Question Android 12L Beta Opt-in now available

[Galaxy Princess]

Off topic but you are friggin beautiful

Yes, off topic Jiggs82. Shame on you! That is actually a model of whom I'd never heard of, until a few random people told me I bear a strong resemblance to her. I don't feel I photograph as well as she does, so I just borrow her avatar. Sorry to disappoint!

 

[MacGuy2006]

...

Before I go ahead and opt out of the 12L beta, is there any sort of process where I could essentially back up/image my phone completely as-is to a Windows PC, instead of having to rebuild it from scratch?
...

I'd suggest downloading and using something like the app SMS Backup & Restore, because Android is not great at backing up SMS. I am not sure that there is a perfect solution, but it'll make life easier.

I just finished setting up my phone again, generally you'll have to redownload some apps, enter your credentials and authenticate for all secure apps.

After four charging cycles on the stable OS, my phone can again last a full day with 5G on, so it was worth it. I guess I should stay away from betas, although I probably won't...

 

[Galaxy Princess]

I'd suggest downloading and using something like the app SMS Backup & Restore, because Android is not great at backing up SMS. I am not sure that there is a perfect solution, but it'll make life easier.

I just finished setting up my phone again, generally you'll have to redownload some apps, enter your credentials and authenticate for all secure apps.

After four charging cycles on the stable OS, my phone can again last a full day with 5G on, so it was worth it. I guess I should stay away from betas, although I probably won't...

I love SuperBackup, and I use it specifically for sms and contacts, but I was wary about using it to reinstall the apks, because when installing them en masse, if I get some erroneous error at startup afterwards, I won't have any idea which app might be causing it. The fear may likely be irrational though, because the time that it happened to me was was back on Android 7. So I'll take your advice and roll the dice, lol. Thank you so much for your time!
PS: I completely understand about the temptation of a new beta OS. I'm guilty as charged!

 

[MacGuy2006]

I love SuperBackup, and I use it specifically for sms and contacts, but I was wary about using it to reinstall the apks, because when installing them en masse, if I get some erroneous error at startup afterwards, I won't have any idea which app might be causing it. ...

Oh, SMS Backup & Restore only deals with messages, not apps

I'd be leary of app backups too. Instead, I use Google's system back up, which then reinstalls the apps from the Play Store, even though then I have to sign on to each app individually.

Good luck.

 

[MacGuy2006]

I love SuperBackup, and I use it specifically for sms and contacts, but I was wary about using it to reinstall the apks, because when installing them en masse, if I get some erroneous error at startup afterwards, I won't have any idea which app might be causing it. ...

Oh, SMS Backup & Restore only deals with messages, not apps

I'd be leary of app backups too. Instead, I use Google's system back up, which then reinstalls the apps from the Play Store, even though then I have to sign on to each app individually.

Good luck.

 

[Galaxy Princess]

I'll look at this, as well. Thank you so much!

 

[Elysiumx]

Hi, I have a problem with the audio, specifically after a call the bottom speaker stops working completely
Restarting the phone solves the problem.
I started noticing it recently, I don't think it was present after installing 12L
(all stock)
Does anyone have a similar issue?

 

[NippleSauce]

This is wonderful, thank you so much! I'll read it tonight and delve deeper into it tomorrow on my break at work. It's funny, people used to ask me what is the first app I install on a Windows device, and I would tell them ADB!

No problem. But that's pretty funny considering the fact that most people where we are never even touch an Android device lol. We live in 95/5 Apple Land, haha.

 

[MArtyChubbs]

Hi, I have a problem with the audio, specifically after a call the bottom speaker stops working completely
Restarting the phone solves the problem.
I started noticing it recently, I don't think it was present after installing 12L
(all stock)
Does anyone have a similar issue?

I am not having that issue.

 

[Galaxy Princess]

No problem. But that's pretty funny considering the fact that most people where we are never even touch an Android device lol. We live in 95/5 Apple Land, haha.

Yes and I refuse to be one of those brainless programmed Apple-loving women who are so afraid to make their phone their own and working on it under the hood.

 

[roirraW "edor" ehT]

Hi NippleSauce,
Yeah, I've been here a minute, lol. But I've been away from rooting devices since my LG G6, although I try to stay up with the technology. My new P6P is Verizon and it's locked, unfortunately. I used to use Titanium Backup back in the day, but I was hoping by now there would be maybe a Windows or MacOS application that could do just that; especially now that Windows 11 can accommodate Android apps. I guess not. But thank you for reaching out and trying to help me. It was my fault that I didn't leave enough information for anyone to properly assess what I was looking for. Take care!

This is wonderful, thank you so much! I'll read it tonight and delve deeper into it tomorrow on my break at work. It's funny, people used to ask me what is the first app I install on a Windows device, and I would tell them ADB!

I wanted to give my two cents on two aspects of the backup situation. Whenever I've tried a non-root method of backing up, the results were always disappointing. I don't know if I've specifically tried the one mentioned (or if it even differs), but I wouldn't hold my breath.

Also - I too used Titanium Backup for a very long time. The interface, indeed, has long needed updating. I was resistant to trying something new but Swift backup in the Play Store was well worth it for me. I have it only backup (and restore) from the cloud, although I only restore selective apps even though I backup everything under the sun including system apps and I enable extra data category backups that by default Swift doesn't backup.

After a factory reset, I still use Google's method to auto-restore everything that I want it to first, and even though I have Swift backup the apps themselves, normally I only restore the data manually for any "problem" apps that are more difficult to manually restore to my preferred settings, et cetera.

Edit: Since 2010, I use Google Voice almost exclusively for SMS/MMS, and that doesn't need any backing up since it's just there all the time, so I never concern myself with restoring texts some other way.

 

[alleshi]

Nice

 

[Galaxy Princess]

I wanted to give my two cents on two aspects of the backup situation. Whenever I've tried a non-root method of backing up, the results were always disappointing. I don't know if I've specifically tried the one mentioned (or if it even differs), but I wouldn't hold my breath.

Also - I too used Titanium Backup for a very long time. The interface, indeed, has long needed updating. I was resistant to trying something new but Swift backup in the Play Store was well worth it for me. I have it only backup (and restore) from the cloud, although I only restore selective apps even though I backup everything under the sun including system apps and I enable extra data category backups that by default Swift doesn't backup.

After a factory reset, I still use Google's method to auto-restore everything that I want it to first, and even though I have Swift backup the apps themselves, normally I only restore the data manually for any "problem" apps that are more difficult to manually restore to my preferred settings, et cetera.

Edit: Since 2010, I use Google Voice almost exclusively for SMS/MMS, and that doesn't need any backing up since it's just there all the time, so I never concern myself with restoring texts some other way.

Road Warrior,
Thank you so much for taking the time to weigh in on this. You are all just so wonderful here!
I understand what you're saying.. I just need to get my ducks in a row to wipe and rebuild probably over this coming weekend. I'll check out Swift Backup along with SMS Backup; which @MacGuy2006 recommended earlier. I've since decided to opt out of the 12L beta, simply because the battery performance issue on Android 12 stock is more important to me.

 

[roirraW "edor" ehT]

Road Warrior,
Thank you so much for taking the time to weigh in on this. You are all just so wonderful here!
I understand what you're saying.. I just need to get my ducks in a row to wipe and rebuild probably over this coming weekend. I'll check out Swift Backup along with SMS Backup; which @MacGuy2006 recommended earlier. I've since decided to opt out of the 12L beta, simply because the battery performance issue on Android 12 stock is more important to me.

You're welcome! And understood.

Maybe you mentioned this already, but I might be thinking of another user who reported opting out of 12L. If you opted into 12L and have since been updated to 12L (Beta 3), then opting out will end up wiping your phone, as it will technically downgrade your firmware to 12 stable, as Google doesn't want any system (or user) app data specific to 12L to befuddle 12 stable.

I forget if you're already bootloader unlocked, but if you are going to have your phone wiped, if you're going to root in the future, you might as well go ahead and unlock the bootloader since doing so will also force wipe your entire phone as well.

Please anyone correct me if I'm wrong, and I hope I'm not the bearer of too bad news.

If you already knew all this, feel free to just laugh at me and point.

 

[bobby janow]

You're welcome! And understood.

Maybe you mentioned this already, but I might be thinking of another user who reported opting out of 12L. If you opted into 12L and have since been updated to 12L (Beta 3), then opting out will end up wiping your phone, as it will technically downgrade your firmware to 12 stable, as Google doesn't want any system (or user) app data specific to 12L to befuddle 12 stable.

I forget if you're already bootloader unlocked, but if you are going to have your phone wiped, if you're going to root in the future, you might as well go ahead and unlock the bootloader since doing so will also force wipe your entire phone as well.

Please anyone correct me if I'm wrong, and I hope I'm not the bearer of too bad news.

If you already knew all this, feel free to just laugh at me and point.

So I decided to unenroll from the beta and do a full wipe in the process. But when I opted out it sent me an update to the latest version of A12. However, it's only 484 MB whereas the full image is well over 2GB. It's still installing but the question is should I download the full image, unlock the bl and install that instead?

 

[roirraW "edor" ehT]

So I decided to unenroll from the beta and do a full wipe in the process. But when I opted out it sent me an update to the latest version of A12. However, it's only 484 MB whereas the full image is well over 2GB. It's still installing but the question is should I download the full image, unlock the bl and install that instead?

I would just because I would already be wiped, anyway, and it doesn't hurt any. Yes. Otherwise, I wouldn't do so unless you had a problem. Of course, I keep my bootloader unlocked all the time.

 

[bobby janow]

I would just because I would already be wiped, anyway, and it doesn't hurt any. Yes. Otherwise, I wouldn't do so unless you had a problem. Of course, I keep my bootloader unlocked all the time.

I know you keep it unlocked so that's not fair. lol. I'm just curious why it's only 484MB though if I'm getting a full wipe and image. So I presume I'd have to reboot after the install, reboot fastboot, unlock, back into fastboot and install the downloaded full image. Do you need to let the system reboot each time or can you just power off and key combo into fastboot?

 

[roirraW "edor" ehT]

I know you keep it unlocked so that's not fair. lol. I'm just curious why it's only 484MB though if I'm getting a full wipe and image. So I presume I'd have to reboot after the install, reboot fastboot, unlock, back into fastboot and install the downloaded full image. Do you need to let the system reboot each time or can you just power off and key combo into fastboot?

It's likely merely giving you an OTA, so only a "diff" or "delta" as OTAs are. Presumably, 12L Beta 3 is only 484 MB (compressed) different code compared to 12 stable on the 2nd February firmware. Nothing unusual or alarming.

 

[roirraW "edor" ehT]

I know you keep it unlocked so that's not fair. lol. I'm just curious why it's only 484MB though if I'm getting a full wipe and image. So I presume I'd have to reboot after the install, reboot fastboot, unlock, back into fastboot and install the downloaded full image. Do you need to let the system reboot each time or can you just power off and key combo into fastboot?

Sorry, didn't address everything. You can do any which way you want regarding reboots, or at least, it shouldn't make any difference in the end.

If it were me, I'd probably let it complete everything as it would naturally - but I don't see anything wrong with what you suggested.

 

[bobby janow]

It's likely merely giving you an OTA, so only a "diff" or "delta" as OTAs are. Presumably, 12L Beta 3 is only 484 MB (compressed) different code compared to 12 stable on the 2nd February firmware. Nothing unusual or alarming.

Edit: Sorry, didn't address everything. You can do any which way you want regarding reboots, or at least, it shouldn't make any difference in the end.

Ok, thanks. I'm going to reboot into it after it optimizes the system (so I guess it is the OTA) but if the system is getting wiped of data...? Well I'll know in a short while and update this with the info. Reboot in progress.

edit: So quite odd imo. What happened was it downloaded the 484MB update to restore to A12 and after download it started optimizing my system. I'm assuming that it changed what A12L did somehow and then after about 15-20 min I needed to reboot which is where I left off.

After the reboot first thing it did was erase system fully and present me with the start menu as if it were a new device. Went through the setup and now downloaded selected apps. I happened to check for an update and the 2nd Feb update is on tap but I'm waiting until everything is done.

The reason I did this was because A12L started off great but then started degrading if that makes sense. FPR started acting flaky, network was not as responsive to changes and the battery life took a major hit. So now I'm back to where I started with a clean install and no reason to unlock the bootloader as some are inclined to do. ;-) Thanks for hanging in there, I'm all set.