How to keep (some) settings between reflashes? - G 2014 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Say I want to ...
try out various images, e.g. CM or RessurrecionRemix
try out different .ZIP updates to them, e.g. various options of TK GApps
experiment with self written rules for TK's "Universal Application Remover"
Obviously this mean that I'll wiping my partitions all the time. And all settings will be lost. But then I'd would have to re-enter and re-enter things like my WLAN passphrase, or my google account.
Q: Is there a thread somewhere that explains how to save important things and provide them in a .ZIP file for TWRP?

Hi, Do you ever use Titanium Backup? Even if you feel the need to fully format your device, you can move your backed up apps as well as all your account login data, + WiFi/Bluetooth pairings onto your computer, a private server, the Cloud... You can create a recovery flashable zip of the Titanium BU app and easily transfer/restore your backups onto your device, restore everything without being logged into your Google account, reboot, profit! (= Shreds set up time, automates the dreaded part of having to set up over & over again.
I should mention all of your accounts login data is considered system-side and is the only system data from a previous ROM that is safe to restore. Do not restore system apps, e.g. a gapps included app.
Once you restore your apps+data, Accounts, WiFi configs, BT pairings, APNS (if you like), reboot your device and you're ready to roll. Check Settings -> Accounts and you'll find you can save a lot of time whenever you want to test a new or different ROM.
Sent from my Nexus 6

Related

App backup and restore issue

Hello.
I wanted to start my N1 from scratch in terms of apps and such, so I did a factory reset, but after signing in with m google account, it started to restore my previous apps. Is there anyway to stop that from downloading the apps again?
Thanks in advance.
- Havoc
When you first sign in, after the push the droid, there should be a few check boxes that say something about backup and restore.
You could also test out if you uninstall the applications before you wipe the phone and leave the download tab in the market (could take a day or so) your account will no longer remember those applications and not try to reinstall any of them.
The method evilkorn describes does not always work, at least not for me.
Here is what I do, which works every time:
1. When you are first given the option to enter your google account, click skip.
2. Leave the syncing and backup options enabled if you wish, they won't affect the auto-restore for this session.
3. Once you get to your homescreen, launch Gmail and enter in your Google account information.
Now you should be good to go without any restored applications.
Settings --> privacy --> uncheck "backup..."

[Q] Proper way to do a Titanium Backup

Ok I keep seeing people sayiing to backup apps+data but be careful about system data. Well every time I do an upgrd to the new sre and restore my titbu and I am constantly having to redo my gmail stuff and isp email stuff. I have accounts checked in the backup section.
Can someone that does stuff like this regularly post like a nice simple howto with good steps as to what to check in titbu so that doing something in titbu doesn't bork something when we flash the new sre. Its getting old having to put my gmail info and isp info in every flash to get that stuff back.
So a 104 views and not one offer of help. Well guess I take that as noone knows much about titanium backup to help a poor soul
New to Android myself (2 days), and I am using TiBU as well (seems to be everyone's favorite for now). I had the same Q you did and basically went off the list on the developer's page for the app:
http://matrixrewriter.com/android/
Here is a partial copy/paste from that site so we keep the pertinent instructions here in this thread anyway:
Tips & Suggestions for using Titanium Backup:
When you start Titanium Backup on a new ROM, if you have any doubt about your busybox version, it is highly recommended that you click the "Problems?" button before doing any backup or restore !
Don't forget to verify your backups (Click MENU - Batch) to ensure that your backups are OK.
You need to reboot after restoring system items (eg: Contacts, SMS, Settings, etc) for the changes to take effect. If you backup/restore across very different ROMs, I advise to be cautious and only include the system items you really need to preserve.
You can easily create a custom apps list by creating a Label in Apps Organizer, then going back to Titanium Backup, clicking "MENU" and then "Filters" and finally, selecting the Label you want. Your apps list will then be filtered just the way you want
If you backup the same app several times, Titanium Backup will save SD card space by storing each apk version only once.
After restoring your apps, you can run the Market Doctor to verify their Market links. If Market Doctor reports everything as okay, yet your apps are still not listed in "My Downloads", try to search for them in the Market. If they show as "Installed", it confirms that the links are okay, but your Market needs a refresh: just install any app from the Market, and the "My Downloads" section will be refreshed !
If you want to remove a system app, first you can try to freeze it and see if everything still works fine. Once you've gained more confidence that you don't need it, just go ahead and un-install that system app.
How to make your first backup:
- Thanks seanowns / xda-developers
Verify that Titanium Backup has started without warning and that your busybox is OK
Click the Backup/Restore tab
Click Menu (the button), Batch
Click "Backup all user apps"
Let it run, then go back
Individually backup the system data you want. That is most green-colored items. This will be bookmarks, call log, calendar, launcher, WiFi, etc.
Now your backups are in the "TitaniumBackup" directory on your SD card.
How to restore your backups after installing a ROM (if you wiped your phone):
Download Titanium Backup from Market
Click the Backup/Restore tab
Click Menu (the button), Batch
Click "Restore all missing apps + system data
Reboot your phone
It's done ! The only thing you may have to adjust is usually your wallpaper/widgets.

[Q] Best Practices (Titanium Backup, CM7)

OK, so I have CM build #34 and Titanium Backup Pro installed on my Nexus One with all of my apps apps and settings backed up and synced to Dropbox. I also use ROM Manager Premium for handling my CM7 nighties.
I have tried different variations of wiping data and cache\installing Google Apps\restoring all apps and settings with Titanium Backup but I think I am doing something wrong as I usually end up having to enter login and password information on a lot of my apps (once I get them back on my phone).
If my plan is to update to the latest CM7 version every night, what are the proper steps to do so?
Here is what I think I should do:
1. Back up all apps and settings using Titanium Pro
2. Download latest CM7 version
3. When ROM Manager asks if I want to download Google Apps, I check YES
4. After the download is complete, ROM Manager asks if I would like to Backup Existing ROM (I leave unchecked) and Wipe Date and Cache (I only check this if I am having major issues with the CM7 nightie)
5. ROM loads, phone reboots
(Here is where I start getting really confused)
6. Google asks me to sign in. I skip the sign in
7. Join wireless
8. Restore all apps and settings from Titanium Backup
9. Google keeps on asking me to sign in with my Google account.
10 I sign in and usually have issues with Twitter, work email (Exchange), Facebook, etc. Some apps that I know I had installed and configured do not show up but when I go to the Market they show as Purchased and I have to re-download them. Later when I have Twitter and Facebook configured, if I go to Settings> Accounts and Sync, it only shows Gmail and my work email (no Facebook or Twitter). If I try adding Facebook and Twitter, it never goes to the sign in screen. I can back out and see and use Facebook and Twitter on my home screen though.
Questions:
If I am downloading only CM7 nighties, should I download and install Google Apps every night (why else would ROM Manager prompt me for it and include it with every CM7 nightie)?
When using Titanium Backup, should I still sign in to my Google account on my phone or just skip it and restore all settings, apps and data?
Can someone lay out an easy step-by-step best way to accomplish what I am attempting? I think this would help a lot of novice users who want to experience the awesome custom ROMs that are floating around.
Thank you all for your time and effort!
Going from one nightly to another, you do not need to wipe anything.
evilkorn said:
Going from one nightly to another, you do not need to wipe anything.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Then why do I have do I have to keep re-entering all types of logins after upgrading to a new CM7 nightie ?
You say not to wipe data and cache. What about the rest of my post? Any other advice?
Just flashover the top of what u got
Sent from my Nexus One using XDA App
You should try logging in to Google first before restoring your apps with Titanium Backup. Then reboot. Usually that will restore the list of apps that you installed in the Market.
If not, then clear your market data and cache and do a reboot again.
So I always should install Google Apps every time I get prompted by ROM Manager just before I start installing a nightie? Then just flash the new CM7 version without wiping Data and Cache?
I didn't say anything about flashing gapps again, just flash the newer nightly over your old nightly.
evilkorn said:
I didn't say anything about flashing gapps again, just flash the newer nightly over your old nightly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OK, tried what you said (not flashing gapps) and just flashed to the newest CM7 nightie. I also did not delete Data and Cache. Now the Market, Talk, Car Home, Voice (looks like all the Google apps) do not work. I'm getting pop ups stating that I need to sign in to my Google account but when I go to Settings>Accounts and Sync, There is no option for me to add my Google credentials. I see nothing except corporate email and FaceBook (no Twitter Either---and I have that installed).
That is why I was asking earlier if I should get the gapps every time I flash to a new nightly build. Every time I don't download Google Apps along with the CM7 nightie, I always loose a ton of settings and functionality along with not having access to all of my Google Apps.
Btw, I did a full restore of Titanium Backup Pro (all apps and data) after I flashed to the new CM7 nightie b/c of the problem stated earlier in this post.
Any thoughts?
I have no idea what is going wrong then.
Every few days I download the nightly, flash it without any wipes right over top of my current system, and use my phone. All settings stay working, I haven't flashed gapps for a long while now.
It is pretty much a one step process for me. It sounds like there is some sort of strange wiping going on for you though.
I had this issue when I used ROM Manager to download the ROM.
Here's what to do, just download the nightly from this link,
http://mirror1.kanged.net/nightly/passion/
Then use ROM Manager to install from zip, don't wipe or clear anything.
This will let you flash it over with no issues.
Ah, that could very well be it. I am always downloading it manually and flashing from it manually in Rom Manager.
Clarkster said:
Ah, that could very well be it. I am always downloading it manually and flashing from it manually in Rom Manager.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah I do not know why it is doing this. But oh well lol.
Sent from my Nexus One using XDA App
after you flash the new nightly build on top of your current, are you restoring anything via Titanium?
When restoring system data, i found that the order in which its restored makes the difference between things working and not.
I had a similar problem a while back... after a complete wipe and fresh install of CM + Gapps i used TB to restore everything including system app data. after the restore, everything looked OK. If i was to check settings/accounts & sync, everything was there correctly. But when I tried to run a system app, I'd have nothing but problems..(G-Talk & Latitude wouldnt log in, Market was jerked, Gmail would FC...FB and twitter would keep asking for my password..etc). The way I got it to work was to wipe all system data, then in a logical order, restore it again one app at a time with a reboot between each restore.
Its alot easier to just manually enter all account info. Then use TB (if needed) to restore things like FB, Twitter, Wifi & BT settings.
Not sure if this is what you were looking for, but typing this made the bus ride home alot quicker.
~~Louie

[Q]Pre-ROM flash checklist

There's so much info in here it can be hard to take it all in. Many posters make it sound like flashing a ROM is such an easy thing to do, but I keep seeing posts from those who run into one problem or another after the process. Could someone please provide a list of anything and everything that should be done BEFORE flashing to prevent any issues with the phone? Things like writing down Market IDs and where to find it, removing any apps that might conflict, changing any setting that might cause a problem, writing down any settings that get erased by flashing...anything that needs to be considered before flashing a ROM. Thanks.
The most important thing is backups (contacts, apps, etc...) Titanium Backup is the best at it, and really worth buying the pro version.
From what I've read market IDs are arbitrary and dont really do much.
Just make sure you watch videos of what you want to do at least 2 times before starting anything.
Well main thing with issues is try stock and reflash. If you prefer not to...... in recovery do a wipe cache/factory reset. Then wipe cache partition. Then wipe delvic cache. Should be golden if not reflash
Android id changer you get android id
Backup all user apps only with titanium
Export contacts to external sd or sim
Make sure toy can get into recovery and dl mode
Know your build number,.located under battery, something like 1008
Backup (Nandroid) --> Make sure you have enough battery --> Flashback to JF6 for 2e recovery --> Flash new rom --> Restore backup
LOL. you guys are just going to confuse him more, because everyone has a different 'check list'
his head might explode after reading everything here
Bread
Eggs
Milk
Nandroid
Alcohol, large quantities
Seriously I have seen you around. You will be fine, flash away, read all suggestions, ask questions as they pop up
My actual list of everything:
Phone: Write down Android ID and IMEI #'s (just in case)
Phone: download SGS Tools and run script to back up efs directory
Phone: Backup all apps with Titanium backup
Laptop and Phone: Copy full directory structure of internal and external cards to the D: drive (second partition on my computer)
Laptop: Create the Rom, adding modem.bin (modem) and zImage (kernel) of choice
Laptop: Add Apps that won't be restored by Titanium to the Rom
Phone: Remove external sd card
Skip: Start Odin
Phone: Get in download mode
Skip and Phone: Reload stock, with wipe
Laptop and Phone: One-click root
Laptop and Phone: load cwm update.zip to /sdcard
Phone: Reboot into recovery (green text)
Phone: Flash the update (install zip on sdcard)
Phone: Transfer TIBU backups to phone
Phone: Restore apps in TIBU (not system data), then GoLauncherEX
Phone: Add mods of choice (circle battery, for example)
Phone: Update with any JPY theme (for me - Serendipity)
Phone: Check to make sure I have the unthemed Swype, Black Gmail
(http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=911093), original email
Phone: Recreate look and feel
Phone: Go through settings, including advanced WIFI menu, ensuring I have them set as I want
My checklist
My Pre-Rom flash Backups checklist:
I do these activities in the late night, mostly on weekends as the phone goes off coverage in a few of those long running steps.
These can take long depending on your phone/laptop's horsepower.
My phone is already rooted. Some steps will not apply to not yet rooted phone. So one will need to first root it.
1. 2 separate full Nandroid BKPs; I use TWRP; Keep them both in Laptop and external HD.
2. Firefox tabs sync to Firefox on Laptop (Do something similar to other browsers.)
3. Contacts, Swype etc syncs, Whatsapp photos etc. Google contacts sync issues can be first fixed using 'Contacts sync fix' app.
Move 2-step verification code generator to a new device or have a copy of the backup codes ready for restoring into the new ROM.
4. ROM Tool Box 'backup phone data'
5. TIBU XML backup basic phone data like Call logs, SMS, contacts, settings. Same as RTB above.
6. TIBU full app backups (user app+data, System apps)
7. RTB full app backups (user app+data, System apps)
8. creating update.zip using RTB ZipMe or similar app
9. Finally, Internal/External card backups. Make sure they contain any/all of the above backups if done there.
(I do this with a few folders at a time, instead of bulk, all or none approach that mostly fails especially with the internal card which tends to be slowly copied from)
I sometimes send some of the smaller backups like XMLs to the cloud for ease of use later.
10. Everything above properly in place, I go ahead with the data wipes.

CM7 wipe/reset contacts etc

I just flashed cm7 after a full wipe. Now I put all programs that i wanted to keep on my SD card, but i did lose all contacts (i backed up so no prb). I intentionally did not install the gapps and was trying to only install the market apk so that i could install the gapps manually ensuring they will update later.
how should i handle this? i dont have titanium backup or something, does that work? because I DO want to execute a good full wipe, but obviously I want important data like, sms's; contacts etc to be saved and automatically imported after i flashed cm7
if i transfered a program, for example barcodescanner to SD-card via the manage menu from settings, is that enough to get it back after wiping/factory reset? so I just use the OI file explorer and install the apk... I assume all the apk's are findable, because I am now restoring, so I cannot check, but the whatsapp apk was there and installing worked.
when the above indeed works, does that automatically ensure market updates? or will the programs appear as not yet installed in the market? that will be nasty for some paid apps.
and once again. can I, after a full wipe and flashing cm7, install the market apk from here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=10527774&postcount=1993
and then just install the gapps from the market? i want that because i could never update google-apps
Hope someone can help me out with these questions, shouldnt be to hard i hope.
edit; I now see that the apk's are not there. I just tried installing whatsapp after flashing cm7 and the apk was there, but apparently that was just about the only program which had a apk in its folder.
one: a wipe deletes the apps on the sd card as well.. so you won't have apps from the old rom on a new one.... use titanium backup.. it DOES work..
two: gapps is better if you *flash* it with the rom.. and they sure get updated.. (if not then you could use rom manager and download the latest gapps update in a zip)
edit: you could even make an update.zip with titanium backup having all the necessary apps that way it would be easier and as you say - automatic..
Sent from my Nexus One
Contacts are synced using Google cloud sync, built in Android. So is Gmail. So is Google calendar.
Everything else is erased, and kept nowhere. Moving apps to SD won't do a thing for you.
Use Titanium Backup for apps and their data, SMS Backup&restore for SMS, APN backup&restore for APN (if you had to enter one manually), Call backup & restore for call log.

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