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So, I've been trying to decide whose, if any, ROM to install, and to that end I've been looking at some of the kitchen software to see how they're made. It looks to me as if the ROMs are really just collections of available software with certain customizations. They don't seem like truly reverse-engineered, hacked versions of Windows Mobile. For one thing, no offense meant, but the number of people capable of disassembling WM and hacking it can't be that large. Setting registry keys is one thing; rewriting the code is something else. Yet there seem to be dozens of ROMs.
Am I wrong here? Are these ROMs really hacked versions of WM, or are they just variant collections of software with different settings and customizations?
EWAdams said:
So, I've been trying to decide whose, if any, ROM to install, and to that end I've been looking at some of the kitchen software to see how they're made. It looks to me as if the ROMs are really just collections of available software with certain customizations. They don't seem like truly reverse-engineered, hacked versions of Windows Mobile. For one thing, no offense meant, but the number of people capable of disassembling WM and hacking it can't be that large. Setting registry keys is one thing; rewriting the code is something else. Yet there seem to be dozens of ROMs.
Am I wrong here? Are these ROMs really hacked versions of WM, or are they just variant collections of software with different settings and customizations?
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Click to collapse
I shouldn't be answering 'cause I don't know much....
...but I think your characterization is more-or-less correct.
AFAIK, since WM is not open source, nobody re-writes the WM guts of these roms...nor re-writes HTC Sense.
The Windows Mobile Development and Hacking board probably has definitive answers.
EWAdams said:
So, I've been trying to decide whose, if any, ROM to install, and to that end I've been looking at some of the kitchen software to see how they're made. It looks to me as if the ROMs are really just collections of available software with certain customizations. They don't seem like truly reverse-engineered, hacked versions of Windows Mobile. For one thing, no offense meant, but the number of people capable of disassembling WM and hacking it can't be that large. Setting registry keys is one thing; rewriting the code is something else. Yet there seem to be dozens of ROMs.
Am I wrong here? Are these ROMs really hacked versions of WM, or are they just variant collections of software with different settings and customizations?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are correct, these ROMs take what the Chef considers the best of various versions and combines them, plus they add the extra (free) tools that they deem to be the best. Then they cook them together and tweak the results until it is stable for the target device. So it is "pick and choose" components, based on a specific WM 6.x version.
stevedebi said:
You are correct, these ROMs take what the Chef considers the best of various versions and combines them, plus they add the extra (free) tools that they deem to be the best. Then they cook them together and tweak the results until it is stable for the target device. So it is "pick and choose" components, based on a specific WM 6.x version.
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Click to collapse
Thanks for the clarification. That being the case, I won't bust butt trying to pick a new ROM as long as I'm happy with what I've got.
EWAdams said:
Thanks for the clarification. That being the case, I won't bust butt trying to pick a new ROM as long as I'm happy with what I've got.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well...the stock rom is fine if you like it. But the best custom roms do have some significant differences -- improvements, in many opinions -- over the stock rom....more than just reg tweaks. No, not modifications to the actual WM code, but significant things that make a difference in speed, etc. I'm not a rom cook, so I can't tell you exactly how or what. But as a rom user I know what I like.
I have no interest in trying to convince anyone...just sayin.
How did you choose yours?
MCbrian said:
Well...the stock rom is fine if you like it. But the best custom roms do have some significant differences -- improvements, in many opinions -- over the stock rom....more than just reg tweaks. No, not modifications to the actual WM code, but significant things that make a difference in speed, etc. I'm not a rom cook, so I can't tell you exactly how or what. But as a rom user I know what I like.
I have no interest in trying to convince anyone...just sayin.
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Click to collapse
Speed and battery life are what I'm chiefly interested in, and you can usually improve both by clobbering unnecessary background processes. I want a system that's lean and mean.
I see you use Valkyrie. What made you choose that one in particular? Just curious.
EWAdams said:
Thanks for the clarification. That being the case, I won't bust butt trying to pick a new ROM as long as I'm happy with what I've got.
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I use Energy ROMS, and he cooks in lots of neat extras. For example, Total Commander is cooked in, and there are several other utilities and applications, like the GPS tools that test the GPS connection.
I do find that I have to tweak the battery, advanced settings, and B&B Tweaks to get the battery life where I want. But the ROM is really great for usability.
EWAdams said:
Speed and battery life are what I'm chiefly interested in, and you can usually improve both by clobbering unnecessary background processes. I want a system that's lean and mean.
I see you use Valkyrie. What made you choose that one in particular? Just curious.
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Click to collapse
Newcomers to Valky roms usually comment on how fast it is -- "wow yow" and all that. I've been an exclusively-Valky user for so long -- 5 or 6 months -- that I don't really have anything to compare it to anymore...but it certainly seems plenty fast. And the new releases are definitely faster than those from, say, a couple of months ago. I should mention that I only run Valky versions that are based on WM6.5.5 with Sense 2.5, so I can't comment on other flavors.
I'd say that rom-cook agent_47's Valkyrie roms are a little more spare -- less stuff built in -- than NRGZ28's NRG roms...and that's fine with me -- may help speed.
I also have to say that cook agent_47 genuinely seems like a nice guy. If people post bug-reports he posts fixes ASAP (as much as his school duties permit)...instead of telling them to bggr-off. I'm not saying other chefs aren't helpful...just that agent_47 is particularly so. And that matters to me.
After a long time on one cook's rom, people (me, but not just me) get so used to that cooks style that another rom may objectively be as-good-or-better but it won't seem so because it's different than what one is used to. I discovered this when a long-time NRG user and I "swapped" roms and tried the other guy's fave. Neither of us could stand it for long (like, less than a day) and switched back to the rom-line to which we'd become accustomed.
Thanks for the info. Alas, I have a Sprint CDMA phone, and it doesn't look as if the Valkyrie ROM is available for it. Guess I'll have to check out the Energy ROM.
I tried my first ROM yesterday (Energy) and the difference is night and day. It is honestly like a new phone....snappy and clean...heck it looks better than the SPB shell which I bought too quickly instead of trying ROMS first lol
shaolin95 said:
I tried my first ROM yesterday (Energy) and the difference is night and day. It is honestly like a new phone....snappy and clean...heck it looks better than the SPB shell which I bought too quickly instead of trying ROMS first lol
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It also uses way more memory than Mobile shell.
Personally, though I own MS and download NRG CHT 2.5, I disable all of them and simply use SPB Pocket Plus. Not flashy, but very functional.
If I weren't using that, I would use SPB Mobile shell - but you have to customize it to fit YOUR needs, or the capabilities are wasted. Also, check out Vostradamus application to customize the MS:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=574264
OK, next stupid question.
Flashing a ROM replaces the registry, so you need to have all your tweaks backed up. I'm cool with that -- I can export particular keys that I care about. But does it wipe ALL your files and applications as well? If so, I don't understand these people who flash ROMs all the time -- I would think they would be perpetually reinstalling their apps and restoring from backup. I'd love to fool around with two or three different ROMs, but not if I'm going to be putting everything back on the phone each time I install a ROM.
EWAdams said:
Flashing a ROM replaces the registry, so you need to have all your tweaks backed up. I'm cool with that -- I can export particular keys that I care about. But does it wipe ALL your files and applications as well? If so, I don't understand these people who flash ROMs all the time -- I would think they would be perpetually reinstalling their apps and restoring from backup. I'd love to fool around with two or three different ROMs, but not if I'm going to be putting everything back on the phone each time I install a ROM.
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Yes you lose all your programs and files. But only the files that are stored on your phone memory. Not the ones on the SD card.
Most roms have some sort of autoinstall. This way the apps will be installed automatic.
stevedebi said:
It also uses way more memory than Mobile shell.
Personally, though I own MS and download NRG CHT 2.5, I disable all of them and simply use SPB Pocket Plus. Not flashy, but very functional.
If I weren't using that, I would use SPB Mobile shell - but you have to customize it to fit YOUR needs, or the capabilities are wasted. Also, check out Vostradamus application to customize the MS:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=574264
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, it may use more memory as you say but the end result is the same to me, a better looking , faster, snappier phone so more or less memory, it still beats the crap out of my previous configuration.
EWAdams said:
Flashing a ROM replaces the registry, so you need to have all your tweaks backed up. I'm cool with that -- I can export particular keys that I care about. But does it wipe ALL your files and applications as well? If so, I don't understand these people who flash ROMs all the time -- I would think they would be perpetually reinstalling their apps and restoring from backup. I'd love to fool around with two or three different ROMs, but not if I'm going to be putting everything back on the phone each time I install a ROM.
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Click to collapse
As other post suggested, some/many roms support an automatic-restore function call "User Customization" -- UC for short. It works such that after the new-rom-flash is complete UC reinstalls all of your apps and saved registry settings from a couple of folders on your sd card. I've only used the version that comes with the Valkyrie roms, "Silent UC", and it works fine, automatically, without requiring input from me.
There's another type of app/everything-restoring app called Sashimi. It's more-powerful, but I haven't bothered to learn it as silentUC works well for my purposes.
MCbrian said:
As other post suggested, some/many roms support an automatic-restore function call "User Customization" -- UC for short. It works such that after the new-rom-flash is complete UC reinstalls all of your apps and saved registry settings from a couple of folders on your sd card. I've only used the version that comes with the Valkyrie roms, "Silent UC", and it works fine, automatically, without requiring input from me.
There's another type of app/everything-restoring app called Sashimi. It's more-powerful, but I haven't bothered to learn it as silentUC works well for my purposes.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Many thanks. It looks as if it's just a question of having the CAB files available on the SD card, and a configuration file. Sounds pretty straightforward, although presumably I have to find all the keys that my applications set in the registry, too, and turn them into CAB files. Is that what you do?
Also gotta find out how to extract CAB files from desktop Windows .EXE installers... I know that's around here somewhere...
EWAdams said:
I have to find all the keys that my applications set in the registry, too, and turn them into CAB files. Is that what you do?
Also gotta find out how to extract CAB files from desktop Windows .EXE installers... I know that's around here somewhere...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For the registry entries, yes, you can convert to .cabs, or -- with Silent UC, at least -- just save/export them as .reg files and it will put them where they're supposed to go when it runs on the new rom.
Winrar or 7zip will open/extract .exe files and if there's a .cab inside you can get it that way.
shaolin95 said:
Well, it may use more memory as you say but the end result is the same to me, a better looking , faster, snappier phone so more or less memory, it still beats the crap out of my previous configuration.
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Click to collapse
Actually, I find it also uses a lot more battery as well.
The latest NRG ROM goes below 60 MB available RAM when loaded with the programs I use. That isn't enough if one is going to use Opera 9.7 as a browser for any length of time.
Of course, it depends on what your particular likes/dislikes are, and the things which matter to you. That is the nice thing about burning ROMs - there are so many from which to choose.
stevedebi said:
Actually, I find it also uses a lot more battery as well.
The latest NRG ROM goes below 60 MB available RAM when loaded with the programs I use. That isn't enough if one is going to use Opera 9.7 as a browser for any length of time.
Of course, it depends on what your particular likes/dislikes are, and the things which matter to you. That is the nice thing about burning ROMs - there are so many from which to choose.
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Click to collapse
Indeed...always nice to have choices.
I am addicted to the Energy Roms, they work the best for me and I tend to stick with the Titanium based roms without any Sense. Not because I don't like the Sense UI, but because the Titanium roms are so much more snappy and the battery life is fantastic.
I decided to write this to clarify a lot of the misconceptions around here. This is also good information for people who are new to modding their phones, the Evo in particular. I see a lot of the same questions being asked over and over so here is some information that some may find useful. I will also warn people if I know that what they are doing can potentially destroy their phone or cause it to stop working properly.
RADIO/WIMAX/PRI/NV UPDATES: I see a lot of questions concerning this. Like, "Oh wow, the new HTC build # 3.29.651.5 is out. I installed it and for some reason I still have the same Radio and PRI. What version should I have?"
Answer: The same! Funny thing is a lot of people asking this question have flashed a few ROMS and should know the answer. But still, updating any of the 4 stick regardless of what ROM you are running. Once you flash them, those are the versions you have until you re-flash to update them. ROMS and any of the 4 updates are a separate entity. (ROMS CAN contain radio updates within them, but none that I have found that are not custom have radio updates built it. It is just possible to do, for arguments sake.)
WARNINGS: KNOW THE DANGERS INVOLVED WITH WHAT YOU ARE DOING
1. Flashing radios from another handset can make your Evo stop working correctly. Only use radios made for an Evo. Period.
2. Common knowledge is to always use the latest radios for the best performance, battery life, and signal. I see this in a lot of ROM threads. While true, radio updates and the like can be tricky at times. Make sure you do those updates separate from any other installation. I do not recommend doing a ROM and radio flash at the same time.
3. Did you know flashing your Radio can break 4G? It can. Each phone has a unique encryption key for the 4G. So let's say Grace buys an Evo and I want her radio update. So I take the update off her phone and add it to mine. Well, it will probably work, but there is a chance it will overwrite my keys and then what happens? Well, if Grace is using 4G, I cannot use it at the same time since we have the same keys now! Now you have two handsets with one set of keys. There is a way to fix it (will update with link soon) but still, did you know you can mess it up?
4. While it is always best to use the latest, I suggest EVERYONE (regardless of anything else) should have a copy of a rooted 2.2 ROM. This way you can at least restore your radios to a working state in almost every case.
5. While there might be fixes out there listed (if you do screw it up), do you have the ability to use them? What if that fix does not work on your phone?
6. Ivide Infra brought this up, "Doesn't a Nandroid back up everything, including radios?" No it does not! I read that there is a way to back radios up using Amon RA recovery but not sure if it is true or not. I cannot seem to find that post again and I looked (didn't look hard, but still). This is a good example of a situation where you think you have a safety net but may find out there is none if something goes wrong.
The moral of the story? Read up on something before you do it, especially if it is something you are trying for the first time.
What ROM works best for me? I see this a lot.
Answer: I don't know, nor does anyone else. This is like asking your buddy at the party which girl you should try and hook up with.
You have to try a few because we all have our preferences. (ROMS, not the women!) Some like Sense, some hate it. Some want a stock ROM with added features, others want a totally customized ROM that is radically different that stock (like CM6). You know you have the right ROM when it has everything you want and everything you use works. You have to try as many as you can until you find the right one for you.
A better thing to do is tell people what you want in a ROM and ask what ROM they suggest after they get an idea of what you are looking for. Try their suggestions but still try a few that seem to be what you are looking for. The first post in all of the ROM pages on here have detailed information about the ROM; read up and find out what the ROM has to offer. If you need your phone for important stuff (like work), I highly suggest you do not use a RC (release candidate) or especially a Beta ROM (unless the description claims everything works). It may decide not to work at the worst possible moment!
If you are happy with your phone at stock yet want to have the benefits of being rooted with super user ability, use a stock ROM that is already rooted.
You also have to be aware that some ROMS can have issues. Sometimes stuff will not work when you try and use them (for example, 4G, HDMI, Cameras, and FM Radio to name a few). You really have to read the known problems and if it sounds like something you use will not work or if you want a completely 100% working device, do not use a ROM that says something is not working. Double that if it is something you use often.
Lastly, if you really want a ROM that has everything you want, you will have to learn how to make your own. Please do, I have released the second version of my ROM, feel free to check it out! (Link is in my signature)
After rooting, how do I install a ROM?
Answer: Through your recovery. It is always highly suggested to wipe data, cache, Dalvik. Here is the steps (this is how I do it and have not had any problems yet.)
Before flashing, ALWAYS do a Nandroid backup in case anything goes wrong! Do this periodically to keep your phone able to be restored in case of problems. I also suggest doing a full backup with Titanium Backup before you proceed.
1. Copy the ROM and optionally the radio/WIMAX/PRI/NV updates, kernel, and theme you plan on using (if any) to the root of your SD card. Hook up your USB cable to your computer, then on your phone switch from charge only to disk drive mode. Your phone's SD card pops up and then you can copy/paste your files onto there.
2. Make sure the transfer is complete and then power down your phone.
3. Reboot into recovery. Do this by holding the volume down key on your phone as you turn it back on.
4. Your phone will enter Hboot, let it load up for a few seconds, then use volume down to go to recovery. Press power to enter recovery. (NOTE: if you select recovery and your phone shows a disk icon with an exclamation mark your recovery is either missing or damaged and needs to be reflashed. That or you may not be fully rooted.)
5. Once in recovery (using Amon RA as my example) you go down to the wipe menu and hit your power button.
6. Once in the wipe menu, I usually do them in the order they are listed. First do a data wipe, then cache, then Davlik. I then tend to do a SD: EXT wipe, battery stats, and rotate settings as well just for good measure. Some recommend doing this twice, but I have never had to and think that is unnecessary.
7. Now you are ready to flash away (reminder, did you do a backup first? If not get to it before doing step 6!). Now you have a choice but I prefer to do it my way. You can flash everything at once, or reboot after each item. I do the reboot after each personally. Flash them in this order: ROM, kernel, theme, Radio/WIMAX/NV/PRI. You can try to flash the ROM and custom kernel afterwards only, then do the rest after rebooting.
8. If everything went well, your phone should take a long time to boot up the first time. Be patient. If it went well, within about 5-7 minutes or less the ROM should load up.
9. If your phone gets stuck on the EVO Screen or the boot animation repeats itself, that means the ROM did not take correctly. Do a full reset by taking out the battery for about 10 second and then reboot and see if it fixes the problem. If it happens again try and start over from step 6. Redo the wiping and flashing process. Also, if flashing more than one at a time, try doing each one, then rebooting before you flash the other.
10. If you do it again and still experience problems, check to see if you are fully rooted. If you determine you are indeed fully rooted, try and reinstall the rooted version of the stock HTC ROM and then try flashing your custom ROM again.
11. If no problems, congratulations and enjoy your new ROM!
What kernel works best for my EVO? This is another question you will often see. A variation is, "What kernel/ROM combo works best?"
Answer: Well, a stock HTC kernel is the short answer. It will work with everyone's phone (well) and likely have some of the best battery life. Now that the newest kernel was just released and has already been rooted, it will work better than the custom kernels overall (as far as being universally compatible). Now that they removed the 30 frame per second limit on the Evo with the 3.29.651.5 kernel, there is less reasons to use a custom one. There are exceptions, of course. But if you want your phone to behave like stock and work well with your phone, a HTC kernel is the only one you need (unless you want stuff like audio tweaks, multi-touch, overclocking ability, or the ability to customize more. In that case, a custom kernel is better). Use the new one with the FPS fix though!
For a custom kernel, again we do not know. A kernel is just above the hardware (speaking of the layers). It is more important than finding the correct ROM. A ROM is more like preference. With a kernel, it is very important to find the correct one for your phone. It has a lot to do with how smooth or fast your phone acts. A kernel that works good for my Evo can run like **** on your Evo. Some phones will work better with Netarchy kernels, others will be better with a Kingklick. Some phone will work well with HAVS, other may hate it. That is how this stuff works!
Sometimes you will know immediately that you have the wrong kernel for your phone. Your phone will act up, restart, connection problems, graphical glitches, and all kinds of funkiness! Other times it may take a day or so of using your phone to spot potential problems. You know it is definitely the wrong kernel if your phone refuses to bootup, even after a battery pull!
Kingklick and Netarchy are the two who make the best for Sense based ROMS, which is most of them. The only exception is Cyanogen. You need to run a kernel made for his ROMS (which are AOSP based, not Sense.) His is the only exception unless they are made from Cyanogen's ROMS (use it as a base).
If running Sense, I would try a few of King's and Netarchy's kernels. I suggest using their latest and working your way down until you find the right one for your Evo. You will know when you have the right one when your phone runs smooth (you have to run them for a day and use them, see what happens.) and you do not encounter any problems that were not present before you switched kernels.
If using CM6 or any Cyanogen ROM build (older, nightlies, etc.) you have to use a kernel made for that ROM. Snap is a popular one. Again, you have to experiment to find the right one.
So the answer is find one that works good for you, stick with it. Or just use a HTC kernel if using Sense and call it a night!
With kernels, what is BFS and CFS? Which would work better for my phone?
Answer: CFS stands for Completely Fair Scheduler. BFS stands for Brain **** Scheduler (sounds fun, right?). These are two different ways that the phone's CPU uses to schedule events. Without getting into the technicalities, here is what I have found for my Evo. Your mileage may vary and again, you have to experiment to find which works better for your particular phone.
CFS: Generally more consistent, use when you want consistent performance and/or if BFS kernels do not work well with your phone. Sometimes will appear to be smoother than a BFS kernel in overall use. The stock HTC kernel uses CFS and it is more standard than BFS.
BFS: Generally a bit faster but a bit more inconsistent (might appear to slow down more and such). Usually faster overall performance but will not look as smooth as a CFS kernel (in general).
Another way to put it, CFS is closer to a flat line, if you drew a performance map it would have less peaks and more consistency. With BFS, there would be more peaks and higher peaks with the faster readings and lower peaks with the slower.
You will find that one or the other may work better for you, or fit your needs better. It is a good idea to try both and see your results. My phone seems to heavily favor CFS kernels and I like the overall smoothness and consistency better. To me, BFS often appears to be more laggy than a CFS kernel. Again, each phone is different though and my results may not match yours.
I want to unroot my phone, what is the best way to do this? If you want to root using a different method, or need to return your phone to where you got it from for any reason, read on.
Answer: You need to download a RUU and install it. You can download an older RUU or get a newer one. This will unroot your phone and make it look like you never rooted it in the first place. You can even do a RUU if your screen is busted, just always keep USB debugging on. To use it, follow the instructions in the RUU executable and do what it says.
Is a full wipe needed when changing kernels? (Thanks to m4rk0358 for this!)
Answer: No, a full wipe is not needed to install a different kernel. I do suggest you go into your recovery and wipe the Cache and Dalvik before installing the new kernel though. In most cases, you can just flash the new kernel over the last kernel. But a full wipe is completely unnecessary (unless you are coming off a kernel made for CM6, in that case a full wipe and flashing a stock HTC kernel is recommended before switching back to a custom kernel).
Overclocking: "How much should I overclock, what should my SetCPU settings be set at?"
Answer: In this new age of phones, we are seeing them become faster and faster. Now with SetCPU readily available and overclock-ready custom kernels, a lot of people are overclocking their phones. These same people also wonder why they are having poor battery life. You see a few posts a day with something like, "Well, I tried the new (insert kernel here) and I overclocked but I noticed I am getting poor battery life!"
The HTC Evo has some really nice components, including the 1 GHZ Snapdragon CPU and the graphics chipset is plenty powerful. Do you really need to make it faster? Considering now that the FPS is unlocked, the phone is as smooth as butter as it is. Most apps work smooth on less capable and older handsets.
Again, all phones have the same components but results will not be the same at all (well, some can have slight differences..for example: the touch screen can be different). Mine may overclock to 1288 MHz without a problem, yours may lock up before you reach 1200 MHz. This is how it works
Most are only overclocking 10-12% or less. While benchmarking scores will increase, you will not see a major difference in overall use of your phone. In fact, you might not see a difference at all.
So yeah, if you want to impress people you never met, overclock and post your screenies! For me, my phone is more than fast enough and eating up battery for little to no perceivable gain is not worth it. This is not a computer with fans and a cooling system that can be upgraded!
But hey, if you really feel you need to run your phone 5-10C hotter just to make it a tad bit faster, knock yourself out! You can either have better battery life, or make your phone faster. Generally you cannot have both.
If using a kernel with HAVS, you do not need SetCPU to under clock. That is exactly what HAVS does, lowers voltages when your phone is idling. You are defeating the purpose by using SetCPU. This is why Kingklick himself tells everyone not to use SetCPU with his kernels.
Is a Task Killer needed for Froyo? (Thank to beatblaster for this!)
Answer: Believe it or not, Android 2.2 does a fantastic job managing apps all by itself. The Android OS is designed to kill apps/tasks as resources are needed and usually only does so when it's absolutely necessary. Using a task killer app can be handy when you encounter an app that freezes or is otherwise stuck but to use it as the primary task killer (instead of letting the OS do its thing) is contrary to the built in efficiency of Froyo itself. Try to trust the OS. Though a task killer is still recommended for the odd lot who are still using Android 2.1 or lower!
Which recovery should I use: Amon Ra or Clockwork? What are the pros and cons of each? Does Clockwork really wipe the Dalvik?:
Answer: Amon RA. Amon RA works, does everything you need it to do, and does it well! I highly recommend using Amon RA, it is generally considered the superior of the two and does a better job of wiping. Everything is right there and it is extremely easy to use.
Clockwork is pretty good too, but here are some pros and cons of each. (I will list a few, there are more differences but I will cover what I can think of offhand).
Clockwork Download here
PROS:
Able to use Rom Manager to flash ROMS and perform other functions (This is by no means necessary though, that is what a Recovery is for and it is generally safer)
Able to read ROMS stored in any folder.
CONS:
Does not seem to work as well as Amon RA in doing it's job.
Rumor that it does not properly clean the Dalvik cache when wiping. You hit it and it does not seem to do anything. Some claim that they checked the Davlik after using it and it is indeed wiped.
Some (including myself) find it a little more clunky to use.
Amon RA Download here
PROS:
Generally considered to be a superior recovery as it is based on Cyanogen code (who is really good, let us just put it that way!) and there are lots of posts where people switched to Amon RA because they were having issues with Clockwork.
Easy access to all functions, no need to scroll through 5 no selections to reach to a yes!
I find it better laid out and functions are nicely categorized.
It works better than Clockwork. Fewer reports of problems.
CONS:
You can only read ROMS and files on the root of your SD card.
It does not play well with the program ROM Manager. Most functions on ROM Manager are only usable through Clockwork (considering the overall poor experience with ROM Manager trying to download ROMS that no longer exist, bad checksum ROMS that I downloaded through it, and other problems....IMO NOT a con. Plus, safer to flash through recovery anyhow.)
Do the signal bars indicate signal strength for the 3G? (Thank to LovethyEVO for this!)
Answer: No. It indicates the connection for just the phone connection. You can have good reception for calls and still get slow download speeds. Generally if you have good signal, you will have good download speeds though.
How do you wipe the battery stats, or how do you increase your battery life?
Answer: As you may or may not be aware, you cannot trickle charge the battery on these phones as they will blow up! To counter this, the last 10% of your battery is going to be a bit flakey. What the phone does is once the battery reaches 100%, the phone software will let the battery drop down to 90% before it allows more charging to take place. That is why you often can use your phone after a full day's charge and immediately be at around 90% for no apparent reason. When you reset battery stats, you are effectively resetting the phone's software. it will take a couple of days for it to relearn your battery and give you a more accurate result and more efficient recharge.
Battery recalibration (Thanks to Cyanogen for this and to fachadick for bringing it to my attention).
If you're experiencing higher than normal battery drain, try the following:
1. Charge the phone to full battery; let it keep charging until the battery says it is fully charged. Do not just wait until the light is green, it isn't always fully charged, causing a lot of inaccuracies. (You can check by going to: Settings -> About Phone -> Status -> Battery Level = Full.)
2. Boot to recovery and wipe battery stats.
(To have the most accurate of battery stats, reboot the phone immediately after wiping the battery stats and wait for your ROM to boot completely to the desktop. Once your entire boot is done and you have full access to the phone, go ahead and pull the charger and continue.)
3. Do not charge the phone until after draining the battery completely, resulting in it automatically shutting off. Take out the battery, and keep trying to turn on your phone until it will not turn back on at all.
4. Recharge the phone completely and then use as you normally would.
This is a method that has been proven to work, I am sure there are other ways. My battery lasts longer after doing this and the reading is much more accurate. It might be advisable to do this after every ROM install if you want the most battery life and most accurate battery reading by the phone's software.
I will add more and reserve a couple more slots, but I think this is a good start. Please feel free to offer suggestions or your own misconceptions and answer.
MY Take on SetCPU
SetCPU is a great program, does what it says, author is good and keeps it updated. I have nothing against SetCPU, the author of it, or anyone who uses it. In fact, I have the purchased version, why would I pay for it if I thought it was garbage? I wouldn't. I also agree with you when you say it allows more control over our phones.
The problem with it is:
1) Too many people are messing with it and do not know what they are doing. They are just trying to mimic what they see others doing, which may or may not work for them. This is the biggest, most common, and most damaging problem with SetCPU.
2) It can cause problems and/or hurt battery life if it is set incorrectly.
3) You do not know it is set correctly or not until you use it for a while. You may be also permanently damaging your phone as you have it set wrong and not even know it (Too high of an overclock for your particular phone, phone getting too hot in a warm environment, etc.)
4) It can cause problems for people who are trying to switch ROMS and forget to disable it.
5) King himself told people not to use it because it can interfere with HAVS. Though yes, one adjusts frequency, the other voltage, they can interfere with each other. HAVS will read the lower voltage and set itself different than if you are at stock clocks, this can cause either problems or quicker battery drainage. Maybe both. Both are going to try ramping up and down constantly and this is what causes the problems and the quicker battery eating.
6) If you set your CPU too high or low and it locks up and you happened to set it to "Save settings on reboot" you may have to do a full wipe and reinstall. Your phone may even be fine for a few days, then decide it does not like the settings you have and then this problem emerges.
7) This is not a computer with a fan cooled case. It is enclosed and there is no easy way to modify the cooling system. Even with a computer it is always recommended to upgrade the cooling system from stock if you wish to overclock. Most are only able to achieve a measly 10-12% overclock. It will test faster, naturally but in use it is not going to blow you away. In fact, if it seems much faster it is more of a placebo, you will barely notice it, if you notice at all. Notice the FPS only goes up 1-3 points? You are not going to see that with your eyes.
8) I notice most people experiencing problems also happen to be running SetCPU. Coincidence?
9) For that measly 10-12%, you can running your phone 10C more or hotter, that is a BIG difference in heat.
So, as great of a program as it is, it is also dangerous in the wrong hands or if it is set wrong, purposely or accidentally. User error is a big issue with it.
I was a an avid user of it myself but now I do not want to use it and will advise others not to because frankly it is not needed unless you want to impress people with your Linpack score or want to see what your phone can do. Overclocking kills battery faster, common sense. Also, the candle that burns twice as bright lasts half as long, the long term effects are unknown.
But hey, if you want to use it...do so. Anyone can do what they want, I never said what I said was the end all/be all. Just remember if you have problems, it is one of the first things you want to disable to troubleshoot.
Hopefully this explains better why I advised not to use it. In case anyone thinks I have animosity towards it or questions why I advised not to use it.
++ Sticky!!!
Reserved for more information
When my 4g was said "broken" from adding a new radio all I did was update my profile in system updates and problem solved.
rutter9 said:
When my 4g was said "broken" from adding a new radio all I did was update my profile in system updates and problem solved.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
While that is good to hear, you got lucky!
The point is that it is a high risk thing to do and you stand to gain little or nothing from it.
Sometimes the encryption keys can be erased altogether. If you do not happen to have a backup of your keys with your original radio, you are more or less screwed. I know of a few members around here that have broken 4G thanks to this. It can be fixed, but then they will be using someone else's keys. An update will not fix this.
Another point is people do things blindly without knowing the dangers of what they are doing. Maybe this will cause more people to read up more before they do something.
IMHO this thread is great. Thanks for the contribution.
ricsim78 said:
While that is good to hear, you got lucky!
The point is that it is a high risk thing to do and you stand to gain little or nothing from it.
Sometimes the encryption keys can be erased altogether. If you do not happen to have a backup of your keys with your original radio, you are more or less screwed. I know of a few members around here that have broken 4G thanks to this. It can be fixed, but then they will be using someone else's keys. An update will not fix this.
Another point is people do things blindly without knowing the dangers of what they are doing. Maybe this will cause more people to read up more before they do something.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
then why do most (if not all) of the devs put links to the newest radio/wimax with their roms? Do they strip out the keys so they don't overwrite yours? I don't see why so many developers would stress updating radios if it was potentially hazardous.
what about nandroid? when you do a backup does it backup your radio? if you flash a new one and it breaks 4g, when you nandroid back to your old rom will 4g work?
eurominican said:
IMHO this thread is great. Thanks for the contribution.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you and I am glad to help. I hope to make this as useful as possible and add much more as I have time.
Like I said, please anyone else feel free to add your own entries to this.
ivide infra said:
what about nandroid? when you do a backup does it backup your radio? if you flash a new one and it breaks 4g, when you nandroid back to your old rom will 4g work?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is a good point, will have to update my first post. Nandroid does DOES NOT back it up. But I can guarantee a lot of people probably do not use Nandroid before they mess with stuff. Even if they do, what happens if your SD card messes up or there is a problem where your Nandroid does not back things up properly?
The answer: You will still have a broken whatever is broken
These phone are essentially computers with phone functions built in. As soon as you start messing with them, there is a good chance you can mess things up or that things do not work like they should.
I'm pretty sure that a nandroid does not backup the radios.
ivide infra said:
then why do most (if not all) of the devs put links to the newest radio/wimax with their roms? Do they strip out the keys so they don't overwrite yours? I don't see why so many developers would stress updating radios if it was potentially hazardous.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Because the developers know a heck a lot more about the phones than most of us do, including me. They know how to fix things if they get broke, and they have knowledge you may not possess. Like the inner workings of the phone.
They might not have been aware of the problems. I am sure you can fix almost any problem that comes up, but it if was not hazardous you would not hear people saying, "I have permanently broken 4G" or "I had to return my Evo because I messed it up."
It is like my mom, she knows how to use a computer to check her bank account and email, plus shop. But she freaks out when Firefox asks her if it is ok to update. Yet for us who know what that does, it is an after thought.
timtlm said:
I'm pretty sure that a nandroid does not backup the radios.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Clockwork I am not sure about but I read that Amon RA backup does, not sure if it does it by default or if there is a way to do it.
That is another point, you may be relying on a Nandroid that does not have backed up what you think is backed up.
Id talk about clockwork vs amon...pros and cons...and insist people work with amon, perhaps provide a link
Id also add something about "Getting bootloops?" especially when people are flashing known, working, stable roms... clearly the problem is 99% in the wiping of caches.
evohnoo said:
Id talk about clockwork vs amon...pros and cons...and insist people work with amon, perhaps provide a link
Id also add something about "Getting bootloops?" especially when people are flashing known, working, stable roms... clearly the problem is 99% in the wiping of caches.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Funny, you must have read my mind!
I will definitely do that and a good idea. I intend to add on whenever I can and provide as many answers as possible.
evohnoo said:
Id talk about clockwork vs amon...pros and cons...and insist people work with amon, perhaps provide a link
Id also add something about "Getting bootloops?" especially when people are flashing known, working, stable roms... clearly the problem is 99% in the wiping of caches.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I like using Rom Manager...I'd use it more if only it played nicer with Amon Ra.
firemedic1343 said:
I like using Rom Manager...I'd use it more if only it played nicer with Amon Ra.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed. I, perhaps unfairly, associate Clockwork with the pecker heads who borked my 4G so I'll never be able to try Rom Manager as long they require it.
Thanks for the info. Well written and informative article. Thanks again.
Feel free to re-word this if the wording seems confusing.
Sense widgets and alternative home launchers (like ADW Launcher and Launcher Pro): My Sense widgets are missing!
Answer: Sense widgets require Sense. If you're running any home launcher except HTC's Sense you cannot use Sense-specific widgets (or anything else that requires Sense like HTC's default lock screen). There are very good alternatives to Sense widgets anyway such as SwitchPro Widget for quick access to radio toggles or Launcher Pro Plus' Facebook/Twitter/Friends widgets. Use Google to find more.
I have a couple of questions
1. i rooted my phone but now how do I delete the unwanted sprint applications?
2. Are the roms just different cool ways to set up your phone and lay out? Can I just pick any one and down load it from here?
ddoug215 said:
I have a couple of questions
1. i rooted my phone but now how do I delete the unwanted sprint applications?
2. Are the roms just different cool ways to set up your phone and lay out? Can I just pick any one and down load it from here?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you wanna keep it simple use Titanium Backup. You can freeze / unistall apps you don't want. Since some apps are needed freezing would be where I would start before attempting to uninstall or delete.
Note: Alot of the custom ROM's remove some of the bloat and they're installed on your SD by default so that you can choose which ones, if any to reinstall.
Good Luck!
ddoug215 said:
2. Are the roms just different cool ways to set up your phone and lay out? Can I just pick any one and down load it from here?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not quite sure how to explain a ROM. I guess one could say it's a tweaked version of the OS? Sure the layout or look may be different, but it's not just a theme modification. ROM makers tend to remove programs, update certain pieces of code to make things perform better or differently, they'll add tools or other software that'll be useful.
For instance, Myn's ROM includes an older APK for Flash, one that'll work with Hulu. It also includes the superuser program which allows you to accept or deny root access to certain programs on the fly. He's also included Wireless Tether and a few other neat goodies. In addition to this, the look and feel have been redone quite well. The ROM also allows you to easily download/apply themes to it if you're not satisfied with the look.
Then there's kernels, which ROMs don't usually touch. ROMs may modify some operating system code, make performance improvements, etc but a kernel modification digs pretty deep into how the hardware on your phone is instructed to operate. Some will lead to better performance and battery life depending on your phone. It's kind of hit or miss as some people don't experience the same benefit that another might with the same kernel and same ROM.
Anyway, have fun.
Basically I've been a iOS user since the 3GS and I'm now switching to android via the Play.
The apps I'm not worried about as I'm sure they're on the andoid marketplace what I want to know is can I run emulators (I'm not interested in custom ROMs etc atm) and maybe try out different themes without rooting?
If not and I have to root will I still a) have access to PS Pocket and play optimized games and b) receive ICS from SE in the middle of this year?
Cheers.
You can run emulators without root, but for some theming you will need to root, you can customise things like the launcher without root though..
If you do root, it wont affect ps pocket, play optimised games or future updates.
Sent from my R800i using Tapatalk
I believe that sums it up Andro.
[q] can root avoid to upgrade / playstation pocket?
i wish to corroborate
I am readed different information about this matter, some people say that rooting avoid to upgrade the system while other says otherwise.
So, is it "safe" to root?.
Thanks.
Rooting is relatively safe proceedure I rooted my phone ith thereto of allessandro and some cash easy peasy. with rooted phone you get a lot of swell features that speed up the phone and improve game play. my inability to read directions has caused causedto break my phone but and this is huge because I outed it I was able to fix all the problems ive encountered and learn in the process. I strongly suggest rooting the phone and reading directions. there is a lot of benefits tohaving a rooted phone personally getting rid of the bloat ware was a good enough reason for md. there are tweaks that improve graphics increase cpu speed enable you to have more control of your phone and you will be able to update your phone with firm ware xda geniuses release I knows they even have a nearly full functioning icecream sandwitch firmware out. I too switched from iphone and im never going back because now i hav full control my phone. mupen is a great emulator. Anyway sorry about rambling butill I hope this helps make up your mind you'll love this phone f&$# iphone and their frivolous lawsuits over embedded phone numbers technology impeading mother #[email protected]$rs
manwhosoldtheworld said:
Rooting is relatively safe proceedure I rooted my phone ith thereto of allessandro and some cash easy peasy. with rooted phone you get a lot of swell features that speed up the phone and improve game play. my inability to read directions has caused causedto break my phone but and this is huge because I outed it I was able to fix all the problems ive encountered and learn in the process. I strongly suggest rooting the phone and reading directions. there is a lot of benefits tohaving a rooted phone personally getting rid of the bloat ware was a good enough reason for md. there are tweaks that improve graphics increase cpu speed enable you to have more control of your phone and you will be able to update your phone with firm ware xda geniuses release I knows they even have a nearly full functioning icecream sandwitch firmware out. I too switched from iphone and im never going back because now i hav full control my phone. mupen is a great emulator. Anyway sorry about rambling butill I hope this helps make up your mind you'll love this phone f&$# iphone and their frivolous lawsuits over embedded phone numbers technology impeading mother #[email protected]$rs
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Note: Before he started rambling, he was actually talking about unlocking the bootloader, not rooting the phone (big difference.)
Rooting is done to give yourself administrator privileges on your phone, so you can edit system files (useful for fully restoring apps, memory tweaks, and just all around control of your phone)
Unlocking the bootloader is what allows you to flash kernels and custom roms that require kernels. Big difference.
i am a noob also
i am new to android also ,and i strongly recommend rooting, you get only benefitsfrom it ,and there is no problem with OTA if your dont delete system apps(bloat)...if you do delete system apps make a backup with titanium(root) before.
you can also install a recovery(CWM) and make a nandroid ...to me android makes no sense without root... here are a couple of apps that require root
adfree...block ads
change shoulder button...activates s button for media ,net and camera
droidwall...android firewall enable/disable 3g or wifi on selected apps
root explorer...superuser file browser
script manager...runs scripts like supercharge
titanium...makes backup of apps and data
SystemeCleanup...i use it to change system apps to data and vise versa
wireless tether...lets you use your 3G network for other devices(laptop,PSP)
sorry i dont usually write alot but i just cant sleep
Hi Folks - I'm trying to find the top 10 reasons why phones are rooted. I want to change the way Android is distributed, software is managed and patches are applied. Please list all your reasons that you think are important
There is only one reason to me. Because I own my device and I want the ultimate root control over it. However, I and probably most other people on this site are not representative of the normal population of phone owners that absolutely do not need root access since for them it would be dangerous.
So far, I only have two, but they are important enough to me. I like having free wireless tethering without paying my carrier anymore. Also, I like the ability to backup my apps and other data to my SD card in case I must wipe my phone or transfer it to another phone. Its a shame there is still no official method to do this on Android phones, whereas Apple can do it with their iPhones and iTunes.
Rooting gives me the power to tweak my phone however which way I want and it may also give me access to features found only other phones like S-Voice for example.
The other major reason is performance. I really care about performance and is willing to squeeze out every ounce of performance the hardware is capable of. Of course, a balance of performance plus great battery life is crucial. Rooting allows me ultimate control of my phone.
stevep2007 said:
Hi Folks - I'm trying to find the top 10 reasons why phones are rooted. I want to change the way Android is distributed, software is managed and patches are applied. Please list all your reasons that you think are important
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Some of my main reasons (in no particular order) are:
Custom ROMs (although I'm not sure how it works on phones outside of the HD2 )
Ad blockers
Backup/restore abilities (i.e. Titanium Backup)
SetCPU
Market Enabler
A2SD/Link2SD
CF3D
ICS Launchers which can add widgets from the app drawer
Ability to uninstall system apps/bloatware
Generally having full control over my phone and what I do with it
Some of my reasons are
* Custom Roms
* Custom Kernels
* Mods - such as 15 bar toggle e.t.c
* Learn how to theme and cook roms
Excellent extended functionality -- That's what smartphones are for -- FUNCTIONALITY
Titanium Backup, and all the other root apps XD
Breakaway from bloated stock roms -- we WANT SPEED in the custom roms
Updates to the latest OS version -- enjoy the best of Android
That's why I rooted
Only one reason for me: Freedom!
customization
control
superior speed/battery life
less clutter
less intrusive (phoning home)
titanium backup
easy flashing of custom recovery
that said a good oh *bleep* button in case I mess up my phone.
I rooted to install custom ROMS and hopefully get better battery life by getting rid of bloatware. So far much faster, but I'm yet to see battery improvements. Changing kernals is really fun tho.
.for me allways about improving battery life and improving performance with after market mods that the manufacturers don't see as important ie, by debloating and removing all unwanted apps, updating radio firmware to improve cell phone reception, improving kernel optimization and tweaks running new launchers and widgets make to work faster on new os and software versions.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
ROOT ? Own your phone
Destroy bloatware! Free up precious internal memory! Overclock that sucker! Tether my laptop! Plus its excellent to do stuff correctly and NOT brick your phone!
if you have to ask question like that, you shouldn't root your device... but for me, the reason why to root is to gain ultimate control over my device, because it is MY device
For me its just a way not to use google account. I think its unacceptable that they would require personal info and collect such on their costumers. Especially since I payed for a SE product and would like atleast to have a File Manager Installed or be able to use calendar WITHOUT sincing it to some random server. Its just that I red the Terms Of Agreement and I don`t agree some times.
Not that it changes anything in the end....
The ladies appreciate it..?
I just want to full control my device..
and I think it is save because we can reset our phone if it is crashed.. :laugh:
Ad free, titanium Backup, droid Wall, div. Roms, backlight notifications
Now with Verizon including work teather with shared everything why root.... I unrooted mine because of that.....
Sent from my ADR6400L using xda premium
If you don't know what you do its safe not to root your phone. If you delete system files you phone will not start. I have my phone rooted because i am the boss. Not my phone.