What to backup to recover before flash ROM? - Moto G5 Plus Questions & Answers

I recently rooted my Moto G5 plus and would like to check out a a few custom ROMs. However, from reading the instructions on a few custom ROM threads it isn't clear to me what to backup in TWRP to be able to recover or go back to the stock ROM if I want to later.
I've read that I should backup Data, logo, and boot, and internal storage, plus all apps and data with Titanium Backup, but what about System, System Image, Recovery, OEM, and EFS? What about persist?
Can someone give me a quick summary of what I need to backup to go back to my current state if I want to experiment with some other ROMs?
Thanks.

Splice_9 said:
I recently rooted my Moto G5 plus and would like to check out a a few custom ROMs. However, from reading the instructions on a few custom ROM threads it isn't clear to me what to backup in TWRP to be able to recover or go back to the stock ROM if I want to later.
I've read that I should backup Data, logo, and boot, and internal storage, plus all apps and data with Titanium Backup, but what about System, System Image, Recovery, OEM, and EFS? What about persist?
Can someone give me a quick summary of what I need to backup to go back to my current state if I want to experiment with some other ROMs?
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Back up everything available in TWRP, including efs and persist. Then store it all on the cloud. You can never have too much backed up.
Too many people have screwed their devices in this forum by not backing up persist and then applying bad modifications. It is unique to your device and you can't use someone else's to guarantee full functionality.

I backed up all 53 partitions and stored in my harddisk. It's less than 5GB.
I left out only the data partition because for that I use Titanium Backup and RSync.
Yet I haven't backed up the partition table, also this is important...

NZedPred said:
Back up everything available in TWRP, including efs and persist. Then store it all on the cloud. You can never have too much backed up.
Too many people have screwed their devices in this forum by not backing up persist and then applying bad modifications. It is unique to your device and you can't use someone else's to guarantee full functionality.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
if i backup my efs and persist in a custom rom 64 bits that backup won't work in stock right? it is intact

Backup everything... although it may be too late already, but any working backup is better than nothing.
What you should REALLY do is unlock the bootloader, then before you do anything at all one-time boot TWRP, NOT install it, and backup everything and move it off the device and to the cloud. Once you have rooted or modified your device, even installing TWRP, you are not getting a clean backup.

nicolap8 said:
Yet I haven't backed up the partition table, also this is important...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
acejavelin said:
What you should REALLY do is unlock the bootloader, then before you do anything at all one-time boot TWRP, NOT install it, and backup everything and move it off the device and to the cloud. Once you have rooted or modified your device, even installing TWRP, you are not getting a clean backup.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have anyone backed up and successfully restored a full partition backup before? I mean running dd if=/dev/block/mmcblk0p* of=/sdcard/*.img for all partitions before installing TWRP. Would restoring it later (after flashing roms and such) return your phone to 100% stock state, being able to re-lock BL, take updates and everything?

prokaryotic cell said:
Have anyone backed up and successfully restored a full partition backup before? I mean running dd if=/dev/block/mmcblk0p* of=/sdcard/*.img for all partitions before installing TWRP. Would restoring it later (after flashing roms and such) return your phone to 100% stock state, being able to re-lock BL, take updates and everything?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No... there are some things you cannot write to, period, but the OS can (has to do with encrypted files/partitions I believe), bootloader unlock is one of these things. Many of the mmcblk0 partitions cannot be written to, you can really one write to about 8 or 10 of them via software without having an external writer (for the life of me I can't remember what it's called).

acejavelin said:
No... there are some things you cannot write to, period, but the OS can (has to do with encrypted files/partitions I believe), bootloader unlock is one of these things. Many of the mmcblk0 partitions cannot be written to, you can really one write to about 8 or 10 of them via software without having an external writer (for the life of me I can't remember what it's called).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I see. Wasn't expecting to be able to return the bootloader status to untampered, but what matters most is being able to return to a fully working stock rom and take OTAs without bricking the device. There's also all the issues people keep getting in this forum - such as losing their IMEI, 4G, VoLTE - can be those be avoided (and even fixed) by restoring the right backed up mmcblk0 partitions?

prokaryotic cell said:
I see. Wasn't expecting to be able to return the bootloader status to untampered, but what matters most is being able to return to a fully working stock rom and take OTAs without bricking the device. There's also all the issues people keep getting in this forum - such as losing their IMEI, 4G, VoLTE - can be those be avoided (and even fixed) by restoring the right backed up mmcblk0 partitions?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, you can restore your efi folder to correct this most of the time, if you have a clean backup. Otherwise you need to get it JTAG programmed

prokaryotic cell said:
I see. Wasn't expecting to be able to return the bootloader status to untampered, but what matters most is being able to return to a fully working stock rom and take OTAs without bricking the device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just to clarify that you understand, you can't return your bootloader status to untampered but you can lock it again. However it really isn't necessary to do that just to get OTAs. All you need to do is return to your stock with stock recovery and no-root (fastboot method not TWRP flashable.) OTAs work fine once you have done so. I have restored a TWRP backup just by booting into TWRP but it seems like I had some issue unrelated to OTA, although I don't recall what they were and is was on my previous phone (Moto G4).

Related

[Q]Help options menu backup TWRP Recovery

Hello,
My device is a NEXUS 7 3G (GSM / HSPA +) and am using Twrp recovery and have a question about backup menu.
Are the default options checked enough (Boot, System and Data)? Do I click check the radio option? When it is necessary the radio option?
I Know cache and recovery are not necessary but the question is the radio.
Thanks and sorry for my writing in English, very poor ... sorry
It would be rather unusual for a radio to be flashed by anything other than a factory ROM; so the need to be restoring it is somewhat unusual.
As with the bootloader, it is probably best to minimize the amount of flashing you do of the radio partition.
TWRP also lets you choose which partitions are restored using the same toggles, so even if it were present in a backup, I don't think TWRP forces you to restore it.
I have a grouper (not tilapia) N7, and (besides more typical ROM backups) I keep a pure-stock, completely unconfigured ROM TWRP backup including the stock recovery standing by (plus a copy stored safely off the device).
I think having pure stock backups is something everybody should do. Not only for factory return scenarios, but also for applying OTAs (make custom ROM backup, revert to pure stock, apply OTA, capture yet another pure-stock backup, restore back to custom ROM). This gets you:
- return to stock any time
- for RMA / relock scenarios
- no problem OTA installs
- reference stock ROMs from every release (for restoring individual stock files)
good luck.
bftb0 said:
It would be rather unusual for a radio to be flashed by anything other than a factory ROM; so the need to be restoring it is somewhat unusual.
As with the bootloader, it is probably best to minimize the amount of flashing you do of the radio partition.
TWRP also lets you choose which partitions are restored using the same toggles, so even if it were present in a backup, I don't think TWRP forces you to restore it.
I have a grouper (not tilapia) N7, and (besides more typical ROM backups) I keep a pure-stock, completely unconfigured ROM TWRP backup including the stock recovery standing by (plus a copy stored safely off the device).
I think having pure stock backups is something everybody should do. Not only for factory return scenarios, but also for applying OTAs (make custom ROM backup, revert to pure stock, apply OTA, capture yet another pure-stock backup, restore back to custom ROM). This gets you:
- return to stock any time
- for RMA / relock scenarios
- no problem OTA installs
- reference stock ROMs from every release (for restoring individual stock files)
good luck.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you very much for the reply. Now I have the bootloader open and I'm leaving the tablet as I like and I intend to make a backup before root.
Thanks

[HELP] Screwd up nandroid

Hello guys!
I was updating from 4.4.4 to lollypop via OTA, then I realized that even if I run the stock ROM, I am still unlocked + root, meaning that the OTA won't run.
I did a complete nandroid backup via Wugs Nexus Toolkit, including data.
Then I wiped and flashed the new 5.0 via Nexus Toolkit, but when I tried to restore only the data it didn't work.
I decided to go back to 4.4.4. and do things properly, but now I'm not able to restore anything.
I am not bothered with the apps and stuff, but I had plenty of pictures which I forgot to backup, and I want to restore them. I even tried to access the nandroid backup files, but no success!
I was accustomed with the old CMW, where you had the .img files, but I got no clue on what to do here!
I add the picture of the nandroid backup folder on my PC ( I think the data files are splitted, but I cannot open them in any case, not even with 7zip).
The nandroid was executed via Nexus Toolkit, but I guess it has been done through TRWP.
Long story short:
1) how can I access the pictures inside the nandroid backup?
2) how can I restore a nandroid backup that keeps failing?
theraizen said:
1) how can I access the pictures inside the nandroid backup?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe CWM does things differently, I don't know, but with TWRP, a Nandoid backup doesn't back up your SD card partition, so if you wiped everything, all your pics are gone. Sorry.
Yeah, I guess so.. Managed to recover something with DISK DIGGER (its an app, free on the store). Just wanted to write it here, so if anyone has the same issue can recover this way!

Please help, just bought an 7 edge

Just bought an galaxy 7 edge, I'm running stock Android 7.0
Best way to make working TWRP NANDROID BACKUP?
I want to install TWRP, make a working NANDROID of the system, and also want device to boot and work with just TWRP and stock Android 7 from my operator that I'm using right now, that's including all apps installed.
Thanks anyone that can help me with this.
then another quesstion....
best and fastest way to rooted SU stock ROM preferable my carriers one, and how to do it
smaberg said:
Just bought an galaxy 7 edge, I'm running stock Android 7.0
Best way to make working TWRP NANDROID BACKUP?
I want to install TWRP, make a working NANDROID of the system, and also want device to boot and work with just TWRP and stock Android 7 from my operator that I'm using right now, that's including all apps installed.
Thanks anyone that can help me with this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Snapdragon or Exynos?
Sorry Exynos is the one I got. 935F
smaberg said:
Sorry Exynos is the one I got. 935F
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
First of all, you know that will trigger Knox and you will lose your warranty. There are some other implications of that, are you sure you've read them all? If you have no problems with those things, things are pretty much the same as on every other phone and twrp.
I know it will trigger Knox, and that's ok. This is a temporary device until Galaxy 8.
I put TWRP on the phone, now it won't boot, and got lots of words when trying to backup in TWRP.
That's why I asked.
what does it say when you try to back up.
You may have your phone encrypted that why the back up is not working.
You may need to remove the encryption to get it working properly.
You can also use smart switch to make a back up to be used in case of issues.
smaberg said:
I put TWRP on the phone, now it won't boot, and got lots of words when trying to backup in TWRP.
That's why I asked.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You must've missed some steps.
http://www.droidviews.com/install-twrp-root-galaxy-s7-and-s7-edge-on-nougat-g935fxxu1dplt/
Do you need SU before no-verity-opt-encrypt-5.0.zip?
If I format data partition I can backup etc.
But I want to backup apps to!
So basically I want to install TWRP(and what's needed) and backup ROM with all apps. And then boot the ROM and run device as before.
smaberg said:
Do you need SU before no-verity-opt-encrypt-5.0.zip?
If I format data partition I can backup etc.
But I want to backup apps to!
So basically I want to install TWRP(and what's needed) and backup ROM with all apps. And then boot the ROM and run device as before.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
First no verity and supersu after, according to the article. By formatting data you won't lose your apps, just data on sd card (internal memory). The rest is on system partition
On, last time, did I get this right, from stock rom, do this
Install TWRP, then SU (I don't want SU) backup, should this work? It's says lots of error in data...
So once again from clean, what do I have to do?
Install TWRP, then what? Want to backup all apps I mean a full NANDROID backup.
Still no, after TWRP it won't boot.
Directly after TWRP it's says something bad "/data"
Then tried to run run the decrypt, still no no
Please anyone, help, it won't boot after TWRP...
smaberg said:
Still no, after TWRP it won't boot.
Directly after TWRP it's says something bad "/data"
Then tried to run run the decrypt, still no no
Please anyone, help, it won't boot after TWRP...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can you try fastboot format data and fastboot format cache commands and see what's happening?
i can format data partition no problem, even in twrp, but all apps dissapear as i tought. and then i even didnt bother to try and boot as i want to do a full nandroid.
smaberg said:
i can format data partition no problem, even in twrp, but all apps dissapear as i tought. and then i even didnt bother to try and boot as i want to do a full nandroid.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you thought you could install twrp and do a backup of the stock phone you were wrong, twrp can't read the data partition since its encrypted, you have to format data and then you can do a backup, but since there's nothing there then there's no point.
Get a stock image for your phone from http://updato.com/firmware-archive-select-model?q=g935f
Thank you, finally an answer
then another quesstion....
best and fastest way to rooted SU stock ROM preferable my carriers one, and how to do it?????

Backup of a unrooted Nexus 6P

My Nexus 6P is not rooted, bootloader is also locked. As the BLOD is imminent threat, i want to unlock my Bootloader. But i'm unable to find any app to backup my entire phone. Personally i like nandroid backup from TWRP, but without root, it's not possible, and in order to root i need to unlock BL which inturn will wipe my /data partition. See my dilemma here?
So, if therer is any software that can backup my phone while i unlock BL and restore my data?
badbd09 said:
My Nexus 6P is not rooted, bootloader is also locked. As the BLOD is imminent threat, i want to unlock my Bootloader. But i'm unable to find any app to backup my entire phone. Personally i like nandroid backup from TWRP, but without root, it's not possible, and in order to root i need to unlock BL which inturn will wipe my /data partition. See my dilemma here?
So, if therer is any software that can backup my phone while i unlock BL and restore my data?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just backup and sync with google it's decent now. Can't remember if internal gets touched maybe backup to computer or thumb drive to be safe.
Exodusche said:
Just backup and sync with google it's decent now. Can't remember if internal gets touched maybe backup to computer or thumb drive to be safe.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks. I decide to bite the bullet and go for bootloader unlock. You are right, google backup is now amazing, i've even got back my call log and sms. App data is also restored, but no internal Memory is backed up. luckily i did copy my Internal memory.
So, TL,DR: Copy all my internal, did google backup. Unlocked bootloader, Got TWRP then root using magisk immediately (otherwise TWRP dosent stay), restore backup. Got old phone back

First time ever installing a custom ROM. I have some questions. Moto G5 Plus stock.

I have a completely stock Moto G5 Plus (XT1683 - 2GB of RAM) on stock Oreo 8.1 and I want to use the Pixel Experience 10. I've watched some tutorials online but I still have some questions:
1. I've seen many people complaining that they lost their IMEI and 4G, but I still couldn't figure out if that only happened with people that downgraded from a custom Oreo rom to a stock Nougat or if there's a chance of that happening by installing any custom ROM. My phone has the latest official Oreo version and I've never messed with the system before. Is my phone still at risk of losing its IMEI if I install Pixel Experience 10? What did those people do wrong?
2. Now let's talk about the procedures I have to take. After unlocking the bootloader it will wipe my system, right? If that's so, should I let it boot again into Android and turn off or should I immediately get into fastboot and flash TWRP? Will it make a difference? Will the persist and efs partitions be there on TWRP to be backed up or do I need to let Android boot so it can make them first?
3. After everything, if I get into TWRP and it asks for a password, should I just cancel and wipe the partitions to remove the encryption (can I keep the internal storage?) or do I need to install that dm-verity file instead? As I understand the dm-verity if only for when rooting the phone while keeping the stock system, right? (I don't plan to root my phone, only install a custom ROM. It would also be good if I could keep my files, but if I can't, that's fine too.)
My original plan was the following, please take a look to see if i'll do things correctly.
1. Unlock the bootloader
2. Install TWRP immediately, before it even has a chance to restart
3. If TWRP asks for a password, skip and wipe all the partitions, if it doesn't, wipe them anyway to install the new ROM.
4. Backup efs and persist to my SD Card (will they even be there after I wipe the partitions?)
5. Right after that install the custom ROM
6. Reboot, not get into a bootloop and still have my IMEI. Profit.
Is everything right or did I misunderstand something?
Thanks!
Raploz said:
I have a completely stock Moto G5 Plus (XT1683 - 2GB of RAM) on stock Oreo 8.1 and I want to use the Pixel Experience 10. I've watched some tutorials online but I still have some questions:
1. I've seen many people complaining that they lost their IMEI and 4G, but I still couldn't figure out if that only happened with people that downgraded from a custom Oreo rom to a stock Nougat or if there's a chance of that happening by installing any custom ROM. My phone has the latest official Oreo version and I've never messed with the system before. Is my phone still at risk of losing its IMEI if I install Pixel Experience 10? What did those people do wrong?
2. Now let's talk about the procedures I have to take. After unlocking the bootloader it will wipe my system, right? If that's so, should I let it boot again into Android and turn off or should I immediately get into fastboot and flash TWRP? Will it make a difference? Will the persist and efs partitions be there on TWRP to be backed up or do I need to let Android boot so it can make them first?
3. After everything, if I get into TWRP and it asks for a password, should I just cancel and wipe the partitions to remove the encryption (can I keep the internal storage?) or do I need to install that dm-verity file instead? As I understand the dm-verity if only for when rooting the phone while keeping the stock system, right? (I don't plan to root my phone, only install a custom ROM. It would also be good if I could keep my files, but if I can't, that's fine too.)
My original plan was the following, please take a look to see if i'll do things correctly.
1. Unlock the bootloader
2. Install TWRP immediately, before it even has a chance to restart
3. If TWRP asks for a password, skip and wipe all the partitions, if it doesn't, wipe them anyway to install the new ROM.
4. Backup efs and persist to my SD Card (will they even be there after I wipe the partitions?)
5. Right after that install the custom ROM
6. Reboot, not get into a bootloop and still have my IMEI. Profit.
Is everything right or did I misunderstand something?
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Answer for your questions
1) losing of IMEI no is possible on custom ROM too, but taking the backup of EFS and persist will retrieve them, so no problem. And losing of IMEI is random occur when moving from one rom to other.
2) just let the android boot once, so everything get loads up with unlock bootloader (no need to setup).
3)after installing the twrp, it won't ask for password since your device got format when unlocking bootloader, so it won't ask. If you want to remove encryption then format< type yes. It will remove your encryption.
4) for talking backup of EFS and persist use this method.
Code:
Use the following command to create a backup and save it at /sdcard/persist.img:
dd if=/dev/block/bootdevice/by-name/persist of=/sdcard/persist.img
To restore use the following command:
dd if=/sdcard/persist.img of=/dev/block/bootdevice/by-name/persist
If you have saved a backup using different name then use that name instead.
And seeing your plan, everything seem good, you can continue with your plan.
Note:- for some user PE won't work for them with 2gb version, so I suggest you to take a backup of stock ROM or keep an other rom file in case it needed.

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