Database Users

Questions about flashing a custom rom

I am about to install Smoothrom 3.1, but since this is my first time installing a custom rom, I had some questions.
1. Do I need to wipe? I want to use gooManager
2. If so, will everything be wiped?
3. Can I restore Titaniumbackup files once running a custom rom?
4. Will everything work in the play store?
Thanks for the help and if you have any additional tips please let me know.
I am also using TWRP

I would not recommend gooManager. See whenever there is something automatic, like gooManager, or ROM Manager etc. there is always a chance that it does it wrong. Do it the manual way so you're sure. Install ClockWorkMod or CWM for short, and find a tutorial on how to install it. (It isn't very hard. You only need to use a few commands). Then Back up all of your stuff like your apps. Make sure you're rooted first, then get this app called "My Backup Root". Here is the link: Click Here!
It is a free app. Also backup using Titanium Backup, which you could get from the Play Store. I recommend backing up with Titanium Backup and My Backup Root because you could use both of them if one doesn't work. Once you flash the Rom you want to primarily use My Backup Root because it restores automatically unlike Titanium Backup. Now You want to make sure you do this: MAKE SURE! YOU READ ME! That you go to "Backup and Restore" In ClockWorkMod, then click "Backup" DO THIS SO YOU COULD RESTORE LATER INCASE! It saved me a few times. Now going back to your original question, You do want to "Wipe Data" in ClockWorkMod. Also "Wipe Cache". Then go to "Advanced" Then click on "Wipe Dalvik Cache". Then You could flash your Rom.
Now yes, everything will be wiped but with the backup in "My Backup Root" you could restore everything like your apps. Yes everything will work on the Play Store.
Edit: Instead of editing my whole reply for TWRP, it is basically the same thing for TWRP as in ClockWorkMod. Basically try to find the stuff that I said because I don't have TWRP.
Best of luck flashing SmoothROM!
If it isn't in your liking, then try: CodeNameAndroid. I would totally recommend it.
---------- Post added at 10:11 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:10 PM ----------
Sorry For The Long Reply BTW.

Thanks for the awesome response! That sums up all of the questions I had except for one more . When an update for the ROM comes out, do I have to do this whole process again or can I just directly flash it? Thanks!
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app

Bilge656 said:
Thanks for the awesome response! That sums up all of the questions I had except for one more . When an update for the ROM comes out, do I have to do this whole process again or can I just directly flash it? Thanks!
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app
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From my experience, no. All you have to do is wipe cache every time you flash the newer version. Only when you are switching Roms you have to fully wipe.
Don't hesitate to hit that "Thanks" button...

Thanks so much for your help!
Where are the My Backup Root files on the sd card so I can transfer them to my pc?

Bilge656 said:
Thanks so much for your help!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Anytime

Flashing and data question

Hello quick question here If my phone is already rooted with stock rom and I flash CM on it will I lose my data?

JayMix said:
Hello quick question here If my phone is already rooted with stock rom and I flash CM on it will I lose my data?
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Yes. to prevent any issues it is advised to wipe all data before flashing. One of the things you learn to deal with when flashing custom roms.

JayMix said:
Hello quick question here If my phone is already rooted with stock rom and I flash CM on it will I lose my data?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You'll want to wipe your data partition when you flash between ROMs. You can use Titanium Backup to backup your user apps before you flash CM (it might be a good idea to copy the TitaniumBackup folder off of your phone after you've made the backup if you aren't familiar with flashing or wiping, if you wipe the internal SD you're backups will be deleted!). Once you've flashed CM you can download Titanium Backup from the market and restore from your backup.
While you can backup/restore system apps as well you'll get weird results between ROMs (which usually results in wiping and starting over again anyway), so my advice is to only restore system apps/data when flashing the same ROM.

Your virtual SD card will not be wiped.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2

Thx very helpful.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app

[Q] Restore data for new custom ROM install?

Hey everyone,
I recently purchased the Gs4 and excited to root again. I was looking through the forums and had some questions. Should I use Titanium Backup for restoring data or TWRP? I did a nandroid of my stock ATT rom and want to install Liquidsmooth and then restore my apps and settings on top of that. Is this possible or do i need to be on a custom ROM first then backup my data and restore my data for future updates. Thanks, let me know!

It's recommended to never backup system data only app data. If you are staying on the same Rom your normally okay with setting but I don't recommend it. I do all my apps through TB, and my device id.
Sent from my SGH-I337 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

HELP!!! :'( Restore only apps and data from nandroid?

Hey guys!
So yesterday, I installed the app 'Android Control Center'. I messed around with a few settings and ended up in a bootloop. I do not have anything backed up in Titanium backup. So I made a nandroid backup in the hope that id be able to restore my apps out of that by using nandroid manager, but all of my app data were not extracted from the nandroid. So now im planning to restore the nandroid backup and use TWRPs file manager to remove that apk and its data. Are there any other things I should do to fix this problem? Will this work??

Guys, any help is appreciated!!!

Hardly believe that app can cause your system into bootloop... anyway, if you want to try.
Titanium Backup can restore apps from Nandroid backup, preferably CWM tar backup. However, this function is currently having issues with Android 4.3, so if you want to reflash the ROM, pick ROM with 4.2.2.
I believe TWRP backup should also works, but I haven't try it before. If you need to use TWRP, do it without compression & encryption.
IMO your problem can be a simple fix by remove the faulty app and reflash the ROM.

just reflash your rom via recovery, dont wipe, you wont lose any data

Alright thanks for the response. I copied my TWRP backup to my PC, extracted it and now I'm trying to copy the data folder from my TWRP backup to my ROM's data folder. Hopefully, this will work.
PS - I removed the app and i reflashed the rom but that didn't seem to fix the problem.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4

[Q] Backing up before flashing rom?

Hi, I want to flash WanamLite ROM to my new Galaxy S4, but last time I flashed WanamLite without backing up I ended up with a generic IMEI, so I need a way to back up my phone and IMEI and all the other important stuff, I can't afford Titanium Backup PRO right now, any other way to backup my phone so I can restore it in case anything goes wrong?

Once you flash a custom recovery like twrp or cwm you can backup your efs folder, you should keep that folder somewhere safe. After that you should make a nandroid backup and also keep this safe incase you want to go back to your stock rom
What I also like to have is my stock firmware on my pc so if anything goes wrong I can flash the stock fw
Edit: you can also backup efs manually but I am not informed about these techniques so I cannot tell you
Sent from my GT-I9505 using XDA Free mobile app

Stefan0vic said:
Once you flash a custom recovery like twrp or cwm you can backup your efs folder, you should keep that folder somewhere safe. After that you should make a nandroid backup and also keep this safe incase you want to go back to your stock rom
What I also like to have is my stock firmware on my pc so if anything goes wrong I can flash the stock fw
Edit: you can also backup efs manually but I am not informed about these techniques so I cannot tell you
Sent from my GT-I9505 using XDA Free mobile app
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I'm already rooted, can I back up the efs before I flash the rom?

galaxynoob1 said:
I'm already rooted, can I back up the efs before I flash the rom?
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There are various efs backups on play such as this although I haven't used them to restore them personally

If you're already rooted then you can also just flash a recovery with sgs4 flasher from the play store. Really nice for keeping updated. Backup efs With the custom recovery, or as the person above me stated, use an app for it
Sent from my GT-I9505 using XDA Free mobile app