Backup! Backup! Backup! NOW!

[ironass]

Samsung and carriers are issuing updates to the S7 and S7 Edge.

Over the course of these updates we will see circa 60 million phones updated. It only needs for, say, just 1 in a hundred to fail and you have 600,000 phones that will require a Factory Data Reset.

Also, we are seeing people being locked out of their phones as they do not remember their alternative passwords and need to do a Factory Data Reset to access their phone.

If you are, unfortunately, one of those unlucky ones and you have not taken the simple, sensible, precaution of backing up your phone... tough!

If your phone had been lost, stolen or damaged, you would have lost that data anyway and if you have not backed it up, then it probably wasn't important enough to you in the first place.
You only have yourself to blame... deal with it!



There are numerous methods of backing up your phone and external SD card. Here are just some of them...

Ensure that you have Backup and Restore enabled in Settings on your phone.
(Use this in conjunction with one or more of the methods below as the backup is limited to apps, Contacts, Calendar, etc: )

Sync your phone with the Samsung Kies PC Suit or Samsung Smart Switch

Ensure that photos you take are always saved direct to external SD card.

Use Helium or Helium Pro backup from the Play Store

Use My Backup or My Backup Pro from the Play Store

Sync important files and photo, automatically, to DropBox or Google Drive

Connect your phone to a PC and copy your important files across

3 Ways to Backup and Restore Android Phone Effortlessly

SMS Backup and Restore, free from the Play Store

How to Backup Android in 5 Easy Steps

How to back up Android for free: Back up your phone or tablet - back up photos, video, app data, contacts and more

... and the list goes on. Other users will have their favourite backup and restore methods.

(Personally, I believe in the belt and braces approach and use at least 2 or more backup methods)

When to backup your phone?... Now!
It's too late if you forget your PIN or your phone will not boot and needs to be reset or is lost, damaged or stolen.


If you have lost data on your phone you, "may", be able to retrieve it using one of the methods in post #2.

 

[ironass]

For all those of you who have failed to take the very simple and sensible precaution of backing up your important files, as detailed in post #1, there are some steps that you can take that, "may", retrieve some of your data, photos, etc:

STOP using your phone now as you will be overwriting the data files you wish to retrieve!

I cannot vouch for any of the methods shown in the following links as I have always backed up files on both my phone and PC. However, if you are desperate enough, try these...

Recuva

Dumpster Image & Video Restore

Undelete android photos video data from android phone and tablet device without root

How to Restore Deleted Files from Unrooted Android?

How to recover lost data on Android (rooted or not)

Recover Data from Android Phone Internal Memory

How to Recover Deleted Data from Android Internal Memory

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3MQoBVijuU

Who knows... you may be able to retrieve that crucial data or those all important photographs of your 98 year old granny, bungee jumping off of the Eiffel Tower or your child's first words which happened to be a rendition of the Declaration of Independence or the all important video of the birth of your septuplets and not to mention, that cute little dog on a skateboard... all of which are irreplaceable but obviously were not worth you backing up in the first place!


From post #1...

"When to backup your phone?... Now!
It's too late if you forget your PIN or your phone will not boot and needs to be reset or is lost, damaged or stolen."

 

[sushiguy732]

I'm on Verizon so I never have to worry about an update screwing up my phone. They never issue updates!!

 

[zerospace-net]

I don't keep anything on my phone that is important that isn't stored elsewhere. (Ditto for my PCs, which use a mirrored RAID network storage box setup to serve files on my home network). My phone-taken photos are auto-uploaded to my MS OneDrive account immediately after they are taken (you forgot that one when listing Dropbox and Drive... Amazon is another and there are more options, still).

So, now we're reminding people to do something they should already do regularly (and under the guise of some minor software update that could softbrick a phone but probably won't)? This info applies to everyone: phone, pc, mac, etc. If you're nuts enough not to store your files somewhere else, you deserve to lose them if your phone or computer crashes. I had it happen enough times on old PC hard drive failures that I learned the hard way. And even still, I have a lifetime license for software that can extract data from otherwise unreadable hard drives and memory cards. I've mostly had to use it to help friends retrieve data off of badly corrupted, no-name brand SD cards. But backing up my phone prior to taking an update? Oh, heck no. There isn't anything on my phone that I'd actually lose that's worth crying over anyways. The biggest headache about having to do an FDR is setting everything back up again. And forgetting passwords? I feel little pity for anyone who doesn't keep their passwords stored somewhere secure or cannot remember them. This is just basic common sense stuff. I've already taken one AT&T update for my S7 without incident. Most updates go like this. I have had only one time that my phone went into a bootloop in the past 5 years and that phone wasn't even a carrier-branded phone (and the bootloop was a random incident, not even related to a software update).

This post is just encouraging folks to freak out about something that shouldn't be scary at all. I really dislike this kind of alarmist mindset, because my father is like this -- and he makes me tired with his insanity, sometimes (his files are stored in probably at least 3 or 4 places, too). "Should I update?" "Yes, Dad. Go ahead and update. You'll be fine." Frankly, I'm not an advocate of freaking out about anything. Relax and just be smart. If you want to safeguard your pictures and other files all the time, you should have them auto-uploading somewhere or regularly retrieve the data from your phone. Oh, and I always keep an old phone around as a "spare" if I need to get my phone repaired or exchanged under warranty. So, really, there's nothing to freak out about. I'm covered. And guess how many times I've needed any of this? Yeah. Never. It just makes changing devices SO much easier since my data is always accessible, independent of the phone I'm using.

So I'm sorry, but the post title "backup! backup! backup! now!" sounds completely insane -- like doom is impending or something because of a software update. Could it happen? Yeah. But is it likely? Nope. *eye roll*

My advice to people is always the same: use some common sense. Know your passwords, and if you can't remember them, use a secure program or something to store them so it doesn't matter if you can't remember them. Always make sure you keep important data stored in more than one place. Then you never, ever have to worry about software updates or your phone just up and dying on you one day, because you're prepared for that day. Easy peasy.

 

[Almeuit]

I don't keep anything on my phone that is important that isn't stored elsewhere. (Ditto for my PCs, which use a mirrored RAID network storage box setup to serve files on my home network). My phone-taken photos are auto-uploaded to my MS OneDrive account immediately after they are taken (you forgot that one when listing Dropbox and Drive... Amazon is another and there are more options, still).

So, now we're reminding people to do something they should already do regularly (and under the guise of some minor software update that could softbrick a phone but probably won't)? This info applies to everyone: phone, pc, mac, etc. If you're nuts enough not to store your files somewhere else, you deserve to lose them if your phone or computer crashes. I had it happen enough times on old PC hard drive failures that I learned the hard way. And even still, I have a lifetime license for software that can extract data from otherwise unreadable hard drives and memory cards. I've mostly had to use it to help friends retrieve data off of badly corrupted, no-name brand SD cards. But backing up my phone prior to taking an update? Oh, heck no. There isn't anything on my phone that I'd actually lose that's worth crying over anyways. The biggest headache about having to do an FDR is setting everything back up again. And forgetting passwords? I feel little pity for anyone who doesn't keep their passwords stored somewhere secure or cannot remember them. This is just basic common sense stuff. I've already taken one AT&T update for my S7 without incident. Most updates go like this. I have had only one time that my phone went into a bootloop in the past 5 years and that phone wasn't even a carrier-branded phone (and the bootloop was a random incident, not even related to a software update).

This post is just encouraging folks to freak out about something that shouldn't be scary at all. I really dislike this kind of alarmist mindset, because my father is like this -- and he makes me tired with his insanity, sometimes (his files are stored in probably at least 3 or 4 places, too). "Should I update?" "Yes, Dad. Go ahead and update. You'll be fine." Frankly, I'm not an advocate of freaking out about anything. Relax and just be smart. If you want to safeguard your pictures and other files all the time, you should have them auto-uploading somewhere or regularly retrieve the data from your phone. Oh, and I always keep an old phone around as a "spare" if I need to get my phone repaired or exchanged under warranty. So, really, there's nothing to freak out about. I'm covered. And guess how many times I've needed any of this? Yeah. Never. It just makes changing devices SO much easier since my data is always accessible, independent of the phone I'm using.

So I'm sorry, but the post title "backup! backup! backup! now!" sounds completely insane -- like doom is impending or something because of a software update. Could it happen? Yeah. But is it likely? Nope. *eye roll*

My advice to people is always the same: use some common sense. Know your passwords, and if you can't remember them, use a secure program or something to store them so it doesn't matter if you can't remember them. Always make sure you keep important data stored in more than one place. Then you never, ever have to worry about software updates or your phone just up and dying on you one day, because you're prepared for that day. Easy peasy.

You would be shocked to see how many people don't back things up and then panic when they don't have it backed up but the device it was on is either lost or damaged. Nothing wrong with trying to educate / help people .

 

[maf113]

I'm on Verizon so I never have to worry about an update screwing up my phone. They never issue updates!!

I must disagree with you. Verizon does issue updates. It's just that they at are least 6 months behind.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[GaryD9]

I'm on Verizon so I never have to worry about an update screwing up my phone. They never issue updates!!

What do you mean? Verizon has already issued twice as many updates for the S7 than AT&T has. In fact, compared to AT&T, VZW is starting to actually look good in terms of releasing updates for Samsung phones.

 

[sushiguy732]

What do you mean? Verizon has already issued twice as many updates for the S7 than AT&T has. In fact, compared to AT&T, VZW is starting to actually look good in terms of releasing updates for Samsung phones.

Whoa Sparky, slow down! It was meant as a tease but in all reality VZW has come out with no real updates to the S7 besides the security update.

 

[GaryD9]

...but in all reality VZW has come out with no real updates to the S7 besides the security update.

(Sorry, but AT&T has really started to annoy me lately. If it weren't for the fact that no other carrier has coverage near my home, I'd switch in a heartbeat..) I thought Verizon had two updates (so far) to the S7: The security update referenced here (Verizon is pushing a security update to the Galaxy S7, S7 edge | Android Central) around March 18th, and then one about a week later for wifi/connectivity fixes.

 

[xocomaox]

Verizon is on top of updates as of late.

 

[sushiguy732]

(Sorry, but AT&T has really started to annoy me lately. If it weren't for the fact that no other carrier has coverage near my home, I'd switch in a heartbeat..) I thought Verizon had two updates (so far) to the S7: The security update referenced here (Verizon is pushing a security update to the Galaxy S7, S7 edge | Android Central) around March 18th, and then one about a week later for wifi/connectivity fixes.

You are correct. Now lets see if the trend continues when they upgrade 6.0.1 to a newer version.

 

[ironass]

You are correct. Now lets see if the trend continues when they upgrade 6.0.1 to a newer version.

I know what sushiguy732 means about Verizon's shyness when it comes to updating their firmware after the initial honeymoon period. The Verizon model of the Samsung Galaxy S5 has the distinction of running the oldest and least updated firmware of any of the 42 S5 models, worldwide. It is currently running Lollipop, Android 5.0, and has not received an actual firmware update for the last 296 days. Having said that, AT&T come a close second for lack of updates. No coincidence then, that both these carriers release their own firmwares themselves and not via Samsung, as every other model does. It also means that if you move either of these 2 models to another carrier, you will cease to receive updates.

 

[sushiguy732]

Not only I couldn't have said it better myself , I didn't say it better myself. Well done job in explaining the anguish we go through.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[zerospace-net]

You would be shocked to see how many people don't back things up and then panic when they don't have it backed up but the device it was on is either lost or damaged. Nothing wrong with trying to educate / help people .

Actually, I wouldn't be at all. I am my family and friends technical support hotline, so every time one of them comes to me with a dead phone or PC crying about their photos or files, I want to slap 'em silly because they never listen . I tell them the same thing every time: Store your files somewhere else or make regular backups. These days with cloud storage for phones and automatic backup systems built into computer OSes, it isn't difficult.

My problem with this post is the title, not necessarily the advice. Is the "backup backup backup NOW" title really necessary? I read that and thought "oh great, is Samsung bricking phones with a bad update or something?" or worse "Is there a hardware issue causing phones to die or brick themselves?" So, stupidly, I come to this thread only to be lectured about backing up data because of the ever-present, random potential for a bricked device. That's 5 minutes of my life wasted on a clickbait thread title. So what did I do? Write a long-winded, lecture-like post in return.

 

[ironass]

The title and the whole format of the thread was carefully designed and thought out to get people to read it. Experienced users that already back their phone's up would realise this within 20 seconds of starting to read.

However, those who have not backed their phone's up, (trust me, there are millions of those worldwide), would now understand the urgency in backing up and the reasons for doing so and the consequences to them of not backing up.

My original title... "Your Android phone and why you should take precautions and backup your data and photographs in case of damage, theft, loss or being locked out", just didn't seem to be enough of an attention compeller for most of these people.

So, I decided to go for the famous Orson Welles radio play of 1938, War of the Worlds, panic approach and grab peoples attention from the get-go. Judging from my critics on here... it works perfectly!

OK, the experienced ones of you on here probably wasted 20 seconds of your time that you'll never get back again. On the other hand, think of all those who have not backed up their phones, who will now do so and possibly save all their precious data and photos as well as countless hours of frustration and numerous posts on here. As I stated in an earlier post, "If it saves just one poster from losing their precious data/photos, then it will have done its job."

Therefore, I make no apologies for either the title of the thread, or the way it is written... because it obviously works!

 

[Sramblerider05]

Has sprint been on top of sending updates for the s7?

 

[ironass]

Has sprint been on top of sending updates for the s7?

Currently...

Sprint = 1 firmware release

T-Mobile (USA) = 3 firmware releases

Updates for the carrier branded minority variants, non Global, are at the discretion of the individual carriers concerned.

See, also, Samsung Galaxy S7 Software Update - April Security Patch