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] galaxy i9000 looping at bootup.. not getting past the glowing S

I have recently flashed the JVS firmware from samsung firmware, and then followed that up with this CF-Root-XX_OXA_JVS-v4.1-CWM3RFS, flashing via the PDA section in ODIN. My phone has been working perfectly for a few days, no problems at all, until right now when I've gone to restart the phone.. I was having troubles with the market, and I turned my phone off mid-download of an app.. I'm pretty sure it was mid-download and not mid-installation of it..
However, when I turn my phone back on, it'll show the Galaxy S I9000 screen, then go to the next screen with the glowing S, however after that, it just gives a quick, short vibration, and seems to turn off, then do it all over again..
What does this mean? Is there a way I can get out of it without re-flashing the entire firmware? I am still able to get into download mode, but I don't want to lose messages that I have saved on my phone..
Any help is greatly appreciated..
Denno

Ok, so I let the phone go for a while (around 10 minutes), of the screens cycling through as mentioned above, but now it seems to have actually found a way into the phone, and has now loaded up properly.. However, I'm still interested in what the problem could be on the phone??

are u using new market app?
its happened to me once and i reflashed whole firmware starting from 2.1 to 2.3.5 lol just to avoid sh*t like that

When I had 2.2 on there, I had the new market app, however after flashing 2.3.5, it had the old market, so I was downloading apps from the old market at the time..
What do you mean you re-flashed whole firmware from 2.1?

Anyone else have any ideas?

Try to wipe factory reset and wipe cache or try to flash rom again
Wysłano z GT-I9000 z użyciem Tapatalk

Could be a corruption in the bootloader, if it happens again i would reflash. Otherwise just leave it i guess, maybe it was a one off

It happens pretty much all the time now.. I have reflashed the firmware a couple of times.. And it still seems to happen. What would wiping the cache remove? Will I lose any settings or anything that I have on the phone? I have been restoring backups made using titanium, however just apps and data, not system settings..
If it's the bootloader, is there any way of fixing that?
Thanks

Ah that could be the problem. Sometimes when you restore backup they can conflict and thus cause issues like this...
Try only return the data, that works for me. Get app list from the market and after a backup move to external sd. Format internal sd card. Then do an Odin flash with repartition checked. This is designed to get you back to factory state, so you will loose everything. Make sure your backups are not on your internal sd when you format. Also before you flash i think its a good idea to put a copy of your nandroid backup into the internal sd. Or just use a nandroid backup from when you phone was working fine.
Deleting cache does not delete your settings usually, however when deleting dalvick cache it can take up to 30 mins (max i think) to start you phone, but usually its 5/10 mins.
Yes bootloader can be fixed just find a flashable bootloader with a rom or the directions given. Use search for this

Ok thanks for the tips Talon.. Firstly, this nandroid backup that I keep hearing about.. What exactly is that? Is that the backup that I do through Clockwork Mod Recovery? I'm also unsure how to return just the data to apps? I had a look at Titanium Backup, and the only data recovery option is for system data.. Everything else I think I can handle..
Thanks

Yes nandroid backup is the backup through CWM. You should always do one BEFORE you flash anything on your phone. And keep them in a safe place and leave one in your internal sd card.
You should use titanium backup to backup up a single app at a time, not batch. This way you'll have more files and can choose which apps you want to return, and if you only want to return the data. (I have always done it this way, so i dont know if you can pick the apps you want to return if you do backup via batch.). Use the other app i suggested to keep the market links, so you download the app from market first then you install the data once its there.
I suggest you don't return any apps at first see how it goes, then add either a couple or one at a time, again only the app data. (Once you backuo the app individually, flash then, TB, backup/restore press on the app, restore, then pick data only...) If you go from froyo to GB i think you cant do it)

Thank you very much for your reply Talon. I am currently on JVS, and plan to re-flash this exact same firmware, which is the stock firmware, nothing custom..
As for what you've written, it's going to take me a few reads before I can get my head around it, but I just wanted to say thankyou for a quick and detailed reply. I think I might just bite the bullet and figure out which apps I actually use, and just work with them for now..
I'll post back soon hopefully with results.

After getting very frustrated with the phone, I've finally re-flashed back to a seemingly stock situation. Phone is running great, and all problems seem to be gone. Slowly re-downloading apps from the market as I feel that I need them, so I hopefully won't get any interference from the old backups I had..
One more question, how do you make your backups? If you say you don't use the batch mode in Titanium? I can't see any other way that's as easy..
Thanks for your help Talon.

As i said before, backup/restore click on the app you want to back up, and click backup. When you want to restore it, back to the menu, click on the app, click restore, then pick data only longer but safer
Change the location of TB to your exsd if you haven't already, then go to setting find, and it will make it default location

Ahk.. Sounds very time consuming.. lol..
Phone is running like a champ now . Thanks

[Q] A NON-wipe ICS rom?

Is there such a rom? I've checked teamhacksung's CM9 Alpha, Doc's Master ICS, Team ICSSGS, Fusion, and WeUI v0.6.6, and they all say to do a full wipe. Performed a search here and Google for any answers, but didn't find any.
I'm currently running Gingerbread 2.3.5 with Corn kernel, and when I upgraded from Froyo, I performed a full wipe. As many of you know, putting everything back on your phone is a major pain if you do not do a proper backup (I thought I backed up everything using Titanium, but apparently I didn't). Anyway, just curious if there is an ICS rom with a non-wipe option (or a super-cool, full of eye-candy Gingerbread rom with non-wipe).
Oh yeah, is Passion v13 Captivate-flashable? Thanks for any info you may have.

aicirt17 said:
Is there such a rom? I've checked teamhacksung's CM9 Alpha, Doc's Master ICS, Team ICSSGS, Fusion, and WeUI v0.6.6, and they all say to do a full wipe. Performed a search here and Google for any answers, but didn't find any.
I'm currently running Gingerbread 2.3.5 with Corn kernel, and when I upgraded from Froyo, I performed a full wipe. As many of you know, putting everything back on your phone is a major pain if you do not do a proper backup (I thought I backed up everything using Titanium, but apparently I didn't). Anyway, just curious if there is an ICS rom with a non-wipe option (or a super-cool, full of eye-candy Gingerbread rom with non-wipe).
Oh yeah, is Passion v13 Captivate-flashable? Thanks for any info you may have.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You need to do a full wipe on your phone since you're coming from a Gingerbread ROM. You may not delete what's on your sdcard if you want to retain it but as for apps, it will be deleted and so are your contacts, messages, etc.

Yuck. Okay, I figured as much, I was just hoping So, a Nandroid back-up is best, right? NOT Titanium?

aicirt17 said:
Yuck. Okay, I figured as much, I was just hoping So, a Nandroid back-up is best, right? NOT Titanium?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, Nandroid back-up is good. You could do Titanium Backup as well but a fresh install of the apps would be better. I'm not sure it would work if you backed-up the apps from Gingerbread and install it on ICS, but you could try one app and test it.

aicirt17 said:
Yuck. Okay, I figured as much, I was just hoping So, a Nandroid back-up is best, right? NOT Titanium?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can do a A Nandroid, but don't try restoring that on ICS or you will most likely cause a metric ton of problems. Titanium would be the best way to back up and restore your apps and app data. NEVER restore system data.

mrhaley30705 said:
You can do a A Nandroid, but don't try restoring that on ICS or you will most likely cause a metric ton of problems. Titanium would be the best way to back up and restore your apps and app data. NEVER restore system data.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yep, forgot to mention that. Just backup your Apps and not your System Data.

Okay, wow, all the reading that I have done and I did NOT know that. No system data. Got it. Thank you both!

CM9 builds when upgrading from previous CM9 builds don't need a full wipe... I'm sure the others are the same... So won't be so bad unless you go between them all...

If you are so concerned with keeping your data and not wanting to go through the "pain" of resetting all your apps and such, you should stay with what you have. Instead, use a launcher with ICS themes to get the look of the ICS.
If you can take some pain and make the jump though, ICS offers a way more slicker OS for your Cappy.
Do not use Nandroid backup to restore your apps... TIBU is the one to use! As others said, the best way is to do a fresh (from the market) reinstall of all your apps and then use TIBU to restore your data for those specific apps only...
Edit: Concider this though while you are looking to upgrade. Most of these ICS roms are in beta stage... this means some bugs and other inconveniences... mind you they are minor but they exist. As the devs get these bugs and other issues addressed and update their roms, they would often require a fresh install (full wipe) to ensure best performance. This means that you will have to occasionally do a full wipe of your phone. It's fun to see the latest and greatest the devs have to offer but it also means that you have to do some "hard" work to enjoy the fruits of their labor... just something for you to think about...

I did not see it mentioned so I'll add. Every ROM that has a "no wipe" update is such because it is only a minor update to the existing ROM and not the whole. Even trying to do so results is a miss match of files and programs so at best you'll get FCs all over there place, at worst bootloops.
ICS, is a huge set of changes, including things google merged or removed. So the data from an app on an older version of android would be trying to send/receive info from a program that does not exist anymore and upon not getting what it wants would FC.
If you don't like having to restore everything, then wait from ICS until you see a few no wipe updates. Aside from SGSICS (since it is pure ASOP, and least likely to have any major changes) they all have a fair amount of developing yet to be done.
Now to the question of which type of backup . A nandroid backup is meant to restore your phone to it's current state (minus any partition changes). Tibu is designed for something like ROM hoping, so it only saves apps and their data. To illustrate an example of how to use both: 1 make backups, 2 load ICS ROM, 3 Tibu restore user apps (and user data only), 4 toy with ROM (be it a few hours or days), 5 you don't like it and want to go back, 6 Odin/Heimdall back to GB (to fix partition sizes), 7 restore nandroid and it's like your trip to ICS never happened.
leaked from my ICS- FUSED SGS I897 contaminating you via XDA app.

cvcduty said:
If you are so concerned with keeping your data and not wanting to go through the "pain" of resetting all your apps and such, you should stay with what you have. Instead, use a launcher with ICS themes to get the look of the ICS.
If you can take some pain and make the jump though, ICS offers a way more slicker OS for your Cappy.
Do not use Nandroid backup to restore your apps... TIBU is the one to use! As others said, the best way is to do a fresh (from the market) reinstall of all your apps and then use TIBU to restore your data for those specific apps only...
Edit: Concider this though while you are looking to upgrade. Most of these ICS roms are in beta stage... this means some bugs and other inconveniences... mind you they are minor but they exist. As the devs get these bugs and other issues addressed and update their roms, they would often require a fresh install (full wipe) to ensure best performance. This means that you will have to occasionally do a full wipe of your phone. It's fun to see the latest and greatest the devs have to offer but it also means that you have to do some "hard" work to enjoy the fruits of their labor... just something for you to think about...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Cvcduty, you're right about enjoying the fruits of the other devs' labor. If they're willing to put in all that hard work just to keep our Captivates as updated as possible, then the very least I can do is go through 5 minutes of work to flash the roms correctly and in the way the devs intended, and not look for an easier way. I have flashed a couple of times before, I'm just not completely comfortable doing it. But I almost there!
DaNaRkI said:
I did not see it mentioned so I'll add. Every ROM that has a "no wipe" update is such because it is only a minor update to the existing ROM and not the whole. Even trying to do so results is a miss match of files and programs so at best you'll get FCs all over there place, at worst bootloops.
ICS, is a huge set of changes, including things google merged or removed. So the data from an app on an older version of android would be trying to send/receive info from a program that does not exist anymore and upon not getting what it wants would FC.
If you don't like having to restore everything, then wait from ICS until you see a few no wipe updates. Aside from SGSICS (since it is pure ASOP, and least likely to have any major changes) they all have a fair amount of developing yet to be done.
Now to the question of which type of backup . A nandroid backup is meant to restore your phone to it's current state (minus any partition changes). Tibu is designed for something like ROM hoping, so it only saves apps and their data. To illustrate an example of how to use both: 1 make backups, 2 load ICS ROM, 3 Tibu restore user apps (and user data only), 4 toy with ROM (be it a few hours or days), 5 you don't like it and want to go back, 6 Odin/Heimdall back to GB (to fix partition sizes), 7 restore nandroid and it's like your trip to ICS never happened.
leaked from my ICS- FUSED SGS I897 contaminating you via XDA app.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
DaNaRkI, it's not that I don't like to restore everything (even though that's what I said), it's more like even though I have flashed a couple of times already, I'm still a little uncomfortable doing it. And I have read, I mean read for hours before I took my first step, but it seems like the more I read, I keep finding more new stuff that I probably should have known to start with. Take Nandroid and Tibu for example, I thought they worked exactly the same, but now I know, thanks to you, that there is a BIG difference. AND I learned yesterday (reading somewhere on here) to never ever restore "system data". It's a lot to keep up with if you're a blonde
Thank you for taking the time to explain, it helped a lot!

[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.