[How To] Create a backup of your device when in recovery mode, including apps

[pcworld]

You should have some experience with (deskop) Linux and webOS to follow this how-to.

If you just want to backup /media/internal and not any apps, follow this instead. I've written this how-to mainly to share my experience on how to mount cryptofs in recovery mode (and how to get the cryptofs key), so that you can backup your apps as well.

First, setup Meta-Doctor on your desktop Linux (or OS X, haven't tried it though) by cloning the meta-doctor git-repository. After that, you need to run the make command as described in step 2 of the wiki article.
Then boot into recovery mode.

Now run this command from the meta-doctor directory (of course adjust DEVICE and CARRIER):

make DEVICE=preplus CARRIER=wr memload mount

After it's finished, you should see the boot logo. The device won't boot, it's in something like a "special recovery mode".

Now connect to your device using novaterm.
In novaterm, run these commands:

mount -o remount,rw /
mount -o remount,rw /tmp/media/
export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/tmp/root/usr/lib/
mount --bind /tmp/media/ /media/internal/

Download the attached file "cryptofs.zip" and extract it (alternative url: cryptofs - no extraction needed).
Then run on your computer (from where you downloaded/extracted the file):

novacom put file:///usr/bin/cryptofs < ./cryptofs

Back in novaterm:

chmod +x /usr/bin/cryptofs
/tmp/root/usr/bin/mountcfs

(You should see output saying "Enter password:", just ignore it. If you don't see it, it's likely that something went wrong.)

Now, open the meta-doctor Makefile in a plain text editor.
Replace

backup: mount

with

backup: #mount

If you don't want to include the encrypted .palm folder in the backup, also replace

( novacom -w run file://bin/tar -- -C /tmp/media/ --totals -cf - . ) | \

with

( novacom -w run file://bin/tar -- -C /tmp/media/ --exclude=.palm --totals -cf - . ) | \

Finally, run this in your meta-doctor directory (again, adjust DEVICE and CARRIER):

make DEVICE=preplus CARRIER=wr backup

Now, you should have a directory called "meta-doctor/clones/*subdir*/" with the backup files contained.
Your "USB partition" (/media/internal) and your apps folder is included in "nova-cust-image-castle.media.tar.gz". The decrypted /media/cryptofs folder (where your applications are in) is in the folder ".cryptofs" of the mentioned archive.

An easy way to turn off your device is to unplug the USB cable and pull out the battery (though this only works on phones).

I hope this helps some, if you have any questions, feel free to ask!

[gizmo21]

here just another method of backing up of all installed apps and restoring of selected ones:
(without recovery mode)

L\'Haut-Parleur » Original Palm Pre auf WebOS 2.1 updaten

- download mybackup.zip
- copy unzipped hybrid/PDK file to USB partition
- Login via novaterm or on device wterm as root (Default exec command: login -f root)
- cd /
- /media/internal/mybackup starts the PDK app
- select BACKUP and wait from 10-40minutes depending on appcount/size
- all apps are stored/gzipped seperatly in /media/internal/mybackup

Restore:
- To restore make filesystem writeable:
- mount -o rw, remount /
- cd /
- /media/internal/mybackup
- whatever of the backupfiles is still in the mybackup folder will be restored when using button RESTORE instead of BACKUP

Backup/Restore tested on 1.4.5
Backup tested on 2.2.4
did not test on 3.x

[Remy X]

@gizmo21,

You could have specified that your suggestion only works on a bootable device. The original one above refers to "Doctor"/recovery mode....

[GMMan]

A note about cryptofs in the OP: The key used is static to the device, so backing up the .palm folder is perfectly fine if the restore target will be to the original device.

(Or, bypass cryptofs entirely and use passfs instead.)