[Google Pixel 2 XL ROMs, Kernels, Recoveries, & Oth] GROOVYJOSHCLARK:
I would never recommend removing the -w (and why I start off by always saying to backup backup backup first) simply because that's the most critical step in restoring the partitions correctly and prepping the /data partition! If users choose to not wipe with the flash, then its pointless as it will never repair a damaged layout (which happens from flashaholics coming from ROM after ROM). Yes, of course, in Android (and technology for the most part) there are a zillion ways to accomplish the same end goal, my way however is tried and true and works every time when done exactly as written. Yes there are much easier ways to achieve the same thing in the end, but by doing so, you do not know for sure if it cleaned what was needed to be cleaned (thus leading to issues down the road). I DO agree with you, there's much shorter and easier ways BUT easy/shortcuts always lead to issues down the road so I don't take them. I make sure my device is fully cleaned and ready before I switch OS's. I never have an issue and I never lose a bit of data. Not everyone has the patience and is willing to do it the long way, but in the end, its the safest method by a long shot. The way I found out what works best and what doesnt work was to test everything I was reading other users were doing, and the issues that arose from incorrectly preparing the device, then the multitude of (the same) questions were asked over and over again. I wrote the step by step for newbs (and others having issues like I did in the beginning) to prevent the chatter. By having 1 method that works every time is beneficial to cutting down the chit chatter of repetitive questions.

I definitely have one of the funky models where if I didnt do my EXACT process, line by line, step by step, I would either boot-loop, enter recovery, or hang at the boot screen indefinitely. I wrote the guide from numerous attempts of trying what other users were failing at, so I knew how to tailor the steps to prevent this from happening over and over (for everyone else). As with everything I write out, I always warn of the issues that could happen but try to make them easy to follow step by steps so that anyone and everyone can benefit from AOSP (I am a huge Open Source developer and supporter, not just Android but Linux as well). I also warn everyone that you have to be careful and follow the steps with patience, knowing that not everyone is willing to follow the steps so they tend to run into issues taking shortcuts.

---------- Post added at 02:28 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:16 PM ----------

Can you explain what you are asking with the /data/settings/preferences? Are you asking if it saves the config for the app itself or what do you want to save? If you are asking WHERE it saves the XML files to, you choose yourself, I dump it to the ROOT of my SDCard, then have a nightly job that copies it elsewhere (as well as dumping to GDrive) all on a timed routine schedule. The app itself will do local and GDrive (as well as DropBox, ETC) but I wrote the script that copies the XMLs for my own sanity, but its not required.

It is the same app as Carbonite, but it was bought out, sorry I forgot that and still call it Carbonite, you are looking for "SMS Backup and Restore" (formerly known as Carbonite SMS) by SyncTech Pty LtdTools:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.riteshsahu.SMSBackupRestore&hl=en_US

I use the Pro version (because I am also a dev and I know how much work goes into a good app) so I paid for the Pro but the free does the same thing I believe. It allows me to schedule overnight backups and store to GDrive, local, DropBox, ETC.