Backup & Restore across devices

[fuzzieza]

My Z3's front glass screen has started to become unstuck, i.e. the top third of the glass panel is now standing slightly away from the phone's frame. Not a good thing, so I'll have to send it in for repairs.

It's running the Android 4.4.4. I've not updated due to Bluetooth issues and SD card limitations on newer releases. I have a Z Ultra, running Android 5.1.1, to which I want to transfer everything before handing in the Z3 for repairs (which could take up to two weeks).

Is this something Backup & Restore supports, i.e. can I use the Z3's B&R to backup to a MicroSD card, put that card in the Z Ultra and use its B&R to restore everything? Or is there a better way?  PC Companion perhaps?  Does it do a sufficiently thorough backup, i.e. apps/settings/logs/etc. My target here really is to clone the Z3 onto the Z Ultra so I can plug in the SIM & MicroSD card and be up and running with exactly the same apps/settings/accounts/etc.

Andries

[Christofer]

Hi @fuzzieza,

Sorry to hear about your phone.

If you create a backup using the app found in your Xperia Z3 you will only be able to restore that backup to that specific model and Android version.

Your options would instead be to either use Xperia Transfer Mobile to transfer the data, or to create a backup in Xperia Companion and then use the Transfer feature to transfer the backup's data to the other device.

[fuzzieza]

It sounds like I should avoid B&R then.

When I had my Xperia Z repaired last year (battery was dying and rear glass was lifting... recurring theme it seems), I got it back with the then-latest firmware. If the same happens with the Z3, I won't be able to restore the backup. Sounds like something worth pointing out explicitly for B&R users.

Andries

[Christofer]

As far as I know it is standard procedure to update the device to the latest available software before returning it from the service center. The service procedure can differ between different regions though so you may want to contact your Local support team for more information about that.

I see your point about that the information for the Backup & Restore app could be more clear and I can forward that this as user feedback.

[fuzzieza]

As you suggested I went to make a backup of the Z3 with PC Companion. Out of curiosity I checked the "Manual" option to allow me to review what was going to be backed up. This was fortunate. Some directories, which I knew wasn't empty, showed "no files". Once I selected the directories, it suddenly showed items.

I didn't investigate further. I was just happy that I didn't lose those files. In hindsight I suspect it might be directories with a .nomedia marker file, e.g. I put .nomedia files in Kik's and Whatapp's directories so that those files aren't automatically scanned into the Album/gallery.

Either way, it seems PC Companion's auto-selection has bugs/issues that can result in data loss.

Andries