Database Users

[Q] CM 7 and MIUI (official vs unofficial) + Flash Question

Hello all,
I'm posting this thread because I'm getting a little confused after all this reading. Basically, I just need some confirmations.
Lately I've been reading a lot on CM7 and CM9 but now I'm also starting to get interested in MIUI.
I've come across:
WIUI
MIUI Pikachu edition
MIUIandroid.com
Motorola Defy MIUI.us
I underlined my 4 questions for your convenience.
So I have some Questions on Custom ROMS
As you can see, I've looked for an official MIUI build for the Defy but I can't seem to find an official MIUI build. These listed above are all 'edited' by someone.
Could someone explain what i'm (probably) overlooking? Is there an official MIUI?
At the moment WIUI and Pikachu edition look very nice.
I currently have a Bayer (aka red lense) Defy (MB525)
stock android 2.2.2 on 2.6.32.9 kernel.
Systemversion: Version.34.164.3.MB525.Retail.en.FR.
Build number: 3.4.2-164
Which means I have a Froyo/Defy/'CM7' Kernel
CM7 and MIUI(GB) are all meant to be flashed on this Froyo/Defy/CM7 kernel, am I correct?
I find the '(GB)' with MIUI rather confusing, it's android 2.3.x but it's running Froyo kernel/Defy/CM7 kernel and not a GB/Defy+/CM9 kernel.
Now, the flashing
If I decide to flash a custom ROM: CM7.2 or a version of (GB) MIUI:
Can I just flash MIUI or CM7.2 RC1 on my current build or do I need to flash CEE or Nordic 2.2.2 first? I prefer not to lose my downgradeability.
I assume a flash from my current build to CEE or Nordic via RSDlite will result in an efuse so I can't flash my full 34.164.3.MB525.Retail.en.FR SBF anymore, or am I mistaken?
I currently have a full SBF of my original stock ROM, just in case.
Kind Regards, Config.

configuration said:
Hello all,
I'm posting this thread because I'm getting a little confused after all this reading. Basically, I just need some confirmations.
Lately I've been reading a lot on CM7 and CM9 but now I'm also starting to get interested in MIUI.
I've come across:
WIUI
MIUI Pikachu edition
MIUIandroid.com
Motorola Defy MIUI.us
I underlined my 4 questions for your convenience.
So I have some Questions on Custom ROMS
As you can see, I've looked for an official MIUI build for the Defy but I can't seem to find an official MIUI build. These listed above are all 'edited' by someone.
Could someone explain what i'm (probably) overlooking? Is there an official MIUI?
At the moment WIUI and Pikachu edition look very nice.
I currently have a Bayer (aka red lense) Defy (MB525)
stock android 2.2.2 on 2.6.32.9 kernel.
Systemversion: Version.34.164.3.MB525.Retail.en.FR.
Build number: 3.4.2-164
Which means I have a Froyo/Defy/'CM7' Kernel
CM7 and MIUI(GB) are all meant to be flashed on this Froyo/Defy/CM7 kernel, am I correct?
I find the '(GB)' with MIUI rather confusing, it's android 2.3.x but it's running Froyo kernel/Defy/CM7 kernel and not a GB/Defy+/CM9 kernel.
Now, the flashing
If I decide to flash a custom ROM: CM7.2 or a version of (GB) MIUI:
Can I just flash MIUI or CM7.2 RC1 on my current build or do I need to flash CEE or Nordic 2.2.2 first? I prefer not to lose my downgradeability.
I assume a flash from my current build to CEE or Nordic via RSDlite will result in an efuse so I can't flash my full 34.164.3.MB525.Retail.en.FR SBF anymore, or am I mistaken?
I currently have a full SBF of my original stock ROM, just in case.
Kind Regards, Config.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have a Defy with bayer camera module, all I did for installing custom roms was root, install 2nd init, reboot to boot loader and wipe all data/cache (this is the first step in any of the mentioned ROMs, but please read the respective step-by-step tutorials in case I missed something), and then flashed the desired CM or CM-based (like MIUI) rom
The defy versions all basically run over froyo kernel, as it's the last official kernel released for the device (GB kernels are either leaked or belong to the defy+) , I never flashed a newer one and have tested quite a few MIUI and CM versions, including:
MIUI.us (oficial US MIUI adaptation team)
MIUIandroid.com (British team)
WIUI (Wajk's multilanguage version, and also has an ICS test version, that I also tried)
CM7.1 and Epsylon3's CM9 for Defy (in beta, but more stable than WIUI's ICS for Defy)
I don't actually know if flashing a newer kernel would be any use for these roms, I know defy and defy+ (different kernels) roms are not interchangeable, so I wouln't bother with it unless you are flashing a full sbf rom (in which case I have no experience with)

Persechini said:
TEXT
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks,
If I may ask, What ROM would you personally recommend?
Does anyone know the answer on my 2 last questions?
Config

From the ones I've used for a while, I suggest the official MIUI (gingerbread) if you wan't to be safe and CM9 if you want some ICS sweetness and feel good about dealing with the perks of a beta release. Once we finally have an official (or at least a stable/less buggy alternative) version of ICS MIUI for defy, I'd go with that, definitely

Persechini said:
From the ones I've used for a while, I suggest the official MIUI (gingerbread) if you wan't to be safe and CM9 if you want some ICS sweetness and feel good about dealing with the perks of a beta release. Once we finally have an official (or at least a stable/less buggy alternative) version of ICS MIUI for defy, I'd go with that, definitely
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
With official MIUI, do you mean the US version or the British?

For what i know, official miui is from chinese site miui.com. All others have some modification. More o less, all of them came frome miui's official releases. In my case, wiui is the most stable i been using since long time ago. I'm waiting for stable ics miui too cause there aren't an official rom from miui.com for defy. And the reason for that is because cm9 it's still in beta, and miui is based on cm project. All v4 around for defy are just port from others device's roms and have a lot of bugs, especially mobile data. As we know, motorola made our defy whit a locked bootloader whit froyo kernel in it. For that reason is more easy make a rom froyo kernel based. But isn't the unique option. there's a rom maded by walter 79 whit gb kernel that have excellent results, especially In battery life. Cm9 whit gb kernel too.
One more thing: miui (not v4) and cm7, are both android 2.3.x
Enviado desde mi MB525 usando Tapatalk

configuration said:
With official MIUI, do you mean the US version or the British?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The really official one is the chinese, the others are, as ldiomedi said, translation/adaptation teams. Some apps may be added or removed, but usually nothing you would notice. I settled using the british version because the phone numbers where formatted the same way as in Brasil ((xx)xxxx xxxx) and the brazillian team was lagging behind updates. WIUI gathers language options, but I don't know about other adaptations.

So if I'm correct:
If I would like to use MIUIandroid I have to get the newest build here, the MIUI.US over here and WIUI just at the forums.
My SD card is getting a bit small, it's only 2gig.
So before leaving my stock ROM I would like to switch it.
Are there any extra steps I should do because of the SD-card switching?

You don't need to keep the rom in the sd after installing it, use each one a bit to see which you like better. Install the definite one and then delete the roms from the sd card, you can always redownload if you want to change again latter.

I know I don't have to keep those files on my SD-card.
It's just that 2gb is getting too small to store some photos and files.

I would go for the GB WIUI rom as it has both nl and fr translations. I tried it in the past and the translations were good. It is also optimized for the defy. The others handle many different devices.

labsin said:
I would go for the GB WIUI rom as it has both nl and fr translations. I tried it in the past and the translations were good. It is also optimized for the defy. The others handle many different devices.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nice, I'll try WIUI I guess.
Do you know the answer on the following questions?
configuration said:
If I decide to flash a custom ROM: CM7.2 or a version of (GB) MIUI:
Can I just flash MIUI or CM7.2 RC1 on my current build or do I need to flash CEE or Nordic 2.2.2 first? I prefer not to lose my downgradeability.
I assume a flash from my current build to CEE or Nordic via RSDlite will result in an efuse so I can't flash my full 34.164.3.MB525.Retail.en.FR SBF anymore, or am I mistaken?
I currently have a full SBF of my original stock ROM, just in case.
Kind Regards, Config.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A full SBF with a nandroid backup should do for an 'insurance' I hope.

Changning from cm7.2 to miuiandroid gb rom
Hai memebers,
I want to flash miuiandroid GB rom on my Motorola defy.
Currently i m on CM 7.2 .
Please tel me the correct steps to flash the new rom??
Im confused as almost every post say how to update from stock rom.!

Why FroYo Kernel?

I have one question.
Why use the froyo kernel at all?
Upgrading ALL defy/defy+s to the latest (rootable, 1321 or 139 preferred for simpler root) 2.3.6 GB kernel would simplify rom/kernel development for the devs. Since more and more defy+s are in use they can simply drop development for the froyo kernels and focus on the GB kernel, since now all defys, whether the old one or + would be running 2.3.6. Any current devs (if they want to retain current status) would just have to switch to GB kernel support for their rom once and keep it that way.

Because the SOC module (green lens) is compatible only with the Froyo kernel.
Upgrading to the Gingerbread kernel means that the camera will be unusable for those Defys.
Forgot to add: Having a locked bootloader sucks.
Trimis de pe Defy CM9

So all defys are not equally upgradable to GB (kernel)?
What kinda BS policies are these from Moto? Locked BL they have their reasoning about not wanting users to hard-brick the phones, but what reason to not allow officially updating to GB for ALL defys?

Unfortunately, no, not all Defys can be upgraded to the Gingerbread kernel and still be fully functional (exception being the Greenbread mod). And the devs can't do anything about it because of the locked bootloader.
Regarding Motorola and it's policies - it's all about the money. Outdated phone -> unhappy people -> they buy a new, updated phone -> happy Motorola.
Trimis de pe Defy CM9

Using Froyo makes sense for those, who want to keep the warranty and have to stick to the highest officialy available version. I had to update because CM roms work only with Froyo upwards.

vap_66 said:
Outdated phone -> unhappy people -> they buy a new, updated phone -> happy Motorola.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They buy a new, updated phone from someone else. By keeping the Defy stuck on Froyo they've made a lot of people decide never to buy any product from Motorola again.

that is true. the bl lock stops us from changing kernel.
Sent from my MB525 using xda premium

This means that there is Froyo source, but not the driver source for the green lens ?
At this moment, if I want to improve my Defy (green lens, original Froyo 2.2.2), what firmware is the best?
It should support everything (3G, 2G, HSDPA, WI-FI, camera for both photos and video recordings, GPS, sensors and so on).
I'm a newbie and for me it's a bit confusing to see a mod called, e.g., "[ICS] CM9 Android 4.0.4 for the Defy (Froyo kernel)" (there are others, this is only the first I've found... )
ICS is ICS, Froyo is Froyo.
What I gain and what I loose with an ICS "Froyo Kernel"?
Is it ICS or Froyo painted with ICS dust ?

vap_66 said:
Because the SOC module (green lens) is compatible only with the Froyo kernel.
Upgrading to the Gingerbread kernel means that the camera will be unusable for those Defys.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, I've just upgraded to WIUI 2.4.20 (GB) and now I've GingerBread (2.3.7) full working.
My Defy has a green lens and the camera is working, both for photos and videos.
Have I missed something about the thread?

Are you sure WIUI changed your kernel? ROMs and kernels can play mix'n'match.

Motorola has locked the bootloaders of defy
Thus we can only use motorola signed kernels.
Defy has a froyo kernel and defy plus has GB kernel. Both signed by motorola.
Only these to can be used in custom roms. Even in ics and even in jelly bean (Android 5.0) we will have to use these kernels as long as motorola doesnt unlock the bootloader. Froyo build of ics means ics that runs with froyo kernel. GB kernel works only with red lense cameras of defy and all defy+. So only froyo build will work for green lens defy.

^^
This was exactly why i was confused. Do you mean the green lens Defy cannot be officially upgraded (either OTA or RSDLITE) to GB ? And the red lens Defy can be upgraded to GB?

rogier666 said:
Are you sure WIUI changed your kernel? ROMs and kernels can play mix'n'match.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe you're right...
Android Version 2.3.7
Kernel Version 2.6.32.9-gb08c3c8
But the 2.3.7 version is GingerBread, whilst the 2.6.32 kernel version is Froyo.
So what's the point ?
The mods are always Froyo but with GB features ?

Defy with green lens can be upgraded to gb kernel but many features inculding cam may not work.
The gb kernel was extracted from defy+. As defy+ has only red lens the gb kernels works with defy red lens also.
Fully functional green lens gb kernel will be possible only when defy gets an official gb update (highly unlikely) or when the defy bootloader is unlocked(higly unlikely too).
---------- Post added at 04:05 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:58 PM ----------
defy green lens with gb kernel may end up in a bootloop.
so thread with caution.
Flashing an GB sbf will prevent you from coming back to Froyo(Downgrading).
Always try to flash using CWM to keep downgrading options alive

Are there no "fixed" GB SBFs to keep downgrade options alive?

No defy owner should upgrade to gingerbread kernel by flashing an sbf. Our bootloader can load the gingerbread kernel, the gingerbread bootloader can't load the froyo kernel.
So when you flash the sbf you can ONLY use gingerbread kernel based ROMs from then. Otherwise you can just flash the kernel you want from the recovery.
It would even be wise for defy+ owner with bl5 and 6 to flash the bl6 froyo ROM so that they can use both builds by just flashing the right kernel.
About official gingerbread: they are for the defy+. Officially the defy has no gingerbread ROM. For some countries the defy even stays on eclair. Although it would have cost Motorola 5 min to replace the camera and battery drivers. Only problem is money for Motorola and the operators.
Sent from my MB525 using XDA

[Q] New Defy owner, somewhat lost!

I recently bought a UK Moto Defy (MB525, red lens) from Orange on PAYG. I want to remove the simlock and flash an ICS ROM on the phone, but am very confused as to what I should be doing. I tried to follow the all-in-one beginners guide, but I didn't understand parts of it. From what I understood, if I flash certain ROM versions, I will never be able to flash ROMs of a lower android version, unless if is a 'fixed' SBF - is this correct? And if that's the case, I first need to make a Nandroid backup of my current stock ROM so the new ROM that I want to flash can use the CG31 and CG39 files?
Attached is an image showing the info on my current (stock) ROM.

You have Froyo (2.2), do NOT flash a full SBF. With what you have now you can use almost all the ROMs here.
Trimis de pe Defy CM9

vap_66 said:
You have Froyo (2.2), do NOT flash a full SBF. With what you have now you can use almost all the ROMs here.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Okay, but which kernel version should I choose if I want to install ICS (and also which ICS ROM, Defy or Defy+)?

Since you have a Bayer module (red lens) you can use both kernels. The Defy ROMs are compatible only with the Froyo kernel. The Defy+ ROMs are compatible only with the Gingerbread kernel. Also, that seems to be the recommended kernel (GB) by the other guys (they reported better battery life, better performance in 3D, etc). Not sure here, but you need a battery fix. Better ask around before.
Trimis de pe Defy CM9

So I can safely install a Defy+ GB kernel and ROM on my Defy SB525 (and retain the ability to go back to an earlier ROM version)? If so, does that mean that these CM7 and CM9 ROMs are 'fixed' SBFs?

Anyone...?

You're confusing ROM and SBF. CM7 and CM9 aren't SBFs at all, they're just custom ROMs. The only way you'll lose downgradability is if you flash a higher version full SBF, but you don't need to worry about SBFs if all you want to do is install custom ROMs—you just need to root your phone. However, I don't recommend installing an ICS-based ROM for Defy, as they're experimental and lack things like hardware acceleration.

cm7 and cm9 are not fixed sbf but zip files...
and you will retain downgradibility unless you flash a full sbf through rsd ....
See Youtube channel onestopdefy..
It will help you install cm7 and cm9

Thanks guys! As for ROMs, are there any in particular that you can recommend? Ideally, i'd like to try ICS, but anything that makes full use of the Defy's hardware (i.e. 720p video recording) with good battery life would be good.

If you want something that makes full use of the hardware, the ICS builds aren't the way to go, but you could always try CM9 and revert to another ROM if you don't like it.
I'd recommend you start with CM7.1—it's basically the "standard" custom ROM, because it's the latest most stable and well-supported. If you like it and when you feel like taking the next step, see this thread. You don't typically have to wipe your data to switch between CM ROMs, so it's painless.

CM doesn't have 720p recording... If you want to have 720p I would recommend some modded stock moto rom, like MS2Ginger.
Sent from my MB525 using XDA

Thanks everyone for the help so far, it has really helped to clarify everything.
One last question: Is MS2Ginger an SBF ROM? And if so, if I flash it, will it affect my ability to flash to other ROMs like CM7/CM9?

Every custom rom is a. zip file you can flash from CWM! so basically you can jump from one custom rom to another by going into CWM, make a wipe data/cache and wipe dalwik cache, and install rom as .zip! (you don't even need to wipe data if you want just updating a cm nightly with a newer one.)
You can only lose your downgradeability, if you flash an official sbf from moto with a higher be number !
Sent from my MB526 using XDA

Today I flashed MS2Ginger 3.0 but am having a problem. I need to remove the SIM lock using the softunlock method detailed in the Defy General forum.
My stock defy had the correct baseband version (EPU93_U_00.59.01), but after installing MS2Ginger, the baseband got changed to EPU93_U_00.61 - I ran the Baseband_change(EPU93_U_00.59.01).zip in recovery, which said that the baseband had been changed successfully. I then ran GB_Defy_softunlock_v1.3(EPU_U_00.59.01).zip, which reported that the simlock had been removed. Finally, as per the instructions in the softlock thread, I rebooted once with the standard SIM card, shut down the phone, installed my new SIM card, but still get the sim unlock prompt on startup.
Does anybody know how I can change the baseband version back to the default one in MS2Ginger? I tried posting in the MS2Ginger thread but it requires me to have >10 posts to reply...

Anyone? I just need to know how to change the baseband in MS2Ginger...

Quick question about changelog for Quarx stuff

Hey all,
I have a Defy red lense running quarx's CM9 Defy + Nightlies.
Every now and then I flash a new ROM, having no idea what is new in it.
Does Quarx ever post a changelog for his Defy+ ROMs?
Where?
Cheers!

You could check his commits on github, that way you'll know what progress is being made and what a nightly has different from another. Check here: https://github.com/Quarx2k
Trimis de pe Defy CM9

Ish..
That is a start, but it is relatively inconclusive, as it doesnt say exactly what has changed.
I know that there is a changelog for the Froyo Kernel, as this is on the ICS page, it says it's not updated for GB Kernel.
Maybe I'll PM Quarx and see if he can post me with the changelogs.
Cheers

[Q] Need help choosing ICS rom...

I've been reading, and re-reading, and re-re-reading, and now that I finally have my nexus one working with wifi-calling again (for international use), I'm willing to give up the wifi calling on the defy and go into a non-stock TMobile ROM. Since I did like the ICS roms on the nexus one, I think I'm going to go with one of the new CM9 ones.
Based on what I read, I think I understand a few things, but also have questions:
1) Kernel - It's the software underneath the ROM. Think device drivers. I would assume that since I'm on the latest TMobile ROM for the Defy, I'm on Froyo. I have a red lens (tested with logcat), so the question is: Is there any benefits to upgrading to the GB kernels? If I don't like the ICS/CM9 kernels, will it allow me to run CM7.2 kernels and be happy?
2) Quarx vs Epsylon ROMs. I see all these bug threads, and separate threads. Etc. Etc. What's the difference between them? And will the question from the kernel allow me to enjoy differences between the two builds? There's just way too few/many threads on these ROMs, and I'm confused with which one has which bugs and which one stands where. There seems to be 2 builds for each person's ROMs, but when you go into their download sections, it's also different dates with different "fixes", with different mirrors carrying different versions. And when I'm trying to figure out which one has bugs that I can live with, the bugs are in one consolidated thread, for every combination of kernel/ROM.
So the question is - Where can I get info on the latest pros/cons of each ROM and which kernel is needed to support it?
Anyways, point is, I'm lost. I'm hoping to push off the purchase of a galaxy nexus. I like the Defy. I like how I can treat it like junk but still work. I wish I can do inductive charging on it, but it is what it is.
Help???

Basically both devs each made 2 seperate builds one for red lense defy and one for green lense. They use different camera modules so they need different support. Seeing as you have red lense you should go with those (defy+ roms).
The defy cm9/gb kernel was taken from the defy+ and is needed for the defy+/red lense roms to work. To try the defy/green lense roms you need the cm7/froyo kernel which is from the regular defy.
Cm7 uses the froyo kernel and you can just reflash the froyo kernel if you want to go back to it.
About quarx and epsylon I think quarx supports the red lense better.
If you use quarxs defy+ roms on a reqular defy then you need to flash a battery fix.
Sent from my MB526 using XDA

epsylon and quarx has different camera modules so that they can split the work. merging of this build will most probably be done when stable release of cm9 is released. Quarx has a better working camcoder but his last build for green lens was long back. If u have green lense go for epsylon froyo kernel.

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