How do I back up my system without already having rooted it?

[apchar]

You'll have to do a system restore to a point prior to your install of PDA.net then try again.

OK I used system restore to restore the system to the way things were before my mistake with PDANet. I plugged in my coby and the Found New Hardware wizard popped up. The generic Android device is once again listed under 'Other Devices' in the device manager.
I went through
"Install from a list or specific location" -> "Don't search. I will choose the driver to install." -> Double-click Show All Devices
and a long list of manufacturers and their models comes up. But Google Inc is not among the list. What installer should have added that entry? It's not the sort of thing that would come with windows. I installed the Android SDK including the Google USB drivers. So I guess it wasn't from that. I tried "have disk" and navigating to the cobyADB directory but it wants to see .inf files, not dll's.

 

[Traveller]

I may have installed the drivers, but don't remember doing so. Be patient a bit longer and I will upload the drivers that came with my Streak. They're device independent.

EDIT: My http://www.androidtablets.net/forum...59-basic-driver-installation-windows-pcs.html post in this forum has been updated.

 

[apchar]

Monster thanks Traveller1701. The drivers installed without a hitch and I rooted my coby with the commands in root_restore.bat. Incidentally, the root_restore.bat file won't run as-is in XP because the nitwits at microsoft neglected to include the 'choice' command with XP. They replaced it with the messier 'set' command. They brought 'choice' back for Vista and I assume it's in 7 & 8. So I typed the commands in 1 by 1 which is better. I get some idea of what I'm doing to my tablet. Also incidentally, adb crashes after the pull. But typing in 'adb devices' restarts the daemon and executing the pull command line again works fine. My system is rooted and backed up. Woohoo! I compiled all of what you told me into a step by step howto for noobs. Please look it over. If all is well I'll post it as a standalone message & hopefully the admins will make it sticky & you won't here any more questions about installing drivers or rooting the 9742. It only covers rooting. I'll add the steps for installing google play after I try it.
Thanks again for all your work & patience.

How to root a coby kyros MID9742 from windows XP.
(Note I just compiled this list. Thank Traveller1701 for actually figuring this all out.)
1. Install the Android SDK. Get it from Android SDK | Android Developers.
2. Get Traveller1701's drivers for XP from Coby_Gen3_USB_Driver.zip and unzip the file on your desktop.
3. Power up your coby MID9742 and go to 'Settings'
4. Scroll down the left menu and hit "{ } Developer Options"
5. Make sure "USB debugging" in the right column is checked. If it asks if you want to "Allow USB debugging" hit OK.
6. Plug your tablet into your PC with the microUSB cable. Your PC will notice a new device and the New Hardware Found wizard should pop up. Select "Yes and every time I plug this device in" and click Next.
If the wizard doesn't pop up follow these steps
i. open your control panel, double click the "System" icon, click the "Hardware" tab, then the "Device Manager" button to pull up the device manager.
ii. look down the list under Other Devices you should find a device called "Android" with a question mark. Right click on it and select "Update Driver." That
will bring up the Hardware Update wizard.
7. Select "Install from a list or specific location (Advanced)" and hit "Next".
8. Select "Dont search. I will choose the driver to install. hit Next.
9. double click "Show all devices"
10. Click Have disk and navigate to the XP subdirectory in the directory you unzipped the file into. For example c:\Documents and Settings\your_login_name\Desktop\Coby_Gen3_USB_Driver\XP
11. On the popup that appears, select the .INF file for the drivers and select "Open".
12. There should be a list of drivers available. Select your chosen driver and select "OK". Windows may throw up a warning about the driver not being compatible. Select OK anyway.
13. Hit next and the driver should get installed. After it does look back in the Device Manager. The generic "Android" device should disappear from the Other Devices list and a
new device "Android Phone" will appear above it. Yeah it's not a phone but so what.
14. Download Traveller1701's ADB bundle from MID9742 Dump v3.rar and unzip it to your desktop.
16. Fire up a console with Start->All Programs-->Accesories->Command Prompt
17. Change to the directory where you unzipped the ADB stuff. e.g. "cd c:\Documents and Settings\your login name\Desktop\CobyADB"
18. Type
adb.exe devices
19. That may say something about a daemon, then it will list attached devices. If the list is empty something is wrong. Ask for help in the forums.
20. Now type the following commands. If any yield an error message, stop and ask for help on the generation 3 technical forum.
adb.exe push data /data/local/tmp/ > NUL
adb.exe shell chmod 0777 /data/local/tmp/mempodroid > NUL
adb.exe shell /data/local/tmp/mempodroid 0xd7cc 0xad27 sh /data/local/tmp/root.sh > NUL
21. Your device should be rooted. Now go to getjar and install the android terminal. After it installs fire it up.
22. On your Coby in the terminal type su and hit the play button (enter doesn't work.) It'll ask you to verify that you want superuser privileges. Say yes.
23. Once you've confirmed that you have superuser privileges immediately make a backup of your system in case you screw up later. Don't skip this step!!!
24. type (in your windows console)
adb.exe shell mkdir /sdcard/dump
adb.exe shell su -c "cat /dev/block/nanda > /sdcard/dump/bootloader.img"
adb.exe shell su -c "cat /dev/block/nandc > /sdcard/dump/boot.img"
adb.exe shell su -c "cat /dev/block/nandg > /sdcard/dump/recovery.img"
adb.exe shell su -c "cd /system && busybox tar cvf - * | gzip -c > /sdcard/dump/system.tgz"
mkdir dump
adb.exe pull /sdcard/dump dump

Now copy the files in the dump directory to someplace safe.

You're coby is rooted and your system backed up.

 

[vampirefo.]

Are you sure about this command? adb.exe shell su -c "cd /system && busybox tar cvf - * | gzip -c > /sdcard/dump/system.tgz" by piping it you would lose permissions and it can't be used as a direct backup, it can be place in update.zip. example if you install this system.tgz directly it would or should bootloop, cause permissions have been removed via pipe.

Now if you don't pipe permissions are preserved, and direct install would work. Below is my thread on how to install the backups, but if anyone is piping the system, my instructions on installing wont work. cause the piped system is dead no permissions.


http://www.androidtablets.net/forum...750-how-restore-your-7042-8042-9742-dump.html

 

[apchar]

Are you sure about this command? adb.exe shell su -c "cd /system && busybox tar cvf - * | gzip -c > /sdcard/dump/system.tgz" by piping it you would lose permissions and it can't be used as a direct backup, it can be place in update.zip. example if you install this system.tgz directly it would or should bootloop, cause permissions have been removed via pipe.

Now if you don't pipe permissions are preserved, and direct install would work. Below is my thread on how to install the backups, but if anyone is piping the system, my instructions on installing wont work. cause the piped system is dead no permissions.


http://www.androidtablets.net/forum...750-how-restore-your-7042-8042-9742-dump.html

In desktop linux you could skip the pipe and use tar czvf /sdcard/dump/system.tgz * . I think that preserves permissions. Does the tar command in Android include a compressor?

 

[Traveller]

Here's steev's dump.bat.

@echo off
echo Waiting for device...
adb.exe wait-for-device

adb.exe shell mkdir /sdcard/dump

echo Dumping bootloader...
adb.exe shell su -c "cat /dev/block/nanda > /sdcard/dump/bootloader.img"

echo Dumping boot...
adb.exe shell su -c "cat /dev/block/nandc > /sdcard/dump/boot.img"

echo Dumping recovery...
adb.exe shell su -c "cat /dev/block/nandg > /sdcard/dump/recovery.img"

echo Dumping system...
adb.exe shell su -c "cd /system && busybox tar cvf - * | gzip -c > /sdcard/dump/system.tgz"

echo Pulling files...
mkdir dump
adb.exe pull /sdcard/dump dump

echo Finished
pause

This is mine (part of the combined file).

:dump
cls
adb.exe shell mkdir /sdcard/dump
echo Dumping bootloader...
adb.exe shell su -c "cat /dev/block/nanda > /sdcard/dump/bootloader.img"
echo Dumping boot...
adb.exe shell su -c "cat /dev/block/nandc > /sdcard/dump/boot.img"
echo Dumping recovery...
adb.exe shell su -c "cat /dev/block/nandg > /sdcard/dump/recovery.img"
echo Dumping system...
adb.exe shell su -c "cd /system && busybox tar cvf - * | gzip -c > /sdcard/dump/system.tgz"
echo Pulling files...
mkdir dump
adb.exe pull /sdcard/dump dump
echo System dump is complete.
pause
goto menu2

I copied from him verbatim. All I added was a little more description at the end of the process.

 

[vampirefo.]

In desktop linux you could skip the pipe and use tar czvf /sdcard/dump/system.tgz * . I think that preserves permissions. Does the tar command in Android include a compressor?

correct, this is what I use

busybox tar -czvf /sdcard/cm9_8042_system.tgz /system

permission are perserved

for straight tar I use

busybox tar -cvf /sdcard/cm10_7042_system.tar /system

again permissions are preserved.

 

[vampirefo.]

Here's steev's dump.bat.

@echo off
echo Waiting for device...
adb.exe wait-for-device

adb.exe shell mkdir /sdcard/dump

echo Dumping bootloader...
adb.exe shell su -c "cat /dev/block/nanda > /sdcard/dump/bootloader.img"

echo Dumping boot...
adb.exe shell su -c "cat /dev/block/nandc > /sdcard/dump/boot.img"

echo Dumping recovery...
adb.exe shell su -c "cat /dev/block/nandg > /sdcard/dump/recovery.img"

echo Dumping system...
adb.exe shell su -c "cd /system && busybox tar cvf - * | gzip -c > /sdcard/dump/system.tgz"

echo Pulling files...
mkdir dump
adb.exe pull /sdcard/dump dump

echo Finished
pause

This is mine (part of the combined file).

:dump
cls
adb.exe shell mkdir /sdcard/dump
echo Dumping bootloader...
adb.exe shell su -c "cat /dev/block/nanda > /sdcard/dump/bootloader.img"
echo Dumping boot...
adb.exe shell su -c "cat /dev/block/nandc > /sdcard/dump/boot.img"
echo Dumping recovery...
adb.exe shell su -c "cat /dev/block/nandg > /sdcard/dump/recovery.img"
echo Dumping system...
adb.exe shell su -c "cd /system && busybox tar cvf - * | gzip -c > /sdcard/dump/system.tgz"
echo Pulling files...
mkdir dump
adb.exe pull /sdcard/dump dump
echo System dump is complete.
pause
goto menu2

I copied from him verbatim. All I added was a little more description at the end of the process.

this explains why some people were having problems restoring their dumps, piping shouldn't be done if one plans on restoring their dump, directly.

I suggest dropping the pipe, as the system isn't that big, piping really is only good for 5 Gb and larger, by dropping the pipe, users can directly install their backed up system, without the need to add permissions to the system.

 

[Traveller]

How to root a coby kyros MID9742 from windows XP.
(Note I just compiled this list. Thank Traveller1701 for actually figuring this all out.)

Just be thankful I put XP back on my netbook or I would never have gotten the drivers to work in XP.

Unlike XP, Vista and 7 will let you install the driver even though the device you have connected isn't in android_winusb.inf. XP actually checks android_winusb.inf and refuses to allow the install unless the hardware data is in there.

 

[Traveller]

this explains why some people were having problems restoring their dumps, piping shouldn't be done if one plans on restoring their dump, directly.

I guess I have some changes to make to the batch file. Not a bad thing since I have a revamp of a batch file for Dell Streak rooting I intend on using as a base.

What should the command be?

EDIT: I see you already posted the correct command. Thanks.

Ok...so in order to make these system dumps we all made useful for this purpose, we need to set permissions on all the files. I know Clockworkmod has that capability, but what is the adb command to do the same thing, if there is one?

 

[vampirefo.]

I guess I have some changes to make to the batch file. Not a bad thing since I have a revamp of a batch file for Dell Streak rooting I intend on using as a base.

What should the command be?

I would use this busybox tar -czvf /sdcard/dump/system.tgz /system
I don't used windows or batch scripts so I don't know what else is needed for windows, but from adb in Linux which is what I use, busybox tar -czvf /sdcard/dump/system.tgz /system would do the job correctly.

 

[Traveller]

I compiled all of what you told me into a step by step howto for noobs.

Regarding your list...

• No need to install the Android SDK. The drivers I posted in my driver installation thread are straight from the SDK. If push came to shove they should be available through Microsoft, since they are part of Microsoft's driver kit.
• It doesn't matter what you select when the New Hardware Wizard for XP pops up. The drivers are not on the Windows XP CD-ROM and are not available through Windows/Microsoft Update.
• Don't combine the tutorials. A new user seeing a huge wall of text such as this will feel overwhelmed and think that the process will be too difficult to handle. Breaking it down into smaller chunks like I have already done in both Generation 3 Technical and Generation 3 Development makes it easier for them to digest. For example, once they tackle the drivers they can stop for a moment, catch their breath, and then move on to rooting. From there they can again catch their breath and install the Google apps or a custom ROM.
• The entire reason I provided a rooting batch file is to eliminate keypress errors, which can happen when typing in commands. The batch file is going to be updated this weekend to fix the issues in it, such as the lack of 7033/7035 support and the error in the original dump.bat that made its way into my batch file. At the same time, I'll make available a Windows XP compatible version.

 

[Traveller]

I would use this busybox tar -czvf /sdcard/dump/system.tgz /system
I don't used windows or batch scripts so I don't know what else is needed for windows, but from adb in Linux which is what I use, busybox tar -czvf /sdcard/dump/system.tgz /system would do the job correctly.

Ok. That I have, as I read your edit to your post from earlier. Is there an ADB command similar to Clockworkmod's fix permissions command which, after restoring system.tgz, will restore the permissions and allow the system dumps we've been telling users to make to actually work as you intended?

 

[apchar]

OK Traveller. I separated the driver installation instructions and trimmed them down to more digestible proportions. But I disagree that a batch file is better than typing the commands in. Even a noob can cut and paste. And if anything bad happens at one step the user would stop where a batch file would plod forth. But that's for the rooting section. Look over the driver installation instructions. With your blessings I'll submit them to the admins for sticky status.

A noobs guide to installing the drivers necessary to root a coby kyros MID9742 from windows XP.
(Note I just compiled this list. Thank Traveller1701 for actually figuring this all out.)
1. Get Traveller1701's drivers for XP from Coby_Gen3_USB_Driver.zip and unzip the file on your desktop.
2. Power up your coby MID9742 and go to 'Settings'
3. Scroll down the left menu and hit "{ } Developer Options"
4. Make sure "USB debugging" in the right column is checked. If it asks if you want to "Allow USB debugging" hit OK.
5. Plug your tablet into your PC with the microUSB cable. Your PC should notice a new device and the New Hardware Found wizard may pop up. Select "Cancel" if it does. An error message may show in your
quicklaunch toolbar. Ignore it.
6. From the Start menu select "Run..." type devmgmt.msc & hit enter. That will pull up the device manager.
7. look down the list under "Other Devices." you should find a device called "Android" with a question mark. Right click on it and select "Update Driver." That
will bring up the Hardware Update wizard.
8. Select "Install from a list or specific location (Advanced)" and hit "Next".
9. Select "Dont search. I will choose the driver to install. hit Next.
10. double click "Show all devices"
11. Click "Have disk" and navigate to the XP subdirectory in the directory you unzipped the file into. For example c:\Documents and Settings\your_login_name\Desktop\Coby_Gen3_USB_Driver\XP
12. Select the .INF file for the drivers and select "Open".
13. There should be a list of drivers available. Select your chosen driver and select "OK". Windows may throw up a warning about the driver not being compatible. Select OK anyway.
14. Hit next and the driver should get installed. After it does look back in the Device Manager. The generic "Android" device should disappear from the Other Devices list and a
new device "Android Phone" will appear above it. Yeah it's not a phone but so what. Your drivers are installed and your PC can talk to your tablet. No you can take the next step; rooting your coby...

 

[vampirefo.]

Ok. That I have, as I read your edit to your post from earlier. Is there an ADB command similar to Clockworkmod's fix permissions command which, after restoring system.tgz, will restore the permissions and allow the system dumps we've been telling users to make to actually work as you intended?

I must have missed this post, no there isn't really a adb command, I guess one could do a series of commands, but a permission.zip is better it contains all the symbolic links and permissions required by system, permission.zip is different than Clockworkmod's fix permissions though, Clockworkmod's fix permissions is for user apps, not for system permissions.