Titanium Backup kills my wallpaper each time

[sling-shot]

I have run Titanium Backup around 3 times for a full All User Apps + Data including system data configuration and it asks to stop running services. At the end my wallpaper has gone black and most of the notifying applications are not running.
They do not run on a reboot too until I manually start each one.

Is it normal?

 

[SaiyanGoku]

select Backup/restore
click on menu button
select preferences
check Advanced App Control

 

[ithehappy]

Try what Goku said, it might work.
But from my personal experience I have had terrible problems with TB Pro. Especially when I used to restore app + data, it was a disaster. All the apps used to force close, since then I don't restore the data, ever, I only use install missing apps only, and that works. So in short, yes it's very very normal, the problem OP is having.

 

[sling-shot]

OK.

My goal is to have a restorable backup of user apps with data and system apps data. (It will be too tedious to do the whole setup after upgrade to KitKat)

Do you recommend any other option to save restore the phone state?
Sony procided Backup and Restore will only do it for the same OS version but not across upgrades.

 

[ithehappy]

System apps with data is the problem. User apps data is okay. I don't know any other option to be honest.

But just outta curiosity, User apps + data do bring back almost all apps, along with their data and settings. So why are you looking for System apps data? Do you want to skip the hassle of changing say ringtone, and all other phone related settings?

 

[sling-shot]

Yes. I have customised and set 5 home pages with carefully selected widgets and links of my liking. It will take an hour to wade through the Sony widget list to do it all again.
Further I have to go through all the menu and submenus to switch off sync, location and such unwanted privacy affecting/battery draining things. Then the things like Stamina, internet settings, wifi settings etc.
Anyway if it comes to that I could do it.

Problem would have been user apps and their data such as game progress, individual application settings for 200 or more applications.

If user app + data can be safely backed up and restored, then I would just do that alone.

Since my OTA upgrade failed I have no option but to go with PC companion which would most likely wipe out everything. A good opportunity to do everything fresh then.

 

[ithehappy]

Well I have done the user app + data restore multiple times on my S4, all I can say is that it never failed for me.

Also about widgets, I always used to get them back actually. I mean I use Nova though, and after doing the restoration all the widgets reappear on home screen, but initially they remain blank, I just have to click on them, check allow, and all the data are back. But unfortunately no idea about Sony or their launcher.

Games and all, they will retain their saves and all too. The only things you'll have to redo are the phone settings (locations, WiFi settings, Sync etc), that's all.

And one more thing I will add here, if you are doing a platform upgrade (from JB to KK) then kindly do it fresh. Whoever says what on XDA just don't give a damn, (AndreiLux is the main culprit for that), it's ALWAYS recommended to do a master wipe and then install fresh. If staying on Android for past five years has taught me anything, dirty flashes always give problems, ALWAYS.

 

[sling-shot]

So the takeaway for me is

1. Do user app + data backup and restore only
2. Do a complete wipe and upgrade

Thanks. I will finally do it.

 

[ithehappy]

This is what I do. Take a whole system backup (everything) and after a fresh install restore only user apps plus data.

The reason is, if you take a whole system backup then if you need something really important later you can extract it out from the backup. Just keep the backup somewhere safe, that's all.