Nandroid/Ti Backup Question

[ManBearPig618]

Sorry about the repeated questions guys...first time rooter here.

I just flashed my first ROM/kernel so I'm ready to arrange my screens, etc. the way I want everything. Here's my question - once I have everything set, I get that I can make a nandroid or ti backup of my phone.

1) What's the difference?

2) If I flash a new ROM later, is there a way to get my screens back from these backups? Because won't flashing a new ROM wipe my phone (and thus wipe any backup either of these apps made?)?

3) Assuming there is a way to get my screens/customizations back after flashing a new ROM, do I download my apps normally first via the market? Or is a backup something that takes precedence over having to do that?

Big thanks in advance...you guys are a HUGE huge help.

 

[jcole20]

A nandroid backup will restore your phone to the exact state it was when you made the backup... its like taking a picture of a room and clicking a button and returning the room to that exact state it was when you took that picture.. a ti backup backup restores your apps and settings... basically they do the same thing I reccomend doing a nandroid and ti backup... the nandroid is useful when you want your os back the way it was. And the tibackup is useful when you flash a rom and want to set your phone up quickly.

When I say they do the same thing that's in reference to your question. A ti backup won't allow you to restore your phone from an os crash where a nandroid will.

Sent from my LGL55C using Tapatalk

 

[zero neck]

if you want to save the set up of your screens you can use mybackup app - but you have to be careful when restoring data - sometimes it doesnt play correctly -

or if you use nova launcher, for instance, you can save your settings in nova, and when you restore them it will put your apps back on your screens where you had them.

 

[ManBearPig618]

A nandroid backup will restore your phone to the exact state it was when you made the backup... its like taking a picture of a room and clicking a button and returning the room to that exact state it was when you took that picture.. a ti backup backup restores your apps and settings... basically they do the same thing I reccomend doing a nandroid and ti backup... the nandroid is useful when you want your os back the way it was. And the tibackup is useful when you flash a rom and want to set your phone up quickly.

When I say they do the same thing that's in reference to your question. A ti backup won't allow you to restore your phone from an os crash where a nandroid will.

Sent from my LGL55C using Tapatalk

Here's my question - I make a Ti back up right now and let's say I decide to flash a different ROM, thus wiping my phone in the process. Won't that wipe the Ti app, thus getting rid of the backup I made?

 

[zero neck]

Here's my question - I make a Ti back up right now and let's say I decide to flash a different ROM, thus wiping my phone in the process. Won't that wipe the Ti app, thus getting rid of the backup I made?

No the tib data/apps are saved on the "sd card" - when you wipe data it does not wipe the sd card -
So, after you flash the new rom (make sure you make a nand backup first just in case something bad happens) you can download TiB again - and it will pull up your app/data backups that you've made from the sd card.

 

[mclarryjr]

Here's my question - I make a Ti back up right now and let's say I decide to flash a different ROM, thus wiping my phone in the process. Won't that wipe the Ti app, thus getting rid of the backup I made?

Your backup is store on the internal storage which isn't wiped when you wipe you will need to download TB from the market after wiping and flashing.

Zero is just to fast

 

[ScooberJake]

I'll give you a little more long-winded answer. First time rooter myself, so this is what I have learned.

1) A nandroid backs up the ROM, system data, apps, user data, recovery, etc. Just about everything except for the SD card. The analogy of the "snapshot" above is a good one. This way if you install something that screws up your phone, as long as you can get into recovery you can restore to the exact state it was before (apart from any data changed on sd card since nandroid).

TiB is intended to back up your apps and user data (data associated with apps rather than Android system). When you flash a new ROM you wipe out all of your apps and data (settings for apps, progress in games, notes, grocery lists, etc). So with TiB you can restore all of that stuff right away. You have to be careful, because TiB can also back up your system apps and data. When I first flashed Codename ROM, I used TiB to restore everything including system data. This screws things up, because it was trying to restore stock ROM settings to a different ROM. I got a boot loop. So I reflashed Codename and then just restored user apps and data and everything worked great.

2) I don't know exactly where nandroid and TiB backups are stored (probably SD card?) but they are not deleted when you wipe/factory reset the phone. I believe that home screen widgets, folders, application layout, etc. are all system settings. You cannot restore them with TiB after flashing a new ROM. I have heard that some other backup apps can do it. But if you use Nova Launcher for your home screens, it will be backed up as user app data and can be restored. I use Nova Launcher for this reason alone, leaving everything else basically like the stock home.

3) When you put the new ROM on the phone and boot it up the first time, it will activate the phone and then ask you to log in with your Google account (just like when you first bought the phone). I choose not to log in right away, and instead install TiB first (I store the apk on my SD card). Then I do the TiB, then log in to Google. That way I don't have to download all those apps when they are sitting there backed up already on the phone. If you log in first the market will start downloading your apps. I assume that if you then restore with TiB it will just overwrite the newly downloaded apps and it will probably be fine. But I worry there will be a problem if I try to restore from TiB while the market is installing at the same time. And I don't want to wait around for the market to download everything.

Experts please correct if any of the above is wrong!

 

[zero neck]

I'll give you a little more long-winded answer. First time rooter myself, so this is what I have learned.

1) A nandroid backs up the ROM, system data, apps, user data, recovery, etc. Just about everything except for the SD card. The analogy of the "snapshot" above is a good one. This way if you install something that screws up your phone, as long as you can get into recovery you can restore to the exact state it was before (apart from any data changed on sd card since nandroid).

TiB is intended to back up your apps and user data (data associated with apps rather than Android system). When you flash a new ROM you wipe out all of your apps and data (settings for apps, progress in games, notes, grocery lists, etc). So with TiB you can restore all of that stuff right away. You have to be careful, because TiB can also back up your system apps and data. When I first flashed Codename ROM, I used TiB to restore everything including system data. This screws things up, because it was trying to restore stock ROM settings to a different ROM. I got a boot loop. So I reflashed Codename and then just restored user apps and data and everything worked great.

2) I don't know exactly where nandroid and TiB backups are stored (probably SD card?) but they are not deleted when you wipe/factory reset the phone. I believe that home screen widgets, folders, application layout, etc. are all system settings. You cannot restore them with TiB after flashing a new ROM. I have heard that some other backup apps can do it. But if you use Nova Launcher for your home screens, it will be backed up as user app data and can be restored. I use Nova Launcher for this reason alone, leaving everything else basically like the stock home.

3) When you put the new ROM on the phone and boot it up the first time, it will activate the phone and then ask you to log in with your Google account (just like when you first bought the phone). I choose not to log in right away, and instead install TiB first (I store the apk on my SD card). Then I do the TiB, then log in to Google. That way I don't have to download all those apps when they are sitting there backed up already on the phone. If you log in first the market will start downloading your apps. I assume that if you then restore with TiB it will just overwrite the newly downloaded apps and it will probably be fine. But I worry there will be a problem if I try to restore from TiB while the market is installing at the same time. And I don't want to wait around for the market to download everything.

Experts please correct if any of the above is wrong!

basically sums it up.

 

[ManBearPig618]

What settings do I use to make sure it backs up only my market apps/data and settings (screen arrangements) without backing up system data that could put me in a boot loop?

 

[zero neck]

What settings do I use to make sure it backs up only my market apps/data and settings (screen arrangements) without backing up system data that could put me in a boot loop?

you can filter so you get "user" apps/data and not "system" apps/data

 

[ManBearPig618]

you can filter so you get "user" apps/data and not "system" apps/data

I'm seeing two ways to filter - both in preferences and in batch. If I handle it just after clicking batch, I see that I can just do user apps, but how do I incorporate user data (my screen settings)? Do I need to do something in preferences ?

 

[ScooberJake]

You don't need to do anything in preferences. In batch, choose "Backup all user apps". This includes data (pretty sure on that, can anyone confirm?). If you want to check that you could install an app (like a game or a note app or something) make changes to the data (make a list, beat the first level, etc.). Back it up. Then uninstall the app. The restore it using TiB and see if the data is there.

Then when you wipe and flash, install TiB (hopefully you saved the apk on your SD card, if not go download it). Go to batch "restore missing apps with data".

 

[ManBearPig618]

You don't need to do anything in preferences. In batch, choose "Backup all user apps". This includes data (pretty sure on that, can anyone confirm?). If you want to check that you could install an app (like a game or a note app or something) make changes to the data (make a list, beat the first level, etc.). Back it up. Then uninstall the app. The restore it using TiB and see if the data is there.

Then when you wipe and flash, install TiB (hopefully you saved the apk on your SD card, if not go download it). Go to batch "restore missing apps with data".

Do you know of a way to back up home screen layouts so I don't have to go through the process of arranging/regrouping/etc. if I want to flash a new ROM?

Also, the fact that I backed up while running codename and franco is fine, right? Or should I have done it while I was still on stock?

 

[Vol_Mania]

I want to point out that you don't need to use TiB to make a backup of your user apps/data. TiB has a feature that lets you restore apps/data from a nandroid backup. This saves you one step in that you don't have to conduct a nandroid and TiB backup. I just create a nandroid backup and I use TiB to restore my user apps/data after I flash a new ROM. Just another way to restore user apps/data.

 

[greydarrah]

Do you know of a way to back up home screen layouts so I don't have to go through the process of arranging/regrouping/etc. if I want to flash a new ROM?

Also, the fact that I backed up while running codename and franco is fine, right? Or should I have done it while I was still on stock?

There are 2 ways to backup/restore you home screens. 1 is to use Nova launcher. It's solid on the GN and will restore your screens after flashing a ROM (may or may not restore widgets). 2 is to use TiBU (as long as your still running the Codename Android ROM). Assuming you do a backup before flashing, after your ROM has been installed and after ALL your apps have been restored (from market downloads and then TiBU for the ones the market didn't get), go into TiBU, tap the top middle tab that says Backup/Restore and scroll down to [DESKTOP] CND Launcher, select it and choose restore data. The only thing is that if his latest ROM made changes to the launcher, this could screw it up and you have to re-flash and start over.

Your having backed up while using Codename and Franco is fine. All you're really backing up are the apps and there data. The ROM and kernel have nothing to do with them.

 

[ManBearPig618]

Where do you get Nova Launcher?

Edit: Found it! Do I need to clear cache/dalvik cache if installing in recovery from zip?

 

[jpbass7]

Where do you get Nova Launcher?

Edit: Found it! Do I need to clear cache/dalvik cache if installing in recovery from zip?

Clearing cache/dalvik is a great habit to get into, no matter what you're flashing!

 

[ManBearPig618]

Clearing cache/dalvik is a great habit to get into, no matter what you're flashing!

Yeah, figured it was a good idea! Whenever I click clear dalvik, there is always a few seconds of delay and then some error listed before I get to the "no, no, no, no, yes I want to clear dalvik, no no" screen...everything is working fine otherwise. Anyone think I need to be concerned about this?

 

[greydarrah]

Yeah, figured it was a good idea! Whenever I click clear dalvik, there is always a few seconds of delay and then some error listed before I get to the "no, no, no, no, yes I want to clear dalvik, no no" screen...everything is working fine otherwise. Anyone think I need to be concerned about this?

I get the delay when going to dalvik, but never an error message. I don't think you have anything to worry about, but I would get a magnifying glass (if needed...what's up the tiniest text in the wolrd?), write that error down and google it.

Tell me how you like Nova and if it feels very different from CND's launcher. I've been thinking about trying it, but haven't made the jump yet.

 

[jpbass7]

Yeah, figured it was a good idea! Whenever I click clear dalvik, there is always a few seconds of delay and then some error listed before I get to the "no, no, no, no, yes I want to clear dalvik, no no" screen...everything is working fine otherwise. Anyone think I need to be concerned about this?

What recovery are you using?

That seems like an odd place for an error to me (after selecting, before confirming). I would be more concerned if it happened after confirming, though. Maybe a re-flash of the recovery image would help.