Preserving Current OS as image - possible?

**yammyfan** · 04-13-2012, 10:38 AM

Hi all,

Pardon me if this has been answered elsewhere - I couldn't find a straight answer. I don't know if it is possible to do what I want, but here goes.

If I understand correctly, RIM will eventually release an update that removes or blocks the casual use of Development mode for sideloading apps. It will still be possible, but more challenging in the future.

Is there a utility available that manages PlayBook OS installations or takes "images" of the device? In other words, is there a BBSAK for the PlayBook? I have tons of BAR files and apps loaded on my PB that I would not want to lose if I had to wipe and restore my device in the future.

If I wiped and restored the OS today I would be fine because the current build allows casual sideloading and I could restore my apps using DDPBInstaller. I am concerned that future builds won't allow this so I would like to start with the current build as "ground zero" and go from there.

Is this possible?

Thanks for any tips you can provide!

**Yankee495** · 04-13-2012, 10:45 AM

BB Desktop does a full backup of apps & settings and data.

**Superfly_FR** · 04-13-2012, 10:46 AM

Sorry, I don't think so.
So far I know, you simply won't be able to downgrade ... anyhow. So your "image" won't mount, because it will fail security tests (that are not -in brief - stored on your HD).

EDIT : You should ask in the rooting section, for enlighten advices ... in case I missed something.

**GregD31** · 04-13-2012, 12:14 PM

Found what appears to be all original os2 files here, assume that you may be able to sideload but have not tried.

http://forums.crackberry.com/blackbe...5/#post7149691

Actual zip file is here from clicking link on first post where is says 2.0.0.7971 or here
Download 7971 zip

**yammyfan** · 04-13-2012, 12:52 PM

Thanks. I will grab this as a backup.

Like the others in the thread where this was found, I am a little concerned about its integrity but then again, some of my BAR files are probably sketchy too...

**VerryBestr** · 04-13-2012, 02:33 PM

Originally Posted by yammyfan

... If I wiped and restored the OS today I would be fine because the current build allows casual sideloading and I could restore my apps using DDPBInstaller. I am concerned that future builds won't allow this so I would like to start with the current build as "ground zero" and go from there. ...

It is possible, even probable, that once an update is out, RIM would not let you reinstall the current build, which you may want to do if your PB develops problems. However, poster cybrmage has described how to "fool" the PlayBook into thinking that a PC is the update server, on this thread:
| http://forums.crackberry.com/blackbe...indows-684367/
This should at least let you reinstall the system currently on your PB (assuming you have the necessary system install image on the PC). But this would probably not let you back up to a previous system.

There is perhaps another possibility. I've read on the forums that when you use BB Desktop Manager to install a system, it keeps a locally cached copy. This cached copy will be used if you reinstall again. I don't know if you can reinstall while the Desktop Manager machine is completely cut off from the Internet. If so, since Desktop Manager is cut off from the Internet and cannot query RIM to know the current system version, perhaps it would install the cached out-of-date system ... but I doubt that would work.

**SCrid2000** · 04-13-2012, 02:59 PM

It sounds like you want to create an .img of the current OS (much like CWM Recovery does in Android) - that you can't do, and if you could you wouldn't be able to load it (even when we had root access we didn't have complete access to files in /boot for example).
You CAN back up a Playbook OS (we have all of them available from OpenSourceBB.com) but they're essentially useless because RIM blacked downgrading lower than .7111.

**yammyfan** · 04-13-2012, 03:12 PM

Originally Posted by SCrid2000

It sounds like you want to create an .img of the current OS (much like CWM Recovery does in Android) - that you can't do, and if you could you wouldn't be able to load it (even when we had root access we didn't have complete access to files in /boot for example).
You CAN back up a Playbook OS (we have all of them available from OpenSourceBB.com) but they're essentially useless because RIM blacked downgrading lower than .7111.

I don't need to go lower than 2.0.0.7971 - I just want to be able to return to this build so that I can continue to sideload BAR files. If I have trouble with my device in the future I would like to restore it to .7971, load my apps and then upgrade to whetever the latest build is, assuming that sideloading is disabled in the near future.

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction.

**SCrid2000** · 04-13-2012, 03:14 PM

Originally Posted by yammyfan

I don't need to go lower than 2.0.0.7971 - I just want to be able to return to this build so that I can continue to sideload BAR files. If I have trouble with my device in the future I would like to restore it to .7971, load my apps and then upgrade to whetever the latest build is, assuming that sideloading is disabled in the near future.

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction.

I wouldn't count on downgrading ever being possible again. RIM blocked it to prevent root access, they'll probably block it again to prevent rampant sideloading.

**yammyfan** · 04-13-2012, 03:39 PM

Originally Posted by SCrid2000

I wouldn't count on downgrading ever being possible again. RIM blocked it to prevent root access, they'll probably block it again to prevent rampant sideloading.

So if sideloading means that much to me, I should probably not upgrade beyond .7971 until a solution is found.

**VerryBestr** · 04-14-2012, 06:13 AM

It may be possible to reinstall 2.0.0.7971 using a "fake update server" if that version is installed, but apparently that is not certain. See Mikhou's reply here:
| http://forums.crackberry.com/blackbe...ml#post7316051

If RIM actually does something in the next version to inhibit sideloading, reinstalling 2.0.0.7971 could be useful if a PB on 7971 has a problem. In the next version, RIM will probably block users from going back to an older version.