Okay, I have a Google Pixel 4a with LineageOS (sunfish). I followed the instructions given at this site, and created a Seedvault backup.
I had my phone plugged into my laptop via USB, and transfer of files for USB was enabled; so, the laptop could access the phone's files via MTP. However, this was not seen as an option for where the backup was to be created (IE, it did not give the option to create the backup on the hard drive of the laptop via a file transfer with MTP). So, I created it on the phone.
I have since copied that file to my laptop. Specifically, I copied the backup file which was created, that being .SeedVaultAndroidBackup, to my laptop. My laptop runs Debian Linux.
So, a few questions:
1.) will I be able to restore from the backup file, .SeedVaultAndroidBackup, that exists on my laptop? Or will this not work, given that it wasn't originally created there?
2.) if the answer to (1.) is "yes", then will I be able to delete the backup that was made on my phone?
3.) is there a way to create a backup with Seedvault specifically on my laptop, rather than copying the created backup file afterword? I wonder if there was a setting with USB transfer (MTP) that could be adjusted (IE, making the laptop the focus rather than the phone).
I still haven't had any luck being able to have a backup which can be restored. I created a backup on a USB stick, which is plugged into the phone via a female USB-A to a male USB-C connector. The phone sees the USB stick. I made a backup here with Seedvault. It acknowledges the backup as having been successfully created ("Last backup: 41 minutes ago"). The USB stick is connected to the phone. Yet, pressing the three-dot menu only gives the options, "Backup now", "Expert settings", and "About". There is no restore option given. Does anyone know how the restore option can be made available?
[edit]
Well, I'll assume that if I reinstall LineageOS on another phone (or on this same phone if I need to), that during the reinstall it'll ask if I wish to restore apps and data from a backup, and if I say "yes", then, with the USB stick attached, I can proceed (provided I have the twelve answer verification code). I'm not going to test this, but I trust it will work if need be. I don't think that once the phone is fully installed, that Seedvault (backup in settings) gives a "restore" option via the three dot menu. I think a restore option is only given when first setting up the phone (or possibly by using the phone dialer app and typing
*#*#7378673#*#*).