Related
Well sort of. Had the phone for about 15 months now, and at the pub the other day, a friend of a friend sees my phone and says "visit xda-developers.com" and find out what you can do with your phone.
Currently - Phone stock standard with UK Voda, been updated once running WM 6.5. (simply to get a longer battery life - voda uk arent too proactive at updates)
I use the phone as
1. A phone (calls/texts etc) and a wireless router for a laptop (when out of the office and no internet connection)
2. Sync with my outlook on pc (W7/ outlook 2010) (to keep recent emails on record for work)
3. Retrieve emails (work account and hotmail) on the move. Guess its important to have office software and some PDF software.
4. Web Browsing (Opera)
5. Camera and Camcorder
6. Occasional Facebook uploads of photos (re: new years eve drunken photos)
7. Sometimes access messenger (live) msn
8. I have a Skype account (not ever used it on the phone)
9. Occasionally run the odd game or you tube to waste time
10. Have never bothered to put music on the phone, but would be good when I run once a week to listen to some decent tunes or radio.
I have briefly looked around the site (well done) and see a multitude of options for things I never really knew I could do on the phone. (For reference I had one of the old PSP 1.5v which I continually played around with to update (flash rom) to use homebrew applications - so can follow instructions quite well)
So here are my questions...
In an ideal world, what would you suggest would be the best course of action for the phone and why? I guess this should cover os/radio/software etc. I have no preferences.
Any issues to consider with Voda UK? - (this is my phone with a company sim, and its out of warranty)
I have looked around for a thread similar to this, as I wouldn't have posted if there was one. If there is one, please point me to it.
Wifey has an Iphone (dont ask) so I wouldnt mind having an all singing all dancing HTC HD2 to dazzle any Iphone owners with its brilliance.
Oh, and I am all for donating beer monies for those that can give me the best answers I seek
Cheers
I have gone down the dual boot windows Phone 7 and Sd Android route. There is a good video tutorial by 96Edwy.
I dont think your Mrs will be impressed by you spending hours on the computer/phone when you could be doing something useful!
I have found that no matter what you do with this brilliant phone, iphone users will still think theirs is the best.
Still, that said, its all good fun innit
well i think you should try out android.
all the points you mentioned are covered by the os so you can do everything you want.
the difference to wm 6.5 is the much greater number of software that is available.
i really liked wm 6.5.5 on my hd2 with sense but since i am using android i'm really happy with my phone. just because developement on android goes on.
and it's running so smooth on the hd2 and everything works.
you should make a full backup of your wm6.5 rom with spb backup or something like that and just try it out.
windows phone is also great but i think the lack of a good display driver for multitouch is more noticable on windows phone than on android.
but just try it out and decide on your own. if you flashed everything one time it's really fast and you can try everything in one day.
I think it is a must to at least try dual booting Windows Phone 7 and Android. I am currently running Windows Phone 7 (NoDo update) and Android (AOSP CM7 - AmericanAndroid) and I LOVE it. You can get the power and customizability of CM7 at any time, and at the press (or a few presses) of a button you can go back to the smooth, elegant, sleek interface of Windows Phone 7 if you want simplicity and a more robust/unique UI. I never find battery life to be too draining on the SD Android, and there are tweaks to get it respectable on Windows Phone 7. And, this is of course all with the amazing MAGLDR, which allows us to dual boot this. I even have a couple other builds (MIUI and/or Sense) of Android I will switch to sometimes with just a few extra button presses in MAGLDR. So, I guess you could say I'm tri-booting even. Moral of the story, you can do so much more when you dual boot. The only thing I am missing out on Android being on SD (that I know of) is Clockworkmod recovery, which isn't as necessary since you can drag and drop from your SD card to back up system and data images. Well, I've rambled far too long and hope this helps you. Good luck!
I'd suggest you read this guide to get started. It'll help you understand all the terms and what nots in this HD2 world.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1021837
And as they say above, if you want an experience, go for dual booting. Though you need to find yourself two sd cards and be carrying them. xD
Kailkti said:
I'd suggest you read this guide to get started. It'll help you understand all the terms and what nots in this HD2 world.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1021837
And as they say above, if you want an experience, go for dual booting. Though you need to find yourself two sd cards and be carrying them. xD
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
there's no need for two cards just the right partitioning.
I suggest you to use the phone as is on Windows Mobile 6.5 till you get used to it. The HD2 is awesome even on the Windows Mobile. Next when you feel you need to do more, you need more updated apps, and more functionality on the HD2, you can switch to Android, which is available in various flavors- Sense & Stock. You will have the options to chose a ROM which would give what you need, and there will always be updates to the OS, to the apps it uses and also the functionality enhancement.
If Windows Phone 7 gets more apps and developers produce something good, you'll have additional choice here. WP7 is really slick on HD2, just the lack of apps and several bugs, specifically related to battery, etc.
Concerning outshining the iPhone, you have got wonderful widgets to outdo the iPhone Springboard. Similar apps are also available on the Android Market. Moreover you will have extra functionality like Bluetooth transfer between any devices, use of your phone as storage (pen) drive, for tethering (USB & WiFi) on laptop, transfering music, data or other content from any PC, no iTunes.
As mentioned above, you do not need 2 SD cards. I have my 16GB partitioned where Android gets ~8GB and WP7 gets ~8GB. Also, Hamsn, I believe the OP is already at this point, seeing from his first post that he's had it for 15 months and is now looking for suggestions on where to go from WM6.5. Either way, OP, I think you will be pleasantly surprised regardless of which route you take. There are so many options for the HD2 that it really is like a computer in your pocket. Just how you can load pretty much any OS on a laptop without big corporations locking it down, that's how the HD2 is (and how every smart phone should be!). This is off topic, but on that note, I suggest every HD2 owner go "like" the HTC page on Facebook and leave a post telling them how they better revise their new bootloader policy (with the locked EVO 3D, etc.) or we will never buy HTC again. We will never have a worthy successor to the HD2 if they keep this up.
Spot on drewden123. I am looking for something different than 6.5 (as been on this almost 17 months now). I think I will go down the dual boot route, (WP7 and Android) just getting myself a larger micro SD card to handle it. (as noted I will follow the partition instructions using a 16gb card)
I already know that WP7 will probably do my nut if it causes battery issues (this is the only bad thing I have to say about the whole phone since I had it), but I wont know until I try it.
I guess I will finally end back on a likely 6.5 /Android dual boot.
Just wanted to know if people thought I should not even try WP7 considering the need for activation being a slight pain vs what WP7 actually delivers on this phone.
Thanks for all input so far.
i just tried it for some time without activating and sideloaded some apps. just to see how i like it. but then i went back to android on nand without dual boot to be able to use cwm recovery.
i would suggest you doing the same and if you like wp7 you can activate and install dual boot. but if you don't know if you will like it you shouldn't do the whole work with partitioning sd, activating and everything.
i went back because the multitouch on wp was much worse than on android and the battery drain was just too high. also i was not able to get an activation code.
Foxmanuk said:
Well sort of. Had the phone for about 15 months now, and at the pub the other day, a friend of a friend sees my phone and says "visit xda-developers.com" and find out what you can do with your phone.
Currently - Phone stock standard with UK Voda, been updated once running WM 6.5. (simply to get a longer battery life - voda uk arent too proactive at updates)
I use the phone as
1. A phone (calls/texts etc) and a wireless router for a laptop (when out of the office and no internet connection)
2. Sync with my outlook on pc (W7/ outlook 2010) (to keep recent emails on record for work)
3. Retrieve emails (work account and hotmail) on the move. Guess its important to have office software and some PDF software.
4. Web Browsing (Opera)
5. Camera and Camcorder
6. Occasional Facebook uploads of photos (re: new years eve drunken photos)
7. Sometimes access messenger (live) msn
8. I have a Skype account (not ever used it on the phone)
9. Occasionally run the odd game or you tube to waste time
10. Have never bothered to put music on the phone, but would be good when I run once a week to listen to some decent tunes or radio.
I have briefly looked around the site (well done) and see a multitude of options for things I never really knew I could do on the phone. (For reference I had one of the old PSP 1.5v which I continually played around with to update (flash rom) to use homebrew applications - so can follow instructions quite well)
So here are my questions...
In an ideal world, what would you suggest would be the best course of action for the phone and why? I guess this should cover os/radio/software etc. I have no preferences.
Any issues to consider with Voda UK? - (this is my phone with a company sim, and its out of warranty)
I have looked around for a thread similar to this, as I wouldn't have posted if there was one. If there is one, please point me to it.
Wifey has an Iphone (dont ask) so I wouldnt mind having an all singing all dancing HTC HD2 to dazzle any Iphone owners with its brilliance.
Oh, and I am all for donating beer monies for those that can give me the best answers I seek
Cheers
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
New knowledge to me. Thank you ... (sorry... should hit the thanks button...)
Foxmanuk said:
Spot on drewden123. I am looking for something different than 6.5 (as been on this almost 17 months now). I think I will go down the dual boot route, (WP7 and Android) just getting myself a larger micro SD card to handle it. (as noted I will follow the partition instructions using a 16gb card)
I already know that WP7 will probably do my nut if it causes battery issues (this is the only bad thing I have to say about the whole phone since I had it), but I wont know until I try it.
I guess I will finally end back on a likely 6.5 /Android dual boot.
Just wanted to know if people thought I should not even try WP7 considering the need for activation being a slight pain vs what WP7 actually delivers on this phone.
Thanks for all input so far.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, fwiw I do not have that much of a battery drain on WP7, and most ROMs have a bug/fix where if you go into camera, switch it to camcorder, then switch back the battery drain is fixed. Also, activation is a breeze if you do it over MS chat (say you're from US though, I think). The good thing about having the dual boot is that WP7 is only going to improve and get more modern from here. If you dual boot with WM6.5 the OS gets more and more stagnant and outdated. We should be getting Mango sometime in the coming months and I think DFT will have a way where you can actually update your phone directly from Zune like it's an HD7. And, of course, you can always keep a nice CM7 or MIUI for your Android boot option. Maybe I'm just so dazzled by having both the awesome UI of WP7 and the power of CM7 that I think it's the best way to go, but it all comes down to personal preference. If you need the features of WM6.5 go for it. But, WP7, like I said, is just getting better and better, and the only difference from NAND Android and SD is that you don't get clockworkmod. With WP7 and Android you can basically have an HD7 and an EVO in one device.
Thanks for all the help on this thread. I have successfully dual booted WP7 and SD Android on first attempt.
For fellow newbies out there, read, read, read, and then take things slow.
I made sure I knew as much as I could and things went through easily.
WP7 was a 3 min job over MS chat. All working well.
Just getting used to both OS. Think I will use WP7 at work, and Android later in the day. I will post back about practicalities of having both as dual boot options.
I can see already there are a few things I need to get used to on both OS.
As many of you have likely already seen, the Nook Color is available for 179.99 today only (factory refurbished) at http://1saleaday.com/
I've been looking into getting a tablet lately, mostly for play - things like games, reading, and netflix. It seems like the Nook is a great "bang for the buck", and the devs have done some amazing work on it. I have a few questions before I take the dive though...
1. Battery Life.
How is the battery life while watching Netflix? While watching a movie on the SD-Card (let's assume 720P encoding). I notice that the Nook is rated at 8-10 hours with WiFi off, does that mean Wifi kills the battery, or just shaves off an hour or two?
2. Speed.
I understand that the Nook wasn't supposed to be a full fledged tablet, but the Devs have gotten some great ROMs for it that make it so. How is the speed? I want to make sure I'd use the tab over my phone when I'm at home, but my phone is actually quite fast (Atrix 4G, rooted, unlocked, running Alien2 with the OC kernel). Videos of the Nook with CM7 making it look very smooth with everything which is a huge plus (MotoBlur sucks, all animations on my phone are clunky... waiting for CM7 which is in alpha right now).
3. Gaming
I use my phone for moderate gaming, but it kinda sucks. I think that this will be my main focus on the Nook. Using emulators on my Atrix is a lesson a patience... The touch screen times out after 30 seconds of a finger being on the screen, so in games where you have to hold buttons a while, the screen becomes non-responsive. Because my phone's screen is small, it also makes playing a lot of emulators difficult as the buttons are on the screen itself. How do emulators run on the Nook? It looks like games from the market run just fine, which is great.
4. Shared Google account
My google account is tied into my phone right now, if I use the same account on the Nook, will I be able to install all of the same apps / games off of the market automatically?
5. Text Messaging
The Nook is Wifi only, so I know that Gtalk will work. What about SMS style messaging? Is there an app (or native in a ROM) ability to send / recieve text messages from the Nook while its on? This would make it so that I don't have to switch between devices at home in order to play games / watch a movie / whatever and talk to my phones.
Lastly.. what do you use your Tablet for? I know that I will play with this thing non-stop for a while, since its a new "toy". But other than running "old school" console games for a while (and Heroes of Might and Magic), I'm not sure what else I'd use the Tablet for considering that I own a very high end PC for gaming / programming, a MacBook Pro which sits on the coffee table in the TV room, an XboX for netflix streaming to the TV, and my much loved Atrix. I know that the tablet will be awesome while I'm playing with it and flashing ROMs, but from the experience of others... is it a passing fad for fun, or do you get a ton of use out of your tablet? If so, what do you use it for?
Any comments / questions are greatly appreciated. I've been looking into this for a few days, but now I'm on a time limit to buy the Nook on sale today, or wait for the next sale of a tablet.
DK
1) Battery life is amazing with the newer releases of CM7. I'm running 7.1 RC and left the wifi on when I finished charging it. After 24 hours in sleep I was only down 5%. After an hour use to update apps, browse online, etc, I was only down a few more percent.
2) Speed is great and just seems to get better with releases. Most people clock theirs to 1200 or 1300 (stock is 800) and run it daily like that. There is a lot of room to adjust for what you need/want.
3) I don't do a whole lot of gaming, but running something like Pocket Legends isn't a problem. I know some people are able to get Honeycomb only games running without problems. I think some require Tegra 2, so it shows how well this little thing performs.
4) Yes google account is shared. You purchase an app for your account and you can download it to both devices. The new market is device aware, so you may be able to purcahse and download to your phone, but not the Nook (if, for example, the app requires GPS), but there are ways around this.
5) I know SMS can be done, but I've never done it. Can't help here.
I love this little thing. For the price I don't see how you can pass it up. I use it for a little of everything: media, web, email. Probably the most use for me is having a nice little device to carry around documentation for work when I need to reference it.
If you have the money, thought about getting a tablet, and can do without camera, cell connection, it is definitely a great device to have.
I already have a NC but I went ahead an ordered one for the wife. She is a little jealous of mine so I figured why not for the price.
I use google voice to sms (can't call though without network), if you don't have a google voice account already, you can set it up, and connect it to your own phone number.
Hi guys,
I recently got the TPT 3G 64GB and was pretty happy except for the occasional lag. But it was bearable. Also, I found that widgets slows it down a bit, so I got rid of most of them.
Then I got the Transcend 32GB Class 10 SDHC card to expand the memory. I put all my photos in there which is around 20GB. Then I suddenly found the TPT to be really laggy all the time. I couldn't figure it out. I thought it was beacause of some apps I installed. But nothing helped. Then I just removed the SD card from my TPT and did a reboot. Immediately I saw the difference!! It's back to its normal speed.
This is very alarming. Does anyone have any idea why this is happening? This is not normal, right?
- Surja
Try adw ex launcher ....
Sent from my HTC EVO 3D X515a using XDA App
maek_it_happen said:
Try adw ex launcher ....
Sent from my HTC EVO 3D X515a using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I thought there was a problem with the native launcher, but I would like ta have a better understanding before switching to adw.
Could you tell me more about what is happening ?
Thanks
Just try any other launcher
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Android_Launchers
Zeam has a reputation for being clean (very essential), fast, and good on older phones.
you also may want to try:
1. a physically different card, perhaps a much smaller one to see if that makes a difference
2. a card you have formatted in the machine you intend to use it primarily
3. if you create a Linux Ubuntu boot CD and load up GParted (I'ts a bit to get into, but once you're in, you're in, and it's so incredibly handy) you can inspect and create partitions with whatever format you like. I don't, but could in a pinch use Ubuntu as a daily driver for a PC/laptop, so if my Windows dies, I have a slower, but free backup plan.
4. take a flashlight and a magnifying glass and check to make sure the pins that connect to the card look absolutely tidy. They're fragile, and if something's .1mm off, it could, on the outside chance, confuse things just enough to slow things down a lot rather than stopping things entirely.
5. Call Lenovo. It's your civic duty to report a problem. They may already have a fix, they may just escalate pursuing a fix they've gotten some/not enough calls on, or they may blow you off but you know & have record that you alerted them if there ends up being a class action lawsuit or whatever. It's just the smart and upstanding way to go.
6. Try the card that's giving you problems in a store model if you can find one. See if it does the same thing.
HTH
I have a MotoACTV that I love as a watch, but I want the same software on my little Huawei U8150 phone.
Its a cute little thing with a 2.8" screen and an microSD slot, but only bluetooth 2.1 with a2dp and no Ant capabilities.I dont use it as a phone, so if the phine doesnt work, ok. It will be more of a giant MotoACTV in my pocket.
Im going to just start installing what looks like relevent apks from the cleardroid rom zip and see what I get, but Im wondering if someone can provide some feedback on a more targeted approach to getting this done.
Thanks
I'm confused. You want to use the original motoactv software (like the launcher and running apps) on your other phone? I have a feeling it'll be reeeally hard to get it to work properly, if at all.
Not to mention most of us with Motactv's try to make them function more like a standard Android phone, not the other way around =P
That's exactly what I want to do. I like the Motoactv but because of the battery life is useless to me for long hikes or for camping when charging can be a problem. The fact is, the autopause feature in the Motoactv is what I'm after most. It's the only one that actually works! I'm working on making my little U8150 give me the features of the Motoactv and still be able to switch batteries as needed. The Motoactv will likely become my dedicated bicycle computer and watch, and the U8150 will be my "everything else exercise related" device. And I will have a camera to take quick pics with on my hikes and runs. And then I get to leave my Note 2 safe at home. If I take a fall with that thing in my pocket or on my arm, I think I'll be sick!
I dropped all the seemingly relevant apks into the apps folder and rebooted, and it just bootlooped. Also I tried manually installing the apks and most wouldn't even install. So, I'm at the end of my meager skills and will plug away at the makeshift U8150 Motoactv, going that Motorola will give me the Motoactv 2 I want soon.
What? A guy can dream!
Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk 2
Hi, I'm really sorry if this is considered cross posting, but I'm starting to get desperate here and really need help. I'm on a deadline and running out of time, I need to figure this out somehow and have been bashing away for almost 24 hours now.
My question is in this thread - and is the last post.
I am actively online and working on this. I'm starting to consider just reverting to stock from the recovery partition and then building everything from scratch, but if I can avoid that time vampire I would like to. Does anyone know what's going on, have some ideas, or anything?
Next step, I'm going to try the 1Gb 5Gb repartition that Dean originally developed. Though with my Nook broken already and my inability to restore it to a working state despite having a ton of perfectly fine Nan backups, I have doubts as to whether anything will change there.
I'll monitor both threads. Thanks in advance for any guidance/help.
Edit: Still plugging away, last steps mentioned above didn't work. Next steps: I'm reading Leaping Lar's partition fix thread and getting some ideas. am going to try:
Flash Partition > Boot to CWR
Format > Flash to CWR
Flash Dizzy Den's signed 4.1 zip > Boot to CWR
Flash my Registered Nan backup of Stock 4.1. > Boot to MMC, get a look around
I think I already did this, but left out the last step. Might work as it should restore my registration data instead of starting me from an unregistered account. If it seems worth trying at that stage, I will then flash my registered Nan of 1.4.2 and get a look at that.
Speculation: I just realized, I've been trying to restore a backup of a rooted 1.4.2 over an unregistered 1.4.1 - which is what I keep getting reverted to. I don't know if that matters, but my hope is if I flash my registered backup over what I'm reverted to, then build up to registered 1.4.2, that will help things... We'll see.
Failing all of this, I will try Leapin' Lar's partition repair.
I have finished reading the Partition thread I linked to above (where my original post is) and found that one other person reported my issue, almost to the T. His/Her user name is Blondie. Blondie seems to have quit without a fix, or if ever got a fix it was never posted. It was quite some time ago, but if any of those who helped him/her can remember if there was a fix would you let me know what it was?
Screw the original nook firmware. Go install CM7 Mirage ROM.
Rooting a stock nook is pointless. CM7 is better, faster, more efficient than stock and it comes rooted by default.
Now that your serial number is probably gone or corrupted in the /rom partition, you most likely cannot register your nook with the B&N servers, and that is probably why you can't install apps.
If you need a complete partition table wipe, follow this guide. http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1759558
Next time you decide to mess around, be sure you backup your ROM and factory partition before doing anything.
sagirfahmid3 said:
Screw the original nook firmware. Go install CM7 Mirage ROM.
Rooting a stock nook is pointless. CM7 is better, faster, more efficient than stock and it comes rooted by default.
Now that your serial number is probably gone or corrupted in the /rom partition, you most likely cannot register your nook with the B&N servers, and that is probably why you can't install apps.
If you need a complete partition table wipe, follow this guide. http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1759558
Next time you decide to mess around, be sure you backup your ROM and factory partition before doing anything.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I do have backups of everything. As I said above, they aren't wholly functional.
I never said I was completely unable to install apps, or that I couldn't register with B&N. I can register fine, and in some scenarios I can indeed download my apps just fine, just not if I try and restore a MN Nan backup. That is not because of a missing SN but because of a registration issue that can be caused by the MN process - otherwise I would not be able to download them at all in any scenario.
Also, if you know the MN process you know my factory partition is intact. Perhaps the partitioning messed with it a little, I'm not sure - but nowhere did I say I have yet tried to reset to stock from the factory partition, so we have no real way of knowing yet.
I understand that my OP is starting to get tl;dr because I don't want to double-post, but actually reading what has been done so far and reading the post at the original thread I linked to might be more useful in trying to give people advice. A little less snark would be useful too, I am not a n00b at this by a long shot and talking down to people tends to get hackles up instead of being productive - especially when you clearly haven't read their thread - as an example, if you had read it, you would have seen I already know about Leapin' Lar's partition fix and it's one of the next things I plan to try..
On the other hand, I may take your suggestion about installing CM7 Mirage. Honestly, I had my reasons for not doing that in the past, but those reasons are largely moot today. I will get a look at the thread. Thank you for the suggestion.
You're right, I apologize for not reading thoroughly. I had a derp moment.
No worries Sagirfahmid, I owe you an apology too. I'm sorry to have jumped on you, I am a little bit... stressed, and tired. Not that it's any great excuse. I need to take my own advice about talking to people. Sorry.
And fwiw, I believe you are right and the original partition did mess with the factory partitions, I've just been avoiding facing it. I really ought to get off the fence and run the repair and then follow Dean's guide to using fdisk on the emmc, but I'm getting OCD about trying every other thing first - even down to considering a flat reset to factory and rebuild from scratch. Stupid, I know.
Thing is, there is at least one other person out there who had this exact problem, and it didn't sound like her issue ended up being a corrupt partition as the partition repair didn't help her. Unless it was too corrupted. I know there were a lot of people running the same system as me, and it was very stable. Someone besides me and one other person has to know what this is and how to deal with it. That's what I'm hoping anyway. LOL
And seriously, thank you again for the reminder that there are other options out there that might better suit me now. The more I read the more I think if I can just reset the darned thing to a fully working state, I may well just do an SD CM10... or should I just stick with Mirage? Is there an advantage to Mirage over 10.2?
Yes definitely. It's faster--that's the most obvious advantage. (I disabled all the fancy animations and removed a lot of useless system apps like the phone, contacts, calendar, camera, and GPS app via adb).
Also, CM7 Mirage has USB host mode, so if you get a male microUSB to female standard USB port, it is very possible to use a keyboard or mouse, or a flashdrive or harddrive (if you get a powered hub). AFAIK, the max current it can supply without a powered hub is 100mA (enough for a flashdrive or keyboard/mouse that isn't too fancy--skip the ones with LEDs; each LED uses around 15mA).
Oh yeah, CM10 runs in phone UI (there's an extra bar on top taking up space).
In CM7, there's only 1 bar, so you have a bigger area on the screen. Of course, there is a patch to get CM10 into tablet mode, but I don't like all the hassle.
On CM7, you can overclock the CPU to 1.2GHz, but on CM10, it's limited to 1.1GHz AFAIK.
=====================================================
Right now, I'm hoping to get Debian ARM natively installed on the Nook Color. I've been making progress thanks to the devs and users here. Android is still required, but it will be on top (instead of the other way around, which is Android on top and Debian chrooted). SInce they'll be using the same kernel, I think I can get Debian to use the Nook Color's USB port to connect devices like printers or scanners (that would be so awesome...).
If you're interested in running full blown Debian on the NC, and assuming that you are able to fix yours, you can check out this thread: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2422518
Solved
Sorry for the double post. Need to separate this from the wall o text above. Problem is solved and since I never did find a spelled out definite answer while I was reading the last 2 days, I want to post it here where someone who might be looking in the future might easily find it.
To reiterate the problem concisely for those who don't have time for the diatribe above:
My device is a Green dot Nook Color:
* Running a stable Manual Nooter 5.08.20 over a Stock B&N 1.4.2 ROM, and using > This < method to block OTA Updates - basically use a SQLite Editor for Andriod to modify the fota mode in the nook's registry.
I recently started getting the Low Memory message asking me to please archive some of my apps to SD. Am about to go on a long trip abroad and I not only needed what apps I had but also need a couple more. Solution: Repartition the Data and Media partitions.
Full backups: have a whole slew of backed up NC B&N Update zips, Flashable updates created by several awesome people here, and step-by step Nan Backups of every single time I have re-rooted my device after a B&N Update - signed and registered stock configs, roots and final images, and finally a whole store of dated backups of my Tibu backups off of my SD card.
So, I repartition following steps exactly.
* At first reboot, CWR freezes on load. This makes me thing something went horribly wrong.
* Reboot again, everything seems to Format fine, reboot into Nook
* Unlike most people, my nook has reverted to an unregistered stock 1.4.1, no root.
* Flash my latest Nan-backup of my rooted NC, doesn't take properly and B&N is a mess because (duh) I didn't register it before flashing - But I shouldn't have needed to because all of those settings were in my Nan Backup. Okayyyy... weird.
* Flash back to a Registered stock NC nan backup of 1.4.2 since that was the last version I used. I was able to DL books and read them, and could DL apps - but my apps couldn't install at all and there were a couple of new B&N Apps that were stuck in a DL/Install loop too. Hm.
* Flash an earlier root Nan over that. Now my Nook can't download anything, I get an error message that it cannot execute. Lovely.
* Bash around in this fashion trying to make it work, occasionally trying different partition schemes in the process, while reading every thread I can find on the subject of what issues I'm having.
I begin to suspect that my partitions might be all messed up, especially considering the original freeze from CWR, but have no real way to check that and don't want to give up, so I post in the instruction thread and later here to see if anyone has any guidance or knows what this is.
A whole slew of people have endorsed this method and had no problems.
A few people had some problems, but only one user has reported exactly my problem off of the exact build I was running, no less. (1st link is that user's first post and 2nd is the page where her posts begin). However, that thread ended with no real answer - or so I thought.
At once point before the issue ended with no further response from the poster with the issues, Leapinlar (who had been assisting her, or at least trying to) tells her that if his Partition Repair didn't solve anything, then it likely wasn't the problem. If she cannot get her B&N Apps to DL & Install, then it's most likely the version of the B&N Stock that she is on and she needs to flash to the most recent - he even points her to a signed CWR Flashable one that he created for 1.4.3. She argues that can't be the issue - and I get that, because the apps installed and worked before in 1.4.1 right? So why all of a not now simply because she's back on 1.4.1 again?
I don't know why B&N would have made it so that you can't install any older apps on your device even though they installed on older ROM versions, forcing people to move up to 1.4.3, but it appears to me that this is exactly the case and Leapinlar is once again correct.
Took me a long time to internalize that and have it click. After running his Partition Repair with the same results as her, I left it on a registered 1.4.1 Stock, put the NC down and stepped away for a while to do other things. when I came back I was fixated on what Leapinlar said about flashing to a newer version of B&N Stock. So I did. And when that didn't really fix it I flashed up to the next ans last version, 1.4.3.
Hallelujah, problem solved!
For my own apps to download, I had to wait for a couple of new ones sent to Nooks from B&N for version 1.4.3 to download and install - and they were not able to do that on earlier versions. I propose that their inability to install was what was blocking my other apps. but it could be that the others were also made version specific once B&N stopped making NCs in favor of HD's and the Tablet, and released the final update.
Regardless, that is the final answer. If you are on MN and repartition, and then find when you boot you are taken to unregistered stock, and upon registering you can access your books but your apps will not install after downloading and you have a couple of new ones that seem stuck at dlownload and install, all you need to do is Update your NC to the final release, 1.4.3, and the re-root. I think you will need to re-root from scratch, unless maybe your last root backup was from 1.4.3 - which mine was not.
Next dilemma: Stick with root or start running a CM ROM from SD...
I'm a cheapskate, that's the truth. I am a geek, I want to do **** with my devices and I don't care if I end up bricking them so long as there are ways to recover. I also care about my privacy. I don't stick with the stock firmware because:
1. B&N wants you to REGISTER with your CREDIT CARD to be able to actually USE the Nook Color. Why the hell?
2. B&N possibly has BACK DOORS to your Nook Color. They might DRM lock apps or something. They can obviously force updates onto their users unless they root. They might also decide it's time to brick your tablet if they wanted, so you would go buy another one (yes, this is more of a conspiracy theory, but hey, if they can force updates, they surely can also do this).
3. B&N's custom Android is crippled unless you root. You can't use the 5GBs of space. Why the hell not?
etc etc...there are more reasons I don't stick with any stock firmware, be it for a tablet or phone.
(I use Debian on my computer most of the time now because Windows is a piece of crap. You can't do whatever you want on it, except game. Did I mention the useless startup services and apps you need, especially antivirus, for Windows to function without worries of getting a keylogger or some nasty virus? Valve has made Steam for Linux very usable, and I rarely use Windows for gaming now. Linux is tons faster, and I can do almost anything on it).
Have you ever used a T-Mobile smartphone? the apps that come installed are numerous! It makes me want to puke every time I use a stock Android phone from a phone company. I like and want my devices to only contain the apps I want. That means NO BACKDOORS, NO FISHY BACKGROUND PROCESSES, NO **** APPS, NO RESTRICTIONS.
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Backup the documents and whatever you have on your B&N firmware. Install CM7.2 Mirage onto INTERNAL SD card.
Stop being a wuss :silly: and start enjoying a better Android experience.
sagirfahmid3 said:
I'm a cheapskate, that's the truth. I am a geek, I want to do **** with my devices and I don't care if I end up bricking them so long as there are ways to recover. I also care about my privacy. I don't stick with the stock firmware because....
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I completely understand! I have many of the same concerns and make workarounds and otherwise try to frustrate the usual 'Big Brother' tactic that are becoming so prevalent. I don't think you've gone into the realm of conspiracy theory at all, what you're talking about is a long term goal I think. Think of the marketing and capital profit possibilities of that kind of control over a still largely unregulated market - 'largely unregulated' because the technologies and the possibilities they allow are evolving so quickly.
I also am a 'computer geek', prefer control of my own devices and am very strict about personal security. So then why does B&N have my personal data? Largely because they had it far earlier than there was ever a blip on the tech radar of 'e-readers'. I'm also incredibly bookish and there haven't been a whole lot of B&N in my region, but I prefer their company as a book retailer, so I was a member that had begun ordering from them online as soon as they had a website to order from. So, it wasn't a huge loss for me to keep the stock and use it as intended. here are some things about this that do grate with me, yes, but they wouldn't have lost my data history anyway, so wth, I might as well get a really elegant e-reader interface from a company I mostly like and support. This is definitely not a situation that applies for everyone, I know.
I use windows on a secondary boot partition and funnily enough, largely for gaming. I also use it on a work laptop because I have to. I run Suse most of the time, myself.
As far as DRM, it' something we need to fight in the courts and through making our own backups for experimentation, and that's all I can really say.
When I bought my NC over two years ago, tablets were still pretty uncommon and e-ink readers all the rage. I splurged on this even though I was still using a flip phone because I felt it would serve multi needs well:
a) The need for an e-reader (I travel at least 1ce a year and I read a lot while traveling. Books are HEAVY! and I'm getting oilder...)
b) The desire for an e-reader that could read color and comics - so I could DL comics and fan creations and manga as well as books on the same device - and one that isn't an Apple (I dislike Apple as much as I dislike MS).
c) The desire to have a good interface in a size that is more readable than most phones on the market, to surf the web on or read the above during my long commutes.
d) The desire to have all of the above in one item that would also not tie me to a single seller - in other words I also wanted to run the Kindle App and Google books.
At the time, Kindle Fire had not been released and the next best machine (actually, tied as of the time I bought this nook) was an iPad. Other tablets out there were more expensive and glitchy and without that quality - some didn't even expect to ever update their android ROM. There was nothing on the market close to the NC in that price range - and I knew I could root it or otherwise replace the original ROM if I didn't like it, to do what I wanted, and essentially never brick it!
I chose MN over CM or Nightlies because I didn't have to mess with the factory partition at all or ever worry about replacing it, and it let me use my nook directly from system in a two-sided boot that had a tablet on one end and a Nook on the other. Very neat. I got the 3 yr warranty when I bought it because at that time they stated that you could return the NC within that time for a lower price on the next new thing. I plan to use that, so I wanted the original factory partition intact.
There are only two things today that would keep me from running a CM install or SD right now. The most important of those two is Battery Life.
The trip I'm about to go on is to India from the east coast of the US. We'll be gone about a month and my NC/Rooted or flashed tablet will be my ONLY mobile device. I need something stable, and that if I am not already familiar with it will be fairly intuitive, and most important - Good Battery Life. As far as I know, the CM ROMs for NC are energy hogs - is that still the case? We will have a lot of devices to try and keep charged, one plug adapter, and the NC will have a central role in our keeping in touch with family and friends. We we go for a day without a charge but with about 8 hours of use including wifi time on a MN root, I know I will still have enough charge the next day till we get to the next location where we can try and charge everything.
My other concern is more about running apps and what apps will work with the setup I'm planning - which I already know would work on my NC had I not hit the "Low Memory" wall and started all of this.
I am still interested in running CM, can you point me to info on these? For the second, I need to link to Canon Image Gateway wirelessly and also a Bloggie. I love that CM7 can run a USB interface! That's a huge advantage that I could use!
Even if I don't use it for this trip, I may change it when I get back to a CM7 sd boot to play with till I'm used to it. Also, I am rooting a NC for a Niece before I leave, and I think I'm going to change tactics and put CM on it instead.
As to smartphones... LOL. I still have a pay-as-you-go flip phone, wanna talk about being cheap and having security paranoia? XD Seriously, I spend a lot on my computers - which I prefer to build - and spent a lot on my tablet back when I bought it and when I replace it will consider carefully and spend on that again. =) Smartphones? I will get one eventually, it's a matter of time, but I'm holding out as long as I can. LOL
...I need something stable, and that if I am not already familiar with it will be fairly intuitive, and most important - Good Battery Life. As far as I know, the CM ROMs for NC are energy hogs - is that still the case?
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Nah, CM ROMs have great battery life these days. I get 10 hours on my Nook Tablet (CM10, 4700mAH battery AFAIK); 8 hours on my Nook Color (CM7, 4000mAH battery. Obviously, it's going to have a slightly lower battery life). Also, keep in mind the li-ion battery is almost a year older than the Nook Tablet, so it has a decreased charge capacity. Li-ion's have a lifespan of 3 to 5 years--after than, you're gonna get crappy runtime on battery. Good news is li-ions are very recycle-able and non-toxic. I think most major electronics stores accept li-ions for free.
The only issue with stability is that, if you have wi-fi set to "always on" in CM7, sometimes you'll get a SOD (screen of death) after an extended period of sleep. Basically, your screen will fail to turn on--you must force power off and restart the NC. The guaranteed workaround is to set the wi-fi setting to "only when screen is on." You can safely overclock your CPU to 1GHz (+200MHz past stock 800MHz) guaranteed, and 1.2GHz almost guaranteed (I have mine at 1.2GHz, no freezes or crashes at all, and I run Debian chrooted in it currently, which takes a lot of power).
My other concern is more about running apps and what apps will work with the setup I'm planning - which I already know would work on my NC had I not hit the "Low Memory" wall and started all of this.
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All CM builds can transfer apps' storage location to the external microSD if you wish. I have all my games and non-essential apps on my 32GB class 10 microSD, both on my NC and NT. Again, don't forget, the CM7 build for NC has USB host mode (so if you were really crazy, you could possibly plug in a 3TB+ mechanical harddrive, with a powered hub of course). Don't forget, the Nook Color also has bluetooth (which isn't there on B&N software). I have successfully transferred files between my netbook and my NC via bluetooth (but you have to be within 1 to 2 feet distance lol, unless you tear apart the NC and mod an antenna or something). You can also use an external bluetooth GPS receiver and bluetooth headset. Go look on the NC accessories thread if interested.
Even if I don't use it for this trip, I may change it when I get back to a CM7 sd boot to play with till I'm used to it. Also, I am rooting a NC for a Niece before I leave, and I think I'm going to change tactics and put CM on it instead.
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Good idea. Install CM7 on your niece's NC (INTERNALLY :silly: ) and see how you like it. I guarantee you'll like it, and so will she. Since you messed with the partitions, I would suggest you visit the CM7.2 Mirage thread and post if the changes in partition sizes should make any problems with flashing.
Thank you for all this great info! I had read about the SOD issue, but I usually keep my wifi off when not using it, so I'm not too worried about that - it helps battery life some too. Interesting, I hadn't realized lion batts had that limited a lifespan. I haven't noticed a whole lot of change in my own NC's life, but to be honest I haven't looked either. I should.
Regardless, great to know CM is better at battery life.
sagirfahmid3 said:
I have all my games and non-essential apps on my 32GB class 10 microSD, both on my NC and NT.
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Actually, that brings up the issue of class 2 vs class 10 cards and stability. There are a few threads that have benchmarked SD cards for running CM ROMS and have found the best and most stable - especially for large cards - is a 16 Gb Cl2 SanDisk... it looked by recent discussions that this is still the case, have you noticed this at all? My card is also Cl10, and as of now I think I would want to run CM off of an SD, at least until I'm used to it.
Turns out I didn't mess with my partitions after all. Gotta love computer systems! LOL Turns out the issue was version of stock I was running, and only that. I re-registered, updated to 4.3 stock and all is fine. You would think I would learn one day to read, step away and consider, instead of banging my head against a wall repeatedly. I should have figured it out much sooner, Leapinlar basically spelled it out for the other member who had this problem. And it completely explains the issues I had too. I may end up messing with them correctly again though.
I did not know the NC ended up having a blue tooth after all! I remember the speculation but the teardowns had only begun then and I never followed up on them. Now that IS interesting!
My Niece's on the other hand does have a corrupted partition, but from something she did to it. I think I will flash CM to the emmc, nice idea!