Question about wipe data/factory reset and the like.

[VZWBB]

Ok so i just recently rooted and am thinking about trying a new rom. Everywhere I look I see things like "make sure you wipe data and cache" when you load, or "do a wipe data/factory reset" type of thing, etc.

Should I assume these are one and the same?

Should I also assume that I will lose all my contacts in the process? If so, how does one go about restoring them? I use verizons backup assistant becuase I have never really had a problem with it. However I am guessing most roms remove it as bloatware, so how would I get all my contacts back?

As for apps, I think I can use Titanium Backup which I have installed, but really I have like a whopping 10 free apps installed that I have no problem redownloading. Everything else can pretty much be gone, I'll just move my photos over to the web with another app and move them back later.

 

[Upstreammiami]

If your photos are in your sd they won't be deleted. Nothing from your sd will delete. Google gmail backs up your contacts also. Once you add the new rom as soon as you enter your google account the first thing it will do is restore your contacts... Just make sure you do a backup first with rom manager

 

[VZWBB]

Thanks for the info upstream. Gmail backs up contacts? As in the phone numbers as well? If so shouldn't I be able to see them from gmail account on my pc?

As for backing up with rom manager, I have that installed as well, but I do recall making a nandroid backup. Is that the same thing? How owuld one verify if a nandroid or rom manager backup was successfully made?

 

[mclarryjr]

Backing up in rom manager is the same as a nandroid backup. To verify your backups were made using rom manager look here /sdcard/clockworkmod/backup and if doing a nandroid check here /sdcard/nandroid. The only way to verify if they were successful would be to restore one and see if it works.

In your Gmail you can pull up all your contacts even the one with only a phone number list so you shouldn't lose any contacts.

 

[VZWBB]

In your Gmail you can pull up all your contacts even the one with only a phone number list so you shouldn't lose any contacts.

Thanks for the help mclarry. The part I quoted I am still questioning however. When I open gmail up on my pc, it only shows the email address's and no phone numbers whatsoever, even for contacts whom which I have both on my phone.

Not sure what I am doing wrong. Obviously I can sync the email contacts back to the phone, thats easy enough because I know they will still be in gmail. If I lose all my numbers, assuming backup assistant doesn't up an delete them by itself, it will be a real pita to re-enter all those names and numbers back into the phone manually.

Any thoughts?

For what its worth, I am not a google talk or skype user or anything like that, and I also have "linked" appropiate email address's on the phone with people I also had phone numbers for under the "people" tab.

 

[bkorver]

Try opening your contacts and hitting menu>import/export>export to sd card. Then once you load your new rom open contacts again. This time you will go to menu>import/export>import from sd card.

 

[Upstreammiami]

Try opening your contacts and hitting menu>import/export>export to sd card. Then once you load your new rom open contacts again. This time you will go to menu>import/export>import from sd card.

i suggest you dont do this, i did it before then my Google account backup those contacts and then i had every contact repeated twice .. what a pain in the ****

 

[VZWBB]

Then what do you suggest? If gmail has back up your phone numbers before, can you go into gmail and verify that the numbers are there? I can tell you they are not there on mine and this is why i am concerned.

Of course if backup assistant is on the new rom I flash then its a mute point. I cold just log back into it and bring the numbers back in. However I have the feeling that this is considered bloatware and removed from most "roms".

 

[bkorver]

It sounds like upstream had his contacts backed up by gmail and sd card, that's how he got double contacts. It sounds like you don't have your contacts backed by gmail, so you have to save them somewhere... I'd rather have 2 than none any day.

 

[VZWBB]

Maybe the question is how do I get my phone numbers to also be backed up by gmail?

 

[bkorver]

The best way is when you are creating a contact, you will be given the option to make it a phone contact or a google contact. Obviously you want to select google contact. As far as contacts already there, you can go in to gmail on a pc and add them there, and they will automatically sync to the phone... you may end up with double contacts. Looks like your best option may be the one I suggested in post #6. If you can't see them when you log in to your gmail account on a pc then they are not google contacts and you will loose them if you wipe your phone...

 

[rpfarrah]

Titanium works best - it's all right there. It's important to note, though, that even after you restore your contacts you'll have to restart the phone for them to show up. (At least I do, anyway )