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Groups > comp.mobile.android > #154029 > unrolled thread
| Started by | Alan Peeling <Alan@invalid.co.uk> |
|---|---|
| First post | 2026-06-02 14:59 +0100 |
| Last post | 2026-06-02 20:01 +0100 |
| Articles | 20 on this page of 46 — 7 participants |
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Can’t Set File Permissions Alan Peeling <Alan@invalid.co.uk> - 2026-06-02 14:59 +0100
Re: Can’t Set File Permissions Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> - 2026-06-02 09:30 -0600
Re: Can’t Set File Permissions Alan Peeling <Alan@invalid.co.uk> - 2026-06-02 16:50 +0100
Re: Can’t Set File Permissions Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> - 2026-06-02 18:33 -0600
Re: Can’t Set File Permissions Alan Peeling <Alan@invalid.co.uk> - 2026-06-03 12:59 +0100
Re: Can’t Set File Permissions Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> - 2026-06-03 08:37 -0600
Re: Can’t Set File Permissions Alan Peeling <Alan@invalid.co.uk> - 2026-06-03 23:04 +0100
Re: Can’t Set File Permissions Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> - 2026-06-03 17:37 -0600
Re: Can’t Set File Permissions Alan Peeling <Alan@invalid.co.uk> - 2026-06-04 22:02 +0100
Re: Can’t Set File Permissions "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2026-06-04 08:20 +0200
Re: Can’t Set File Permissions Alan Peeling <Alan@invalid.co.uk> - 2026-06-04 21:52 +0100
Re: Can’t Set File Permissions "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2026-06-05 13:33 +0200
Re: Can’t Set File Permissions Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> - 2026-06-05 07:10 -0600
Re: Can’t Set File Permissions Alan Peeling <Alan@invalid.co.uk> - 2026-06-05 16:07 +0100
Re: Can’t Set File Permissions Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> - 2026-06-05 10:41 -0600
Re: Can’t Set File Permissions Alan Peeling <Alan@invalid.co.uk> - 2026-06-05 23:06 +0100
Re: Can’t Set File Permissions Alan Peeling <Alan@invalid.co.uk> - 2026-06-05 23:22 +0100
Re: Can’t Set File Permissions Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> - 2026-06-05 19:12 -0600
Re: Can’t Set File Permissions Andy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk> - 2026-06-06 08:40 +0100
Re: Can’t Set File Permissions Dave Royal <dave@dave123royal.com> - 2026-06-05 16:42 +0000
Re: Can’t Set File Permissions Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> - 2026-06-05 10:54 -0600
Re: Can’t Set File Permissions Alan Peeling <Alan@invalid.co.uk> - 2026-06-07 12:46 +0100
Re: Can’t Set File Permissions "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2026-06-07 14:32 +0200
Re: Can’t Set File Permissions Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> - 2026-06-07 09:46 -0600
Re: Can’t Set File Permissions "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2026-06-07 20:09 +0200
Re: Can’t Set File Permissions Alan Peeling <Alan@invalid.co.uk> - 2026-06-07 19:57 +0100
Re: Can’t Set File Permissions "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2026-06-07 23:09 +0200
Re: Can’t Set File Permissions Alan Peeling <Alan@invalid.co.uk> - 2026-06-08 00:45 +0100
Re: Can’t Set File Permissions Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> - 2026-06-07 23:11 -0600
Re: Can’t Set File Permissions "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2026-06-08 09:47 +0200
Re: Can?t Set File Permissions Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2026-06-21 14:33 +0000
Doing a backup [Was: Can’t Set File Permissions] "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2026-06-08 13:11 +0200
Re: Doing a backup Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> - 2026-06-08 10:51 -0600
Re: Doing a backup "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2026-06-08 21:19 +0200
Re: Doing a backup Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> - 2026-06-08 20:40 -0600
Re: Doing a backup "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2026-06-09 20:04 +0200
Re: Doing a backup Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> - 2026-06-09 12:41 -0600
Re: Doing a backup "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2026-06-09 22:26 +0200
Re: Doing a backup Dave Royal <dave@dave123royal.com> - 2026-06-09 21:57 +0100
Re: Doing a backup [Was: Can’t Set File Permissions] "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2026-06-08 21:33 +0200
Re: Can’t Set File Permissions Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> - 2026-06-07 09:27 -0600
Re: Can?t Set File Permissions Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2026-06-21 14:16 +0000
Re: Can?t Set File Permissions "Carlos E. R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2026-06-21 19:01 +0200
Re: Can?t Set File Permissions Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2026-06-22 14:44 +0000
Re: Can’t Set File Permissions "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2026-06-02 18:06 +0200
Re: Can’t Set File Permissions Alan Peeling <Alan@invalid.co.uk> - 2026-06-02 20:01 +0100
Page 2 of 3 — ← Prev page 1 [2] 3 Next page →
| From | Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> |
|---|---|
| Date | 2026-06-05 10:54 -0600 |
| Message-ID | <10vuuvg$25ho$1@nnrp.usenet.blueworldhosting.com> |
| In reply to | #154071 |
Dave Royal wrote: > So where does, for example, my email client K9 (com.fsck.k9) hold its > data, in case I wanted to copy it? I was recently told by the Aurora developers in India about saveondevice <https://i.postimg.cc/SNZzqCQV/saveondevice.jpg> I see zero downside to implementing it, as all it does is allow any app to save its private data outside the app's sandboxed storage, if you want to. <https://f-droid.org/packages/name.lmj001.savetodevice> To me, it's a no brainer. You don't have to use it. But when you need it, it's there. I used it to save from Aurora's /data/data to the real external sd card.
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| From | Alan Peeling <Alan@invalid.co.uk> |
|---|---|
| Date | 2026-06-07 12:46 +0100 |
| Message-ID | <1103lmc$2fu0p$1@dont-email.me> |
| In reply to | #154065 |
On 05/06/2026 12:33, Carlos E.R. wrote: > On 2026-06-04 22:52, Alan Peeling wrote: >> On 04/06/2026 07:20, Carlos E.R. wrote: >>> I am able to save most files to a computer, by using MTP protocol in >>> Linux. Sometimes I had success by using an FTP server on the phone. >> >> Are you able to save /Android/data/, /sdcard/Android, and most >> subdirectories of /sdcard/Android? >> > > With FTP I have /Android/data/. I don't have an /sdcard/ directory on > this phone. > > With mtpfs I also have "/Android/data/", but I had to run the copy > several times till no errors were reported. > > > There is a thread here where we commented about it. > > Re: How do nonroot Android & nonjailbroken iOS run SMB servers to > connect to each other & Windows? > > From: Herbert Kleebauer <...> > > Date: Thu, 24 Apr 2025 21:31:44 +0200 > > > > But the copies I made are dated July. > > /2025-07-18-ftp │ 23331M > /2025-07-18-mtpfs │ 56257M > /2025-07-18-test │ 56170M > > So the latest directory was made with a method that accessed more files. > I don't remember what method I used :-? > > I will have to run tests again. I have a note that says to use FTP, but > must be a different than the one used in the first directory. > > > My notes on the ftp method say: > > +++------------ > Use Cx File Explorer on phone to activate ftp. The app can be > backgrounded, swipe from the bottom. > > Copy over the files using mc to temporary directory. No, use FileZilla > > Finally, use rsync to save space. > ------------++- > > > Sigh, incomplete notes. > > I found the thread ‘How do nonroot Android & nonjailbroken iOS run SMB servers to connect to each other & Windows?’ on https://newsgrouper.org/comp.mobile.android , thanks for the pointers. It is a killer thread, it took me hours to read, and it's stuffed with the sort of flames that make one embarrassed to be human. It did contain some gems, for example I didn't know that Windows File Explorer could be used as an FTP client. The app Carlos remembered seems to be WebDAV FS, which lets the phone appear as a drive in File Explorer. That seemed like useful functionality so I installed it. I know File Explorer already has something similar but I've found it to be flaky and confusing; I can never tell whether I'm working in the phone or in a copy of it on my C: drive. I wasn't optimistic that WebDAV FS would solve the problem of inaccessible Android folders. I was right not to be optimistic, when I backed up through it I recovered fewer files than GoodSync Server fetched, so in that respect it's a turkey. There was a tantalising post suggesting that the Android FTP server primitive ftpd, not in a sanitised version available though Play Store, but in a more resourceful form that comes from F-Droid, could access off-limits Android folders. I tried it and it doesn’t work. Perhaps the way to back up my phone is to use Samsung Smart Switch after major structural changes to its software and GoodSync Server for day-to-day maintenance. Whilst I was exploring I came across the news that, in a few weeks, Google plans to block Android apps that it has not approved in a bureaucratic and money consuming process. Everyone else may already know about this but I didn’t. There is a site at https://keepandroidopen.org/ giving details and showing links that can be used for asking regulatory bodies to oppose this nastiness. -- Alan in the UK
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| From | "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> |
|---|---|
| Date | 2026-06-07 14:32 +0200 |
| Message-ID | <iv4gfmxbk2.ln2@Telcontar.valinor> |
| In reply to | #154084 |
On 2026-06-07 13:46, Alan Peeling wrote: > On 05/06/2026 12:33, Carlos E.R. wrote: >> On 2026-06-04 22:52, Alan Peeling wrote: >>> On 04/06/2026 07:20, Carlos E.R. wrote: >>>> I am able to save most files to a computer, by using MTP protocol in >>>> Linux. Sometimes I had success by using an FTP server on the phone. >>> >>> Are you able to save /Android/data/, /sdcard/Android, and most >>> subdirectories of /sdcard/Android? >>> >> >> With FTP I have /Android/data/. I don't have an /sdcard/ directory on >> this phone. >> >> With mtpfs I also have "/Android/data/", but I had to run the copy >> several times till no errors were reported. >> >> >> There is a thread here where we commented about it. >> >> Re: How do nonroot Android & nonjailbroken iOS run SMB servers to >> connect to each other & Windows? >> >> From: Herbert Kleebauer <...> >> >> Date: Thu, 24 Apr 2025 21:31:44 +0200 >> >> >> >> But the copies I made are dated July. >> >> /2025-07-18-ftp │ 23331M >> /2025-07-18-mtpfs │ 56257M >> /2025-07-18-test │ 56170M >> >> So the latest directory was made with a method that accessed more >> files. I don't remember what method I used :-? >> >> I will have to run tests again. I have a note that says to use FTP, >> but must be a different than the one used in the first directory. >> >> >> My notes on the ftp method say: >> >> +++------------ >> Use Cx File Explorer on phone to activate ftp. The app can be >> backgrounded, swipe from the bottom. >> >> Copy over the files using mc to temporary directory. No, use FileZilla >> >> Finally, use rsync to save space. >> ------------++- >> >> >> Sigh, incomplete notes. >> >> > I found the thread ‘How do nonroot Android & nonjailbroken iOS run SMB > servers to connect to each other & Windows?’ on https://newsgrouper.org/ > comp.mobile.android , thanks for the pointers. It is a killer thread, it > took me hours to read, and it's stuffed with the sort of flames that > make one embarrassed to be human. I tried to point you to the exact post where we discussed backups :-) > It did contain some gems, for example > I didn't know that Windows File Explorer could be used as an FTP client. > The app Carlos remembered seems to be WebDAV FS, which lets the phone > appear as a drive in File Explorer. That seemed like useful > functionality so I installed it. I know File Explorer already has > something similar but I've found it to be flaky and confusing; I can > never tell whether I'm working in the phone or in a copy of it on my C: > drive. I wasn't optimistic that WebDAV FS would solve the problem of > inaccessible Android folders. I was right not to be optimistic, when I > backed up through it I recovered fewer files than GoodSync Server > fetched, so in that respect it's a turkey. There was a tantalising post > suggesting that the Android FTP server primitive ftpd, not in a > sanitised version available though Play Store, but in a more resourceful > form that comes from F-Droid, could access off-limits Android folders. I > tried it and it doesn’t work. > > Perhaps the way to back up my phone is to use Samsung Smart Switch after > major structural changes to its software and GoodSync Server for day-to- > day maintenance. > > Whilst I was exploring I came across the news that, in a few weeks, > Google plans to block Android apps that it has not approved in a > bureaucratic and money consuming process. Everyone else may already know > about this but I didn’t. There is a site at https://keepandroidopen.org/ > giving details and showing links that can be used for asking > regulatory bodies to oppose this nastiness. One of these days I'm going to do a backup of my phone, and I'll post in this thread what I find. I think it is the FTP server in Cx File Explorer in Android and Filezilla on the computer (Linux in my case) (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.cxinventor.file.explorer) The thing is, only two things are of interest to me in the backup: photos/videos, and WhatsApp. The rest, I can just reinstall. Ok, SMSs too. -- Cheers, Carlos. ES🇪🇸, EU🇪🇺;
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| From | Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> |
|---|---|
| Date | 2026-06-07 09:46 -0600 |
| Message-ID | <11043nu$29lv$1@nnrp.usenet.blueworldhosting.com> |
| In reply to | #154085 |
Carlos E.R. wrote: > The thing is, only two things are of interest to me in the backup: > photos/videos, and WhatsApp. The rest, I can just reinstall. Ok, SMSs too. Carlos brings up a good point that backup, for Android, only needs a few things, most of which, I think, most people, I think, get from Google. We covered Whatsapp backup about a year or so ago, but as I recall, it can be done but it's easier to do it the official way as encryption is a bitch. SMS/MMS messages might be easy to back up or not, I'm not sure how to do it. I know my Pulsesms has a backup mechanism, but it requires an account. <https://home.pulsesms.app/overview/> Photos/Videos are relatively easy to backup, of course. For me, the homescreen is trivial to back up, but I use the Nova launcher. <https://tinyurl.com/nova-launcher> There may be an easy way to set up your homescreen and then flip temporarily to Nova Launcher, and then back it up & then flip back. Otherwise, I'm not sure how people back up their home screen nowadays. Does anyone know if any other launcher will back up their home screen? Then there are the apps, and the app data. IMHO, I back up the app even before I install it, so that's really the best way, in my opinion, which is to download the APK, and install from that. It takes knowledge though, which most people don't have, but I think the Google method that most people use does restore the APK from the Play Store. But I think people only get what's available on the Play Store. Does anyone know if the Google Play app backup method will get the exact same version that you had on your phone, or only the latest version? And what does it do if the app is no longer on the Google Play store? Backing up app data, nowadays, with the latest Android versions, is likely almost impossible without being root, so it's not something I'll even try, although the best way to do that is to put all app data on the external sd card and name the external sd card something you can remember. That way, when you pop the old external sd card into a new phone, the new phone won't know the difference as apps think the data was always there. Oh, and contacts. Most people use the default sqlite database, so I'm sure Google backs that up, and even if people don't use Google, it can be exported to a vcf file and imported into any other contacts app. What else do people generally need to back up for a new phone? -- Knowledge is one thing... experience is something else.
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| From | "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> |
|---|---|
| Date | 2026-06-07 20:09 +0200 |
| Message-ID | <1nogfmxp1e.ln2@Telcontar.valinor> |
| In reply to | #154088 |
On 2026-06-07 17:46, Maria Sophia wrote: > Carlos E.R. wrote: >> The thing is, only two things are of interest to me in the backup: >> photos/videos, and WhatsApp. The rest, I can just reinstall. Ok, SMSs too. > > Carlos brings up a good point that backup, for Android, only needs a few > things, most of which, I think, most people, I think, get from Google. > > We covered Whatsapp backup about a year or so ago, but as I recall, it can > be done but it's easier to do it the official way as encryption is a bitch. In my experience, they complement. The backup from computer can restore the media files, and then the one on the cloud restore the messages. > > SMS/MMS messages might be easy to back up or not, I'm not sure how to do > it. I know my Pulsesms has a backup mechanism, but it requires an account. > <https://home.pulsesms.app/overview/> I have somewhere an app that converts SMS to pain text. So, not RCS. > > Photos/Videos are relatively easy to backup, of course. > > For me, the homescreen is trivial to back up, but I use the Nova launcher. > <https://tinyurl.com/nova-launcher> > There may be an easy way to set up your homescreen and then flip > temporarily to Nova Launcher, and then back it up & then flip back. > > Otherwise, I'm not sure how people back up their home screen nowadays. > Does anyone know if any other launcher will back up their home screen? The default one, no. I either take photos, or make a list in paper. > > Then there are the apps, and the app data. > > IMHO, I back up the app even before I install it, so that's really the best > way, in my opinion, which is to download the APK, and install from that. > > It takes knowledge though, which most people don't have, but I think the > Google method that most people use does restore the APK from the Play > Store. But I think people only get what's available on the Play Store. If the old phone is working, you can connect phone to phone with cable, and the new one pulls everything. I have never done this, had one trouble or another. > > Does anyone know if the Google Play app backup method will get the exact > same version that you had on your phone, or only the latest version? Via cloud, the latest. > > And what does it do if the app is no longer on the Google Play store? I got apps that are designed for Asus into my Lenovo tablet, then on first run they say they are not compatible. So the last time I did not restore the tablet backup, but installed manually the apps I wanted. > > Backing up app data, nowadays, with the latest Android versions, is likely > almost impossible without being root, so it's not something I'll even try, > although the best way to do that is to put all app data on the external sd > card and name the external sd card something you can remember. > > That way, when you pop the old external sd card into a new phone, the new > phone won't know the difference as apps think the data was always there. > > Oh, and contacts. Most people use the default sqlite database, so I'm sure > Google backs that up, and even if people don't use Google, it can be > exported to a vcf file and imported into any other contacts app. > > What else do people generally need to back up for a new phone? -- Cheers, Carlos. ES🇪🇸, EU🇪🇺;
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| From | Alan Peeling <Alan@invalid.co.uk> |
|---|---|
| Date | 2026-06-07 19:57 +0100 |
| Message-ID | <1104evm$2ni9f$1@dont-email.me> |
| In reply to | #154085 |
On 07/06/2026 13:32, Carlos E.R. wrote: > On 2026-06-07 13:46, Alan Peeling wrote: >> On 05/06/2026 12:33, Carlos E.R. wrote: >>> On 2026-06-04 22:52, Alan Peeling wrote: >>>> On 04/06/2026 07:20, Carlos E.R. wrote: >>>>> I am able to save most files to a computer, by using MTP protocol >>>>> in Linux. Sometimes I had success by using an FTP server on the phone. >>>> >>>> Are you able to save /Android/data/, /sdcard/Android, and most >>>> subdirectories of /sdcard/Android? >>>> >>> >>> With FTP I have /Android/data/. I don't have an /sdcard/ directory on >>> this phone. >>> >>> With mtpfs I also have "/Android/data/", but I had to run the copy >>> several times till no errors were reported. >>> >>> >>> There is a thread here where we commented about it. >>> >>> Re: How do nonroot Android & nonjailbroken iOS run SMB servers to >>> connect to each other & Windows? >>> >>> From: Herbert Kleebauer <...> >>> >>> Date: Thu, 24 Apr 2025 21:31:44 +0200 >>> >>> >>> >>> But the copies I made are dated July. >>> >>> /2025-07-18-ftp │ 23331M >>> /2025-07-18-mtpfs │ 56257M >>> /2025-07-18-test │ 56170M >>> >>> So the latest directory was made with a method that accessed more >>> files. I don't remember what method I used :-? >>> >>> I will have to run tests again. I have a note that says to use FTP, >>> but must be a different than the one used in the first directory. >>> >>> >>> My notes on the ftp method say: >>> >>> +++------------ >>> Use Cx File Explorer on phone to activate ftp. The app can be >>> backgrounded, swipe from the bottom. >>> >>> Copy over the files using mc to temporary directory. No, use FileZilla >>> >>> Finally, use rsync to save space. >>> ------------++- >>> >>> >>> Sigh, incomplete notes. >>> >>> >> I found the thread ‘How do nonroot Android & nonjailbroken iOS run SMB >> servers to connect to each other & Windows?’ on https:// >> newsgrouper.org/ comp.mobile.android , thanks for the pointers. It is >> a killer thread, it took me hours to read, and it's stuffed with the >> sort of flames that make one embarrassed to be human. > > I tried to point you to the exact post where we discussed backups :-) > >> It did contain some gems, for example I didn't know that Windows File >> Explorer could be used as an FTP client. The app Carlos remembered >> seems to be WebDAV FS, which lets the phone appear as a drive in File >> Explorer. That seemed like useful functionality so I installed it. I >> know File Explorer already has something similar but I've found it to >> be flaky and confusing; I can never tell whether I'm working in the >> phone or in a copy of it on my C: drive. I wasn't optimistic that >> WebDAV FS would solve the problem of inaccessible Android folders. I >> was right not to be optimistic, when I backed up through it I >> recovered fewer files than GoodSync Server fetched, so in that respect >> it's a turkey. There was a tantalising post suggesting that the >> Android FTP server primitive ftpd, not in a sanitised version >> available though Play Store, but in a more resourceful form that comes >> from F-Droid, could access off-limits Android folders. I tried it and >> it doesn’t work. >> >> Perhaps the way to back up my phone is to use Samsung Smart Switch >> after major structural changes to its software and GoodSync Server for >> day-to- day maintenance. >> >> Whilst I was exploring I came across the news that, in a few weeks, >> Google plans to block Android apps that it has not approved in a >> bureaucratic and money consuming process. Everyone else may already >> know about this but I didn’t. There is a site at https:// >> keepandroidopen.org/ giving details and showing links that can be >> used for asking regulatory bodies to oppose this nastiness. > > > One of these days I'm going to do a backup of my phone, and I'll post in > this thread what I find. > > I think it is the FTP server in Cx File Explorer in Android and > Filezilla on the computer (Linux in my case) > > (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details? > id=com.cxinventor.file.explorer) > > > The thing is, only two things are of interest to me in the backup: > photos/videos, and WhatsApp. The rest, I can just reinstall. Ok, SMSs too. > > > The thing is, only two things are of interest to me in the backup: photos/videos, and WhatsApp. The rest, I can just reinstall. Ok, SMSs too. I'd like to have a fairly painless means of recovering from a factory reset, should the need arise. -- Alan in the UK
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| From | "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> |
|---|---|
| Date | 2026-06-07 23:09 +0200 |
| Message-ID | <1a3hfmxrik.ln2@Telcontar.valinor> |
| In reply to | #154091 |
On 2026-06-07 20:57, Alan Peeling wrote: > On 07/06/2026 13:32, Carlos E.R. wrote: >> On 2026-06-07 13:46, Alan Peeling wrote: >>> On 05/06/2026 12:33, Carlos E.R. wrote: >> The thing is, only two things are of interest to me in the backup: >> photos/videos, and WhatsApp. The rest, I can just reinstall. Ok, SMSs >> too. >> >> > >> The thing is, only two things are of interest to me in the backup: >> photos/videos, and WhatsApp. The rest, I can just reinstall. Ok, SMSs >> too. > > I'd like to have a fairly painless means of recovering from a factory > reset, should the need arise. Can't be done. There is no simple way to take a phone or tablet that has been reset to factory state, and recover from a full backup on a disk or computer. I don't know about hard ways, either. I think I know how to recover whatsapp. Restore the phone, make sure whatsapp is not installed yet. If it is, don't tap on it. Recover all the whatsapp files, its entire tree, and then start whatsapp. Maybe, just maybe, it sees the files and uses them. I did this once, long ago, and it worked. I don't know about now. -- Cheers, Carlos. ES🇪🇸, EU🇪🇺;
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| From | Alan Peeling <Alan@invalid.co.uk> |
|---|---|
| Date | 2026-06-08 00:45 +0100 |
| Message-ID | <1104vr1$2s3rl$1@dont-email.me> |
| In reply to | #154093 |
On 07/06/2026 22:09, Carlos E.R. wrote: > On 2026-06-07 20:57, Alan Peeling wrote: >> On 07/06/2026 13:32, Carlos E.R. wrote: >>> On 2026-06-07 13:46, Alan Peeling wrote: >>>> On 05/06/2026 12:33, Carlos E.R. wrote: > > >>> The thing is, only two things are of interest to me in the backup: >>> photos/videos, and WhatsApp. The rest, I can just reinstall. Ok, SMSs >>> too. >>> >>> >> >>> The thing is, only two things are of interest to me in the backup: >>> photos/videos, and WhatsApp. The rest, I can just reinstall. Ok, SMSs >>> too. >> >> I'd like to have a fairly painless means of recovering from a factory >> reset, should the need arise. > > Can't be done. There is no simple way to take a phone or tablet that has > been reset to factory state, and recover from a full backup on a disk or > computer. I don't know about hard ways, either. > > I think I know how to recover whatsapp. > > Restore the phone, make sure whatsapp is not installed yet. If it is, > don't tap on it. Recover all the whatsapp files, its entire tree, and > then start whatsapp. Maybe, just maybe, it sees the files and uses them. > I did this once, long ago, and it worked. I don't know about now. > > > I'd like to have a fairly painless means of recovering from a factory reset, should the need arise. > > > Can't be done. There is no simple way to take a phone or tablet that has been reset to factory state, and recover from a full backup on a disk or computer. I don't know about hard ways, either. > > I think I know how to recover whatsapp. > > Restore the phone, make sure whatsapp is not installed yet. If it is, don't tap on it. Recover all the whatsapp files, its entire tree, and then start whatsapp. Maybe, just maybe, it sees the files and uses them. I did this once, long ago, and it worked. I don't know about now. How about copying everything from an old phone to a new one in one operation? -- Alan in the UK
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| From | Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> |
|---|---|
| Date | 2026-06-07 23:11 -0600 |
| Message-ID | <1105ith$1003$1@nnrp.usenet.blueworldhosting.com> |
| In reply to | #154094 |
Alan Peeling wrote: >> Restore the phone, make sure whatsapp is not installed yet. If it is, don't tap on it. Recover all the whatsapp files, its entire tree, and then start whatsapp. Maybe, just maybe, it sees the files and uses them. I did this once, long ago, and it worked. I don't know about now. > > How about copying everything from an old phone to a new one in one > operation? Once per decade, or so, I invest an inordinate amount of energy organizing my phone and my PC (since what I do on them is pretty much the same stuff). <https://i.postimg.cc/pLFpXfMP/maps07.jpg> I only have to do that once, per decade (or so) for the PC and for Android. <https://i.postimg.cc/fW38dhsX/android-windows-menus.jpg> Since every phone automatically gets the same homescreen organization. I got a free Samsung Galaxy A32-5G from T-Mobile in 2021 and within two years, I broke it twice so T-Mobile replaced it under warranty twice. I even doubled my sd card size a couple of times, all seamlessly so. (Of course, I format it on Windows to the same name of 0000-0001.) Without the cloud, without an account, I backed up & restored almost everything, but I did lose text messaging history, as I recall, although as I noted to Carlos, had I created a free account on the pulsesms web site, I could have saved them (and I'm sure Google backups save them for others). Each time, I simply pulled out my external sd card, and then put it in the new device. I simply reloaded my homescreen backup file, which had gray icons for every app that wasn't yet installed (which was most apps). <https://i.postimg.cc/Kv8RmGT3/telecom.jpg> If I wanted to, I could just tap on the gray icons, and that immediately tried to get from the Google Play Store the *latest* version of that app. But since I didn't want the latest version, and since I download apps from F-Droid or GitHub, I simply doubleclicked on the APKs that I saved. Saved APKs? Yup. For Google Play store APKs? Yup. Almost nobody does it. Almost nobody even knows how to do it. But I save the APK of every app BEFORE I install that app. So I have all the APKs for all the apps I have installed (and not deleted). Of course, I don't remember all the apps I've installed. But I don't have to remember them. That's what the homescreen backup file does for me. Most of the work is in re-installing a thousand apps. But not for me.
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| From | "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> |
|---|---|
| Date | 2026-06-08 09:47 +0200 |
| Message-ID | <dm8ifmxq03.ln2@Telcontar.valinor> |
| In reply to | #154094 |
On 2026-06-08 01:45, Alan Peeling wrote: > On 07/06/2026 22:09, Carlos E.R. wrote: >> On 2026-06-07 20:57, Alan Peeling wrote: >>> On 07/06/2026 13:32, Carlos E.R. wrote: >>>> On 2026-06-07 13:46, Alan Peeling wrote: >>>>> On 05/06/2026 12:33, Carlos E.R. wrote: >> >> >>>> The thing is, only two things are of interest to me in the backup: >>>> photos/videos, and WhatsApp. The rest, I can just reinstall. Ok, >>>> SMSs too. >>>> >>>> >>> >>>> The thing is, only two things are of interest to me in the backup: >>>> photos/videos, and WhatsApp. The rest, I can just reinstall. Ok, >>>> SMSs too. >>> >>> I'd like to have a fairly painless means of recovering from a factory >>> reset, should the need arise. >> >> Can't be done. There is no simple way to take a phone or tablet that >> has been reset to factory state, and recover from a full backup on a >> disk or computer. I don't know about hard ways, either. >> >> I think I know how to recover whatsapp. >> >> Restore the phone, make sure whatsapp is not installed yet. If it is, >> don't tap on it. Recover all the whatsapp files, its entire tree, and >> then start whatsapp. Maybe, just maybe, it sees the files and uses >> them. I did this once, long ago, and it worked. I don't know about now. >> >> >> I'd like to have a fairly painless means of recovering from a factory >> reset, should the need arise. >> >> Can't be done. There is no simple way to take a phone or tablet that >> has been reset to factory state, and recover from a full backup on a >> disk or computer. I don't know about hard ways, either. >> I think I know how to recover whatsapp. >> Restore the phone, make sure whatsapp is not installed yet. If it is, >> don't tap on it. Recover all the whatsapp files, its entire tree, and >> then start whatsapp. Maybe, just maybe, it sees the files and uses >> them. I did this once, long ago, and it worked. I don't know about now. > > How about copying everything from an old phone to a new one in one > operation? > When, how? When you take out a new phone from the box, you can not just power it up and start cloning stuff from the backup. No, the thing starts posing questions to you. Country, language, Wifi password, and google account. Plug the old phone via cable. Alternatively, recover from cloud backup? There is no exit from the questions to start recovering from backup instead. True, I have not done experiments to try to find a method, maybe it does exist. The closest I have seen is connect working old phone to new one via cable, and the automated initial procedure copies everything it wants instead of using the cloud backup. But the automated procedure has the control, not you. -- Cheers, Carlos. ES🇪🇸, EU🇪🇺;
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| From | Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> |
|---|---|
| Date | 2026-06-21 14:33 +0000 |
| Subject | Re: Can?t Set File Permissions |
| Message-ID | <11193o0.vtg.1@ID-201911.user.individual.net> |
| In reply to | #154094 |
['Late' response dur to extended absence.] One June 8, Alan Peeling <Alan@invalid.co.uk> wrote: > On 07/06/2026 22:09, Carlos E.R. wrote: > > On 2026-06-07 20:57, Alan Peeling wrote: [...] > > I'd like to have a fairly painless means of recovering from a > > factory reset, should the need arise. Your best bet is probably Samsung's Smart Switch to a Windows computer, but as you have found, that's not very practical for automatic or/and incremental/differential backup. I'm afraid there is no good solution for this. Feel free to blame Google. (Like you are free to blame Microsoft, but for Windows there are third party solutions (like Macrium Reflect).) > > Can't be done. There is no simple way to take a phone or tablet that > > has been reset to factory state, and recover from a full backup on a > > disk or computer. I don't know about hard ways, either. > > > > I think I know how to recover whatsapp. > > > > Restore the phone, make sure whatsapp is not installed yet. If it > > is, don't tap on it. Recover all the whatsapp files, its entire > > tree, and then start whatsapp. Maybe, just maybe, it sees the files > > and uses them. I did this once, long ago, and it worked. I don't > > know about now. > > How about copying everything from an old phone to a new one in one > operation? Samsung's Smart Switch Mobile can - more or less - do that. As Carlos hinted at, you do not want to copy *everything*, but 'nearly' everything. And 'in one operation' is mostly possible, but often not wise. Often step-by-step is better, especially if there's stuff on the old phone you don't want to copy. Samsung's Smart Switch Mobile can copy via a USB-to-USB cable (preferred) or Wi-Fi. I've used Samsung's Smart Switch Mobile both from a non-Samsung phone to a Samsung phone and from Samsung to Samsung.
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| From | "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> |
|---|---|
| Date | 2026-06-08 13:11 +0200 |
| Subject | Doing a backup [Was: Can’t Set File Permissions] |
| Message-ID | <gjkifmxdgn.ln2@Telcontar.valinor> |
| In reply to | #154085 |
On 2026-06-07 14:32, Carlos E.R. wrote: ... > One of these days I'm going to do a backup of my phone, and I'll post in > this thread what I find. > > I think it is the FTP server in Cx File Explorer in Android and > Filezilla on the computer (Linux in my case) > > (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details? > id=com.cxinventor.file.explorer) > > > The thing is, only two things are of interest to me in the backup: > photos/videos, and WhatsApp. The rest, I can just reinstall. Ok, SMSs too. I just did a backup using Cx File Explorer in the phone and Filezilla on the computer. /2025-07-18-test │ 56170M│Jan 1 1970 /2026-06-08-cx-ftp │ 28062M│Jun 8 12:22 As you can see, the "test" tree copied many more things. The difference is in the Android/data/* directory, many things are missing. Today I saw a bunch of messages on filezilla that it could not list this directory or that: Command: CWD /device/Android/data Response: 250 CWD OK Command: CWD rtve.tablet.android Response: 550 CWD to the invalid path Error: Failed to retrieve directory listing Status: Retrieving directory listing of "/device/Android/data/rtve.tablet.android"... Command: CWD /device/Android/data Response: 250 CWD OK Command: CWD rtve.tablet.android Response: 550 CWD to the invalid path Error: Failed to retrieve directory listing So, there is a method out there that I used to create that "2025-07-18-test" backup that copied all that, but I don't remember what it was, my notes do not say. I have a guess what it would be, but I can not test it till I reboot the machine. -- Cheers, Carlos. ES🇪🇸, EU🇪🇺;
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| From | Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> |
|---|---|
| Date | 2026-06-08 10:51 -0600 |
| Subject | Re: Doing a backup |
| Message-ID | <1106ruo$2rej$1@nnrp.usenet.blueworldhosting.com> |
| In reply to | #154097 |
Carlos E.R. wrote:
> The difference is in the Android/data/* directory, many things are missing.
I have been doing backup since forever, but I looked up what the
current state of affairs is, so this is from my search results only.
As noted, without root, with later Android versions, getting data out of
protected sandboxed storage is, well, it's nigh near likely impossible.
Most people, as we all know, would use Google's marketed method to backup
and restore an old phone to a new phone, but there may be a better way.
If they're lucky, they can use an OEM's preferred backup method too.
a. Samsung Smart Switch (PC backup)
b. Pixel Switch
c. Motorola Rescue and Smart Assistant
d. Xiaomi Mi Mover / Mi PC Suite / Oppo / OnePlus
e. Huawei HiSuite
Assuming non root, non cloud, non account, non Google backup of an old
phone to a new phone is the given problem set, I'd mostly use ADB to do it.
*How to save and restore data on Android without root: ADB, Google*
<https://en.androidayuda.com/save-restore-android-data-without-root/>
Use ADB backup (adb backup -apk -shared -all -f backup.ab) for apps
and app data and shared storage, then supplement with local-backup
apps for SMS, call logs and settings (such as Wi-Fi settings).
I haven't tried "coolmuster" on the PC, but here's a shill on it:
<https://www.coolmuster.com/android/android-backup-without-root.html>
There is also local syncing which can be done on a schedule such as
a. Syncthing <https://syncthing.net/>
b. Local FTP/SMB servers (e.g., using CX File Explorer, Solid Explorer
or Mixplorer)
Apparently for text & media, a quick search indicates we can use
a. SMS Backup & Restore
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.riteshsahu.SMSBackupRestore>
b. NeoBackup + Shizuku
<https://github.com/NeoApplications/Neo-Backup>
c. Muntashirakon has a backup mechanism that backs up data on old Androids
But I don't really trust any of them with the later Android versions.
Of course, any good database app will have an import/export feature
which will read/write standard databases, such as those for
a. Contacts > vcf
b. Calendar > ics
c. Finance > csv
What else matters in terms of user databases?
All this is just from a quick set of searches, where adb backup, last I
tried it, was disappointing as apps can opt out of adb backup and scoped
storage blocks direct access to /Android/data & /Android/obb folders.
I don't need this command because I save all APKs before I install them.
adb backup -apk -shared -all -f backup.ab
But that command "should" get all the APKs off the phone to the PC.
Caveat: I haven't recently tested these and every later Android version
after around Android 11 makes them work less and less without being root.
--
When we pool our knowledge, all of us can learn from each other.
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| From | "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> |
|---|---|
| Date | 2026-06-08 21:19 +0200 |
| Subject | Re: Doing a backup |
| Message-ID | <p6hjfmx64j.ln2@Telcontar.valinor> |
| In reply to | #154098 |
On 2026-06-08 18:51, Maria Sophia wrote: > Carlos E.R. wrote: >> The difference is in the Android/data/* directory, many things are missing. > > I have been doing backup since forever, but I looked up what the > current state of affairs is, so this is from my search results only. > > As noted, without root, with later Android versions, getting data out of > protected sandboxed storage is, well, it's nigh near likely impossible. > > Most people, as we all know, would use Google's marketed method to backup > and restore an old phone to a new phone, but there may be a better way. > > If they're lucky, they can use an OEM's preferred backup method too. > a. Samsung Smart Switch (PC backup) > b. Pixel Switch > c. Motorola Rescue and Smart Assistant My phones are Motorola, and my new tablet is Lenovo. I'm not familiar with this tool, unless it is the thing that runs on first boot. -- Cheers, Carlos. ES🇪🇸, EU🇪🇺;
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| From | Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> |
|---|---|
| Date | 2026-06-08 20:40 -0600 |
| Subject | Re: Doing a backup |
| Message-ID | <1107uep$1s2i$1@nnrp.usenet.blueworldhosting.com> |
| In reply to | #154099 |
Carlos E.R. wrote: >> c. Motorola Rescue and Smart Assistant > > My phones are Motorola, and my new tablet is Lenovo. I'm not familiar > with this tool, unless it is the thing that runs on first boot. My last Motorola was the Moto G that Google Fi gave me for $100 years ago. Here's the European site on the Motorola Rescue & Smart Assistant tool. <https://en-emea.support.motorola.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/161942/p/11325> I'm not sure why they even have a USA site that seems the same though. <https://en-us.support.motorola.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/161942/p/11138> Bear in mind it only backs up your media and contacts and the like. a. It does NOT back up apps or app data. b. It requires a Windows PC (Windows 7/10/11). c. The backup is encrypted (but you give it the password) It's mainly intended for use before a software repair or factory reset. Dunno how well it works though.
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| From | "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> |
|---|---|
| Date | 2026-06-09 20:04 +0200 |
| Subject | Re: Doing a backup |
| Message-ID | <161mfmxtu2.ln2@Telcontar.valinor> |
| In reply to | #154101 |
On 2026-06-09 04:40, Maria Sophia wrote: > Carlos E.R. wrote: >>> c. Motorola Rescue and Smart Assistant >> >> My phones are Motorola, and my new tablet is Lenovo. I'm not familiar >> with this tool, unless it is the thing that runs on first boot. > > My last Motorola was the Moto G that Google Fi gave me for $100 years ago. > > Here's the European site on the Motorola Rescue & Smart Assistant tool. > <https://en-emea.support.motorola.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/161942/p/11325> (the page tries to switch me to the Spain site) > > I'm not sure why they even have a USA site that seems the same though. > <https://en-us.support.motorola.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/161942/p/11138> > > Bear in mind it only backs up your media and contacts and the like. > a. It does NOT back up apps or app data. > b. It requires a Windows PC (Windows 7/10/11). > c. The backup is encrypted (but you give it the password) > > It's mainly intended for use before a software repair or factory reset. > Dunno how well it works though. Well, if it is Windows only, I can't easily use it. I'll save the link, thanks, for the occasion. Whastapp saves its things to ".../Android/media/com.whatsapp", but some do under ".../Android/data/", like for instance: /au.com.shiftyjelly.pocketcasts 16626M (podcasts) /com.google.android.apps.maps 83037K (cache) /com.mobialia.gas.spain 14620K (map_cache.db) /com.pixlr.express 101696K (working files) /com.wallapop 33446K (photos) /com.xiaomi.wearable 75163K (logs) /es.bancosantander.apps 15186K (photo uploads) /net.osmand.plus 16933M (several) /org.videolan.vlc 17901K (jpgs?) (only the biggest users, there are many more) This entire directory is missed when doing a backup by FTP. -- Cheers, Carlos. ES🇪🇸, EU🇪🇺;
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| From | Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> |
|---|---|
| Date | 2026-06-09 12:41 -0600 |
| Subject | Re: Doing a backup |
| Message-ID | <1109mo9$1gmf$1@nnrp.usenet.blueworldhosting.com> |
| In reply to | #154102 |
Carlos E.R. wrote: > This entire directory is missed when doing a backup by FTP. Bummer that the Motorola tool apparently only works on Windows. Sorry about that. I could be wrong though, so doublecheck it, as it seems to work on macOS which usually (often?) means it can also work with Linux. I noticed two things doing that research for you, one of which I've been noticing for the past year or two, which is that almost everything on the net about Android backup is outdated by each new Android release. Starting around Android 11, each new Android release seems to have added more and more protection, such that almost everything out there is wrong. I found this out the hard way when I was valiantly trying to get Muntashirakon App Manager's "back up apk" menu to work on Android 13. Given we all know and respect Muntashirakon, I was not, at first, willing to believe that the "Backup APK" (as opposed to "Save APK") wouldn't work. I tried valiantly simply because I couldn't believe Muntashirakon had a menu that didn't work, so I even added Shizuku to the mix, to no avail. I tried for hours, and finally gave up, where we could blame Muntashirakon, but not really since no non-root app can defeat Android permissions. Luckily, the Muntashirakon "Save APK" menu works beautifully, but what's different is the "Backup APK" menu also saved the app's data along with it. My main point, in summary, is what used to work, no longer works, and therefore, much of what is on the Internet is wrong for app-data backup. -- When we pool our knowledge, all of us can learn from each other.
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| From | "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> |
|---|---|
| Date | 2026-06-09 22:26 +0200 |
| Subject | Re: Doing a backup |
| Message-ID | <eg9mfmxppn.ln2@Telcontar.valinor> |
| In reply to | #154103 |
On 2026-06-09 20:41, Maria Sophia wrote: > Carlos E.R. wrote: >> This entire directory is missed when doing a backup by FTP. > > Bummer that the Motorola tool apparently only works on Windows. > Sorry about that. I could be wrong though, so doublecheck it, as it seems > to work on macOS which usually (often?) means it can also work with Linux. I did not notice a download link. :-? > > I noticed two things doing that research for you, one of which I've been > noticing for the past year or two, which is that almost everything on the > net about Android backup is outdated by each new Android release. > > Starting around Android 11, each new Android release seems to have added > more and more protection, such that almost everything out there is wrong. > > I found this out the hard way when I was valiantly trying to get > Muntashirakon App Manager's "back up apk" menu to work on Android 13. > > Given we all know and respect Muntashirakon, I was not, at first, willing > to believe that the "Backup APK" (as opposed to "Save APK") wouldn't work. > > I tried valiantly simply because I couldn't believe Muntashirakon had a > menu that didn't work, so I even added Shizuku to the mix, to no avail. > > I tried for hours, and finally gave up, where we could blame Muntashirakon, > but not really since no non-root app can defeat Android permissions. > > Luckily, the Muntashirakon "Save APK" menu works beautifully, but what's > different is the "Backup APK" menu also saved the app's data along with it. > > My main point, in summary, is what used to work, no longer works, and > therefore, much of what is on the Internet is wrong for app-data backup. Aha. -- Cheers, Carlos. ES🇪🇸, EU🇪🇺;
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| From | Dave Royal <dave@dave123royal.com> |
|---|---|
| Date | 2026-06-09 21:57 +0100 |
| Subject | Re: Doing a backup |
| Message-ID | <1109unt$9ujt$1@dont-email.me> |
| In reply to | #154103 |
Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> Wrote in message: > > My main point, in summary, is what used to work, no longer works, and > therefore, much of what is on the Internet is wrong for app-data backup. Indeed. When I was poking about in Android 13 the other day, I tried 'adb backup' which I used to use to extract app data. It didn't work. And it warned that backup was deprecated and was likely to be removed. And it was not included in 'adb help'. https://developer.android.com/about/versions/12/behavior-changes-12#adb-backup-restrictions -- Remove numerics from my email address.
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| From | "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> |
|---|---|
| Date | 2026-06-08 21:33 +0200 |
| Subject | Re: Doing a backup [Was: Can’t Set File Permissions] |
| Message-ID | <f1ijfmx9dm.ln2@Telcontar.valinor> |
| In reply to | #154097 |
On 2026-06-08 13:11, Carlos E.R. wrote: > On 2026-06-07 14:32, Carlos E.R. wrote: > > ... > So, there is a method out there that I used to create that "2025-07-18- > test" backup that copied all that, but I don't remember what it was, my > notes do not say. I have a guess what it would be, but I can not test it > till I reboot the machine. Found it, my guess was right. It has been my default method for years, so that is why I did not write it down. It uses Linux. I connect the phone to the computer via USB cable, then tap on the phone to share all files (not just photos). Then on the computer I open the phone using Thunar (a file browser for XFCE). Then I open in a terminal Midnight Commander (mc), and navigate to: /run/user/1000/gvfs/mtp:host=motorola_moto_g52_redacted/Almacenamiento interno compartido and copy the tree wherever I want. It runs at about 10..12 MB/s I assume that you can do the same using KDE/Plasma (Dolphin) but the details change. -- Cheers, Carlos. ES🇪🇸, EU🇪🇺;
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