Phone backup before /e/OS installation

Using /e/OS Migrate to /e/OS
#1

I need some assistance, fellow /e/OS enthusiasts. I need a software/technique to fully back up the phone OS, before installing /e/OS, in case I need to revert to the original firmware/OS. (not just the apps, contacts and settings, but the whole firmware)

My first phone was upgraded to /e/OS without such a backup and now I cannot revert it back to its original Android flavour.

I’m sure this topic must have been extensively covered somewhere in this forum, but for the life of me, I just can’t find the right thread or the right doco.

Can somebody point me in the right direction, please?

#2

Different manufacturers have different ways of providing a “Stock ROM” or “Factory ROM”, then the technique to install it can vary. This does not backup “your stuff” but as the name suggests puts the phone back to “original”.

Which device(s) are you considering?

For a Samsung you might check here What is a stock ROM and how do I get one?

2 Likes
#3

Except that to install /e/OS (or any custom ROM), you will need to unlock the bootloader. For most devices this process is irreversible and it will not be possible to restore the device to how it was when it left the factory: it may have the original stock firmware but it is quite likely to always display a warning about the unlocked bootloader.

#4

Thanks aidb. I am looking at Samsung phones.

So there is no way to save/copy the original firmware from the phone, before overwriting it?

I would prefer that option, rather than getting a “stock firmware” from a third party (with no guarantees as to what’s actually inside it), in case I want/need to revert the phone to its original stock Android OS.

I’ve already installed /e/OS a couple of times (on test/play phones), but now, I’m about to replace my main phone and I am seriously considering flashing the new one with /e/OS. But being my main phone, I need to have a way to go back to standard Android, if any of the critical functions or apps (for me) ends up misbehaving.

#5

@centaurus,
notice forcefully what @petfoth shared! Also, you can reinstall the Samsung stock firmware, but Samsung refuses to update the firmware further via OTA update after unlocking the bootloader.

For example, with Samsung’s Smart Switch, there is the possibility of transferring your personal data and content - including your photos, settings, and call logs.

#6

I understand the “warranty limitations” once a device has been “rooted”. I also understand the difference between backing up one’s data (settings, pictures, documents, config, etc.) and the actual firmware.

I’m specifically looking for a way of backing up the original firmware, so I can put it back, in case I need to (for backing up configurations and personal data, Smartswitch is all that I need, when running the stock ROM).

#7

@centaurus I understand what you’re looking for, only this particular option is not available in the Android world. I’m not aware of any Android backup system that allows a 1:1 copy of the entire system, as is possible on a PC under Linux and Windows, for example.