So..reporting on the contacts/messages/log/app backup and restore with easy backup.
It works for contacts/messages/logs but not for apps. I had backed up all contacts and other data using Dropbox; and restored using Dropbox. It worked flawlessly; I had backed up apps on SD card.
Now after flashing new ROM (SAMHD v3.2), I downloaded easy backup again from Play store and set up backups folder to point to the path where the backups are stored and tried to restore. But I keeps giving me invalid format error. Then I went to the backup apps tab, and checked under archived. I could see all the apps I had backed up before flashing, but when I try to restore, I get the error due to invalid format or something.
System Tuner works just fine for app+settings restore. Unfortunately I did not backup my main apps with System Tuner, now I will have to reinstall all apps and set them up again.
Side note about SamHD v3.2 - very bright and flashy. Works fine, but I am not a big fan of bright colours and icons that drown out in the background. Guess I was wrong in picking SamHD ROM then. Need more suggestions for a more minimalistic ROM(visually not functionally)
