Root [Verizon] Does CWM Touch Recovery now work?

[Zoandroid]

I just went into ROM Mgr. to reboot to CWM recovery (5.8.4.9) to make my weekly Sat. night nandroid, and ROM Mgr. popped up saying there is a CWMR update. It is offering version 6.0.1.2, and below that it says "Touch is available!"

I had been told when I got the S3 to avoid CWM Touch Recovery at that time due to problems, and just stick with the 5.8.4.9 version. So my question is, have they now made Touch Recovery so it works on the Verizon Galaxy S3?

 

[Metfanant]

I just went into ROM Mgr. to reboot to CWM recovery (5.8.4.9) to make my weekly Sat. night nandroid, and ROM Mgr. popped up saying there is a CWMR update. It is offering version 6.0.1.2, and below that it says "Touch is available!"

I had been told when I got the S3 to avoid CWM Touch Recovery at that time due to problems, and just stick with the 5.8.4.9 version. So my question is, have they now made Touch Recovery so it works on the Verizon Galaxy S3?

i know Koush was doing some testing recently on a new version of CWM touch

 

[Zoandroid]

OK, so if I flash it and have problems, what's the most sure-fire way to get 5.8.4.9 back again?

 

[Rachel A]

OK, so if I flash it and have problems, what's the most sure-fire way to get 5.8.4.9 back again?

I used EZ-Recovery for the GS3. Put 5.8.4.9 touch on with it earlier this week and have used it multiple times to do Nandroids.

 

[Zoandroid]

I used EZ-Recovery for the GS3. Put 5.8.4.9 touch on with it earlier this week and have used it multiple times to do Nandroids.

I like the sound of that! Sounds like Koush got Touch Recovery working for the Verizon S3!

Edit - OK, I pulled the trigger and let ROM Mgr. install the Touch Recovery directly (cost $1.99 - well worth the lack of hassle for me) and I am now trying out the "back up to external SD card" button! I think I'll like this! My only minor complaint so far is that after it says "done clearing space" at the beginning of the nandroid process, there are several moments of apparent inactivity before the provided progress bar begins to move. That always makes me nervous.

Still has the screwed up 1970 date.

 

[bjanow]

No screwed up date for me. Touch works great too. Needed that after using twrp for so long on the gnex.

 

[Zoandroid]

No screwed up date for me. Touch works great too. Needed that after using twrp for so long on the gnex.

The touch interface worked beautifully. But I have to wonder why you did not still see the 1970 date in the nandroid file name? I wonder if it has anything to do with our having come from different recoveries prior to this one? IMO he should just allow us to name the nandroid right from the display while creating it. I would much prefer that option rather than the "surprise" 1970 completely meaningless name being generated.

 

[bjanow]

I had the 1970 dates when I just backed up from within recovery since it didn't give you a choice to name it. But I've been using Rom Manager to do the backups since I've gone to cmw touch recovery. I always found that easier, even though I flash everything in recovery itself. When you select backup current rom it gives you the current date and it holds in the backup directory when you go to check or restore.

 

[Rachel A]

I came straight from stock to 5.8 and I have the 1970 issue. Annoying I'll agree but if this is the only issue then I'll take it.

 

[Zoandroid]

I had the 1970 dates when I just backed up from within recovery since it didn't give you a choice to name it. But I've been using Rom Manager to do the backups since I've gone to cmw touch recovery. I always found that easier, even though I flash everything in recovery itself. When you select backup current rom it gives you the current date and it holds in the backup directory when you go to check or restore.

I had been using ROM Mgr. to make nandroids too, but I read on here that sometimes the ones made that way refused to restore, and the discussion advised to keep making them manually. Have you restored many of them to see if they work OK?

 

[Rolo42]

he should just allow us to name the nandroid right from the display while creating it.

That's one reason I use TWRP2.2; I have the option to name the backup w/onscreen keyboard. Another reason is compression.

 

[bjanow]

I had been using ROM Mgr. to make nandroids too, but I read on here that sometimes the ones made that way refused to restore, and the discussion advised to keep making them manually. Have you restored many of them to see if they work OK?

Yes, I restored twice to backup my IMEI to rooted stock and then back to Synergy. I've never had a problem with restoring CWM backups but I have read that some have had issues flashing roms from RM. I always go into recovery to do that. Actually the only thing I use RM for is for making a backup from within rom. Oh, and managing backups, i.e. deleting older ones.

I did like TWRP a lot and will probably go back to in once the bugs are worked out. But then I'd have a lot of work to do since I want my original stock rooted rom backed up. I'd have to restore it, flash twrp, backup with that, then flash cwm recovery again, restore my current rom, flash twrp recovery and backup that again. Probably a 2 or 3 hour process so I'll stick with cwr for now.

 

[Rolo42]

I have read that some have had issues flashing roms from RM. I always go into recovery to do that.

It doesn't make a script and reboot to recovery and run it? (like 4EXT does--I wish that worked on our phones)

I did like TWRP a lot and will probably go back to in once the bugs are worked out.

Bugs? Anything of consequence?

 

[bjanow]

You know, I don't really know about which bugs. I haven't been keeping a very close eye on it due to the newness of the roms and kernels coming out. But I did read that it couldn't backup to the sdcard or something like that. Sorry, I just haven't seen a lot of people saying it was ready for prime time yet. Perhaps I'm mistaken though.

 

[Metfanant]

CWM 6.0.1.2 is out

 

[bjanow]

CWM 6.0.1.2 is out

Yes, been running the touch version since yesterday. Works great too.

 

[Rolo42]

But I did read that it couldn't backup to the sdcard or something like that.

It has radio buttons for internal and external storage selection and it does work on either; the one issue with that is that, for internal at least, the directory has to be called TWRP. Personally, I only use external as I see little point in putting NANDroids on any internal storage.

 

[Rachel A]

It has radio buttons for internal and external storage selection and it does work on either; the one issue with that is that, for internal at least, the directory has to be called TWRP. Personally, I only use external as I see little point in putting NANDroids on any internal storage.

I did find a use. I'm one of those people paranoid about updating BusyBox, AdAway etc. You know, anything that starts messing around with files in places like /etc or /sys.

Therefore I like to do a quick Nandroid before I do them and find it faster to use the internal drive to do it. Once I've verified all is good I delete the backup.

That's just me being me though.

 

[Zoandroid]

OK, this blew my mind. My typical nandroid on the S3 is about 1.7GB. Has been that way ever since I set it up. Tonight, using the new CWM Touch Recovery 6.0.2.1, I made my typical weekly nandroid (to the REAL SD card, FINALLY!!! ) and it seemed to take about as long as usual to make the nandroid. But.......it is only 24MB!!?? Was there an error (operation reported as successful while in Touch Recovery) or has there been some 'serious' compression added to this utility? I'd like some verification so I have some idea whether this is legitimate, or something went wrong.

OK, here's the explanation:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=29642063&postcount=8

Touch Recovery does not make a "full backup" anymore. It only backs up what has changed since a previous backup, and keeps track of the changes in a clockworkmod/backup/blobs folder, which is HUGE (mine is now 1.65GB). The problem I might have with this is that I prefer to have the ability to restore the entire device from a single backup file. I don't want to have to futz around with multiple backup files when something goes wrong. (See below - it still can totally restore your device from one of the smaller nandroids AND the "blobs" folder content).

 

[Metfanant]

OK, this blew my mind. My typical nandroid on the S3 is about 1.7GB. Has been that way ever since I set it up. Tonight, using the new CWM Touch Recovery 6.0.2.1, I made my typical weekly nandroid (to the REAL SD card, FINALLY!!! ) and it seemed to take about as long as usual to make the nandroid. But.......it is only 24MB!!?? Was there an error (operation reported as successful while in Touch Recovery) or has there been some 'serious' compression added to this utility? I'd like some verification so I have some idea whether this is legitimate, or something went wrong.

i know Koush has put in some sort of data redundancy type thing...it keeps the majority of data in a different file so that you don't have to back EVERYTHING up every time you do a backup...keeps backup sizes WAY down...

this MIGHT be what you're experiencing here

 

[Rachel A]

Please delete...

 

[Zoandroid]

So it seems (see my edited post above). But the $64 question is....when I want to restore a backup, will it use that 20MB backup AND the 1.65GB "blobs" folder to automatically rebuild the entire device? Or do I need to go back and restore some backup from before Touch Recovery, and THEN step forward with the 'changed' Touch Recovery nandroids? If so, that would suck. If it will fully restore using the 20MB nandroid and blobs folder, then I guess that is pretty cool.

 

[Metfanant]

So it seems (see my edited post above). But the $64 question is....when I want to restore a backup, will it use that 20MB backup AND the 1.65GB "blobs" folder to automatically rebuild the entire device? Or do I need to go back and restore some backup from before Touch Recovery, and THEN step forward with the 'changed' Touch Recovery nandroids? If so, that would suck. If it will fully restore using the 20MB nandroid and blobs folder, then I guess that is pretty cool.

AFAIK....it will take the 20MB file...and the blobs folder and put it all back together...

 

[Zoandroid]

AFAIK....it will take the 20MB file...and the blobs folder and put it all back together...

It looks like you are right. I just found a post on XDA later in the same thread with a link to a page where Koush explains how it works (he was getting a lot of questions). So here is the explanation for those who would like to read it (it's really pretty short - just a few paragraphs)

https://plus.google.com/u/0/103583939320326217147/posts/L5aVZe7C9vg

This is a pretty cool way of doing things. The only caveat is to make sure you don't delete the 'blobs' folder, as he explains doing so will render all your compressed nandroids unusable.

Thanks for the help sorting this out. I was afraid I was in for problems, but it looks like there are no worries.