[xKrNMBoYx]

Glad to see that the OP has come down off the ledge and that AC proved itself to be a great forum (no flaming)

With any major upgrade to save yourself issues I live by this guide:

Factory reset
Take the update
factory reset
Set my phone back up

It will take an hour or so depending on the upgrade, but it will save you HOURS of frustration

Hehe. This is one advice I always provide to others, but frankly I have yet to Factory Reset my S3 after updating to 4.1.1. Hopefully it will solve small issues for me once I do.

[piizzadude]

I flash so much stuff it is second nature for me to wipe 10 times. I have a few other phones that I maintain so I take flack for the process, but they get over it. The next round of upgrades though I am think of rooting a few of them so that I can do proper backups (and restores) to cut down on the heat...

[Kelly Kearns]

I didn't do a factory reset after this update and it's kinda been bugging me to do it. I really wanted to format my card too, I've had it fora couple of years now. I had a random reboot today, so that was excuse enough for me I reset, copied all my pics over and did a format on my card. I really needed to get those pics copied anyway.

[piizzadude]

what you really should do is setup a dropbox and keep them sync'd that way, or at least backed up

[Fairclough]

Surprised no one pointed out that there's no such thing as an iphone 3s lol.

3gS maybe? then again a lot of people here hate Apple thus disregard their products... so they don't even remember the names

[Shanicenicolle]

Originally Posted by Shanicenicolle
QUOTE Surprised no one pointed out that there's no such thing as an iphone 3s lol. QUOTE

OK Party Pooper.................ALL iPHONE 3's are "G"...........I assumed you would know that...........hehehehe....so you understand, I should have said.....3GS!

I was just kidding but all iPhones are not g only the 3G and the 3GS lol I'm just an anal nerd.

[Shanicenicolle]

I thought about doing so . . . but didn't want to sound like a smarta*s . . .and besides, every time I try to be funny . . nobody seems to get it. lol

Same lmao. I come off sounding like female dog every time I use sarcasm as humor on a forum. *shrug*

[naviwilliams]

After the issues I've been having since I upgraded to Jelly Bean, I should really perform a hard reset. I'm this ---- close to doing so.

I didn't do a factory reset after this update and it's kinda been bugging me to do it. I really wanted to format my card too, I've had it fora couple of years now. I had a random reboot today, so that was excuse enough for me I reset, copied all my pics over and did a format on my card. I really needed to get those pics copied anyway.

[winmod21]

With any major upgrade to save yourself issues I live by this guide:
Factory reset
Take the update
factory reset
Set my phone back up

Very interesting. Thanks for that, pizzadude.
So doing a factory reset after an update (like the JB 4.1.1) – doesn't take the phone back to the original ICS build that it shipped/was delivered to you with? But rather, after an update like the JB 4.1.1 –it just factory resets the phone back to what a JB 4.1.1 factory shipped condition– of the phone would be?

Btw . . lifelong pizza lover here. As much so, as Micheal Keaton's– Steve #2 in Multiplicity – except I don't fold pizza slices up and put them in my wallet. lol

[Mellimel22]

If u do a factory reset it only resets the phone. Not the os version

Sent from my Sprint Galaxy Nexus Rockin 4.2.1 using Tapatalk 2

[paintdrinkingpete]

Very interesting. Thanks for that, pizzadude.
So doing a factory reset after an update (like the JB 4.1.1) – doesn't take the phone back to the original ICS build that it shipped/was delivered to you with? But rather, after an update like the JB 4.1.1 –it just factory resets the phone back to what a JB 4.1.1 factory shipped condition– of the phone would be?

Btw . . lifelong pizza lover here. As much so, as Micheal Keaton's– Steve #2 in Multiplicity – except I don't fold pizza slices up and put them in my wallet. lol

That is correct. "Factory Reset" does not restore to an image or anything like that -- what it does do is clear all user data (including apps) from the device and re-enables the setup wizard at the beginning. You'll still be running whatever the current version installed on the phone is.

Frankly, I wish manufacturers provided a better non-OTA way to do updates (i.e. KIES for Samsung...but better), that helped backup a phones config, did a full wipe, then installed the update and then restored any compatible data from the backup. OTA updates are very error prone.
(and yes, I realize this would actually be very similar to using iTunes to update an iPhone -- I actually think that's a great model to follow).

As much for a pain as it can be, I agree 100% with Pizzadude...doing a factory reset prior to upgrading OTA will prevent any user or app data from mucking it up. I do doubt that in most cases the factory reset post-upgrade is necessary, but at that point I guess it doesn't hurt.

Of course *IF* you're technically inclined, the real way to go is to root and manage your OS upgrades yourself, IMO...but that should NOT be necessary for the average user to have to deal with to get an update applied with no problems.

[natehoy]

OK, I'm back to the factory reset on my S3 and it's working great! The "synch" and backup worked as ya'll said!
I apologize for getting a little flustered, I'm sure everyone has been there once or twice.............

Way more than once or twice, and on every platform I've ever tried. And that's a lot of them. (grin)

I wanted to take a second and mention how refreshing it is to see someone with a problem on a new operating system actually stop and listen to advice from people who have been there, done that, and gave it an honest try. That's not an easy or comfortable thing to do.

[natehoy]

Frankly, I wish manufacturers provided a better non-OTA way to do updates (i.e. KIES for Samsung...but better), that helped backup a phones config, did a full wipe, then installed the update and then restored any compatible data from the backup. OTA updates are very error prone.
(and yes, I realize this would actually be very similar to using iTunes to update an iPhone -- I actually think that's a great model to follow).

I agree, having the stock option (though not necessarily the requirement) of doing a computer-based iPhone-like upgrade with full backup and restore would be very nice. OTA is terribly useful for those of us who do not have any Windows- or Mac-based computers they can load software on (and few phone manufacturers bother with a Linux-based install tool), so there are those of us who are pretty much stuck with either OTA or root options. But having a backup of things that seem so minor like game/application data that can be restored after a factory reset would be pretty nice.

[winmod21]

I agree, having the stock option (though not necessarily the requirement) of doing a computer-based iPhone-like upgrade with full backup and restore would be very nice. OTA is terribly useful for those of us who do not have any Windows- or Mac-based computers they can load software on (and few phone manufacturers bother with a Linux-based install tool), so there are those of us who are pretty much stuck with either OTA or root options. But having a backup of things that seem so minor like game/application data that can be restored after a factory reset would be pretty nice.

Yes, I understand what you're saying, and thank you for pointing that out so clearly. That's what I've been used to, with iTunes, over the last 3~4 years.

Why this interests me (as a stock un-rooted, or pre-rooted GS3 user), is because I'm trying to figure-out the best way to back-up 'minor' things like: notes in my Notes app; S Memo's; stock browser Bookmarks; current home screen folders, and several website links–not necessarily bookmarked–that I like to keep on my home screens.

For things like notes & S Memo's, etc. – is it best possible to use a file management app, like ES File Explorer or File Expert, or maybe some app like My Backup Pro?

Also glad to see that the OP got things sorted.

[michko]

I had same problem.... Factory reset fixed it.

Rest assured it happens on iPhone too, wife had problem with hers on last update.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Android Central Forums

[natehoy]

Why this interests me (as a stock un-rooted, or pre-rooted GS3 user), is because I'm trying to figure-out the best way to back-up 'minor' things like: notes in my Notes app; S Memo's; stock browser Bookmarks; current home screen folders, and several website links–not necessarily bookmarked–that I like to keep on my home screens.

I think you can back up a lot of that stuff, but not restore it without root, but I may be wrong.

For Google's apps, chances are most of the data is actually up on their servers to start with and any data you have on the phone is a cached copy. So if you're saving stuff in Google Drive, Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Contacts (People), etc, you're good.

But each phone manufacturer adds their own special sauce, like HTC adds an overlay to "people" and adds the concept of a phone book that is resident only on the phone and must be backed up using HTC's or Verizon's (in my case) special toolkit. So I only create contacts on my actual phone long enough to get to a computer where I can re-enter the data directly into my Google contact database where it's safely backed up. Then Sense bugs me about "linking" the two contacts.

It's the same problem with game data - really there should be a stock way to "save" the entire home directory and "restore" it, and that should be able to be done over the wire to a Google server somewhere. Of course, that would depend on app developers all putting their data in the home directory like is (generally) done in Linux.

Samsung probably does similar things with their S-stuff. My wife has a Galaxy S2 but she also uses Google's webpage for contact management and has not used any Samsung-specific programs that I know of.

[Kelly Kearns]

what you really should do is setup a dropbox and keep them sync'd that way, or at least backed up

I think I actually have one because I have 3 photos on my phone that are under a file called "dropbox" and they are older pics. The actual pictures I take, I always move over the ones I want to keep, the main issue is wallpapers, ringtones, etc. I wish I could tell my phone what directory to save files to when I download them or take a picture.

After the issues I've been having since I upgraded to Jelly Bean, I should really perform a hard reset. I'm this ---- close to doing so.

I haven't had any problems, just that random reboot one time, but if you are having problems, you should do a reset.

[piizzadude]

I think I actually have one because I have 3 photos on my phone that are under a file called "dropbox" and they are older pics. The actual pictures I take, I always move over the ones I want to keep, the main issue is wallpapers, ringtones, etc. I wish I could tell my phone what directory to save files to when I download them or take a picture.



I haven't had any problems, just that random reboot one time, but if you are having problems, you should do a reset.

I have all my stuff go there then just delete the crap I don't want and it syncs...

Sent from my X-Band Modem... TY Genesis

[Kelly Kearns]

what you really should do is setup a dropbox and keep them sync'd that way, or at least backed up

After the issues I've been having since I upgraded to Jelly Bean, I should really perform a hard reset. I'm this ---- close to doing so.

I have all my stuff go there then just delete the crap I don't want and it syncs...

Sent from my X-Band Modem... TY Genesis

To go to the dropbox folder on your card?

[piizzadude]

It auto uploads all my pictures to dropbox as soon as I take it and then I go in and delete what I do not want

Sent from my X-Band Modem... TY Genesis

[Kelly Kearns]

what you really should do is setup a dropbox and keep them sync'd that way, or at least backed up

After the issues I've been having since I upgraded to Jelly Bean, I should really perform a hard reset. I'm this ---- close to doing so.

It auto uploads all my pictures to dropbox as soon as I take it and then I go in and delete what I do not want

Sent from my X-Band Modem... TY Genesis

But it won't automatically upload other pics, such as wallpapers?

[piizzadude]

you can save them directly to dropbox

[Kelly Kearns]

you can save them directly to dropbox

OK, thanks! Is it connected with the google account somehow? When I did the reset and got a new phone also, the pics showed up on my card.

[piizzadude]

No I do not think it is. You can back up that stuff with your Google account though. It is one of the options you have during setup. I don't like it though because it spreads the info across too many platforms.

Sent from my X-Band Modem... TY Genesis

[naviwilliams]

I always turn off the sync photos directly to Dropbox option. Most photos I take are only to post to Twitter or Instagram, hence I don't really need to keep them.

Anyway I didn't mean to go off topic