I have a spare Fascinate to hack around with. I've flashed all sorts of ROMs, but I've been consistently surprised with how much work it takes to reformat and flash ROMs.
Could someone describe the boot flow for this device? I suspect this would shed some light on why flashing ROMs requires the dance of three-finger booting and specific order of operations.
What is preventing us from building our own system images to be flashed through Odin?
My end-goal is to work towards making the Fascinate much more approachable, when it comes to modding. Since the bootloader isn't locked (right?) and we have a debug interface we can access via Odin and Heimdall, I'm not sure why it's such a hassle.
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...a pain in the ass for the Fascinate. The gf has one of these phones, and after seeing what I've done with my G2, she wants me to root and flash a nice rom.
Problem 1 (not so small): we both use macs at home.
Problem 2 (huge): after reading through the development forum - it doesn't look that easy to root, nor flash a decent rom on the Fascinate!
not only do some roms require you to have a specific kernel flashed to use them. Some roms require that you don't use the latest CWM. Also, none of roms seem to be using Gingerbread AOSP completely. They seem to be pieced together with Froyo.
Believe you me, I am not a dev in the slightest. Therefore, I am looking for a safe way to root and flash a decent rom to her phone. If there isn't, then I'll just let her run stock.
Is this easier than I'm seeing it?
enserio said:
...a pain in the ass for the Fascinate. The gf has one of these phones, and after seeing what I've done with my G2, she wants me to root and flash a nice rom.
Problem 1 (not so small): we both use macs at home.
Problem 2 (huge): after reading through the development forum - it doesn't look that easy to root, nor flash a decent rom on the Fascinate!
not only do some roms require you to have a specific kernel flashed to use them. Some roms require that you don't use the latest CWM. Also, none of roms seem to be using Gingerbread AOSP completely. They seem to be pieced together with Froyo.
Believe you me, I am not a dev in the slightest. Therefore, I am looking for a safe way to root and flash a decent rom to her phone. If there isn't, then I'll just let her run stock.
Is this easier than I'm seeing it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Honestly, it is not that difficult. Just takes some getting used to. Obviously you have done a bit of reading, I know it seems daunting, but I promise, once you have it down it is nothing. The kernels...Most ROMS are kernel switchable, within reason. MOST of our ROMS require the RED CWM, which honestly is not a big deal, the orange is just too glitchy. And as far as the ROM's being pieced together with Froyo...Well, I am no dev either, but yes, I believe most of the ROMS are a Frankenstein of sorts, but we don't even have a Froyo source to work with yet. So the dev's, in my opinion, have done an AMAZING job. In terms of flashing on a Mac, I am not sure if Odin works on a Mac, Heimdall does though I believe. Rooting is extremely simple, it is only the flashing the right CWM, modem, etc. that may confuse you. Honestly, if you just keep reading the right things, you'll see it is pretty simple. I recommend Adrynalyne's Super Clean 2.9, and Big Loof's Steel Blue theme, with the EB16 kernel (Also Adrynalyne's).
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=948722
This thread has a good walkthrough, I'd follow it through Post #5... using Superclean. It's an incredibly performing full Froyo rom. Remember that Froyo is not officially out on this phone, she's running Eclair right now. Gingerbread is a ways off (though punk kaos is making great progress).
Before EB01, rooting for me was just clicking a single button.
I never had to root again since flashing EB01. For flashing itself, its just download, reboot to recovery, and flash. Not sure how its a pain in the as as it doesnt even take a minute or so.
I did end up installing 3.XX CWM from ROM manager, but I only reboot into orange CWM if i reboot using ROM manager. If I dont, I end up rebooting to red CWM.
Thanks for the responses. Put a few things in perspective. I totally forgot that she is still running Eclair and Froyo isn't officially out for these phones. My mistake, and now that makes complete sense to me why most of the roms are froyo based or patched. Another thing that made me hesitant is that Odin doesn't run on mac, and I would have anything to save the phone (unless I use one of the pcs at work) if something goes awry. I will read up on Heimdall and see if I can use that.
My apologies if I sounded bothered or uptight about the situation, thanks for the well-mannered responses to my mini-rant. Of to read up a bit more, starting with the link postd and Heimdall.
Found a quick guide for rooting the Fascinate with a Mac. Now my issue is...switching to EB01 without Odin because SuperClean needs it, correct?
I made a super stupid mistake yesterday. When I was getting all of the downloads together in preparation for flashing, I didn't notice that a link I'd followed lead me to the International forum, and now I've got a hard brick. I'm not quite sure why that's the case and I want to understand it more.
I've had a GTablet since day one so I'm familiar with the flashing process along with adb, but my experience yesterday has obviously lead me to want to be more cautious.
When I flashed the ROM from CWM it indicated that it was successful (and I'm sure from its point of view it was) but obviously the two phones have very different internals. I was under the impression that the ROM flash doesn't touch the bootloader, but obviously it did something that the phone didn't like. My best guess is that it screwed up the partition table for the emmc, but I'm concerned that that could irrevocably brick the phone. Does anyone have a technical explanation for what happened?
Second, while it was in CWM I may have had a chance of recovering, but once I rebooted it, it was over. No recovery, no download mode, no USB activity, just a brick. How can I be sure a future ROM flash is actually successful and the phone will still be able to boot properly? Is there a way of verifying other than rebooting and crossing your fingers? I don't really want to brick another one.
Yeah... MAKE SURE THE ROM IS FOR YOUR DEVICE BEFORE YOU FLASH IT!
OK so it started with having a well balanced stock rooted 4.0.1
the main reason i root is for tethering
i had a carrier update that i was hoping was 4.1 cuz i am dying for google now
ran that but got stuck in the boot (as in not a boot loop but just infinite boot)
i would simply like to have my phone back on a stock rooted ROM* preferably ICS
i attempted "solutions" i found on here for using odin to "plop" a stock rooted ROM* on there but it turned out to be Gingerbread -_-
so i am currently dealing with that and what appears to be a stock Bootloader*
*i barely understand all these terms so please let me know i love to learn and i just cant wrap my head around all of it but any tips would be great. as far as i understand the boot loader is like the boot menu on a computer in the bios and is accessed when holding down all three hard buttons and gives you the selection menu, and the ROM is like the OS, and i think flashing is whenever you use odin to install the ROM instead of the boot loader for some reason.
I apologise for the noobieness but this is like the only way i learn...from direct Q&A :/
thank you in advanced
First off, download:
UCLE5 ICS- This is the stock AT&T GS2 ICS and is already rooted.
Fire up Odin, and:
Code:
Put UCLE5_Stock_Rooted.tar in the PDA slot in Odin.
Reboot your phone.
Oh and, a ROM is sort of a firmware that runs atop a kernel. Usually ROMs and kernels are put in ZIP files for flashing via ClockworkMod Recovery, but in specific cases (such as with Samsung), you can flash them via Odin or Heimdall in .tar formats.
Basically an Android phone needs both a ROM and kernel in order to run. From my very limited knowledge, a kernel is what controls overclocking and other processor related tasks. It also can help define the keylayouts for this particular device. It also contains the system recovery. A ROM holds all the system framework files that arguably makes the phone what it is to the average user. There are many ROMs that are available, such as Touchwiz (Stock/Modded Samsung), AOSP (Stock/Modded Android), Miui (Based off of either Samsung or AOSP, sort of it's own thing).
EDIT: Also, don't be sorry! Feel free to ask questions (as long as you've searched already), and remember that everyone starts somewhere.
We understand that you're new but please attempt to search your problem. Also, 4.0.1 does not and has never existed for our device so I don't know where you got that. Everything else though is easily found on Google, I don't buy that "I need spoonfeeding" line for a second.
Sent from my Zanpakuto using Getsuga Tensho!
PM me and I can give you further instructions if you still can't figure it out.
Hey thanks for your response!
I haven't had the time to try it out just yet (super busy lately) but as soon as i get the chance i will leave a reply as to how it goes.
Also thanks for the explanation. That really helps. I have always wanted to get more into the android field to learn more about the devices i'm using every day.
Ps: The reason for the apologetic sorry is to stand as a polite understanding tone from people who frequent the forums and discourage new posts while assuming no research has been done. i have searched for a good two hours but finding something relevant enough that i would be comfortable progressing through is very difficult and as i mentioned earlier i do learn better from direct Q&A. Thank you for understanding.
~Killubear
estabien said:
First off, download:
UCLE5 ICS- This is the stock AT&T GS2 ICS and is already rooted.
Fire up Odin, and:
Code:
Put UCLE5_Stock_Rooted.tar in the PDA slot in Odin.
Reboot your phone.
Oh and, a ROM is sort of a firmware that runs atop a kernel. Usually ROMs and kernels are put in ZIP files for flashing via ClockworkMod Recovery, but in specific cases (such as with Samsung), you can flash them via Odin or Heimdall in .tar formats.
Basically an Android phone needs both a ROM and kernel in order to run. From my very limited knowledge, a kernel is what controls overclocking and other processor related tasks. It also can help define the keylayouts for this particular device. It also contains the system recovery. A ROM holds all the system framework files that arguably makes the phone what it is to the average user. There are many ROMs that are available, such as Touchwiz (Stock/Modded Samsung), AOSP (Stock/Modded Android), Miui (Based off of either Samsung or AOSP, sort of it's own thing).
EDIT: Also, don't be sorry! Feel free to ask questions (as long as you've searched already), and remember that everyone starts somewhere.
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Click to collapse
Hey all,
* *Going to apologize in advance for a longer post, but I have a lot of questions I'm having a difficult time answering. Hope I'm posting in the correct forum too.
I'm on a Verizon GS4 (SCH-I545), 4.2.2. Build *JDQ39.I545VRUDML1. Presently Rooted and running Stock. (Based on horror stories I've been avoiding doing the update to the stock system)
I came from a Droid Bionic, and it was my first foray into rooting / modding Android phones, but I had it for 2.5 years and became quite proficient with what I could do with it. As a result, I've become very familiar with safestrap's touch screen. Before that I was capable of using bootstrap which used the type of recovery where I had to navigate it with volume keys.
So I have a series of questions that I can't get definitive answers for... More often than not when trying to flash ROMs I end up with a black screen and end up battery pulling and going back to stock system because I can't figure out why its happening.*
1. *Should I continue not taking the OTA update from verizon on my stock system? Most of the horror stories I hear about are with the ME7 build, but my present thinking is that the ML1 build is already past the ME7 one, so maybe all of the extra lockdown features are in place? I haven't been able to pin down exactly where I am on the build paths, and almost all custom ROMs are mentioning MDK or ME7, not really much mention of ML1 - I truly don't know exactly where I stand with this.
2. *Is it going to be easier in the long run if I just abandon safestrap and instead move to one of the other recoveries? I've read enough to understand that I need to flash the fix posted by Hashcode, although I don't really understand what the fix is doing, nor if I'm applying the correct fix. (the file I found was jfltevzw-ME7-modules.zip). Some of the other ROMs have specific fixes that I'm unsure what to do with, often using MDK or ME7 for the Radio. Again, since I don't really understand the differences between the builds, all I know is ME7 seems to be making it harder to flash ROMs. People have also said it doesn't matter if you're flashing the fix with the wrong name (IE I'm on ML1 but flashing the ME7 fix should still work... again not understanding exactly what it is is hurting me here).
* *2a. If I can/should stick with Safestrap, this is a side question - Are the ROMs usable in other slots than ROM slot 1? Throughout the life of my Bionic for the most part that was the only usable partition - most of the custom ROMs wouldn't work in other slots, is this still true?
3. *The only portion of success I've had is that I've had is with Hyperdrive. I've been able to flash this ROM fully and boot into it, but I've had no success with getting the wifi to work - a big problem since I'm not on unlimited data. I will post this specific question to the Hyperdrive thread itself to see if I can have someone help me, but all the research I've done on it has different people having different tricks that worked to get their wifi running (flashing the fix by queueing it after the ROM worked for some, canceling out before rebooting the ROM and separately flashing the Hashcode fix worked for others, one person even had to download the fix via their computer before transferring it to their phone in order for the fix to work - I've tried all of these things and still have no success with wifi).
I'm truly sorry if these questions have been answered before, but I have tried to look for the answers and there are just so many different specific ones I don't really know where I'm going wrong. I suspect there is a simple small detail that I'm doing which would make everything easier, such as using a different recovery, or that I''m flashing the wrong fix, etc. but I'm looking for a little advice to be able to have some success running these ROMs on my phone - After a week running the stock ROM, I'm already completely over it.
Thanks in advance for anyone that takes the time.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
Quick update, I attempted to flash Bonestock on ROM slot 1 and was successful (previous attempts yielded black screens, but were all on ROM slot 2). I successfully got the ROM installed, but similar to Hyperdrive, I can get no wifi. Any attempt to turn it on yields the wifi flicking on for .25s before turning back off again.
Current assumption is that safestrap still wont load ROMs in other slots, but I still have no idea how to get wifi up and running.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
I'm an idiot. Everywhere I put "ML1" I meant MI1. I've also determined via another howto YouTube video that MI1 is past ME7, so I am unsure if I should keep putting off OTAs, and also unsure if it will matter for my flashing customs.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
Use MI1 modules not ME7 ones and flash the modules after you flash a rom. The black screen is normal give it ten minutes. Finally, Never, ever take an OTA.
Sent from my DROID RAZR using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Found a post with the MI7 modules right before I checked back here and they worked like a charm. Now getting to look into some ROM goodness. Thanks much for the help!
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
This forum is really big and I am new. I apologize if I am asking this in the wrong place. I have been reading a lot about how android working, and serving Google for answers.
I always thought that the only way to hard brick a device was to erase or corrupted the bootloader. Since even if the ROM and recovery had problems, you could use fastboot mode to fix things.
Now I am reading that Roms ussualy include a kernal, and flashing a kernal can lead to a hard brick. Does this apply to the Nexus 7 2012, or just devices that use download mode/ODIN instead of fastboot?
I always thought of a boot loader like an i intersection where you normally keep driving strait (into the main rom), or turn left (into recovery), or stay at the intersection (fastboot). How does a kernal tie into this? Do all Roms include their own kernal, or are different kernals and Roms usually flashed sepretly?
Thank you for helping me to understand this better.