Belkasoft X Help Contents

Acquiring Android devices

After clicking on Android in the window Add data source| Please select the acquisition type, you will see screen with list of acquisition types.

ADB backup

This is a standard ADB backup available built-in the Android operating system and available on any Android device.

After choosing ADB backup and connecting smartphone, you will see the window below:

Unlock the device and allow USB debugging.

In Full backup window that appears on the smartphone screen, select Back up my data.

Agent backup

This type of acquisition uploads and installs a special application ("agent"), which transfers data from the device to Belkasoft X. Upon the acquisition the agent is uninstalled.

Unlock the device and allow USB debugging.

Acquisition will start after pressing the Start button.

Android filesystem copy

This method is available only for rooted Android devices.

Physical dump

This method is available only for rooted Android devices and creates a physical backup of the selected device.

Connecting smartphone, unlock and turn off lock screen.

Select partitions and click Next.

Specify the Target path (for the folder where the smartphone image will be stored).

Click Start—acquisition will begin.

MTP/PTP

This type of acquisition uploads data through Media Transfer protocol / Picture Transfer Protocol.

Before you start acquisition, connect device to the computer and select the appropriate mode in the settings:

After selecting MTP/PTP (in the window ‘Add data source| Please select the acquisition type’) you will see the window below:

Select device and click Next.

MTK

Images of mobile devices based on MTK chips.

The MediaTek function allows you to create an image from a smartphone with a MediaTek processor. Such smartphones typically have the PreLoader module, which is part of their preinstalled software.

To access the PreLoader module on a MediaTek smartphone, you do not even have to turn on the device. Therefore, it is possible to create images from such smartphones even when the smartphone lacks a screen, battery, or even its case.

Technically, the smartphone board and a USB cable (to connect the device to a PC) are the only essential hardware items need to create an image.

You can confirm the presence of the PreLoader module on a MediaTek smartphone this way:

  1. Open the Device Manager app on a PC.
  2. Expand the Universal Serial Bus controllers or Ports category to view the devices there.
  3. Connect the MediaTek smartphone to the PC using a USB cable

Confirmation: Watch out for changes on the Device Manager window. After you connect the smartphone to the PC, the MediaTek PreLoader USB driver will appear for a short period of time and then disappear.

For this reason, you must avoid connecting the MediaTek smartphone to a PC before the main process starts. You must connect the smartphone to a PC only at the right moment (when the flash memory wizard is expecting the connection).

After selecting MTK (in the window ‘Add data source| Please select the acquisition type’) you will see the window below:

Select the MediaTek chip version from the drop-down menu or click Detect chip. Select the Storage type technology. If necessary, you can determine options:

  • Download agent. The DowloadAgent (an executable) is loaded into the smartphone memory.
  • Use an authentication file.

Click Next and specify the Target path (for the folder where the smartphone image will be stored).

Click Start. Turn off mobile device, remove the battery and plug the device in with a USB cable.

Agent-based MTK acquisition

Before start acquisition: Stop or pause antivirus.

You can choose one of 2 options: MTK physical dump or MTK logical dump:

MTK physical dump

Connecting smartphone, unlock and turn off lock screen.

When 'Allow USB debugging' is shown on the smartphone tap on 'OK'.

Select partitions and click Next.

Specify the Target path (for the folder where the smartphone image will be stored).

Click Start—acquisition will begin.

MTK logical dump

Connecting smartphone, unlock and turn off lock screen.

Click Next and specify the Target path (for the folder where the smartphone image will be stored).

Click Start.

EDL acquisition for Android devices with Qualcomm processors

Creating the physical image from phones on Qualcomm Snapdragon SoC using EDL mode.

Fully charge your smartphone.

Switch the phone to EDL mode:

  • Take apart the phone and short the test pins.
  • Via ADB console:
    adb reboot bootloader
    fastboot oem edl

The second method may not work depending on the smartphone model and condition (the bootloader may be locked). Xiaomi smartphones almost everything is locked by default.

Select Firehose programmer.

Download Firehose programmers from the personal account of Belkasoft.com in the Downloads.

Put them in folder …\Belkasoft Evidence Center X\Resources\Android\Edl. Do not unpack.

Supported phone models

Asus

Asus Zenfone 4 Pro (Z01GD) Asus ZenFone 3 (5.2")(ZE520KL)
Asus ZenFone 4 ZE554KL Asus ZenFone 3 (5.5")(ZE552KL)
Asus Zenfone 5 ZE620KL Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe (5.5")(ZS550KL)
Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 Asus ZenFone 3 Zoom/ZenFone Zoom S (ZE553KL)
Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 Asus Zenfone 4 Selfie Pro (ZD552KL)
Asus ZenFone 5Z Asus ZenFone 3 Laser
Asus ROG Phone (2.96Ghz) Asus ZenFone 3 Max ZC553KL
Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe (5.7" 64GB) (ZS570KL) Asus Zenfone 2 Laser ZE500KL
Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe (5.7" 256GB) (ZS570KL) Asus Zenfone Max ZC550KL
Asus Zenfone AR Asus ZenFone 5 Lite
Asus Zenfone Ares (2018)

Lenovo

Lenovo K9 Note Lenovo P2
Lenovo K5 Pro Lenovo S5
Lenovo S5 Pro Lenovo K6
Lenovo Z5 Lenovo K6 Note
Lenovo S5 Pro GT Lenovo K6 Power
Lenovo Z5s Lenovo A805e
Lenovo Z5 Pro Lenovo Sisley S90
Lenovo Z6 SE/Z6 Lite/Youth Lenovo Vibe Z2
Lenovo Phab 2 Pro Lenovo A6000
Lenovo K9 Plus Lenovo Vibe X3

LG

LG G4
LG V10
LG X mach/X fast

Meizu

Meizu E3
Meizu 15
Meizu 16X
Meizu X8
Meizu 16
Meizu 16 Plus
Meizu Zero
Meizu 15 Lite/Meizu M15
Meizu M6 Note
Meizu Note 8

Motorola

Motorola Moto Z3 Motorola Moto Z2 Play
Motorola Moto X4 Motorola One
Motorola Moto G6 Plus Motorola Moto G4
Motorola Moto G7 Plus Motorola Moto G4 Plus
Motorola Moto Z3 Play Motorola Moto G5
Motorola One Power/P30 Note Motorola Moto G6 Play
Motorola P30 Motorola Moto E5 Plus (India and China)
Motorola Moto Z Motorola Moto E5 Plus
Motorola Moto Z Force Motorola Moto E4 (USA)
Motorola Moto G5 Plus Motorola Moto E5 Play
Motorola Moto G5S Plus Motorola Moto G6 Play
Motorola Moto Z Play Motorola Moto Z2 Force

Nokia

Nokia 8 Nokia 9 Pureview
Nokia 8 Sirocco Nokia 5
Nokia 6.1 Nokia 6
Nokia 7 Nokia 2.1
Nokia 6.1 Plus/X6 Nokia 8110 4G
Nokia 7.1 Nokia 2720 Flip
Nokia 6.2 Nokia 800 tough
Nokia X71 Nokia 2
Nokia 7 Plus Nokia X2
Nokia 7.2 Nokia X7/8.1/7.1 Plus

OnePlus

OnePlus 5
OnePlus 5T
OnePlus 6
OnePlus 6T
OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition

Oppo

OPPO R11 OPPO R17 Neo/RX17 Neo
OPPO R11 Plus OPPO F3 Plus
OPPO R11s OPPO R9 Plus
OPPO R11s Plus OPPO R9s Plus
OPPO R15 Pro OPPO R9s
OPPO R15 Dream Mirror OPPO A57
OPPO K1 (64GB only, 128GB model is called R15x)

Samsung

Samsung Galaxy S8 (USA/Canada/China/Hong-Kong/Japan) Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge (SM-G9350/A/P/T/U/V)
Samsung Galaxy S8+ (USA/Canada/China/Hong-Kong/Japan) Samsung galaxy S7 Active (SM-G891A)
Samsung Galaxy S8 Active (AT&T USA) Samsung Galaxy Note 7 (SM-N9300)
Samsung Galaxy Note 8 (USA/Canada/China/Hong-Kong/Japan) Samsung Galaxy Tab S3
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 Samsung W2017
Samsung W2018 Samsung Galaxy Note FE (SM-N9350)
Samsung Galaxy S7 (SM-G9300/A/P/T/U/V)

Sharp

Sharp Aquos C10 Sharp Aquos Sense Plus
Sharp Aquos D10 Sharp Aquos S2 128GB
Sharp Aquos S2 64GB Sharp Aquos S3 128GB
Sharp Aquos S3 Sharp Aquos R Compact
Sharp Aquos S3 Mini

Vivo

Vivo Z1i Vivo Xplay 6
Vivo V9 6GB (Indonesia) Vivo V3 Max
Vivo V11 Pro Vivo X6s
Vivo X20 Vivo X6s Plus
Vivo X20 Plus Vivo X7
Vivo X20 Plus UD Vivo X7 Plus
Vivo X21 Vivo X9 Plus
Vivo X21 UD Vivo X9s
Vivo X21s Vivo X9s Plus
Vivo Z1 Vivo Xplay5
Vivo X23 Symphony Vivo V5 Plus
Vivo Nex A Vivo V9
Vivo Nex A UD Vivo X9
Vivo X27 (256GB) Vivo Y79
Vivo X27 Pro Vivo Y53
Vivo Z3 (6GB RAM) Vivo Y66
Vivo Z5x Vivo Y93
Vivo Nex S Vivo Y95
Vivo iQOO Neo Vivo U1
Vivo Xplay 5 Elite Vivo Y3

Xiaomi

Xiaomi Mi 6 Xiaomi Mi MIX
Xiaomi Mi MIX 2 Xiaomi Mi 5 64GB/128GB
Xiaomi Redmi Note 5/Redmi Note 5 Pro Xiaomi Mi 5s
Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 AI Dual Camera Xiaomi Mi Note Pro
Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro Xiaomi Mi 4c
Xiaomi Mi Max 3 Xiaomi Mi 4s
Xiaomi Mi Note 3 Xiaomi Mi Max (16GB/32GB)
Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite/Mi 8 Youth Xiaomi Mi Max (64GB/128GB)
Xiaomi Mi A2/Mi 6X Xiaomi Mi 5X/Mi A1
Xiaomi Mi Pad 4 Xiaomi Mi A2 Lite/Redmi 6 Pro
Xiaomi Mi Pad 4 Plus Xiaomi Mi Max 2
Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 India Xiaomi Redmi 4 Prime
Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 International/7S Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus/Redmi Note 5
Xiaomi Mi CC9 (Mi 9 Lite) Xiaomi Redmi Note 4
Xiaomi Mi CC9 Meitu Edition Xiaomi Redmi Note 4X(32GB)
Xiaomi Mi 8 SE Xiaomi Redmi S2/Redmi Y2
Xiaomi Mi MIX 2S Xiaomi Redmi 4 (India)
Xiaomi Mi MIX 3 Xiaomi Redmi Y1 (India)
Xiaomi Pocophone F1 Xiaomi Redmi 4X
Xiaomi Mi 8 Xiaomi Redmi Note 5A Pro
Xiaomi Mi 8 Explorer Edition Xiaomi Redmi 3S
Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro/Mi 8 Screen Fingerprint Edition Xiaomi Redmi 4 (China)
Xiaomi Black Shark Xiaomi Redmi 4A
Xiaomi Black Shark Helo Xiaomi Redmi 5A
Xiaomi Mi 5 32GB Xiaomi Redmi Note 5A
Xiaomi Mi 5s Plus Xiaomi Redmi Y1 Lite
Xiaomi Mi Note 2 Xiaomi Redmi Go

ZTE

ZTE Nubia Z17 ZTE Nubia Z11 Max
ZTE Nubia Z17S ZTE Nubia Z17 mini
ZTE Nubia Red Magi ZTE Axon 7 MAX
ZTE Axon 7s ZTE Axon Max 2
ZTE Axon M ZTE Blade Max 3
ZTE Axon 7 ZTE Blade V8 Pro
ZTE Nubia Z11 ZTE Nubia M2
ZTE Axon & Axon Pro & Axon Lux & Axon Elite ZTE Nubia N3
ZTE Nubia Z9 Max & Max Elite ZTE Nubia V18
ZTE Nubia Z9 ZTE Nubia Z11s mini
ZTE Nubia Z9 Elite ZTE Zmax Pro
ZTE Nubia Z9 Exclusive

APK Downgrade

This feature allows to downgrade the apps on device and retrieve information from apps that have removed the backup feature.

The downgrade method is risky and can cause the loss of data of apps being downgraded. Please use it at your own risk.

Enable in Developer options on smartphone:

  • USB debugging
  • Install via USB
  • USB debugging (Security settings)

Supported Apps List

  • Evernote
  • Facebook Messenger
  • Firefox browser
  • Hangouts
  • Instagram
  • Kakao Talk
  • KateMobile
  • Odnoklassniki
  • Opera
  • Puffin browser
  • Signal
  • Skype
  • Telegram
  • Tumblr
  • Twitter
  • Viber
  • VKontakte
  • Voxer
  • WeChat
  • WhatsApp
  • Zello

After selecting applications click Next and specify the Target path (for the folder where the smartphone image will be stored).

Click Start and follow the instructions on the screen:

Authorize the ADB service on the Android device: tap on 'OK' when 'Allow USB debugging'.

Then tap on 'Back up my data' (without password) on smartphone dialog.

Data acquisition will begin.

See also: How to acquire data from an Android device using APK downgrade method

See also:

Acquiring disk drive
Acquiring iOS device
Acquiring cloud