CWM Recovery Backup, Format/Wipe, Restore, & Flash: ! MAKE SURE YOU READ THE NOTES IN THE OP AT THE TOP FIRST !
You CAN get into RECOVERY by: pressing
[pwr] and selecting "boot ClockworkMod" from the bootloader (Moboot) when powered off.
You CAN get into RECOVERY by: holding
[pwr], selecting "Reboot", then "Recovery" from within CM9/10.
Sdcard/clockworkmod/ (This is the folder CWM Recovery creates/uses.)
________________ /backup (recovery's backup of /system, /data, /boot.img, etc. are saved here by date. You can edit the filename.)
________________ /download (If you use CWM Rom Manager, it will place its downloads here. I've never used it.)
After the device has a Custom recovery, the recovery can be used to:
1) Flash/install .zip files:
- New/rooted kernels, including boot.img files (controls how the o.s. works with hardware)
- Roms (complete /system & /data file with kernel, custom apps, modded settings)
- Bootanimations (should be correct resolution)
- Other system improvements
- Themes (modify look of device/menus etc. Usually specific to each device (ie HP TP) & FW/Rom Base (ie CM9 vs CM10)
Must clear "dalvik cache" & may need to flash "deodexed template" or deodexed Rom, boot to system, before flashing each theme).
2) Make .tar(or dedup) backups of /system, /data, & /cache. Also backs up /boot ( boot.img or Kernel), and some versions may backup /recovery (recovery.img ), /wimax (wimax.img ) if available, that can be restored, usually together.
Note: Format the appropriate partition before restoring. (Usually format/wipe the first 3.)
It's a good idea to make an initial backup right after you install the custom recovery. Then you can just format, restore the backup, if things get messed up.
3) Format/wipe the 3 main partitions and flash other partitions (depending on recovery version):
/system (o.s., system apps)
/data (google acct, app & phone settings, downloaded/installed apps)
/cache (used by o.s. to access info/apps, includes "/dalvik cache")
Android Partitions Explained
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Controls:
[ Vol Up/Dwn ] = move or highlight selection
[ Home ] = select item/option
Note: On CWM Touch versions HW controls may still work.
How to Flash a Zip (Generally):
Place the .zip on the SDcard (or Sdcard/zip or similar folder of your choice)
Boot to recovery.
-> WIPE CACHE (habit of mine)
-> INSTALL ZIP FROM SD CARD -> CHOOSE ZIP FROM SDCARD
(navigate to where the zip is and select it)
-> REBOOT SYSTEM NOW (may need to "Go Back" to get to reboot option)
How to flash a rom (Generally):
- Make a backup in recovery first (/system, /data, /cache, etc.)
- Format/wipe the 3 partitions as appropriate.
(some Rom zips will do this for you, but may require a specific recovery coding such as "Edify" in CWM).
- Flash the Rom.zip (and any supplements like Gapps)
- Reboot to system, let it load, Verify functions
How to flash a theme (Geneally):
- Go to recovery, Wipe " Dalvik Cache ",
- Flash the " Stock Deodex Template" or Deodexed Rom (Depending on your version)
- Reboot to system, let it load, Verify functions
- Go To recovery, ADVANCED, Wipe "dalvik Cache"
- Flash the theme you want, ie GreenSteel.zip
- Reboot to system, let it load, Verify functions
Note: Anytime you wipe cache/dalvik cache it will take longer to boot the first time (ie Android is Updating).
Back up & Restore your file system with CWM recovery (DETAILED)
1 - (Enter Recovery)
-> BACKUP AND RESTORE -> BACKUP (This will separately backup: boot.img, /system, /data, /cache, wimax.img, etc)
Note: If you prefer the dedupe (.dup) backup format over .tar (default) and want to change the setting,
go to -> CHOOSE DEFAULT BACKUP FORMAT (before creating your backups)
* NOTE: you can stop here if you just want a backup*
2- (Format Manually through Recovery)
-> WIPE DATA/FACTORY RESET ( this will format the DATA & CACHE partitions for you in one shot )
-> MOUNTS AND STORAGE -> FORMAT SYSTEM
-> FORMAT DATA (Optionally there if needed, i.e. to restore only data partition)
-> FORMAT CACHE (Optionally there if needed)
4- (Restore Manually through Recovery)
-> BACKUP AND RESTORE -> CHOOSE YOUR BACKUP
-> RESTORE (This will restore all parts of the backup: /system, /data, & /cache, /boot [ boot.img or Kernel], /recovery [recovery.img], /wimax [wimax.img], SD-EXT if setup )
Note: If there is more than one, the numbers are a date/time stamp (ie: 2012-02-16.06.14.40 is Feb.16, 2012 at 6:14AM), so choose the appropriate one.
I typically change the name later, ie: "2012-02-16 CM9andApps"
(9-14-13 edit: Changing the name in newer CWM recoveries may create "MD5 checksum" errors and prevent a restore. Needs verified).
4.1- ADVANCED OPTION (Restore portions of backups individually, typically used to restore /data after Rom Update)
-> ADVANCED RESTORE -> CHOOSE YOUR BACKUP IMAGE ( /system, /data, /cache, /boot, /recovery, /wimax, SD-EXT)
-> RESTORE
5- (Reboot)
-> REBOOT SYSTEM NOW (may need to "Go Back" to get to reboot option)
nevertells, on 23 Jan 2013 - 4:13 PM, said:
A little word of caution. As Salvation27 said, you can use either version of Moboot, but you should still understand the implications of which one you use. Same thing goes for cwm6 vs cwm5. Moboot 0.3.8 was released because certain apps and games need the correct serial number that 0.3.8 passes to Android which 0.3.5 does not. Since you are using cwm6, using 0.3.8 is not an issue for you. If you had been using twrp, then you would need to be aware that 0.3.8 causes twrp to create and use a different folder for the backups it creates. When it comes to cwm6, it now uses two different methods of creating the backup files. The original method (TAR) and a new method, (DUP). If you regularly save a copy of your backups on you PC for safe keeping, then you should use the TAR method. The DUP method creates hundreds and hundreds of folders in two different directories and to my knowledge no one has ever explained how one goes about saving a copy off to one's PC short of copying the entire backup folder. I've read that after the first backup using the DUP method, that subsequent backups are supposed to be faster. I've tried both methods and I can honestly say that I did not see any increased speed on subsequent backups using DUP. The problem I see with the DUP method is I don't see any easy way to separate one date's backup from another's. Using the TAR method is just a matter of copying the one file created. Lastly, you may not be aware that one reason cwm5 was replaced is using it to flash a nightly creates corruption in the /system partition. I believe that TAR is the default method used, but you should check under "Backup and Recover" in cwm6 to insure that is the method selected.
If anyone has seen a significant speed increase using DUP, feel free to chime in. I only made a couple of small changes and the next backup seemed to run just as long as the first.