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The Real Bev

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Apr 19, 2020, 12:19:11 AM4/19/20
to
Well, next Thursday, anyway. Finally got sufficiently pissed at the
Moto G5+ camera that I ordered a Pixel 2 with 128GB of storage. I've
got something like 200 apps on the Moto, some with history (ski trips,
runs, messages, etc.) that I don't want to lose.

Apparently stuff gets backed up automatically by google, but I have no
idea what that actually means or if it can be restored to a completely
different phone.

Somebody PLEASE tell me something good!

--
Cheers, Bev
"People are too stupid to realize they are."
--JoHn DoH KeLm

Chris

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Apr 19, 2020, 6:14:46 AM4/19/20
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The Real Bev <bashl...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Well, next Thursday, anyway. Finally got sufficiently pissed at the
> Moto G5+ camera that I ordered a Pixel 2 with 128GB of storage. I've
> got something like 200 apps on the Moto, some with history (ski trips,
> runs, messages, etc.) that I don't want to lose.

You may or may not lose some information.

> Apparently stuff gets backed up automatically by google, but I have no
> idea what that actually means or if it can be restored to a completely
> different phone.

Not all stuff is synced by all apps. It'll be a case of suck it and see.
All those that use a remote server and account for storing data will be
unaffected.

>
> Somebody PLEASE tell me something good!

It's a really sunny day in Scotland today :)

Arlen Holder

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Apr 19, 2020, 7:49:05 AM4/19/20
to
In response to what The Real Bev <bashl...@gmail.com> wrote :

> Somebody PLEASE tell me something good!

Hi The Real Bev,

Congratulations on your new phone!
(I _love_ setting up a new phone - as I consider backup/restore to be fun!)

Regarding your backup & restore...
1. Most people trust Google (I don't) so my help is different.
2. Most people don't factory reset monthly (I do, so my help is different).
3. Most people abhor manual backup (I live by it, so my help is different).

In other words, don't take my advice.

My advice?

Number one, on your _new_ phone, I suggest implementing a predictive backup
strategy, which is the same strategy I've espoused for decades on Windows,
well before smartphones existed ... which is ... simply ... put all the
"stuff" you care about in one location (obviously with a sub-hierarchy of
your choosing.

For me, that one (top-level) location is something like:
o data0 (or 0data) for the storage (aka, sdcard0)
o data1 (or 1data) for the external sdcard
As per:
o Do you keep the mess in the external sdcard or do you change it?
o <https://groups.google.com/d/msg/comp.mobile.android/gmI-kNbakmA/s6lStbdMAwAJ>

Number two, choose apps that have an option to put its "stuff" where it
belongs (where _you_ define where it belongs)...
o What method you use to backup & share your installed apps on Android?
<https://groups.google.com/d/msg/comp.mobile.android/FsRRoQbdKeo/biXD3Zv0AwAJ>

Notice that the two methods above solve a huge part of the problem of
re-installing all your apps, (and their "stuff") since the sdcard "just
works" in the new phone exactly as it did in the old p;hone, and where even
your homescreen can be instantly restored on the new phone (if you use an
intelligent app launcher like Nova free, for example).
o Do people of reasonable technical ability store their private data
on the Internet (if so, for what gain?)
<https://groups.google.com/d/msg/comp.mobile.android/mBIZ-8jGdmk/aLDJkSJQAAAJ>

In addition, think about how big your Windows HDDs are compared to the
entire Android phone... where ... you can easily back up the _entire_ phone
(every single bit) to Windows, if you take advantage of some of the
tutorials I've written for how to do that (where you simply slide Android
over to Windows over Wi-Fi or (preferably) USB).

I could go on forever on all the things you "can" do, where I think some
people resort to something like "Titanium" backup, which, if you want, you
can use (I'm not sure how much requires root but if it's an old phone that
you're backing up, rooting might not be problematic).

But I think most people go the way of the highly marketed solutions.
o Google adds the ability to automatically store & manage device backups
through Google One (via subscription)
<https://groups.google.com/d/msg/comp.mobile.android/v6S1AFFLr0c/nfKWRfYIBAAJ>

Hope this helps, bearing in mind I do manual backups all the time
but most people will use an automatic bit-for-bit copy of some sort, and
they'll likely use the cloud (which I abhor).
--
There are two types of people on Usenet: one type is purposefully helpful.

David Taylor

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Apr 19, 2020, 10:24:28 AM4/19/20
to
> The Real Bev <bashl...@gmail.com> wrote:
>> Well, next Thursday, anyway. Finally got sufficiently pissed at the
>> Moto G5+ camera that I ordered a Pixel 2 with 128GB of storage. I've
>> got something like 200 apps on the Moto, some with history (ski trips,
>> runs, messages, etc.) that I don't want to lose.

Surprised you didn't go for the Pixel 3A - that's a great little phone!
We moved from G3 and G5+ without any issues.

--
Cheers,
David
Web: http://www.satsignal.eu

The Real Bev

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Apr 19, 2020, 1:01:01 PM4/19/20
to
On 04/19/2020 07:24 AM, David Taylor wrote:
>> The Real Bev <bashl...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>> Well, next Thursday, anyway. Finally got sufficiently pissed at the
>>> Moto G5+ camera that I ordered a Pixel 2 with 128GB of storage. I've
>>> got something like 200 apps on the Moto, some with history (ski trips,
>>> runs, messages, etc.) that I don't want to lose.
>
> Surprised you didn't go for the Pixel 3A - that's a great little phone!
> We moved from G3 and G5+ without any issues.

A little matter of price. This one was $113 "refurbished, near-mint
condition". Son and hubby bought 64GB versions from a different seller,
both of which updated to Android 10. Neither of them had enough on
their old phones to bother with transferring stuff.

--
Cheers, Bev
My house isn't a pigsty, it's an Immunity Enhancement Center.

The Real Bev

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Apr 19, 2020, 1:15:07 PM4/19/20
to
On 04/19/2020 04:49 AM, Arlen Holder wrote:
> In response to what The Real Bev <bashl...@gmail.com> wrote :
>
>> Somebody PLEASE tell me something good!
>
> Hi The Real Bev,
>
> Congratulations on your new phone!
> (I _love_ setting up a new phone - as I consider backup/restore to be fun!)

I had not heretofore suspected you of insanity...

> Regarding your backup & restore...
> 1. Most people trust Google (I don't) so my help is different.
> 2. Most people don't factory reset monthly (I do, so my help is different).
> 3. Most people abhor manual backup (I live by it, so my help is different).
>
> In other words, don't take my advice.

Saved for posterity. I've chosen to put whatever I can on the SDcard,
but some/many/most of the apps I have put their stuff on the internal
storage. Moreover, the Pixel has no SDcard capability -- which is why I
sprung for the extra memory which now equals the 64GB internal and 64GB
SDcard of the Moto G.

I just downloaded and used JSBackup which may or may not have backed up
whatever it's supposed to to my google drive. You can also back up to a
windows machine. I tried installing the .exe file with wine on my linux
machine, but it didn't work.

Hubby said his apps were downloaded automatically after the update, so I
suspect I can't get any better than that. I can copy over stuff from
the old phone to the new phone as long as I can get at it, but the
photos, music etc. are just copies of what I already have saved and
multiply backed up on my computer. I wonder how many people just leave
their photos on their phone without copying them elsewhere.

The default is that photos get uploaded automatically via wifi to google
photos, but I stopped that as soon as I found out about it -- the only
ones I want there are the ones I want to share, and those have been edited.
Titanium requires root. I'm unwilling to even try to do that.

> But I think most people go the way of the highly marketed solutions.
> o Google adds the ability to automatically store & manage device backups
> through Google One (via subscription)
> <https://groups.google.com/d/msg/comp.mobile.android/v6S1AFFLr0c/nfKWRfYIBAAJ>
>
> Hope this helps, bearing in mind I do manual backups all the time
> but most people will use an automatic bit-for-bit copy of some sort, and
> they'll likely use the cloud (which I abhor).

I should just ask the NSA. I'm sure they have a form...

David Taylor

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Apr 20, 2020, 6:12:19 AM4/20/20
to
On 19/04/2020 18:00, The Real Bev wrote:
[]
> A little matter of price.  This one was $113 "refurbished, near-mint
> condition".  Son and hubby bought 64GB versions from a different seller,
> both of which updated to Android 10.    Neither of them had enough on
> their old phones to bother with transferring stuff.

Understood. The Pixel 3 was the first time I've bought a higher-end
model and I've not been disappointed. I think it's a good brand,
although I know people may have reservations.

Carlos E.R.

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Apr 20, 2020, 7:44:06 AM4/20/20
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On 19/04/2020 19.15, The Real Bev wrote:
> The default is that photos get uploaded automatically via wifi to google
> photos, but I stopped that as soon as I found out about it -- the only
> ones I want there are the ones I want to share, and those have been edited.

You just copy the photos from phone to phone, via USB cable and a
computer. Or, copy them to a new directory.

It depends on each application, how to do a backup and restore, but on
some it is enough to copy their data directories from old to new phone.
I do that with Whatsapp, but it can also be done using "the cloud".

--
Cheers, Carlos.

Joerg Lorenz

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Apr 20, 2020, 9:13:32 AM4/20/20
to
Am 20.04.20 um 12:12 schrieb David Taylor:
I don't. I replaced my Nexus 5X with a Pixel 4. For me the only way to
go because only Google guarantees updates. Without updates an Android is
worthless to me. The performance is OK compared to the price.
My 1st mobile is an iPhone 11.

John McGaw

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Apr 20, 2020, 10:16:52 AM4/20/20
to
Where in Scotland? I've experienced three seasons along with sunny skies
and horizontal rain on the same day and in the same place ;-) My Scots kin
hailed from a place so far south that going much further would call for
swimming (Kirkmaiden).

--
Bodger's Dictum: Artifical intelligence
can never overcome natural stupidity.

David Taylor

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Apr 20, 2020, 10:28:48 AM4/20/20
to
On 20/04/2020 15:16, John McGaw wrote:
[]
> Where in Scotland? I've experienced three seasons along with sunny skies
> and horizontal rain on the same day and in the same place ;-) My Scots
> kin hailed from a place so far south that going much further would call
> for swimming (Kirkmaiden).

All Scotland - for example:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EWDS3QvU0AAJuK3?format=jpg&name=4096x4096

https://twitter.com/gm8arv/status/1252228864610164737

Just about 14C at the moment (14:28 UTC) as there is a breeze from the
East into Edinburgh.

Arlen Holder

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Apr 20, 2020, 11:54:32 AM4/20/20
to
In response to what "Carlos E.R." <robin_...@es.invalid> wrote :

> You just copy the photos from phone to phone, via USB cable and a
> computer. Or, copy them to a new directory.
>
> It depends on each application, how to do a backup and restore, but on
> some it is enough to copy their data directories from old to new phone.
> I do that with Whatsapp, but it can also be done using "the cloud".

For badgolferman,

*The _simplest_ copy, is kind of what Carlos just said*
a. Hook the phone over USB to Windows (USB is faster than WiFi).
b. Slide (literally) _everything_ over (which includes all your APKs)

Notice that single step, alone, copies "almost everything" you need.
o In practice, I'm a bit more selective - but the point is it's so easy.
--
I do it all the time as HDD bits are larger & cheaper than Android bits.

Arlen Holder

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Apr 20, 2020, 11:54:33 AM4/20/20
to
In response to what Joerg Lorenz <hugy...@gmx.ch> wrote :

> I don't. I replaced my Nexus 5X with a Pixel 4. For me the only way to
> go because only Google guarantees updates. Without updates an Android is
> worthless to me. The performance is OK compared to the price.
> My 1st mobile is an iPhone 11.

I think it's interesting how _scared_ people are in their buying decisions.

*They literally believe a specific OS version will "make them safe".*
o And yet, the fact is, on any "computer", it won't.

Not with iOS, not with Android, not with MacOS, not with Linux, etc.

We already determined, long ago, the "functionality" on almost any Android
phone is about the same no matter what the operating system _version_ is.

The _safety_ is about the same between _all_ mobile devices, where, let's
face it, any "computer" tied to the Internet is never going to be safe.

Yet, every statement from some people proves their psychology...
o *People desperately want to _feel_ safe*.
--
Like the child told by his mommy the monster can't get out of the closet.

Java Jive

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Apr 20, 2020, 12:16:57 PM4/20/20
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Yes, the wind is quite cool up here in Sutherland, and we are also
getting still some quite hard frosts at night. This was actually taken
yesterday, but today is not noticeably different from yesterday, or
indeed the day before:

www.macfh.co.uk/Temp/20200419_143112.jpg

The Real Bev

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Apr 20, 2020, 12:31:50 PM4/20/20
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The problem with this is finding where apps hide their data and config
stuff. It's generally somewhere in the internal memory and the name of
that subdirectory is not necessarily intuitive. Moreover, even if you
can find it and copy it over, you may not be able to coerce the app into
recognizing it.

This ought to be BASIC to running a backup. It's trivial to copy
files/subdirectories from location1 to location2, but the hidden
configuration stuff is what's REALLY important.

Arlen Holder

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Apr 20, 2020, 12:52:35 PM4/20/20
to
In response to what The Real Bev <bashl...@gmail.com> wrote :

> The problem with this is finding where apps hide their data and config
> stuff. It's generally somewhere in the internal memory and the name of
> that subdirectory is not necessarily intuitive. Moreover, even if you
> can find it and copy it over, you may not be able to coerce the app into
> recognizing it.
>
> This ought to be BASIC to running a backup. It's trivial to copy
> files/subdirectories from location1 to location2, but the hidden
> configuration stuff is what's REALLY important.

Hi The Real Bev,

You, of course, hit upon the main problems to be solved, which are:
a. Apps need to be re-installed on the new phone
b. Those apps need to be re-configured as per your previous settings
c. Those apps need to bring along their old data to the new phone
And...
d. The new homescreen needs to be re-populated as was the old

All of these issues are solved, in my case, but, as I already advised, I
factory wipe frequently so my use model might not work for your use model.

So, don't take my advice as it requires thinking well _ahead_ of time.
o Which, I believe, is the "real" solution to all backup/restore issues (IMHO)

Nonetheless, here's a simplified summary solution for each problem above:
A. All APKs are automagically saved to a unique directory on the old phone
B. On the new phone, those APKs are installed & _manually_ set up as before
C. That instantly points the apps on the new phone to the old data dir!
And...
D. My app launcher (nova free) automatically replicates the old homescreen.

That backup/restore flow is simplified, but notice that key premises are:
1. Choose a good app launcher that can replicate the homescreen
2. Choose a good app extractor that saves all apps to an APK archive
3. Choose good apps that can be configured to use your top-level directory
And...
4. Create a top level directory to put all the "stuff" you care about.

For backup, all you do is periodically copy over that top-level directory.
--
Elegant solutions to complex problems always turn out to be quite easy.

Arlen Holder

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Apr 20, 2020, 2:35:25 PM4/20/20
to
We still have the problem of finding a good non-root backup solution.

Googling for a good non-Root Android backup solution for The Real Bev...
o I found almost too many to even begin to categorize; so I first list...

o /Google Support/: *Back up or restore data on your Android device*
<https://support.google.com/android/answer/2819582?hl=en>

o *Best Android Backup App without Root to Safeguard Your Data*
<https://www.tunesbro.com/best-android-backup-apps.html>
1. *Backup Your Mobile*
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.backupyourmobile>
2. *TunesBro Android Manager* (Without Root)
<https://www.tunesbro.com/android-manager.html>
3. *G Cloud Backup*
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.genie9.gcloudbackup>
4. *Super Backup & Restore* (App Data Available)
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.idea.backup.smscontacts>
5. *SyncDroid* <https://www.sync-droid.com/>
<https://www.sync-droid.com/syncdroid-for-android.html>

o *How to Backup Android Data without Root?*
<https://www.jihosoft.com/free-utilities/best-free-backup-apps-for-android.html>
1. *Google Drive*
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.docs>
2. *App Backup & Restore*
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.appcodder.appbackup>
3. *Helium*
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.koushikdutta.backup>
4. *SYNCit <com.lenovo.leos.cloud.sync.row>
<https://apkpure.com/syncit/com.lenovo.leos.cloud.sync.row>
5. *G Cloud Backup*
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.genie9.gcloudbackup>
6. *Dropbox*
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.dropbox.android>
7. *My Backup*
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.rerware.android.MyBackup>
8. *Super Backup & Restore*
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.idea.backup.smscontacts>
9. *Backup Your Mobile*
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.backupyourmobile>
10. *Simpler Backup*
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=mobi.infolife.appbackup>

o *10 best Android backup apps and other ways to backup Android!*
1. *Autosync by MetaCtrl*
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/developer?id=MetaCtrl>
2. *App Backup by Buggy_Apps*
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ruet_cse_1503050.ragib.appbackup.pro>
3. *Backup Your Mobile*
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.backupyourmobile>
4. *G Cloud Backup*
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.genie9.gcloudbackup>
5. *Google Photos*
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.photos>
6. *Migrate*
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=balti.migrate>
7. *Resilio Sync*
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.resilio.sync>
8. *Solid Explorer*
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=pl.solidexplorer2>
9. *Super Backup Pro*
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.idea.backup.smscontactspro>
10. *Titanium Backup*
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/developer?id=Titanium+Track>
11. *HTC Restore*
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.htc.restore>
12. *Asus File Manager*
<https://asus-file-manager.en.uptodown.com/android>
13. *Google Drive*
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.docs>

And a few more I'll summarize in a thread of its own as this is lengthy.
--
There are two types of people on Usenet where one is purposefully helpful.

The Real Bev

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Apr 20, 2020, 5:32:01 PM4/20/20
to
On 04/20/2020 11:35 AM, Arlen Holder wrote:
> We still have the problem of finding a good non-root backup solution.
>
> Googling for a good non-Root Android backup solution for The Real Bev...
> o I found almost too many to even begin to categorize; so I first list...
>
> o /Google Support/: *Back up or restore data on your Android device*
> <https://support.google.com/android/answer/2819582?hl=en>
>
> o *Best Android Backup App without Root to Safeguard Your Data*
> <https://www.tunesbro.com/best-android-backup-apps.html>
> 1. *Backup Your Mobile*
> <https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.backupyourmobile>
> 2. *TunesBro Android Manager* (Without Root)
> <https://www.tunesbro.com/android-manager.html>
> 3. *G Cloud Backup*
> <https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.genie9.gcloudbackup>
> 4. *Super Backup & Restore* (App Data Available)
> <https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.idea.backup.smscontacts>
> 5. *SyncDroid* <https://www.sync-droid.com/>
> <https://www.sync-droid.com/syncdroid-for-android.html>
>
> o *How to Backup Android Data without Root?*
> <https://www.jihosoft.com/free-utilities/best-free-backup-apps-for-android.html>
> 1. *Google Drive*
> <https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.docs>

I'd never looked at the left-hand swipe menu. It shows the latest
backup of my phone. I think I'm going to trust this -- no idea if it's
what I expect or not, but maybe...

The rest of your list is saved for posterity. I looked at some of them
at the playstore and installed JS Backup (and saved a backup on my
google drive), but nothing seemed really sufficient on the face of it.
Cheers, Bev
"A stupid person is a person who causes losses to another person
or to a group of persons while himself deriving no gain and even
possibly incurring losses." -- C.M.Cipolla

Arlen Holder

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Apr 20, 2020, 5:50:03 PM4/20/20
to
In response to what The Real Bev <bashl...@gmail.com> wrote :

> I'd never looked at the left-hand swipe menu. It shows the latest
> backup of my phone. I think I'm going to trust this -- no idea if it's
> what I expect or not, but maybe...

Hi The Real Bev,
On your behalf, today, I looked up the "documented" backup solutions.

o *What free non-root Android backup & restore solution do you recommend*
<https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/comp.mobile.android/jZ8IxxgXFys>

There are so many solutions that nobody will have time to test them all.
o I'm reading dozens of articles on the various backup/restore methods

> The rest of your list is saved for posterity. I looked at some of them
> at the playstore and installed JS Backup (and saved a backup on my
> google drive), but nothing seemed really sufficient on the face of it.

I think there are "fundamentally" three types of backup/restore solutions:
a. Google backup stuff (requires a google account for cloud storage)
b. adb backup stuff (requires a desktop PC for HDD storage)
c. Third-party backup stuff (individual backup & restore apps)

For example...

A. *Google backup stuff*
o *Backup Android Phone - Everything you need to Know* 2018
<https://www.ru10android.com/backup-android-phone/>
1. Log into your Google Account on your Android phone
2. Enable Backup and reset using
o Settings > Backup & reset then tap Backup my data
That will back up the following:
a. Google Calendar settings
b. Wi-Fi networks & passwords
c. Chrome data
d. Contacts
e. Google play music
f. Home screen wallpapers
g. Gmail settings
h. Apps installed through Google Play (backed up on the Play Store app)
i. Display settings (Brightness & Sleep)
j. Language & Input settings
k. Date & Time
l. Third-party app settings & data (varies by app)
4. Cloud backup messages and logs
That will back up the following:
m. Backup email app data
n. Messages. Including text messages, Spam filters, Enhanced messaging
content (chats, file names, thumbnail images)
o. Phone logs and call rejection list.
5. Cloud Backup media & pictures using Google+
6. To restore, using Google, just press "Sync all".

B. *adb backup stuff*
C:\> adb backup -apk -shared -all -f C:\Users\{yourname}\backup.ab
C:\> adb restore C:\Users\{yourname}\backup.ab

C. *Third-party backup stuff*
(There are so many backup/restore apps, it will take a while
before I get a handle on which few are the best for non-root
freeware backup solutions.)
--
Usenet is a public potluck where purposefully helpful adults share ideas.

Arlen Holder

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Apr 21, 2020, 2:40:52 AM4/21/20
to
In response to what Arlen Holder <arlen...@anyexample.com> wrote :

> c. Those apps need to bring along their old data to the new phone

Hi The Real Bev,

I tested out one method of backing up apps _and their data_ just now:
o *Tutorial: How to back up non-root Android apps and their data*
*over Wi-Fi using Helium freeware on Windows*
<https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/comp.mobile.android/ZUEJUrPrEog>

I wrote that tutorial so that anyone could follow it in far less time than
it took me to write it up and organize the steps from multiple resources.

Now you can back up apps _with_ their settings & data, to the PC.
o And then you can restore those apps, _with_ their settings & data!

As always, I ask folks to test it out and further improve so that everyone
always benefits from every effort we make to help each other.
--
Together we can accomplish far more than any one of us can alone.

Chris

unread,
Apr 21, 2020, 4:50:55 AM4/21/20
to
On 20/04/2020 15:28, David Taylor wrote:
> On 20/04/2020 15:16, John McGaw wrote:
> []
>> Where in Scotland? I've experienced three seasons along with sunny
>> skies and horizontal rain on the same day and in the same place ;-) My
>> Scots kin hailed from a place so far south that going much further
>> would call for swimming (Kirkmaiden).

Yep. That's "normal" :) Have to keep explaining to visitors why we need
to put on coats when going for a walk and it is currently warm and sunny.

> All Scotland - for example:
>
>   https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EWDS3QvU0AAJuK3?format=jpg&name=4096x4096
>
>   https://twitter.com/gm8arv/status/1252228864610164737
>
> Just about 14C at the moment (14:28 UTC) as there is a breeze from the
> East into Edinburgh.

It is very odd! Three days in a row like this. The weather presenters
don't really have much to say. Air temp is cool due to onshore easterly,
but sun is warm.

Chris

unread,
Apr 21, 2020, 4:51:56 AM4/21/20
to
Gorgeous!

The Real Bev

unread,
Apr 21, 2020, 3:03:17 PM4/21/20
to
On 04/20/2020 11:40 PM, Arlen Holder wrote:
> In response to what Arlen Holder <arlen...@anyexample.com> wrote :
>
>> c. Those apps need to bring along their old data to the new phone
>
> Hi The Real Bev,
>
> I tested out one method of backing up apps _and their data_ just now:
> o *Tutorial: How to back up non-root Android apps and their data*
> *over Wi-Fi using Helium freeware on Windows*
> <https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/comp.mobile.android/ZUEJUrPrEog>

Many thanks. It provides a linux version in addition to the windows
version.

Unfortunately helium on the phone couldn't recognize that I had switched
from MTP to PTP and wouldn't go any further. Not sure why, but I don't
think it's worth pursuing. Perhaps it just expects the latest android,
and it's not going to get it!

Might also be an adb problem because I'm running an old version of
slackware 14.2.

Repeat -- NOT worth pursuing in my case.

BUT I'll try it when I get the new phone and report back.

> I wrote that tutorial so that anyone could follow it in far less time than
> it took me to write it up and organize the steps from multiple resources.
>
> Now you can back up apps _with_ their settings & data, to the PC.
> o And then you can restore those apps, _with_ their settings & data!
>
> As always, I ask folks to test it out and further improve so that everyone
> always benefits from every effort we make to help each other.


--
Cheers, Bev (Registered Linux User 85683)
Some people have told me they don't think a fat penguin really
embodies the grace of Linux, which just tells me they have never seen
an angry penguin charging at them in excess of 100mph. They'd be a
lot more careful about what they say if they had. -- Linus Torvalds

Arlen Holder

unread,
Apr 22, 2020, 3:38:47 AM4/22/20
to
In response to what The Real Bev <bashl...@gmail.com> wrote :

> BUT I'll try it when I get the new phone and report back.

Hi The Real Bev,

I think Helium was a bit too complicated for me, but at least if I ever
need it, I know it will work to back up "most" apps and their data, where
backing up the APKs was never a problem, so where Helium shines is in
backing up "most" app's data.

Regarding just SMS/MMS app data, I think I solved the problem of freeware
SMS/MMS backup & restore (which includes the photos embedded inside the MMS
messages).

There are a lot more details in this thread over in comp.text.xml:
o *What's a decent XML editor specifically for editing/viewing*
*SMS messages copied from Android to Windows?*
<https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/comp.text.xml/bNiXNvXiU4k>

But the short story is that I tested this app and I think it works for
backing up and restoring SMS/MMS texts (including embedded photos):
o *SMS Backup & Restore*, by SyncTech Pty Ltd
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.riteshsahu.SMSBackupRestore>
"backs up and restores your phone's SMS and MMS messages and call logs."

Here is a screenshot of the restoration process:
<https://i.postimg.cc/wj0n4P9D/xml06.jpg>
--
The beauty of helping others on Usenet is we all learn more together.

Chris

unread,
Apr 22, 2020, 3:46:43 AM4/22/20
to
The Real Bev <bashl...@gmail.com> wrote:
Doesn't the new phone come with a sync app? I remember my old Moto did this
years ago.

The Real Bev

unread,
Apr 24, 2020, 10:36:36 PM4/24/20
to
YESSSS!/ It came a day early. It didn't come with anything but a
charging cable, but I had enough connectors to connect the new Pixel to
the old Moto and the transfer went slick as shit through a goose. Only
playstore apps come through, and I have several that came from
independent sources. Download by hand, etc. The app for my generic
"fitbit" balks, so perhaps I'll just delete and reinstall that one -- it
came from the playstore, but refuses to get past the 'profile' page.

I love the brightness. Everything seems clearer. It's faster. It's
slipperier, unfortunately, and the case won't arrive for another month.

There doesn't seem to be an easy way to turn off 'location' services,
but I probably just haven't discovered it yet. I really don't want
google tracking me even though it doesn't really matter. I did find the
switch to turn off automatic upload of my photos, though, and that's a
good thing.

All told, I'm happy. $113 plus under $10 worth of useful accessories. Yay!


--
Cheers, Bev
"It doesn't get any easier - you just go faster."
-- Greg Lemond

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