Database Develop

nandroid backup = factory reset??

i made an nandroid backup with amon ra 2.2.1 with sd-ext included and when i reboot, everything was gone, as if the data got wiped....
i see some broken apps so i geuss something happended with the ext partition
my sd-ext map is empty and i have this ext.tar in my nandroid map
wtf happened!?

shiyou,
You are having too many problems from the beginning. I posted some tips on your first thread, but never heard back. Also, a member recommended doing more research before going forward. The N1 is different from other phones as far as flashing roms.
I would recommend you do this assuming you have a working rom or working backup and sdcard backup. Depending what you have or don't have the below order may vary. Maybe someone can help us there:
1. Take your sd card out of phone--believe you said you have a backup--format it with sdformatter: http://panasonic.jp/support/global/cs/sd/download/sd_formatter20.html
You can dl manual also--mainly select full erase on and size adj on as format options.
Put your backup back on sdcard while still outside phone. Put card back in phone and boot into Amon recovery. Go thru the partition steps to get 1gb ext3 and 0swap.
At this point you need to have a working rom to boot into. If not other steps may be needed.
I use Titanium Backup to manage apps, the paid version. After I flash a new rom, I open TB, or get it from Market if not part of rom. Then I restore all apps with data. NOT system data. Then I delete any old rom apps and do a refresh and then backup all apps and data.
At some point you need to get rid of Rom manager and Clockwork and flash a fresh Amon_Ra 2.2.1 from his site: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=611829 Before flashing make sure the install recovery file from old revovery is deleted thru Root Explorer, see this link: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=9414097#post9414097. You don't have to use adb, just Root Explorer. Change permission first to R/W.
You can push the 2.2.1 .img after, downloading to root of sdcard, with Terminal Emulator using these commands:
Open TE and type:
SU
at # type flash_image recovery /sdcard/recovery-RA-passion-v2.2.1.img then hit enter. I usually check md5's with a file explorer. The recovery-RA-passion-v2.2.1.img part above should be the exact name of the img file you downloaded.
2. Before flashing an update to a rom wipe dalvik cache and cache in recovery
3. If flashing a new rom wipe Phone's System with Temasek's System Wipe zip 3X by flashing from recovery. It should be in your download folder.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=723844&page=1767
Then wipe Dalvik Cache and anything else that wasn't wiped with System Wipe zip 5X
4. You probably already know, but you can't restore a CWMod backup using Amon_RA or vice versa.
5. Read all the OP pages on the links I posted carefully
This is the way I been doing this for a long time--and rarely need any help or have problems. The system wipe is critical as old files can be left on phone even after a phone data wipe and flashing new rom.
Hope this helps and I haven't left anything out. Not a good typer. If I did--someone will correct me and some things are personal preference. But these have worked well for me.
BTW: If you have no good rom, you may want to dl the latest CM7 RC or nightly to pc and put it on sdcard after you format and put your sdcard backup from pc to phone. Then it is there to flash after card is ready and good recovery installed. You can always put the 2.2.1 on I mentioned after you get rest worked out. But, you gotta get off CWMod 3.0.
You should not use the beta Dark Tremor either, Would dl the the latest non beta.
Also, want the correct gapps for CM7 from OP page, and flashing order is rom/gapps/DT
Ken

I guess I was the member who recommended doing more research. So let me repeat:
I suggest leaving your phone alone and reading A LOT before you start doing something with it.

Yea, Sorry Jack
I was too lazy to go back and look--been a busy day and Fits is giving me a hard time on another thread

rugmankc said:
Yea, Sorry Jack
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nothing to be sorry for But indeed, I agreed with your point - someone who's looking for help rooting the phone and doing basic stuff for several days in a row, encountering a lot of problems, is most probably not ready for it, or not willing to read the guides.

You were right Jack on last thread. OP has now abandoned two threads he/she started and again asking for help on a CM7 thread.
No return to either with thanks and still looking for one magical answer, wondering why his phone don't work.
I gave enough advice for a dozen new users and over a year of flashing/backup expertise all in one post.
If he had done it right to begin with and followed some advice, he'd be running smooth. Card could be bad too, don't know.
I am done--
Ken

I love how you two are having this random conversation hahaha. Although I don't understand how the op did a nandroid backup and his phone wiped.. he mustve clicked wipe and confirmed it instead of nand backup. It's nearly impossible. I also decided (out of boredom) to look at his other thread.. Jack you said "Flash a new ROM, wipe your data, and try.
Repeat.
If the problems will still persist - they're in HW and you can't do anything about them." and what HE did: "i tried factory reset but didnt work..." lmfao you sir, are too nice jack! I'll give you two a thanks for the entertianment!

Well, rom development is slowing
Gotta do something

can't tell the same. 2 times i saved by nandroid due to bad flashing issue...

Phone Re-booting continuosly

**** ****. I was messing around with the options in Titanium Backup Pro and selected an option that said that i can remove a few apps that have been linked to my ROM and free upto 80 MB in memory. It had something to do with Dalvik Cache. The software said that the phone will restart after the process. But the phone gets stuck at the HTC Quietly Brilliant Brilliant" white screen and re-boots. I tired Pulling out the battery, Wiping cache, Factory reset using CWM but the problem continues. What do i do? The phone is hardly 3 weeks old. Its still S-ON, rooted and unlocked at htcdev.com

Can you not restore a nandroid? Or try flashing a rom that doesn't need s-off like CyanogenMod 7.
Sent from my Incredible S using xda premium

InsertDumbNick said:
**** ****. I was messing around with the options in Titanium Backup Pro and selected an option that said that i can remove a few apps that have been linked to my ROM and free upto 80 MB in memory. It had something to do with Dalvik Cache. The software said that the phone will restart after the process. But the phone gets stuck at the HTC Quietly Brilliant Brilliant" white screen and re-boots. I tired Pulling out the battery, Wiping cache, Factory reset using CWM but the problem continues. What do i do? The phone is hardly 3 weeks old. Its still S-ON, rooted and unlocked at htcdev.com
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Restore your nandroid, I think I remember you posted that you had one.

Nonverbose said:
Restore your nandroid, I think I remember you posted that you had one.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah i tried doing that. But get this error message in CWM:
Code:
Couldn't open directory.
No files found.
The Backup is in a folder "2012-02-12.06.04.17" and this folder is in the sd-card root. Do i have to copy the files in this folder to the root as well??
Edit: I forgot to mention that the above nandroid backup folder was saved in my computer and the sd card on which i had made the backup initially was involved in multiple formats during my futile attempts to gain S-OFF ..

InsertDumbNick said:
Yeah i tried doing that. But get this error message in CWM:
Code:
Couldn't open directory.
No files found.
The Backup is in a folder "2012-02-12.06.04.17" and this folder is in the sd-card root. Do i have to copy the files in this folder to the root as well??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You shouldn't have to. Was the backup created in cwm? Have you checked that the files are in the folder? What option were you using to restore your backup?
Another option would be to installed a custom ROM.

I guess if you are using CWM, the folder will not be on root.
As far as I remember, it use to be in some folder named CWM or ClockWorkMod something like that.
I guess the folder "2012-02-12.06.04.17" should be under "\clockworkmod\backup\" folder.
Not quite sure as I am using Ext4 recovery now.
But guess someone around here should tell you the correct folder structure.
And, I guess if you could try to mount card on your computer you will be able to see and modify the folder and put it in right place with correct backup directory.

I think i have to create a few folders since the path that CWM is looking for the recovery doesn't exist. Can you tell me the correct path so that i can create an identical location to copy the backup to??

It'd literally take you 5 mins to install a custom rom? And then in theory your fine will work perfectly. Then just set it up and create a nandroid.
When I had problems I formatted the SD card and only left the CWM files on. Then it restored/worked fine.
Sent from my Incredible S using xda premium

InsertDumbNick said:
I think i have to create a few folders since the path that CWM is looking for the recovery doesn't exist. Can you tell me the correct path so that i can create an identical location to copy the backup to??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
way2shree was correct in his post about the file structure. I think you need to do a bit of research before you do any serious damage to your phone.

vizzy said:
It'd literally take you 5 mins to install a custom rom?
When I had problems I formatted the SD card and only left the CWM files on. Then it restored/worked fine.
Sent from my Incredible S using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Like i said the SD card on which CWM made the backup was formatted many times. Completely. So i had copied the folder with the backup to the computer.[Newb mistake. I realized the hard way]. And no the path is not \clockworkmod\backup\. Thanks anyway shree. Also i think CM7 is the only 1 that can be flashed with a S-on phone. so ill keep that as a final option since i still like sense.

Nonverbose said:
way2shree was correct in his post about the file structure. I think you need to do a bit of research before you do any serious damage to your phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I looked all over the place and found only this \clockworkmod\backup\<date> . Made both the folders but still not recognized. Can anyone confirm that this is in fact the correct path??

Phew. Atlast got the backup restored. THank you guys for all your help. Looks like i wont be doing anything android related for the next MONTH till i at least have a general idea of wth im doing.

[Q] Stuck at the "cm7" screen [UPDATE: Bootloop Logcat Attached!]

I was trying to mount the memory card by using the usb mass storage mode in a rescue disk but the mobile restarted itself a couple of times.. Later on I tried to mount the usb from cwm5 but was unsuccessful. In between all this, I do not know what happened (improper mounting/unmounting?) my device is now not booting into the OS.
Tried reinserting the battery.. no difference. Tried removing the memory card, stuck on "android" logo.
When I restart the mobile, it goes till the end of the bootscreen "Entering system" but then it reverts back to "cm7" boot screen and is stuck there.
My memory card is ok since i tried to mount it using cwm5 in windows and its working fine.
Can anyone let me know any quick solution to this as I need it working urgently?
I am using latest Apocalypse rom with firekernel kernel and amarrullz(???) script.

Did you considered reflashing the ROM?
Sent from my GT-S5830 using xda app-developers app

I know, but i have lots of data in that rom which I still need. I think it's fixable, that's why am posting.

redlag said:
I know, but i have lots of data in that rom which I still need. I think it's fixable, that's why am posting.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You Are In a Boot Loop ... Put In Your Particular Case I Would Advice ... Flash Stock! Install CWM To Restore Mounting Points And Then Flash CM7

SnowPluralism said:
You Are In a Boot Loop ... Put In Your Particular Case I Would Advice ... Flash Stock! Install CWM To Restore Mounting Points And Then Flash CM7
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But boot loop is more of when you are stuck on "android" screen. I am stuck on boot animation.
Update : I made a fresh installation of Apocalypse.
Restored backup of sd-ext : lots of fc but working.
Restored backup of data : stuck at book animation.
I am thinking maybe some broken application is causing this.. any way to find out for sure?

once happened to me with apocalipse. I lost the data.
Sorry for bad english.

redlag said:
But boot loop is more of when you are stuck on "android" screen. I am stuck on boot animation.
Update : I made a fresh installation of Apocalypse.
Restored backup of sd-ext : lots of fc but working.
Restored backup of data : stuck at book animation.
I am thinking maybe some broken application is causing this.. any way to find out for sure?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No its not! Boot loop is what i said ! ... And if u followed my advice u would see that i am right !
Sent from my GT-S5830 using xda premium

how long it will take to install new ROM ?

KradeYana SGY said:
how long it will take to install new ROM ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Less then 10 minutes.
Sent from my GT-S5830 using xda premium

SnowPluralism said:
Less then 10 minutes.
Sent from my GT-S5830 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
10? :what: less than a minute to flash and less than 3 minutes for first boot.
Insert witty sentence here

I already did install a new rom last night! But i still need data from previous rom... like sms and whatsapp and other apps.. so I have made a nandroid backup just in case.
Can anyone help me in solving it or recovering the data from the nandriod atleast? Tried appextractor but it wasn't able to restore sms and didn't show whatsapp only! TB didn't help too. I guess its due too d2sd script due to which these apps are not able to locate the data. Any other app which might work?

redlag said:
I already did install a new rom last night! But i still need data from previous rom... like sms and whatsapp and other apps.. so I have made a nandroid backup just in case.
Can anyone help me in solving it or recovering the data from the nandriod atleast? Tried appextractor but it wasn't able to restore sms and didn't show whatsapp only! TB didn't help too. I guess its due too d2sd script due to which these apps are not able to locate the data. Any other app which might work?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe opening the nandroid backup manually with 7zip and such. Look up inside your data and system .img files. Use the files inside to create a flashable zip with the data from the apps you most desperatly need. done by using a flashable zip for a rom, deleting everythin inside it except for META-INF, and looking at the updater-script file to make mount /data and flash to /data instead of flashing to /system, place the folder with the data you need inside the zip.

dxppxd said:
Maybe opening the nandroid backup manually with 7zip and such. Look up inside your data and system .img files. Use the files inside to create a flashable zip with the data from the apps you most desperatly need. done by using a flashable zip for a rom, deleting everythin inside it except for META-INF, and looking at the updater-script file to make mount /data and flash to /data instead of flashing to /system, place the folder with the data you need inside the zip.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am getting what you are trying to say but seems like I don't need it. I was able to restore the sd-ext partition which had all the data.. seems like sms file is corrupt? But anyhow, I think most of the data is there now, but no apps! I can see the ".asec" files in ".android_secure" backup but have no idea how to make apk out of these? Any though how nandriod is able to do that or any script for that?

Logcat Attached.

Anyone??
Sent from my GT-S5830 using Tapatalk 2

[Q] Note Soft bricked by Samsung!!!!

Hi to all
I went to Samsung Thailand yesterday to have check to see if by battery was replaceable under warranty and to make a very long story short the Tech managed to soft brick? my note by constantly pulling out the usb cable from the bottom of the phone while the unit was powering down and up. Their response "Sorry about that but we will repair it by replacing your Main board but you have lost your data" WTF !!!
So now my note starts to boot but per normal but gets to the pulsating Samsung Logo and hangs and keeps pulsating then the top rear of the phone gets quite hot after a few minutes. I can boot into download mode Vol dwn+ pwr and recovery mode. The phone had no issues apart from the battery so understandably I'm not happy.
Okay I need some advice as I dont want to loose my data particularly:crying: the photos and sms (dont we all) and am in desperate need of some good advice and directions
Oh I forgot my note was stock running the latest version of JB
1. Can i try to flash a new rom? If so how? (point me in the right direction)
2. Will I loose my data? Particularly sms and photos?
3. Does the unit heat up mean the fried the MB?
I appreciate any and all your time and responses..
Many thanks

Why didn't you accept the nice offer for replacing the mainboard?
(I did when they repaired my display in Samsung Udon Thani)
If you want to save your data you should install a Custom Rom with no-wipe.

Thank you
ThaiDai said:
Why didn't you accept the nice offer for replacing the mainboard?
(I did when they repaired my display in Samsung Udon Thani)
If you want to save your data you should install a Custom Rom with no-wipe.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you Thai Dai
I'm more than happy for them to replace the main board but they said I will loose all my data and dont want to try to recover the problem they caused.
So I would like to attempt to perhaps flash the rom again in an attempt to save the data, I'm looking for advice on the correct procedure... The Jb update was done via KIES.
Thank you I appreciate your reply, any easy way to flash the rom? Just download and image go into download mode a flash via odin?

Arg still no success
life_trax said:
Thank you Thai Dai
I'm more than happy for them to replace the main board but they said I will loose all my data and dont want to try to recover the problem they caused.
So I would like to attempt to perhaps flash the rom again in an attempt to save the data, I'm looking for advice on the correct procedure... The Jb update was done via KIES.
Thank you I appreciate your reply, any easy way to flash the rom? Just download and image go into download mode a flash via odin?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I tried re-flashing the original rom using odin. It installs successfully but when it unpacks and reboots it hangs in the same spot (the pulsating Samsung logo) Any ideas?
Many thanks :crying:

life_trax said:
I tried re-flashing the original rom using odin. It installs successfully but when it unpacks and reboots it hangs in the same spot (the pulsating Samsung logo) Any ideas?
Many thanks :crying:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You made a "dirty" install because the original Rom was a no-wipe Rom.
I think you should install a Kernel from Philz thread. Take the latest for LT4. Install it and reboot into recovery.
Then clean cache/dalvik cache and make a factory reset.
After that you can install any Custom Rom from this recovery you want.

Thank you
ThaiDai said:
You made a "dirty" install because the original Rom was a no-wipe Rom.
I think you should install a Kernel from Philz thread. Take the latest for LT4. Install it and reboot into recovery.
Then clean cache/dalvik cache and make a factory reset.
After that you can install any Custom Rom from this recovery you want.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Dear ThaiDai
Thank your for your helpful reply, and sorry about the following questions as I'm starting to feel little out of my depth
Just checking the procedure as follows:
Step 1: I have downloaded the tar file PhilZ-cwm6-XXLT4-OXA-4.93.6.tar .. I then use ODIN to flash it per normal.. ( I think if I understand it my phone is then rooted)
Step 2: I reboot into recovery , clean the cache partition and do a factory reset ( wont this delete the data i'm try to recover? )
Step 3: Will this then allow for me to access my files ? or do I then still have to install a new rom?
Step 4: Then I reinstall the stock Samsung rom? and have access to the data?
Again Thanks for your time and patience, much appreciated

life_trax said:
Dear ThaiDai
Thank your for your helpful reply, and sorry about the following questions as I'm starting to feel little out of my depth
Just checking the procedure as follows:
Step 1: I have downloaded the tar file PhilZ-cwm6-XXLT4-OXA-4.93.6.tar .. I then use ODIN to flash it per normal.. ( I think if I understand it my phone is then rooted)
Step 2: I reboot into recovery , clean the cache partition and do a factory reset ( wont this delete the data i'm try to recover? )
Step 3: Will this then allow for me to access my files ? or do I then still have to install a new rom?
Step 4: Then I reinstall the stock Samsung rom? and have access to the data?
Again Thanks for your time and patience, much appreciated
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You need to be a little more clear.
Factory reset will clear app data, but will leave the data in your internal memory card intact.
Which one do you want to save, app data or internal card data?
I don't think we'll be able to save app data although Thai dai is more experienced, he may know of something.

Thank you
warfareonly said:
You need to be a little more clear.
Factory reset will clear app data, but will leave the data in your internal memory card intact.
Which one do you want to save, app data or internal card data?
I don't think we'll be able to save app data although Thai dai is more experienced, he may know of something.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you warfareonly for your response
It was the app data NOT the Apps that's important... Particularly SMS,and photos which had contact details on a recent business trip. (i'm just not sure where they are stored by default)
From my understanding is flashing a rom doesn't delete the app data as it's effecting the rom only..
AS opposed to a factory reset which wipes the apps and app data (which I'm trying to avoid)
Many thanks I appreciate your reply

/data/data/com.android.providers.telephony/databases/mmssms.db
That is where SMS are stored. Boot into recovery, go to mounts and storage, Mount /data, attach mobile to PC and copy the above file to your PC.
Your pictures will survive the factory reset as they are stored on the memory card directly and not in the /system or /data partition.
P.S. make sure you have Samsung drivers installed.
Later, simply copy back the file to mobile.
P.P.S I'll be offline for 3 hours, any more difficulties, we'll solve later.

Thank you! whats next?
warfareonly said:
/data/data/com.android.providers.telephony/databases/mmssms.db
That is where SMS are stored. Boot into recovery, go to mounts and storage, Mount /data, attach mobile to PC and copy the above file to your PC.
Your pictures will survive the factory reset as they are stored on the memory card directly and not in the /system or /data partition.
P.S. make sure you have Samsung drivers installed.
Later, simply copy back the file to mobile.
P.P.S I'll be offline for 3 hours, any more difficulties, we'll solve later.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks warefaronly
I booted into recovery and plugged in my phone my pc shows connected as samsung but I cant access the memory on my phone.
My screen shows (phone)
Confirm and wipe all your data?
THIS cannot be undone.
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
Yes .... Delete all your data
No
No
No

You have an external sd card in the phone ? And a way to read the data off the sd card ? If not,then procure both,I have a roundabout idea.
Follow these steps:
1.)Install Philz kernel & reboot to recovery
2.)Take a backup of the ROM.
3.)Take out the sdcard,mount it on a laptop/PC/whatever and go here G:\clockworkmod\backup (where G is drive letter of your card)
4.)If there are more than one folders over there, open the latest one.
5.)There must be a file called [data.ext4.tar.a] without brackets,of course.Rename it to [data.ext4.tar]
6.)Open up the archive and go here /data/data/com.android.providers.telephony/databases/
7.)Extract the whole databases folder and keep it somewhere safe.
Now, we have 2 options- Try to install a new ROM and restore the sms OR access the sms on PC.
Luckily, we can do both
M1)Install new ROM
Install any ROM.I suggest going with SlimBean whenever coming out of a brick.It is only 80mb, therefore light as hell.Don't go with a heavy ROM(~700 MB)
Now paste the databases folder to /data/data/com.android.providers.telephony/
Reboot to recovery and fix permissions (look around,you'll find the option, I don't remember where it is right now :silly
Check if you have your messages back.
M2)View directly on PC
Download SQlite Database browser
Open up the mmssms.db file in the databases folder with it.
Select the browser data tab and choose words_content table from the dropdown list.
There, now you have a list of all the messages you sent.
Don't forget the thanks button

Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you!!
I now have a copy of the database... however I cant seem to read then the file is large I can see carriers and various types of information but not the sms.
So I will go with installing a new rom.
Is there anything I should do before trying to install the new rom eg wipe cache etc.
THANKS HEAPS!! you answers have been extremely helpful

life_trax said:
Thank you!!
I now have a copy of the database... however I cant seem to read then the file is large I can see carriers and various types of information but not the sms.
So I will go with installing a new rom.
Is there anything I should do before trying to install the new rom eg wipe cache etc.
THANKS HEAPS!! you answers have been extremely helpful
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just follow the installation instructions on the ROM page. Also, I will again advise you to use a light ROM. If you want touchwiz, pristine is the lightest ROM I know. If aosp, then try slimbean or asylum.

Next time you can backup your sms&mms with samsung account. You can backup photos with Dropbox.That's why we have this option on the phone. Pictures are originally (if you didn't changed this in camera settings)stored to internal sd in DCIM folder and it will not be deleted after factory reset (only after "format internal memory" command in settings or in recovery. BTW,pictures&music is not an app data.App data are app settings,games progress&scores,etc...
...from SG NOTE N7000 with Tapatalk 2

Almost there!! Thank you!!!. Just a few more steps?
:fingers-crossed:
warfareonly said:
Just follow the installation instructions on the ROM page. Also, I will again advise you to use a light ROM. If you want touchwiz, pristine is the lightest ROM I know. If aosp, then try slimbean or asylum.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
:fingers-crossed: Okay ...So far so good.. I copied the original rom. Did a factory reset and to my surprise the factory rom booted to stock... (rooted of course) So surprised!! :good::good:
However it's the next step I'm a little confused on.. Should I then make a copy of this rom add the necessary telephony files to it... then re-flash it as it then has the missing data and fix permissions or is there something I am missing? (sorry to sound so stupid)
Again THANK YOU!! your answers have been spot on... I appreciate all your time

life_trax said:
:fingers-crossed:
:fingers-crossed: Okay ...So far so good.. I copied the original rom. Did a factory reset and to my surprise the factory rom booted to stock... (rooted of course) So surprised!! :good::good:
However it's the next step I'm a little confused on.. Should I then make a copy of this rom add the necessary telephony files to it... then re-flash it as it then has the missing data and fix permissions or is there something I am missing? (sorry to sound so stupid)
Again THANK YOU!! your answers have been spot on... I appreciate all your time
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry, I was preoccupied :silly:
Just follow the m1 method from the eleventh post. Since you already have a working ROM, simply copy the databases folder to where its supposed to be.

[Q] Questions regarding compressed recovery img and data on note 4

Hey Everyone,
I am new to XDA forums,(have used it for troubleshooting in the past but just registered today)
I am also new to android and linux, personally i don't use my phone for anything other than calls or games(i mostly do pc's), however my wife does a lot, she has written her own code, does mods, etc...., and we are both stumped. I am asking this on her behalf, due to a terminal illness she has lost the ability to do several things. On April 30th the lollipop update was pushed to her Note 4 (T-mobile US branded) and it wiped out all of her app data as well as her entire SD card. My question is in 2 parts one regarding the TWRP backup for this phone, and another regarding recovering the SD data from this phone(please let me know if i need to break this out into multiple sections of the site).
We have a TWRP backup that was compressed and loaded onto her cloud storage on 4/27/15, and we are unable to figure out how to get TWRP to recognize it without giving an error about the binary code or just not working period. Here is what we have tried(On advice not just from other XDA posts but various android forums as well)
Using TWRP(7zip for unpacking and repacking)
1. Downloaded the TWRP back up into windows
2. Renamed all files of the back up to be .tar, with the exception of boot which was converted to .img
3. Added Meta-Inf file from what was suppose to be stock ROM( she was not running a custom on this phone)
4. Re-archived everything back into Zip and sideloaded.
result : Error in binary code
Using Odin
1. Converted recovery (file only from backup) to md5 using Cygwin
2. Flashed using Odin
Result: Gained back a few programs but no app data or text histories
We have also tried varying versions of this, i.e. converting extra files or renaming extra files and receive the same issue. I am wondering if it is just an issue with the cloud stored compressed backup(or more likely i dont know what im doing)?
Second question comes from above, I was able to recovery all of the data from the SD card(everything was stored here, app data, recovery files, imgs, everything). When recovering the data it split everything up so all the sub peices of each recovery file are spread out is there a way to combine the individual file parts that were recovered from the SD card into functional android files again?
As i mentioned before i have never really dealt with this type of thing before but i want to try and fix this for her as between the 2 issues she has lost 5 years of data.
Thank you so much for your responses.

Hi, what you need to do is put the backup back into the exact same form it was before, an uncompressed, unzipped folder, then put it into the exact directory where TWRP puts backups when it makes them, and then in TWRP choose the option to restore. If you put the backup in the correct directory, TWRP will see it and allow you to choose it to restore it. Basically you just wanna put the backup back where it was before and then restore it in TWRP.
I wasn't sure if you had done this or not. If you have the backup folder with all the contents in their original form, it should work. I've even moved a backup from one phone onto another phone, exact same model of course, and then restored that backup onto the new phone!
I've never converted a backup into another form to be flashed another way, like Odin or as a zip in TWRP. Although I guess it could be possible it seems like it could be pretty messy.

Also if the TWRP backup was for a kit at build it will not restore on the lollipop baseband. You will need to Odin back to the kitkat NK4 build them you should be able to take the data.
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ShrekOpher said:
Also if the TWRP backup was for a kit at build it will not restore on the lollipop baseband. You will need to Odin back to the kitkat NK4 build them you should be able to take the data.
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Click to collapse
YrrchSebor said:
Hi, what you need to do is put the backup back into the exact same form it was before, an uncompressed, unzipped folder, then put it into the exact directory where TWRP puts backups when it makes them, and then in TWRP choose the option to restore. If you put the backup in the correct directory, TWRP will see it and allow you to choose it to restore it. Basically you just wanna put the backup back where it was before and then restore it in TWRP.
I wasn't sure if you had done this or not. If you have the backup folder with all the contents in their original form, it should work. I've even moved a backup from one phone onto another phone, exact same model of course, and then restored that backup onto the new phone!
I've never converted a backup into another form to be flashed another way, like Odin or as a zip in TWRP. Although I guess it could be possible it seems like it could be pretty messy.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you both for the suggestions i will give them a try shortly and i will provide an update on how things go.

Yeah, if you put the backup folder in the right directory, which is either internal or external sdxard/TWRP/BACKUPS/serial #/, you could restore just the data at least and it ought to be mostly ok. You ,might need to clear data in an app here or there if they force close.... or if it's too much then yeah, Odin back to KitKat and restore the desired components of the backup.

YrrchSebor said:
Yeah, if you put the backup folder in the right directory, which is either internal or external sdxard/TWRP/BACKUPS/serial #/, you could restore just the data at least and it ought to be mostly ok. You ,might need to clear data in an app here or there if they force close.... or if it's too much then yeah, Odin back to KitKat and restore the desired components of the backup.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for this, i double checked we had it in the right directory, but it still failed. At first it said something about a missing md5, but i tried again and i was able to get the log for the failure though. (attached below)

Hmm, I looked at the logs trying to make sure you chose to Restore in TWRP and not Install. If so it's possible the backup could have gotten altered or corrupted in the transferring back and forth. If you get it intact as it was, it SHOULD work, but I'm but sure what else to do at the moment. I hope you get it working

Sorry for the delay
Hey Everyone,
Sorry for the delay its been a long week, bad thing after bad thing kept happening. I was able to try your suggestions and i put together some additional information in hope this might help us try and figure it out.
*I must figure out how to recover, texts, contacts, call locks. My default texting app was google messenger.
So I figured I would start with the phone
I am using a Samsung SM-910T on 4.4.4 (build *ANK4) It was pretty Vanilla -> rooted, but running the stock ROM
1. The phone was set to do a full internal backup nightly using the online nandroid backup (by H3r3T1L)
2. Backups were set to be in TWRP backup format and to save to an external SD card, then to compress before being uploaded to google drive
3. Backups were set to delete from SD card after the upload was finished.
What happened
1. When stock 5.0.1 firmware OTA came out i was trying to dismiss the notification but apparently hit "accept" by mistake, causing the system to crash.
2. While restoring the phone, i attempted to download the most recent backup from the google drive and flash the zip to restore my data.
3. This Zip would not install, and i noticed all of the backups uploaded had the same anomally-a few of the files were 0 bytes
4. I downgraded the phone to ANK4 based on the above recommendation but it has made no difference.
5. I still get updated binary error and each time i flash the zip, my OS gets wiped.
6. I have tried instructions to just unzip and flash , to put zips in twrp backup folder, to build new file with meta-inf, etc. and nothing seems to work.
When the SD card got deleted I was able to retrieve some data from the deleted SD card, but don't know where the text messages are located or how to combine them back into a usable format. Or at the very least be able to extract the SMS/MMS history.
I hope this extra information helps. In any way im am desperate to try and fix this for my wife.

I believe you can use Titanium Backup to extract files from a TWRP image. If you can't extract anything from the backup it's either corrupted, in the wrong place, or in the wrong form - that is due to the compression decompression not being compatible (all zip programs are not equal). Best of luck.
BTW, you must restore TWRP files not install them.
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