Root Lollipop questions from root nOOb

Here's the process. First make sure you let Google "backup" your apps and settings. It will store phone settings but not app settings. And, it doesn't really backup your apps but keeps a list of installed apps linked to your Google Account. Also make sure Automatic restore is checked. This is under menu>settings>backup & reset. If these weren't checked previously, give it some time to sync. I really don't know if it's immediate or not, but 24 hours would be reasonable.

Now the fun begins ... First boot into your TWRP recovery and perform a back. This is a nandroid ... a complete image of your phone at that point that can be put back if necessary. Copy those files to a PC. I'm not sure where TWRP stores them. I use CWM.

Next, copy whatever you want to keep from your phone to a folder on a PC. Backup your text messages if you want to keep them (I use SMS backup and restore. It's pretty simple and easy to use.) Backup any email messages stored only on the phone. I don't do this as all my email accounts (way too many ) are IMAP. And ... backup your launcher settings to a file. Copy those to the PC too.

Flash the factory image to your phone. (Don't worry, we'll walk you though that when the time comes). Power on and it's like a brand new phone. Register it using the same Google account. Make sure it's connected to Wifi and log into the play store once to accept the terms. Now go for coffee. Google is going to push back all your apps and *some* settings. Depending on what you had installed on the old phone, it could take a while. It should be done by the third donut. Setup any email accounts again, restore your SMS messages and email and then restore your launcher settings. Finally, copy all your data and media from your old phone to the new one. There will be things that will need to be tweaked, but you should be as close to the old phone as you can get.

It usually takes me about 2 hours.

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