In alt.comp.os.windows-10, on Sun, 3 Nov 2024 17:46:23 -0500, "Alan K."
<alan@invalid.com> wrote:

>On 11/3/24 05:37 PM, micky wrote:
>> Thumbnails, and what creates them.
>>
>> I have a lot of pictures on my Android phone, and I copy them all to my
>> laptop, and I copy all of them to my backup drive.
>>
>> In
>> c:\users\[me]\appdata\roaming\MyPhoneExplorer\XiaomiRedmiNote8Pro[bunch
>> of numbers]\thumbnailcache\sdcard\DCIM, I have 5 entries, 4 created
>> today 3 of which are of photos I viewed today (and maybeeee the other
>> one?), and one created in April of a photo I viewed today.
>>
>> This implies, iiuc, that windows creates the thumbnail when I do
>> something, view the picture in any vieweer? Some viewers?
>>
>> At any rate, the thumbnail is used mostly, or entirely??, when using a
>> file manager that displays the thumbnails, right?
>>
>> So I don't have to worry about copying them to a final location, and in
>> fact I can delete them all, right? If I ever need one, Windows will
>> recreate it????
>Thumbnails will be recreated as needed if deleted at anytime. The only downside is the need to
>remake them.

Thanks. It was disturbing because the file name is the same and it took
me a while to see that it was in a thumbnail directory. I thought I had
failed to copy all my photos from the phone to the laptop, and unrelated
to thumbnails, later on I found out that was true. Most of my pictures
were in external storage but over 100 were in internal storage and I
think I had never copied them from the phone.

I've been using MyPhoneExlorer to both connect the phone and to copy
from it, and I have to compare the source and dest each time to see what
to copy, but maybe all I need to do is plug the phone into a USB port
and use any of the Windows-based backup programs that don't copy what's
already copied. Like robocopy or xxcopy.

On Sun, 11/3/2024 7:03 PM, micky wrote:
> In alt.comp.os.windows-10, on Sun, 3 Nov 2024 17:46:23 -0500, "Alan K."
> <alan@invalid.com> wrote:
>
>> On 11/3/24 05:37 PM, micky wrote:
>>> Thumbnails, and what creates them.
>>>
>>> I have a lot of pictures on my Android phone, and I copy them all to my
>>> laptop, and I copy all of them to my backup drive.
>>>
>>> In
>>> c:\users\[me]\appdata\roaming\MyPhoneExplorer\XiaomiRedmiNote8Pro[bunch
>>> of numbers]\thumbnailcache\sdcard\DCIM, I have 5 entries, 4 created
>>> today 3 of which are of photos I viewed today (and maybeeee the other
>>> one?), and one created in April of a photo I viewed today.
>>>
>>> This implies, iiuc, that windows creates the thumbnail when I do
>>> something, view the picture in any vieweer? Some viewers?
>>>
>>> At any rate, the thumbnail is used mostly, or entirely??, when using a
>>> file manager that displays the thumbnails, right?
>>>
>>> So I don't have to worry about copying them to a final location, and in
>>> fact I can delete them all, right? If I ever need one, Windows will
>>> recreate it????
>> Thumbnails will be recreated as needed if deleted at anytime. The only downside is the need to
>> remake them.
>
> Thanks. It was disturbing because the file name is the same and it took
> me a while to see that it was in a thumbnail directory. I thought I had
> failed to copy all my photos from the phone to the laptop, and unrelated
> to thumbnails, later on I found out that was true. Most of my pictures
> were in external storage but over 100 were in internal storage and I
> think I had never copied them from the phone.
>
> I've been using MyPhoneExlorer to both connect the phone and to copy
> from it, and I have to compare the source and dest each time to see what
> to copy, but maybe all I need to do is plug the phone into a USB port
> and use any of the Windows-based backup programs that don't copy what's
> already copied. Like robocopy or xxcopy.
>

The phone doesn't have a drive letter (meaning it is MTP and
not USB Mass Storage type).

Your phone is meant to be a puzzle. Mission accomplished.

*******

https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/250944/how-to-make-a-full-local-backup-of-my-phone

"There is no method to make a full backup of android smartphones.
It is always only a partial backup"

https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/226573/adb-pull-stops-after-first-error

It's the stuff nightmares are made of.

Paul

In comp.mobile.android, on Sun, 3 Nov 2024 21:50:37 -0500, Paul
<nospam@needed.invalid> wrote:

>On Sun, 11/3/2024 7:03 PM, micky wrote:
>> In alt.comp.os.windows-10, on Sun, 3 Nov 2024 17:46:23 -0500, "Alan K."
>> <alan@invalid.com> wrote:
>>
>>> On 11/3/24 05:37 PM, micky wrote:
>>>> Thumbnails, and what creates them.
>>>>
>>>> I have a lot of pictures on my Android phone, and I copy them all to my
>>>> laptop, and I copy all of them to my backup drive.
>>>>
>>>> In
>>>> c:\users\[me]\appdata\roaming\MyPhoneExplorer\XiaomiRedmiNote8Pro[bunch
>>>> of numbers]\thumbnailcache\sdcard\DCIM, I have 5 entries, 4 created
>>>> today 3 of which are of photos I viewed today (and maybeeee the other
>>>> one?), and one created in April of a photo I viewed today.
>>>>
>>>> This implies, iiuc, that windows creates the thumbnail when I do
>>>> something, view the picture in any vieweer? Some viewers?
>>>>
>>>> At any rate, the thumbnail is used mostly, or entirely??, when using a
>>>> file manager that displays the thumbnails, right?
>>>>
>>>> So I don't have to worry about copying them to a final location, and in
>>>> fact I can delete them all, right? If I ever need one, Windows will
>>>> recreate it????
>>> Thumbnails will be recreated as needed if deleted at anytime. The only downside is the need to
>>> remake them.
>>
>> Thanks. It was disturbing because the file name is the same and it took
>> me a while to see that it was in a thumbnail directory. I thought I had
>> failed to copy all my photos from the phone to the laptop, and unrelated
>> to thumbnails, later on I found out that was true. Most of my pictures
>> were in external storage but over 100 were in internal storage and I
>> think I had never copied them from the phone.
>>
>> I've been using MyPhoneExlorer to both connect the phone and to copy
>> from it, and I have to compare the source and dest each time to see what
>> to copy, but maybe all I need to do is plug the phone into a USB port
>> and use any of the Windows-based backup programs that don't copy what's
>> already copied. Like robocopy or xxcopy.
>>
>
>The phone doesn't have a drive letter

Aha. I never noticed that. Or maybe I was confusing the phone with the
external usb drive. After all, they both plug in.

> (meaning it is MTP and
>not USB Mass Storage type).
>
>Your phone is meant to be a puzzle. Mission accomplished.

Indeed.
>
>*******
>
>https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/250944/how-to-make-a-full-local-backup-of-my-phone
>
> "There is no method to make a full backup of android smartphones.
> It is always only a partial backup"
>
>https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/226573/adb-pull-stops-after-first-error
>
>It's the stuff nightmares are made of.
>
> Paul

On 4 Nov 2024 at 02:50:37, Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> wrote:
> On Sun, 11/3/2024 7:03 PM, micky wrote:
>> In alt.comp.os.windows-10, on Sun, 3 Nov 2024 17:46:23 -0500, "Alan K."
>> <alan@invalid.com> wrote:
>>
>>> On 11/3/24 05:37 PM, micky wrote:
>>>> Thumbnails, and what creates them.
>>>>
>>>> I have a lot of pictures on my Android phone, and I copy them all to my
>>>> laptop, and I copy all of them to my backup drive.
>>>>
>>>> In
>>>> c:\users\[me]\appdata\roaming\MyPhoneExplorer\XiaomiRedmiNote8Pro[bunch
>>>> of numbers]\thumbnailcache\sdcard\DCIM, I have 5 entries, 4 created
>>>> today 3 of which are of photos I viewed today (and maybeeee the other
>>>> one?), and one created in April of a photo I viewed today.
>>>>
>>>> This implies, iiuc, that windows creates the thumbnail when I do
>>>> something, view the picture in any vieweer? Some viewers?
>>>>
>>>> At any rate, the thumbnail is used mostly, or entirely??, when using a
>>>> file manager that displays the thumbnails, right?
>>>>
>>>> So I don't have to worry about copying them to a final location, and in
>>>> fact I can delete them all, right? If I ever need one, Windows will
>>>> recreate it????
>>> Thumbnails will be recreated as needed if deleted at anytime. The only downside is the need to
>>> remake them.
>>
>> Thanks. It was disturbing because the file name is the same and it took
>> me a while to see that it was in a thumbnail directory. I thought I had
>> failed to copy all my photos from the phone to the laptop, and unrelated
>> to thumbnails, later on I found out that was true. Most of my pictures
>> were in external storage but over 100 were in internal storage and I
>> think I had never copied them from the phone.
>>
>> I've been using MyPhoneExlorer to both connect the phone and to copy
>> from it, and I have to compare the source and dest each time to see what
>> to copy, but maybe all I need to do is plug the phone into a USB port
>> and use any of the Windows-based backup programs that don't copy what's
>> already copied. Like robocopy or xxcopy.
>>
>
> The phone doesn't have a drive letter (meaning it is MTP and
> not USB Mass Storage type).
>
> Your phone is meant to be a puzzle. Mission accomplished.
>
> *******
>
> https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/250944/how-to-make-a-full-local-backup-of-my-phone
>
> "There is no method to make a full backup of android smartphones.
> It is always only a partial backup"
>
> https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/226573/adb-pull-stops-after-first-error
>
> It's the stuff nightmares are made of.

I used to use TWRP to do a full backup of my Nexus phones.

In comp.mobile.android, on 4 Nov 2024 06:06:35 GMT, Bob Martin
<bob.martin@excite.com> wrote:

>On 4 Nov 2024 at 02:50:37, Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> wrote:
>> On Sun, 11/3/2024 7:03 PM, micky wrote:
>>> In alt.comp.os.windows-10, on Sun, 3 Nov 2024 17:46:23 -0500, "Alan K."
>>> <alan@invalid.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> On 11/3/24 05:37 PM, micky wrote:
>>>>> Thumbnails, and what creates them.
>>>>>
>>>>> I have a lot of pictures on my Android phone, and I copy them all to my
>>>>> laptop, and I copy all of them to my backup drive.
>>>>>
>>>>> In
>>>>> c:\users\[me]\appdata\roaming\MyPhoneExplorer\XiaomiRedmiNote8Pro[bunch
>>>>> of numbers]\thumbnailcache\sdcard\DCIM, I have 5 entries, 4 created
>>>>> today 3 of which are of photos I viewed today (and maybeeee the other
>>>>> one?), and one created in April of a photo I viewed today.
>>>>>
>>>>> This implies, iiuc, that windows creates the thumbnail when I do
>>>>> something, view the picture in any vieweer? Some viewers?
>>>>>
>>>>> At any rate, the thumbnail is used mostly, or entirely??, when using a
>>>>> file manager that displays the thumbnails, right?
>>>>>
>>>>> So I don't have to worry about copying them to a final location, and in
>>>>> fact I can delete them all, right? If I ever need one, Windows will
>>>>> recreate it????
>>>> Thumbnails will be recreated as needed if deleted at anytime. The only downside is the need to
>>>> remake them.
>>>
>>> Thanks. It was disturbing because the file name is the same and it took
>>> me a while to see that it was in a thumbnail directory. I thought I had
>>> failed to copy all my photos from the phone to the laptop, and unrelated
>>> to thumbnails, later on I found out that was true. Most of my pictures
>>> were in external storage but over 100 were in internal storage and I
>>> think I had never copied them from the phone.
>>>
>>> I've been using MyPhoneExlorer to both connect the phone and to copy
>>> from it, and I have to compare the source and dest each time to see what
>>> to copy, but maybe all I need to do is plug the phone into a USB port
>>> and use any of the Windows-based backup programs that don't copy what's
>>> already copied. Like robocopy or xxcopy.
>>>
>>
>> The phone doesn't have a drive letter (meaning it is MTP and
>> not USB Mass Storage type).
>>
>> Your phone is meant to be a puzzle. Mission accomplished.
>>
>> *******
>>
>> https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/250944/how-to-make-a-full-local-backup-of-my-phone
>>
>> "There is no method to make a full backup of android smartphones.
>> It is always only a partial backup"
>>
>> https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/226573/adb-pull-stops-after-first-error
>>
>> It's the stuff nightmares are made of.
>
>I used to use TWRP to do a full backup of my Nexus phones.
>
This sounds great, even a page for many Xiaomi phones -- it's the only
brand they mention -- including my model:
https://twrp.me/xiaomi/xiaomiredminote8pro.html
>This device uses Android Verified Boot (AVB)
>
>This means that installing TWRP or swiping to allow system modifications will prevent you from being able to boot. To bypass AVB's boot prevention, you will have to disable it or install a custom ROM that ships with disabled AVB.
>
>To disable AVB via fastboot, grab the vbmeta image from the ROM you are on, and flash it with the following command:
>
>fastboot --disable-verity --disable-verification flash vbmeta vbmeta.img
>
>AVB should be now disabled on your device.

Scary. I don't mind fiddleing with the PC, but I feel like a newbie
with the phone.

Even "Fastboot Install Method (No Root Required)" has special
procedures:
>You will need the platform-tools from the Android SDK on your computer. Download the platform-tools as per your operating system.
>
>Windows users will need proper drivers installed on their computer. You can try the simple FWUL adb/fastboot ISO or the Naked ADB drivers or the Universal ADB drivers if you don't already have a working driver installed
>
>On your device, go into Settings -> About and find the Build Number and tap on it 7 times to enable developer settings. Press back and go into Developer Options and enable USB debugging.

I have done the line above.

>From your computer, open a command prompt and type:
>
>adb reboot bootloader
>
>You should now be in fastboot mode.
>
>Download the correct image file and copy the file into the same folder as your platform-tools. Rename the image to twrp.img and type:
>
>fastboot flash recovery twrp.img
>
>fastboot reboot
>
>Note many devices will replace your custom recovery automatically during first boot. To prevent this, use Google to find the proper key combo to enter recovery. After typing fastboot reboot, hold the key combo and boot to TWRP. Once TWRP is booted, TWRP will patch the stock ROM to prevent the stock ROM from replacing TWRP. If you don't follow this step, you will have to repeat the install.

Too much for me, but thanks for the offer. Non-Xiaomi people can
proably use it with no trouble

Paul wrote on Sun, 3 Nov 2024 21:50:37 -0500 :

> "There is no method to make a full backup of android smartphones.
> It is always only a partial backup"
>
> https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/226573/adb-pull-stops-after-first-error
> It's the stuff nightmares are made of.

As a (hopefully wise) octogenarian who lived through the age of computers,
successful backup are not a series of neatly marked and organized magtape
rolls tightly packed in numbered boxes well organized in a storage closet.

And successful backups don't require anything stored on the Internet.
The Internet isn't involved in a successful backup and restore.

Remember that.

A successful backup is something that you can restore & move forward with.
Paradoxically, a good backup is also your transition to a new machine.
And, your first good backup on a new machine becomes your next template.

You see? There is wisdom learned having lived through the computer age.
You all know how many times you did those things WITHOUT a good backup.

And it was miserable.
No more!

However... there is no such thing as a good backup/restore w/o planning!

On any platform, Windows or Android, a successful restore means planning
ahead, e.g., storing everything you care about in one folder (if possible).

For Windows, for me, that one folder for stuff I care about is C:\data.
For Android, it's /storage/sdcard0/0000/. & /storage/sdcard1/0001/.

People get all hung up on the short names I use but names aren't the point.
Choose your own names for your own top-level stuff you care about.

When you restore, you only need to restore the stuff you care about.
When you set up a new machine, you only need to bring over that same stuff.

You treat a restore the same way you treat setting up a new machine.
You set up ALL your machines the same way - it's easy if you plan ahead.

I moved from XP to a series of crap Windows to Windows 10 that way.
And my data and menus on Windows 10 are the *same* as they were on WinXP!

Yes. The same. The same menus work. That's because I planned ahead.
I planned ahead on Windows 95, to XP to all the crap & finally to Win10.

Same menus.
Same files.
Same data.

On Windows, C:\data\menus contains your menus, for example, so that you
have all your menus available when you restore. Since C:\apps contains your
apps (such as C:\apps\browsers\firefox\firefox.exe) the TARGET of all your
menus is always the same from Windows XP to all the Windows in between up
to Windows 10. Firefox is *still* in the same location it was on WinXP.

So all your menus still work just fine.

What about Android?
Same thing!

On Android you have a homescreen:browsers > firefox shortcut icon, right?
You bring it over from the old Android to the new Android & it just works.

Just as on Windows your entire set of menus is only a single hierarchy,
your entire homescreen on Android is only a single backup file.

You bring over that single backup file of your homescreen setup, and all
your icons and shortcuts and wizards move over to the new machine.

I've handed someone my old phone & my new phone (set up moments prior)
and other than for the scratches, they can't tell them apart.

The homescreen on Android 13 is the same as it was on Android 7.
The cascade accordion menu on Windows 10 is the same as it was on XP.
(There are slight improvements as you hone your menus over time.)

In summary, a successful backup requires only planning ahead.
a. Store what you care about in a single folder hierarchy.
(that isn't polluted by the operating system & program installers)
b. Back that single hierarchy up without needing the Internet.
c. Restore it onto every phone & PC in your house
(so that they all have the same consistent user interface & data)

Good luck Jim. This tape will self destruct in five seconds.

Bob Martin wrote on 4 Nov 2024 06:06:35 GMT :

>> "There is no method to make a full backup of android smartphones.
>> It is always only a partial backup"
>>
>> https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/226573/adb-pull-stops-after-first-error
>>
>> It's the stuff nightmares are made of.
>
> I used to use TWRP to do a full backup of my Nexus phones.

A "full backup" is folly, in my humble opinion.
What you need is to "plan ahead" by being intelligent on a computer.

You have to understand how the operating system works.
Specifically you need to understand how the GUI works.

For Android, that GUI is your precious homescreen setup.
Right?

All you need to back up is your homescreen (which is a single file).
That's it.

Everything you care about is already in a single folder on external sd.

To restore your phone onto a new phone, all you do is two things:
a. Swap out the sdcard (formatted to a known volume ID) to the new phone
b. Restore the single file which is your homescreen to the new phone

I've done this many times.
No Internet involved.

No "full backup" needed as the apps all restore themselves in a single tap.

micky <NONONOmisc07@fmguy.com> wrote:
[...]

> I've been using MyPhoneExlorer to both connect the phone and to copy
> from it, and I have to compare the source and dest each time to see what
> to copy, but maybe all I need to do is plug the phone into a USB port
> and use any of the Windows-based backup programs that don't copy what's
> already copied. Like robocopy or xxcopy.

AFAIK, if you're using MyPhoneExlorer, you're using an interactive,
i.e. not command-line/script, procedure.

If so, it's indeed probably easier to just plug in the phone via USB
and use Windows' File Explorer to do the copying (copy-and-paste).

After the copying, just use Properties on the source folder of the
phone and the destination folder on the computer. The number of Files
and Folders and the Size (*not* 'Size on disk') should be the same.

Anyway, that's what I use when copying pictures from phones or other
external devices.

On 2024-11-04 14:47, Andrews wrote:
>
> Bob Martin wrote on 4 Nov 2024 06:06:35 GMT :
>>
>> I used to use TWRP to do a full backup of my Nexus phones.
>
> A "full backup" is folly, in my humble opinion.
> What you need is to "plan ahead" by being intelligent on a computer.
>
> You have to understand how the operating system works.
> Specifically you need to understand how the GUI works.
>
> For Android, that GUI is your precious homescreen setup.
> Right?
>
> All you need to back up is your homescreen (which is a single file).
> That's it.
>
> Everything you care about is already in a single folder on external sd.

NO, NOT EVERYTHING! See below.

> To restore your phone onto a new phone, all you do is two things:
> a. Swap out the sdcard (formatted to a known volume ID) to the new phone
> b. Restore the single file which is your homescreen to the new phone
>
> I've done this many times.
> No Internet involved.
>
> No "full backup" needed as the apps all restore themselves in a single tap.

So how does that help me with this backup problem: How to transfer all
my WiFi connection settings from my old Android 7, note carefully the
Android version, Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 SM-T719 to a Pixel 8a.

I tried a number of general data transfer programs to copy stuff between
the two phones, but in the end got best results simply by copying
everything conventionally via my PC. However, the WiFi settings are not
stored in the data accessible from a PC.

--

Fake news kills!

I may be contacted via the contact address given on my website:
www.macfh.co.uk

Bob Martin <bob.martin@excite.com> wrote:
[...]

> I used to use TWRP to do a full backup of my Nexus phones.

AFAIK, using TWRP for a full backup requires an unlocked bootloader
[1]. Normally the bootloader is locked, because an unlocked bootloader
is a security risk in case the phone falls into the wrong hands.

For the same reason, on most phones unlocking the bootloader (via an
unlocking code from the manufacturer or third party) will do a factory
reset, deleting all the very programs and data you're trying to backup.
Catch-22.

So how did you get to flash TWRP on your Nexus without these
problems?

[1] See for example:
'Is it necessary to unlock bootloader before flashing a recovery like
TWRP?'
<https://www.quora.com/Is-it-necessary-to-unlock-bootloader-before-flashing-a-recovery-like-TWRP>

Java Jive wrote on Mon, 4 Nov 2024 15:50:31 +0000 :

>> No "full backup" needed as the apps all restore themselves in a single tap.
>
> So how does that help me with this backup problem: How to transfer all
> my WiFi connection settings from my old Android 7, note carefully the
> Android version, Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 SM-T719 to a Pixel 8a.

Hmm... good point. Good question. Excellent question, in fact.
It's my understanding that, on Android, just as the entire homescreen setup
is stored in a single file that you can backup & restore, all the Wi-Fi
settings on Android are also stored in a single file (AFAIK).
/data/misc/apexdata/com.android.wifi/WifiConfigStore.xml

I haven't tried it, but a quick Google search shows this backup method:
<https://www.google.com/search?q=backup+wi-fi+settings+android+using+adb>
1. Turn on the Developer options menu on your old phone.
2. Turn on USB debugging and Rooted debugging on that old phone.
3. Connect that old phone to your computer & grant debug permissions.
4. Execute adb root on the computer
5. Execute adb pull /data/misc/apexdata/com.android.wifi/WifiConfigStore.xml
6. Repeat steps 1 through 4 on the new phone, only use push, not pull.

I didn't try it though... if you do try it, let us know how it works out.

> I tried a number of general data transfer programs to copy stuff between
> the two phones, but in the end got best results simply by copying
> everything conventionally via my PC. However, the WiFi settings are not
> stored in the data accessible from a PC.

Mostly, a home-user's computer/phone backup is three things, right?
a. GUI (e.g., homescreen on Android, accordion-menu tree on Windows)
b. data (e.g., map data, camera data, document data, etc.)
c. apps (Android Homescreen:Web:Firefox, Windows C:\Apps\Web\Firefox\)

Since my phone is mounted as a drive letter on Windows, the "backup" of the
data is done by the Windows copy command (although I could rcync it also).
<https://i.postimg.cc/6371SxNd/mountandroidonwindows.jpg>

Copy those two things and you're done with the main backup, right?
Oops. Did I say two things? Yup. I did say only two things. Just two.
GUI and data are personal to the user, apps are not.

For apps, on both Windows and Android, the original installer is always
there (for every single version & subversion you choose to install it is).

And, for both Windows & Android, most (but not all!) apps and versions are
already archived for you somewhere on the Internet (although not always!).

So while both Windows and Android already automatically archive all your
installers, you "could" (if you wanted to) back up those installers too.

But on Android, once you've reloaded the homescreen backup (which is only a
single binary file), then just tapping the first time on the shortcuts
inside your homescreen folders installs the most current version of the
app. <https://i.postimg.cc/Kv8RmGT3/telecom.jpg>

If you're OK with that most current version, then you don't even need to
back up the versions you've installed previously (although I do that).

Also note installing APKs is as easy as sliding it from Windows to Android.
<https://i.postimg.cc/wvsbcNBz/scrcpy05.jpg>

Andrews wrote on Mon, 4 Nov 2024 17:59:32 -0000 (UTC) :

> It's my understanding that, on Android, just as the entire homescreen setup
> is stored in a single file that you can backup & restore, all the Wi-Fi
> settings on Android are also stored in a single file (AFAIK).
> /data/misc/apexdata/com.android.wifi/WifiConfigStore.xml
>
> I haven't tried it, but a quick Google search shows this backup method:
> <https://www.google.com/search?q=backup+wi-fi+settings+android+using+adb>
> 1. Turn on the Developer options menu on your old phone.
> 2. Turn on USB debugging and Rooted debugging on that old phone.
> 3. Connect that old phone to your computer & grant debug permissions.
> 4. Execute adb root on the computer
> 5. Execute adb pull /data/misc/apexdata/com.android.wifi/WifiConfigStore.xml
> 6. Repeat steps 1 through 4 on the new phone, only use push, not pull.
>
> I didn't try it though... if you do try it, let us know how it works out.

Since I'm always a very helpful person, and even though my Samsung Galaxy
A32-5G baseband version is unrootable, I ran that test above for the team.
<https://i.postimg.cc/2jxYYsmM/adb-pull-wifi.jpg>

C:\> type hosts.txt
The system cannot find the file specified.

C:\> adb pull /system/etc/hosts .\hosts.txt
/system/etc/hosts: 1 file pulled, 0 skipped. 0.0 MB/s (56 bytes in 0.003s)

C:\> type hosts.txt
127.0.0.1 localhost
::1 ip6-localhost

C:\> adb root
adbd cannot run as root in production builds

C:\> adb pull /data/misc/apexdata/com.android.wifi/WifiConfigStore.xml
adb: error: failed to stat remote object '/data/misc/apexdata/com.android.wifi/WifiConfigStore.xml': Permission denied

We're going to need another way to copy & restore that Wi-Fi xml file.

On 2024-11-04 19:35, Andrews wrote:
>
> Andrews wrote on Mon, 4 Nov 2024 17:59:32 -0000 (UTC) :
>>
>> It's my understanding that, on Android, just as the entire homescreen setup
>> is stored in a single file that you can backup & restore, all the Wi-Fi
>> settings on Android are also stored in a single file (AFAIK).
>> /data/misc/apexdata/com.android.wifi/WifiConfigStore.xml
>>
>> I haven't tried it, but a quick Google search shows this backup method:
>> <https://www.google.com/search?q=backup+wi-fi+settings+android+using+adb>
>> 1. Turn on the Developer options menu on your old phone.
>> 2. Turn on USB debugging and Rooted debugging on that old phone.
>> 3. Connect that old phone to your computer & grant debug permissions.
>> 4. Execute adb root on the computer
>> 5. Execute adb pull /data/misc/apexdata/com.android.wifi/WifiConfigStore.xml
>> 6. Repeat steps 1 through 4 on the new phone, only use push, not pull.
>>
>> I didn't try it though... if you do try it, let us know how it works out.
>
> Since I'm always a very helpful person, and even though my Samsung Galaxy
> A32-5G baseband version is unrootable, I ran that test above for the team.
> <https://i.postimg.cc/2jxYYsmM/adb-pull-wifi.jpg>
>
> C:\> type hosts.txt
> The system cannot find the file specified.
>
> C:\> adb pull /system/etc/hosts .\hosts.txt
> /system/etc/hosts: 1 file pulled, 0 skipped. 0.0 MB/s (56 bytes in 0.003s)
>
> C:\> type hosts.txt
> 127.0.0.1 localhost
> ::1 ip6-localhost
>
> C:\> adb root
> adbd cannot run as root in production builds
>
> C:\> adb pull /data/misc/apexdata/com.android.wifi/WifiConfigStore.xml
> adb: error: failed to stat remote object '/data/misc/apexdata/com.android.wifi/WifiConfigStore.xml': Permission denied
>
> We're going to need another way to copy & restore that Wi-Fi xml file.

Thanks for the attempt anyway. Another 'feature' of the system is that
my old tablet is encrypted, so, if I root it, all its old data will be
lost, thus anyway negating the whole point of rooting it to retrieve
that data.

It's a bastard situation reminiscent of the obstacle courses we had to
negotiate to get data off 8-bit microcomputers before IBM de facto
standardised floppy drive formats. Many micros could only store data on
tape, and if they could use floppies, such as the Apple II and the CBM
PET series, the low-level format of the floppy was unique, so you
couldn't just put the floppies in any other manufacturer's drive and
read them. I have related before in another place the saga of how I
never succeeded with the 2 or 3 Apple floppies that didn't have much if
any personal data on them, but eventually succeeded in copying all my
data off my PET floppies - from a starting point of a CBM PET drive
which had died from a mains spike, a similarly dead PET computer, a
couple of dead PET drives of a different model to mine which a kind soul
sent me from which I was able to salvage enough working CBM custom chips
to repair mine, power it with a spare PC PSU, build for my PC a Maplin
Parallel interface from a kit, program it to behave like the IEEE
interface used by the PETs, and so finally retrieve all the data off the
floppies that were still readable. Thank f*k we don't have to do that
sort of thing any more with computers, but we need the same sort of
interoperability with phones.

It was a minor victory in the perennial war against inanimate hostility
to be sure, though, after all that effort, it seemed a rather more major
one at the time. I wonder how much I've used that data since? Most
probably, a small amount of it a lot, much of the rest at least a
little. It probably took longer to retrieve it than it would have taken
to recreate it, but I can be stubborn bastard when the need arises, in
the immortal words from the opening scene of 'Saturday Night, Sunday
Morning': "Don't let the bastards grind you down!"

To get back on topic, not sure how to apply that to my WiFi settings
though ...

--

Fake news kills!

I may be contacted via the contact address given on my website:
www.macfh.co.uk

Java Jive <java@evij.com.invalid> wrote:
[...]

> So how does that help me with this backup problem: How to transfer all
> my WiFi connection settings from my old Android 7, note carefully the
> Android version, Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 SM-T719 to a Pixel 8a.
>
> I tried a number of general data transfer programs to copy stuff between
> the two phones, but in the end got best results simply by copying
> everything conventionally via my PC. However, the WiFi settings are not
> stored in the data accessible from a PC.

Samsung's 'Back up data' backs up Wi-Fi settings to the Samsung Cloud.
Not sure if you can access that data to restore it to a non-Samsung
phone.

AFAIR, Samsung's Windows 'Smart Switch' program also backs up Wi-Fi
settings to your Windows disk (or Network Share?). That makes the Wi-Fi
settings more accessible than from the Samsung Cloud.

AFAIR, Google's 'Back up data' also backs up Wi-Fi settings to your
Google Drive. As both your Samsung tablet and your Google phone have
Google backup and restore, that's a possible path of transfer.

Samsung has its 'Smart Switch' Android app to transfer stuff from
Samsung to Samsung and from non-Samsung to Samsung, i.e for
re-installing a new device with the stuff from an old device. So you may
want to check if Google has a similar app to transfer stuff from a
non-Google (i.e. Samsung in your case) device to a Google device.

Java Jive wrote on Tue, 5 Nov 2024 11:00:57 +0000 :

> To get back on topic, not sure how to apply that to my WiFi settings
> though ...

Unfortunately, while Carlos & Dave Royal showed (on the Android ng) that
you can "share" Wi-Fi configuration QR codes for any given
currently-connected access point, I think Android requires rooting in order
to access the Wi-Fi config file (which is where settings are stored.

I have the best search engine on the planet but without using regular
expressions (which Java Jive can do) it found "too many" hits because
"Wi-Fi" in any search will catch too many things, even when filtered.
<https://skyica.com/appfinder/get/>

However, in Skyica App Finder I did see this supposed Wi-Fi backup app.
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.swiftapps.swiftbackup>

It doesn't require root for most things, but it needs it for the Wi-Fi
backup (so it may be an Android limitation that you have to be rooted).

Sigh.

On 2024-11-05 13:23, Frank Slootweg wrote:
>
> Java Jive <java@evij.com.invalid> wrote:
>>
>> So how does that help me with this backup problem: How to transfer all
>> my WiFi connection settings from my old Android 7, note carefully the
>> Android version, Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 SM-T719 to a Pixel 8a.
>>
>> I tried a number of general data transfer programs to copy stuff between
>> the two phones, but in the end got best results simply by copying
>> everything conventionally via my PC. However, the WiFi settings are not
>> stored in the data accessible from a PC.
>
> Samsung's 'Back up data' backs up Wi-Fi settings to the Samsung Cloud.
> Not sure if you can access that data to restore it to a non-Samsung
> phone.

I've managed to find my Samsung account details, last used many years
ago, and do a backup of 'Settings', though there was no granularity of
which settings were included, so no definite indication that the WiFi
connections have been backed up. As my new phone is not also a Samsung,
and they tend to be rather idiosyncratic, probably I had better not try
to restore the settings to my current phone, if even I can. I've spent
some time on the Samsung website, which is utterly useless [*], trying
to discover how to restore the backup to my PC, but there doesn't seem
to be anything there about any such possibility.

* SO UTTERLY USELESS that ...

:-( I couldn't even enter a phone number to begin a Help-by-SMS
conversation because the number of characters allowed was too small to
permit its last digit to be added, except by omitting the leading zero,
which of course meant that I didn't receive the SMS reply to start the
conversation;

:-( When I tried to start a chatbot, none of the options fitted my
need, and there was no method of choosing a general catchall;

Once again I ask: "Just WHO programs shit as bad as this? Where in
God's name do they look to find such useless idiots?"

> AFAIR, Samsung's Windows 'Smart Switch' program also backs up Wi-Fi
> settings to your Windows disk (or Network Share?). That makes the Wi-Fi
> settings more accessible than from the Samsung Cloud.

I just reinstalled it - having uninstalled it previously because it
only works phone to phone if the receiving phone is a Samsung, whereas
mine is a Pixel 8a - and now I notice, which I did not before, that
while it says it has an option to back up to a computer but no such
option is actually offered in the menu choices, it does have an option
to back up to micro SD card. Unfortunately, I don't have one, but it so
happens I have a Tesco delivery coming tomorrow, so I've just added one
to the order.
> AFAIR, Google's 'Back up data' also backs up Wi-Fi settings to your
> Google Drive. As both your Samsung tablet and your Google phone have
> Google backup and restore, that's a possible path of transfer.

I tend to avoid using Google services because of their reputation for
data harvesting, which in the past has included WiFi information as part
of Streetview, but perhaps if the SD option fails, then I might try that
next.

> Samsung has its 'Smart Switch' Android app to transfer stuff from
> Samsung to Samsung and from non-Samsung to Samsung, i.e for
> re-installing a new device with the stuff from an old device. So you may
> want to check if Google has a similar app to transfer stuff from a
> non-Google (i.e. Samsung in your case) device to a Google device.

Yes, as we are agreed, it only works if a Samsung is the destination
phone, another example of deliberately crippling software.

Thanks for your helpful suggestions.

--

Fake news kills!

I may be contacted via the contact address given on my website:
www.macfh.co.uk

On 2024-11-05 21:36, Java Jive wrote:
>
> On 2024-11-05 13:23, Frank Slootweg wrote:
>>
>>    Samsung's 'Back up data' backs up Wi-Fi settings to the Samsung Cloud.
>> Not sure if you can access that data to restore it to a non-Samsung
>> phone.
>
> I've managed to find my Samsung account details, last used many years
> ago, and do a backup of 'Settings', though there was no granularity of
> which settings were included, so no definite indication that the WiFi
> connections have been backed up.  As my new phone is not also a Samsung,
> and they tend to be rather idiosyncratic, probably I had better not try
> to restore the settings to my current phone, if even I can.  I've spent
> some time on the Samsung website, which is utterly useless [*], trying
> to discover how to restore the backup to my PC, but there doesn't seem
> to be anything there about any such possibility.

Tried the Samsung site again today and this time actually found
something useful, WiFi settings ARE included in Cloud backups:

https://www.samsung.com/uk/support/apps-services/use-the-samsung-cloud-to-back-up-and-restore-data-to-your-galaxy-device/

So, as a test of how specific I could be, I tried restoring the backup
to the tablet, rather than the phone, reasoning that it being the source
of the backup it was less likely to be affected for the worse by the
restore, but again the only choice I got was "Settings", I couldn't
choose which settings to restore.

An I still can't find out how to get the backup somewhere more useful to
me, like onto my PC.

--

Fake news kills!

I may be contacted via the contact address given on my website:
www.macfh.co.uk

On 2024-11-06 10:41, Java Jive wrote:
>
> An I still can't find out how to get the backup somewhere more useful to
> me, like onto my PC.

Not possible :-(

https://www.samsung.com/us/support/answer/ANS10002032/

"You cannot download your backups individually. If you need to recover
data in Samsung Cloud, you must sync your data to a compatible device."

--

Fake news kills!

I may be contacted via the contact address given on my website:
www.macfh.co.uk

Java Jive <java@evij.com.invalid> wrote:
> On 2024-11-05 13:23, Frank Slootweg wrote:
[...]
> > AFAIR, Samsung's Windows 'Smart Switch' program also backs up Wi-Fi
> > settings to your Windows disk (or Network Share?). That makes the Wi-Fi
> > settings more accessible than from the Samsung Cloud.
>
> I just reinstalled it - having uninstalled it previously because it
> only works phone to phone if the receiving phone is a Samsung, whereas
> mine is a Pixel 8a - and now I notice, which I did not before, that
> while it says it has an option to back up to a computer but no such
> option is actually offered in the menu choices, it does have an option
> to back up to micro SD card. Unfortunately, I don't have one, but it so
> happens I have a Tesco delivery coming tomorrow, so I've just added one
> to the order.

Note that I referred to the *Windows* 'Smart Switch' program, not the
*Android* app (which I *also* covered later).

The Windows 'Smart Switch' program (obviously) *does* back up to your
computer and creates files on your disk which you can (try to) access by
other 'normal' utilities. IIRC, Smart Switch creates both regular files
and ZIP archives. For the ZIP archives you might need something like
7-Zip, because when I used this quite some time ago, the built-in
Windows unzipper could not handle the format which Smart Switch used.

But to be [f|F]rank, Samsung tries to 'hide' the Windows 'Smart
Switch' program, because I couldn't find it on their main Smart Switch
page (<https://www.samsung.com/us/smart-switch/>). But a quick Google
:-) search on "samsung smart switch for windows" shows it's still there:

'Downloading Smart Switch on my PC'
Last Update date : Apr 17. 2024
<https://www.samsung.com/au/support/mobile-devices/downloading-smart-switch-on-pc/>

> > AFAIR, Google's 'Back up data' also backs up Wi-Fi settings to your
> > Google Drive. As both your Samsung tablet and your Google phone have
> > Google backup and restore, that's a possible path of transfer.
>
> I tend to avoid using Google services because of their reputation for
> data harvesting, which in the past has included WiFi information as part
> of Streetview, but perhaps if the SD option fails, then I might try that
> next.
>
> > Samsung has its 'Smart Switch' Android app to transfer stuff from
> > Samsung to Samsung and from non-Samsung to Samsung, i.e for
> > re-installing a new device with the stuff from an old device. So you may
> > want to check if Google has a similar app to transfer stuff from a
> > non-Google (i.e. Samsung in your case) device to a Google device.
>
> Yes, as we are agreed, it only works if a Samsung is the destination
> phone, another example of deliberately crippling software.

Well, you might critcize Samsung, but at least *they* provide software
to import your stuff from a non-Samsung phone, while Google doesn't do
that for their phones. (Or *does* Google have such software? Your
non-response to my suggestion implies they don't.)

> Thanks for your helpful suggestions.

You're very welcome. With Android backup/resstore/transfer, we need
all the help we can get! :-(

On 2024-11-06 12:13, Frank Slootweg wrote:
>> Yes, as we are agreed, it only works if a Samsung is the destination
>> phone, another example of deliberately crippling software.
> Well, you might critcize Samsung, but at least*they* provide software
> to import your stuff from a non-Samsung phone, while Google doesn't do
> that for their phones. (Or*does* Google have such software? Your
> non-response to my suggestion implies they don't.)

Android has a generic application to clone phones, from old to new.

--
Cheers,
Carlos E.R.

On 2024-11-06 11:13, Frank Slootweg wrote:
>
> Note that I referred to the *Windows* 'Smart Switch' program, not the
> *Android* app (which I *also* covered later).
>
> The Windows 'Smart Switch' program (obviously) *does* back up to your
> computer and creates files on your disk which you can (try to) access by
> other 'normal' utilities. IIRC, Smart Switch creates both regular files
> and ZIP archives. For the ZIP archives you might need something like
> 7-Zip, because when I used this quite some time ago, the built-in
> Windows unzipper could not handle the format which Smart Switch used.
>
> But to be [f|F]rank, Samsung tries to 'hide' the Windows 'Smart
> Switch' program, because I couldn't find it on their main Smart Switch
> page (<https://www.samsung.com/us/smart-switch/>). But a quick Google
> :-) search on "samsung smart switch for windows" shows it's still there:
>
> 'Downloading Smart Switch on my PC'
> Last Update date : Apr 17. 2024
> <https://www.samsung.com/au/support/mobile-devices/downloading-smart-switch-on-pc/>

Thanks for that. Like you, I couldn't find it on the Samsung site.
I've downloaded and installed it from your link, and backed up the WiFi
settings to a PC - encouragingly, I was given the specificity to
choose to back up only those settings. However, looking at the backed
up files, although I can open the zips in 7-zip, the data itself is
encrypted, despite there being an option to encrypt which I noted and
specifically left unselected. I suspect that it's encrypted because the
original file from the phone was just backed up as is, and that was
encrypted on the phone :-(

From which I predict that most probably it will also be encrypted using
the micro SD card that is due to arrive early this evening :-(

>>> AFAIR, Google's 'Back up data' also backs up Wi-Fi settings to your
>>> Google Drive. As both your Samsung tablet and your Google phone have
>>> Google backup and restore, that's a possible path of transfer.
>>
>> I tend to avoid using Google services because of their reputation for
>> data harvesting, which in the past has included WiFi information as part
>> of Streetview, but perhaps if the SD option fails, then I might try that
>> next.

Perhaps this is what I should try next ...

>>> Samsung has its 'Smart Switch' Android app to transfer stuff from
>>> Samsung to Samsung and from non-Samsung to Samsung, i.e for
>>> re-installing a new device with the stuff from an old device. So you may
>>> want to check if Google has a similar app to transfer stuff from a
>>> non-Google (i.e. Samsung in your case) device to a Google device.
>>
>> Yes, as we are agreed, it only works if a Samsung is the destination
>> phone, another example of deliberately crippling software.
>
> Well, you might critcize Samsung, but at least *they* provide software
> to import your stuff from a non-Samsung phone

Yeahbut, if they can provide the option in one direction, they can
provide it in the other direction with minimal or no extra effort or
cost, so why not do it? Their decision not to do so cripples their
software unnecessarily, but creates a disincentive to move away from
Samsung, so, effectively, it's just another shady lock-in mechanism.

> while Google doesn't do
> that for their phones. (Or *does* Google have such software? Your
> non-response to my suggestion implies they don't.)

I bought my Pixel 8a at the same time as Andy Burns bought his, and at
the time we conferred and shared notes in uk.telecom.mobile. His
experience was very different from mine because his old phone was newer
than my Samsung, and was running an Android version equal or later than
10, whereas mine is on 7. When we first switched on our phones, we were
both offered a chance to copy everything from an old phone, and this
worked for him because of his later Android version, but I was sent to a
website explaining that my device was too old, hence my problems since
in copying my data. I tried various copying apps, but they all fucked
up in some way or another, so in the end I just copied the data via my
PC, which gave much better results than anything else that I'd tried
and, AFAIAA so far at least, the WiFi data is the only thing of
importance that I haven't been able to copy.

>> Thanks for your helpful suggestions.
>
> You're very welcome. With Android backup/resstore/transfer, we need
> all the help we can get! :-(

And thanks again for the link above.

--

Fake news kills!

I may be contacted via the contact address given on my website:
www.macfh.co.uk

Carlos E. R. <robin_listas@es.invalid> wrote:
> On 2024-11-06 12:13, Frank Slootweg wrote:
> >> Yes, as we are agreed, it only works if a Samsung is the destination
> >> phone, another example of deliberately crippling software.
> >
> > Well, you might critcize Samsung, but at least*they* provide software
> > to import your stuff from a non-Samsung phone, while Google doesn't do
> > that for their phones. (Or*does* Google have such software? Your
> > non-response to my suggestion implies they don't.)
>
> Android has a generic application to clone phones, from old to new.

And *which* application would that be? I.e. specifics please.

If you mean Google's 'Google Drive Backup data' then 1) I already
mentioned that and, more importantly, 2) that backup/restore is far from
complete. I.e. does it backup apps [1], app data and app settings,
especially for non-Google apps, does it backup all device settings, does
it backup other (than Photos & videos) general folders etc., etc.?

[1] For example, it does not backup apps, it backs up the *names* of
apps, not the apps themselves, and AFAIK for non-Play_Store/Google_Play
apps, it doesn't backup anything, not even the names.

On 2024-11-06 14:26, Frank Slootweg wrote:
> Carlos E. R. <robin_listas@es.invalid> wrote:
>> On 2024-11-06 12:13, Frank Slootweg wrote:
>>>> Yes, as we are agreed, it only works if a Samsung is the destination
>>>> phone, another example of deliberately crippling software.
>>>
>>> Well, you might critcize Samsung, but at least*they* provide software
>>> to import your stuff from a non-Samsung phone, while Google doesn't do
>>> that for their phones. (Or*does* Google have such software? Your
>>> non-response to my suggestion implies they don't.)
>>
>> Android has a generic application to clone phones, from old to new.
>
> And *which* application would that be? I.e. specifics please.

No idea. It just runs when you buy a new phone, it is automatic. Depends
on the brand.

>
> If you mean Google's 'Google Drive Backup data' then 1) I already
> mentioned that and, more importantly, 2) that backup/restore is far from
> complete. I.e. does it backup apps [1], app data and app settings,
> especially for non-Google apps, does it backup all device settings, does
> it backup other (than Photos & videos) general folders etc., etc.?

I know that backup is incomplete.

>
> [1] For example, it does not backup apps, it backs up the *names* of
> apps, not the apps themselves, and AFAIK for non-Play_Store/Google_Play
> apps, it doesn't backup anything, not even the names.

I know.

--
Cheers,
Carlos E.R.

On Wed, 11/6/2024 8:24 AM, Java Jive wrote:
> On 2024-11-06 11:13, Frank Slootweg wrote:
>>
>>    Note that I referred to the *Windows* 'Smart Switch' program, not the
>> *Android* app (which I *also* covered later).
>>
>>    The Windows 'Smart Switch' program (obviously) *does* back up to your
>> computer and creates files on your disk which you can (try to) access by
>> other 'normal' utilities.  IIRC, Smart Switch creates both regular files
>> and ZIP archives. For the ZIP archives you might need something like
>> 7-Zip, because when I used this quite some time ago, the built-in
>> Windows unzipper could not handle the format which Smart Switch used.
>>
>>    But to be [f|F]rank, Samsung tries to 'hide' the Windows 'Smart
>> Switch' program, because I couldn't find it on their main Smart Switch
>> page (<https://www.samsung.com/us/smart-switch/>). But a quick Google
>> :-) search on "samsung smart switch for windows" shows it's still there:
>>
>> 'Downloading Smart Switch on my PC'
>> Last Update date : Apr 17. 2024
>> <https://www.samsung.com/au/support/mobile-devices/downloading-smart-switch-on-pc/>
>
> Thanks for that.  Like you, I couldn't find it on the Samsung site. I've downloaded and installed it from your link, and backed up the WiFi settings to a PC  -  encouragingly, I was given the specificity to choose to back up only those settings.  However, looking at the backed up files, although I can open the zips in 7-zip, the data itself is encrypted, despite there being an option to encrypt which I noted and specifically left unselected.  I suspect that it's encrypted because the original file from the phone was just backed up as is, and that was encrypted on the phone :-(
>
> From which I predict that most probably it will also be encrypted using the micro SD card that is due to arrive early this evening :-(
>
>>>>     AFAIR, Google's 'Back up data' also backs up Wi-Fi settings to your
>>>> Google Drive. As both your Samsung tablet and your Google phone have
>>>> Google backup and restore, that's a possible path of transfer.
>>>
>>> I tend to avoid using Google services because of their reputation for
>>> data harvesting, which in the past has included WiFi information as part
>>> of Streetview, but perhaps if the SD option fails, then I might try that
>>> next.
>
> Perhaps this is what I should try next ...
>
>>>>     Samsung has its 'Smart Switch' Android app to transfer stuff from
>>>> Samsung to Samsung and from non-Samsung to Samsung, i.e for
>>>> re-installing a new device with the stuff from an old device. So you may
>>>> want to check if Google has a similar app to transfer stuff from a
>>>> non-Google (i.e. Samsung in your case) device to a Google device.
>>>
>>> Yes, as we are agreed, it only works if a Samsung is the destination
>>> phone, another example of deliberately crippling software.
>>
>>    Well, you might critcize Samsung, but at least *they* provide software
>> to import your stuff from a non-Samsung phone
>
> Yeahbut, if they can provide the option in one direction, they can provide it in the other direction with minimal or no extra effort or cost, so why not do it?  Their decision not to do so cripples their software unnecessarily, but creates a disincentive to move away from Samsung, so, effectively, it's just another shady lock-in mechanism.
>
>> while Google doesn't do
>> that for their phones. (Or *does* Google have such software? Your
>> non-response to my suggestion implies they don't.)
>
> I bought my Pixel 8a at the same time as Andy Burns bought his, and at the time we conferred and shared notes in uk.telecom.mobile.  His experience was very different from mine because his old phone was newer than my Samsung, and was running an Android version equal or later than 10, whereas mine is on 7.  When we first switched on our phones, we were both offered a chance to copy everything from an old phone, and this worked for him because of his later Android version, but I was sent to a website explaining that my device was too old, hence my problems since in copying my data.  I tried various copying apps, but they all fucked up in some way or another, so in the end I just copied the data via my PC, which gave much better results than anything else that I'd tried and, AFAIAA so far at least, the WiFi data is the only thing of importance that I haven't been able to copy.
>
>>> Thanks for your helpful suggestions.
>>
>>    You're very welcome. With Android backup/resstore/transfer, we need
>> all the help we can get! :-(
>
> And thanks again for the link above.
>

There is some info here, on crypto philosophy.

https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/249639/can-an-android-device-connect-to-the-internet-before-decrypting-the-storage

Paul

Java Jive <java@evij.com.invalid> wrote:
> On 2024-11-06 11:13, Frank Slootweg wrote:
> >
> > Note that I referred to the *Windows* 'Smart Switch' program, not the
> > *Android* app (which I *also* covered later).
> >
> > The Windows 'Smart Switch' program (obviously) *does* back up to your
> > computer and creates files on your disk which you can (try to) access by
> > other 'normal' utilities. IIRC, Smart Switch creates both regular files
> > and ZIP archives. For the ZIP archives you might need something like
> > 7-Zip, because when I used this quite some time ago, the built-in
> > Windows unzipper could not handle the format which Smart Switch used.
> >
> > But to be [f|F]rank, Samsung tries to 'hide' the Windows 'Smart
> > Switch' program, because I couldn't find it on their main Smart Switch
> > page (<https://www.samsung.com/us/smart-switch/>). But a quick Google
> > :-) search on "samsung smart switch for windows" shows it's still there:
> >
> > 'Downloading Smart Switch on my PC'
> > Last Update date : Apr 17. 2024
> > <https://www.samsung.com/au/support/mobile-devices/downloading-smart-switch-on-pc/>
>
> Thanks for that. Like you, I couldn't find it on the Samsung site.
> I've downloaded and installed it from your link, and backed up the WiFi
> settings to a PC - encouragingly, I was given the specificity to
> choose to back up only those settings. However, looking at the backed
> up files, although I can open the zips in 7-zip, the data itself is
> encrypted, despite there being an option to encrypt which I noted and
> specifically left unselected. I suspect that it's encrypted because the
> original file from the phone was just backed up as is, and that was
> encrypted on the phone :-(

Thanks for the feedback. I was about to dig up some old Smart Switch
backups (if any) from my backup disks, but as you've already found the
Wi-Fi settings data is encrypted, there's no point.

> From which I predict that most probably it will also be encrypted using
> the micro SD card that is due to arrive early this evening :-(

Yeah, most likely it's also encrypted. :-(

> >>> AFAIR, Google's 'Back up data' also backs up Wi-Fi settings to your
> >>> Google Drive. As both your Samsung tablet and your Google phone have
> >>> Google backup and restore, that's a possible path of transfer.
> >>
> >> I tend to avoid using Google services because of their reputation for
> >> data harvesting, which in the past has included WiFi information as part
> >> of Streetview, but perhaps if the SD option fails, then I might try that
> >> next.
>
> Perhaps this is what I should try next ...

[...]

> I bought my Pixel 8a at the same time as Andy Burns bought his, and at
> the time we conferred and shared notes in uk.telecom.mobile. His
> experience was very different from mine because his old phone was newer
> than my Samsung, and was running an Android version equal or later than
> 10, whereas mine is on 7. When we first switched on our phones, we were
> both offered a chance to copy everything from an old phone, and this
> worked for him because of his later Android version, but I was sent to a
> website explaining that my device was too old, hence my problems since
> in copying my data. I tried various copying apps, but they all fucked
> up in some way or another, so in the end I just copied the data via my
> PC, which gave much better results than anything else that I'd tried
> and, AFAIAA so far at least, the WiFi data is the only thing of
> importance that I haven't been able to copy.

I've done more or less the same. While my new phone was a Samsung (old
phone was a Huawei), I only transferred very few apps with Samsung's
Smart Switch and did most of the work by re-installing apps, copying
data and app-settings, etc.. I did use Samsung's Smart Switch to
transfer the 'simple' stuff like 'Calls and contacts', 'Accounts', (SMS)
'Messages' and 'Bookmarks', but probably could have done most or all of
that with Google's 'Backup data'. (BTW, at the moment, on my Samsung
phone, I can't find a 'Restore' for Google's 'Backup data'! That's not
very useful, is it!? :-))

[...]