Database Develop

New to Hero, have a few questions

So I know to remove all the HTC and Sprint software I'm supposed to need root.
Now, I don't need to load a custom ROM correct? I can just get root and then remove?
Also, I should be able to use nandroid to take a backup or the current state of my phone if I wish to revert back?

Mattchewie said:
So I know to remove all the HTC and Sprint software I'm supposed to need root.
Now, I don't need to load a custom ROM correct? I can just get root and then remove?
Also, I should be able to use nandroid to take a backup or the current state of my phone if I wish to revert back?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes to all questions.
Its up to you if you want a ROM or not. But if you root, and would like future updates, you would have to flash a ROM that incorporates the updates, such as the long awaited 2.0 or 2.1; the other alternative is to un-root to update. The only caveat to that is the exploit may be patched with the update.
After you root, take a nandroid backup in case you remove something important. You'll go back to the stage after rooting but prior to removing applications and such.

esoteric1311 said:
Yes to all questions.
Its up to you if you want a ROM or not. But if you root, and would like future updates, you would have to flash a ROM that incorporates the updates, such as the long awaited 2.0 or 2.1; the other alternative is to un-root to update. The only caveat to that is the exploit may be patched with the update.
After you root, take a nandroid backup in case you remove something important. You'll go back to the stage after rooting but prior to removing applications and such.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for the quick reply esoteric!
That pretty much answers most of my questions! I was going to use directions from "the unlockr". Would the community suggest this as a good source or is there a more suitable link here on xda?

unlockr is a great step by step guide to follow. There are also a few guides on here. If you like visual aid Unlockr has great videos.

guide
You could probably just use the search feature, but this guide should have the info you need to remove the bloatware. Guide here. Not to proselytize for using a ROM, but some at least optimize the sprint apps if you do want to keep any. I know Freshrom does for sure.
Cheers.

[Q] Nandroid backup

Hi all
Is Nandroid backing up all the apps I've got at that moment? Or it just saves system files?
Like a complete and exact "photo" or are there things that I should do on my own if I mean to recover exactly as it was...
I assume that no wipe is necessary...
Thanks!

What's the truth about Nandroid backup?!
i guess there's no need to open a new topic, because i got kinda the same question
before you guys start to redirect me to the "search" function, i want to assure you that i have been using it, but i have found myself in a very strange situation, one question, two different answers... and because i'm new to the whole root stuff, i want to learn everything correctly before starting to make modifications to my phone
The question is: Nandroid backup, does it also back up the kernel or not?
I mean, if i root and install a custom rom that also comes with a custom kernel, will i be able to use my previous Nandroid backup to restore my phone to the old rom & kernel?
Searching the forums, i have found 2 totally different answers!
Answer 1: Nandroid does not backup the kernel: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=806340
Answer 2: Nandroid does backup the kernel: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=844352
So, please make me and all of us root noobs understand once and for all, does it backup the kernel or not?, will we be able to restore from a custom rom+kernel in case we need to?

and does it backup apps?

OK...As I understand it....
What does Nandroid Backup?
The ROM Itself..Obviously.
All your system settings, emails, SMSes, etc
All the Apps you have installed, so no need for TB
The Kernel you have installed (though there is controversy about this, and to be honest, I have never restored a nandroid backup when I had a different kernel already installed...however it really doesn't matter since kernels are easy to flash)
What does Nandroid NOT backup - This is VERY IMPORTANT
The modem (not a big deal)
The File System setting (A BIG DEAL)
This I think is where the confusion arises concerning the kernel being included in the nandroid backup. For many people the kernel is all about the lagfix. If you have installed a lagfix on your phone via the kernel, say changing the file system to Ext4, and then flash a Nandroid backup that includes a stock kernel or other kernel that does NOT support Ext4, you are in for a world of hurt...and in this case hurt means endless bootloops.
The way you avoid this is, if you need to flash a Nandroid with a kernel that does not support your lagfix...go into recovery, disable whatever lagfix, tell it when it asks that you wish to REBOOT INTO RECOVERY after the change....then flash the nandroid you wish.
This is why it is very important to keep regular nandroid backups, and to wait and see if a ROM/Kernel are stable for you before applying lagfixes or other tweaks.

So, let me see if i got this right, Nandroid does backup up my current kernel along with my rom, but if i apply any changes (lagfix) to my kernel afterwards or change it with a custom one with lagfix, nandroid won't be able to restore it anymore...
so the whole problem here is that nandroid is not able to backup / restore The File System setting, this being the rfs / ext4 transition
If this is the case, it seems that the Nandroid type backup is not as powerful as i thought, you can't really change from one rom to another in just a few clicks, but then again i guess that all the customs roms already come with some type of lagfix and you can make a nandroid restore between them, the problem would be when you want to revert back to a stock kernel, then you'll have to disable the lagfixes or simply flash a stock kernel and then restore the stock nandroid backup
so, i got this right guys?

maranello69 said:
So, let me see if i got this right, Nandroid does backup up my current kernel along with my rom, but if i apply any changes (lagfix) to my kernel afterwards or change it with a custom one with lagfix, nandroid won't be able to restore it anymore...
so the whole problem here is that nandroid is not able to backup / restore The File System setting, this being the rfs / ext4 transition
If this is the case, it seems that the Nandroid type backup is not as powerful as i thought, you can't really change from one rom to another in just a few clicks, but then again i guess that all the customs roms already come with some type of lagfix and you can make a nandroid restore between them, the problem would be when you want to revert back to a stock kernel, then you'll have to disable the lagfixes or simply flash a stock kernel and then restore the stock nandroid backup
so, i got this right guys?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes as I understand it.
You see Nandroid can't convert your file system or change anything, all it can do is flash a disc image onto your phone. If that image can work with your file system, you are golden. If not, it is like flashing a Mac OS image onto a Windows machine....nothing will work right.
However the good news is that most custom kernels support Ext4...so really the only problem comes when you try to flash back to a stock image...or vice versa.

got it then, thanks for your answers
and, if i still got your attention, maybe one more question
i just downloaded a stock firmware from samfirmwares.com, and all i got is a .tar file, can i use it somehow to flash just the kernel from it or i have to flash the whole firmware?
if i flash the whole firmware, will it also change my PHONE and CSC?, because the .tar file must be put just in the PDA section in odin

maranello69 said:
got it then, thanks for your answers
and, if i still got your attention, maybe one more question
i just downloaded a stock firmware from samfirmwares.com, and all i got is a .tar file, can i use it somehow to flash just the kernel from it or i have to flash the whole firmware?
if i flash the whole firmware, will it also change my PHONE and CSC?, because the .tar file must be put just in the PDA section in odin
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, it will flash the PDA, csc, modem and kernel...the whole shooting match. The single file firmwares are designed like that to avoid mismatches and issues. Once you flash it, flash a kernel that supports cwm (I suggest speedmod or something by CHAINFIRE) via odin, then flash a new csc and modem if you wish from recovery.
Remember that installing a new csc will do a factory reset so do it before reinstalling apps.
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA Premium App

great stuff man
finally i got enough info and i can start my root & flash procedure, guess i'll also learn a few other tricks along the way, this community is definetly the place to be if you want to learn how to "really use" your device
the whole info about the issues with the Nandroid type backup should be integrated in one of those massive info topics, so the root noobs like me know what they're dealing with

maranello69 said:
great stuff man
finally i got enough info and i can start my root & flash procedure, guess i'll also learn a few other tricks along the way, this community is definetly the place to be if you want to learn how to "really use" your device
the whole info about the issues with the Nandroid type backup should be integrated in one of those massive info topics, so the root noobs like me know what they're dealing with
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good luck
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA Premium App

Hey guys i actually used the search button (yay) and this is definitely the most informative one regarding the topic.
However i still have one more question: does it backup files and folders as well? Ie. my Nexus S storage is mainly used up by my videos and music (about 7-10GB) which are in their own folders and not tied to any apps in particular. Hence if it does include those i wouldn't have enough storage space to create a nandroid backup am i right?
Edit: thanks to the search button i didn't realise that i posted on a Galaxy S forum please forgive me, the question should still be relevant to the topic though

frenccw said:
Hey guys i actually used the search button (yay) and this is definitely the most informative one regarding the topic.
However i still have one more question: does it backup files and folders as well? Ie. my Nexus S storage is mainly used up by my videos and music (about 7-10GB) which are in their own folders and not tied to any apps in particular. Hence if it does include those i wouldn't have enough storage space to create a nandroid backup am i right?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As I understand it, it does save folders and files, so yes if you have large data folders on your internal SD it will make GIGANTIC nandroid backups. You may want to store such files one your external SD.
I know that there is a version of CWM that does not backup /data/media in Nandroid on the Galaxy Tab 10.1...perhaps there is something similar that I don't know about for Galaxy phones. Does anyone know?

Newbie Back up question

I just purchased a N7000 and am waiting for delivery. I'm fairly new to Samsung Phones and this will be my first GSM phone.
What is the best way to backup the stock, unrooted image and /EFS? I did do a search and nothing specific to the Note came up and I would have thought the Wiki would have included something but I didn't see it. In the past I would have looked for block devices and just dd the partitions over to my PC. Does this hold true for Samsungs? Is there an easier way to do it from Odin?
I would appreciate any links and insights on starting my Note experience on the right foot.
Thanks

gedster314 said:
I just purchased a N7000 and am waiting for delivery. I'm fairly new to Samsung Phones and this will be my first GSM phone.
What is the best way to backup the stock, unrooted image and /EFS? I did do a search and nothing specific to the Note came up and I would have thought the Wiki would have included something but I didn't see it. In the past I would have looked for block devices and just dd the partitions over to my PC. Does this hold true for Samsungs? Is there an easier way to do it from Odin?
I would appreciate any links and insights on starting my Note experience on the right foot.
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can do virtually nothing of the above unless your Note is rooted. However, once you get root permission, you can
1. backup your complete system from ClockworkMod Recovery (so-called nandroid backup)
2. backup all the apps you install and their data with Titanium Backup or some other backup app
3. backup EFS with EFS Pro
But you don't actually have to backup your stock Rom at all. There's tons of them here at XDA, and all of them are easily flashable via PC Odin. The only thing you stand to lose if something bad happens is your apps, and that's not the end of the world. You can always reinstall them manually, it's no biggie.
Hope this helps.

Thanks, I new about rooting and nandroid. EFS backup is new to me. How are these posted unrooted stock images being created? Are they just updates or are people pulling them from phones? If they are pulling them from a phones, that's what I am looking to learn how todo.
I use to have Nook Color and backing up without rooting could be done but in that case your could boot into ClockWork from a bootable sdcard. Too bad phone Manufacturers are not so nice to allow booting from an sdcard.

[Q] What precautions to take before rooting?

Hello Guys, I was thinking to root my phone and install JellyBlast Rom. Can you please tell me ALL the precautions I should take before rooting my phone (with tutorial link)? I heard that we have to flash a file to make a FULL backup and other things. And will it be safe to install JellyBlast Rom? Is it working?

Sahaj Jain said:
Hello Guys, I was thinking to root my phone and install JellyBlast Rom. Can you please tell me ALL the precautions I should take before rooting my phone (with tutorial link)? I heard that we have to flash a file to make a FULL backup and other things. And will it be safe to install JellyBlast Rom? Is it working?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
See the first post in this thread for all the instructions and files you will need:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1551156
If you are thinking of flashing custom ROMs then yes, I would personally make a "Full backup with CWM to ODIN format" of your firmware. This will back up everything including your IMEI number which can sometimes go missing.
If you wish you can also make a partial backup with Clockwork Mod Recovery and use the Galaxy Toolbox app, available in Play Store, to make a backup of your IMEI number. These are easier and more convenient when it comes to restoring.
Just follow the instructions carefully and the rooting will go just fine, its not that risky. Which JellyBlast Rom, there's two now? They're both quite new so you may want to wait a short while for others to give their feedback. You almost certainly won't hard-brick (unrecoverable) your phone by flashing a ROM for the correct model of phone but soft-bricks can sometimes happen.

Thanks!
Thanks a lot, Bro. I will make both backups to be safe. I didn't like the Simpilicity Jellyblast, But I liked the JellyBlast V3.0.3 one, But which firmware is better XXLI (In Simpilicty) or VJKL4 (In V3.0.3), I think XXLI is better because it is the latest firmware in my Country (India). What do you think? Can you suggest any other Rom? Is Pimp My Rom mod safe to use on our phone? It makes phone faster right?
EDIT: I made a Full backup. Now I have 6 Files on my SDCARD that CWM_BackUP_FW_ODIN.zip made:
bml15_EFS.img
PDA_S5830C.tar
CSC_S5830C.tar
BOOT_S5830C.tar
CSC_S5830C_clean.tar
PHONE_S5830C.tar
Now if I soft brick my phone can I use these files? If yes then which of these? Because ODIN Has only 4 option and here are 6 files.

No problem. I would have thought you would have been OK with either firmware but someone else might be able to give you a better answer on that. Yeah XXLI is the latest firmware available anywhere.
I'm using the AceCream v1.4 ROM at the moment, its stable, very fast and stylish but I'm not sure whether its still being actively developed. It depends what you're looking for, take at look here and follow the links:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=30731157&postcount=2
Yeah you can use these files to restore via Odin in Download Mode:
PDA_S5830C.tar
CSC_S5830C.tar
BOOT_S5830C.tar
PHONE_S5830C.tar
I think CSC_S5830C_clean.tar is a generic, possibly empty CSC image, not an actual backup, you can probably swap this for CSC_5830C.tar if you ever want to clear your Consumer Software Customization data.
bml15_EFS.img contains your IMEI and network/region lock info. You can't flash this with Odin, you would have to do it manually via command line but you're better using Galaxy Toolbox to be honest.
I think Pimp My Rom works but may not work straight 'out of the box', Adrenaline Engine also works and is included in some of the custom ROMs. For both of those you'll want/need the [email protected] S5830i custom kernel (search XDA).

Thank You a million times! I had so much confusion... Thanks again :laugh:

yes thanks to
yes thanks to

[Q] FTF backup of a "modified official rom"?

FTF backup of a "modified official rom"?
Hello everyone!!
I know it’s not the subject, but this being my first time posting here let me start by thanking all of the developers and collaborators for the great works in this community! I have already benefited from a few tutorials and files disposed here, so thanks for everything so far! :good:
Back to the subject now =)
Although I am using an official rom in my Xperia SP I made several modifications to it and I couldn’t find a similar thread involving a “modified official rom”, I only read threads describing how to make a simple FTF backup of an “untouched official rom” through SEUS, which I presume that won’t work in my case. So I hope the more experienced people can give me some directions!
My device is currently rooted and the bootloader is also unlocked through the official Sony method. I substituted the original kernel for the Inteks so that I could use cpu overclocks, removed all the bloatware and integrated some updates and a few new apps in the system through link2sd.
Now I’d like to make a backup of this modified rom before I flash new roms to the device. For what I understood so far, the recovery nandroid backup system will save everything, including installed apps and configurations, right? I’d like to make just a simple rom backup.
I’m afraid that this nandroid “full backup” could decrease the performance after restoration. If I perform a factory reset prior to the nandroid backup, could it minimize the chances of having problems after restoration?
I’m asking this in case there is no manner to create a .ftf file… And, what you guys think about both types of backup, am I getting the wrong impression about nandroid or .ftf files are really better and/or safer??
The current recovery installed in my Neo is “CWM-based Recovery v6.xxx
Should I update it? And if it’s the case, how should I do it??
Is my device really incompatible with Rom Manager, or that message I got was because of the old recovery version installed in my Neo??
(I read about this kind of incompatibility with some devices, just wanna check if it’s the case with my phone and if there is a new recovery for Xperia Neo that is compatible with Rom Manager)
Sorry about the long text and so many questions in a single post, but I really want to understand more about this stuff, all the changes in my phone were done separately during more than a year, so I am not much used to these procedures.
I would appreciate any help! Thanks for the attention!!

niyas0 said:
FTF backup of a "modified official rom"?
Hello everyone!!
I know it’s not the subject, but this being my first time posting here let me start by thanking all of the developers and collaborators for the great works in this community! I have already benefited from a few tutorials and files disposed here, so thanks for everything so far! :good:
Back to the subject now =)
Although I am using an official rom in my Xperia SP I made several modifications to it and I couldn’t find a similar thread involving a “modified official rom”, I only read threads describing how to make a simple FTF backup of an “untouched official rom” through SEUS, which I presume that won’t work in my case. So I hope the more experienced people can give me some directions!
My device is currently rooted and the bootloader is also unlocked through the official Sony method. I substituted the original kernel for the Inteks so that I could use cpu overclocks, removed all the bloatware and integrated some updates and a few new apps in the system through link2sd.
Now I’d like to make a backup of this modified rom before I flash new roms to the device. For what I understood so far, the recovery nandroid backup system will save everything, including installed apps and configurations, right? I’d like to make just a simple rom backup.
I’m afraid that this nandroid “full backup” could decrease the performance after restoration. If I perform a factory reset prior to the nandroid backup, could it minimize the chances of having problems after restoration?
I’m asking this in case there is no manner to create a .ftf file… And, what you guys think about both types of backup, am I getting the wrong impression about nandroid or .ftf files are really better and/or safer??
The current recovery installed in my Neo is “CWM-based Recovery v6.xxx
Should I update it? And if it’s the case, how should I do it??
Is my device really incompatible with Rom Manager, or that message I got was because of the old recovery version installed in my Neo??
(I read about this kind of incompatibility with some devices, just wanna check if it’s the case with my phone and if there is a new recovery for Xperia Neo that is compatible with Rom Manager)
Sorry about the long text and so many questions in a single post, but I really want to understand more about this stuff, all the changes in my phone were done separately during more than a year, so I am not much used to these procedures.
I would appreciate any help! Thanks for the attention!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I always use nandroid backup's if I'm in a bootloop, and they always helped me and I never had problems with them. An .ftf file is quite awkward to make and if you only want to have a backup I definetely recommend nandroid backup's. If you only want to backup your data (apps you downloaded, and their data) I prefer and recommend Titanium Backup. I advise against from using a .ftf file as a backup. Nandroid backup's are safe and you don't need to worry
If you only need your backup you don't need to update your CWM recovery