Most reliable way to backup SD card - Nexus 4 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

I want to backup SD card content (photos, music, documents, etc.) to computer. What I have tried is directly copying folders using MTP mode and ADB Backup command. Both of them missed some files.
What should be the most reliable method to get all files from SD card to computer? Nandroid won't do because I want to browse and restore only some files later.

Anyone?

Related

no mp3

suddenly all my mp3 from micro SD is gone and I cant addno mor...pleas what is hapening here
only the MP3 files? you may accidentally deleted them or the parent folder.
There are some Rules on data loss:
STOP working with the card immediately.
switch on write protection (if you can)
Connect the Card via card-reader to the pc
Try to recover your files with special software, for eg: GetDataBack for FAT
If you have the original files on PC: Just copy it again to the SD Card

Formatting and restoring SD card question

If I format my SD card and then copy over my files again (just my CW backups, music, pictures, titanim back up folder) and dont copy all the other folders (folders created by apps that were installed and system folders) and then restore from a nandroid backup will everything work correctly or will stuff crash when it looks to the SD card for the folder associated and it's not there? or would it just create a new folder?

[Q] How do you make a backup of a non-bootable SD-card?

I want to backup an SD-card I have in a phone(my only sandisk card) to try and see how it works to run ROMs from it on my nook. But I would want to make a backup of that SD-card so I can put it back in my phone again. Is it ok just to copy and paste the entire card to a folder on my PC. Or do I have to use some special kind of backup program or write an image?
There would be no need to use any sort of special program since the only files you will be copying off are physical files i.e. photos, videos, music etc. The only time would be necessary to create a full image of a card would be if you wanted to save the information such as boot records and changes to the structure of the card, not just the physical files. But I would always just recreate the card later if I had burnt an .img to it or made it bootable etc.
Copy paste would do just fine in this instance, but if you are copying a large quantity of files, I would recommend looking into the free version of TeraCopy.
Thanks. I was thinking on apps I've transferred to SD as well and maps for navigon. But I will just copy paste the entire card then.

Backup SDCARD to PC

My search didn't bring up anything on this. I hooked to myl PC, and tried to copy the files from the SD card to the PC. To my surprise, it would not work. So for the moment, I'm copying from the SDCARD to a MicroSDHC I put in the unit.
AM I missing something? Seems strange it wouldn't let me copy files from it to my PC. I was able to copy one file from the PC to the SD card.
ewingr said:
My search didn't bring up anything on this. I hooked to myl PC, and tried to copy the files from the SD card to the PC. To my surprise, it would not work. So for the moment, I'm copying from the SDCARD to a MicroSDHC I put in the unit.
AM I missing something? Seems strange it wouldn't let me copy files from it to my PC. I was able to copy one file from the PC to the SD card.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hate to bump this, but interesting that there is no reply.
Also, I keep reading "Backup before yhou root", etc. But if you can't copy the files how can you backup?
As for backup software, I've not seen any posts stating what anyone is using. I presume same as a phone, Titanium, but not sure, But then again, that requires root.

[Q] How do I transfer External SD card App data to new Card?

HI guys,
Trying to find a successful way to transfer my app data (Installed apps which were moved to sd card) from my old micro sd card to my new larger one. Simple copy and paste within windows did not work.
After some searching I found this thread tomsguide.com/forum/id-1607981/moving-data-microsd-card-android-smartphone
It seemed to be the only possible solution with only 2 people acknowledging it worked.
I also have a videos folder which I would want to be ignored when doing the transfer (to save time- there are many vids in the folder).
Any help and input is greatly appreciated.
Samsung Galaxy S4 M919 T-mobile. Android 4.3 - Rooted with stock ROM.
Thanks.
Spazite said:
HI guys,
Trying to find a successful way to transfer my app data (Installed apps which were moved to sd card) from my old micro sd card to my new larger one. Simple copy and paste within windows did not work.
After some searching I found this thread tomsguide.com/forum/id-1607981/moving-data-microsd-card-android-smartphone
It seemed to be the only possible solution with only 2 people acknowledging it worked.
I also have a videos folder which I would want to be ignored when doing the transfer (to save time- there are many vids in the folder).
Any help and input is greatly appreciated.
Samsung Galaxy S4 M919 T-mobile. Android 4.3 - Rooted with stock ROM.
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I cant imagine Im the only one who has run across this issue...
Copy paste worked fine for me in the past.
Why don't you move your apps to the internal storage until you got the new sd card, then move them back?
GDReaper said:
Copy paste worked fine for me in the past.
Why don't you move your apps to the internal storage until you got the new sd card, then move them back?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Internal storage is just about full and the apps are many.
Is Windows capable of successfully reading the android files and copying them? The card is formatted exFAT..Should it be formatted NTFS instead?
I haven't formatted anything. Besides, formatting will wipe the sd card.
I simply copied all the contents from the sd card to the pc and then to the new sd card. Had no problems so far.
Widows is just a temporary storage, it doesn't need any rights over them.
Aren't there any sd card clone programs? Like the ones used for cloning HDD partitions and transfering their contents to another HDD?
GDReaper said:
I haven't formatted anything. Besides, formatting will wipe the sd card.
I simply copied all the contents from the sd card to the pc and then to the new sd card. Had no problems so far.
Widows is just a temporary storage, it doesn't need any rights over them.
Aren't there any sd card clone programs? Like the ones used for cloning HDD partitions and transferring their contents to another HDD?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for following up on this frustrating issue.
The only android items which show in my old external card are the android folder which contains the obb folder. The other android based folder is a "data" folder which is empty.
Both of these were copied to the new external card with no luck.
Is there something I should be copying from the phones storage onto the new external card? I don't know why this is such an issue :/
What items show on your external card that you were able to successfully copy to your new one? I even tried navigating using ES Explorer and the only item that shows, which Windows cannot see, is a hidden android folder with nothing in it. ..If the original external sd has the same items as the new exteral card, this would lead me to believe that the android OS is simply linking something to the external card to link the external card apps to the OS.
I have never heard of any such programs for cloning from an android based system...
I selected everything (CTRL + A) and then copied it to the new card. Even if there were hidden folders, they were copied.
Game data is generally stored in the obb folder on the internal storage.
How exactly did you move your apps to the sd card?
GDReaper said:
I selected everything (CTRL + A) and then copied it to the new card. Even if there were hidden folders, they were copied.
Game data is generally stored in the obb folder on the internal storage.
How exactly did you move your apps to the sd card?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just copied and pasted to the new card. Nothing was missing.
All the shortcuts are still in the OS but they are all blank and show as 0kb in size. If I try to go into google store it doesn't show any of the updates for the external card, only the ones for the internal storage are listed.
As for the OBB files, those I never keep on my cards, as there is never enough storage. this is not an issue with my internal storage either, as all them apps still show as being installed regardless of whether or not any obb files are there.
This makes no sense. There has to be something that links the external programs to the OS which is not getting copied to the new card...
Do you know Titanium Backup? Just make a backup from everything (all apps and datas) and store it f.e. in the dropbox, change SD Card and restore the backup from the dropbox via Titanium to your phone.
Cheeky Freddy said:
Do you know Titanium Backup? Just make a backup from everything (all apps and datas) and store it f.e. in the dropbox, change SD Card and restore the backup from the dropbox via Titanium to your phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for this suggestion. I have the full version and was not aware they integrated db.
I set up drop box on my TBP but I cant get the apps to save into drop box...Every time i try to backup anything it keeps saving onto internal card...I'm trying to backup the external cards app to db as a single batch. Do you know what setting to change for this to work?
Spazite said:
Thank you for this suggestion. I have the full version and was not aware they integrated db.
I set up drop box on my TBP but I cant get the apps to save into drop box...Every time i try to backup anything it keeps saving onto internal card...I'm trying to backup the external cards app to db as a single batch. Do you know what setting to change for this to work?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
try to get your hands on an OTG cable and connect a USB flash drive to your phone, and use a file explorer like ES to transfer the entire SD card to the USB Flash drive, then fire up the new SD card and copy the items you put on the USB flash drive back to the SD card using ES. This should definitely work and you wouldnt require a pc also.
Spazite said:
Thank you for this suggestion. I have the full version and was not aware they integrated db.
I set up drop box on my TBP but I cant get the apps to save into drop box...Every time i try to backup anything it keeps saving onto internal card...I'm trying to backup the external cards app to db as a single batch. Do you know what setting to change for this to work?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If the backup from your SD card is stored onto your internal card everything is fine. Just plug your new SD Card in your phone and restore your backup and everything will be back on your new sd card.
TheAwesomeBit said:
try to get your hands on an OTG cable and connect a USB flash drive to your phone, and use a file explorer like ES to transfer the entire SD card to the USB Flash drive, then fire up the new SD card and copy the items you put on the USB flash drive back to the SD card using ES. This should definitely work and you wouldnt require a pc also.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Looking at the card via Es, I see nothing in there that has not already been transferred. What folders do I need to transfer over...the "data" android" and hidden "android secured" are for the most part empty.
Spazite said:
Looking at the card via Es, I see nothing in there that has not already been transferred. What folders do I need to transfer over...the "data" android" and hidden "android secured" are for the most part empty.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
have you enabled show hidden folders on ES?
TheAwesomeBit said:
have you enabled show hidden folders on ES?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes. Only 1 hidden android folder which is empty.
Looks like I was able to see the contents of the .android_secured folder using an OTG cable. It contains what look like to be the files required for the apps to be recognized by the OS. Also what i believe to be the files for Google Play to also recognize the apps for updates.
I tried copying the folder but it wont work. However, I was able to copy all the contained files onto the new sd card.
Looks like I'll have to mount it again and just use the titanium backup method.
Backed up all the external data using TB onto the new card...I'm now having trouble restoring the backup to the new card...cant seem to find the option to do so.
I have the backup stored on the new external card.

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