Database Users

[Q] Best Out... ?

I bought a Desire Z about two weeks before the 1.72.405.2 OTA update came along, and I allowed it to update (Yeah I know, this was after all my first Android device).
Anyway, lately my phones been running slowly and apps force closing, so I've decided to downgrade it and root it (psneuter method), and try some different ROM's.
What I was wondering is, what would be the best way without root, to backup as much of my data as possible, apps, sms, files, and also if possible a backup that I can use in case I scew it up, so I can get it back to the way it is now.
I have a copy of:-
RUU_Vision_HTC_WWE_1.34.405.5_Radio_12.28b.60.140e_26.03.02.26_M_release_155556_signed
which I believe is the stock ROM for this device, but as far as I know if it goes wrong I'll be unable to flash this as the update won't allow me to flash an earlier version..
Would I be able to mount and then backup the whole phone using adb or any other method.
I've been reading about it for a while now, and while I have lots of bits of information, I've been unable to find a good solution.
Thanks,
...John...

j0hn0n1 said:
I bought a Desire Z about two weeks before the 1.72.405.2 OTA update came along, and I allowed it to update (Yeah I know, this was after all my first Android device).
What I was wondering is, what would be the best way without root, to backup as much of my data as possible, apps, sms, files, and also if possible a backup that I can use in case I scew it up, so I can get it back to the way it is now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Without root, a good app to backup your other apps is astro file manager, its available free from the market, you just have to hit menu, tools and it'll back up all the apps on your sd card, in terms of files, just make sure their all on your sd card and they'll be fine
Not sure how to back up SmS but i know their are apps out their, a point you may have forgotten is to make sure you back up your contacts as they all get wiped and I made this mistake, the easiest way to do that is to make sure your contacts sync up with your google account so after rooting, you can just sync them back,
Hope i helped!

Use google to remember what apps you've downloaded from market. Once associated, when you flash a new rom, google will automatically redownload all your associated apps. For sms, i suggest you download GoSMS and use their internal backup feature. It will save to sd and be visible to your stock sms app as well on restore.
Sent from my AOSP Virtuous Desire Z using XDA App

Ya but too many times google starts restoring apps that I uninstalled months ago. Great idea but bad implementation imo.
Sent from my HTC Vision using XDA Premium App

Sorry I haven't replied, was in work all day yesterday.
I have Astro File Manager, but I hadn't even considered it, thanks. I have my contacts sync'd with Google, so it seems that as long as I backup my files and sms everything else should be done automatically anyway.
Go SMS seems worth getting anyway, as the bog standard Android messages app is seriously dull. I'll give it a try.
I had wondered about Google Market restoring apps, but I thought it would only reinstall apps that were installed at the last sync.
If you install an app and it screws up your phone, and do a factory reset then Google will just reinstall the app that caused all the problems in the first place.
Definitely a good idea, but needs more work.
Anyway, thanks for all the info, I'll give it try tonight, when I get back from work.
...John...

I find SMS Backup & Restore to be the best app for this purpose and I wouldn't recommend the backup feature from the market, as you said it is likely to give problems.
Without root though, the backup choices are somewhat limited for apps and such.

I've been using Super Manager by gpc. It works pretty good, plus offers a ton of other features that can be used with or without root.

I've backed up what I could, although it's typical that as soon as it's all gone I realised things that I should have wrote down (I had been using the wallet/pocket app and although I backed up all my apps, I'm guesing it won't have backed up any of the passwords, logins, bank details, etc).
Anyway, I've downgraded and successfully rooted my phone (through gfree), I have CID: 11111111 and S-Off, but I haven't installed and ROM's yet as I read somewhere that you are supposed to wipe everything between ROM's, am I wiping the Davlik cache or doing a factory reset (I mean won't the factory reset just reset my stock ROM back to it's original condition).
I'm also wondering about finding custom ROMs, on my dell streak I had installed ROM Manager and could get a list of any that were available.
I first installed ROM Manager and used it to flash recovery, but this time I've installed CWM first, so would it be safe to install ROM Manager now, will it want to flash a recovery over the one I have already.
Or is it not advisable to use ROM Manager, as I have previously heard of a few problems it may cause.
Thanks ...John...

Rom manager shouldn't give any problems, but for custom roms it's best to take a look at the development forum. If you don't like that you can still use the list in rommanager, it might be just me who prefers downloading roms to my pc first.
But before you install any of them I recommend you make a nandroid backup from recovery just to be safe.

I think the issues were that some people, not all, found problems flashing some of the gingerbread roms via Rom manager. Better to save the Rom to SD and then flash it via CWM.

Right I've done a nandroid backup, and I've saved one to another mSD card which I can keep somewhere just in case (probably a bit over cautious, but...).
I thought that by saving apps to an sd card, they would run from the sd when I restarted my phone, even the ones that I had moved previously with the application manager in settings are not seen.
Still reinstalling the ones I want isn't really that bad.
Seriously, somebody needs to sort out the Markets app backups feature, when I was setting up the phone at first, I specifically chose to not automatically sync with Google and that I would do it manually when needed. Then I went in to the market to get a file manager and the download failed, it was only when I looked at what was going on I realised it was already downloading and reinstalling 96 apps. I looked around for a 'cancel all' option and there isn't any, so I had to cancel them all one by one and then uninstall the ones that had managed to install.
A simple checklist to select the apps you want would be great, oh, and a cancel all button would be a bonus.
Anyway, things are not as much fun when they're too easy.
Thanks ...John...

[Q]TWRP Backup Questions

Rooted 6.2.2, TWRP installed. I ran backup of the stock ROM, before I install a different ROM like CM7 or the ICS that is being developed do I need to copy that backup off the Fire? After the new ROM has been flashed, does that backup stay on the Fire or does the flashing process wipe it out?
Also, after restoring that backup......am I completely at the point when I took the backup? Data, apps, etc should be just as they were when I took the backup?
THANKS

The backup image is stored in TWRD directory with the data and time name. Rename it as your stock Tom for future use.
The contents of the backup as a defualt has ROM and your application if you did not change parameters
Regards
Sent from my GT-S5830 using XDA App

Just remind you that I have got a weird issue that some of my games does show their icons and when I type to them it says something like "Cannot load, restart Go Launcher" ( I use Go Launcher). I found no way to restart my launcher so that I just reinstall them and it's fine.

ammubarak said:
The backup image is stored in TWRD directory with the data and time name. Rename it as your stock Tom for future use.
The contents of the backup as a defualt has ROM and your application if you did not change parameters
Regards
Sent from my GT-S5830 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
cruel91 said:
Just remind you that I have got a weird issue that some of my games does show their icons and when I type to them it says something like "Cannot load, restart Go Launcher" ( I use Go Launcher). I found no way to restart my launcher so that I just reinstall them and it's fine.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the replies, but they don't answer my questions.

ontwowheels said:
Rooted 6.2.2, TWRP installed. I ran backup of the stock ROM, before I install a different ROM like CM7 or the ICS that is being developed do I need to copy that backup off the Fire? After the new ROM has been flashed, does that backup stay on the Fire or does the flashing process wipe it out?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The backups go to /sdcard/TWRP/backups/...
Unless you wipe your SDCARD they should not be touched.
You can always, copy them onto your computer if you want... which would be useful if you had to like replace the hardware and wanted to restore it onto the new hardware.
Also, after restoring that backup......am I completely at the point when I took the backup? Data, apps, etc should be just as they were when I took the backup?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Depends on what you backed up (What options you chose).

krelvinaz said:
The backups go to /sdcard/TWRP/backups/...
Unless you wipe your SDCARD they should not be touched.
You can always, copy them onto your computer if you want... which would be useful if you had to like replace the hardware and wanted to restore it onto the new hardware.
Depends on what you backed up (What options you chose).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks....any suggestions on the options? Select all of them I assume? lol
Just like an image taken on a computer, when I restore it, I would want to be at the exact point where the image was taken. System, apps, data, etc.

the answer to ontwowheels question isn't truly answered yet. Like him, i'm rooted, with TWRP, and trying things out. i'd very much like to try MIUI but its not clear if i can completely revert back to stock Kindle [admittedly there are several conveniences i like about but unfortunately it aint a-la-carte unless i foolishly dive in making my own ROM!]. Can someone please provide some guidance as to what must be backed up to restore stock kindle again, just as i left it [settings, preferences, apps, registration with amazon and market, etc] or if that's even possible, or what won't be restored. i'm not a developer and i hesitate to go with trial and error
thank you very much for your patience

mebobbob said:
the answer to ontwowheels question isn't truly answered yet. Like him, i'm rooted, with TWRP, and trying things out. i'd very much like to try MIUI but its not clear if i can completely revert back to stock Kindle [admittedly there are several conveniences i like about but unfortunately it aint a-la-carte unless i foolishly dive in making my own ROM!]. Can someone please provide some guidance as to what must be backed up to restore stock kindle again, just as i left it [settings, preferences, apps, registration with amazon and market, etc] or if that's even possible, or what won't be restored. i'm not a developer and i hesitate to go with trial and error
thank you very much for your patience
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To restore stock just use TWRP to flash the update.zip found on amazon. Once you download it, you will have to rename it to whatever.ZIP instead or whatever.BIN. Once that's done, go to settings on the stock ROM and hit device, then factory reset and you should be good to go

Can't backup my phone? Confused.

Hey guys. So I have unlocked and rooted my Nexus 7 using the root toolkit. All is well, have been running rooted apps etc. I have bought and installed ROM Toolbox Pro in order to backup my tablet (among other things), but it will not allow me to do this. When I go to make a backup of the current ROM (it is stock 4.1.1, unlocked and rooted), I get a warning that states "We failed to connect to ROM Manager".
Seems like I need ClockWorkMod Recovery installed? How do I go about putting this on the tablet? I don't need to start from scratch, i.e. unlocking and rooting all over again do I?
Sorry if this seems like a stupid question. I always managed to install custom ROMs on my Desire HD, I'm just a bit stuck here.
Also, when I persisted with the backup, disregarding the error message, the boot screen was a little dead Android with a red exclamation mark. Holding power button down allowed me to reboot the unit though.
Thanks
EDIT: Just found this guide, which, in the instructions, says to unlock and root first THEN proceed to install CWM. Would I be right to follow this guide?
theandroidsoul . com / nexus-7-clockworkmod-cwm-recovery-guide-both-touch-basic-versions-included

If you'd searched xda nexus 7 development you'd have found this: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=28061076
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app

rbeils 315
kboya said:
If you'd searched xda nexus 7 development you'd have found this: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=28061076
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
.....thanks a lot. I searched the entire Nexus 7 forums and couldn't find anything, didn't realise it would be so simple!

No worries, often it is easier to search development forums just by scanning the titles!
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app

Hmm I must have done something wrong. Installed CWM Recovery, tried to use ROM Manager to create a backup, it gets like 90% through then says there was an error backing up data. Now when I reboot I'm told that I'm running out of storage space? Before, I had like 2gb free, now 153mb? Have found where the backup files were saved, only ~20mb so that can't be it. Hahah this is neverending

bulldozed said:
Hmm I must have done something wrong. Installed CWM Recovery, tried to use ROM Manager to create a backup, it gets like 90% through then says there was an error backing up data. Now when I reboot I'm told that I'm running out of storage space? Before, I had like 2gb free, now 153mb? Have found where the backup files were saved, only ~20mb so that can't be it. Hahah this is neverending
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You need to free up more space before you make your backup. Delete the backup folder AND the blobs folder. CWR now uses blobs folder for differential backups.

zinv said:
You need to free up more space before you make your backup. Delete the backup folder AND the blobs folder. CWR now uses blobs folder for differential backups.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks man. I'll delete Max Payne and try again. I appreciate all the help tonight.

How can I ROOT without wipe and run app Undelete to recover deleted photos?

Hi!
[First of all, sorry for bad english ]
I have Nexus 4 E960
Android 4.4.2
I want to recover some photos I have deleted a week ago!
And for this I need to run app Undelete, but to run this app, need ROOT and unlock bootloader
But I DON'T WANT to ROOT and WIPE the phone (because it will make the deleted photos "cache" disappear too, right?
So, complicated situation! haha :crying:
Can please someone help me?
Thank you so much for your attention!

hellffer said:
Hi!
[First of all, sorry for bad english ]
I have Nexus 4 E960
Android 4.4.2
I want to recover some photos I have deleted a week ago!
And for this I need to run app Undelete, but to run this app, need ROOT and unlock bootloader
But I DON'T WANT to ROOT and WIPE the phone (because it will make the deleted photos "cache" disappear too, right?
So, complicated situation! haha :crying:
Can please someone help me?
Thank you so much for your attention!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Anybody have any info on this? I am in the same boat here.

As much as i know, you once have to unlock bootloader with full wipe (this is required for flashing superSU which in turn is required for things like Bootunlocker.)
I have never tried this but does adb pull work for cache? you can get a copy of your cache with it. Also stock gallery stores thumbnails, these are not high quality and without root, they may only be option.

RohMish said:
As much as i know, you once have to unlock bootloader with full wipe (this is required for flashing superSU which in turn is required for things like Bootunlocker.)
I have never tried this but does adb pull work for cache? you can get a copy of your cache with it. Also stock gallery stores thumbnails, these are not high quality and without root, they may only be option.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
EEEEK...No way of rooting without unlocking bootloader huh?

Not sure how undelete works, but you are better off using diskdigger, you can root and use this as when you delete something it is not removed from the storage, it just removes the link to the files location and says that the location can now be overwritten. This means that if it is not overwritten then the data is still there, this is what diskdigger uses.
This also means you don't want to write any more data to your phone than is necessary until you recover your files as this will increase the chance of corrupting them.
(Rooting is write heavy)
The way to recover without rooting is to mount your phone to your computer as an external storage device then run the desktop disk digger application targeted at the phone storage, this should recover the files.
http://diskdigger.org
Note: this will recover all the files that have traces left on the drive so be prepared to trawl through them all looking for what you want.
Hope this helps, post back if needed.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

Home and Recents Button not working after device reboot

Hi all, been trying to solve this problem for a while, can't seem to figure it out.
Yesterday, when my phone died and I charged and turned it back on, the recents and home buttons wouldn't work, in addition to my notifications not showing and the quick settings drawer not coming down. This seems to be a problem others have ran into. Here's what I've tried so far:
clearing dalvik cache and regular cache
updating my ROM (I use AICP)
restoring an old backup of AICP
starting my phone in safe mode (all errors persist)
using ADB to attempt to get into the SetupWizardTestActivity as advised here
The error I get from this:
Code:
adb shell am start -n com.google.android.setupwizard/.SetupWizardTestActivity
Starting: Intent { cmp=com.google.android.setupwizard/.SetupWizardTestActivity }
java.lang.SecurityException: Permission Denial: starting Intent { flg=0x10000000 cmp=com.google.android.setupwizard/.SetupWizardTestActivity } from null (pid=12048, uid=2000) not exported from uid 10072
at android.os.Parcel.readException(Parcel.java:1684)
at android.os.Parcel.readException(Parcel.java:1637)
at android.app.ActivityManagerProxy.startActivityAsUser(ActivityManagerNative.java:3160)
at com.android.commands.am.Am.runStart(Am.java:643)
at com.android.commands.am.Am.onRun(Am.java:394)
at com.android.internal.os.BaseCommand.run(BaseCommand.java:51)
at com.android.commands.am.Am.main(Am.java:124)
at com.android.internal.os.RuntimeInit.nativeFinishInit(Native Method)
at com.android.internal.os.RuntimeInit.main(RuntimeInit.java:264)
I also tried switching from my user to a Guest user, but it won't allow me to go into the Users. At this point, I decided to take a backup on my laptop and factory reset, but after plugging my phone into my laptop, I realized I can't change the USB connection type from charging to mass storage (or whatever it is) to access the files on my laptop since I can't see notifications. This lead me to Developer Options, where I get the message "Developer options are not available for this user."
So then I tried to make an activity in Nova for the SetupTestActivity as detailed here, but the closest thing I can find in there is under Settings about activating the cellular service, and when I try to use that I just get "Permission denied" error.
After all of this, I looked into backing up my device via ADB using this command:
Code:
adb backup -apk -shared -all
It tells me to unlock my device to confirm the backup operation, but there is nothing shown on my device indicating a confirmation.
Then I went into my file manager (I use Xplore) and it indicates that my device is not rooted. I don't know how that could've happened, although I have not tried re-rooting it to see if that helps. Any suggestions or do I just have to do a factory reset and lose all my data?

markgnarza said:
... Any suggestions or do I just have to do a factory reset and lose all my data?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why not use TWRP to create a newer backup? You can also use TWRP's MTP to move anything off the phone you want. Then flash a full Google image with flash-all.bat. You can try it without the -w switch first if you like. I doubt it's a hardware issue, but stranger things have happened, and returning to stock briefly will let you know right away.

v12xke said:
Why not use TWRP to create a newer backup? You can also use TWRP's MTP to move anything off the phone you want. Then flash a full Google image with flash-all.bat. You can try it without the -w switch first if you like. I doubt it's a hardware issue, but stranger things have happened, and returning to stock briefly will let you know right away.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I ended up uploading my Titanium backups/other files I wanted to keep to Google Drive and factory resetting, but now the setup wizard keeps crashing. Think I'm gonna try a full wipe and flash of AICP again to see if that does it.

markgnarza said:
I ended up uploading my Titanium backups/other files I wanted to keep to Google Drive and factory resetting, but now the setup wizard keeps crashing. Think I'm gonna try a full wipe and flash of AICP again to see if that does it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Okay, hope that works for ya. Nowadays with Google backup for market apps and TiBu for everything else, it doesn't take long (less than one hour) to completely wipe, clean install, and restore everything back the way it was. Especially if you have a good internet connection. I use my Solid Explorer to zip the TiBu folder into a single file and transfer that off to my PC. Try that next time and see if it saves you some time. My TiBu zip files are well over 1GB, so I don't u/l them to the cloud. Curious if you have TWRP why you did not have MTP file transfer from recovery to laptop?

v12xke said:
Okay, hope that works for ya. Nowadays with Google backup for market apps and TiBu for everything else, it doesn't take long (less than one hour) to completely wipe, clean install, and restore everything back the way it was. Especially if you have a good internet connection. I use my Solid Explorer to zip the TiBu folder into a single file and transfer that off to my PC. Try that next time and see if it saves you some time. My TiBu zip files are well over 1GB, so I don't u/l them to the cloud. Curious if you have TWRP why you did not have MTP file transfer from recovery to laptop?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It worked! And all my Titanium backups + photos are still intact on my phone? Seems strange to me. I hadn't thought of zipping my TiBu folder, good idea!
As for using TWRP to transfer to laptop, I'm not sure how that process works! I'll look around in TWRP once I'm done restoring everything to see what you mean, good to keep in mind for the future. Thanks for the help!

My honor got the same problem... I know they were working but now they don't.. what should i do??