Database Develop

newb graduation questions

Hi
Ive been trolling around for a while.
So far ive
-unlocked the bootloader, flashed the boot with epe54b himem from modaco
-put the file in place that enabled the color trackball notifications from chainsdd, which while there is no config and it simply enables the apps to be able to flash different colors is actually kind of nice
- tried to install the wifi tether from the code.google.com page but apparently the kernal i have doesnt work with the wifi drivers the android-wifi-tether app needs and the himem superboot that i flashed cause my wifi doesnt start when i use that. so i just went with barnacle app to use as wifi tether which works without having to modify the kernal and wifi driver.
i still have the stock recovery and stock rom, and sort of like it that way. dont want to start messing with roms untill i am confident i can easily restore all of the phone and game settings i have(the girlfriend was sort of sad when i told her i lost the progress she had made in abduction world attack, not to mention i forgot to unlink my warcraft authenticator before the initial wipe after the bootloader unlock...dreading calling blizzard and getting that sorted out)
couple of questions i have -
what does the userdata store specifically? does it store all of the shortcuts and widgets i have on the home screens? the google voice and phone settings and system settings?
i looked around a bit and still cant find a definitive answer to this, if i put nandroid or amon_ra recovery in as the recovery, then flash it back to the stock recovery from the modaco site, will i be able to get ota updates.
if i back up my system, userdata, and cache then start messing with roms and wiping everything on the phone, will i be able to restore the system, userdata and cache and be ready to go in the all of 3 or so minutes it takes to flash them.
The only reason im so concerned with being able to go back to what i had is i rely on the phone a bit for work and after hours calls and things of that nature and need to be able to be ready to go if need be. after unlocking the bootloader and that initial wipe the part that took the longest was getting the shortcuts and widgets, email and contact icons on my home screens back to where i wanted them and dont want to have to do that again.
basically i want to flash roms, and shop around for a good rom that i like while still being able to flash back to what i currently have set up, home screen shortcuts, k9email, phone and all.

Anyone have any input?

Just get Titanium backup for your apps, and also flash a recovery that lets you do Nandroid backups. Really, if you are unlocked, there is absolutely no downside to using Amon's recovery image, and having backups is excellent piece of mind.

I tried editing my post, and it erased what I wrote.
OK, again:
1. Nandroid backups save everything, including all of your user data, EXCEPT what is saved to the SD card by certain apps. All of that can of course just be copied off.
2. Why would you want OTA updates? All the OTA process does is download the update.zip file into /cache, and then launch recovery to install it from there. This means that, once the file is available, someone will post the update.zip minutes later and you can flash all you like.
3. Nandroid gives you a complete system backup, including user data and configuration. Titanium backup will add in being able to restore configured apps onto a different ROM (for example). Use both, be safe, wear protection.

ok, sounds like nandroid gives me what im looking for then
perhaps i'll try and imaging and restoring it to see how it goes when im sure work will not bother
and i'd like ota updates since im lazy lol

[Q] ensure settings are backed-up?

Very new to android devices, but have done quite abit or ready on the subject, and would like to dive into playing now. i current have a stock 2.3.3 ROM and am about to S-off, root my IS with revolutionary (HBOOT is 1.13.00).
I want to make sure I can back-up my current stock settings (i.e. email, contacts, etc) before loading a custom ROM. Do i use the nandroid back-up option in recovery for that? Also, after loading a custom ROM, is there anyway to get my settings back, so i don't have to enter them all again (i.e. email accounts, contacts, etc) as this took some time, and I'd like to not have to repeat it again if possible?
This forum has really opened my eyes to possibilities for android bevices, as I've been playing with blackberry stuff for the last few years, and wanted a change!

brew99 said:
Very new to android devices, but have done quite abit or ready on the subject, and would like to dive into playing now. i current have a stock 2.3.3 ROM and am about to S-off, root my IS with revolutionary (HBOOT is 1.13.00).
I want to make sure I can back-up my current stock settings (i.e. email, contacts, etc) before loading a custom ROM. Do i use the nandroid back-up option in recovery for that? Also, after loading a custom ROM, is there anyway to get my settings back, so i don't have to enter them all again (i.e. email accounts, contacts, etc) as this took some time, and I'd like to not have to repeat it again if possible?
This forum has really opened my eyes to possibilities for android bevices, as I've been playing with blackberry stuff for the last few years, and wanted a change!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, you would do a nandroid backup in recovery to make a complete point-in-time backup of your phone. You can backup your installed apps and their settings using Titanium Backup or MyBackupRoot once you S-OFF and root your current ROM.

[Q] Backing up my entire(?) Galaxy S I9000 with nandroid

Hey folks,
So here I am, after almost 18 months of enjoying my nice Samsung Galaxy S device with official ROMs, finally thinking of flashing a custom ROM. I've done some reading on the subject, and I have some experience flashing ROMs using ODIN- I once flashed the official Samsung 2.3.3 ROM to my device when Samsung Kies decided to go rebel on me.
Now, flashing a custom ROM takes a little more knowledge, and I would like to feel secure doing it. That means I would like to backup my phone, being able to restore it if necessary. Apparently a "nandroid backup" will be able to make an image of my complete "system". That leaves me wondering: what is my complete system, and what is not?
So I've got a couple of questions, assuming I would want to back up my ENTIRE phone. That includes text messages, whatsapp messages, app settings/scores, pictures, movies, etc.
1. Would Nandroid be able to do this job? It creates a system image, does that include all apps (and their scores/settings)? And what about text messages, that are -for as far as I know- also stored in the system?
2. Would just a Nandroid backup be enough? Do files like images, mp3s, movies, etc stay where they are when a new ROM is flashed? I have no clue what part of the system is replaced when a costum ROM is flashed... And therefore no idea what might disappear, and what needs no back upping.
I'm also wondering: after flashing the rom, and while being on it, will I be able to retrieve those old messages, apps, images, etc? I'm assuming the stuff on my internal SD card is pretty safe, but I'm better safe than sorry :b. Or would that require the titanium backup stuff?
These are some specific questions, probably easy to answer for those that are experienced users. Any other tips are welcomed as well! Thanks a lot for the effort!

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1186090
Next time, use "Search" before asking, thx!

Had honestly done that, couldn't find the answer to what it specifically did and did not back up. Hah, and you just answered the only question that I had left in the thread you linked to. Thanks ChaosLord88.

[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

Understanding question: Full-Backup possible?

HI,
I am asking myself the following question:
Is a full (=complete) Backup even possible? Basically, i.e. technically, it should be possible, since all the data is there and just needs to be backed up.
So much for the theory.
My question in detail goes like this: Is it possible to make a full backup from say JB 4.1.2, unlock the bootloader, install custom-ROMs, play sometime with it, see what one likes, and then re-stock the phone to retail 4.1.2, restore the backup and use the phone like it was before messing around with it?
I did install a custom ROM but want to try a few others. But the stupid thing with restoring the apps from google play by installing every single one, alining them as before in folders and stuff takes up way too much time to just mess around like that....
Thanks for hints and tipps!

If there is no problems with restoring backup (like on few Motorola devices caused size of partitions) just use CWM or TWRP to backup Your ROM and when You'll be bored with customs restore full rom with data using CWM as well.

Try making a backup with CWM or TWRP, then flash whatever you like and recover your app data and stuff from your CWM backup with Nandroid Manager on Play Store. There are others apps that do the same also (Titaniumbackup,etc). Get the donation version if you want to restore sms, phone calls, etc.

Correct me if I'm wrong but once you unlock the bootloader there is no way back to a locked bootloader!
So once you do so your warranty is void.
Also when you unlock your bootloader your entire phone gets wiped, so every data is gone.
My suggestion:
Install twerkmymoto, you phone won't get wiped, you then can make backups and play around with your phone without unlocking your bootloader.
You can easily change a lot of settings with xposed so you have the stable stock rom with the UI features of a custom rom.