Database Develop

[Q] [HELP] Switching ROMs on the Captivate

I was curious to know if someone could provide me with a step my step method of changing ROMs on a rooted captivate. I'm currently running Firefly ROM and want to know how to switch ROMs without loosing my apps and the data stored in them (such as high scores on games and such).
I tried Titanium Backup but it seems to cause problems with the system phone app when i switch and do "backup all user apps and data -> restore all user apps and data".
Also when i try to use rom manager to create a backup...the backup crashes, goes to a samsung "Android System Recovery"....the up volume button moves my selection down and the down volume moves my selection up. The power button doesn't select anything. When I press the menu button, all the text disappears.
I just want a sound way of backing up ROMs and Apps (with their data) to easily switch between ROMs more freely and with security of mind.
Thanks, and please respond.

Best to ask this in the Q&A section, and check the stickies. Tons of good info up there.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=884364

Put the ROM on your sdcard
Boot to recovery
Choose the zip
Install
Reboot
Enjoy

Yes, please post questions in the Q&A section as mentioned above.
Also, disregard opcow's reply; he did not read your whole post and it does not apply to you. His method will wipe everything on your phone.
Most of the suggestions you'll get are TiBu (Titanium Backup). When you make a backup (I'm assuming you're doing a batch backup with TiBu Pro), only select User Apps. Don't select User Apps + System ... (don't remember what it's called). This way, you'll save your apps with their settings and info, but you will not back up your phone's settings, such as WiFi networks, GPS, etc.
Trust me though, because of the diverse way that ROMs handle things, you don't want to back up your system settings, otherwise you may run into issues such as those you mentioned before.
Another note: do not use ROM Manager!
It's a nice piece of software, but it doesn't work a lot of the time. This doesn't apply to your backups, you're just restoring the backups incorrectly, but regardless, don't use ROM Manager.
Anyway, to correctly apply a Nandroid Backup, you must have the same exact kernel and modem installed ATM on the phone that were present in the Nandroid Backup. For example:
Let's say you have XYZ ROM installed with SuckerPunch #47 kernel and the KP1 modem. Then you make a Nandroid backup of that ROM.
After that, you go and install ABC ROM with Speedmod kernel and JK4 modem. After a day of use, you want to restore your XYZ Nandroid backup.
In order to do this, you must install the SuckerPunch #47 kernel and the KP1 modem on top of the ABC ROM before you restore the Nandroid backup.
If you don't do this, you'll run into issues.
Hopefully that will fix your issue. I tend to steer clear of Nandroid backups because of all the issues that I've seen people have with them, but if you're looking to restore your phone to the exact state that you had it at one point, then a Nandroid backup is the way to go. Otherwise, use TiBu.
Also, before you backup or restore (the first thing you should do after you install TiBu) is to click on the button that says "Problems?". This will install a version of BusyBox that is known to work with TiBu. If you have a version that doesn't work correctly, then your backup or restore will not work correctly either.
Good luck!

Loggik said:
Also, disregard opcow's reply; he did not read your whole post and it does not apply to you. His method will wipe everything on your phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're right. I just read the first sentence. This question gets asked a lot and I just go into autopilot.
OP, It is true that my method will wipe your phone, but that's actually what you want unless you are going flashing a no-wipe upgrade, in which case my method would work just fine. But yes, generally your will want to back up with something like Titanium Backup. Backing up apps and data is fine, just don't restore system data and it shouldn't cause problems. I've done it at least 5 times in the last 2 days.
I would avoid nandroid backups. They aren't mostly useful after reverting to the ROM you were running when you made the backup, not for restoring apps.

Use MyBackup pro its more user friendly.

Thanks, a couple more follow ups.
Thank you very very much. Another quick follow up question.
My version of clockwork mod (v2.5.1.0 Speedmod ULFK) gives me the following options:
-Backup DATA: data + dbdata + cache
-Restore DATA
-Backup ALL
-Restore ALL (Be careful!)
....which 2 do i select to backup/restore a nandroid effectively. Based on your responses, ill most likely be doing TiBu, but just to better understand the architecture of the phone and the clockwork files i wanna know.
Also, is there a way i can change / upgrade the clockwork recovery version of my phone...whats the most recent version if i decide to do so?
Aside from this, Thank you to everyone who is helping me out with this issue. Much appreciated.

opcow said:
You're right. I just read the first sentence. This question gets asked a lot and I just go into autopilot.
OP, It is true that my method will wipe your phone, but that's actually what you want unless you are going flashing a no-wipe upgrade, in which case my method would work just fine. But yes, generally your will want to back up with something like Titanium Backup. Backing up apps and data is fine, just don't restore system data and it shouldn't cause problems. I've done it at least 5 times in the last 2 days.
I would avoid nandroid backups. They aren't mostly useful after reverting to the ROM you were running when you made the backup, not for restoring apps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you know if there is a way to restore apps using Titanium Backup without having to manually click through and accept each and every app?

killswitch7 said:
Do you know if there is a way to restore apps using Titanium Backup without having to manually click through and accept each and every app?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Buy the pro version. If you flash allot it is a must

killswitch7 said:
Do you know if there is a way to restore apps using Titanium Backup without having to manually click through and accept each and every app?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Like the above post says, buy Titanium Backup Pro; it's worth it, and it features the Batch Mode, which allows for what you're asking.
Ompalompa287 said:
....which 2 do i select to backup/restore a nandroid effectively. Based on your responses, ill most likely be doing TiBu, but just to better understand the architecture of the phone and the clockwork files i wanna know.
Also, is there a way i can change / upgrade the clockwork recovery version of my phone...whats the most recent version if i decide to do so?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For a full on Nandroid Backup, select Backup All... and obviously Restore All... when the time comes that you need to restore your backup. But like opcow said, it's best to stay away from Nandroid backups... they can get messy
dingokevin said:
Use MyBackup pro its more user friendly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I cannot agree. It may look more user friendly, but it has a lot less support. I've never even heard of it, whereas TiBu has almost every feature you could want. Plus, look at it this way:
Linux is in no way easier to use than Windows or OS X (though OS X is based off of Linux, but disregarding that...). However, it can do a TON more than Windows or OS X, but you just need to get used to it. Same with TiBu v.s. MyBackup Pro (or w/e it's called).
opcow said:
You're right. I just read the first sentence. This question gets asked a lot and I just go into autopilot.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know how you feel

thank you all!

[Q] Random Titanium Backup Question...

Sup XDA... first time poster... on/off lurker... just a quick question i was messing with my captivate today trying to load 2.2 on it... kies wasn't working for me so i did a whole lotta messing around with the phone... in the process i backed up my stuff on TB... while trying to restore it, it restored from a previous upgrade i did in dec. i ended up losing most of my text messages, profiles i set up and important memos... anything i can do to restore it or am i screwed...?
I think i accidentally hit the back up user apps instead of user apps+data and restored user apps+data... could that be the reason...?

I don't think that TiBu backs up text messages. I use SMS backup+ on the market for that. It backs it up to my Gmail account. It does this automatically, and has the option to restore if I flash a new ROM.
I read somewhere that TiBu system data back ups can cause issues if you flash a new ROM and try to restore system data from a different ROM. So I have always been afraid of system data in TiBu.
If you back up the apps without the data, then the app will install, but it's a fresh install. That way anything you did in the app is lost. For example if you back up just the app Facebook, when you restore you are not signed in anymore. If you backup app + data, when you restore you are already signed in again. That could be how you lost memos from an app, but Text messages is another animal.
If you are playing with Kies, you should try the custom ROMs. They are extremely easy to install, there's lots of guides, and they run so much better than the 2.2 from Samsung/AT&T.

Don't really think you can do anything at this point to get your stuff back. You should do a nandroid backup before flashing new firmware, though. If the rom you flashed didn't work, or if you couldn't restore something with TB (or forgot to even do a TB backup), you can always roll your phone back to your previous firmware, complete with all your data.

quarlow said:
I don't think that TiBu backs up
If you are playing with Kies, you should try the custom ROMs. They are extremely easy to install, there's lots of guides, and they run so much better than the 2.2 from Samsung/AT&T.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agree a ROM is the way to go. Huge improvement over just using a bloated 2.2.

[Q] upgrade to rom ICS (titanium kackup)

hello everybody i have a question,if i would upgrade my darkyrom to a rom based on ics and if i would save all my apps and settings of these apps(for example savegame of emulator or data settings of poweramp),what steps do i have to do? backup of data+app or just backup of apps? or backup of only data? if i restore a backup of DATA in another rom with another firmware does it cause brick? thanks a lot for help

Your mileage may vary:
Restoring apps will probably be ok.
Restoring apps + data is flaky and you risk Forced Closures and other bad behaviours.
Make sure you make a nandroid backup of what you've got now, flash ICS, nandroid back it while it's still pristine, then restore apps via TB slowly and see what'll happen.
Another way is to reinstall the apps via Google Play account, after all, it has a record of everything you got from them. I know it can be a pain, but maybe you'll have a better gain. Clean install - clean app install
I hear you about app settings...try taking screen shots and storing on your microSD card/Dropbox/Google Drive...at least you have something to compare.
TLDR; risky restoring via apps + data via TB when going GB to ICS, sure thing is clean install and reinstall apps from Google Play.

I agree with this totally, nice idea about screen shots too
Sent from my GT-I9000 using xda premium

[Q] Installing a ROM and Updating

Hey guys,
Sorry if this seems really noobish, but I seem be to kinda lost in all of this ROM'ing goodness.
I have read up on installing custom roms and plan on doing so but I have a couple of questions first before I take that last step (already unlocked and rooted on my One) - note: I have read through the guides but I still seem a little confused as to what exactly changes.
I notice that all tuts mention that you will lose all data on your phone. Does this include installed apps or are we just talking system files needed for the new rom? I have my phone setup already and have my apps backing up with Helium (Carbon) but this is something I seem to be a little confused with
Secondly, using something like CWM (Premium), can I update my ROM quickly and easily without losing any data?
I know that unlocking my bootloader will not get me OTA's so I am looking forward to using many of the awesome ROMs here on the site!

1) When you flash a rom, you need to do a full wipe in aroma.
Full wipe will erase all but not the sd, so your app in home, your background, your account will be erased.
2) You can upgrade your rom with CWM if is the same rom and the base isn't different.
If the base is different you have to do a full wipe.

One more
How likely is base to change for a ROM package? And if I have to flash that new ROM package instead of doing the update through CWM, am I back at square one again with my apps and data or is it just updating what it needs to?
Thanks again for the help!

Then:
Now, all the rom is based on 1.29.401.13.
When it will change (it depens from htc) and you will flash the latest update of rom, you have to do a full wipe, and you will lose all file, settings and other.
Instead, if you have to flash an update like: you're on 2.5 to 2.6, you can flash the rom with only dalvik cache and cache wipe.
But it depens, you always have to read in thread rom

I guess its not so big of a deal considering I can backup most of my apps using Helium and the rest of the apps can just be redownloaded if I keep a list. Configurations should be backed up anyways.
Thanks for the help!

If you're rooted and you will restore your app after a full wipe, i advise you titanium backup.
With this you can do a flashable zip with all your apps and data

Thanks!
I will take a look at Titanium backup and see what it can do! It would only make sense that someone would invent a way to backup all your apps and data (no matter what) to be able to restore them after a ROM update that wipes the phone completely!

Titanium backup can do this
However, only data app, not system app.
If you backupping system app too, you can have issue with new update of rom

[Q] ARHD Wipe?

I a installing ARHD...
So I am coming from 13.4 to 31.0... do I need to wipe the stuff in Aroma or can I go without wiping?

I advice you to full wipe all for a clean install and you won't have any issue.
However, backup your contacts, sms and other stuff you need before the full wipe.
p.s. Your sd won't be touched.

Guich said:
I advice you to full wipe all for a clean install and you won't have any issue.
However, backup your contacts, sms and other stuff you need before the full wipe.
p.s. Your sd won't be touched.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm with this guy^^
Definitely wipe it. And it's good to have things backed up anyway. Once you get used to making your backups you can do a full wipe and rom install really quickly, I do them daily when I'm testing or trying out new builds.
My contacts are in google (gmail) and sync when I sign in at the setup screen, I backup and restore sms/mms and I use titanium backup for my user apps, but google installs most of my apps when I sign in. I also copy my entire sdcard storage over to a folder on my computer about every month or so, just in case something happens. I just select the whole thing, drag and drop it into it's own folder on my PC's hard drive.
We all have different methods, just gotta use a method thats best for you to make restoring after an install easy.
On a sidenote: With a jump in versions like that will you be installing different firmware? I dunno that it's required but if you are then you will get a slightly different answer.

CharliesTheMan said:
On a sidenote: With a jump in versions like that will you be installing different firmware? I dunno that it's required but if you are then you will get a slightly different answer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Isn't required, but is better upgrade also the firmware, because it's optimized for the new base

I can tell you that I tried a dirty upgrade (made a nandroid backup first thankfully) from 22.1 to 31, and it messed everything up. restored, backed up apps etc, did wipe through aroma, upgraded, havent had a problem.
couldnt get a firmware upgrade working (s off was giving me the dreaded 1 error, which apparently doesnt have a fix), but its working fine without.