Backing up a Boox tablet?

[MikeFromMesa]

I recently messed up the NeoReader settings on my Note Air 4C badly enough that I could not open the settings again to fix the problem. The only way I could reset the NeoReader settings was to do a Factory Reset on the tablet and that made me wonder if there are any backup apps that could be used on the Boox tablets.

Boox Help says they do not provide any backup functionality so is there a backup app on the Play Store (or elsewhere) that can be used to backup and restore the tablet so I don't have to do a full reset to restore functionality?

Of course I could do a full copy of the file system but I don't think it would allow me to copy those back to OS portions of the tablet while it was running.

[dcarvil]

Originally Posted by MikeFromMesa

I recently messed up the NeoReader settings on my Note Air 4C badly enough that I could not open the settings again to fix the problem. The only way I could reset the NeoReader settings was to do a Factory Reset on the tablet and that made me wonder if there are any backup apps that could be used on the Boox tablets.

Boox Help says they do not provide any backup functionality so is there a backup app on the Play Store (or elsewhere) that can be used to backup and restore the tablet so I don't have to do a full reset to restore functionality?

Of course I could do a full copy of the file system but I don't think it would allow me to copy those back to OS portions of the tablet while it was running.

I haven't tried it on the Boox, but I use Swift Backup from the play store on all my other android devices. It should work on the Boox. Any backup app will require root.

[Renate]

Originally Posted by MikeFromMesa

Of course I could do a full copy of the file system but I don't think it would allow me to copy those back to OS portions of the tablet while it was running.

So that's why you don't do it when it's running.
If you put your device in EDL mode, nothing is mounted, nothing is being changed.

If you've got the storage room on PC or disks or NAS or cloud it makes sense to make a full, raw backup.
Bricked your device? Just restore in one step.
Upgraded to a new version OS, hate it and there's no rollback? Just restore in one step.

The one caveat is: Never "Wipe user data" even if you have a full backup.
Because this will erase your encryption keys and the userdata in your backup will be unreadable.

Does this work? Yeah, I've done it multiple times, including changing my reader to Chinese and back.

[MikeFromMesa]

Originally Posted by dcarvil

Any backup app will require root.

I have to root the tablet to be able to do a backup? Is that true for all Android tablets? Or only the Boox?

[MikeFromMesa]

Originally Posted by Renate

So that's why you don't do it when it's running.

Sure. But you can't do it when it is shut down either as there is no power to the memory and so no way to mount the file system.

Originally Posted by Renate

If you've got the storage room on PC or disks or NAS or cloud it makes sense to make a full, raw backup.

I have plenty of space, but what is the purpose of making a full raw backup if there is no way to restore it? Of course I could try to copy some individual file system components back from the backup but the NeoReader, which is what I needed to restore, is part of the OS and I can not find any part of the file system that relates to just it, so there is no place to do a restore. At least that I can find.

Originally Posted by Renate

Bricked your device? Just restore in one step.
Upgraded to a new version OS, hate it and there's no rollback? Just restore in one step.

Fortunately I did not brick the device, and even the NeoReader ran. I just could not get to the settings because I had disabled some individual setting that prevented any screen taps from working. Only the page turn and NaviBall taps worked and they could not get me to the settings window for the reader. In the end I had to do a Factory Reset to restore just the NeoReader settings.

It just seems clear to me that there ought to be a usable backup method for the tablet. Not having one seems very strange to me.

[MikeFromMesa]

Originally Posted by Renate

Just restore in one step.

The question is how to restore, in one step or more.

[dcarvil]

Originally Posted by MikeFromMesa

I have to root the tablet to be able to do a backup? Is that true for all Android tablets? Or only the Boox?

Any backup app will require root, and that is true for all android tablets. An app cannot access the data of another app without root.

The edl backup Renate described will not require root.

[Renate]

Originally Posted by MikeFromMesa

Sure. But you can't do it when it is shut down either as there is no power to the memory and so no way to mount the file system.

As always, this stuff is dependent on the meaning of words.
What are the possible states of "running-ness"?

1. Unpowered
2. Powered, but not running an OS and having no volumes mounted
3. Running (Android-y) Linux
4. Running the Android subsystem on Linux

In #2 we can access all storage, it's just not mounted.

What do we mean by "backup"?

• A snapshot in time that will allow us to reinstate a device exactly as it was. The snapshot does not provide access to individual files except when restored onto a device.
• A backup of files where you can select and access offline the photo of Aunt Gertie on vacation in Ibiza.

Originally Posted by MikeFromMesa

I have plenty of space, but what is the purpose of making a full raw backup if there is no way to restore it?

Since I've stated that I've saved and restored many times you might consider the possibility that that is true.

edl /lpoke6.bin /w /s0 /c0 bigbackup.img /z

Originally Posted by MikeFromMesa

It just seems clear to me that there ought to be a usable backup method for the tablet. Not having one seems very strange to me.

Well, it's a consumer device and I guess they want you to use their cloud.

[MikeFromMesa]

Originally Posted by Renate

Since I've stated that I've saved and restored many times you might consider the possibility that that is true.

edl /lpoke6.bin /w /s0 /c0 bigbackup.img /z

edl is software I never heard of before so I had to look it up to find out something about it. I am just not that familiar with the Android OS.

In any case Google tells me that I have to open the tablet and use tweezers to short out two connections. I guess I was looking for software that would not require disassembling (and voiding the warranty of) my brand new Boox Note Air 4C. Something like Carbon Copy Cloner, but for Android instead of the Mac.

[dcarvil]

Originally Posted by MikeFromMesa

edl is software I never heard of before so I had to look it up to find out something about it. I am just not that familiar with the Android OS.

In any case Google tells me that I have to open the tablet and use tweezers to short out two connections. I guess I was looking for software that would not require disassembling (and voiding the warranty of) my brand new Boox Note Air 4C. Something like Carbon Copy Cloner, but for Android instead of the Mac.

Google is wrong. All you need is "adb reboot edl". Search this forum for more instructions on edl. Also checkout Renate's home page at https://temblast.com/android.htm.

[Renate]

Originally Posted by dcarvil

Google is wrong.

Also EDL cables work on most recent Onyx devices.
This is the first, basic version that shorts D+ to Gnd (green to black).
You can even make one yourself for the cost of the crappiest USB cable.
I used an Ikea cable for $1.5 and it is assuredly crappy, no shielding at all.

This doesn't work on my Poke3, but it does on my Poke5 and Go6.
It is only necessary when you don't have ADB.

[MikeFromMesa]

Originally Posted by dcarvil

Google is wrong.

And it would not be the first time either.

Originally Posted by dcarvil

All you need is "adb reboot edl". Search this forum for more instructions on edl. Also checkout Renate's home page at https://temblast.com/android.htm.

I did that. EDL seems to be a Qualcomm related app. Do all of the Boox e-ink tablets use Qualcomm processors?

[MikeFromMesa]

Originally Posted by Renate

Also EDL cables work on most recent Onyx devices.
This is the first, basic version that shorts D+ to Gnd (green to black).
You can even make one yourself for the cost of the crappiest USB cable.
I used an Ikea cable for $1.5 and it is assuredly crappy, no shielding at all.

This doesn't work on my Poke3, but it does on my Poke5 and Go6.
It is only necessary when you don't have ADB.

This is all new stuff to me so I will have to do some research to make sure that I have an understanding of what needs to be done. I would rather not have to buy another Note Air 4C.

[Renate]

Originally Posted by MikeFromMesa

Do all of the Boox e-ink tablets use Qualcomm processors?

The really old ones used Rockchip. Nowadays it's all Qualcomm.
http://www.temblast.com/ref/onyx.htm

EDL is your friend, always, but especially with Onyx Boox.
See: http://www.temblast.com/edl.htm