Root Changes to cwm backup scared the hell out of me..

[thecdn]

I'm doing the research and getting ready to try out new roms on my new N7. One of the first steps is of course doing a nandroid backup so recovering if (when?) something goes wrong won't be too painful.

I've done three nandroid backups over the last week, an initial one and as I've added more stuff. When I looked at the backup directories today I realized they ranged in size from 21.3 to 21.5mbs. What?!?! From my experience with a Nook Color and LG Esteem I expected them to be much bigger than that.

So I hit the google and found out that koush has made major changes to cwm backup from version 6 onward - https://plus.google.com/103583939320326217147/posts/L5aVZe7C9vg

Basically, besides the normal /clockworkmod/backup with the individual backups there is also /clockworkmod/blobs - with a zillion small files. CWM now backs up incrementally, when it runs it checks to see if a file has already been backed up and skips it if it has. Only making a new file in the blobs folder if something is new or has changed.

My /blobs folder is about is about 2.3g right now and probably won't get that much bigger as I add things bit by bit over time. Whereas in the past each backup would be the size of the previous one plus whatever you added in the interim. My Nook Color backup folders are approaching 2.5g each using the old cwm.

Anyway, thought I would share this so that others won't start wondering if their nandroid backups are working properly.

 

[colchiro]

So what happens if you decide to delete the oldest nandroid? Sounds like a recipe for disaster to me.

You're on a new tablet and don't have months of backups... time to flash TWRP and not look back. (Turn on compression while you're at it too.)

 

[thecdn]

So what happens if you decide to delete the oldest nandroid? Sounds like a recipe for disaster to me.

From what I read, when you delete the oldest backup, the next time the backup runs it will delete any blob that was used exclusively by that nandroid.

You're on a new tablet and don't have months of backups... time to flash TWRP and not look back. (Turn on compression while you're at it too.)

What are the advantages of TWRP over CWM? There would be no negative effects using the Nexus Toolkit to install TWRP on top of CWM? The nandroid backup of the stock system I have with CWM wouldn't work anymore would it?

Yes, I've already flashed BAMF Paradigm (with Trinity kernel) on my N7. The flash and titanium restore of approx 90 apps with data was amazingly fast compared to the Nook Color. I can see checking out a number of the other roms at this rate. This is such a sweet piece of kit.

 

[colchiro]

TWRP and CWM backups are not interchangeable, but it's easy to flash the other recovery, if you HAD to use an old backup.

TWRP is supported by Goo Manager, which has a lot of dev support and every TWRP supports touch screens. TWRP also has a file manager. CWM is supported by Rom Manager.

I still have the touch version of CWM on my little Galaxy Nexus screen, but everything else (all tablets) uses TWRP.

 

[Atma]

What are the advantages of TWRP over CWM? There would be no negative effects using the Nexus Toolkit to install TWRP on top of CWM?

TWRP is so much easier to use IMO. It also gives you the option to compress nandroids.

Easiest way to install is use GooManager. There may be another way, but the way I did was to tell it to flash a rom. GM will say you need a compatible recovery. Tell it to search for one and install it and it will download and install TWRP for you.

See this thread for more TRWP info.