Root Creating my own ROM/phone image?

[xaelith]

Hey folks. I apologize in advance if this question has already been answered. I've done some reading and such on this forum, and while a few threads have given me a couple ideas, nothing has answered it outright. What I want to do is create a complete backup of my phone as it is right now, data and all, so that should anything happen after rooting and romming, or if I decide I just want to go back to stock with no root for some reason, I can. I'm running the 2.3.6 OTA update, but otherwise straight-out-of-the-box stock. Any and all help in this matter is greatly appreciated.

EDIT: I forgot to mention I'm on Sprint.

 

[dmcjr22]

Hey folks. I apologize in advance if this question has already been answered. I've done some reading and such on this forum, and while a few threads have given me a couple ideas, nothing has answered it outright. What I want to do is create a complete backup of my phone as it is right now, data and all, so that should anything happen after rooting and romming, or if I decide I just want to go back to stock with no root for some reason, I can. I'm running the 2.3.6 OTA update, but otherwise straight-out-of-the-box stock. Any and all help in this matter is greatly appreciated.

EDIT: I forgot to mention I'm on Sprint.[/QUOTE


maybe this thread will help ya http://androidforums.com/transform-...ing-return-stock-samsung-transform-ultra.html....after installing clockworkmod make a backup

 

[xaelith]

Yeah, that's one of the threads I read, but it sounds as if Odin is a program to push files to the phone from a computer, not the other way around. I could be mistaken, though.

 

[dmcjr22]

ur right odin does put files to phone the files you get from thread put clockworkmod on phone which will allow u to install roms and make a backup of your rooms

 

[xaelith]

Right, and I'm looking for a way to create a backup of my phone BEFORE adding CWM, if such a possibility exists. I know that with the Motorola Droid1, it requires a custom recovery to be loaded, but you can create an image of the phone before root. From what I've heard about CWM for the TU, it roots the phone as it's adding the custom recovery, or at least to some extent.

 

[mydian]

I think I know what you're getting at. Here is how I made my own backup before I rooted. This will only work with 2.3.4 though.

1. Factory Reset the phone (or you could make a backup of your current settings instead and skip this)

2. Use Odin to install CWM

3. Make a backup with CWM of the phone with no root.

4. Use the one-click root method. (only works with 2.3.4)


To return to 100% stock I've done this:

1. Boot into CWM and restore my stock, unrooted image

2. Use Odin to install the stock recovery back on the phone.


The problem with this method and 2.3.6. is that it will overwrite CWM when you boot into Android. By rights you could install CWM before root with Odin, do a battery pull, go into CWM, make the backup. Then follow the 2.3.6 root instructions. http://androidforums.com/transform-...how-root-your-2-3-6-phone-using-odin-cwm.html

edit: The other problem, or good thing depending how you look at it, would be that if you restore your stock unrooted 2.3.6 CWM would disappear and you should have the stock recovery.

 

[xaelith]

Yeah, this sounds similar to the method I used to back up my OG Droid when I had it, minus the battery pull, and a couple other small things.

So it sounds like a custom recovery is required, one way or another. Can anyone tell me definitively whether using interdpth's method (or any other) to install CWM adds root or not, or requires it?

EDIT: Sorry, I don't mean to sound so demanding. I just want to make as informed a decision as I can before I dive into things.

 

[Deleted User]

You could use go backup and the only part you would lose out on with no root would be the app data. the rest would be covered. Check it out on the market. Also he may have redone it, but last I knew interdepths root didn't work on 2.3.6. Your best bet (IMHO) would be to odin cwm and root at which point your configuration is all still there and make a backup. Down the road if you feel you want to return to stock, you can always use odin to get back

 

[Deleted User]

Yeah, this sounds similar to the method I used to back up my OG Droid when I had it, minus the battery pull, and a couple other small things.

So it sounds like a custom recovery is required, one way or another. Can anyone tell me definitively whether using interdpth's method (or any other) to install CWM adds root or not, or requires it?

EDIT: Sorry, I don't mean to sound so demanding. I just want to make as informed a decision as I can before I dive into things.

Yes you need root to install cwm on 2.3.6 or the android os will delete cwm before you even boot

 

[xaelith]

Okay, I think the picture's becoming a little clearer now. So if I need a custom recovery to make a backup of my phone EXACTLY as it is now, and I need root in order to use a custom recovery, then how do I make a backup of my phone without root? Or am I misunderstanding something?

With my OG Droid, a custom recovery was required for making a backup of the phone, but root wasn't required in order to load the custom recovery onto the phone. Maybe I'm just being a little more paranoid with this phone than I was with the other, but I want to be absolutely certain I can put my phone back to how it is currently before I move forward.

 

[mydian]

You don't need to be rooted to load CWM on the phone, but you have to use Odin. Re-read my post above. I loaded CWM on my phone and made a backup before I rooted, but this was with 2.3.4. If you watch Loota's video (also in my post above) he shows how to install CWM on a non rooted phone using Odin.

Even if you don't make a backup with CWM before you root, all the stuff you need to return to stock is in the Odin thread.

 

[xaelith]

Okay, thanks. This is sounding a lot like how things went with the OG Droid, then...only not as much dev support I haven't watched Loota's video all the way through, but I will definitely do so at least once before proceeding, and probably again while going through the process.

Thanks a lot, mydian You've cleared up most of the anxiety I have over rooting my phone.

 

[mydian]

I'm glad I could help. I was in the same situation as you and didn't want to root my phone, or upgrade to 2.3.6 until I could make my own backups. It wasn't until Loota posted that video I finally got the balls to do it lol. I highly recommend watching it all the way through a couple times.

Good luck!

 

[dmcjr22]

http://androidforums.com/transform-...e-stock-2-3-6-un-root-un-cwm.html#post4504757 i found this in a thread loota made som cmw stock backups for boost and sprint

 

[xaelith]

Thanks, I'll give it a look. At the very least, it looks like what I'm wanting to do is possible.