7

This is a screenshot of the twrp screen after you choose "Backup":

enter image description here

I have the following questions:

  1. What is the difference between the options "Boot, System and Data" on one hand, and "System Image" on the other?
  2. Is the "Data" option for data of system apps and user apps, or only system apps?
  3. I want to take a backup so that I can get a file that I can flash with Odin (that is, without requiring twrp). Which option should I use?
  4. What is "Vendor Image", and how does it differ from "System Image"?
  5. What is the difference between "Vendor" and "Vendor Image"?
Wrichik Basu
  • 939
  • 3
  • 15
  • 32
  • 3
    These are all partition names, see details here: https://forum.xda-developers.com/android/general/info-android-device-partitions-basic-t3586565 – Irfan Latif Aug 10 '19 at 16:20
  • @IrfanLatif That link mentions the partitions, but my questions #1, #2, #3 and #5 remain unanswered. – Wrichik Basu Aug 10 '19 at 16:29
  • 2
    Image is dd backup i.e. the exact copy of whole partition (to retain Verified Boot), the other one is tar backup i.e. the contents of filesystem. I don't think restoring TWRP backup through odin would be possible but I never used Samsung device. May be the Images can be restored. All of the remaining questions are answered once you know what these partitions contain. – Irfan Latif Aug 10 '19 at 16:46

1 Answers1

3
  1. as Irfan pointed out in his comment, "Image" means creating a partition image (using dd). Normally, TWRP creates tar archives with all the files located on a given partition, which then is much smaller.
  2. "Data" contains all data – i.e. data & configuration from system apps as well as user apps. As the /system partition is mounted read-only during normal operation, that's where all "variable data" go (apart from files you store to the SD card).
  3. Probably none of those. It's unlikely Odin understands any of the TWRP backups (you can try, and I stand corrected if you find out it can – but no guarantees from my side, including that it doesn't "brick" your device – I'm not a Samsung user)
  4. Vendor is stuff very specific to your device provided by the "vendor", i.e. usually the manufacturer (including customizations) – while System is the "Android base" (though this separation is rarely absolute)
  5. Same as between "System" and "System Image" (see 1.)
Izzy
  • 91,166
  • 73
  • 343
  • 943