps.
Try it for a few days.
Like it? Keep it.
Don't like it? Restore Nandroid backup made earlier in CWM

@truth1675 hmm it seems like titanium backup is surely the way to go, I'll figure myself out through the app then! Thanks for the suggestion!
I think I have read somewhere about media such as music and pictures needing some mod to properly be displayed.
@ksilver89 ooh that looks like a very safe way to go! Thanks I'll surely follow it when I flash MIUI. I recently discovered how amazing nandroid recoveries are, they restore everything to what they used to be, it's awesome

Downgrade to 4.3 from 4.4.2 (or Root)

Hey guys,
So I recently updated to KitKat 4.4.2 from 4.3 whatever, and it's been really nice. However, my battery length plummeted, and w/o root, I do not know what to do. So, I'm asking to see if anyone knows how to either root the XT926 or downgrade to 4.3?
Thanks

Neither are possible.

Even with an unlocked bootloader, you would you never get to 4.3 because 4.3 was never released for this phone.
As for battery, when you updated to Kit Kat, did you do so with all your apps installed, etc and not do a Factory Data Reset?
I would really encourage users to do the following before taking the OTA:
Backup whatever data you can to your PC or external SD card (pictures, etc). If you are rooted (and have an unlocked bootloader), then use a tool such as Titanium Backup to backup your apps and their settings. If you're not rooted and/or have a locked bootloader, then you won't be able to retain your app settings with TiBu. Sorry. That's the glory of having root I guess.
Do a factory data reset BEFORE taking the upgrade. This will wipe out your user data completely, including application data.
Apply the OTA and profit.
I have found my battery life is just as good, if not better, than under JB. People who are having issues with Wifi, Blue Tooth, battery life, usually have not done a FDR on their phones, so you have old cache sitting around, etc, that bogs down the phone as well as causes a host of issues.
The same holds true when upgrading Windows on your PC (for those that use Windows). I always backup user profiles and then I go and do a complete fresh install. There is so much gunk that gets left behind that it's just best to wipe the slate clean and start anew. The same goes for upgrading the OS on your mobile phones, especially when going from JB to KK.
KK is much better than JB, especially on this phone. No way I go back to JB. No way, no how. :good:

iBolski said:
Backup whatever data you can to your PC or external SD card (pictures, etc). If you are rooted (and have an unlocked bootloader), then use a tool such as Titanium Backup to backup your apps and their settings. If you're not rooted and/or have a locked bootloader, then you won't be able to retain your app settings with TiBu. Sorry. That's the glory of having root I guess.
Do a factory data reset BEFORE taking the upgrade. This will wipe out your user data completely, including application data.
Apply the OTA and profit.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To be clear, you can restore apps with TiBu without root? Because root = bye bye after OTA, I've only used TiBu with root..Thx
Edit, reading on Motopocalypse now, very helpful thread pages 3 4 5

No soup for you without root

iBolski said:
Even with an unlocked bootloader, you would you never get to 4.3 because 4.3 was never released for this phone.
As for battery, when you updated to Kit Kat, did you do so with all your apps installed, etc and not do a Factory Data Reset?
I would really encourage users to do the following before taking the OTA:
Backup whatever data you can to your PC or external SD card (pictures, etc). If you are rooted (and have an unlocked bootloader), then use a tool such as Titanium Backup to backup your apps and their settings. If you're not rooted and/or have a locked bootloader, then you won't be able to retain your app settings with TiBu. Sorry. That's the glory of having root I guess.
Do a factory data reset BEFORE taking the upgrade. This will wipe out your user data completely, including application data.
Apply the OTA and profit.
I have found my battery life is just as good, if not better, than under JB. People who are having issues with Wifi, Blue Tooth, battery life, usually have not done a FDR on their phones, so you have old cache sitting around, etc, that bogs down the phone as well as causes a host of issues.
The same holds true when upgrading Windows on your PC (for those that use Windows). I always backup user profiles and then I go and do a complete fresh install. There is so much gunk that gets left behind that it's just best to wipe the slate clean and start anew. The same goes for upgrading the OS on your mobile phones, especially when going from JB to KK.
KK is much better than JB, especially on this phone. No way I go back to JB. No way, no how. :good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did a factory reset after I upgraded, doesn't that do the same thing?

[Q] Root and update software manually

Hey Guys,
I have a question.
i used to have the Galaxy Note 3 , rooted it and did alot with it. Now i have a Note 4 and i want to root it. But my problem is this :
When i am going to root it can i also update my firmware manually without making backup? cause i am gonna stay on Stock Touchwizz. I want to Root it and if For example Android 5.0 comes out i want to update it without losing data or without resetting the whole phone.
Cause without root you can just accept your update through OTA or through Kies without losing any data and you dont need to master reset the phone nor make any backup. I want this method rooted through ODIN also, and is it possible. Cause on my note 3 i always made a backup and than needed to flash the new firmware and than restore backup.
help me out with step by step method if it possible

I'm sorry, but otas aren't clean either my friend. Conuntless people experience weird battery drain, force closes etc following an ota.
With in days of the 5.0 update hitting note 4s, there will be hoards of people wanting too know how they can go back to 4.4.4... Mark my words.
The fact that it includes a move from dalvik to art is only going to make the whole process more troublesome than it usually is.
Just individually back up your data through the specific apps if they have the capability, and uses sms and call back up apps if you really need to keep that stuff too, and just clean install yourself for the smother experience

dannstarr said:
I'm sorry, but otas aren't clean either my friend. Conuntless people experience weird battery drain, force closes etc following an ota.
With in days of the 5.0 update hitting note 4s, there will be hoards of people wanting too know how they can go back to 4.4.4... Mark my words.
The fact that it includes a move from dalvik to art is only going to make the whole process more troublesome than it usually is.
Just individually back up your data through the specific apps if they have the capability, and uses sms and call back up apps if you really need to keep that stuff too, and just clean install yourself for the smother experience
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the tip that it will be dalvik to art.
didnt knew about that.
So lets say for example if a 4.4.5 comes out and i am rooted on 4.4.4 stock samsung, is it possible to download the stock 4.4.5 and flash it through Odin without losing data?
normally i used to make backups through Titanium and restore it. But i am bit tired of flashing a new stock and than restore backup.

InVez said:
Hey Guys,
I have a question.
i used to have the Galaxy Note 3 , rooted it and did alot with it. Now i have a Note 4 and i want to root it. But my problem is this :
When i am going to root it can i also update my firmware manually without making backup? cause i am gonna stay on Stock Touchwizz. I want to Root it and if For example Android 5.0 comes out i want to update it without losing data or without resetting the whole phone.
Cause without root you can just accept your update through OTA or through Kies without losing any data and you dont need to master reset the phone nor make any backup. I want this method rooted through ODIN also, and is it possible. Cause on my note 3 i always made a backup and than needed to flash the new firmware and than restore backup.
help me out with step by step method if it possible
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you root you still can upgrade your note to android 5.0 via odin but it will not eraser your data, only lost root acces. I have try in my tab long time ago , the day honeycomb upgrade to ics so you dont have to worry
Cheer.

[Q] Back up an app's data still useable if I revert from Lollipop to KitKat?

Tl;dr version: The big question in my mind is: If I backup and app and its data from Lollipop, when I restore it to KitKat will it work fine?
The full story:
My wife's Nexus 7 got the Lollipop OTA a little while back and has been having a terrible time with the lag, etc. We've done all the suggested fixes short of doing a factory reset, which I want to try but have a problem to overcome....
My wife has a game which she has played for many many months which doesn't sync game progress to the cloud anywhere... Her sisters are quite competitive and constantly compare their each other's progress in this game.
She is having a miserable time with the Lollipop update, but wants this game data SO BAD that she is willing to suffer through the lag to keep it... but its driving me nuts...
I have a plan to move forward, but want to see if I can get some confirmation that my plan *should* work. I unlocked the bootloader on it in the past. it has since lost root, but I should be able to get it rooted again without hassle and without wiping data (correct?).
Plan A - Factory Reset Lollipop:
I should then be able to use either Titanium Backup or maybe Helium to back up that app's data. In fact, I may skip rooting and just use Helium with the desktop companion app. Then pull those backups to the cloud or onto the pc. Then do a factory reset on the device. Push back over the app's data backup then restore it. Does that plan seem correct? I've done similar in the past so I don't think I'll run into issues.
Plan B - Revert back to KitKat:
This is my secondary plan, and the one I have the most questions about...
After doing the above, if the tablet is still laggy, I'd like to revert it back to a factory image for KitKat since she was fine with that version until they release some bug fixes, etc. for lollipop. If I backup and app and its data from Lollipop, when I restore it to KitKat will it work fine? My concern is the difference between ART and Dalvik, etc. etc. I've seen a few places that talk about using backups when moving 'forward', but can't find a good answer on moving 'backward'.
Thanks,
Zeustopher

Possible to copy app data from Oreo 6P to Nougat S8+?

So I bought a Galaxy S8+ (7.0) to replace my 6P (8.0), and I'm trying to copy my app data over. Not having any luck. Any suggestions for how to do it? The apps themselves are no big deal, I can download from the Play Store, but I want my data.
6P is still completely stock - locked bootloader, so I would have to erase it to root. This would defeat the purpose. If there is a way to do a complete backup, root, and restore so I could use TiBu that would be awesome.
I do have Google apps backup enabled, and I have a backup on Drive that I can find and see all my apps. However, according to this link you can't restore from a newer version of Android to an older one. It never gives me the option to restore when I add my Google account to the new phone, and I can't find a way to restore from Drive on the new phone, even though I can see all the apps in the backup. Downloading apps from the store doesn't restore their data either. I can't downgrade my 6P back to Nougat without root either.
I tried Helium Backup, but it just simply doesn't work. As evidenced by many comments on the Play Store it doesn't work on the 6P.
Am I just stuck? I would think there would be a better solution than this.

You tried helium backup this way I guess ???
https://www.androidpit.com/how-to-backup-and-restore-app-data-with-or-without-root
There are not many ways to do, you could try Holo or super backup.
That's why we root

coremania said:
You tried helium backup this way I guess ???
https://www.androidpit.com/how-to-backup-and-restore-app-data-with-or-without-root
There are not many ways to do, you could try Holo or super backup.
That's why we root
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The problem I am having with Helium backup is that it just doesn't seem to work. If I connect through port 5000 from my PC (PC download) and tell it to backup then it just sits there and says "waiting for [IP address]" and never comes back to save anything. If I try to backup to the device, it does a couple of different things - it comes up and asks for my device password (which I put in settings) and then it fills in the password for me, but then either the "Back Up My Data" is grayed out or it sits on that screen, fills in the password, and then the apps start cycling through while it is adding characters to the password, then it gets stuck and stops. I have to reboot the phone to reset the backup to try again. (It's not locked up, just Helium is stuck.)
I'll look into Holo and Super Backup.
Followup: No go on the others. It says Holo can only be used to restore to the same device, and Super Backup needs root to backup the app data.

Bad for you, I doubt there is way for you to backup with a locked bootloader if none of the apps are working.
The only way to root a phone without a patched boot.img (SuperSU and magisk) is to use kingroot, but I highly doubt this will work. Do yourself a favor and root your s8 to avoid this the next time.
https://consumingtech.com/install-kingroot-android-8-0-oreo-apk-app-for-android-mobile/
Try it, I never thought I would link something like that

Matthew Carson said:
So I bought a Galaxy S8+ (7.0) to replace my 6P (8.0), and I'm trying to copy my app data over. Not having any luck. Am I just stuck?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, pretty much. Google restore is decent in getting your new device close to where it was, but app data (especially for non-Google apps) can be a problem. Sometimes the app has a dedicated folder and you can try copying that over. This worked for me once long ago with WhatsApp before it had it's own backup capability. After the Google restore, exactly which apps are you needing saved data for? Someone may be able to chime in if it is a specific game or well known app. Now that root is available for S8+ you should do that asap before getting it all set up the way you want it. It's only painful one time, but then you will have access to TiBu and all the other "essential" root apps.

v12xke said:
Yes, pretty much. Google restore is decent in getting your new device close to where it was, but app data (especially for non-Google apps) can be a problem. Sometimes the app has a dedicated folder and you can try copying that over. This worked for me once long ago with WhatsApp before it had it's own backup capability. After the Google restore, exactly which apps are you needing saved data for? Someone may be able to chime in if it is a specific game or well known app. Now that root is available for S8+ you should do that asap before getting it all set up the way you want it. It's only painful one time, but then you will have access to TiBu and all the other "essential" root apps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The problem is that Google restore didn't work either since it was going from an Oreo device to a Nougat device. I didn't think backing up was a big deal since Google is supposed to handle it, but it's not doing me any good at all. I couldn't do a full restore from the phone, and when I reinstall apps from the Play Store it doesn't include the data. Most things have accounts so I can set it back up again, but all of my preferences and settings for every app are gone. I'm pretty much having to go through app by app and reconfigure everything. Plus I have lost high scores and low times for several games...
My only concern with rooting the S8+ is that I have seen that it makes Android Pay not work, and some people say the Play Store has issues. Is that true? I've just begun researching it.

Matthew Carson said:
...My only concern with rooting the S8+ is that I have seen that it makes Android Pay not work, and some people say the Play Store has issues. Is that true? I've just begun researching it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm afraid I can't be of much help because I don't use Android Pay or Samsung devices (except the Galaxy Nexus which was great) ...but both Pay and PlayStore seem to be working fine on most rooted devices. I have never had a PS issue due to my phone being rooted. I just know I won't be without root because the root apps I use are more important to me in every day use. It's up to the individual to decide whether root is right for them, or not. I suggest hanging out in the Sammy board here on XDA, read and ask questions until you know what you want to do. BUT what I said earlier is true and most will vouch for me... make the decision asap, because unlocking and rooting will require wiping the phone.
Edit: Side note... just found this article which doesn't help you, but it does raise a question: Did you initiate the restore during the initial setup process on the S8+ or afterwards? If afterwards, wiping the phone and trying Google restore again may work.

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