XPost: alt.comp.os.windows-11, alt.comp.microsoft.windows   
   From: mariasophia@comprehension.com   
      
   Herbert Kleebauer wrote:   
   >>> A few days ago I exported a >500 MByte chat. I saved it locally on the   
   >>> phone and then transferred the zip file to the PC with ftp (using   
   >>> "primitive ftpd" on the phone and "Windows Explorer" on the PC) . I   
   >   
   >> What format has the chat?   
   >   
   > The chat is exported as a zip file. It contains the chat as .txt   
   > file (utf-8 including smileys.) and all pictures, videos, pdfs etc.   
   > in the original format.   
      
   To add value to what Herbert kindly offered, I ran research for the team.   
      
   While I shun highly marketed Android apps such as WhatsApp is, I use it for   
   my grandkids as it helps to get videos of the grandkids and to talk to   
   relatives in Germany so even I use this highly marketing VOIP tool.   
      
   I don't back up anything but the media, and since Android is just a drive   
   letter on Windows, it's trivial to easily backup Android files to the PC.'   
      
   But the messages inside of WhatsApp are apparently different from the media   
   in terms of how they're stored (encrypted, apparently). So you need a key.   
      
   So, to help the team, as always, I looked up just now how to back up the   
   text messages from unrooted Android WhatsApp to the Windows PC filesystem.   
      
   In my humble opinion, WhatsApp tries too hard to get us to use Google   
   Drive, when something like our personal chats belong on our network.   
      
   But I found these two Windows programs which purport to decrypt   
   and save the Android WhatsApp messages to your Windows PC.   
      
   This is, what I think Herbert was suggesting worked for a single chat:   
   1. Open the WhatsApp chat you want to save.   
   2. Tap the three dots -> More -> Export chat.   
   3. Choose "Include media".   
   4. WhatsApp will generate a ZIP file.   
      ChatName.txt   
       Media/   
        IMG-20240101-WA0001.jpg   
        IMG-20240101-WA0002.jpg   
        ...   
   5. Choose   
      a. "Save to Files",   
      b. "Share via Bluetooth",   
      c. "Send to your PC via LAN app", or   
      d. "Send via USB MTP".   
      
   Always eschewing cloud-services marketing gimmicks, we can   
   A. Save to device storage   
      Then copy via USB or by mounting the phone as a drive letter on Windows   
   B. Share to a LAN file-sharing app   
      (e.g., KDE Connect or LocalSend, both of which are FOSS)   
   C. Send via Bluetooth   
      (slow but works)   
      
   Apparently there are FOSS whatsapp viewers/backups for Windows   
   which will decrypt and save every chat, two of which I installed.   
      
   Windows WhatsApp Viewer   
       
       
       
       
       
   D:\software\telecom\whatsapp\whatsappviewer\WhatsApp.Viewer.zip   
    Name: WhatsApp.Viewer.zip   
    Size: 1425323 bytes (1391 KiB)   
    SHA256: DC83B74719C82AB9AB2FEC9E62768ABB530791EB49BF69F444DFFB8BDD543D07   
   Unzip to a single file:   
   C:\app\telecom\whatsapp\WhatsApp.Viewer\WhatsApp Viewer.exe   
    Name: WhatsApp Viewer.exe   
    Size: 2445312 bytes (2388 KiB)   
    SHA256: 31E6C5CDA73CA16439E12F5A8AD642796DCA00DCEF4871EB74DB5C6171C4408F   
   Create a shortcut in your taskbar pullout cascade menu folder:   
   C:\menu\telecom\whatsapp\WhatsApp.Viewer\WhatsAppViewer.lnk   
    Target: C:\app\telecom\whatsapp\WhatsApp.Viewer\WhatsApp Viewer.exe   
   How to use   
    a. Get your key and database file from the phone (see XDA thread above).   
    b. Open WhatsApp Viewer   
    c. File -> Open -> Select file   
    d. Select msgstore.db in the folder "extracted"   
    e. Leave account name empty   
    f. Optional: Import contact names from the wa.db file   
    g. Click on a chat to show the messages.   
      
   WhatsApp Key/DB Extractor   
   Allows WhatsApp users to extract their cipher key and databases on   
   non-rooted Android devices. Requires Java on Windows. And adb.   
      
      
   Name: WhatsApp-Key-DB-Extractor-master.zip   
   Size: 7462622 bytes (7287 KiB)   
   SHA256: BEB32B7494D9BE95AF90219E1CA73209808C55AD4FA6AAEFF539B8FB1C4F4FE2   
   Extract to:   
    a. Batch script: WhatsAppKeyDBExtract.bat   
    b. PowerShell script: WhatsAppKeyDBExtract.ps1   
    c. Shell script: WhatsAppKeyDBExtract.sh   
      
   Interestingly, a "grep.exe" came with this package, which, in and of   
   itself, is a useful tool to put in the path for us old Unix folks.   
    C:\app\telecom\whatsapp\dbextract\   
       AdbWinApi.dll   
       AdbWinUsbApi.dll   
       abe.jar   
       adb.exe   
       curl.exe   
       grep.exe   
       libiconv2.dll   
       libintl3.dll   
       pcre3.dll   
       regex2.dll   
       tar.exe   
      
   I haven't tested it, but if anyone tests these out, it will be useful to   
   all for you to write it up so that we can all benefit from your effort.   
   --   
   Every person on this newsgroup adds their own flavor of value to the team.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)