Related
Hello, xda!
I've been around on the forums for some time, flashing and messing with ROMs before, but with an old HTC Touch Pro. So forgive me for seeming like a leecher.
I've come here to ask a few questions reguarding Andriod roms and flashing/upgrading procedures. I'm comfortable with using RUUs to upgrade, but who isnt...
I've had my HTC Hero for about 2 weeks now and I accidently bricked one already. I've rooted manually once, and got no signal on the stock Sprint ROM so I tried to go back to the original flash recovery but killed my phone instead.
Could someone help me out. I've read guides and been very, very anxious to upgrade and root but as you've read, I've already bricked my phone once so I'm pretty cautious now.
From what I understand, I need to root to 1.2.3, NAND backup, WIPE sd card & phone, then flash damage control's rom.....
So do I have it right or should I read a bit more?
Any help and tips from some experienced flashers would be much appreciated. Thanks!
mjones832 said:
From what I understand, I need to root to 1.2.3, NAND backup, WIPE sd card & phone, then flash damage control's rom.....
So do I have it right or should I read a bit more?
Any help and tips from some experienced flashers would be much appreciated. Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
First off; we're happy you chose not to give up and came back a second time.
What you do need to do is; 1) Root and flash a Recovery image 2) Make a Nandroid back up, 3) Wipe ONLY your phone (not your SD Card, unless you want to do Apps2SD) and 4) Flash the ROM of your choice.
**The rooting guide I linked above is the way I prefer to do it; via adb commands. However, you could also you use Flipz's kitchen to do all of this for you.
.
For more information about Flipz's kitchen, please go here: Flipz's Kitchen
Also, do note -- for other tutorials/guides/references; go HERE
I was seriously nervous to start the process as well. As I told someone else, being nervous is a good thing. That just means you'll be careful.
I seriously recommend reading this thread and following instructions. Do not skip steps, do not pass go, do not collect $200. I've personally used the Windows guide and the Linux guide. Both are very well done and I can verify that they work.
Beyond that, the Search function is fantastic and provides lots of information. Don't be afraid to ask questions, either. Most of us are nice and like to help, even if we do call people n00bs.
WOW! Insanely quick replies. Thanks for that guys. This is what I wanna hear so I'll be doing the flash when I get home.
I'm using the 2.1update1 sprint beta ROM right now so should I revert back to the 1.56 and THEN do all this or can I just jump right in. I've always been confused as to which rom needs what flash rec root file or w/e.
And yes, I do want the A2SD thing as thats one problem I'm having right now. I've only got 16MB of storage left of my current storage area but my 8GB sd card is almost empty except for a few songs and pictures. Also, should I upgrade my sd card to a higher class if my 8GB is a class 2?
Thanks again guys!
Also, I mentioned that the last time I tried to root, I had no service after I did so. Why is that and what do I do to fix this? I couldn't find anything on this in google searches.
mjones832 said:
Also, I mentioned that the last time I tried to root, I had no service after I did so. Why is that and what do I do to fix this? I couldn't find anything on this in google searches.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Some people say to toggle airplane mode on and off. Some people say reboot. The last time this happened to me I just played a video game for ten or fifteen minutes and it fired up.
mjones832 said:
And yes, I do want the A2SD thing as thats one problem I'm having right now. I've only got 16MB of storage left of my current storage area but my 8GB sd card is almost empty except for a few songs and pictures. Also, should I upgrade my sd card to a higher class if my 8GB is a class 2?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've not used apps2sd myself, but I'm told the higher class card the better, for obvious reasons.
Thanks, subcypher! I've got absolutely no reason to not do this. I'll be doing it as soon as I get home.
mjones832 said:
Thanks, subcypher! I've got absolutely no reason to not do this. I'll be doing it as soon as I get home.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have fun! We'll be here when you get back.
yes.. a faster class sd card is highly recommended!!! other wise with a2sd, you might see more lag... and issues.
I personally, would not do a2sd at the same time as you upgrade. finish the upgrade first. make sure all is good...
then do the a2sd. and do a nandroid backup again before.
So I just tried to go back to 1.56 with the signed RUU that sprint gives out and it gave me an error. Failed to load bootloaded or something similar to that.
Remember, I'm on the 2.1update1 beta release of sprint's rom but I wanna root and flash to DamageControl's 2.1.
I've tried looking into how to root my current 2.1update1 beta ROM but I didn't come across anything worthwhile.
Anyone know whats going on???
mjones832 said:
So I just tried to go back to 1.56 with the signed RUU that sprint gives out and it gave me an error. Failed to load bootloaded or something similar to that.
Remember, I'm on the 2.1update1 beta release of sprint's rom but I wanna root and flash to DamageControl's 2.1.
I've tried looking into how to root my current 2.1update1 beta ROM but I didn't come across anything worthwhile.
Anyone know whats going on???
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What steps did you take to use the Sprint RUU?
In order to run the Sprint RUU, you need to do:
**Make sure you have the appropriate drivers to detect HTC Sync**
1. Install HTC Sync on your computer
2. After install, open and leave the HTC Sync Window open
3. Connect your phone; and click on the sync option. You should be able to sync, if not - then you're having driver issues.
4. After you've successfully synced, NOW run the Sprint 1.5 RUU.
5. Upon a successful RUU, you'll have your phone back to its factory settings.
Now you can reroot, flash whatever ROM you like, and flash any/all add-ons.
As far as the signal goes, the following are from the Fresh 2.0d install page.
A reboot after the first bootup finishes is recommended, especially if you were previously having PRI/PRL problems.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If after flashing you end up with any data issues then first try rebooting. If that doesn’t resolve it for you then try updating your profile and PRL. This is a side effect of the different PRI’s and PRL’s that people have ended up on. You may actually need to update your profile and PRL a couple times to get everything going but I promise it will. You should end up on PRL 60663.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I personally had no problems, but I was flashing Fresh, not Damage.
Ok, I've got it rooted, and nand-backup stored on my PC.
DamageControl says to wipe before his install. Do I "wipe data/factory reset" or "wipe Dalvik-cache" or any other options?
If its the same as Fresh, they want you to do a Wipe data/factory reset
Thanks everyone! I'm installing DamageControl right now! I'll let you know how it goes.
Success! I've got the phone rooted, at least I think I do, and flashed to DamageControl v2.08.
My next task is I really want to get my apps to install to my sdcard. I've got a 8GB class 4 sdcard. Should and can I put my apps onto this? I've heard that the hero doesnt even read and write faster then 2Mbps so I'm good, right?
Not sure if I'm rooted. I've installed a few apps that require SU and when they try to do a "SU Request" the screen sits at a black screen with that title at the top.
Any idea on whats going on?
If you were able to flash a damage less rom you're rooted.
On the black window there should be am option on the bottom to allow, select it.
-------------------------------------
Sent via the XDA Tapatalk App
The black screen for SU is caused by not having USB Debugging turned on as it is required for superuser permissions. I have not tried A2SD because I only have a class 2, but have read that unless you have a class 6 it can be slow.
Hello all..! Love xda..! Love the forums. This is my first post, but long time reader and user of xda. One Question. Is anyone going or have rooted the samsung intercept. Ive checked out sdx and havent really seen much. Just wondering to see if keeping my wifes phone is worth it or just trash it and get something that I can root for her...Thanks in advance..!
"Bill"
ROOT for intercept
xda doent have a page yet but you can find the how to here
http://forum.sdx-developers.com/int...-build-7-for-the-intercept/msg79742/#msg79742
there seems to be no stable recovery yet from what i read. apperantly wiping cache or something bricks the intercept.
is this true?
i want to root my brothers virgin mobile intercept but cant really find a great how to... nor can i find any 2.2 roms.
i met a guy who works at best buy who was actually rooted, he had a live wallpaper running. but he was no help and wanted to charge my brother 100$ for root.
i have rooted well over 70 different phones since my g1 days, and i have always done it for free. appreantly karma didnt have my back that day.
after politely telling the gentleman to fk off, i began researching. hence why i am so confused, so many people advise to use z4, super one click and many others advise and warn against it.
i myself am glad to see this forum here. hopefully we can get some concrete info stickied soon.
I sent you a PM with the link for the rooting tool. I cant post links, I'm a newbie in this forum. Hope that will help you. Please could you post the info and link.
Regards
I rooted my girlfriend's Intercept successfully. The only thing she's used though is wifi tethering with Barnacle Legacy, but that obviously means it's been rooted successfully. Here's the text from the SDX post I used (I think it's for Windows 7 only):
1. Download and install SWUpgrade for the moment from here (http://www6.sprint.com/downloads/samsung/executables/SamsungMoment_Update.exe),
then install LouZiffer's patch (https://docs.google.com/uc?id=0B1g2...ThjOTktODUzYTQwNWJhMGU3&export=download&hl=en).
2. Download the recovery file (http://www.sdx-downloads.com/devs/inxane/intercept/recoveryv14.tar)
and put it in C:\Program Files (Program Files (x86) if you are on 64 bit)\Samsung Electronics\SWUpgrade\Models\Binary.
DELETE THE FILE ALREADY IN THERE OR YOU MAY PERMA-BRICK YOUR INTERCEPT
3. Start your Intercept in Download Mode (Vol Dn + Camera + End) and plug it into the computer. Install the drivers...
4. Open SWUpgrade and walk through the steps.
5. Make the following folders on the SD card:
/sdx/updates
/sdx/zip
/sdx/backup
6. Put
inxane's kernel file: http://www.sdx-downloads.com/devs/inxane/intercept/inxane0381intercept.zip
in /sdx/zip folder created above
7. Now enter recovery mode (vol dn, talk, end) and select the install zip from sd card option.
8. Reboot and you are good to go.
I strongly advise against any ROM found on sdx. I've tried them all and none of them are even fully working. The one currently on my fiancees phone cannot turn off as holding the power button freezes the phone until the battery is pulled. I have not got SU to work with anything except root explorer and su keeps telling me a newer version is available when it's clearly not. The custom recovery can't even wipe without bricking the phone...
We need some experienced developers to take a crack at this. All the developers currently working on the Intercept are making progress and are getting better and better but right now all rooting is experimental and dangerous. I mean for gods sake, a wipe will brick your phone? WTF?
Hello forum,
I have had my intercept rooted and running basic ROM 1.7 since it became available it did take all day to get it to work right but after boot up and using the ROM manager premium to "fix permissions" i haven't had any issues as of yet
23rdparallel said:
Hello forum,
I have had my intercept rooted and running basic ROM 1.7 since it became available it did take all day to get it to work right but after boot up and using the ROM manager premium to "fix permissions" i haven't had any issues as of yet
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
FYI - 1.7.1 is out, but I don't think its in the OP on sdx.
sdx roms after rooting
I have used ubuntdroid for my virgin mobile intercept since it came out, fantastic rom , reminds me of cm mods.
forum.sdx-developers.com/intercept-development/(rom)-ubuntdroid-2-2-1-(di06)
has anyone managed to root after the froyo update? z4 won't work for me
What do you mean it will brick after a wipe???? I have inxanes recovery but havent used it except to flash the kernal. Any way to go back to stock??? Its my wifes phone i cant have it bricked
Sent from my HERO200 using XDA App
vampir4997 said:
What do you mean it will brick after a wipe???? I have inxanes recovery but havent used it except to flash the kernal. Any way to go back to stock??? Its my wifes phone i cant have it bricked
Sent from my HERO200 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As I understand, the recovery is a Samsung Moment recovery ported just to be able to flash ROMs. People have reported both - a wipe will brick, and a wipe will not brick. I'm going to -assume- that it depends on either sprint or vm. It is stated all over SDX-Developers that a wipe will brick.
The way I "wipe" is go into file browser on the custom recovery, select data, hit the MENU button, and hit delete. Same can be done for system, but not needed as the ROMs you flash will delete the /system partition anyways.
will there be some way to do it the z4root way ever?
Just posted the easiest way to root your Intercept in this forum.
Yeah, our recovery was ported from the moment. Its not able to do half the things that it should be able to do. You could brick your phone by doing a wipe, and many functions might report an error when you attempt them.
ok i have been having ALOT of trouble...i apreciate anyone in advance if they can help me...I DO NOT RUN WINDOWS UNLESS I HAVE TO, i have a dual boot of windows vista and linux mint 10. i am trying to root my virgin mobile samsung intercept. every way i have tried seems like it just wont work. i logged into my windows vista and read up on the super one click root. when i went to DL the drivers it came back with a message that said my processor is incompatible..i just dont understand how when i have a intel core 2 duo...i am wanting to avoid using windows so if anyone can help with linux mint 10 then PLEASE AND THANK YOU!
Well I did a factory restore of my phone and it did brick my phone but i restored the backup and the phone works like a champ again. Rooted with squealjoy. The only problem I have faced so far is the music skipping in the mp3 payer but I can live with that for free tethering.
Sent from my SPH-M910 using Tapatalk
smojica said:
xda doent have a page yet but you can find the how to here
http://forum.sdx-developers.com/int...-build-7-for-the-intercept/msg79742/#msg79742
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hello Forum!
I successfully rooted my phone about two weeks ago, just to have 'live wallpaper' on it. (It works but it's a little slow.)
The problem that I've noticed that I'm having now is the delay time of sound. For instance, when I'm playing a video or even a game, the sound is late and off cue. Is this an issue from rooting the phone, or is it deriving from somewhere else?
It's not a BIG problem, but it's getting very annoying and would like it resolved soon. Any advice would be helpful.
fsu311 said:
will there be some way to do it the z4root way ever?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Z4root works for me on VM Intercept 2.1, well enough to let me run Barnacle for tethering, which is all I need root for at the moment. VM Intercepts get 2.2 in about a month, should make it easier to root and/or tether.
How can i root my sprint intercept, it has froyo and i want custom recovery.
Also what is the fastest rom????
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!
Well, I purchased my epic 4g on launch day. I have had a blast with it but it did get pretty mundane for me very quickly. This is were I began searching for cool things to do to the phone to fit me and my lifestyle. I rooted it and installed an overclock kernal. Anyway, my problem is i believe that I have "bricked my phone". I was searching for ways to enable wifi tethering. I came across some other kernals, and began the process of returning phone back to factory specs and install the kernal. It seemed to work fine until my phone began to freeze. It would freeze about 1-2 minutes of being turned on. I began to search and came across odin. Well apparantly I do not know how to work odin correctly, because now my phone only shows a cell phone...! (in orange yield sign)...PC. (cellphone ! PC). I would greatly appreciate anybody that is able to get me out of this bind. I do love and cherish my phone, now regretting me messing around with this. thanks
Can you get into download mode? Hold the 1 on the keyboard while powering on. If you can, you should still be able to flash back to a stock rom.
I am able to go into download mode. I am currently downloading the stock rom. how do you flash into clockwork? volume down, camera, and power button equals green text.
Hopefully this is what you need...
If you can get into download mode, you should be able to save your phone.
Just follow the instructions here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=773032
It should fix your phone right up, I used it myself just this morning. I learned the hard way you have to be careful with custom ROMs
Also, why overclock it? It's already 1GHz, the fastest market processor in a phone. IMHO, overclocking a 1GHz is unnecessary and only wears out your hardware faster.
Phone is up and running. Now the problem that I have is that there is a circle with a line through it and i am unable to get online or make any calls.
sounds like you're missing a modem? You'll need to flash one.
Electrofreak said:
sounds like you're missing a modem? You'll need to flash one.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you flashed the DI18 tar it includes the modem (god knows I've flashed this more time's I'd like to admit)...
What did you flash in ODIN exactly? Can you tell us step by step what you did?
I'd like to hear the step-by-step too. I followed all the steps to the letter in that thread I linked to, and have had no problems with my phone since.
Clarification...
When you followed the steps in the thread I linked, did you use the stock kernel, or the other one that wipes everything?
After I pseudo-bricked my Epic, only the one that wipes everything worked.
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?