[Q] First time flashing/rooting, is ... necessary? - AT&T Samsung Galaxy S II SGH-I777

As stated in the title, this will be my first time rooting/flashing. I did a good bit with my old Tilt2 thanks to Entropy, but Android and rooting is all new to me. Anyway, on to the question:
Is it necessary to follow the instructions found in "ROM's, Kernels, Tools & "How to" I777 SGS2"
to flash/root my gs2 before flashing this? ([Rom][4.0.3-ICS][XWLP3] Phone-Bricker v2.7)
Clay
ps - I have searched the forums through and through and unfortunately I have not found an answer to this particular question, sorry.

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clay101eve said:
As stated in the title, this will be my first time rooting/flashing. I did a good bit with my old Tilt2 thanks to Entropy, but Android and rooting is all new to me. Anyway, on to the question:
Is it necessary to follow the instructions found in "ROM's, Kernels, Tools & "How to" I777 SGS2"
to flash/root my gs2 before flashing this? ([Rom][4.0.3-ICS][XWLP3] Phone-Bricker v2.7)
Clay
ps - I have searched the forums through and through and unfortunately I have not found an answer to this particular question, sorry.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I recommend reading the links posted in the sticky to get you started. Please read as much as you can before attempting to do anything. For flashing stuff, this is your guide, but I still recommend that you read a lot more than just that thread before you do anything. There's a ton of information that you should know, and it'll probably take you at least a couple days (took me weeks) to understand it all. Again, start with the links in the sticky.

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Ya karate, I have been reading for the past few days about routing, flashing, modems, unrooting etc. Watched several videos and will continue to do so until this weekend when I get some time to go through with it.
As for my question... Is it necessary to root and flash to a custom kernel before flashing to phonebricker?
Clay
ps - I will read everything in those links (again for some)

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clay101eve said:
Ya karate, I have been reading for the past few days about routing, flashing, modems, unrooting etc. Watched several videos and will continue to do so until this weekend when I get some time to go through with it.
As for my question... Is it necessary to root and flash to a custom kernel before flashing to phonebricker?
Clay
ps - I will read everything in those links (again for some)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you have been reading for the past few days and still asking this question, I suggest you reading more, much more.
Do a logical thinking.
1. If I want to have phone bricker on my device? How? What is requirement to do so? (hint: CWM. Go figure what that is, I assume)
2. OK, now CWM is the requirement, how do I get it on my device? Read up again
3. So, since CWM is on my device, what next????

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clay101eve said:
Ya karate, I have been reading for the past few days about routing, flashing, modems, unrooting etc. Watched several videos and will continue to do so until this weekend when I get some time to go through with it.
As for my question... Is it necessary to root and flash to a custom kernel before flashing to phonebricker?
Clay
ps - I will read everything in those links (again for some)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes. If you're on stock GB, root first, use Mobile Odin Lite to flash a custom GB kernel (Entropy's DD or Siyah), then use the CWM included in the kernel to flash Phone Bricker.

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Ok so phone is rooted, but I have a question I can't find the answer to.
In the flash without tripping root counter thread, after you're rooted it says to use mobile Odin lite which is all well and fine, I understand that. It says to use it to flash the kernel (GB) you want to use. However, it doesn't say anything about needing a "FlashKernel" which is what the Odin thread says is needed. Is this necessary to flash Entropy Daily/Siyah/etc or is it a kernel all the same and can be overlooked?
Clay
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I777 using XDA

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clay101eve said:
Ok so phone is rooted, but I have a question I can't find the answer to.
In the flash without tripping root counter thread, after you're rooted it says to use mobile Odin lite which is all well and fine, I understand that. It says to use it to flash the kernel (GB) you want to use. However, it doesn't say anything about needing a "FlashKernel" which is what the Odin thread says is needed. Is this necessary to flash Entropy Daily/Siyah/etc or is it a kernel all the same and can be overlooked?
Clay
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I777 using XDA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have no idea what a flash kernel is or which Odin thread you're referring to. Just use Mobile Odin to flash Entropy's DD or Siyah. You'll then have CWM, from which you can flash anything you want, and you'll likely never need any form of Odin again (so long as you don't flash anything not recommended by this forum and/or built for this phone).

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clay101eve said:
Ok so phone is rooted, but I have a question I can't find the answer to.
In the flash without tripping root counter thread, after you're rooted it says to use mobile Odin lite which is all well and fine, I understand that. It says to use it to flash the kernel (GB) you want to use. However, it doesn't say anything about needing a "FlashKernel" which is what the Odin thread says is needed. Is this necessary to flash Entropy Daily/Siyah/etc or is it a kernel all the same and can be overlooked?
Clay
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I777 using XDA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mobile Odin and Mobile Odin Lite both consist of two parts. Both parts are apk's really, but one is the main program, and the other, called the flash kernel, contains the version of ClockworkMod Recovery specific to a particular phone. Mobile Odin Lite will recognize and flash a kernel even though there is no flash kernel installed for it. But to use all it's features, that is to flash a complete firmware, or parts other than the kernel, you need to have the flash kernel installed.
I know the terminology that the developer chose to use is rather confusing, since the flash kernel that is part of Mobile Odin has nothing in common with the kernel we want to flash onto our phone. But that's what he named it.
You don't need the flash kernel if all you want to do is install a custom kernel onto your phone, and then delete Mobile Odin Lite. But if you want to keep and use Mobile Odin Lite, then you will need to install the flash kernel apk as well.

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http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1347899
That thread, halfway down after he posted the links to Odin on the market... Anyway, I will use Entropy and see what happens!
[EDIT] Ok, so since I will be using CWM, I can discard the flashkernel, flash entropy dd and then use cwm (included) to flash to ICS later. Correct?
Thank you sirs
Clay
Sent from my STOCK SAMSUNG-SGH-I777 using XDA

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clay101eve said:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1347899
That thread, halfway down after he posted the links to Odin on the market... Anyway, I will use Entropy and see what happens!
[EDIT] Ok, so since I will be using CWM, I can discard the flashkernel, flash entropy dd and then use cwm (included) to flash to ICS later. Correct?
Thank you sirs
Clay
Sent from my STOCK SAMSUNG-SGH-I777 using XDA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, this appears to be correct. You do not need the flashkernel (correct me if I'm wrong creepyncrawly).

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I appreciate the fact that everyone here... even those who are a little more forceful about it, really push for you to research, read rinse and repeat!
Clay
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I777 using XDA

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Ok done some searching about wiping, and everything I've read says to do so, however, it was never mentioned in the instructions used to root and flash to ukh7 from uck6. So, if I do wipe after I've flashed to Entropy DD (which I tried and it didnt take? When I try to load up CWM it loads up like normal ie. the "downloading" page thing... where you can see if you've tripped the binary counter. Do I need to delete Odin first?), will I need to backup any apps/personal files/contacts?
The threads I've read about wiping have been... somewhat conflicting about what is kept after a factory reset/wipe and what isnt.
Clay
[EDIT 1] Going to delete Odin then see if I can boot into CWM. Will report back after.
[EDIT 2] NOOB!!!! I got into CWM ... I'm an idiot - anyway, still curious about the whole wipe thing...

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clay101eve said:
will I need to backup any apps/personal files/contacts?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You'll need to back up apps using Titanium Backup or a similar app. You will not have to back up personal files on internal or external SD cards; they will not be touched by the wipe. With contacts, you should have them linked to your Google account, so they should already be backed up...

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clay101eve said:
The threads I've read about wiping have been... somewhat conflicting about what is kept after a factory reset/wipe and what isnt.
[EDIT 2] NOOB!!!! I got into CWM ... I'm an idiot - anyway, still curious about the whole wipe thing...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm a Ex-Tilt2 user, so I can remember the process of learning how to get at the guts of an Android device with WM6 mentality.
If I recall correctly, a common and recommended step in flashing a new ROM on the ol' Tilts was to use Task27(or some number ending in 7) to wipe all existing data. Android devices don't generally require that. Factory reset/wipe removes all personal data, leaving the OS unchanged from the flashed ROM. Essentially, from a blank device, if a full ROM were flashed via Download Mode with ODIN, using Factory Wipe and wiping the Dalvik Cache will return the system internal storage to that state. This does not affect the internal user storage space, however.
If you want to wipe everything from CWM, go into the Mounts and Storage and format every volume listed. If you read the Wipe Data/Factory Reset output, you'll see it actually formats most of the volumes for you. As I said, wiping the Dalvik cache along with the Factory reset will wipe everything necessary to return the phone to "stock"(and by stock, I mean stock for the ROM installed). This is the , in my opinion, most that is required for a fresh install of almost any ROM.

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Ya I didn't save my apps but that's fine. Needed to go through and clean house anyway. Running phonebricker now. Will have to get used to it... don't like that I don't have swype available yet, if its here I will find it later, if not I'll hey used to it.
Thanks again!
Clay

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You can get the newest swype beta from their website
Sent from my SGH-I777 using Tapatalk 2 Beta-5

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clay101eve said:
Ya I didn't save my apps but that's fine. Needed to go through and clean house anyway. Running phonebricker now. Will have to get used to it... don't like that I don't have swype available yet, if its here I will find it later, if not I'll hey used to it.
Thanks again!
Clay
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not gonna find swype here, least not in the installable .apk form.
Sign up for the beta. and you'll always have it available.
---------
I's slow

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clay101eve said:
Ok done some searching about wiping, and everything I've read says to do so, however, it was never mentioned in the instructions used to root and flash to ukh7 from uck6. So, if I do wipe after I've flashed to Entropy DD (which I tried and it didnt take? When I try to load up CWM it loads up like normal ie. the "downloading" page thing... where you can see if you've tripped the binary counter. Do I need to delete Odin first?), will I need to backup any apps/personal files/contacts?
The threads I've read about wiping have been... somewhat conflicting about what is kept after a factory reset/wipe and what isnt.
Clay
[EDIT 1] Going to delete Odin then see if I can boot into CWM. Will report back after.
[EDIT 2] NOOB!!!! I got into CWM ... I'm an idiot - anyway, still curious about the whole wipe thing...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just to clarify: what you did, the part about seeing the "downloading" thing where you can read the flash counter, that's download mode. You don't need to delete Odin to get into CWM, you just need to unplug your phone from any USB source (even if the cord's not plugged in on the other side). Then using the same button combo will get you into CWM, so long as you hold it for until CWM comes up.
ugoff said:
I'm a Ex-Tilt2 user, so I can remember the process of learning how to get at the guts of an Android device with WM6 mentality.
If I recall correctly, a common and recommended step in flashing a new ROM on the ol' Tilts was to use Task27(or some number ending in 7) to wipe all existing data. Android devices don't generally require that. Factory reset/wipe removes all personal data, leaving the OS unchanged from the flashed ROM. Essentially, from a blank device, if a full ROM were flashed via Download Mode with ODIN, using Factory Wipe and wiping the Dalvik Cache will return the system internal storage to that state. This does not affect the internal user storage space, however.
If you want to wipe everything from CWM, go into the Mounts and Storage and format every volume listed. If you read the Wipe Data/Factory Reset output, you'll see it actually formats most of the volumes for you. As I said, wiping the Dalvik cache along with the Factory reset will wipe everything necessary to return the phone to "stock"(and by stock, I mean stock for the ROM installed). This is the , in my opinion, most that is required for a fresh install of almost any ROM.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for this info! I always wondered why some stuff gets deleted and some doesn't when doing a wipe data/factory reset in CWM.