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When I found out that 2.2 wasnt coming out from this phone I decided that I would root the phone and load a 2.2 ROM, etc. etc. So I started researching all of these about 2 days ago... and for the past 2 days I have read so much information on this that I am now currently so mixed up and lost. There are soooo many different ROMs, different ways to do this, that, etc. I see some people do one thing that it works great, another person do the exact same thing and they havent the same luck.
Even when getting ready to just root the phone, I found an awesome post that had great information... but, then when I looked at it the post was from 7 months ago and in the N1 forums. So, I started to 2nd guess.
I suppose basically what Im in need of is possibly a normal/basic recommendation to get moving on this... Would a possible recommendation be to root the phone with the 1 click root being run through a file manager, then create a nandroid backup, then go with something popular like Cyanogen6 RC1? Its just that mod -seems- to be what a good bit of people have, and problems seem limited on it. But then again, ive read about 10 other ROMs that appear to be just as good, and people like just as well... so agian, this choice leaves me frozen as well.
Im just so overwhelmed with information ive just about frozen up... I think it need to bring it back to a basic simple plan to get moving on this. Everything I read in these forums sounds so awesome and just plain ole fun.... but like I said im currently frozen/lost. Please help if my request isnt too much...
Thanks! Any help with this will definitely melt this horrid ice!!!
Use this to root: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=753910
Just do as it says and follow directions. I rooted both of my brother's phones this way. It works.
Then do as you were thinking: nandroid then install CM6 RC1. It will probably be your best bet for a solid 2.2 experience.
here's what I posted on my carriers facebook page. I kept things simple and to the point, and the point was to install 2.2 on a hero.
1. go to settings, applications and check allow installation from unknown sources.
2. install bar code scanner from the market if you don't have it.
3. scan the qr code from here: http://bit.ly/d1f0RN
4. download and install the app
5. open universal androot and click root
6. go to the market and download rom manager
7. open rom manager and click flash clockwork mod recovery
8. click backup current rom (you can always restore your backup later to go back to exactly how your phone was)
to load the rom after rooting:
1. download both the rom and google apps from http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=755795
2. copy the zip files to your sd card
3. open rom manager and click install rom from sd card
4. choose the rom file you copied to the sd card and click add zip, then choose the google apps file you downloaded earlier. Click ok and choose backup current rom and wipe data.
5. Enjoy android 2.2 on your Hero!!
(be careful restoring stuff using mybackup, open source roms and htc roms don't store data the same way. applications are safe to restore but system settings can potentially break things requiring you to wipe and reload again)
Not because it is my root method, but I would actually recommend using my root method and following all of the steps. It has you flash a custom recovery and patched boot.img so you keep full root via adb.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=694572
CM6 is the ONLY 2.2 ROM for the Hero at this point. But know that it doesn't have much of the Sprint/CDMA or HTC SenseUI functionality and stuff that you're used to from your current phone....like updating Profile and PRL; Sprint Navigation/Football/Nascar/etc.; your Contacts, Dialer, Messaging, and some other menus will be a little different....that's just a few things off the top of my head.
So if you kinda LIKE the way your phone is now (except maybe for some lag/slowness), CM6 won't be a very similar ROM. But you won't know unless you try it out Just offering some helpful info. Good luck -- we're here to help.
I have not found a 2.2 FroYo that I like for the Hero, it's rooted and running Fresh 2.3.3
http://geekfor.me/new-release/fresh-hero-233/
Awesome... the community here is absolutely incredible. Although I am literally tryin my best to read the ****in manual, I continue to fear that im reading something too old or outdated, or that there is something newer (easier) that I should be doing instead. I did the rooting with the 1click which was so simple... I cant believe I even spent that much time on it.
Thinking next the nandroid/recovery image thing would be a breeze, but it appears to almost be the hardest step. I see on most posts that they always tend to mention Nandroid for backups - is there a particular reason that I should use that one? Some other ones appear to be easier, but not as interesting or fun. However, im fearfully coming across a lack of exact guides that explain the process.
I truly think that once I can get the recovery image done, and I can start trying out other ROMs and such... this will become too much fun. But again, im getting so mixed up by should i do this, that, or maybe this... or wait, is that too old of information?
Regardless, thanks for all the help!
Download ROM Manager from the Market. From ROM Manager you can flash ClockworkMod recovery or Flash Alternate Recovery (I prefer this option RA Recovery) there is a newer relase but this works fine.
You can then reboot and go into recovery, back up your system as it is right now, that way you can always go back to the basic root version that you have right now. That my friend is a Nandriod back up. now you can install a ROM of your choice, once it is installed and functioning the way you like make a Nandriod back up of it, that way you always have a good platform to start from if anything isn't playing nice.
saltyclams said:
When I found out that 2.2 wasnt coming out from this phone I decided that I would root the phone and load a 2.2 ROM, etc. etc. So I started researching all of these about 2 days ago... and for the past 2 days I have read so much information on this that I am now currently so mixed up and lost. There are soooo many different ROMs, different ways to do this, that, etc. I see some people do one thing that it works great, another person do the exact same thing and they havent the same luck.
Even when getting ready to just root the phone, I found an awesome post that had great information... but, then when I looked at it the post was from 7 months ago and in the N1 forums. So, I started to 2nd guess.
I suppose basically what Im in need of is possibly a normal/basic recommendation to get moving on this... Would a possible recommendation be to root the phone with the 1 click root being run through a file manager, then create a nandroid backup, then go with something popular like Cyanogen6 RC1? Its just that mod -seems- to be what a good bit of people have, and problems seem limited on it. But then again, ive read about 10 other ROMs that appear to be just as good, and people like just as well... so agian, this choice leaves me frozen as well.
Im just so overwhelmed with information ive just about frozen up... I think it need to bring it back to a basic simple plan to get moving on this. Everything I read in these forums sounds so awesome and just plain ole fun.... but like I said im currently frozen/lost. Please help if my request isnt too much...
Thanks! Any help with this will definitely melt this horrid ice!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know exactly what you mean. I've rooted my Hero the day the universal 1 click came out,but as yet have been reading everything I can on which new Rom to install first.
I went out and bought a new 16 gig sd card for more storage as well. I've been trying to read up on how and what is the best way to do all of the various partitions on it cause some say to just have a ext 2 partition,and others say have a ext3/4 partitions on it.Unfortunately I haven't found a easy way to make this happen except by using the FroydVillain 1.4.3 rom and I don't know if it will work with a cdma Sprint Hero or not yet.
I love the phone,and want to upgrade it to the best stable over clocked rom that will allow me to use it for everyday usage,but it doesn't look like it is going to easy as rooting the damn thing was. Seems to me that you need to be a programmer in Linux to make it work the best
I hate posting a bunch of neewb questions about it but I guess I will
Mac
Awesome! Okay perfect... it worked perfect! I know have CyanogenMod running - yeah, it def different. Seems like it will take some time to get used too. Esp since its so far from SenseUI off the bat... err well, just the way that it handles things and such.
I will definitely give it a fair shot before I even try out some other ones... but I def want to try to use one of those Fresh Roms as well.
Thanks a ton for all the help! Most appreciated!
Hi all.
I have a Samsung Vibrant that's still on 2.1. I want to get into rooting and running custom ROMs, but my first attempt failed miserably. I had only rooted the phone and played with a little bit of overclocking for a couple of days when I received an OTA update announcement. Not thinking about it, I accepted it. After that, I got stuck on the "Vibrant" startup screen during the reboot. I took the phone and flashed it back to stock using the method most use (ODIN?). Anyway, even back to stock it would get stuck in a loop of running the media scanner during startup...needless to say I had to get a new phone.
My point is that I want to get my phone more personalized but I'm a bit stand-off-ish because of my prior experience. There is a ton of terminology I'm not familiar with at all...the most I can do with a computer is turn it on and use it.
Is there a place I can go that's an entry level course in rooting and the terminology associated with it? Thanks.
Check my signature. Noob guide. If something is not answered please pm me so I can add it.
I would not use kies to get 2.2.
What is "kies?" Also, I've been reading through (obviously there's a lot of reading to do) but I have another question that relates to my previous experimentation with rooting:
Is there ANY way to do a full back up of my phone now so that if I ever have to go back to stock using ODIN I can go back to how my phone is now? The last time I tried I could not find the same software I had before and a few things had been changed...basically like it wasn't a true stock file.
OK, so you are nooBie
Here are a list of things you are going need if you want to update your phone to 2.2
1. If you do not know what you are doing (which is the case) then, read
member-s15274n Noobie guide in the Bible. This will get you up to speed on the knowledge necessary to modify the phone.
2. If you decide to do the factory (from tmobile/samsung) update, then read on that process. I personally do not recommend updating that way.
3. If you update via some of the excellent roms in the Dev section (which I recommend) then read up on them Master's Axura, Jellette's Einherjar rom and Team Whiskey's Roms are all excellent and there are others YOU NEED TO READ UP ON THESE,
4. If you go with a custom rom Then you need The following programs/patches:
A. Odin 1.7 (this installs on the computer)
B. Oneclick root. (Go to unlockr.com) they have a video easy to follow and have the links for this.
C. Clockwork (Rom Manager) free installs on the phone
D. Titanium Backup (installs o nthe phone)
E. Original 959JFD 2.1 stock ROM (in case you f#ck-up) you can odin back
F. The Custom rom of your choice.
That is all you need, read up and once you get going you will maybe have questions..... Ask in the Q & A we all here welcome a new person to the forum and help them.
BMRbrnSNRbrd said:
What is "kies?" Also, I've been reading through (obviously there's a lot of reading to do) but I have another question that relates to my previous experimentation with rooting:
Is there ANY way to do a full back up of my phone now so that if I ever have to go back to stock using ODIN I can go back to how my phone is now? The last time I tried I could not find the same software I had before and a few things had been changed...basically like it wasn't a true stock file.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Samsung Kies is an official program that syncs your phone to your PC. This includes downloading and installing official OS updates to your phone.
A NANDroid backup can backup everything except the kernel. When you restore this backup your phone will go back to the state it was in when you backed it up.
Remember to always read a lot before doing anything.
I'm kinda new too. I personally chose Team Whiskey's ROMs. Their guide and s15274n's Noob Guide helped me a lot. Have fun!
Thanks for the information.
Ok, now I really feel like a noob....I am to the phone rooting idea, but not to forums...but I cannot for the life of me find the Developers section...
Vibrant > vibrant android development
been having some problems with my phone lately and just wondered if anyone else has encountered these. first off it seems to stop playing any media files whatsoever. i have a bunch of music on it and the player just cycles through and says its not supported. youtube always brings up the error message that the video can not be played. i turn the phone off and on and it works after that but around 24 hours later i'm back to the same thing. also tried using kies to download the 2.2 update but that sucks and doesn't work. would like to root but have no idea where to begin and am afraid i'll screw the phone up. does anyone have an explanation as to what my problem can be and the best way to get 2.2 on this phone?
1st things 1st, Go to the noob guide by S15274N in the Gen section. It has all the info you need. Read it..........
Here is basically what you will do:
Make sure you have the Samsung USB drivers loaded on your computer (found in the noob guide)
Download superonclick to Root the phone (on to the computer)
On the phone download rom manager (from the apps store)
Follow the directions from superoneclick (look at unlockcr.com good how to video)
After you root the phone then decide what to load as far as a custom ROM. I would Try the Trigger or Axura, they both very stable Download on to the computer
Then hook up the phone on to the computer Make sure you connect the usb
(the pulldown at the top) make usb debugging is clicked.
Load the rom on to the Internal sd card and then go to the Rom manager and click reboot into into recovery.. install it wait 15 mins to install and you are good to go
READ the NOOB guide it is complete this is just an outline.
good luck
well i'll give it a read and see if i have enough balls to do it. thanks
ndavis_28 said:
been having some problems with my phone lately and just wondered if anyone else has encountered these. first off it seems to stop playing any media files whatsoever. i have a bunch of music on it and the player just cycles through and says its not supported. youtube always brings up the error message that the video can not be played. i turn the phone off and on and it works after that but around 24 hours later i'm back to the same thing. also tried using kies to download the 2.2 update but that sucks and doesn't work. would like to root but have no idea where to begin and am afraid i'll screw the phone up. does anyone have an explanation as to what my problem can be and the best way to get 2.2 on this phone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm having these same exact problams and it is very frustrating. Also the video recorder will stop working I found.
So you are using 2.1? I've gone up to 2.2 using kies. I can't remember when I went to 2.2, but my guess is this has been happening since then.
In the past week I've been on the phone way too long with Tmobile support. They say that they have never heard of this (apparently I'm not the only one though) and had me try a master reset. That didn't work and the only solution seems to be to reboot the phone. Am I the only one who thinks having to reboot within 24 hours is ridiculous?
So now that they have sent me 3 phones, they directed me to Samsung which wanted to try the same Master Reset. I know that will only temporarily fix the problem so the next step is to send the phone in. How is that suppose to work? Have no phone for a week.
I guess I could ask Tmobile to do it for me and give me a loaner, but I think it is time to go with a custom ROM.
So is anyone else having the problems we are having? We can't be the only two. Is the stock 2.2 just bad and I will be better served with a custom ROM?
I was hoping to avoid this, but the phone is pretty much crap to me now anyway, so I guess what can I lose?
pmiller said:
So is anyone else having the problems we are having? We can't be the only two. Is the stock 2.2 just bad and I will be better served with a custom ROM?
I was hoping to avoid this, but the phone is pretty much crap to me now anyway, so I guess what can I lose?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
IMO stock from samsung have never been very impressive especially when compared to all the custom roms out here. The simplest roms to flash will be the kb1 based roms such as Trigger, Axura or Bionix (in no particular order).
Your phone will feel completely different and you will likely gain a new found appreciation for it, so go flash a custom rom
shreddintyres said:
IMO stock from samsung have never been very impressive especially when compared to all the custom roms out here. The simplest roms to flash will be the kb1 based roms such as Trigger, Axura or Bionix (in no particular order).
Your phone will feel completely different and you will likely gain a new found appreciation for it, so go flash a custom rom
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the advice. After reading through the steps and getting lost at only the 2nd step of rooting, I think I'll just stick to stock and deal with the problems.
Not ideal, but I'm just not in the mood to put that much into a phone anymore. Maybe I'm just lazy, but I'd like to have a program that will do all the steps of getting a new ROM on my device. I feel overwhelmed by having to maintain a ROM.
Its not as hard as you think. Just use superoneclick to get root access, download rom manager , download the rom you want on your sd then reboot into recovery from root manager and chose your rom from the sd.
Sent from my Bi-Winning powered SGH-T959 using XDA App
pmiller said:
Thanks for the advice. After reading through the steps and getting lost at only the 2nd step of rooting, I think I'll just stick to stock and deal with the problems.
Not ideal, but I'm just not in the mood to put that much into a phone anymore. Maybe I'm just lazy, but I'd like to have a program that will do all the steps of getting a new ROM on my device. I feel overwhelmed by having to maintain a ROM.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Give this a look
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=954509
I haven't been around for a while and could not quickly get up to date despite going through thread after thread here. I would appreciate some advice and clarification.
First, you guys are saying that GB won't be available for Vibrant, but this article clearly states that it is already available:
“update news! the android 2.3 gingerbread update for the samsung galaxy S vibrant is good to go. connect to samsung kies to hook it up.”
Could you please clarify? The problem is that I downloaded Keys 2.0, but my phone, which is 2.1 and rooted (nothing else done, no roms, etc), is not being recognized. Keys says that my phone isn't supported.
Could you guys please clarify what is really going on in terms of 2.3? Also, how can I get the update? Assuming that the article is false, many here say that 2.3 roms are battery hogs and it looks like I would have to update to 2.2 and then root it. If so, I'd appreciate a link to a pure 2.2 to be installed via Odin. Reading all these threads doesn't convince me that getting a rom, a modem, or a kernel really does that much to improve our phones.
Thanks!
Thats for the Bell/ Virgin Mobile Vibrant theres a difference ya know...
I thought that the phone is the same so it wouldn't matter or perhaps the devs could use it to create a better ROM. If not, I guess the situation is even worse because Samsung actually released the update for Vibrant but T-mobile is refusing to allow users to have it! Clusterf*ck. Steve Jobs was right about android when he talked about market fractionization last year. Oh well.
Ok, well given the bad news, I would appreciate some help from those of you who have flashed your phones to hell and back. I know there are different ROMs etc with different features. I don't use my phone heavily. Actually, the main feature I care about is 1.Good GPS and 2.Good battery life. I go on long cycling trips and my phone is the only thing I use to track my stats (sometimes five hours or longer).
Based on this info, could you guys tell me if upgrading to Android 2.2 be good enough or do any of the ROMs, kernels, and modems provide a clear advantage over stock 2.2? If so, could you recommend a few? Right now my phone is in a very bad shape - the GPS is often dying in mountains and the battery doesn't last much. At this point I have to upgrade just to clean up my phone, especially since it's not clear if/when 2.3 will be released. I am hoping that at least 2.2 should be very stable by now.
only thing in common is the name and the fact that they are both Galaxy S series phones, the canadian bell Vibrant is different hardware then our Vibrant.
I'd say go with something stable such as Bionix 1.3.1 or Trigger 3.2. If you wanna go with 2.2.1 go with a Darky ROM's port or Bi- Winning 3. All good ROMS I'd recommended. Regardless that's what I prefer pperhaps just play around with all types of ROM's you may like something else its not for me to decide.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
i would suggest cm7 if u like gb its almost fully functitioning except gps is weak
Would you guys say that you have seen significant performance improvements (~30% or more) of ROMs over rooted stock 2.2? If so, have you also seen significant improvements by adding a kernel and/or a modem?
I know that it's not supposed to be too hard to flash and find out for myself, but I have never flashed anything and evaluating all the different combos can be quiet time consuming. Given that I work and study so much I barely have enough time to date, I was hoping that I could get some succinct advice that will cut my Android pains in half. I have read the thread about different modems and know that something like KB5 is a pretty good modem (still have no idea what it is or where do you get it and how you flash it); however, that thread missed one key comparison - the actual performance and battery improvement of a given modem (and even a kernel) over stock 2.2/2.3 or even over a ROM like Bionix. I'd appreciate any info/links regarding this.
Thanks.
Stop writing walls of text for no reason ... kernel will make your phone faster, particularly if you enable voodoo lagfix (helluvah lot faster >30% over stock)... modem will not make it faster but may make your data connection faster and battery last longer as well as morr signal ... look for the modem page for dl link....
Now go flash a rom!! All the roms here are amazing and huge improvements over stock, as are the kernels. Suggestions??? Print out all the names, put em on notecards and throw a dart... flash whatever you hit.
Sent from a cell tower to the XDA server to you.
Bell vibrant is completely different from ours ... the 2.3 for them is no help to us.. lol were not lying to you
Sent from a cell tower to the XDA server to you.
None of the Gingerbread roms are anywhere near where some of the Froyo roms are.
Team Whiskey Bionix 1.3.1 is the best I've used. NextGen V2 isnt' bad either. I just tried Simply Honey 5 RC1 and CM7 nightly #84. Out of the 4 roms I just listed, I flashed back to Bionix 1.3.1. It has the best speed and is the most stable I've ever used.
If you don't have the time to read about flashing your phone, I would suggest you either not do it or pay someone to do it for you. Set aside 2-3 hours if you want it done properly otherwise say goodbye to your phone.
I am in SoCal too and wouldn't mind paying someone to do it for me. The problem is then a whole other set of headaches: how do you trust someone to get hold of your private info? What about doing a good job? Arranging a pickup/dropoff, etc, etc. Also have no idea how much people charge for this service. Expensive enough and it might just be worth it to get a new phone, especially after I sell the Vibrant. Maybe that's what many of us need to do.
Im sure you can find someone nearby thatll do it as a favor and let you watch... problem solved
Sent from a cell tower to the XDA server to you.
I would never pay anyone to flash anything for me. Its a simple process.
To figure out what ROM's go good with what Modem I would go to this thread http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=959088 and a good kernel would be Bali or SuperDragonModz both great.
Excelsius said:
I am in SoCal too and wouldn't mind paying someone to do it for me. The problem is then a whole other set of headaches: how do you trust someone to get hold of your private info? What about doing a good job? Arranging a pickup/dropoff, etc, etc. Also have no idea how much people charge for this service. Expensive enough and it might just be worth it to get a new phone, especially after I sell the Vibrant. Maybe that's what many of us need to do.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I recommend listening to some of the other folks in the thread and flash bionix 1.3.1. The stock kernel is fine, as is the modem it ships with. Battery life will be as good as just about anything else.
If you really want to flash a custom kernel, go with Bali 1.8.8. Battery life will be similar, but that kernel has some additional features like voodoo sound, which uses the audio hardware more effectively. If that doesn't seem like something you care about I wouldn't worry about it.
The only catch is that you will need to flash bionix through CWM recovery, there are no prepackaged odin files that I am aware of. There are numerous threads to help you getting CWM installed, just check out the stickies.
Don't pay anyone, if your still not comfortable flashing anything, but you still really want to, PM me and I'll help you through it.
Thank you so much for the more precise advice. That's exactly what I needed. It's not that I want to upgrade, but rather that I have to because my phone has become unstable. It freezes almost every time I open Voice or Maps, among other problems.
So I will get the Bionix 1.3.1 and worry about Bali 1.8.8 at a later time. I came across this guide: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=925400
Is it the guide for CWM? My phone is rooted (ODIN) and has paid version of Root Explorer and BusyBox. I was wondering if I still have to install SuperOneClick or if my root is fine already.
By the way, I'd appreciate a link to some guides that you guys have used to install your Bionix. I read this: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=732458, but the CWM and Rom Manager points are moot. Like I don't know if installing Rom Manager already includes CWM with it. Here are the steps:
Installation instructions:
1.Download ROM Manager from the Market.
2.Flash Recovery.
3.Choose Vibrant as your phone.
4.Accept the Superuser prompt.
5.On the very FIRST boot of Clockwork, you may need to manually select "reinstall packages" if Clockwork does not start. You should only ever have to do this once. It will be automatic from then on.
6.Watch the backup go!
If this is it, then I'll just do it (after I do a nandroid backup, which will hopefully backup all my paid applications).
I'm in SoCal, running Cyanogen7 nightly 81. (Android 2.3)
I am running Bali, and did both the hardware GPS fix, and the software GPS fix using the terminal scripting.
I get around 10-12 locks, accuracy tends to be in the 12-14 foot range, so the GPS works flawlessly.
I've been a lurker on these forums for a LONG time now, but decided to register and post to kinda give back. In this case, to someone looking to fix up their Vibrant.
If you're interested, PM me. I work for Microsoft, and you're welcome to stop by and I'll show you everything I've done. (Yes, I have an Android phone, and a WP7 phone, both of which I love) If you like what you see, (You will) I'll set your phone up as my way of kinda returning all of the favors other users on this site have done for me, even though they didn't know it.
Excelsius said:
Thank you so much for the more precise advice. That's exactly what I needed. It's not that I want to upgrade, but rather that I have to because my phone has become unstable. It freezes almost every time I open Voice or Maps, among other problems.
So I will get the Bionix 1.3.1 and worry about Bali 1.8.8 at a later time. I came across this guide: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=925400
Is it the guide for CWM? My phone is rooted (ODIN) and has paid version of Root Explorer and BusyBox. I was wondering if I still have to install SuperOneClick or if my root is fine already.
By the way, I'd appreciate a link to some guides that you guys have used to install your Bionix. I read this: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=732458, but the CWM and Rom Manager points are moot. Like I don't know if installing Rom Manager already includes CWM with it. Here are the steps:
Installation instructions:
1.Download ROM Manager from the Market.
2.Flash Recovery.
3.Choose Vibrant as your phone.
4.Accept the Superuser prompt.
5.On the very FIRST boot of Clockwork, you may need to manually select "reinstall packages" if Clockwork does not start. You should only ever have to do this once. It will be automatic from then on.
6.Watch the backup go!
If this is it, then I'll just do it (after I do a nandroid backup, which will hopefully backup all my paid applications).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you already have ROM manager, and have "Flashed Recovery" then you have Clockwork Mod. At this point, should be able follow the Bionix instructions after the CWM point.
Nandroid backs up EVERYTHING, including the Android OS version you are running. If you want to back up just your apps, use Titanium Backup, the premium version lets you do a "One touch" batch restore of all user apps. One thing to remember about Titanium: do NOT back up system data. Easiest rule of thumb for it, "Menu--> Batch--> backup all user apps" then let it do it's thing. flash your ROM, then go into Titanium (Almost positive the free version is part of Bionix) "Menu--> Batch--> Restore missing apps with data" If you have the premium version, you can restore them all with no further input, if you have the free version, you will have to accept and install each app as you go, but they all come back with your saved data.
If you are going to do a FULL wipe (Format storage so the phone is empty) first connect to USB Storage, and move your "Titanium Backup" folder from the root of your internal SD card to your PC. Then, before you run titanium for the first time after wiping, reverse the process. Apps are back.
Excelsius said:
Thank you so much for the more precise advice. That's exactly what I needed. It's not that I want to upgrade, but rather that I have to because my phone has become unstable. It freezes almost every time I open Voice or Maps, among other problems.
So I will get the Bionix 1.3.1 and worry about Bali 1.8.8 at a later time. I came across this guide: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=925400
Is it the guide for CWM? My phone is rooted (ODIN) and has paid version of Root Explorer and BusyBox. I was wondering if I still have to install SuperOneClick or if my root is fine already.
By the way, I'd appreciate a link to some guides that you guys have used to install your Bionix. I read this: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=732458, but the CWM and Rom Manager points are moot. Like I don't know if installing Rom Manager already includes CWM with it. Here are the steps:
Installation instructions:
1.Download ROM Manager from the Market.
2.Flash Recovery.
3.Choose Vibrant as your phone.
4.Accept the Superuser prompt.
5.On the very FIRST boot of Clockwork, you may need to manually select "reinstall packages" if Clockwork does not start. You should only ever have to do this once. It will be automatic from then on.
6.Watch the backup go!
If this is it, then I'll just do it (after I do a nandroid backup, which will hopefully backup all my paid applications).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The steps you listed are correct. You also of course need to have downloaded the bionix 1.3.1 zip file and placed it somewhere on your SD card (I make a ROMS folder on mine). As the instructions noted, you'll have to do reinstall packages twice (ie you do it once and the phone reboots into recovery and it looks like nothing happened, you do it again and go immediately to CWR recovery where you can select "install ROM from SD" or similar). From this point on you won't have to worry about CWR recovery, it will always be there. As StarGazer mentioned, when you flash this it will wipe your phones settings and all the apps (but not the SD card). There are a variety of backup apps that can help restore them, but I usually don't mind starting fresh once in a while, especially if your contacts are stored on Google.
Finally, once the bionix finishes flashing and the phone reboots for the first time, expect to hear a voice start talking to you about backing up partitions, estimated times, etc. This is the "voodoo lagfix" being applied, which is converting internal phone partitions from the Samsung RFS to ext4, which noticeably reduces lag on the phone when opening apps and so forth. Good luck
Thank you for your help, everyone. I was able to dedicate a few hours and just take care of it since it didn't feel right to waste someone else's time. Please note that I haven't PMed anyone and if there are readers here who are technologically challenged, perhaps they can take my place and get help from some of the generous people who offered help here.
I currently have Bionix 1.3.1, Bali 1.8.8, and KB5.
To give back to the community, I wanted to post benchmarks. I have some amazing results:
Android 2.1 (everything stock, rooted) - Quadrant benchmark 852 (average of 2 tests)
Bionix 1.3.1 (with stock kernel) - 1504 (average of 3 tests). That's a 43% improvement! Now this is likely due to Android 2.2 rather than Bionix. It's definitely worth going from 2.1 to 2.2.
Bionix 1.3.1 + Bali 1.8.8 (after adding the kernel) - 1852 (average of 3 tests). That's 19% more than stock 2.2 and 54% more than 2.1! This isn't 30%+ improvement that some people here think kernels provide, but ~20% is still not bad, considering that battery life is also very important.
Now as far as the KB5 modem goes, I saw no improvements using GPS Test and Speed Test. My GPS is still at about 50ft accuracy and internet speed is 6000x2300kbps. The real test will come during my 60 mile ride on Saturday.
Right now I am only hoping that the battery will last at least as long or more than on 2.1, despite the kernel.
Question: before flashing with Bionix I had applied the software GPS fix to my phone a year ago. Do I have to do it again or does Bionix already include the software tweak?
Once again, thanks everyone.
P.S: My clock on the phone is off by two minutes from the atomic clock. I noticed that the "Autoupdate" of date and time message doesn't appear when I start the phone. Is there a time syncing issue with Bionix?
I have a stock note3 and since the Kitkat update, lost ability to record calls - nothing works, just static noise from all of them.
Also Gmail app and K9 failed. Aquamail works a treat tho'.
I'm sure there are other bits n bobs (sd access, battery life etc) that are flaky but I haven't fully tested the phone.
A call recorder is essential in my line of work so guess I need to 'fiddle' with my OS, never done it before.
So can anyone tell me what I need to do, i.e; rooting, flashing, decent custom ROM or at least a quick and pain-free mod...i don't do command line stuff and I 'm not a programmer, so anything in plain English would be helpful.
I don't mind keeping Kitkat looking as it is. I've seen my mate's customised rom note2 purchased from ebay and looks like its designed by a 14 yr old gaming nerd.- yuk.
I am very time poor so won't be able to spend hours and hours tinkering.
Thanks in advance
bornatheist said:
I have a stock note3 and since the Kitkat update, lost ability to record calls - nothing works, just static noise from all of them.
Also Gmail app and K9 failed. Aquamail works a treat tho'.
I'm sure there are other bits n bobs (sd access, battery life etc) that are flaky but I haven't fully tested the phone.
A call recorder is essential in my line of work so guess I need to 'fiddle' with my OS, never done it before.
So can anyone tell me what I need to do, i.e; rooting, flashing, decent custom ROM or at least a quick and pain-free mod...i don't do command line stuff and I 'm not a programmer, so anything in plain English would be helpful.
I don't mind keeping Kitkat looking as it is. I've seen my mate's customised rom note2 purchased from ebay and looks like its designed by a 14 yr old gaming nerd.- yuk.
I am very time poor so won't be able to spend hours and hours tinkering.
Thanks in advance
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
call record is fine if you use custom rom, most of them have a modded call recorder and work fine.
To be frank, when I was still on stock 4.4.2 unrooted, I can use gmail with no problem.
rooting => find cf-autoroot at android original development note 3.
recovery => there's twrp, philz cwm, and chenglu cwm. I use chenglu cwm. twrp & philz u can find at android original development note 3. whereby chenglu cwm you can find at android development note 3. I personally use chenglu cwm.
custom ROM => you can pick anything u want, and try. no harm trying. If you got not much time, I suggest you just pick 2 or 3 then download all of them first, copy to your sdcard, and try one by one. so, you will no need to wait again next time to download another one. I have 4 custom ROM that I like inside my sdcard. anytime I want to change I just flash them, no need to wait to download again (because each rom is quite huge around 1.5gb+).
To flash rooting, recovery and custom ROM, you have to bear in mind :
do back up your efs (I personally use dr. ketan efs backup after I root my device. this tool need device to be rooted). You can find at android themes & apps note 3
when you want to flash custom rom, remember to do nandroid backup from recovery (in case anything bad happened). Touch wood, so far I don't need to use this backup.
please do a check on the MD5 hash, to be matched with the one provided on the download thread. If not match means you have a bad download, try to download again till the MD5 is matched. Sometimes, due to file size very huge, and if your internet link down, it might cause a bad download. Don't blame on the OP/devs.
The most important before you continue all those process (rooting, recovery and custom rom), READ the thread and FOLLOW the instructions carefully. Most of the time if you follow carefully, nothing harm will happen. And... all the thread are in simple english, no coding words on the OP thread.
cheers.
bornatheist said:
I have a stock note3 and since the Kitkat update, lost ability to record calls - nothing works, just static noise from all of them.
Also Gmail app and K9 failed. Aquamail works a treat tho'.
I'm sure there are other bits n bobs (sd access, battery life etc) that are flaky but I haven't fully tested the phone.
A call recorder is essential in my line of work so guess I need to 'fiddle' with my OS, never done it before.
So can anyone tell me what I need to do, i.e; rooting, flashing, decent custom ROM or at least a quick and pain-free mod...i don't do command line stuff and I 'm not a programmer, so anything in plain English would be helpful.
I don't mind keeping Kitkat looking as it is. I've seen my mate's customised rom note2 purchased from ebay and looks like its designed by a 14 yr old gaming nerd.- yuk.
I am very time poor so won't be able to spend hours and hours tinkering.
Thanks in advance
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
to get call recording to work, use NC2 FW/rom and use NB2 modem or higher..
try clearing gmail`s data in settings, i have had zero issues with gmail..
for root/recorvery check the guide that is linked in my sig, it has step by step instructions..
as for rom i personally recommend xnote and lean kenrel to everyone..
For the exact same main reason (call recording) I've requested to the seller to solve the problem (my seller was also the carrier provider: orange).
They've changed my phone with a new one with latest 4.3, after a long conversation between orange and samsung tech support, only because my complaints about 4.4.2 implementation on note 3.
Maybe this thread is of use for you:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2709623
Good luck,