Help Google Backup Transport using excessive data

[pmedwards25]

My Nexus 4 has recently just decided it feels like wasting my data package by using about 100MB in 5 minutes. The culprit: Google Backup Transport. I'm on CyanogenMod 11 (based on 4.4.2). My hunch is that it's trying to download 4.4.3, because I got a notification about an OTA to it, but was then unable to install the downloaded update because "Verification failed", aka I'm not running stock Android so it won't let me install. I think it might be trying to download it, then fail, then download then fail, ad nauseam (ad data plan boom!).

Any ideas on why it's doing this, and , more importantly, how to stop it???

 

[codesplice]

Google Backup Transport isn't related to the OTA. Instead, it's a mechanism that the Android system and applications (even third-party applications) can use to store a user's data in The Cloud. This would, for instance, allow you to restore your game progress when you move to a new device.

I'm not 100% sure, but I believe you can shut it down under Settings > Backup & Reset > Back up my data. Untick that checkbox and you should be good to go - but I'd recommend re-enabling that when you get ready to move on to a new device later on.

 

[joma512]

I have this exact same issue with my Nexus 5 running DroidKang 4.4.2. The issue just started recently and over the past 5 days, Google Backup Transport has used over 4GB of my data plan, which is only allows me 5GB per month.

I've tried disabling the 'Back up my data' option under Settings > Backup & Reset > Back up my data but the problem persists. It's really frustrating and now it's starting to cost me money as I'm way over my allotted data usage for this month. I'll have to try and sweet talk Rogers into giving me a break....

Any ideas or insight would be appreciated....

 

[lunatic59]

If you have G+ set to backup your photos and videos (or music) you might try either disabling that or setting it to download over wifi only. I do believe you need to log into your G+ settings on a PC to adjust that.

 

[dsr100]

Open google+ app. Go to settings. Open the automatic backup. Set to backup only on wifi and only on charge to save your battery.

 

[joma512]

Thanks for the suggestion but I've always had my G+ back up settings set to WiFi only and while charging; I double checked and nothing has changed.

I thought it might be Google Play Music that was attempting to back up my music to the cloud but I deleted the app and the background data usage continues. I'm stumped and getting prepared to reinstall the ROM. I'd like to figure this out for future reference and to determine why it randomly started doing this...

I've used over 5GB of data now in the past 5 days... crazy! I called Rogers and they actually gave me a free 2 month unlimited data 'promo' until mid-august...Nice! Plus they are going to reverse the data overage charges once they appear on my bill...not bad.

Sorry if I've hijacked your thread OP....

 

[jmccormick]

Did you ever figure this out? I'm having the same problem and it's costing me a ridiculous amount of money!

 

[joma512]

Never figured out what was causing the problem, I just flashed a different ROM and it hasn't happened since. For a while I was thinking it was Google Music as I had recently installed the app but I couldn't verify that. Very frustrating problem to have. Call your carrier and see if they'll help you out with the charges...

 

[BG7801]

Hi guys,

I read your posts and I found something who works for my phone S4 mini.

I disabled the notifications in the play store settings,and in the task manager/googleplaystore/uncheck the box.Rid of Google backup transport

edit: its not working, google backup transport is back after a few days :/

 

[Tamer666]

Hi folks,

I've recently suffered from the same massive data consumption. To get rid of it I've installed "Disable service" from the Play Store:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=cn.wq.disableservice

Then disabled "SystemUpdateService" from Google Play Services and Google Services Framework:

At this point it seems data wasting has stopped

 

[Harsh Kedia]

It can be fixed by enabling 'Restrict app background data' from data usage(google play services) in settings. In this way only wifi will be used for background sync.

 

[Pepe Lapiu]

This is an old thread but I thought I would post my advise for posterity's sake.

First and easiest thing you can do is enable power saving mode. In power saving mode your background data will be greatly reduced to save battery power.

It that doesn't work, you can download the DataEye app which allows you to block individual apps and background processes from accessing the internet. I like that one a lot as it also allow you to block my games from plugging to the net to download ads. And it works to stop Google Backup Transport very well. And whenever an app needs that process to get on the net, DataEye will ask you to unlock for the process for 10 minutes.

I've had DataEye installed for only 2 days and it already prevented 9947 tries of GBT to connect. And 20 mb of data saved.

And if you want to go even further, you can use Automatic Data Disable. But my phone is rooted and I'm not sure it would work without root access. That one can shut down your data connection and your wifi connection whenever your phone screen is off or wherever your screen is locked.

Using Automatic Data Disable and DataEye, I use more than half as much data per month.

And I really don't like the idea of my phone uploading and downloading stuff when I don't know exactly what it's throwing around the net.

Cheers!

UPDATE: I uninstalled Google Backup Transport on my rooted Samsung S5 about 5 days ago. And everything runs just fine.

My understanding is that GBT is an app that runs in the background and it basically uploads all your settings and all your data onto the Google servers. I have a huge problem with Google uploading all my phone's content without my approval and with them using my data to do it.

They claim that this is done so you can save things like your game settings when transferring to a new phone. I find this very suspicious since none of my game settings or progress were ever transfered to any new phone.

Google has a history of not respecting people's privacy. So I am sure not letting them run this GBT app on my phone.