[Sting23ray]

First off - Special thanks to Halo!

1st time android user here.....
So after a few scares and a lot of help from HALO (Forum member), I successfully Rooted and Romed my new Charge to Gummy Charged 1.8.5 last night. As I am a first time android user, over the next few weeks I will be installing a lot of apps (Most of them will be junk) just to play around with the platform and see how things look like.

What I wanna do is take a snap shot of the Phone as it is right now. And then weekly do a complete reset to this present state so that I don't have to worry about uninstalling each and every app separately and leaving a trail of un-deleted files and cache.
I will not be worrying about any personal data in the first few resets (Actually I would prefer it to be deleted as well).

What would be the best way to do that? Will I need some special basic programs?

I've been reading and people keep bringing up ROM Manager and Titanium Backup. Are they any good?

Thanks for the help guys...

[Halo]

Since we now have a working backup/restore in CWM, that's what you'll want to do. Boot into CWM and make a backup. What you can do next is use Titanium Backup to make backups of all your apps and data. For example, you make it to level 80 on Angry Birds, use TB and make a back up. That way, when you do a restore on the phone, you don't have to start at level 1 again. As far as ROM Manager goes, just ignore that for the time being.

[Sting23ray]

@ Halo - Thanks...
I didn't realize CWM had a built in ROM backup feature. I must have over looked it last night.

So what I will do is this:

1. Boot up in CWM and initiate a backup of the ROM (As it is now). Backup will most likely save on my SD card.
2. After the backup, I'll install TB to backup my apps periodically.

However, a ROM reset will automatically delete all the apps and their caches as well correct? Will you equate that to a factory reset?

[Sting23ray]

Another quick question - Before I make a ROM backup, how do I delete all caches on the Charge? That is, Both application cache and browser cache? is there even an option to do that?

[Halo]

@ Halo - Thanks...
I didn't realize CWM had a built in ROM backup feature. I must have over looked it last night.

So what I will do is this:

1. Boot up in CWM and initiate a backup of the ROM (As it is now). Backup will most likely save on my SD card.
2. After the backup, I'll install TB to backup my apps periodically.

However, a ROM reset will automatically delete all the apps and their caches as well correct? Will you equate that to a factory reset?

When you say ROM reset, I'm assuming you mean flashing a different ROM? Normally, when you flash to a different ROM, it is a must that you wipe data/cache before doing so. (Which you do while in CWM)

[Halo]

Another quick question - Before I make a ROM backup, how do I delete all caches on the Charge? That is, Both application cache and browser cache? is there even an option to do that?

Is there a particular reason you want to delete the app cache and browser cache before making a backup? Don't really see the point in doing that.

[Sting23ray]

When you say ROM reset, I'm assuming you mean flashing a different ROM? Normally, when you flash to a different ROM, it is a must that you wipe data/cache before doing so. (Which you do while in CWM)

My bad... What I meant by a ROM reset was coming back to the state of Gummy Charged 1.8.5 as it was last night (Right after installing it for the first time).

I'm not planning on flashing another ROM or even an upgrade of Gummy Charged for the first month or so. I want to stay on 1.8.5 for the time being.

[Sting23ray]

Is there a particular reason you want to delete the app cache and browser cache before making a backup? Don't really see the point in doing that.

That's the answer I was looking for. I was not sure if that was a necessary step or a 'good practice'.

[Halo]

My bad... What I meant by a ROM reset was coming back to the state of Gummy Charged 1.8.5 as it was last night (Right after installing it for the first time).

I'm not planning on flashing another ROM or even an upgrade of Gummy Charged for the first month or so. I want to stay on 1.8.5 for the time being.

Okay, so you mean a restore then, not reset. When you make a backup with CWM, it will basically save your phones settings in it's current state. So fast forward a week or so and you've been toying with different apps, the layout, etc. And you want to go back to the way you had it before, all you have to do is boot into CWM and do a restore. Simple as that. This is also nice if for some reason your phone starts acting up. You can restore to a known good backup.

[Sting23ray]

Awesome!

So:

ROM backup with CWM = ROM Backup with Rom Manager

Or its possible that:

ROM backup with CWM > ROM Backup with Rom Manager

[Halo]

Awesome!

So:

ROM backup with CWM = ROM Backup with Rom Manager

Or its possible that:

ROM backup with CWM > ROM Backup with Rom Manager

ROM Manager is actually and app you install from the market. As I understand, it's pretty much useless for the Charge at the moment.

CWM is the recovery program, if you will. When you flashed it with ODIN, it replaces the Samsung factory restore program.

[Sting23ray]

@ Halo - Got it!

[deadpenguins]

I thought the Restore Backup option did not work correctly in CWM and will seriously mess up your phone if you try to use it. My version of CWM (CWM Voodoo Lagix Recovery v4.0.0.1) does not have this option for that reason. Is there a CWM version that can perform this? I read somewhere that it will probably never be able to restore an entire ROM backup.

[Halo]

I thought the Restore Backup option did not work correctly in CWM and will seriously mess up your phone if you try to use it. My version of CWM (CWM Voodoo Lagix Recovery v4.0.0.1) does not have this option for that reason. Is there a CWM version that can perform this? I read somewhere that it will probably never be able to restore an entire ROM backup.

imnuts released a new version of CWM that has the restore function working. Although I've read that some people might still have issues with it, so as always, use at your own discretion.

[winnersmw]

imnuts released a new version of CWM that has the restore function working. Although I've read that some people might still have issues with it, so as always, use at your own discretion.

That's scary xD. "Great news! We've gotten restores working! (Psst, it miiiight brick your phone. Possibly.)"

Thanks for the heads up, though!

[Halo]

That's scary xD. "Great news! We've gotten restores working! (Psst, it miiiight brick your phone. Possibly.)"

Thanks for the heads up, though!

Again, from what I've read, the guys who had issues with the restore didn't end up with bricks (like what would happen with the previous version of CWM) There were just able to boot up normally to whatever they were currently running after a failed restore.

[DroidXcon]

CWM backup and restores are useless. . i dont see the point in them just use TIB and restore your stuff or just start fresh.

[vols fan]

@DriodXCon do you have to unzip AB to use it? I have seen that GC and some others can be loaded in .zip.

[winnersmw]

Again, from what I've read, the guys who had issues with the restore didn't end up with bricks (like what would happen with the previous version of CWM) There were just able to boot up normally to whatever they were currently running after a failed restore.

Ahhh, okay. That's definitely less dangerous. Thanks for the info!