# Question about TiBu



## xfighter1188 (Oct 6, 2011)

Does restoring app data on user apps defeat the purpose of doing a clean install? (wiping data/cache)

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2


----------



## LoH_Mobius (Jun 6, 2012)

I'd say in most cases no for user apps its all good

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using RootzWiki


----------



## xfighter1188 (Oct 6, 2011)

Okay, so I could safely restore app data with tibu? I tended to just avoid it but now I'm starting to find it handy

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2


----------



## JRJ442 (Jun 8, 2011)

xfighter1188 said:


> Okay, so I could safely restore app data with tibu? I tended to just avoid it but now I'm starting to find it handy
> 
> Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2


Yeah it'll be good. Just no system app stuff of any kind.


----------



## brkshr (Jun 16, 2011)

I'm going to have to disagree with others here. Yes, titanium backup works fine the majority of the time. It does mess things up from time to time though.

So with that said. If you do end up having problems with a ROM, make sure you take titanium backup out of the equation, as well as a full data wipe. Or, when posting about your problems, state that you have used TiBu or didn't do a full data wipe.

Those are the two most common & preventable reasons for bugs.


----------



## slow88lx (Jun 7, 2011)

brkshr said:


> I'm going to have to disagree with others here. Yes, titanium backup works fine the majority of the time. It does mess things up from time to time though.
> 
> So with that said. If you do end up having problems with a ROM, make sure you take titanium backup out of the equation, as well as a full data wipe. Or, when posting about your problems, state that you have used TiBu or didn't do a full data wipe.
> 
> Those are the two most common & preventable reasons for bugs.


Ok then, I'll have to disagree with you here. I've been using TiBu since early 2010 on my HTC Vogue(windows phone running android) to restore apps after changing ROMs. Never once have I had a problem with it, mind you I only backup and restore user apps. When I changed from Droid X to my Gnex I restored all my apps from the DX onto my Gnex, without a problem. Unless you have something technical to add here I think your problems were isolated to your personal experience.

To the OP's question, yes restoring system apps' data does categorically negate a clean install/wipe. Feel free to restore user apps at will.


----------



## brkshr (Jun 16, 2011)

slow88lx said:


> Ok then, I'll have to disagree with you here. I've been using TiBu since early 2010 on my HTC Vogue(windows phone running android) to restore apps after changing ROMs. Never once have I had a problem with it, mind you I only backup and restore user apps. When I changed from Droid X to my Gnex I restored all my apps from the DX onto my Gnex, without a problem. Unless you have something technical to add here I think your problems were isolated to your personal experience.
> 
> To the OP's question, yes restoring system apps' data does categorically negate a clean install/wipe. Feel free to restore user apps at will.


I've used TiBu off/on since 2009 with the OG Droid. I've been on these forums since then. XDA, Droid Forums, Android Forums, My Droid World, Rootz, Android Central, droidrzr, droidxforums, galaxynexusforum.

Why do you think people ask over & over, if a user having problems, has restored apps with TiBu. It has caused countless problems for people. I've seen hundreds of threads with Titanium Backup causing problems for people.

Like I said, the majority of the time it works fine. BUT, it has caused problems for many people as well. I didn't tell him not to use TiBu. I told him to be wary if he runs into problems.

Edit: Phones I've had & kept up with on the forums: OG Droid, Droid Incredible, Droid X, Droid Pro, Droid 2 global, Droid X2, Droid Bionic, Droid RAZR, Galaxy Nexus, Galaxy S3

I've seen/experienced enough to know about TiBu. I'm glad it's worked fine for you so far.


----------



## mssam (Feb 20, 2012)

xfighter1188 said:


> Does restoring app data on user apps defeat the purpose of doing a clean install? (wiping data/cache)
> 
> Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2


No. Sometimes that's where your settings for certain apps are. Like a keyboard app for instance. Restore the app data and you don't have to start all over and enter your settings again. Furthermore, some system info can be safely backed up/restored w/o an issue after you do a clean install...


----------



## EasilyAmused (Oct 24, 2011)

Another reason people ask if you are using TiBu when you have problems is that there is a great deal of confusion on how to use it appropriately. I too have had no issues with TiBu but I follow a rule of thumb in addition to the no system apps. I also don't restore data for user apps that create accounts in settings.

For example, an average joe who has never used TiBu before might get very confused based upon which GApps they are using with their ROM. Some GApps install GMail as a system app, some install it as a user app, some don't install it at all. Not saying you should backup or restore GMail (because it is kind of pointless anyway) but I could anticipate a person trying to back it up and restore it in cases where it was installed as a user app (especially if you use the batch scenarios to backup user apps with modified data and are indiscriminate in selecting the apps that will be included in the backup).

For me if it is something like Amazon AppStore or TapaTalk that has does have a user login but that doesn't create an account in phone settings I have had no issues restoring app + data. If it is something like Linked In, Facebook (before the account sync was disabled), Google+, TouchDown, etc where it creates an account in settings and syncs data with the phone, restoring app + data has caused me issues in the past. But restoring app only has never caused me issues and often apps like TouchDown will let you do an in app backup of the settings anyway so you don't have so much angst about not being able to restore data.

All that being said now and then I like to live on the edge a little so I have even used TiBu in the past to take GApps that were updated through the market, integrate them into the ROM as system apps, back them up, flash a different ROM, and install the GApps as system apps (apk only - no data) just because I was too lazy to go download them again from the Market. Still had no issues there either. Guess I am just one of the lucky ones


----------



## deltaechoe (Jul 20, 2011)

The only reason that you should be restoring system apps is if you put them there yourself (like car home or cerberus), if you are just restoring user apps, then you should be just fine


----------

