Before I begin, I will say that there is no hostility intended in this thread AT ALL. It’s just how I convey intense anger. Lulz.. jk
I don’t know about the rest of you, but I can’t count how many times I have read somewhere about somebody having some random ass issue with rom “x” and not a single person besides them is having said issue.
I understand the inconvenience in wiping data, contacts, apps, all that. But let’s be srsly. How much more annoying is it, and frustrating, to sit there in your messy room in your mother’s basement trying to watch porn all stressed out because your phone won’t connect drivers to your computer or connect to 4G? srsly. And how much more annoying is it for everybody else to have to listen to your whiny ass in the thread of said rom? I can tell you, Very. But I, like many, will still offer you help, always. So here it is, some pre-help!... for those of you who love flashing custom roms on your E3D.
First of all, I will say this… download the synergy superwipe/format tool. It’s a zip file. If you can’t find it, it’s in the development section in the thread titled “SYNERGY”… i had to tell you where it was, because i knew somebody would chime in here "hAlp, where can i haz it!?!"... never fails.
This should be used EVERY time you install a full ROM. Whether or not the dev’s tell you to wipe data or not, they always will recommend it because they know this is the only way to ensure a clean, install. So have this handy on your SD card. Because if you are a rom flashing whore like me, you will need it.
And for the record, I have had ZERO problems with EVERY rom I have installed on my E3D, with the exception of the bugs that are clearly stated in the OP of the rom’s thread. If you are popping up random little glitches, it is likely something you are doing wrong. Just sayin.
So let’s get started with the actual “guide” here… we’ll make this short and sweet. I will give you different scenarios too, ie flashing only a rom, a rom with a kernel, a rom with some cosmetic mods (battery indicator zip, etc.), and a rom with a kernel on top of it AND some cosmetic “theme” .zips, and maybe even a flashable boot animation. The current set up I am running is the steel rom, with the bc kernel, a boot animation, and a battery indicator change (thanks scrosler for that! Its dope as ****). K, here we go. Pay attention…
1. First of all, before you flash ANY rom, make a back up of your data and apps, I prefer myback up root or pro simply because I have never had a single issue with this app in the 9 months I have been rooting my phones. I would recommend this app to anybody. Also, if you are using windows, after you download your rom right click on the zip file, select “properties” and then select “unblock” and then “apply” and the “ok”… now place the .zip on the root of your sd card. I have had problems with roms not flashing properly when I forget to do this. So do it, just for peace of mind. Everything you intend on flashing, should be on your SD card before you begin.
2. Boot to recovery
3. Wipe (in this order) cache partition, dalvik cache, and data/factory reset. Do all of those TWICE, just to be thorough.
4. Flash the synergy superwipe, your phone will reboot itself into recovery when completed.
5. Flash your rom. If the rom has a kernel included, boot up the phone – even if you intend on flashing a different kernel, boot up the phone. The only time you should flash kernel right on top of a rom is if the rom does not include one... ok, phone boots, nowdDo all your google **** blah blah, maybe browse the internet a bit, verify that some basic things are functioning properly. This helps you verify that the ROM itself isn’t causing issue “x” after you flash a kernel or some other bull**** in the next few steps. We do process of elimination as we install, and prepare for troubleshooting by collecting useful information beforehand. This way, you have some information as to why something is not working properly if something is not working properly. Make sense? Thought so.
6. If you are going to flash a kernel on top of it, proceed to this step. After you have booted the phone successfully, power down to recovery mode again (I ****ing love recovery by the way, it’s a ****ing bios on my phone)… and again, you will want to clear cache partition and dalvik cache, in that order. After it is done successfully, go ahead and flash your kernel. After that is done, boot to system. If you get some kind of error after this point that you did not experience earlier, you can safely assume one of these 3 things, in this order… you got a bad download when downloading your kernel (re-download, and start over at step 1, annoying I know, but the only way to ensure proper install, again. Patience pays with these devices as they can be extremely tempermental.), something is actually faulty in the kernel build (you should be reading other’s experience with said software anyways, so you know what to expect), or your phone just doesn’t ****ing like you (this happens sometimes, it’s nothing personal.)
7. Assuming your phone has booted properly (****ing yayyyy) you may now proceed to this step (and this step can also replace step 6 if you are not flashing a kernel). Boot down to recovery again, clear cache, clear dalvik… you see the pattern here… flash your other little ****. For example, when I installed the steel rom with the bc kern, the battery mod, and the boot ani’… I followed this guide pretty much to the T. Anyways, I will use that as an example… after cache and dalvik cache are cleared, flash your battery icon, then right on top of that, flash your boot ani’.
8. Boot to system. You are now running a bastardized rom with a 99% chance of it running ABSOLUTELY flawless.
Furthermore, sometimes I will even run a rom for a couple days before proceeding to flash a kernel on top of it. This is simply to have useful information if a problem arises mid-use. For example, if I am running a rom for a week with zero issues, then flash a kernel, and immediately start getting random reboots, disconnected interwebz, or some other odd issue that pops up out of nowhere, I can safely assume it was something I recently changed (something I flashed). So again, either I got a bad download, or there is a design/programming issue. This will allow me to better pinpoint root cause of bugs that pop up on my hAxor3d evo.
Anyways, that’s about all I can think of for now. The purpose of this is really to help some of you learn how to better troubleshoot problems yourself before asking, if you would rather ask, that’s fine really. It’s just always better to learn.
Hopefully some of you find this useful, and if there is anything else somebody feels should be added, please do so, and I will edit the thread accordingly.
Thanks,
CB
maybe i should have posted this in the dev section....
oh well. mods can move it if they so choose, their call anyways.
Will this work for the evo 3d?
mattfmartin said:
Will this work for the evo 3d?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well, that's a more intelligent question than the ones i was expecting.
"where is the synergy superwipe found????" lol
Great guide! I've personally never had issues flashing ROMs if I just do a single wipe, but I guess all phones are different.
Related
I'm having a little trouble and I'm sincerely hoping you'll help. I've tried flashing my Eris using the file, "Evil_Tazz_3.zip" and my Eris is now bricked and stuck in a bootloop. All it will do is show an animation of the sketchy letters ANDROID falling down the screen and then a smoky light following close behind it reveling the Droid itself. And it'll repeat this animation rapidly about 100 times before freezing and then restarting the whole process all over. To be frank it pisses me off because it always seems that I'm the only one who has trouble with this stuff.
My Eris is rooted and it does allow me to access the recovery screen. What am I supposed to do?
Anyways, thanks for your time.
Best Regards -Joseph Bergen
jbergen said:
I'm having a little trouble and I'm sincerely hoping you'll help. I've tried flashing my Eris using the file, "Evil_Tazz_3.zip" and my Eris is now bricked and stuck in a bootloop. All it will do is show an animation of the sketchy letters ANDROID falling down the screen and then a smoky light following close behind it reveling the Droid itself. And it'll repeat this animation rapidly about 100 times before freezing and then restarting the whole process all over. To be frank it pisses me off because it always seems that I'm the only one who has trouble with this stuff.
My Eris is rooted and it does allow me to access the recovery screen. What am I supposed to do?
Anyways, thanks for your time.
Best Regards -Joseph Bergen
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Whatever you do, DO NOT DO ANYTHING ELSE UNTIL BTFB0 responds to your plea for help.
Do not just start trying different solutions, DO NOT FLASH ANY RUU, if you know what that is. BTFB0 is the guy who can get your phone unbricked if anyone can. He is the expert, I won't pretend to be able to duplicate his knowledge in this area.
Be patient until he has a chance to see this. You don't have to PM him, I'm sure he'll respond when he has a chance here in public. He will ask specific questions about what version of bootloader you have, 1.47 or 1.49, and you might as well find out if it's S=OFF or S=ON.
Also, do you have Amon RA recovery on your phone and can you get to it?
Have you tried flashing anything else since your phone has gotten stuck in this boot loop? If not and you can get into recovery still, then simply wipe data, wipe dalvik, and try flashing again. Don't worry you're phone doesn't sound bricked, just like you got a bad download or an error when flashing the rom. I would probably try a different rom or at least re-download the one you want to use.
It may still be wise to wait for BTFB0 to get here and offer some more advice as I am sure he has more knowledge in this area than me. But I do feel confident that he will say the same thing as I have.
Well, the OP merely said that he is having trouble with a specific ROM; he didn't mention failures during flashing; so, his problem could be as simple as having failed to "wipe" before flashing his ROM.
jbergen:
If you can boot into a custom recovery, your phone is not "bricked". It's not even soft-bricked; it's just not booting into the main OS correctly.
Providing as much detail as you can is helpful to people that are offering help to you; in particular, the following pieces of information:
- What recovery is on your phone? (Amon_RA, Clockwork? What version #?)
- When you are flashing the ROM file with your recovery, do you notice any "E:" messages?
An "E:" at the beginning of a line on the screen means that an error occurred!
- Are you having this same trouble on more than one ROM, or is this the only ROM you have tried since you rooted?
- What method did you use to root the phone?
- Did you use the "Wipe data/factory reset" menu item before you flashed the ROM file?
- Did you make any Nandroid backups that you still have on your SD card? If yes, did you attempt to restore one? What was the result? (BTW, every rooted phone user should be making Nandroid backups before they flash ROMs - no exceptions.)
- Do you have a media card slot or USB card reader device that will allow you to copy a different ROM file onto your SD card? -OR-
- Do you know how to "mount" the SD card onto the PC when your recovery is booted? (On Amon_RA, it is called "Toggle MS-USB" or something like that; it's also in the Clockwork menu somewhere too)
Given the information you have provided, there are any number of things that could be going on. I would suggest downloading a different ROM to your PC (let's say the stock HTC Eris March 2011 ROM), and then transferring it to your SD card. Then,
- Verify the exact size of the file and/or MD5 signatures of the file (if the developer provided it).
- make sure your phone is well charged
- perform a "Wipe data/factory reset" from the recovery menu
- Flash the ROM file from the recovery menu - and pay attention to the screen to see if there are any `E:' errors
- If there are errors, there is no point in attempting to boot the phone
- If there are no errors, boot the phone.
- Report your results here - and answer the questions that I asked.
There is probably some ridiculous, overwhelmingly simple reason for the answer to this question, but take into account that its coming from the guy who has been trying install a ROM for a week unsuccessfully, Anyway, enough personal degradation for the moment, and on to business. It seems to me that every time I have to .spf it gets easier and faster(imagine that). RSDlite is such a perfect format flashing, so why has no one thought of a way to flash ROMS via RSDlite? I understand that getting your proverbial elbows greasy is the fun of this, but for the helpless and hopeless, such as myself, there should be a super simple segue into cool techy stuff for us too!! I'm kidding, I'm not that buried.....I think.
Why would you sbf a rom when it only only takes a couple of minutes to flash a rom?
1, are you rooted?
2, do you have tenfar bar installed?
3, is the rom of choice on SD card?
Where are you having your trouble what rom? How are you trying it? It is pretty simple.
MathiasKnight said:
There is probably some ridiculous, overwhelmingly simple reason for the answer to this question, but take into account that its coming from the guy who has been trying install a ROM for a week unsuccessfully, Anyway, enough personal degradation for the moment, and on to business. It seems to me that every time I have to .spf it gets easier and faster(imagine that). RSDlite is such a perfect format flashing, so why has no one thought of a way to flash ROMS via RSDlite? I understand that getting your proverbial elbows greasy is the fun of this, but for the helpless and hopeless, such as myself, there should be a super simple segue into cool techy stuff for us too!! I'm kidding, I'm not that buried.....I think.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Okay, looks like you created a new thread about the same issue...but moving on.
RSD Lite is a Motorola tool, that was initially just supposed to be used by retailers (like VZW and Radioshack) so that they could reset people's phones rather than having to ship the to Moto and send them back to the customer, or for VZW and others to wipe devices and resell them as "refurbished" units. The reason we can't use RSD to create ROM's is the SBF files are signed by Motorola. So if we were to modify them in anyway or try to make our own, it would refuse the files and not flash the device.
Now, from your other thread you posted this:
MathiasKnight said:
Sorry about that, I must have been excited. Unfortunately I spoke too soon. Either that or I'm not meant for this, which I hope is not the case seeing that I'm getting my degree in IT. I finally get bootloader, with ROM and GAPPS placed accordingly(I opted for Eclipse). When the zip is finished uploading and I see confirmation that all was installed correctly, I begin the reboot......and it takes new to an unactivated Droid X2. I've created nandroid after nandroid, with different methods and different ROMS, and I either land there or with a signature error, even in bootstrap. I'm gonna try one more time before I hang up my guns. Maybe.....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Could you please outline everything you do, step by step? After you SBF you should have to activate your phone anyway, so that after you root, install bootstrap and then boot into that and apply the ROM and GAPPs the phone should already be activated.
Travisdroidx2 said:
Why would you sbf a rom when it only only takes a couple of minutes to flash a rom?
1, are you rooted?
2, do you have tenfar bar installed?
3, is the rom of choice on SD card?
Where are you having your trouble what rom? How are you trying it? It is pretty simple.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The only time I have gotten any response that remotely resembled success was the first time I used System Recovery, but the status bar was incredibly slow, like not moving basically, so I figured after about 25 minutes something was amiss...again. Yes I'm rooted, don't know what a tenfar bar is yet but I'm on it now, and I've got a variety of .zip's that are supposed to be compatible with 2.3.4, and I'm sure they are. I was really kind of joking about the .sbf, but I still think it would be a viable alternative.
MathiasKnight said:
The only time I have gotten any response that remotely resembled success was the first time I used System Recovery, but the status bar was incredibly slow, like not moving basically, so I figured after about 25 minutes something was amiss...again. Yes I'm rooted, don't know what a tenfar bar is yet but I'm on it now, and I've got a variety of .zip's that are supposed to be compatible with 2.3.4, and I'm sure they are. I was really kind of joking about the .sbf, but I still think it would be a viable alternative.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Okay, so you've SBF'd to 2.3.4. Rooted using whatever method, and you have the BootStrap recovery installed yes? Then you boot into recovery, wiped data, wiped cache and wiped dalvik cache, then tried installing a zipped ROM from you sd card, and upon restarting you get stuck at the moto M screen?
A couple things. First, when you wipe the dalvik cache (for roms or any mods) the phone has to rebuild that before it can actually boot into Android. This can take anywhere from a few minutes to 5 minutes or upwards. If you've gone 10 minutes and still nothing, all you need to do is pull the battery (so the phone powers off), reinstall the battery, DONT TURN THE PHONE ON, and then plug your phone into your wallcharger. After you plug in your phone, it'll turn itself on, go to the M screen and then go back into the BootStrapRecovery. From there you can redo the steps, wipe everything and then reinstall. However, IF you boot into the stock Android Recovery and wipe cache and data from there, you mucked it up and you'll have to SBF and restart the process.
ALSO, from your previous thread you said you were trying to install Eclipse. What version are you trying? 1.xx eclipse will work on 2.3.4, but Eclipse 2.xx will only work on 2.3.5, which could be another reason you are having issues.
Happy new owner of Amaze after three plus years on my Nexus One.
My device is unlocked, rooted, with S-On.
I purchased and successfully used 4ext, tried two CM ROMs in the last week.
Before trying these Roms, I Nandroid backed up the ROM installed on the phone when I first got it, which was running ICS 4.0.3 / Sense 3.6. (Didn't like Sense UI - was dissatisfied with one UI over another); I like the mimimalism of the CM ROM, as I've gotten used to CM7 on my Nexus one.
Anyways, settled on a CM10 ROM. This too is backed up in addition to the first Sense Rom. Man.... wish the audio skip wasn't there when playing music and was really not thrilled with low speaker volume after putting up with that on my Nexus One for years.
So I decided to try CM9.
Downloaded a CM9 zip from Goo and the correct Gapps.
Before asking for help, I have Googled several variants of my problem until I see purple links highlighted: translation, I have not been lazy to not try and look and find a solution - the links on the page aren't blue anymore, but purple because I looked and read those. I have seen plenty of threads describing my problem; maybe I've overlooked something , but this is the first time in years I have decided to ask for help. Moreover, I spent a good week bookmarking over 40 threads - organized into specific headings - in order that I could fast search for typical problems like I have now. Hate being defensive, but I see the last couple years the landscape is rife with folks rightfully being told to search before asking questions.
'nuff talk, here's the problem.
I placed the CM9 and Gapps thread onto my internal sd card as usual, then booted into recovery, into 4ext no problem. Prepared to wipe "data/factory rest/wipe and wipe cache, wipe dalvik cache".
This is what I did different from previous flash. After wiping data/factory reset... I choose "format all partitions (except sdcard" I had read enough tutorials to see that was an additional option to the wipe cache/wipe dalvik cache. Also, I was prompted to - (and this was maybe the stupid thing I did differently) - prompted with an option to uninstall smartflash. I choose the tick box... big no-no? (But I have seen in several repeated attempts to recover and restore either Rom back up, the option to "enable or disable" smartflash.
So maybe it never was actually uninstalled from 4ext? since I can see it as an option when I return to recovery. Of course I have done this after my first attempt to reboot - after installing CM9... which is described next
So after wiping data/factory reset and "format all partitions (except sdcard" ...then I installed the CM9 zip and the gapps zip, then selected reboot.
Upon selecting 'reboot' - got the infamous HTC splash screen. Then I calmly read many threads, thinking I'd solve the problem.
So far, here's what I tried as an attempt to fix/restore or learn something useful that will help me with any future steps i need to take.
1) I tried to reflash the CM9 zip. (Still did the wipe/rest but then wiped cache/dalvik cache" (no change, got splash screen)
2) Tried to restore either back up a couple times. (Each time did the wipe/reset but then wiped cache/dalvik cache" (no change, got splash screen)
3) Tried to reflash the 4 ext zip. (Hmm... won't install it aborts installation)
4) I can toggle usb storage
5) Looked at all the options within the 4ext UI just to be a 'rat in the maze' and get familiar with all the options so when i ask fort help i can perhaps navigate their faster with some confidence.
6) Went to sleep at 4am... not complaining at all.. we all have done this playing with these devices. This is just an inconvenience, I get it. I'll be putting my sim card into my Nexus one to be phone functional today while I stay on the road to figuring this out. (I know I need a 4g sim card if I want to use wifi callling on my Amaze.... but I don't care about that right now)
7) Fully charged Ruby just in case battery power could be an issue. Tried to reflash again this morning. No dice.
I know there's an answer. I know I have probably read the answer.. or the steps I need to take are in a thread somewhere... but I am a rat in a maze and don't know where to turn.
Thanks fellas.
Ed
Instead of wiping
additonal info/may help
Update:
I'm still reading, and I just read:
"There are some ROM specific files on the SDcard but a full wipe (all partitions except sdcard) clears them too"
This seems to say it was wrong to 'wipe all partitions except sdcard'. Was this cause of my problem?
Also:
1) I have enabled "smart flash" under the option. (so I assume smartflash was never uninstalled)
2) Looking in the 4-ext "boot_backup" folder. I see boot.img files. There are three new ones that were added after my problems started.
I just read:
Now let me explain the boot.img a little so you know why it is so important. The boot.img does just what thee name implies, it is what boots the Android ROM on your device. Now let me explain this a little further, the Android OS runs on top of something called a Linux kernel. This means that your bootloader boots the Linux kernel and the hardware of the device. The Linux kernel then boots the Android OS. The kernel is also the connection between the hardware and the Android OS. So you see if the kernel is not compatible with the system that is on the system partition you will have troubles like Wifi not working or other I hardware reliant functions. So when you flash a new ROM and you are HTC Dev unlocked you will have to flash the boot.img for the ROM or you will more than likely have troubles.
3) Is the wrong boot.img being appplied and causing the splash screen issue?
Thanks...
discslinger said:
Update:
I'm still reading, and I just read:
"There are some ROM specific files on the SDcard but a full wipe (all partitions except sdcard) clears them too"
This seems to say it was wrong to 'wipe all partitions except sdcard'. Was this cause of my problem?
Ed
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
do a full wipe from 4ext recovery,reflash cm9 and gapps,
and for splash screen,you are missing kernel as you are S-ON,use hasoon tookit to flash your kernel here
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1493905
read above mentioned thread instructions completely...and for your kernel,its in your cm9 zip file named as boot.img,extract it and you will find it...
if i've helped you,don't forget to hit the thanks button
---------- Post added at 09:59 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:00 PM ----------
discslinger said:
3) Is the wrong boot.img being appplied and causing the splash screen issue?
Thanks...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thats what i am talking about.. glad to see a good reader
Read the cm9 thread (just after the last release date). I believe cm9 is messed up. Missing or a bad boot.IMG. there are steps there to fix.
Sent from my HTC_Amaze_4G using xda app-developers app
Thanks guys!
Fixed.:good:
Hello, all. First, I'd like to say thank you for taking the time to read this and potentially try and help me out. Any assistance with this matter would be greatly appreciated!
I added the (Non-standard) to the title, as I've been flashing and modding this phone for over two years, and I've never experienced this issue. I'm not the type to ask for assistance, as my research skills are well above par, but after digging through literally countless forums and topics, I have yet to find anything quite like my situation...
ISSUE: Performed recent flash attempt to epinter's CM10.1. Now loads to Moto splash, sits there the usual few seconds, but when it comes time to load the rom, it reboots and starts the process again... (I swear I think I see it trying to load the rom splash for like a micro second, but then it could just be the delirium of long hours researching and fighting this problem.) Now, you might be thinking, "Eh, pretty common...", right? Yeah, me too, until I couldn't fix it like I've done a million times before... I can boot into recovery. I have performed ALL standard actions regarding flashing a new rom, yet the problem persists. The problem persists now no matter what rom I attempt to flash. Now you might be thinking, "Just flash your nandroid recovery...", but I wish, oh how I wish I could... I am currently using CWM-based Recovery 5.0.2.7, although I've tried more than a few different recoveries since this issue, all provide the same results... Which is nothing. I'm at the end of my rope here.
I've even tried flashing TWRP (two different versions) so I could at least get some charge to the battery so I could continue this debacle, but it hangs at the TeamWin splash screen...
Fastboot loads fine. Wipes performed to system, caches, partitions, etc, to no avail... Battery pull, already tried...
I've covered all the basic fixes, but my issue seems to be bigger than my knowledge base (at the moment).
Okay, here's the exact details of what led up to this...
My Atrix WAS unlocked, rooted, and using RR's CWM for recovery at the time. I had flashed everything coming and going as the scene grew, but eventually went back to CM7.2 and had been running it for ages. Well, I decided to try something new, and settled on trying BeanStalk. Flashed Aroma Prep, no problem. Flashed ROM and Gapps, no problem. Booted up fine. Decent start on the rom, but a little too buggy yet for me. So on this note I wiped and restored my CM7 nandroid backup, no problem. All was well, until I came across epinter's CM10.1 and thought, "Eh, why not?" (...and now look at the mess I'm in!) Performed a new nandroid backup of my CM7, and began the process that ended me... Everything went along just fine. Performed all my wipes, flashed my zips, rebooted, and BAM... boot loop! Little did I know what kind of headache I was in for, until I couldn't restore my backup. Now, I'm just praying I find a solution before my battery drains out completely...
SIDE NOTE: While attempting to restore fails and just resets recovery back to the main screen, there are no visible errors reported. Attempting to flash ANY of my other roms results in the same behavior. Flashes "appear" to go smoothly, but the end result is the same... I did notice upon attempting to flash BeanStalk again that there is an error reported in the aroma installer. It performs all wipes correctly, but when it comes time to actually install, it reports a broken symlink error, or something to that effect... (I would reproduce the install error message, but at the moment I'm trying to hang onto as much battery life as possible. My apologies for the inaccuracy of any statement.)
PLEASE, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I BEG OF YOU... If anybody has been unfortunate enough to have found themselves in my shoes, then hopefully you were lucky enough to get it figured out by now and would be willing to pass along the info. Although not my primary phone anymore, it still gets more than it's share of use. I'd hate to see it go out this way...
Any help to guide me in the right direction would be most appreciated! Thank you all in advance!
I've been trying to understand all the steps necessary to replace the OEM ROM in my HTC Amaze 4G phone, but I can only find a disjointed set of pieces about the various steps and not one overarching document that covers all the stages of custom ROM flashing. A lot of the docs are aimed at the "insiders" of the Android developer community and few to people like me who would just like to try something better than what that ICS update did to my phone.
Having dabbled at one time with Linux from version .98 to 2.6 and being software developer most of my working life, I figure this should be easy for me. Yet, I find the documentation frustrating. I only imagine what it must be for others with less computer experience than me.
Since Android is based on Linux, I don't understand the big fuss about rooting. In Linux having the rooting privilege simply meant having a root password. Why is Android so much more complicated than that? Also, loading a new Linux kernel used to be a fairly simple process if one used compiled modules. The installation script pretty much took care of it. Android totally obscures this process and the disjointed documentation doesn't seem to help much. A lot of it assumes certain knowledge by the reader as if he/she was also an "insider" in that circle.
On my part I would like to so the following steps documented:
1.) How to save user installed content and the factory ROM image before wiping it out so it could be eventually restored if needed.
2.) How to prepare the phone for installing a new ROM
3.) What new and stable ROM images will work with given phone and how to obtain them and in what form? Zip, rar, or what?
4.) In what SD Card directory or in USB-connected PC directory the new ROM should be.
5.) How the flashing process would look like? Expected phases and length?
6.) Do I need to lock the new ROM's root just as the factory ROM was? How would I do that?
7.) Any special issues when booting the new ROM for the first time?
8.) How would I restore the original factory ROM saved in step 1?
Some of you might think I ask too much from guys who do the dev work as a hobby but I always thought that if one does something, might as well do it right, regardless of pay.
Well, that's my 2 cents worth for the day.
Howdy. I'll try to answer some of the questions you asked.
I would also recommend talking with @ravike14 who can easily guide you through the back up and routing and s-off process. It's not that difficult really. The most bizarre thing for me was sticking a piece of wire into a hole in the back of the phone to short out a process to achieve s-off.
With the right recovery image installed, it won't matter where you place the Rom.zip. which may be named just about anything. But it will always be a zip file.
The important one is the PH85img.zip must be placed in the root of your external sdcard. That file is loaded when you boot into the bootloader. And is for updating firmware.
Once you have root, and have made a nandroid backup, flashing is easy.
If you download viper, it is vipera1.7.2.1.zip. you can have it anywhere on you internal or external sdcard.
If you use 4ext recovery, you can select install and it will take you to a directory that you can browse to the place where the Rom, whatever name it is, is stored.
Click the Rom zip file and you will be guided thru the install process, if it has an aroma installer, or it will just install otherwise.
Then reboot and go thru the set up as if it was a brand new phone.
If you don't do the s-off thing, 4ext offers a smart flash option. If you aren't s-off you can't just flash a Rom if it contains a kernel. So smart flash will be required.
There are a few guides in the dev section and the general section on how most of this process works.
Again, talk with ravike and he'll be glad to help. Plus the more people we can keep here and happy, the longer we will be creating roms and fun stuff to play with.
Regards,
Chevy
Sent from my HTC_Amaze_4G using xda app-developers app
Is there a good documentation for all ROM flash steps?
Thanks, Cowboy, for the helpful reply, though I don't see any HELP button to push that the end of your post refers to.
I think at this point I'd like to figure out on my own how to install a custom ROM, though I must say that your S-OFF reference is one of the things that confuses me because the HTC dev site itself spells out that it is not necessary to change S-On to S-Off. Go, figure ...
Also, I think I like what I've read about the Revolution ROM, so that's the one I'd like to install if that is working with T-Mo branded Amaze 4G phones, though mine is no longer locked to T-Mo.
Your welcome!
NWsoccerfan said:
Thanks, Cowboy, for the helpful reply, though I don't see any HELP button to push that the end of your post refers to.
I think at this point I'd like to figure out on my own how to install a custom ROM, though I must say that your S-OFF reference is one of the things that confuses me because the HTC dev site itself spells out that it is not necessary to change S-On to S-Off. Go, figure ...
Also, I think I like what I've read about the Revolution ROM, so that's the one I'd like to install if that is working with T-Mo branded Amaze 4G phones, though mine is no longer locked to T-Mo.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you're using the web to look at xda, there is a thanks button on the lower left side of the screen before the very end of the post line.
If you're using the XDA app, you have to tap on my post, and it should have a thanks selection in the options that come up.
A few more suggestions.
1.) How to save user installed content and the factory ROM image before wiping it out so it could be eventually restored if needed.
A) one you are rooted you should be able to back up all of your user data through a nandroid which is available in TWRP or 4EXT recoveries. This will back up everything to be able to restore exactly like it was before you change roms.
(NRG is my ICS preference, and Afnan has a good modified stock rom. ARHD (revolution) is also a good one without too many frills.
2.) How to prepare the phone for installing a new ROM
B) again, Root - s-off (really a good idea and not too hard to do) - dev unlock - and Super CID
3.) What new and stable ROM images will work with given phone and how to obtain them and in what form? Zip, rar, or what?
C) any roms listed in the dev section in the Amaze forum works. And, they should all be Zip fles. You can restore somone elses nandroid back up, but not adviseable.
4.) In what SD Card directory or in USB-connected PC directory the new ROM should be.
D) anywhere (except the PH85IMG.zip MUST be on the root of your EXTERNAL sdcard)
5.) How the flashing process would look like? Expected phases and length?
E) There are two types of rom flashes, standard and Aroma (thanks @amarullz)
1) Standard just does it's thing and when it's done, it returns you to the recovery menu to reboot.
2) Aroma is a highly configurable installation (preferred for selections of different kernels and adding or removing apps, keyboards, cpu freq's and much more) after it's done, most often it can reboot directly from the installer. ARHD has this type of installer, also NRG roms, and mine!
6.) Do I need to lock the new ROM's root just as the factory ROM was? How would I do that?
F) all of the "Custom" rom's (even thought some may be stock) should be rooted. A rooted rom containd the busybox and super user bianaries and apps (IE chanfireSU or SuperSU)
7.) Any special issues when booting the new ROM for the first time?
G) You shouldn't have any issues when booting a new rom for the first time. Some do require a little bit of behind the scenes set up time. Most users see just the boot animation reach the end, or it may seem like it's not doing anything, but it's doing an unbelievable amount of background processing, dexopting, and some comminucation with the carrier for data and validation set up. Some may take five to ten minutes to complete depending on the amount of apps and goodies that are in the rom.
H) if you see the HTC logo for an extended amount of time, more than five minutes, and you dont see the boot animation (which varies by rom) then you are stuck in a preload loop. This happens when you flash a carrier specific rom without being "Super CID", or you may not have flashed the kernel (if you are S-Off this won't be a problem) because you didn't select smartflash from the recovery settings.
** I had issues trying to install ARHD at first because there is a firmware update, a requirement to be Super CID (probably the easiest of things to do), and some roms specify that you should be using TWRP recovery instead of 4EXT, or vise versa.
8.) How would I restore the original factory ROM saved in step 1?
I) nandroid restore There is also a rooted stock rom based off of the latest OTA ICS Update. It is just like the rom that comes preloaded, or updated to on stock non-rooted phones. If you go that route, flash the "Stock ICS" rooted rom and do an advanced nandroid restore and only restore your data. That will (should) get you back to where you started from but keeping root, S-Off, Dev unlock, and Super CID.
I rewrote some of what I noted befor so maybe other's can benifit from this knowledge. And I wanted to expand on a few items. All good questions!
There's a lot of things that happen in the background that people need to see sometime (pull a logcat) to see the crazy lines of code flying by on a terminal screen.
If more poeple took the time to understand all of this it would reduce the amount of errors while flashing and poeple would be more happy.
And in doing so I think people will learn more about what they are doing, and the more you do it, the better you get at doing it.
Enjoy!
Chevy
chevycowboyusa said:
If you're using the web to look at xda, there is a thanks button on the lower left side of the screen before the very end of the post line.
If you're using the XDA app, you have to tap on my post, and it should have a thanks selection in the options that come up.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I use the web for this and the only thing I see on the lower left side is a DONATE button. That's what you mean?
chevycowboyusa said:
A few more suggestions.
1.) How to save user installed content and the factory ROM image before wiping it out so it could be eventually restored if needed.
A) one you are rooted you should be able to back up all of your user data through a nandroid which is available in TWRP or 4EXT recoveries. This will back up everything to be able to restore exactly like it was before you change roms.
(NRG is my ICS preference, and Afnan has a good modified stock rom. ARHD (revolution) is also a good one without too many frills.
2.) How to prepare the phone for installing a new ROM
B) again, Root - s-off (really a good idea and not too hard to do) - dev unlock - and Super CID
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can I still use my phone after it is rooted but before the new ROM is installed? How would the phone behavior change on a rooted phone?
You did not comment on why the htcdev site recommends against the S-Off as not being necessary for installing a custom ROM.
chevycowboyusa said:
3.) What new and stable ROM images will work with given phone and how to obtain them and in what form? Zip, rar, or what?
C) any roms listed in the dev section in the Amaze forum works. And, they should all be Zip fles. You can restore somone elses nandroid back up, but not adviseable.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OK, I've got that. Does this Nandroid backup the entire image of the phone's content sector-by-sector, or as individual files? To the external SD card or to the PC connected by USB cable? BTW, why are all flashing procedures requiring loading of the HTC USB drivers when such drivers must be on the phone already? Otherwise we could not link the phone to PC in the first place.
chevycowboyusa said:
4.) In what SD Card directory or in USB-connected PC directory the new ROM should be.
D) anywhere (except the PH85IMG.zip MUST be on the root of your EXTERNAL sdcard)
5.) How the flashing process would look like? Expected phases and length?
E) There are two types of rom flashes, standard and Aroma (thanks @amarullz)
1) Standard just does it's thing and when it's done, it returns you to the recovery menu to reboot.
2) Aroma is a highly configurable installation (preferred for selections of different kernels and adding or removing apps, keyboards, cpu freq's and much more) after it's done, most often it can reboot directly from the installer. ARHD has this type of installer, also NRG roms, and mine!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Aroma? That doesn't smell too good to me.
chevycowboyusa said:
6.) Do I need to lock the new ROM's root just as the factory ROM was? How would I do that?
F) all of the "Custom" rom's (even thought some may be stock) should be rooted. A rooted rom containd the busybox and super user bianaries and apps (IE chanfireSU or SuperSU)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh, so this might answer my earlier question about how a rooted phone might behave. Essentially a user might not even know the difference, right? So, I could also do this process in two stages: First just root the factory ROM and use the phone that way till I am ready to actually flash the new ROM in the second stage, right?
chevycowboyusa said:
7.) Any special issues when booting the new ROM for the first time?
G) You shouldn't have any issues when booting a new rom for the first time. Some do require a little bit of behind the scenes set up time. Most users see just the boot animation reach the end, or it may seem like it's not doing anything, but it's doing an unbelievable amount of background processing, dexopting, and some comminucation with the carrier for data and validation set up. Some may take five to ten minutes to complete depending on the amount of apps and goodies that are in the rom.
H) if you see the HTC logo for an extended amount of time, more than five minutes, and you dont see the boot animation (which varies by rom) then you are stuck in a preload loop. This happens when you flash a carrier specific rom without being "Super CID", or you may not have flashed the kernel (if you are S-Off this won't be a problem) because you didn't select smartflash from the recovery settings.
** I had issues trying to install ARHD at first because there is a firmware update, a requirement to be Super CID (probably the easiest of things to do), and some roms specify that you should be using TWRP recovery instead of 4EXT, or vise versa.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've got this.
chevycowboyusa said:
8.) How would I restore the original factory ROM saved in step 1?
I) nandroid restore There is also a rooted stock rom based off of the latest OTA ICS Update. It is just like the rom that comes preloaded, or updated to on stock non-rooted phones. If you go that route, flash the "Stock ICS" rooted rom and do an advanced nandroid restore and only restore your data. That will (should) get you back to where you started from but keeping root, S-Off, Dev unlock, and Super CID.
I rewrote some of what I noted befor so maybe other's can benifit from this knowledge. And I wanted to expand on a few items. All good questions!
There's a lot of things that happen in the background that people need to see sometime (pull a logcat) to see the crazy lines of code flying by on a terminal screen.
If more poeple took the time to understand all of this it would reduce the amount of errors while flashing and poeple would be more happy.
And in doing so I think people will learn more about what they are doing, and the more you do it, the better you get at doing it.
Enjoy!
Chevy
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks. I like your attitude about this.
When you get time stop by
XDA University.
I learned tons here its a great place to start and much better than trying to Google everything
http://forum.xda-developers.com/general/xda-university
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
been busy
NWsoccerfan said:
I use the web for this and the only thing I see on the lower left side is a DONATE button. That's what you mean?
Can I still use my phone after it is rooted but before the new ROM is installed? How would the phone behavior change on a rooted phone?
You did not comment on why the htcdev site recommends against the S-Off as not being necessary for installing a custom ROM.
OK, I've got that. Does this Nandroid backup the entire image of the phone's content sector-by-sector, or as individual files? To the external SD card or to the PC connected by USB cable? BTW, why are all flashing procedures requiring loading of the HTC USB drivers when such drivers must be on the phone already? Otherwise we could not link the phone to PC in the first place.
Aroma? That doesn't smell too good to me.
Oh, so this might answer my earlier question about how a rooted phone might behave. Essentially a user might not even know the difference, right? So, I could also do this process in two stages: First just root the factory ROM and use the phone that way till I am ready to actually flash the new ROM in the second stage, right?
I've got this.
Thanks. I like your attitude about this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you're welcome! I wish everyone would try to learn this
and the university is also very helpfull as freakboy noted above,
I've been busy working at bringing the comunity the next greatest romz!