I mean no offense to any devs, far from it in fact, but the more I learn about the process behind flashing/updating ROMs on Android the more I have to wonder ...
>> why are ROMs typically released as full/complete .zips rather than just a set of deltas from a known good base?
I'll take SuperClean as the example, which I use and adore; again there is no offense implied here. This is, for the most part, a deodexed stock EB01 ROM with a bunch of files removed and a bunch of files added/replaced, right? Something that one could do by oneself by adding/removing the necessary files via ABD and wiping? I actually did that on my own for my SC 2.7 upgrade from SC 2.6 and managed to avoid all the CWM hassle -- worked great (wiped cache and dalvik, of course).
Putting kernels aside for a moment ... what is the benefit to not providing an essentially static stock deodexed base ROM and implement each iteration as a delta to that base rather than a complete system? I may be way off base here, but it seems like a lot less hassle for the devs to me -- send out a couple delta .zip packages (one for an incremental update from the last version and another for a full update from the base image) rather than every file every time? It seems like a *lot* less downloading and a lot more error proof of a process to me.
I think *most* people that follow these ROMs are likely to be flashing to the bleeding edge as soon as the post goes out (I know I do!). If all that changed in a ROM was the framework .apk and a couple app .apks ... isn't it wasteful for both the dev and the users to create/download/apply a huge .ZIP rather than just CWM a couple hundred kilobytes and (probably) wipe the dalvik cache?
Kernels: As I've learned over time here, the kernels seem to be best suited when not attached to a ROM. I don't know if it's minor hardware differences or how we flash/apply the changes, but obviously not every kernel works well for every device (at least with Galaxy S devices - lol). My opinion would be that the oldest, most stable/compatible kernel be included with a ROM, if one must be provided at all. I think most people that have been able to get a grasp on the flashing/update/rooting process for Android are probably comfortable enough with separate kernel packages.
I'm sorry if I sound like I'm on a soapbox here ... I truly do appreciate the efforts being put forth that I am personally benefitting from I'm just wondering why a delta-based system that doesn't need quite as much care and feeding as full-on system ROM replacements do doesn't seem to be a popular way of doing things. If nothing else, it should greatly reduce the number of people that have issues with their battery stats being wiped out by a full wipe when the device was at 62% or something
Almost forgot ... I have no idea what good "zip aligning" does and perhaps that, or something else I'm too ignorant to understand yet, is the reason behind leaning towards full ROMs. I'm totally cool with being wrong about this -- flame away if you must, but don't be too harsh, my intentions were good ...
djp952 said:
I mean no offense to any devs, far from it in fact, but the more I learn about the process behind flashing/updating ROMs on Android the more I have to wonder ...
>> why are ROMs typically released as full/complete .zips rather than just a set of deltas from a known good base?
I'll take SuperClean as the example, which I use and adore; again there is no offense implied here. This is, for the most part, a deodexed stock EB01 ROM with a bunch of files removed and a bunch of files added/replaced, right? Something that one could do by oneself by adding/removing the necessary files via ABD and wiping? I actually did that on my own for my SC 2.7 upgrade from SC 2.6 and managed to avoid all the CWM hassle -- worked great (wiped cache and dalvik, of course).
Putting kernels aside for a moment ... what is the benefit to not providing an essentially static stock deodexed base ROM and implement each iteration as a delta to that base rather than a complete system? I may be way off base here, but it seems like a lot less hassle for the devs to me -- send out a couple delta .zip packages (one for an incremental update from the last version and another for a full update from the base image) rather than every file every time? It seems like a *lot* less downloading and a lot more error proof of a process to me.
I think *most* people that follow these ROMs are likely to be flashing to the bleeding edge as soon as the post goes out (I know I do!). If all that changed in a ROM was the framework .apk and a couple app .apks ... isn't it wasteful for both the dev and the users to create/download/apply a huge .ZIP rather than just CWM a couple hundred kilobytes and (probably) wipe the dalvik cache?
Kernels: As I've learned over time here, the kernels seem to be best suited when not attached to a ROM. I don't know if it's minor hardware differences or how we flash/apply the changes, but obviously not every kernel works well for every device (at least with Galaxy S devices - lol). My opinion would be that the oldest, most stable/compatible kernel be included with a ROM, if one must be provided at all. I think most people that have been able to get a grasp on the flashing/update/rooting process for Android are probably comfortable enough with separate kernel packages.
I'm sorry if I sound like I'm on a soapbox here ... I truly do appreciate the efforts being put forth that I am personally benefitting from I'm just wondering why a delta-based system that doesn't need quite as much care and feeding as full-on system ROM replacements do doesn't seem to be a popular way of doing things. If nothing else, it should greatly reduce the number of people that have issues with their battery stats being wiped out by a full wipe when the device was at 62% or something
Almost forgot ... I have no idea what good "zip aligning" does and perhaps that, or something else I'm too ignorant to understand yet, is the reason behind leaning towards full ROMs. I'm totally cool with being wrong about this -- flame away if you must, but don't be too harsh, my intentions were good ...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I def get what ur saying.. But alot of ppl.don't know how to use adb.... The only reason ppl would know is from other android phones.. Or if they rooted this phone right when it came out.. I think the whole zip is a great idea.. It sux 4 ppl like me cause my internet sux.. But even with the whole zip and the step by step error proof directions ppl still brick there ****.... My god ppl screw up odin n that's stupid easy.... I think the whole package is a simple way to hear less ppl.complaining
Sent from my SCH-I500 using XDA App
I smell what op is steppin' in. And I do update my own rom in that manor by just pulling updated frameworks of files and pushing them or making a cwm zip to flash.
good day.
One reason I can think of. What if you started at SC 2.0 and wanted to go to SC 2.8? That would be 8 or so zip files you'd have to flash, as opposed to just one (two if you want a theme). The same would apply if you went from AOSP, MIUI, or any other ROM back to SuperClean. Also, I feel like it's much easier to package a full ROM for flashing rather than small incremental changes. What if you miss a file in the update zip? It's harder to loose track of files IMO just packing the whole thing.
Also, I do agree with the kernels statement. I'd rather have them seperate, as it would prevent a voodoo user from flashing a NV kernel and the other way around when flashing a ROM. Either way, I package up my own "ROM" that is pre-themed and customized to my liking.
Related
So, everything was fine as I shut down last night after reading a few pages from a book. Tried to power up this evening and it just won't cooperate. It won't turn on unless I hold the power button down for nine seconds. It starts up "with tap n tap" screen, then the n logo shows, then the "with tap n tap" flashes and returns to black screen then shows the "with tap n tap" for a total of eight times then stays black. No rooting, totally stock, used very little, few apps, added some reader stuff, tried a barcode thing to no avail - nothing more. Please advise. Take pity on someone like your mother! Any ideas on how to fix this? Should I contact Viewsonic or Woot? (yes, it's fully charged - first thing I tried). I'm so disappointed : (
Thank you
I've seen this happen a few times with both stock and modded devices. I think it's caused by corruption in data files that are used by some of the system firmware but I'm not 100% certain of that. A data wipe could very well get you going again. Without being able to boot all the way you're options for doing that are somewhat limited. One would be to install and use ClockworkMod, a very minor and extremely common modification to the firmware. The other option that I have used successfully is a script I've written that will delete those system prefence files and clear the machines cache without modifying your firmware. Neither is terribly complicated to implement.
All that being said... it is really up to you as to how comfortable you would feel performing those options. I can say that you will find plenty of people here that will be willing to stay right with you until it's fixed and we have a very high success rate when it comes to recovering from this kind of issue. On the other hand, Woot has been very responsive to customers with problems so it's really your call.
This thread: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=865245 has instructions for installing ClockworkMod. It has a lot of other information in it also but the important part would be installing CWM. It also has download links to the files. Once it is installed it is a fairly simple matter of booting the machine up while holding down the volume up key and you'll be presented with a menu of options that will include wiping data. Selecting that will clear out any apps you've downloaded and associated data along with the system data. Once done you simply reboot the machine from another menu option and you should be off and running.
My script is run very much like installing ClockworkMod but will simply do the deletion without any user intervention. When done it reboots automatically and in two or three minutes you should be back to the initial setup screen for the tablet.
All of this probably sounds a lot more difficult than it really is but I think if you take a look at that thread I listed above and do a little searching on terms like "ClockworkMod Data Wipe" you'll find there are lots of folks who have done this and plenty of help if you need it.
KJ and LynnyW,
Since he can't boot, he will either have to make a microSD with a CWM update.zip and recovery folder (with command file edited to point to SDCARD2 instead of SDCARD) and boot that into recovery with power/volume + .
Or, he will have to NVFlash the CWM by itself.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1020747
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1030042
The two links above have most of the info.
If he can get CWM up by one method or the other, need to go to Advanced Menu and tell it to Partition (2048 and 0), Fix Permissions and Wipe Dalvik Cache -- and then return to Main Menu and Wipe Cache and Wipe/Reset Factory Data. Then reboot.
If the tablet comes up fine we're good to go. Otherwise may need to talk about a
stock rom flash.
Hope this helps.
Rev
I am running a stock system. Amazon market and a couple bird games are all that's really on it as I use it mostly to browse the web with. No flash no email, it's stock. So far I've limped through how to recover from the acore.process problem, then ended up learning how to use nvflash after what this user described happened twice so far. I am debating updating to a Dev rom if they are more stable as otherwise this is just a fragile toy that I can't take out of the house on trips.
wetzk said:
I am debating updating to a Dev rom if they are more stable as otherwise this is just a fragile toy that I can't take out of the house on trips.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Update. So much better it's unreal. Go with something stable like Caulkin, Vegantab, or TnT lite. Not only will you get the real Market, you'll be much happier all around. It can be much more than a fragile little toy.
butchconner said:
KJ and LynnyW,
Since he can boot, he will either have to make a microSD with a CWM update.zip and recovery folder (with command file edited to point to SDCARD2 instead of SDCARD) and boot that into recovery with power/volume + .
Or, he will have to NVFlash the CWM by itself.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1020747
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1030042
The two links above have most of the info.
If he can get CWM up by one method or the other, need to go to Advanced Menu and tell it to Partition (2048 and 0), Fix Permissions and Wipe Dalvik Cache -- and then return to Main Menu and Wipe Cache and Wipe/Reset Factory Data. Then reboot.
If the tablet comes up fine we're good to go. Otherwise may need to talk about a
stock rom flash.
Hope this helps.
Rev
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think the decision needs to be made as to whether LynnyW actually wants to start mucking about before we go suggesting modifying the recovery and repartitioning the tablet. In this case I think all that's necessary is a data wipe and that can be done without starting down a path that LynnyW may not care to follow. I certainly wouldn't recommend anything as extreme as repartitioning when the question asked is whether or not a call should be made to the manufacturer and vendor.
KJ,
Take him where you want to go -- but if he can't boot up he's going to have to
get inside somehow. That's why I said I thought he would have to install CWM.
If you know some way to wipe or reset without CWM, go for it.
Rev
P. S. -- And I assume anyone that posts here wants to fix it unless that is not
possible -- and then they want us to tell them to go to VS or Woot or
whatever.
I meant no offense, Rev. She asked whether she should call woot or Viewsonic. I was just pointing that out. Not everyone is ready to jump into modding when they have the option of warranty return/replacement.
waiting for Viewsonic call
Thanks folks. I don't want to go mucking about until necessary. I guess I was hoping for an easy fix/reset. I prefer not to send the tab for repair unless replacement is necessary. Not yet willing to put my toe in water of this vast new world of acronyms I know nothing about. My brother's voice echos in my head "you know just enough to be dangerous" (re windows). I don't want to void the warranty. I called Viewsonic and had to leave my telephone number for a return call. I'm hoping they can e-mail a file which I can copy to a microSD, pop in, turn on, and resume - until I have the nerve to install something more stable. I will let you know what Viewsonic has to say. They no longer operate at the toll free number listed on the website. Directed to another number where they answer the phone "can I help you?". I wonder what service they are using for tech support.
Lynny
I have just such a file that might get you going. Posted it this morning here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1030915
Feel free to look that over and let me know if you have any questions. The main caveat is that it will delete any user apps that have been installed. That may include factory installed apps that are stored in the user app area. If that is a problem I can modify the script to preserve them but then we might not be clearing the problem file.
Viewsonic should hire you!
Well, I received a call from Viewsonic tech support. The moment I finished explaining what happens on the screen, the tech said "I never heard of this. Ship it back." Whoa, no attempt to troubleshoot? I asked was there not a bootable file I could be e-mailed? After rephrasing and getting nowhere, I was not happy to be told to send this to LA for an unknown amount of time at my expense. I was told I could call back later when the manager was back from lunch. This is a far cry from the claim on the Viewsonic website:
"Got a question? We have the answers right here: documentation, downloads, tech support, software updates, product warranty and registration. Get the assistance you need, when you need it – right now. Find out how we stand behind our product, all the way."
The lack of speculation regarding what the problem might be makes me feel that Viewsonic farmed this out to a fly-by-night call center and the folks there were told to have callers just send in the hardware.
Sorry, I had to rant.
KJ, Viewsonic should hire you and your xda brethren. The files to clear the data worked. Yes, it did wipe out factory and user apps, but it got the tab working in five minutes. It also gave me a little courage. I will, after all, start reading about modifying this thing. I don't want to set it all up only to have it faint on me again.
If you have any recommendations for the least-likely-to-brick-it route, please advise. I have read a number of threads but there is so much information, and although there are numerous step-by-step instructions, I have no idea what the different roms do. I don't know where to start reading and I don't want to become an annoyance here. I will do my homework before I ask too many newbie questions.
THANK YOU!
Lynny
We understand the need to rant from time to time. No problem ;-)
Glad it got you going. I do want to recommend that you do a factory reset from the system settings also just to make absolutely sure everything was cleaned properly. It's under "Security" in the System Settings.
As for modding... read, read read. Start with the "Stickied" items in the General and Developer sections. You'll find references to basic procedures and cautions but always make sure to follow the developers instructions attached to the specific ROM you choose. As for the "Least likely to brick it..." I may not be the best person to ask since I routinely run experimental ROMs. I do like the TnTLite path for its stability, reasonable speed and close association to the stock ROM. Read as much of the threads attached to each one and ask questions if you need to. That's why we're here.
I have a Gtablet enroute right now and have been doing a lot of reading the last few days. When first released all the talk was that it was a nice peice of hardware but to be any good you had to use a custom ROM with it. Is this still the case with the latest 4xxx update?
Pexcer,
It all depends on what you want. That's what the choices XDA offers here are all
about.
When we started with G-Tablets back last fall, the software was so bad it was
almost unfunctional. It has improved with each update. With 4349 installed you
can put your apps on it and have a functional tablet -- but whether it is good enough
for you is your call.
There are a number of alternate ROMs and each has it assets and liabilities.
The only way I know to approach it is to read the threads related to each rom and
see what those advantages and disadvantages are. You can eliminate some that way.
And whatever you have left, you will just have to try and see what you like.
I know this is not the "Go use the _______________ rom" that a lot of people will
give you -- but I'm not pandering for anybody's rom. I believe everyone should
research, try and make their own choice.
Rev
Pexcer said:
I have a Gtablet enroute right now and have been doing a lot of reading the last few days. When first released all the talk was that it was a nice peice of hardware but to be any good you had to use a custom ROM with it. Is this still the case with the latest 4xxx update?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm more inclined to go with the fastest rom I can get my hands on. I don't care about looks. And stock rom will never be able to fun as fast as custom rom.
That said, you should make this decision on your own. Depends on what you want. If you are like my brother in law who wants everything to be official and fully officially supported, then I suggest you stay with the stock upgraded rom. If you're like me who doesn't care that it's the official release and would rather have a super fast tablet, then custom rom is definitely the way to go.
In another thread, I was endorsing the new calk/clems combo v3, which my quadrant test resulted in 4081. I've posted a picture in this post. Right now, the only thing that seems to be faster than this is the modded xoom, which is only about 80 more. I highly doubt the stock rom will ever be able to give us this much power.
Thanks for the response. I may try the stock UI for a few days when I get it. I have been having difficulty in really seeing the differences between the different ROMs out there though. One thing I plan to do a lot is watch TV shows I've downloaded from TVtorrents, these are 720p x264 in an MKV, is there one mod that can handle Video like that or is that a non issue. I can also grab non HD formats which would have a higher chance of working, but would rather not.
I've also read that hulu can be made to work, at least on one ROM, can't recall which now. If one does Hulu and another doesn't that would be an issue as well. I only download shows that Hulu or Netflix doesn't have.
Any guidance from people familiar with the different options would be appreciated, might save me from some trial and error in the next couple weeks.
Pexcer said:
I've also read that hulu can be made to work, at least on one ROM, can't recall which now. If one does Hulu and another doesn't that would be an issue as well. I only download shows that Hulu or Netflix doesn't have.
Any guidance from people familiar with the different options would be appreciated, might save me from some trial and error in the next couple weeks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Torrents blows goats. their download speeds are as fast as my original G Tab os. File Hosting is the way to roll.
Off my soapbox, I agree with goodintentions. Speed and stability is the key. after that, ADW, 3D Launcher, VTLauncher and a few other Home screen launchers can customize your experience. let us know how yours runs. I won't go that route until the ROM's for it (1.2) are out and stable.
I don't have the newest update that just came out, so I can't comment on that. But I can mention why I went back to the stock ROM. I got my g tablet when woot was selling them. I left the stock rom on for a week and it worked pretty well as a shared device between me and my wife. The stock apps let you keep separate accounts. I put on clockwork and formatted the drive as recommended, then I tried TNT lite, g harmony, and cyanogen. They make your tablet like a big phone. When you sign in to the google apps, all you contacts, calendar, and emails are imported. This didn't work so well as a shared tablet. I decided to leave clockwork mod and the recommended formatting but put the original ROM back on. With the proper formatting, the thing isn't too bad. Probably not as fast as some of the folks here would like, but it serves our purpose as a shared device.
Half the fun (and half the aggravation) is trying different roms. Which is best? That is hard to say. Here is what I suggest. Don't get the latest update with the locked bootloader because then there is nothing you can play with. Get Titanium Backup so you can back up your apps. Learn how to connect t o your pc with usb so you can copy your stuff safely away while you play. Install clockworkmod so you can fix things and install different roms. NVflash is also a good thing to set up and learn but you don't have to right away unless you got the latest update. Now do this.
1. Use clockwork mod to make a backup of your original rom and copy it to your pc.
2. Download and install a new rom calkulin/clemsyn is nice. Use clockwork mod again to make a backup of that installation.
3. download another rom and install. Use clockworkmod to make a backup of that one.
4. When you've tried enough of them you can decide which one you like and restore it using clockwork mod.
5. Changed you mind? Restore one of the others!
6. Rinse and repeat as needed.
Remember Titanium Backup will backup your apps and data - so, if you install a new rom you can restore your apps and data. That means you don't have to go fetch them all in the market and you don't have to restart angry birds at level one.
There are lots of tutorials on how to do this stuff - read the stickys.
Good luck
Try a bunch of ROMs
I agree with enigma. I got my Gtablet last week and immediately updated hoping that the new stock ROM was good enough. It isn't. It's slow and "chunky" plus doesn't have access to the Android market.
I've heard good stuff about the calkulin/clemsyn and Vegan. Being that Vegan is Honeycomb I just went with that though I really should have tried calkulin/clemsyn too as so many must like it for a reason.
I'm new to Android as well so don't get too hung up on the difficulty of installing ROMs. There are very clear, step by step instructions to be found here. Each install takes maybe 15 minutes. So in an afternoon you could easily install and play with half a dozen ROMs before deciding on which you like better.
enigma0456 said:
Half the fun (and half the aggravation) is trying different roms. Which is best? That is hard to say. Here is what I suggest. Don't get the latest update with the locked bootloader because then there is nothing you can play with. Get Titanium Backup so you can back up your apps. Learn how to connect t o your pc with usb so you can copy your stuff safely away while you play. Install clockworkmod so you can fix things and install different roms. NVflash is also a good thing to set up and learn but you don't have to right away unless you got the latest update. Now do this.
1. Use clockwork mod to make a backup of your original rom and copy it to your pc.
2. Download and install a new rom calkulin/clemsyn is nice. Use clockwork mod again to make a backup of that installation.
3. download another rom and install. Use clockworkmod to make a backup of that one.
4. When you've tried enough of them you can decide which one you like and restore it using clockwork mod.
5. Changed you mind? Restore one of the others!
6. Rinse and repeat as needed.
Remember Titanium Backup will backup your apps and data - so, if you install a new rom you can restore your apps and data. That means you don't have to go fetch them all in the market and you don't have to restart angry birds at level one.
There are lots of tutorials on how to do this stuff - read the stickys.
Good luck
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
if you need vpn, cifs then you need a custom ROM
It depends on what capabilities you want. I need VPN and COFS so I use TNTL 4.4. Also, you can install alternate keybaords. The custom ROMs also tend to fix a lot of issues.
Shame on Viewsonic for locking bootloader in the 1.2 branch.
ConfuciusTse said:
. Being that Vegan is Honeycomb I just went with that though I really should have tried calkulin/clemsyn too as so many must like it for a reason.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know somebody is gonna see this and say something, so I figure I'll be the first to point out its gingerbread not honeycomb.
muerteman said:
I know somebody is gonna see this and say something, so I figure I'll be the first to point out its gingerbread not honeycomb.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
haha, GB is good almost HC good so far.
So, besides deodex roms having the ability to be themed, what other benefits does this have?
I believe odexed roms are slightly faster. At least this is what I remember from my eris days.
Just curious.
Sent from my ADR6425LVW using XDA App
I think you can theme both.
Sent from my newly unlocked Rezound
I read an article yesterday that said if it is odexed then when an app is installed it puts parts of the file/code in different places so it can load when the phone boots up and so part of it is preloaded. If it is DeOdexed that doesn't happen so that the whole app file/code stays together. So if it is DeOdexed it is easier for devs to work with since the app files/code stay all together.
Something like that. I'm trying to find the article I read...
Here's the link to the article with the relevant section quoted:
http://www.addictivetips.com/mobile/what-is-odex-and-deodex-in-android-complete-guide/
ADVANTAGES & DISADVANTAGES
The advantage of deodexing is in modification possibilities. This is most widely used in custom ROMs and themes. A developer building a custom ROM would almost always choose to deodex the ROM package first, since that would not only allow him to modify various APKs, but also leave room for post-install theming.
On the other hand, since the .odex files were supposed to quickly build the dalvik cache, removing them would mean longer initial boot times. However, this is true only for the first ever boot after deodexing, since the cache would still get built over time as applications are used. Longer boot times may only be seen again if the dalvik cache is wiped for some reason.
For a casual user, the main implication is in theming possibilities. Themes for android come in APKs too, and if you want to modify any of those, you should always choose a dedoexed custom ROM.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I Recall Reading Something That Said It's More Efficient For The OS To Only Look At The 'apk' Versus Looking Back And Forth Between The 'apk' And 'odex' File.
I am rooted on a Verizon Note 2 Android 4.1.1 using Exynos Abuse. I used the Voodoo OTA RootKeeper to keep from being updated or whatever. I have heard Verizon just rolled out 4.1.2. I would like to update.
Could someone explain how to do this without losing my root? I would like to remain w/ the ease of Exynos but if i need to learn to do it another method I guess i will.
crash613 said:
I am rooted on a Verizon Note 2 Android 4.1.1 using Exynos Abuse. I used the Voodoo OTA RootKeeper to keep from being updated or whatever. I have heard Verizon just rolled out 4.1.2. I would like to update.
Could someone explain how to do this without losing my root? I would like to remain w/ the ease of Exynos but if i need to learn to do it another method I guess i will.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
With mine i did a back up of my root, defrosted SDL (had it frozen for some reason,maybe to keep myself from auto accepting updates?), ran the update, after a couple reboots. Opened Voodoo and restored my root and i was good to go.
Good Luck
Ok. trying to figure out exactly how to do that. I used OTA Rootkeeper to 'unroot' my device. Basically i pressed the Temp.un-root button. closed program. I don't even know what SDL is so i am pretty sure it isn't frozen.
Next i went to setthigns and About phone -- pressed Software update. after about 10 seconds i get a pop up that says "Unfortunately, Settings has stopped.
So it won't update. Not sure what i am doing wrong
curious
Curious as to why you would want to upgrade to 4.1.2 when the hacks and mods available on 4.1 far exceed that of which 4.1.2 offer. you should have all apps in multi window.. 23 toggle task manager.. with root you can freeze or disable all bloat just curious?
Seriously its a very very minor update if I upgraded it would be to 4.2 and the very least
Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk 2
lwsoccjs said:
Curious as to why you would want to upgrade to 4.1.2 when the hacks and mods available on 4.1 far exceed that of which 4.1.2 offer. you should have all apps in multi window.. 23 toggle task manager.. with root you can freeze or disable all bloat just curious?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you have a very good point. I have no real reason. I just figured 'latest and greatest.' I do, however, want to be able to do it when the time comes 4.2. I really don't run any mods. I only am rooted for the ad blocker and titanium backup. I am looking up 23 toggle task manager now.
I guess i thought i was missing out on something if i don't update. I read in another thread someone talking about the "radio" being updated. I don't have bad reception or anything , but i get nervous when i see something like that is updated and i dont know if mine is 'good enough' anymore.
edit: ok i googled "23 toggle task manager" with quotations.. this tread is the only one on the entire internet that showed up as a result. Is there a different name for that mod?
where would i find it, or info about it?
okay
crash613 said:
you have a very good point. I have no real reason. I just figured 'latest and greatest.' I do, however, want to be able to do it when the time comes 4.2. I really don't run any mods. I only am rooted for the ad blocker and titanium backup. I am looking up 23 toggle task manager now.
I guess i thought i was missing out on something if i don't update. I read in another thread someone talking about the "radio" being updated. I don't have bad reception or anything , but i get nervous when i see something like that is updated and i dont know if mine is 'good enough' anymore.
edit: ok i googled "23 toggle task manager" with quotations.. this tread is the only one on the entire internet that showed up as a result. Is there a different name for that mod?
where would i find it, or info about it?
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PM sent
My advice is hit it with Adams casual and unlock the bootloader and of course twrp. I am seeing a fair number of people on your situation losing root and ending up with messed up phones.
Get it unlocked do you are safe moving forward.
Then all you have to do is use twrp to flash bean's stock 4.1.2 which is rooted. He had that up within hours of the update rolling.
Your check for updates is failing because at some point you renamed the apk for it to prevent updates. I forget the name of it. It's mentioned here somewhere.
Thanks to everyone that helped and thanks to lwsoccjs for the link to 23 toggle. I ended up taking the plunge and doing casual and teamwin last night as TonikJDK suggested. I have kind of been wanting to do it anyway but wasn't sure where to start. After reading TonikJDK's post i looked up Casual read a few how-to's about it. Seemed pretty easy. (so far so good)
I upgraded to 4.1.2 using 'beans' version. I think i may still use 23 toggle though. I will probably experiment now with a few different roms just to see what is out there, but i will probably end up keeping it stock, assuming i don't find something that blows it away.
Any suggestions on where to start for a few roms to 'play with?'
I am quite sure i want to keep with a touchwiz style ROM but i may try a 100% stock android becasue this is my first android and i've never used 100% stock before.
Is there a main depository of ROMS? a one-stop-shop so to speak?
thanks again for the help! I hope you guys didn't send me down the path to a new 'addiction!'
~mike
crash613 said:
Thanks to everyone that helped and thanks to lwsoccjs for the link to 23 toggle. I ended up taking the plunge and doing casual and teamwin last night as TonikJDK suggested. I have kind of been wanting to do it anyway but wasn't sure where to start. After reading TonikJDK's post i looked up Casual read a few how-to's about it. Seemed pretty easy. (so far so good)
I upgraded to 4.1.2 using 'beans' version. I think i may still use 23 toggle though. I will probably experiment now with a few different roms just to see what is out there, but i will probably end up keeping it stock, assuming i don't find something that blows it away.
Any suggestions on where to start for a few roms to 'play with?'
I am quite sure i want to keep with a touchwiz style ROM but i may try a 100% stock android becasue this is my first android and i've never used 100% stock before.
Is there a main depository of ROMS? a one-stop-shop so to speak?
thanks again for the help! I hope you guys didn't send me down the path to a new 'addiction!'
~mike
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Click to collapse
There isnt really a one stop shop for rom on the Note 2, XDA has pretty much everything posted to it thats available for the VZW Note 2. There may be one or 2 mods posted to rootzwiki that arent on XDA but I havent really checked it out because a lot of it is outdated and the mods I use are posted here, on the S3 it was a whole different story.
As for trying AOSP, stock android, I would advise you do it just to see how you like it. I was new to AOSP with my S3, all my other phones had locked bootloaders to that point, and I gave it a try and absolutely loved it. All I ran on my S3 was ParanoidAndroid and MIUI. You may decide you dont like it as much as stock TW on the Note 2 but its always good to test it out and see for yourself because its such a different experience.
A few things to remember with AOSP are that when you flash it your SD card has to be FAT32, NTFS definitely doesnt work and I dont think exfat does either but I may be wrong with exfat. If you dont have your card formatted as FAT32 it will corrupt everything on your SD, of course when you format the SD card (if it isnt already FAT32) you need to make a backup of everything on it because formatting wipes the card. Also when switching to AOSP, 4.2 and up, it has a different file structure than 4.1 which is what we have. That means your stuff will be in a different location on your SD card after you flash an AOSP rom but it isnt hard to find. Also when you switch back to TW you have to flash a SD card zip, that restores the file structure to what it was when you were using Touchwiz, after you flash the rom.
If you want some suggestions I would recommend Cyanogenmod is the closest you can get to straight AOSP until someone builds straight AOSP for our phone,ParanoidAndroid is Cyanogenmod based AOSP that lets you change apps to different modes to looks like tablet or phone apps and looks excellent on this phone just because of its size, and Vanilla Rootbox is Cyanogenmod based (as are pretty much all AOSP apps unless its straight AOSP) AOSP rom with things taken or kanged from ParanoidAndroid and others.
I prefer Vanilla Rootbox and ParanoidAndroid on this phone just because they both have some amazing features that make this phone more of what it should have been in the first place IMHO.
The S-pen will still work on AOSP roms but it wont have the features it does on a TW based rom because it is dependant on TW. A remedy to that is GMD Spen control, you can get it from the Play store, a little over $5 if I remember correctly, but you can even use it on TW and it adds a whole slew of features that really should have been in the stock TW rom.
I may be forgetting something seeing as how I wrote this up for a friend a few days ago, he got his first android and it happens to be a Note 2. I really feel as if I did but can't think of what it is....
If you have any more questions just ask away and someone will answer them!
Sent from my SCH-I605 using XDA Premium HD app
shangrila500 said:
<SNIP>
A few things to remember with AOSP are that when you flash it your SD card has to be FAT32, NTFS definitely doesnt work and I dont think exfat does either but I may be wrong with exfat. If you dont have your card formatted as FAT32 it will corrupt everything on your SD, of course when you format the SD card (if it isnt already FAT32) you need to make a backup of everything on it because formatting wipes the card. Also when switching to AOSP, 4.2 and up, it has a different file structure than 4.1 which is what we have. That means your stuff will be in a different location on your SD card after you flash an AOSP rom but it isnt hard to find. Also when you switch back to TW you have to flash a SD card zip, that restores the file structure to what it was when you were using Touchwiz, after you flash the rom.
<SNIP>
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Thanks for the suggestions. Could you elaborate on the above. What stuff will be moved? Lots of stuff? will i even realize it ? does putting back just mean renaming folders?
What does "i have to flash a SD card zip" mean? Do u mean for the ROM or is there a way to restore file structure w/ some sort of hack or something?
Also, what do you think of Liquid Jellybean? I saw it available when looking at GooManager. Thought it would be a good one to check out. Version 2.3! it will be years before Verizon catches up to that.
Intro
I don't mean this to be a thread for any specific ROM or problem, but rather a general guide that essentially eliminates all doubt of machine or user error (we all make mistakes). This is generally geared towards the issues users are experiencing when flashing an AOSP ROM, but can also apply to Sense, and even other devices. This covers from downloading a ROM forward, and also making sure that everything gets properly installed with no corners cut, so that everybody can be on the same page when a problem arises. I'm not trying to say anybody's way of doing things is wrong, but I've see a lot of people asking different questions that end up getting solved with the same few answers. This isn't a "how to flash" thread, but rather how to ensure you're getting your device in a clean, fresh state so that everybody can be on the same page when it comes to bugs, otherwise nobody is going to want to help you if you don't try to help yourself first.
I know this is on the longer side, so key points are underlined, with a TL;DR at the bottom
Downloading
Checksums or hashes are a great way to make sure that the *.zip or any other file you're downloading is not only the right one, but that it hasn't been corrupted or tampered in transfer (uploads or downloads). You'll probably need to install something to work with chescksums- personally I like the open-source HashCheck for Windows. It adds a "Checksums" tab to the right-click > Properties dialog that automatically calculates MD5 (most common) and SHA-1 (more advanced) hashes. I encourage anyone posting a file to also post the MD5 with it, for everybody's sake, since it only takes a few extra seconds to eliminate all doubt of a bad upload or download. HashCheck even gives an option to create a *.MD5 file, just like the ones you might get from goo.im. If you're on Linux, Android, or presumably Mac you can check a file's md5 by opening terminal and simply typing "md5sum <filename>" without the quotes. If a file is posted without an MD5, you can download it twice and check it against itself, but just keep in mind you're going to be hitting somebody's server twice as hard, so only do it if necessary. Now that you're sure you have the right files...
Wiping/Flashing
Most people know dirty flashing is at your own risk, and if you have a problem, the first thing anybody's going to tell you is to do a clean flash. No really, just clean flash- that's what backups are for, but that's a whole different topic. Unfortunately, most people consider a clean flash to be just a factory reset, but that only wipes dalvik, cache, and data (except your sdcard), while leaving the system partition intact. To do a proper clean flash you want to go into advanced and make sure that system gets wiped in addition to dalvik, cache, and data. I can't say exactly what (sorry), but there's lots of miscellaneous things that can persist between flashes, especially when you're going to a different ROM. For us DNA owners, there's still a lot of activity in our CM device tree, meaning that even on the same ROM, some of our device files may change between versions which will necessitate a wipe of system. Maybe it's just me, but it seems things go out of line more often on 4.3 so I just always wipe system now.
If you're here, you probably know how to flash a ROM, but always double check the OP or first few posts and see what gapps/settings/etc are recommended. I'm also going to remind you that it takes just a few extra seconds to create a *.md5 file with HashCheck that you can push to your device along with the *.zip and TWRP (probably CWM too) will check the file against it's MD5 before flashing it. After using the Setup Wizard to log in to your Google account, make sure that you uncheck the box to restore settings and data to your phone, otherwise those can cause problems. Now you can be sure that whatever is on your device is clean as can be and as the developer intended, otherwise you're probably not going to get much help.
Narrowing down the problem
Now that you've got a brand spanking new and clean ROM is the best time to try and narrow down a problem, but before you post anything, try the golden rule of IT- "Have you tried rebooting it yet?" Also, you can try booting to recovery to clear just dalvik and cache and/or repair permissions. This is the first time you should consider making a post about your problem, but please, please, please don't make a post that just says something like "Settings FCs." Posts like that don't tell anybody anything- the best thing you can do is pull a log (more on that in a second), and create a post in the appropriate thread which you can determine as follows: Start by seeing if the problem occurs with nothing installed besides the ROM and recommended gapps- do not restore any backups, install any apps, or flash any kernels, even if the OP recommends it. If you're having problems with Settings or any Google app, there's likely a conflict with the gapps package that should go away if you reflash only the ROM, otherwise it's a bug in the ROM itself. Either way, if you can reproduce a problem at this point you should post in the ROM thread. If you want to flash a custom kernel, only do so after you've verified the problem isn't with the ROM or gapps. Flash only the kernel, and if there's any problems after that, post them in thread you got the kernel from, not the ROM thread.
If you're having a problem with an app, once you've completed the above steps, install only that app without restoring any data. If you can't replicate the problem, there's likely an incompatibility any corresponding data you may have restored, and sorry, but there's not really anything you can do about that. If the problem occurs with a freshly installed app, first check the Play Store to see if other users are experiencing the same problem- there may just be something wrong with the app. If it only seems to be you having this problem with a clean install, the ROM thread is the best place to post, although keep in mind other users may not be familiar with app.
Pulling and posting logs
Even now, nobody is obligated to help you (you flashed that ROM at your own risk, remember?), but once you're at this point, you'll have a better chance at getting help. Try to include as much information as possible like what else you were doing, what screen you were on, what button you tried to press, etc. and if you can, try to see if you can replicate it. Like I mentioned above, posting a log is the best way to get help, and they're really easy to get. Not everybody is going to understand every line, but if you know what you're looking for, occasionally the log can tell the developer exactly what the problem is, and bam- easy fix.
First make sure USB Debugging is enabled in Developer Options (if you don't see Developer Options, go into About Phone and tap on the Build Number line 7 times), and make sure that Root Access is set to both Apps and ADB. Now as far as gathering these logs, SysLog is by far one of the easiest ways- download it, open it, and press "Take Log." It pop up a toast message saying that your logs are in /sdcard/SysLog/<DATE_TIME>.zip and it'll even give you the option to share it via email, Dropbox, or anything else you might use. Post that and you'll have even better chances of getting help. For simplicity, I'm not going to details on manually pulling logs, however if you're stuck in a bootloop or something like that and can't run the app, use "adb pull /proc/last_kmsg" and post a link to that file.
TL;DR
Sh*t happens, learn to deal with it or go back to stock
Verify your download with an MD5 Checksum
Wipe system in addition to factory reset (dalvik, cache, & data)
Flash ROM and gapps without installing anything else or restoring any data
Pull a log, it's really easy
Now is the best time to make a post about your problem
Radio/Reception Problems on the DNA?
First things first- Double check your settings in Settings > More > Mobile networks. They should be as follows:
Data Enabled: Yes
Data Roaming: No (unless you're actually roaming)
National Data Roaming: Yes (otherwise you'll probably lose data; this won't get you any roaming fees)
Network Mode (Verizon): LTE/CDMA/EvDO (or Global, which is everything, I've never noticed any difference between the two)
Network Mode (GSM): GSM/WCDMA preferred (depending on the ROM, you may also need to flash the GSM patch courtesy of Flyhalf205 from the 2nd post in the original CM10.1 thread.)
System Select/CDMA Roaming: Automatic
CDMA Subscription: RUIM/SIM
GSM users may also need to manually enter APN settings for your carrier to get things like MMS functioning properly. I'm not going to compile a worldwide list, but if Google fails you, your carrier should have support documentation with these settings. Recently, I noticed this file in the android source lists tons of APNs, so try finding your carrier in there too.
Why do I have 0-1 bars? I got a lot more on Sense
Don't be alarmed if your reception looks low/non-existent. Sense "pads" the signal bar to get it to show bars more "accurately," but AOSP does not, so expect a drop in bars. To get an accurate assessment, you want to be looking at your actual signal in dB before trying to diagnose anything by going to Settings > Interface > Status Bar and changing Signal Status Style to Text, and your signal bars will be replaced with a negative number, therefore a value closer to zero indicates a stronger signal. If you don't like negative numbers, another way of thinking about this is as if the phone was telling you how far you are away from the nearest tower. What would normally be 5 bars on Sense equates to -70dB, and 1 bar equates to -115, but these are approximate values and depending on your location and environment, you might bee numbers outside this range.
I'm still having problems
Unfortunately, our phone is known to have problems with reading the SIM card. Some say it's purely software, some say its purely hardware, but I believe it can be either. I'd first suggest giving your SIM card a cleaning by popping it out and gently rubbing the contacts with a clean rubber eraser, another more risky option is a just drop of isopropyl alcohol on a cotton swab. If you have compressed air, you can give that a small blast into the SIM slot from a few inches away. If the phone is still having issues with reading the SIM after that, it might need to be replaced.
Another possibility is issues with the radio firmware. You can try updating the firmware by following the instructions in this post. Personally, I recommend the most recent version, 2.06.605.1. Some users, myself included, have reported that sometimes a full RUU back to 100% stock is necessary to restore proper radio function. Instructions for that can be found here, but be aware that this can be a lengthy, tedious process. You'll end up having to re-unlock and root your phone before you'll be able to flash anything else again, so I only recommend this as a last resort, but is nonetheless something to bear in mind.
Stickie this?
Sent from my HTC6435LVW using Tapatalk 4
I'm going to stick it for now, it's actually good basic info. But I am moving it to the Q&A forum.
Thank you. I debated where to post this, but since this mainly applies to those of us who are flashing away from Sense, I thought it would get more attention with the development section, but I respect your decision to move it.
pyroguysf said:
Thank you. I debated where to post this, but since this mainly applies to those of us who are flashing away from Sense, I thought it would get more attention with the development section, but I respect your decision to move it.
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Yeah that makes sense, and I was hoping this would also cut down on unnecessary thread starts.
I think what I'll do is have this in both development forums as a sticky, hopefully this will help out some of the chefs.
If you edit one thread, be sure to edit the clone in the other forum.
I am going to let you clean this up as much as possible over the weekend, then maybe move it to the dev threads Monday as a polished product, see if you can get as much info as possible about GSM to include about the signal issues etc.
Part of the issue is that a lot of the users who are guilty of saying "this is broken, fix it" with no logcat and not having wiped or installing some app that is causing the issue don't read stickies, but it's a good resource to have.
You might add something about restoring apps from TI or MyBackup and apps causing issues, or installing some root app and then having issues, a solution might be to wipe, then boot, then try to reproduce the issue, or uninstalling the app.
Also if you flash a different kernel, do not then go into the ROM thread and start saying something doesn't work, having installed a kernel that did not even come with the ROM and confusing the chef.
orangekid said:
Part of the issue is that a lot of the users who are guilty of saying "this is broken, fix it" with no logcat and not having wiped or installing some app that is causing the issue don't read stickies, but it's a good resource to have.
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I've noticed this, but I made this in hopes of giving people a place to link back to rather than having to waste time typing out the same things over and over, which is why I also put the link in my sig.
orangekid said:
You might add something about restoring apps from TI or MyBackup and apps causing issues, or installing some root app and then having issues, a solution might be to wipe, then boot, then try to reproduce the issue, or uninstalling the app.
Also if you flash a different kernel, do not then go into the ROM thread and start saying something doesn't work, having installed a kernel that did not even come with the ROM and confusing the chef.
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Click to collapse
Good ideas. I'll try to add a section for apps when I get a chance. I tried to briefly touch on the kernel situation by saying to read the OP for recommended settings, but I'll definitely expand on that.
OP edited for clarity/grammar and updated with information for apps and determining where to submit your post (e.g. ROM vs kernel thread). Second post updated with GSM info.
pyroguysf said:
OP edited for clarity/grammar and updated with information for apps and determining where to submit your post (e.g. ROM vs kernel thread). Second post updated with GSM info.
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Sounds good.
Moved to dev forum.
If you want to go ahead and create the same thread and copy / paste the first 2 posts, I can sticky it.