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Root What exactly is a nandroid backup?
- Thread starter Ventada
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- htc evo 4g
i keep some of them on my computer. the rest i just delete them. you can do it via some kind of file explorer and delete them. you can connect to the computer and delete them that way as well.
How do you transfer nandroid backups to your comp?
Nandroid backups will be in one of two directories:
Clockwork:
/sdcard/clockworkmod/backup/
Amon RA:
/sdcard/nandroid/(unique number)/
In either of those directories (depending on whether you use CW or RA), you will find directories for each backup. Each of those directories will be named after the date/time GMT that the backup was made. A directory for a particular backup will contain img files for each partition backed up, along with a file of all the md5sums (to verify image integrity before restoring). You need to copy the entire directory for a specific backup (the directory named after the date/time) to your computer to back it up. You can move as many or as few of them as you like, as long as you copy the whole directory for each one. To restore any of them, copy the whole directory for a backup back to where ever you got it from.
basically
1)connect your phone to your computer via usb, and select disk drive on your phone.
2)when you do this a window should pop up with the contents of your sd card. locate where your nandroid are kept. i'm assuming you have clockwork mod so it should be in the folder under backup.
3)just drag the backup file you want to any folder that you have created on your computer.
4)i also name my backups as well so that i know what is what. if your a flashaholic like me you will have a lots of nandroid backups. knowing what is what will save you a lot trouble. just make sure to not use spaces or any weird symbols. ie my latest nandroid is labeled KingsUltraFroyoUnleashedWimax1.
1)connect your phone to your computer via usb, and select disk drive on your phone.
2)when you do this a window should pop up with the contents of your sd card. locate where your nandroid are kept. i'm assuming you have clockwork mod so it should be in the folder under backup.
3)just drag the backup file you want to any folder that you have created on your computer.
4)i also name my backups as well so that i know what is what. if your a flashaholic like me you will have a lots of nandroid backups. knowing what is what will save you a lot trouble. just make sure to not use spaces or any weird symbols. ie my latest nandroid is labeled KingsUltraFroyoUnleashedWimax1.
ROM Manager is a front-end for Clockwork recovery, which is just a specific custom recovery. Everything you do in ROM manager (aside from just a few things) will reboot into Clockwork, and automatically do whatever you told it to do in ROM Manager. So, if you tell ROM Manager to make a backup, it reboots into Clockwork, and makes a nandroid backup.
That being said, there is no program to make a nandroid backup. It is done from recovery. Once you've rooted, and have a custom recovery, whether it be Clockwork or Amon RA, you don't need to install any apps. You just need to reboot into recovery, and make a backup.
If you want to go back to exactly what you have now without having to change all your settings all over again, then yes, you should make a nandroid backup. Just remember that the more backups you make, the more space you take up on your card. If you make a lot of them, you'll likely run out of space quickly if you don't copy some to your computer.
surfologist87
Android Expert
I couldnt find anything in the search (on my phone and its hard to search lol)
But are nandroids cross compatible to a new phone?
Basically, that problem i was having with the phone rebooting is getting me a replacement in a few days. Sprint store just ordered it. Will i be able to transfer my nandroids from phone A to phone B?
Using Amon 2.3. Wasnt sure if the backups were cross compatible because i have the wimax keys backed up from the first phone..
But are nandroids cross compatible to a new phone?
Basically, that problem i was having with the phone rebooting is getting me a replacement in a few days. Sprint store just ordered it. Will i be able to transfer my nandroids from phone A to phone B?
Using Amon 2.3. Wasnt sure if the backups were cross compatible because i have the wimax keys backed up from the first phone..
JB in AZ
Android Expert
I've read that they are NOT compatable to a new phone. And adding the wimax into the equation, I would have to think that makes it even less to likely that a previous nandroid would work. Titanium Backup might help...
surfologist87
Android Expert
Thats what i was thinking. I figured i could try it and not back up wimax with 2.3, but if it doesnt work, then reflash and rebuild. lol
Thanks
Thanks
Here's what I've historically told people:
You need three things to restore a nandroid backup:
1) The same recovery (CW or RA; version doesn't usually matter)
2) The same hboot version
3) The same phone
I do have my doubts about some of these things, but if you want a hassle free restore, you'll stick with them. For one, you *must* have the same hboot version. If your new phone comes with a different hboot version, you're done. The only way around it would be to downgrade hboot to the eng bootloader, then upgrade back to whatever you had. That is considered unsafe with newer phones that came with 2.02 or up.
As for recovery, I'm willing to bet we could make a nandroid backup made in RA restore in CW and vice versa. You'd just have to make sure the img files match - i.e. either recovery sees the image files it needs to see, and they are named the right thing. That being said, I'm not sure it's worth ever trying. It's easy to switch recoveries, and it's not even what you asked. It's just that there's only a few ways to make img files like this, and likely, RA and CW are probably using the same method.
Anyway, to the point, the issue of it being the same phone - wimax is definitely a problem. If you're going to attempt this, use RA, and don't back up wimax. If you restore the wimax.img from a different phone, you *will* break 4g. Beyond that, as long as you have the same hboot version, it might actually work. Worst case scenarios - it gives you a md5sum error, and doesn't even start OR restores and breaks your ROM. If that happens just restore a different nandroid backup that I'm sure you will have made before attempting this
.
You need three things to restore a nandroid backup:
1) The same recovery (CW or RA; version doesn't usually matter)
2) The same hboot version
3) The same phone
I do have my doubts about some of these things, but if you want a hassle free restore, you'll stick with them. For one, you *must* have the same hboot version. If your new phone comes with a different hboot version, you're done. The only way around it would be to downgrade hboot to the eng bootloader, then upgrade back to whatever you had. That is considered unsafe with newer phones that came with 2.02 or up.
As for recovery, I'm willing to bet we could make a nandroid backup made in RA restore in CW and vice versa. You'd just have to make sure the img files match - i.e. either recovery sees the image files it needs to see, and they are named the right thing. That being said, I'm not sure it's worth ever trying. It's easy to switch recoveries, and it's not even what you asked. It's just that there's only a few ways to make img files like this, and likely, RA and CW are probably using the same method.
Anyway, to the point, the issue of it being the same phone - wimax is definitely a problem. If you're going to attempt this, use RA, and don't back up wimax. If you restore the wimax.img from a different phone, you *will* break 4g. Beyond that, as long as you have the same hboot version, it might actually work. Worst case scenarios - it gives you a md5sum error, and doesn't even start OR restores and breaks your ROM. If that happens just restore a different nandroid backup that I'm sure you will have made before attempting this
.
surfologist87
Android Expert
You dont have to wipe anything before a restore. Just go into recovery, and select the nandroid you wish to restore, and go for it. 
Xtremedays
Android Expert
I have not verified this, but I had issues with a kernel I flashed a week or so ago. I just restored a nandroid to get rid of it, but the problem was still there. I then wiped data/factory reset and wiped davlik-cache and restored the same backup.....problem was gone. Like I said, I have not tried to verify this but is it possible that there was something in a partition that wasnt backed up that could have caused a problem still? Might be a good idea if you are restoring a backup to wipe anyway....just in case
surfologist87
Android Expert
Well, it honestly couldnt hurt anything. So, its an option. If you are going to do that, i think keeping Calkulins Format All zip on your sd card would be nice. Then flash that, have it completely wipe everything, then restore your backup. Just to be safe.
I havent had this problem with nandroids, but if it worked for you then that is a good idea
Xtremedays
Android Expert
Well, it honestly couldnt hurt anything. So, its an option. If you are going to do that, i think keeping Calkulins Format All zip on your sd card would be nice. Then flash that, have it completely wipe everything, then restore your backup. Just to be safe.
I havent had this problem with nandroids, but if it worked for you then that is a good idea
I have only had the issue once. I flashed Savage-zen on Evervolv....started having some issues with it. It was enough of a headache to make me wipe before restoring now
Xtremedays
Android Expert
You can, but I think its a good idea to keep at least one zip of a stable rom on your sdcard just in case.
mecampo
Well-Known Member
i created a nandroid before i flash something on my phone, for some reason it loops on the boot animation and i even did a battery pull but nothing worked. so i try to restore the nandroid backup and i cant, it says it has an error and when i try to move the restore.log to sdcard it also have an error.
Eventually i start from scratch and do it all again, i dont want to be in the same place restoring stuff again that is why i create nandroid backups but when i needed it ... if failed on me.
did i do something wrong, what should i do to make a solid backup? im using amon ra 2.3 left the default checked and then wimax.
please advise.
thanks
Eventually i start from scratch and do it all again, i dont want to be in the same place restoring stuff again that is why i create nandroid backups but when i needed it ... if failed on me.
did i do something wrong, what should i do to make a solid backup? im using amon ra 2.3 left the default checked and then wimax.
please advise.
thanks
surfologist87
Android Expert
Well, Amon 2.3 is not the recovery that unrevoked gives you. So (if you did unrevoked) it will give you clockwork. You may have made your backup in clockwork and then flashed Amon. If you happened to do this, it will not work. The backups will not work between the two recoveries.
What root method did you use?
Do you recall if you happened to make the backup in Clockwork before switching to Amon?
What root method did you use?
Do you recall if you happened to make the backup in Clockwork before switching to Amon?
mecampo
Well-Known Member
i root with unrevoked and yes had the clockwork but i installed amon ra 2.3 months ago and then created the nandroid just recently
so im sure its an amon ra backup otherwise it should be in the clockwork folder rightEvo4sickness
Android Enthusiast
Whats up people I know this has to be the right place for this question. But Iam still havinh this major problem with the not being able to do the nandroid backups with the error saying something went wrong. Posted this at XDA yestruday
So nobody else can help out with this I spent 4 hours trying to get rid of this problem. I was able to get my back up nandroid of CM7 when I first installed everything went fine. And it took a while to get the whole setup the way I had. Thats whith saving my ADW Ex settings and desktop because I had just installed the rom the day before which was on the 6 the nandroid got made on the 7th.
So once I got every back to its original state of course the first thing I tried was to make a nandroid again and Guess what same stupid ****ing shit with ******ed error. Now I have serious problem back to square one. Because I cant save nandroids and cant load my sense rom so I can fix the GPS which is why I even had done this whole mission.
Now when I was wiping the both caches and data I figured why dont I go back to my sense rom before I flash the CM7 which I did. Followed the GPS fix directions exaclty and when I loaded back into the CM7 nothing. So all this time spent was done for nothing. Please someone tell me how to get this error off my Evo. And what doesnt make sense it says check the log file and I do and theres nothing there. So what hell is going on. Sorry but Iam very tired and very frustrated at this point.
AMON RA should really have put a warning or some stop to that option because of the problem it can cause like this one. Anybody in here know anyone thats an expert in AMON RA.
And after I tried to make the nandroid something was going on with the smoothness of the UI it would be a bit jumpy which I have know idea how this could affect that. It gets fixed when you reboot.
Heres the link Error when doing nandroid backup with Amon-Ra - Page 2 - xda-developers
Not one person has yet to have given me an answer. And I really need to fix this because I need to fix the Gps already which this was why I ran into this problem in the first place and now still have major nandroid problem with no Gps on CM7.
Iam running 2.3 Amon Ra with unrevoked Evo. I had no problem saving two nadroids on Amon Ra one for my stock rom and one a day after I installed CM7. I than had to do the gps fix there for going back to my sense rom and of course I had to make a nandroid before I did that. Thats when I by mistake xed all the boxes and the problem one which was the ext sd card which created the problem. I dont know how I forgot not to x that one out so hopegfully some one can help me fix this problem so I can finally get rid of it since this is day 3 of this now.
So nobody else can help out with this I spent 4 hours trying to get rid of this problem. I was able to get my back up nandroid of CM7 when I first installed everything went fine. And it took a while to get the whole setup the way I had. Thats whith saving my ADW Ex settings and desktop because I had just installed the rom the day before which was on the 6 the nandroid got made on the 7th.
So once I got every back to its original state of course the first thing I tried was to make a nandroid again and Guess what same stupid ****ing shit with ******ed error. Now I have serious problem back to square one. Because I cant save nandroids and cant load my sense rom so I can fix the GPS which is why I even had done this whole mission.
Now when I was wiping the both caches and data I figured why dont I go back to my sense rom before I flash the CM7 which I did. Followed the GPS fix directions exaclty and when I loaded back into the CM7 nothing. So all this time spent was done for nothing. Please someone tell me how to get this error off my Evo. And what doesnt make sense it says check the log file and I do and theres nothing there. So what hell is going on. Sorry but Iam very tired and very frustrated at this point.
AMON RA should really have put a warning or some stop to that option because of the problem it can cause like this one. Anybody in here know anyone thats an expert in AMON RA.
And after I tried to make the nandroid something was going on with the smoothness of the UI it would be a bit jumpy which I have know idea how this could affect that. It gets fixed when you reboot.
Heres the link Error when doing nandroid backup with Amon-Ra - Page 2 - xda-developers
Not one person has yet to have given me an answer. And I really need to fix this because I need to fix the Gps already which this was why I ran into this problem in the first place and now still have major nandroid problem with no Gps on CM7.
Iam running 2.3 Amon Ra with unrevoked Evo. I had no problem saving two nadroids on Amon Ra one for my stock rom and one a day after I installed CM7. I than had to do the gps fix there for going back to my sense rom and of course I had to make a nandroid before I did that. Thats when I by mistake xed all the boxes and the problem one which was the ext sd card which created the problem. I dont know how I forgot not to x that one out so hopegfully some one can help me fix this problem so I can finally get rid of it since this is day 3 of this now.