Root ClockworkMod and backups

[meemster]

Hi there, I'm a semi-newb (I was a newb when I started but now that my dad has messed up his Gtab causing me to fix it, I've graduated to semi-newb)

Some background info:
The tablet originally came with 1.1-3588. I installed Clockworkmod 8. Then I installed Vegan 7.0. This worked fine until my dad messed it up and the wifi stopped working and the force close's started. My attempt to reinstall a ROM that worked was epic. First, from Vegan 7.0, I tried to upgrade to the latest alpha version of Bottle of Smoke. That ROM wouldn't boot up. Then I rolled back to the original stock TnT Viewsonic G ROM and tried to install BoS again. Same result. Then I found out that there was a Vegan 7.1 out, so again, I rolled back to the stock and then installed Vegan 7.1. The tablet never booted past the "Gtabdev" splash screen. I ended up having to roll back to stock, and then installed the original Vegan 7.0 ROM as that was the only one that would actually boot up.

All this took me 8 hours because I tried all different permutations of going from Vegan to BoS directly, and from Vegan 7.0 to Vegan 7.1 back down to Vegan 7.0 again. Literally, I think I tried every order of operations until I resigned myself to always rolling back to stock TnT and then installing a custom ROM from there. Also, I wasn't sure of all the "extra" stuff I should or shouldn't be doing in between:

- Is it necessary to re-partition the SD card to get a clean install going back to stock?
- Is it necessary to "wipe cache, wipe data/factory reset, and fix permissions" before AND after each custom ROM install? (cuz that's what I was doing)
- Why is that every time I install the stock TnT, I also have to reinstall ClockworkMod? (It seems like TnT overwrites update.zip with its own factory reset program).

Also, I have general questions about backups:

1) Can I install NVFlash AFTER installing CWM8? I see a lot of guides on how to install CWM via NVFlash, but not the other way around. (I tried running NVFlash btw, and I never got that APX driver thing to pop up so I never got past that)

2) How is NVFlash different from CWM and do I need both?

3) How is Titanium Backup different from making a backup with CWM? (I tried Titanium too, but the tablet seemed too hosed to do a Titanium restore)

4) HOW does CWM create a backup? Is it like creating your own personal custom ROM? Does it back up all the apps you installed and their settings? Why did my backup not boot up when I tried to restore to it using CWM?

Anyway, thank you for your help. I'm finding conflicting information and it's scattered across all different forums so I figured I'd just list my specific questions and hope some Gtab whiz could answer them directly. Thanks~

 

[metlcat]

Hi there, I'm a semi-newb (I was a newb when I started but now that my dad has messed up his Gtab causing me to fix it, I've graduated to semi-newb)

Some background info:
The tablet originally came with 1.1-3588. I installed Clockworkmod 8. Then I installed Vegan 7.0. This worked fine until my dad messed it up and the wifi stopped working and the force close's started. My attempt to reinstall a ROM that worked was epic. First, from Vegan 7.0, I tried to upgrade to the latest alpha version of Bottle of Smoke. That ROM wouldn't boot up. Then I rolled back to the original stock TnT Viewsonic G ROM and tried to install BoS again. Same result. Then I found out that there was a Vegan 7.1 out, so again, I rolled back to the stock and then installed Vegan 7.1. The tablet never booted past the "Gtabdev" splash screen. I ended up having to roll back to stock, and then installed the original Vegan 7.0 ROM as that was the only one that would actually boot up.

All this took me 8 hours because I tried all different permutations of going from Vegan to BoS directly, and from Vegan 7.0 to Vegan 7.1 back down to Vegan 7.0 again. Literally, I think I tried every order of operations until I resigned myself to always rolling back to stock TnT and then installing a custom ROM from there. Also, I wasn't sure of all the "extra" stuff I should or shouldn't be doing in between:

- Is it necessary to re-partition the SD card to get a clean install going back to stock?
- Is it necessary to "wipe cache, wipe data/factory reset, and fix permissions" before AND after each custom ROM install? (cuz that's what I was doing)
- Why is that every time I install the stock TnT, I also have to reinstall ClockworkMod? (It seems like TnT overwrites update.zip with its own factory reset program).

Also, I have general questions about backups:

1) Can I install NVFlash AFTER installing CWM8? I see a lot of guides on how to install CWM via NVFlash, but not the other way around. (I tried running NVFlash btw, and I never got that APX driver thing to pop up so I never got past that)

2) How is NVFlash different from CWM and do I need both?

3) How is Titanium Backup different from making a backup with CWM? (I tried Titanium too, but the tablet seemed too hosed to do a Titanium restore)

4) HOW does CWM create a backup? Is it like creating your own personal custom ROM? Does it back up all the apps you installed and their settings? Why did my backup not boot up when I tried to restore to it using CWM?

Anyway, thank you for your help. I'm finding conflicting information and it's scattered across all different forums so I figured I'd just list my specific questions and hope some Gtab whiz could answer them directly. Thanks~

1) NVFlash is installed on your computer, not your tablet, so the order doesn't necessarily matter. You should set up and know how to work NVFlash incase something soft bricks the tablet. Search youtube for videos on how to do this.

2) ClockworkMod is a custom recovery that allows you to install custom versions of Android and make backups of your entire system.

3) Titanium is only for backing up applications and their data/settings. It should only be used for applications that the user installs, not system applications (those in red or green text within the app). Clockwork takes a picture of your entire system, apps, settings, and operating system, and saves it.

4)Clockwork backups up everything. I have had problems with things not booting (clockwork backups, new ROMs, or the stock ROM after an NVFlash) and the only way I found to fix it was by Fixing Permissions and Repartitioning in ClockworkMod. Make sure you backup anything on the tablet you need to your computer (movies, pictures, etc.) as this will completely wipe your internal sdcard. Repartition - Viewsonic GTablet For Dummies

 

[PlayfulGod]

where did you get CWM 8??? CWM is only on version 5.x.x