Develop Bugs

[Q] Noob problems flashing CM7.0.3

G'day everyone, have been trying to find answers to my myriad newbie questions and have found this forum to be relatively noob-friendly, so bear with me whilst I pour them out!
Ok, so I've got a HTC Desire (GSM), unlocked and unbranded, running 2.2 with the baseband 32.49.00.32U_5.11.05.27. I've been keen to get into the Custom ROM world, so I recently rooted the device using Unrevoked 3 without any issues. I then installed Titanium Backup to get familiar with it, then ROM Manager after discovering that it would take a lot of the hassle out of flashing ROMS.
I used TB to do batch backup of 'all user apps + system data'. I then used RM to flash the latest ClockWork Recovery, then do a NANDroid backup of the current ROM (Stock Sense).
Then, I used RM to download CyanogenMod 7.0.3 and selected GApps also. I specified to wipe data and cache, then went ahead with flashing the new ROM.
The ROM flashed without issue and when it started I was asked for my Google account details, which I entered, then once I had enabled my wifi details, I downloaded all the Google apps.
Then I installed TB again and performed a 'Restore all apps with data'.
It was at this point I realised that my Contacts had not been restored, I only had a few from my SIM card showing. I thought that if I rebooted the device then the 600 other contacts would appear. I rebooted and then the device got stuck at the CyanogenMod splash screen for approx 20 mins. I rebooted into Recovery and reflashed my original stock ROM (making sure to clear data and cache) and was relieved to have the phone back the way it was. Once back in Sense, I exported all my Contacts to the SD card, for easier importing later.
I then tried to reflash CM7 again but was wary that the root cause of the earlier splash loop could've been either GApps or what I restored from TB. So I selected GApps to flash again, but this time at the startup screen giving you the option of which GApps to install, I selected none. I then attempted to download the ones I wanted from the Market. This worked ok but strangely Maps wouldn't download. I then went into TB and ran 'Restore missing apps + data', then 'Restore all system data' where I de-selected all the red items that appeared to be Sense-specific.
This gave a relatively ok setup, but when I rebooted to test its stability, it got caught in an indefinite splash screen loop again!
1. Can anyone point out where I'm going wrong?
2. Why didn't my contacts restore with TB?
3. What is the best backup and restore procedure to use with TB when switching between Sense and CM7?
4. What is the best method to use to install GApps?
Thanks in advance!

Did you do a full wipe in recovery before flashing the new rom - i.e. erase data/factory reset, erase cache, wipe battery stats?
Also I think restoring a "sense" Ti backup to a non sense rom is giving you the problem.
You have a nandroid of your original sense rom, right?
I think now it would work to do full wipe, restore your nandroid - and take care to backup your apps and data to your google account when going through the registration process. This should restore contacts, sms etc. later. Do Ti backup of user apps ONLY, and delete the previous Ti backup data from your sd card e.g. using root explorer.
OK, now full wipe again, reflash new rom and register - take care to leave checked both "backup" and "restore" from google account while registering. Now wait - most stuff should restore in 5-10 minutes from google servers. If not, reboot. If still not, restore user apps only via Ti backup.
I hope that works! As for gapps, not sure but isn't that another zip to flash? If so, you should do it after flashing the rom and rebooting at least once after running it.
Good luck!

No need to reflash Gapps.zip. It's included in the 7.0.3 stable release. (I know, I just flashed it last week) The prior releases required an additional flashing.
Agree with above poster. Always wipe those caches before re-flashing. Sometimes you can get away without doing it if going from 1 version ROM to another, but is best to wipe.
Also a good idea to flash update your recovery before flashing a new version ROM. Or at least on occasion.
EDIT: I use My Phone Explorer to Sync my contacts, calendar, sms, etc with Outlook. Or you can sync it with phone explorer's own app.

Thanks for the detailed responses guys.
I managed to fix it by downloading the latest zip files for CM7 and Gapps directly from the Cyanogen site and doing a manual install from ClockworkMod. Looks like ROM Installer probably wasn't getting compatible files. Oh and yes, I was always clearing the data and cache before each flash.
So, now I'm working through the incredible depths of CM, I'm sure more questions will be coming!

[Q] Force closes long lag times, other problems so un-root/re-root or something else?

So, I have been having some major problems with my phone. Tons of force closes, major lag times and things like that. I have tried a handful of different ROMs, including CM7, the nightlys, Miui and a few others. I hear great stories about people and rooting and I want to be one of them. I am tired of all the hassles. So, when talking to someone in the office who has had no issues with his Droid 2, he suggested, and said he has read, the best thing to do is go back to stock, unroot, as they will remove all possible conflicting files that could be causing problems. Then, re-root, and install whatever.
Any thoughts on that? Generally, my process for installing a new ROM, I boot into recovery manually, clean cache, clean Dalvik, then install ROM. Then, I restore apps and data from Titanium and restore the Nandroid from Rom Manager. The past couple times, I have done the factory reset, but eventually, a day or 2, it goes back to the same problems. Maybe, I should just try it without the restoring the Nandroid (even though it is a backup from when there was no problems) and the app data from Titanium. I assume, you know what happens when you assume, that both the Nandroid and Titanium backups are clean as I backed up when I was having no issues.
So, any thoughts here? Unroot, then re-root or is there something else I should try to wipe everything clean to solve the problems? Currently, on the original Droid Incredible (got it on the release day, so the first screen), running 2.2 when I rooted, currently on Miui 1.9.16, but just installed it 10 minutes ago and was running the Cyanogen nightly's before hand..
Thanks in advance

When flashing a new ROM you should always do the following before flashing, especially if you're flashing completely different ROMs:
Wipe user data/factory reset
Mounts and Storage - format /system, format /boot, format /data, format /cache
Advanced - Wipe Dalvik, Wipe Battery Stats
Then flash the ROM zip.
Try not restoring apps and data from Titanium, as restoring the app is okay, but restoring data can cause unwanted things to happen more times than not.
When you say restore nandroid from ROM Manager, what do you mean here? A nandroid is backing up your ROM via ROM Manager, which gets stored to your clockworkmod/backups folder...you shouldn't be pulling anything from that...
If you flash the RUU to return to stock and re-root, make sure you use the 2.2 RUU. If you use the 2.3, you need to be s-off to get rooted again. If you use the 2.3 RUU and you're s-on, no root for you...come back one year.

The ONLY time you want to restore a nandroid backup is if you've wiped your device clean and want to return to a previously backed up setup. You should never restore a nandroid backup over a ROM you've just installed. If that's what you're doing, that's your problem. You're effectively replacing whatever ROM you just flashed in it's entirety.
As for Titanium, I restore apps with data all the time, but system data should almost never be restored as it's OS and app version specific. Basically, if it's green, it's safe. If it's red, don't mess with it. If it's white, like a user app, app and data are usually safe to restore.
ROM Manager is a bigger pain in the ass than it's worth and is useless for anything more than flashing a new recovery. If my recovery is working reliably, I never install ROM manager. Most devs will tell you to never flash with ROM manager anyways. Any function that ROM Manager performs can be performed in recovery in a safer, more reliable fashion.

loonatik78 said:
The ONLY time you want to restore a nandroid backup is if you've wiped your device clean and want to return to a previously backed up setup. You should never restore a nandroid backup over a ROM you've just installed. If that's what you're doing, that's your problem. You're effectively replacing whatever ROM you just flashed in it's entirety.
As for Titanium, I restore apps with data all the time, but system data should almost never be restored as it's OS and app version specific. Basically, if it's green, it's safe. If it's red, don't mess with it. If it's white, like a user app, app and data are usually safe to restore.
ROM Manager is a bigger pain in the ass than it's worth and is useless for anything more than flashing a new recovery. If my recovery is working reliably, I never install ROM manager. Most devs will tell you to never flash with ROM manager anyways. Any function that ROM Manager performs can be performed in recovery in a safer, more reliable fashion.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the correction, I forgot to put system in there...restoring system data is not good.
+1 on ROM Manager issues, always get a zip file of the ROM, and flash through recovery.

RMarkwald said:
When flashing a new ROM you should always do the following before flashing, especially if you're flashing completely different ROMs:
Wipe user data/factory reset
Mounts and Storage - format /system, format /boot, format /data, format /cache
Advanced - Wipe Dalvik, Wipe Battery Stats
Then flash the ROM zip.
When you say restore nandroid from ROM Manager, what do you mean here? A nandroid is backing up your ROM via ROM Manager, which gets stored to your clockworkmod/backups folder...you shouldn't be pulling anything from that....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is pretty much what I do, except for the Mounts and Storage parts.
For the Nandroid part, maybe I have my terminology mixed up. I do a restore from Rom Manager...which I thought was called the Nandroid backup. It seems to me, that it makes sure the launcher and things are set up right.
loonatik78 said:
The ONLY time you want to restore a nandroid backup is if you've wiped your device clean and want to return to a previously backed up setup. You should never restore a nandroid backup over a ROM you've just installed. If that's what you're doing, that's your problem. You're effectively replacing whatever ROM you just flashed in it's entirety.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I rarely use the ROM Manager to do anything, just restore (what I thought was called the Nandroid) to make the launcher the way things were..
But it seems like that is my problem. I am installed the new ROM, then just restoring a back up of all the problems. DUH.. Guess I should try it all without restoring anything from the ROM Manager and see how it all works. That will be my project tonight..
Thanks

MikeDaub said:
That is pretty much what I do, except for the Mounts and Storage parts.
For the Nandroid part, maybe I have my terminology mixed up. I do a restore from Rom Manager...which I thought was called the Nandroid backup. It seems to me, that it makes sure the launcher and things are set up right.
I rarely use the ROM Manager to do anything, just restore (what I thought was called the Nandroid) to make the launcher the way things were..
But it seems like that is my problem. I am installed the new ROM, then just restoring a back up of all the problems. DUH.. Guess I should try it all without restoring anything from the ROM Manager and see how it all works. That will be my project tonight..
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you want to restore your launcher, try it through Titanium Backup. If that doesn't do it, and I can't promise you it will work correctly, you're probably SOL on restoring a launcher unless some other backup app does the job better.

loonatik78 said:
If you want to restore your launcher, try it through Titanium Backup. If that doesn't do it, and I can't promise you it will work correctly, you're probably SOL on restoring a launcher unless some other backup app does the job better.
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I am fine with not restoring it, I just thought "that is what you should do".
I don't venture too far from the regular settings, so it isn't a pain to do, just thought I should...

RMarkwald said:
When flashing a new ROM you should always do the following before flashing, especially if you're flashing completely different ROMs:
Wipe user data/factory reset
Mounts and Storage - format /system, format /boot, format /data, format /cache
Advanced - Wipe Dalvik, Wipe Battery Stats
Then flash the ROM zip.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
One more quick question since I am thinking of it....is this same process if doing nightly updates from Cyanogen, or just is I change from say, Cyanogen to Miui or something??
Thanks again for all the help..

MikeDaub said:
One more quick question since I am thinking of it....is this same process if doing nightly updates from Cyanogen, or just is I change from say, Cyanogen to Miui or something??
Thanks again for all the help..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Generally, CM nightlies can be flashed over top of each other without a wipe since the vast majority of the code is identical. However, if an issue crops up, a wipe and flash might be a good thing to try. Probably won't help though, since nightlies, by definition, are experimental.
Always wipe and flash when moving from one ROM type to another.

loonatik78 said:
Generally, CM nightlies can be flashed over top of each other without a wipe since the vast majority of the code is identical. However, if an issue crops up, a wipe and flash might be a good thing to try. Probably won't help though, since nightlies, by definition, are experimental.
Always wipe and flash when moving from one ROM type to another.
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Click to collapse
That's kinda what I figured, but I thought it was worth asking so I don't completely wipe the whole thing every time I install an update. The nightly I am on now seems to be working, so the new plan is keep whats working until it doesn't work anymore, or some major update comes along..
Thanks again for the help. I really appreciate it.

If the issue continues you can try copying everything off of your SD card to your PC and reformatting your SD card. Remember to use FAT32 format. Then copy everything back to your SD card. I've read threads were this helped the force close issues for many people - Just a thought.

jackbtha1 said:
If the issue continues you can try copying everything off of your SD card to your PC and reformatting your SD card. Remember to use FAT32 format. Then copy everything back to your SD card. I've read threads were this helped the force close issues for many people - Just a thought.
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Click to collapse
Certainly worth a thought. The card that is in it now came from a different phone. I am pretty sure I formatted it when I first plugged it in, but it can't hurt to try...
Thanks

amon ra restore problem

Hey all, I had Clockwork installed, and needed to flash stock to take into sprint. I tried to do a backup 5 times, but it kept freezing up on me. So i rebooted and went into ROM Manager and flashed Amon Ra. I rebooted into that, and did a backup, and it said it went fine. I checked the sd card and the backup file was about 500mb which is what it should be. I flashed the stock rom, took into sprint, and then went to restore the backup. I did a full wipe before restoring, and then went to restore. It started with the dots across the screen, but never stopped. I waited over an hour, and it kept going with the dots, which I know shouldnt take more than 10 minutes tops. So I pulled the battery, did another full wipe, and did the restore again.
This time the restore took about 5 minutes, I rebooted, and my rom's boot animation started playing, a good sign. However after the boot animation, all I can see is the stock HTC rainbow bubbles background (which was not my wallpaper) and I also see the Mik rom status bar. But nothing else. No lockscreen, no apps, no nothing. I have since tried multiple battery pulls, multiple wipes and multiple restores again, and the same problem still happens. I flashed the stock rom again, and that works fine.
So am I pretty much screwed here with this backup? Unfortunately, I did not use Titanium to backup my apps and texts, as I figured it would just be a quick flash to stock to take into sprint and then a quick restore.

You might be screwed. I was having that problem. I switched to amon-ra haus mod and I back up everything but recovery. Wipe cache and dalvik cache before and after and it works fine. But right now you may be S.O.L.
We're comin from a pure power source.

Did you try rflashing the rom and then restoring? Just a thought
We're comin from a pure power source.

metalfan78 said:
Did you try rflashing the rom and then restoring? Just a thought
We're comin from a pure power source.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm trying to do that now, reflashing the base mik rom, then I will try a restore without wiping, hopefully I can get all my apps back long enough to back them up, and then I will do another full wipe and flash
Edit: well that didnt work at all, a restore just puts me back to where I was, just a backround and status bar, no buttons or lockscreen or anything. I guess that backup is corrupted. So much for Amon Ra being better than clockwork...

This is the only recovery that has worked flawless for me. Its amon-ra haus mod. I don't know the difference I just know it works.
http://db.tt/cFafuzp9
Give it a shot
We're comin from a pure power source.

Not that it's the cause, but you shouldn't use ROM Manager, for any reason, really and definitely not to flash recovery.
The best way is the PC36IMG.zip from the thread for AR in the DEV section, flash it in Hboot and then try to flash your ROM, after you wipe everything, except the SDCard: option.

[Q] Problems with ROMs/Nandroids

Just wondering what course of action I should take. If anything could get me back to my first nandroid. I just rooted my phone, and I started trying out roms, seeing which I liked best. Not sure how it works exactly, but I figured it was that I could go from one nandroid to any other and it would work. I flashed mik3d, made a nandroid, and then flashed destroyer. All correct steps done, all fine up until that point. Tried to restore, and neither of the nandroids worked. And i tested them before I flashed destroyer. I was stuck in destroyer. Since then ive been able to flash either destroyer or mik3d, but i tried cyanogen and it gets me stuck in bootloop no matter what I do. After flashing mik3d or destroyer, it let's me restore to the last backup before the flash. No other. I backed up my apps originally, but not the data. i guess i just wanna know if I could find a way to restore the original nandroid and get my apps back instead of losing all the data. Also, mik3d is currently running EXTREMELY slow. Computer unavailable for the next few hours, typing this on my phone, and its so laggy. This has taken about 15-20 minutes to type. And if there really is no way to restore my app data by restoring the original nandroid, then what should i do to restore to stock ROM, rooted or not, doesnt matter.

OK, first off, if you're just rooted, you probably have Clockwork Mod for recovery.
You want to change that to Amon Ra.
There's a post in the development section with the file and how to flash it.
This will make your nandroids obsolete.
If you DO have Amon Ra now, or after you flash it, so this:
Go to Wipe.
Wipe All User Data/Factory Reset.
Then wipe ever sub-option, EXCEPT, SD Card: or Battery Stats if you're not fully charged.
Hit return and USB Toggle. Put the ROM you want to flash on your SD Card, then you can flash that. If I were you, I would just use the Stock/Rooted ROM from the Dev section first. You need to have a Sense ROM anyhow, if you ever need to update PRL, Profile, or take your phone into Sprint.
Once you have that loaded up, go back to Recovery and make a Nandroid of it. I always backup everything except cache, which ensures that if I have to restore, it's exactly back to how I had it all set up.
Then, put a custom ROM on that you want to flash, repeat the Wipe Procedure and flash away!

Well I'll try all that when I get home. In the middle of a 4 hour drive now. But I realized that I might have an out. Just got a new SD card yesterday, and I was using that. Switched to the old one, which happens to be after I loaded mik3d but not yet destroyer, and I'm back to the stock Rom rooted. I'll deal with the rest later.

[Q] Rules for re-flashing a ROM?

I've searched and searched, but cannot find an answer. Im currently running RCMix3D 4.0, but want to flash a different ROM. Is the procedure the same, as when I did it the first time? (Wipe data/factory reset, and clearing cache and dalvik-cache?)
Or is there something to keep in mind, when going from a custom ROM>custom ROM.

Nope. It's the same way. But don't forget to create a backup.

If you're using CWM recovery to flash, I'd greatly recommemd using the full-wipe.zip to do your wiping for you.
Details are here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=964996

Install 4EXT recovery. It's a bit better then CWM and simpler to use in my opinion. And no you don't have to do anything else. What you just described there is how it's done.

Make sure to back up your rom incase the one you are trying add doesn't work on your phone.

I use titanium back up to back everything up and then if you want something simple (in my opinion) download from manager and the just download the from and then open it and it will do the back up of the rom and wipe everything.

Don't forget your contacts

djolebih said:
Install 4EXT recovery. It's a bit better then CWM and simpler to use in my opinion. And no you don't have to do anything else. What you just described there is how it's done.
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Click to collapse
I second this... 4EXT works brilliantly! Back up your apps and all that with Titanium, and then do a Nandroid backup and save your current ROM. After that, do a full wipe using the zip mentioned, and then install the new ROM. If you find at some point that something wasn't backed up that you can't restore with Titanium, simply backup current ROM, restore the previous and grab what you need, etc. Best of luck.