[Streak 5 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] CharlesCCO:
[SOLVED, see 2011/11/14 update]

Anyone has experience in restore history successfully in Whatsapp?

I have a backup file named "msgstore.db.crypt" in the Whatsapp folder in SD card.

After I reset the phone and install back the WhatsApp, it will prompt me whether I want to restore History.

After I clicked "Yes", there is a loading bar form 0% to 100%. However, nothing was restored except the group name...

I traced back and send the log to my own gmail.

I found the following things...

msgstore/restore/backupfiles msgstore.db.crypt (597008)

msgstore/restore/copy msgstore.db.crypt 597008

msgstore/restore/ioerror java.io.IOException: File.renameTo failed

After discussed with WhatsApp CS, they also have no idea how to solve this.

Their reply is "it's not letting the app write into the internal storage properly."

and the target internal storage location should be "/data/data/com.whatsapp/databases/"

Anyone have same situation ??

Updates: 2011/11/13

Finally figured out one possible reason with the help from Titanium Backup Team, currently /data/data/com.whatsapp/database/ is linked to /firstboot/sqlite/com.whatsapp/.

I try a simple copy of the folder "/data/data/com.whatsapp/" to SDcard , the database folder is not copied, possibly some permission issue..

So even titanium backup also failed to backup the database folder.

But i tried manually copy those db files to SDcard, it succeeds. Strange....

Updates: 2011/11/14

Dxmn i did it!!After two months of contacting WhatsApp support and Titanium Backup Team, and study the ROM structure of Android.

Finally can restore the backup file successfully problems-free!!!!

OK! Time to consolidate what i found in this two months....

Problem:

1. Failed to restore whatsapp history file "msgstore.db.crypt", only in Dell Streak, but succeed in other device (i tried Atrix, IDEOS and Galaxy Tab, they all succeed in restoring this file)

Symptoms:

1.

For a normal procedure:

i. Install whatsapp from market

ii. register my phone no.

iii. receive sms from whatsapp

iv. my number is activated

v. If there is msgstore.db.crypt or msgstore-yyyy-mm-dd.x.db[

within 7 days

] in \sdcard\WhatsApp\Databases\ , Whatsapp will ask if you want to restore history.

vi. After you say yes, the app will restore all your history.

HOWEVER,

in my case, step vi will still prompt but it loads up to 10-15% , it will suddenly become 100%, and... you will see NOTHING in your whatsapp except your joined group name (which store in server).....

2.

In whatsapp, after failed to restore history, "Menu" > "Settings" > "More" > "Report a problem", enter something and click "Next" > select your email app > change to "To:" to your own email.

In the log file inside, you should see a line "msgstore/restore/ioerror java.io.IOException: File.renameTo failed"

3.

By using Root Explorer, look for the \data\data\com.whatsapp, there should be a folder "databases", select the property of this folder. It is linked to \firstboot\sqlite\com.whatsapp\.

Solutions:

If you match the above symptoms, i guess the following steps may help you!~

Suppose you are now using a phone, where whatsapp is not installed.

1. Make sure you have msgstore.db.crypt or msgstore-yyyy-mm-dd.x.db[

within 7 days

] in \sdcard\WhatsApp\Databases\ and DO A BACKUP OF IT

2. Install Whatsapp from market

3. Just after finished installation, open RootExplorer, go to \data\data\com.whatsapp, you should see "databases" is linked to "\firstboot\sqlite\com.whatsapp\" if you check its property

4. Check the owner of the folder "databases" by select "Owner" of this folder in RootExplorer.It should be something like "App-xx"(xx is app id)

5. rename the "databases" folder to "databases-firstboot"

6. create a folder using Root Explorer named "databases", and set its owner to the previous App-xx

7. Just open whatsapp and follow the normal procedure, the db files will be stored in \data\data\com.whatsapp\databases\

8. [i didnt do this step, but to ensure everything back to original] Finally revert the previous procedure, copy all the files from \data\data\com.whatsapp\databases to \data\data\com.whatsapp\databases-firstboot, and rename databases to databases-old, then rename databases-firstboot to databases.

9. Force Stop Whatsapp and restart it.

Hope this help everyone who have the same problem as me in Dell Streak or other devices.

Good luck