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/sdcard [internal storage] and system backup, finally!

syntrix

syntrix

Android Expert
I found a thread on xda, I'll link it later to give it credit, or you can search on your own.

My problem: every copy I did of the internal storage failed on files and win7 wouldn't give the file it was choking on. Also, every single sync or backup option would require the nexus to be mounted as a drive, not over mtp. Trying all this without root... really just the internal storage issues were bugging the heck out of me

Finally got this command to work for backing up the internal storage (I was forgetting the trailing slash!!!)

Assumption is latest sdk-tools and you can at least do an `adb shell`:

Code: 
adb pull /sdcard/ D:\android\nexus\backup\
The backup command actually works, too:

Code: 
adb backup -f D:\android\nexus\backup\nexus.ab -apk -shared -all
That is supposed to backup internal storage but it doesn't, hence the first command. This has been reported to backup apps, even your wallpaper settings, etc.


From what I gathered, it won't backup txt messages and widgets on the home screen. I was just really excited that there was a quick and easy way to backup the internal storage!



Additional info, and the thread that made me do a DOH about the trailing slash:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1420351
 
Anyone else tried this then rooted and gotten everything back?

I want to root but have been leery because I really don't want to loose everything.

At present there isn't a ROM (or anything else root related) I want to run badly enough to go through the pain of settnig everything back up.

TIA and good find syntrix! (If it works! ;-) )
 
text messages won't be saved.

Also on the sdcard backup, make sure the last completed lines say how many files, etc. I've had it just stop mysteriously on me.

I do use a message backup that backs them up to /sdcard, so that's just included.

reports say it works, I'm personally waiting for official 4.0.3 on VZW before I root and do any work.
 
SDK is simple. It will work rooted or non-rooted.

Not everyone wants to root, but thanks for the info! :D:D
 
Sailing_Nut said:
Anyone else tried this then rooted and gotten everything back?
Click to expand...

I just did this, although I did it through Wug's Toolkit (mentioned by Optimus Nexus).

These are actually 2 different things: the pull or push takes just the files & copies to the computer or to the device. The adb backup & adb restore does a complete backup & a complete restore. Both are supported by the Toolkit, or you could do them through the sdk. More info on backup & restore: [GUIDE] Full Phone Backup without Unlock or Root - xda-developers

You don't need to be rooted to backup/restore. You don't need to be rooted to pull. I think I read somewhere you need to be rooted to push back, though.

After rooting, I let the Google Play store do its thing to send all my apps back, then I did the restore. After the restore, I did push.

Now, honestly, I didn't really check to see what did what. It could have been that the push was unnecessary/redundant. But yes, after doing that, almost everything was the same as before the root.

What was the same after both restore & push:
  • Saved game files in my favorite game
  • Ringtones, Media, Downloads, Pictures (basically /sdcard)
  • Wallpaper (as mentioned)
  • Apps I did not get from Google Play or the Amazon Appstore
  • My alarm schedule
  • Folders, the arrangement of apps, and shortcuts (I had one to a folder within Dropbox, and another to a certain game within an Emulator. Both were functioning fine) on my launcher. [please note I use Nova Launcher.]
  • Which calendars to sync & display.
  • Developer tools - USB Debugging was still enabled.

Things that were slightly different:
  • Nova Launcher remembered where I had apps arranged, but I all of the widgets were just outlines of gray boxes. I needed to reset all of those. Relatively minor. [please note I use Nova Launcher. I think my stock launcher restored, but it's been a long time since I really used it.]
  • For awhile my Gallery could not find the restored picture files. It was fixed eventually.

Things that were forgotten:
  • Accounts monitored by Android. I needed to re-associate synced accounts - Google, Hotmail, Work, Firefox Sync, Twitter, Facebook, Dropbox, etc This is probably for the best. Certain other accounts managed by individual apps - like Amazon, Amazon MP3, Draw Something, Flipboard, Evernote (I think) were remembered by the apps.
  • Security. My pin number was gone & my lock screen was the default lock.
  • I had to reset which files played as ringtones/notifications/alarms.
  • Call logs.
  • SMS messages. (but there is a great free app I used, SMS-to-text, that converted my messages into plain text files)
  • My settings in Light Flow (but I think you can back up & restore Light Flow's settings within the app. I did not do that.)

I don't know about phone numbers saved on your phone. Save them to your Google contacts before you try this.

The relatively minor headache (I made a post about this in another thread here):
Google Music. I had about 7GB of pinned music on my phone. The files were restored, but Google Music could not read, recognize, or clear those files. In fact, Google Music could not stream or pin music (gave me the error: "Space not available" although there was tons of space on my device) until I renamed the folders those files were in. I found others on another forum who had similar symptoms/error messages and solved the problem by similar means. But now I can't delete the files. So I've got 7GB of files that Google Music can't read & I can't purge. If you use these methods, do yourself a favor and clear your Google Music cache before you back up.
 
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