How to create a full backup (Nandroid) of your HTC EVO
I've mentioned more than a few times that rooting your HTC EVO 4G is the only way to be able to create a complete backup (think of it like a ghost/clone image of your computer's hard drive), so I think it's about time to talk about how to actually do it.
As with many things that can be done once you've got root access, there are several ways to get a full system backup safely stored on your EVO's microSD card. Instructions on how to do two of them are below.
Recovery mode method (ClockworkMod)
Note: ClockworkMod is not the only custom recovery image out there, but it's the most popular and the one that's included in unrevoked, which is what I used to root my EVO.
1. Boot into recovery mode. There are other ways to do this, but the fastest, easiest way to boot into Clockwork is to download Quick Boot from Android Market and either use the recovery mode shortcut (if you added one to your home screen) or open the app and tap "Recovery."
2. Use the volume down key to navigate to "nandroid" and press the power button to select it.
3. Press the power button again to select "Backup" from the menu.
4. Sit back and let the EVO do all the work. The backup will be saved on the microSD card in an automatically created clockworkmod/backup folder.
ROM Manager method
1. Download ROM Manager from Android Market or scan the QR code below.
2. Open the app on your EVO and scroll down a bit.
3. Press "Backup Current ROM" and name the backup whatever you want.
4. Sit back and let the EVO do all the work. The backup will be saved on the microSD card in an automatically created clockworkmod/backup folder.
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Talk about dead simple, right? If you're new to rooting, then "perform a nandroid backup" might sound intimidating, but as you can see, there's really nothing to it.
Note: ClockworkMod and ROM Manager come from the same dev (the venerable Koush) and both create a full Nandroid backup. The latter app just has a UI; ROM Manager can do much more too, but its other functions aren't relevant to this tutorial.
