[Q] Clockworkmod / Nandroid-backup vs Device Encryption

[derfresh]

Hey guys.

I've searched this forum and did some google searches, too, but wasn't able to find the answer to my question.

Since for me it's not an option to leave my cellphone unencrypted (little paranoid, privacy and so on... ), I would like to know, if it's possible to do a nandroid backup altough the device is encrypted?

Then, another question: Is there a way at all to flash something via clockwork recovery, since also the sdcard partition would be encrypted?

Or would I have to flash everything through adb? (does this work atm?)

[Ha! Just popped up: If the sdcard is encrypted, I wouldn't be able to do a nandroid backup, right? dammit!]

 

[Zoltair Wright]

it's still possible to flash files to /system, as mentioned here. i've never created a tmpfs so i couldn't tell you the actual commands to get it done

i don't know if nandroids are done on the block or filesystem level - regardless there's no recovery I know of that will backup an encrypted /data volume, so even if it's possible it's a moot point

TWRP on some phones can accept your volume password and mount an encrypted /data, but if you nandroid then, the data is unencrypted and it defeats the point

and it's nice that i'm not the only paranoid one here

 

[Zoltair Wright]

in case it's helpful to anyone else, I found an answer on how to do a tmpfs in recovery here:

http://android.stackexchange.com/a/23879

the relevant commands are:

[email protected]$ adb shell
~ # mount -t tmpfs none /data
~ # mkdir /data/media
## Go on with 'adb push update.zip /data/media' and then like above

 

[papperlapapp]

I have the same questions like you. There may be a solution for us.

I just discovered the tool "Online Nandroid backup", you can find it in the Google play store. This tool is able to make a nandroid backup while your phone is up and running! This means when using this tool you do not need to but into recovery mode.

Now, when the device is encrypted, the encrypted partition is accessable while the phone is running.

In my understanding this means Online Nandroid should be able to access the encrypted data and back it up! I asked the developer if my assumption is correct.

The backup itself would contain your confidential data in unencrypted way.

If your phone gets fried you would have to wipe and format all partitions, do a restore with the Online Nandroid backup you made, reboot and encrypt your device again.

This is my assumption about how to restore a bricked, encrypted device. I asked the developer if my assumptions are sane. If they are I will switch to Online Nandroid.

By the way, I never would ever buy a device which has no external sd card slot! With an external sd card you have so much more options to do maintenance!