[Q] Pros & Cons of bl version - Defy Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

[Q] Pros & Cons of bl version - Defy Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

I have bl4 on my Defy. Is there any pros as to upgrade to later version? I know that there's been debates about downgrading and such, but my question is if there is anything to gain by upgrading bl version. as to performance, stability or such?

No gain for 2ndboot roms (ics>=), with the obvious exception of some problematic bl versions(the lower ones) which have issues booting up. But if your bl version allows you to boot 2ndboot roms, its effect ends there.
It's a different story for stock kernel based roms, because walter79 had posted a bl5 kernel which was known to be one of the better ones (unable to test myself because I have bl7)
Sent from my MB526 using Tapatalk 4

Related

[Q] CG Version of Kernels

Hello everyone. I have some questions about the different Kernels and ROMs running around. All the information is completely scattered throughout the forums, and it became almost impossible to get proper info.
I like to be sure about what I'm doing, and currently, I haven't been able to do much.
FYI, I have searched a lot on the forums, and everytime I find a pertinent info, the discussion mixes up discussions about different roms and kernels, or just assumes I know stuff I do not.
My first question is: How can I get know what is the CG version of a Kernel? Right now I'm running CM 7.2, under Froyo Kernel (used the stock one), and I want to be able to reverse everything I do.
Second question: I know there are lots of different CM versions out there, from Quarx, Epsylon, etc... what are their repositories, and what kernels do they use?
Thank you in advance.

Read this :
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1216982
All the custom rom: CM7, MS2ginger,MIUI... Use froyo kernel
If you want flash GB SBF, use only Nandroid and fixed SBF... Never flash full GB SBF

I have read it, that's what taught me about CG versions, However many ROMs requests a specific kernel, such as CM7 Kernel, Defy+ Kernel, and so on... not sure if I understood if right, but isn't changing the kernel what can change the CG version?
So because of that, I have not messed with anything that requires a different kernel, I have no idea on how to be sure of the CG version of anything

More infos there :
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=966537
All CM7 have CG = 4, CM7/CM9 Defy+ are only for Defy+ user and don't have kernel inside and use the original GB kernel CG = 5 or 6...

Thank you! The first few lines of the link already showed me how to find the CG version, exactly what I wanted!

if i knew, i wouldnt flash a full GB SBF.
now that i did it, what can i do?

narutow said:
if i knew, i wouldnt flash a full GB SBF.
now that i did it, what can i do?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
currently not much I believe. eppsylon3 also got stuck - not able to downgrade again.
perhaps we just have to wait until our devs break the damn bootloader

so we are stuck in this, right?
please devs, HELP US
btw, it stays in motorola logo, a blue led shows, then a green led, then it disappears.
what can I do to make it work again?

[Q] My Defy+ Kernel and BL related questions

Hi, I have questions with my defy+ relating to kernels and Bootloader. I'm not new here but things got really confusing when i changed my defy with defy+. So here are the questions. I've seen many people asking on kernels in ROM threads but nobody give precise answer as far as I know.
There many ROMs for froyo kernel and gingerbread kernel out there but none of them actually say the exact kernel version. What I've found so far is that 2.3.6 cannot be downgraded to froyo kernel. On contrary, there are some posts on downgrading to froyo kernel from gingerbread kernel before flashing the ROM. So can someone explain which kernel versions are considered as froyo kernel and which versions are gb kernels and is it possible to downgrade from gingerbread kernel to froyo kernel as some post said? I know that BL7 cannot be downgraded to BL6 so as long as I have BL6 does it mean that i can flash any kernel and my phone is compatible with ROMs for froyo kernel? ( i know about some issues with battery and camera).
my current kernel version is 2.6.32.9-gbdd614e on android 2.3.4.
I dare not upgrade my defy+ since i bought this. Am I safe to assume that my phone is still with BL6 and can install froyo kernel based ROMs since mine is 2.3.4 is not 2.3.5 or 2.3.6???
Best Regards,

darkcomputer said:
Hi, I have questions with my defy+ relating to kernels and Bootloader. I'm not new here but things got really confusing when i changed my defy with defy+. So here are the questions. I've seen many people asking on kernels in ROM threads but nobody give precise answer as far as I know.
There many ROMs for froyo kernel and gingerbread kernel out there but none of them actually say the exact kernel version. What I've found so far is that 2.3.6 cannot be downgraded to froyo kernel. On contrary, there are some posts on downgrading to froyo kernel from gingerbread kernel before flashing the ROM. So can someone explain which kernel versions are considered as froyo kernel and which versions are gb kernels and is it possible to downgrade from gingerbread kernel to froyo kernel as some post said? I know that BL7 cannot be downgraded to BL6 so as long as I have BL6 does it mean that i can flash any kernel and my phone is compatible with ROMs for froyo kernel? ( i know about some issues with battery and camera).
my current kernel version is 2.6.32.9-gbdd614e on android 2.3.4.
I dare not upgrade my defy+ since i bought this. Am I safe to assume that my phone is still with BL6 and can install froyo kernel based ROMs since mine is 2.3.4 is not 2.3.5 or 2.3.6???
Best Regards,
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Kernels are flashable, interchangable, downgradable, whatever you want to call it.
Now what is generally called the Bootloader or Bootloader version or BL (eg: BL4, BL5, BL6, Bl7) that is something that is affected when you use this software called RSD Lite to flash an "SBF" extension file onto your phone. These files are made by motorola, they are official ROMS as you may know. Now if you flash for example 2.3.6 SBF onto your Defy+ (which is on 2.3.4), they you cannot flash a 2.3.4 or 2.3.5 SBF again, only other 2.3.6 SBF's. This is because one file inside these SBF's has a version number. It is version 4 for Froyo ROMs, 5 for 2.3.4 I believe, 6 or 7 for 2.3.6. Now Versions 4, 5, 6 are okay (5 & 6 for defy+), there are many SBF's for these and they can be rooted to install custom recovery, roms etc. Version 7 has no root method yet.
Now there a few "Fixed SBF's" lying around (I think they are all for Defy only though), these are SBF's where that particular file has been removed so it won't change the version number of the file currently flashed on your phone.
Anyway answering your question even if you flash version 5 or 6, you can still flash a Froyo kernel and later flash a GB kernel. Only thing is that Froyo Kernel may not work too well with your Defy+, ie probably the battery won't charge fully. I think since you have 2.3.4, you are at BL5, not BL6.
So don't confuse Kernels with downgradability. Kernels=flashable safely. SBF's=undowngradable.

tejus.k.v said:
Kernels are flashable, interchangable, downgradable, whatever you want to call it.
Now what is generally called the Bootloader or Bootloader version or BL (eg: BL4, BL5, BL6, Bl7) that is something that is affected when you use this software called RSD Lite to flash an "SBF" extension file onto your phone. These files are made by motorola, they are official ROMS as you may know. Now if you flash for example 2.3.6 SBF onto your Defy+ (which is on 2.3.4), they you cannot flash a 2.3.4 or 2.3.5 SBF again, only other 2.3.6 SBF's. This is because one file inside these SBF's has a version number. It is version 4 for Froyo ROMs, 5 for 2.3.4 I believe, 6 or 7 for 2.3.6. Now Versions 4, 5, 6 are okay (5 & 6 for defy+), there are many SBF's for these and they can be rooted to install custom recovery, roms etc. Version 7 has no root method yet.
Now there a few "Fixed SBF's" lying around (I think they are all for Defy only though), these are SBF's where that particular file has been removed so it won't change the version number of the file currently flashed on your phone.
Anyway answering your question even if you flash version 5 or 6, you can still flash a Froyo kernel and later flash a GB kernel. Only thing is that Froyo Kernel may not work too well with your Defy+, ie probably the battery won't charge fully. I think since you have 2.3.4, you are at BL5, not BL6.
So don't confuse Kernels with downgradability. Kernels=flashable safely. SBF's=undowngradable.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks , that was very informative

Thanks..
tejus.k.v said:
Kernels are flashable, interchangable, downgradable, whatever you want to call it.
Now what is generally called the Bootloader or Bootloader version or BL (eg: BL4, BL5, BL6, Bl7) that is something that is affected when you use this software called RSD Lite to flash an "SBF" extension file onto your phone. These files are made by motorola, they are official ROMS as you may know. Now if you flash for example 2.3.6 SBF onto your Defy+ (which is on 2.3.4), they you cannot flash a 2.3.4 or 2.3.5 SBF again, only other 2.3.6 SBF's. This is because one file inside these SBF's has a version number. It is version 4 for Froyo ROMs, 5 for 2.3.4 I believe, 6 or 7 for 2.3.6. Now Versions 4, 5, 6 are okay (5 & 6 for defy+), there are many SBF's for these and they can be rooted to install custom recovery, roms etc. Version 7 has no root method yet.
Now there a few "Fixed SBF's" lying around (I think they are all for Defy only though), these are SBF's where that particular file has been removed so it won't change the version number of the file currently flashed on your phone.
Anyway answering your question even if you flash version 5 or 6, you can still flash a Froyo kernel and later flash a GB kernel. Only thing is that Froyo Kernel may not work too well with your Defy+, ie probably the battery won't charge fully. I think since you have 2.3.4, you are at BL5, not BL6.
So don't confuse Kernels with downgradability. Kernels=flashable safely. SBF's=undowngradable.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks.. you explained very well and cleared my confusion. I hope this can help new users too..

is there any tool to check my defy's BL version?

Go to download mode, you can find the bl version
kernel depends on the boot loader
So if boot loader is locked, we can't make custom kernels..we cant touch the kernel in any way..
But why does gb kernel work on bootloadr 9 ?..any ideas? Anyway it's modified rite?
Sent from my MB526 using Tapatalk 2

pjgowtham said:
Go to download mode, you can find the bl version
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am not sure how to do that, please explain?
vietales said:
is there any tool to check my defy's BL version?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
@vietales: Did you find out how to check the BL version?

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...

[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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