[Q] NANDROID restores: TWRP won't boot, CWM corrupts data

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lascerius

Member
Jan 18, 2011
8
0
Sorry for this being lengthy, I wanted to make sure I gave enough info.

Neither of the two most popular recovery tools are working for me. They both state the backups are successful but the restores have flaws. Is anyone experiencing the problems I am? If so, does anyone know what to do about them?

CWM Recovery Touch (and non-touch): Data restores leave certain things not working. I'm not sure what processes are stopping because it flashes and disappears to fast. I know that it causes the ROM Manager for CWM, Titanium Backup Pro, Google Play, and likely more to crash (disappear) immediately upon opening. Chrome browser *might* bright up the keyboard on the first click but it won't work then it will disappear and not come back (but the keyboard does work in other areas, I use Swype Keyboard). I've tried clearing cache and/or data on all 3, uninstalling them then re-installing via APK and various other things. This occurs regardless of whether a factory reset (data/cache) wipe is performed before the restore. However, if I restore with CWM Recovery *then* do a factory reset, Google Play will work and nothing crashes, nor are their long delays.

TWRP does not boot after a restore. It will pass the initial screen showing the phone model, the phone carrier splash screen, then sit on Samsung with the LED solid bright blue and hang.

My goal is to simply trust my backups. The CWM Recovery problem is workable in a terrible situation since my Titanium backups will get my phone *almost* to where it was (barring widgets, which are pain to re-setup, and a few other things).

Titanium Backup Pro question: Is it normal when you remove a system app with Titanium Backup Pro, then do a restore in CWM for that app to still be gone? Since I use the Swype keyboard I removed the other once, did a restore with CWM, had the problem so I did a factory reset and my stock keyboard was missing still (I think it's a Samsung keyboard)

App Details:
CWM Recovery Touch 6.0.4.7 (for Samsung Galaxy S3 LTE (GT-I9305))
TWRP 2.6.3.0 (for Samsung Galaxy S3 LTE (International i9305))

Phone Details:
Carrier: T-Mobile (Germany)
Model number: GT-I9305
Android Version: 4.3 (stock from Kies, so I do have Knox and it's disabled via SuperSU 1.91 from chainfire)
Baseband version: I9305XXUEMK1
Kernel version: 3.0.31-2051278
Build number: JSS15J.I9305XXUEML5
 

JJEgan

Senior Member
Oct 24, 2010
30,509
5,923
Samsung Galaxy Note 3
Titanium Backup Pro question: Is it normal when you remove a system app with Titanium Backup Pro, then do a restore in CWM for that app to still be gone?

No a Nandroid backup wipes the phone .

make a Nandroid then in recovery format system sdcard data cache .
You now have an empty phone and restoring the Nandroid should return exact same state .

All this reads as you are doing something wrong .
 

lascerius

Member
Jan 18, 2011
8
0
All this reads as you are doing something wrong .

I hope it is as simple as that. I'm booting up in recovery mode (Volume Up + Home + Power) choosing the backup or restore option, then backing up to the External SD card. Then on the restore I'm doing the same except selecting restore from the SD card (I've re-created the CWM problem 5 times, once was with advanced restore of just data the rest were basic restores doing everything). I'm not really sure what I could be doing wrong.

I have the 4.3 stock ROM before I did any custom stuff to the phone (which installed KNOX). I used chainfire's tar.md5 auto root image with Odin 3.09 in download mode when I root the phone, and I've installed CWM Recovery with ROM Manager and with an Odin tar flash in download mode. The install of TWRP was from an Odin 3.09 tar flash in download mode too.

With regard to the TWRP and CWM Recovery, I'm not really sure how easy it is for me to have messed up that part. Do you have this same model phone? Is it possible KNOX is involved in my issues? Maybe I should downgrade one of the recovery tools?
 

lascerius

Member
Jan 18, 2011
8
0
Downgrade your recovery and try again.
That's what I was thinking might be the best solution. Since the flaw in the restores with CWM Recovery are workable for me, I figured I may just wait until I have a need to restore to do that though. Once I do, I'll probably do a bunch of tests until I find something that works solid.

I've already restored my backups and widgets etc. a couple of times and don't really want to do it over again only to test. If there's a way to restore all of that without my having to set it up myself then I'll do it. Right now my Titanium restores don't include wallpaper (except lock screen), most of my widgets (maybe all, can't remember), and I think there was one other thing.
 

lascerius

Member
Jan 18, 2011
8
0
Downgrading didn't help (6.0.3.6 had a constant barrage of 4-5 apps re-crashing over and over again during the process).

I tried the following with CWM Recovery Touch 6.0.3.6, 6.0.4.5 and 6.0.4.7:

Factory reset wipe, open and test Google Play (more things break but that's the one I chose to test). Reboot into recovery mode and backup to the SD Card (not the external). Immediately advance restored data only (no wipe). Booted up, Google Play crashed, rebooted back into recovery and factory reset (data/cache) and advance restored data again with the same result.

I didn't try a downgraded version of TWRP (probably won't for now). I'm back to 6.0.4.7 and restoring my backups to get my phone back fully. Hopefully CWM Recovery comes out with a new version sometime in the near future that works for me or someone has some insight into what I can do to fix it with the existing (I'm out of ideas).
 

lascerius

Member
Jan 18, 2011
8
0
Issue Samsung stock 4.3 ROM

I ended up switching to CM 10.1.3 (was going to hold off until 11 was stable) but the Samsung stock 4.3 ROM was destroying my battery. After switching, I tested a NANDROID backup and restore with CWM Recovery Touch 6.0.4.7 (same version I was having problems with). The restore worked as it should, no problems.

End Result: As far as I can tell, the cause of the CWM Recovery data partition problem is due to the Samsung 4.3 ROM.

Edit: I was going to mark the post Resolved but I can't seem to find the drop down to do so (at least not in the same place I thought it was).
 
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