[Fascinate Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Robtao:
Yeah, I just flashed from EB01 SC 292 to ED01 MIUIWiz after full Data, Cache, Dalvik, and voltage double wipes, and restored all my old EB01 user Data and apps over MIUIWiz, all in under 17 minutes.

Edit: adding navenedrob's utility method has cut this down to under 10 minutes, plus navigation and reboot time. See post #5

How? Just followed what the Devs have taught us, plus Nandroid Advanced Restore in CWM.

I have been doing this for every ROM I have flashed since I discovered what a Nandroid backup was.

But this is not just a Nandroid Backup. This is a partial restoration called “Restore data” under “Advanced Restore.” All in CWM recovery.

Here is the method I use:

Charge to 100% (At this point, I started the timer)

Boot to Recovery

Wipe Cache and Dalvik (and Voltage for MIUIWiz) x2

Make a Nandroid backup

Wipe Data x2

Flash the new ROM (of your choice) in CWM

Let it boot

Boot to Recovery

Select “backup and restore”

Select “Advanced Restore”

Select the Nandroid Backup file you wish to restore from (probably your latest one)

Here is where it gets cool, and less scary…

There is yet another page, with options:

Restore boot

Restore system

Restore data

Restore cache

Restore sd-ext

+++++Go Back+++++

So no sweat yet

Select “Restore Data”

Reboot completely

Turn off phone (here is where I stopped the timer at 16.5 minutes)

Charge to 100%

Boot and enjoy.

BAM! All the old data is back. On top of the new ROM. Except for stuff that no longer applies, like maybe in-ROM launchers that no longer exist.

My ROM flashing evolution path has been:

Stock

Odin DXC DB/DO tar

EC01 DB/D0 (zip i think, can't remember)

Full ED01 (Adrynalyne method, not OTA)

ComROM 1.0 zip

Evil Fascination, all variants in sequence. Zip

EB01 SC 2.9.2 zip (Why? To see if it would work. Because it means restoring ED01 Nandroid data over an EB01 ROM. Without compromising the ROM. (Thanks for the assistance with this, Lttlwing16.)

ED01 MIUIWiz

Seems to work flawlessly so far. No forced closes, no hiccups, just sweet functionality. Every time so far. And so quick, I sometimes actually have time to use my phone between flashes.:eek:

As I said, I have been doing this for just about as long as I have been flashing through CWM. Your backup may overwrite some ROM theme elements, so that is something to think about.

Any other drawbacks? Not that I have found, but…Not completely sure yet, So… You know the drill…

DO NOT TRY THIS UNLESS YOU ACCEPT FULL RESPONSIBILITY AND ARE PREPARED TO DEAL WITH THE CONSEQUENCES!! YOU MAY LOSE DATA OR FUNCTIONALITY!! YOU MAY EVEN MANAGE TO BRICK THIS THING!

But you just made a complete clean-wiped Nandroid Backup, right? So you can always restore the whole thing. Or worst case, do the Odin recovery method. (or even worse case, Heimdall).

I suspect that there is some reason that this method has not been widely promoted already. It seems unlikely that it has not been experimented with, so maybe someone can help show a newbie the error of his ways. Or we may need someone with a thorough knowledge of Fascinate ROMs to add some warnings, caveats, or guidance around potential problems, etc. But it does seem to work just fine for me, and all of the ROMs I have worked with seem smooth and stable. All my apps always work, and update properly. Unless I get stupid and screw something up.

It does seem that Android should be able to pull this off if sufficient attention is given to file structure and dependencies, and if everything data can be kept where a data only restore would look for files. I suspect that I have been having success because of the good work of all the great ROM builders and developers working to fix the Fascinate, and make our experience all that it is. So if this works for you, they are the ones that really deserve the credit and the thanks. They made it work. I just followed instructions, got curious about Nandroid Advanced Restore, and pushed the right buttons. Oh, and wrote it all down.;)