[Q] "Android System" using tons of battery? - G2 and Desire Z Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

I just got a G2 as a replacement for my MT4g (not by my choice, by the choice of tmobile customer service, i guess after replacing 3 phones in a 90 period they are forced to replace with a different phone. MT4G had burnt out pixels, the second one also had burnt out pixels and the third one they sent me wouldn't even boot up as it was stuck in a permanent boot loop, hence I have arrived at the G2)
ANYWAYS the battery seems to drain like an absolute champ. My MT4G battery life wasn't that great but this G2 is awful. My question is: why would "Android System" be using the most battery on my battery usage report? It is using anywhere between 40% and 70% of my battery usage, even more than the display and that is during times when I'm mostly watching youtube or intentionally leaving the screen on.
For instance: After 2 hours off the charger the battery is at 74%, the top thing in the battery report is "android system" and that is 43% and the "CPU total" for android system is only 3m 4s. I just don't know what could be causing all the battery usage...
Also, with wi-fi calling enabled how come the "cell standby" is still draining battery? On my MT4G the cell standby would only show up if I was not using wifi calling (which happens to be most of the time).

I noticed this problem too. It sucks. The thing I did was root my phone and flash a custom ROM, which in this case is a stock gingerbread build with some "icing". Not sure if it's a 2.2 thing, but Android System just seems to sap the battery. On 2.3, the biggest draw now seems to be the display by far, but overall battery life is way better than the official stock 2.2 that shipped on the G2. So yeah... root that sucker!

killswitch11 said:
I noticed this problem too. It sucks. The thing I did was root my phone and flash a custom ROM, which in this case is a stock gingerbread build with some "icing". Not sure if it's a 2.2 thing, but Android System just seems to sap the battery. On 2.3, the biggest draw now seems to be the display by far, but overall battery life is way better than the official stock 2.2 that shipped on the G2. So yeah... root that sucker!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am thinking I will probably have to do this. I see you use the Virtuous G-lite ROM which is the one I was considering using. My other question is what (and where) do I get the "radio" files from? I assume that they are just like drivers/firmware for the radios inside the phone but do I have to get them separately from the ROM? and if so, from where and how do I install them?
Also, what is the method for rooting that will be least likely to brick my phone. I saw something on the main G2 forum about not using visionary but then what is the best/easiest method for rooting it?
Thanks in advance.

As to rooting, I used this method here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=928160
This uses Visionary to gain temp root and g-free to perm root. It is very safe provided you have a US G2 and are not trying to root the new "official" 2.3 update that is lurking out there. Visionary is dangerous for trying to perm root so don't try that. Just follow the instructions to the letter and you'll be fine. Even flashing the hboot is safe with this method since it runs scripts instead of having to manually type things in, leaving room for errors that could brick your phone. Once rooted, make a backup of you stock image and try some ROMS out. Virtuous G-lite is nice... I like it. I also really like CM7, and I'd advise trying it. I just can't use it since it breaks my GPS. That doesn't happen to everyone though so you may get lucky.
Radios are found here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=970809
Flashing a new radio using the PCIMG method is pretty safe, but its generally not advised to mess with that unless you need to. A new radio is not necessary unless you are experiencing some reception or GPS issues. I would root first, flash a ROM, and look at the performance. If everything is legit, then I wouldn't sweat flashing a new radio just yet.

killswitch11 said:
As to rooting, I used this method here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=928160
This uses Visionary to gain temp root and g-free to perm root. It is very safe provided you have a US G2 and are not trying to root the new "official" 2.3 update that is lurking out there. Visionary is dangerous for trying to perm root so don't try that. Just follow the instructions to the letter and you'll be fine. Even flashing the hboot is safe with this method since it runs scripts instead of having to manually type things in, leaving room for errors that could brick your phone. Once rooted, make a backup of you stock image and try some ROMS out. Virtuous G-lite is nice... I like it. I also really like CM7, and I'd advise trying it. I just can't use it since it breaks my GPS. That doesn't happen to everyone though so you may get lucky.
Radios are found here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=970809
Flashing a new radio using the PCIMG method is pretty safe, but its generally not advised to mess with that unless you need to. A new radio is not necessary unless you are experiencing some reception or GPS issues. I would root first, flash a ROM, and look at the performance. If everything is legit, then I wouldn't sweat flashing a new radio just yet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, it looks easy enough. What benefit does flashing the h-boot give me, just for curiosity's sake?

Honestly, I'm not the best person to answer that question. From what I understand, it makes it easier to recover if you somehow end up in a boot loop or something at some point. One of the more technical members may be able to better answer that question. I just did it since its generally advised to do, just something to be cautious about since one slight typo error can be fatal. But the scripts negate that danger so I don't see a reason not to flash it.

killswitch11 said:
Honestly, I'm not the best person to answer that question. From what I understand, it makes it easier to recover if you somehow end up in a boot loop or something at some point. One of the more technical members may be able to better answer that question. I just did it since its generally advised to do, just something to be cautious about since one slight typo error can be fatal. But the scripts negate that danger so I don't see a reason not to flash it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok thanks, one last question you might know the answer to: is there a way to revert everything back to stock? Like, for instance, if i need to send it in for warranty repairs or get it replaced?

If you search the forums, there are guides on how to revert back to stock. Or you could always flash the official 2.3 update that will turn S-off, install gingerbread, and bring everything back to stock. But the official 2.3 image is not rootable at this point so that would be a last ditch thing.

killswitch11 said:
If you search the forums, there are guides on how to revert back to stock. Or you could always flash the official 2.3 update that will turn S-off, install gingerbread, and bring everything back to stock. But the official 2.3 image is not rootable at this point so that would be a last ditch thing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did it. Got virtuous g-lite working like a champ. much better...everything actually, but especially better battery life. thanks for your help!

Related

2 n00b questions. please help me out.

Hey all. Droid n00b here with a couple questions I was hoping someone could help me out with. Anyway I just rooted my phone and am using the stock rooted rom but I would like to put Froyo on it. I have seen a LOT of custom ROMs but all have different names and I am not sure how to tell if they are the FROYO kernel or the 2.1. So what is the best Froyo rom to flash ( I hope I am saying this right haha) Also is it true that the camera wont work?
Oh and for the second question. I have major light leakage around the left side and the bottom of the device and have already ordered my replacement and was concerned about turning it in rooted. Can I get into trouble? Is it illegal or anything if it is rooted?
Anyway, I have downloaded the RUU : The RUU_Supersonic_1.32.651.6_Radio_1.39.00.05.31_release_171253_signed file but it keeps telling me that it cannot see the Evo. And to make sure that it is connected.
Anyone else had this problem?
Anyway as I am new here and have no idea how long response time will take, I'll wait a couple hours before i cross post over to andriodforums.
Thanks so much for all your help,
BTW I did see the Roms page and that page but 2 of the Froyo Roms are designated as Dev. Does that mean that I shouldnt use those? maybe there are ones that arent dev that I can use?
and last point the reason that I am thinking about the froyo rom is becasue my battery life is attrocious. I am talking 4 hours moderate usage and its gone.
I have tried the Hard reset. I have tried the supposed HTC on off on off on off change. I have also done the CDMA "fix" as well and still it is terrible.
You should probably not root if you are going to return the phone because they might be a bit upset. It's not illegal, but they may charge you for the phone. If you've already rooted, just install the stock RUU and it should take care of it.
As for Froyo, the one from Avalaunch is really the only usable one right now. However, as it is a dev ROM it has some issues and there are some things that aren't working. If you are a self-described "n00b", you'll probably want to hold off until things get a bit more stable.
If you are having battery life issues, try any of the 2.1 ROM's that are more stable. Almost all of them offer better battery life than the stock ROM. I think the best ROM in this sense is the non-Sense ROM since it has almost all of HTC's battery-sucking elements removed.
OK I cannot seem to get the RUU to work. I keep getting:
Errror [170]: USB Connection Error
The ROM Utility cannot connect to your android phone etc....
I have tried all 4 of my USB slots and I am running windows 7. Anyone have any ideas? Or other ways to get the EVO back to stock?
Thanks
Try a different RUU. If you tried .6 use .1, and vice-versa. Both are stock and should be fine. If you still have the issue, try Google. There are a whole bunch of different things that can cause this issue from a bad RUU to antivirus, firewalls, etc., so there are a whole bunch of different fixes.
EDIT: Also check out the way to bypass RUU at: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=700680&page=2
If you have any more questions about this you should probably post to that thread as this is basically a duplicate.
rdude said:
You should probably not root if you are going to return the phone because they might be a bit upset. It's not illegal, but they may charge you for the phone. If you've already rooted, just install the stock RUU and it should take care of it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah thanks for the response but see my above post.
rdude said:
As for Froyo, the one from Avalaunch is really the only usable one right now. However, as it is a dev ROM it has some issues and there are some things that aren't working. If you are a self-described "n00b", you'll probably want to hold off until things get a bit more stable.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok cool. I think that I will wait for the froyo that is more stable.
rdude said:
If you are having battery life issues, try any of the 2.1 ROM's that are more stable. Almost all of them offer better battery life than the stock ROM. I think the best ROM in this sense is the non-Sense ROM since it has almost all of HTC's battery-sucking elements removed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok again thanks. Good news. I'll try that one as soon as i pick up my new EVO that they just called and said they have. Perfect. Now all I need to do is restore this back to factory settings.
I have a mac in the other room. Is there an RUU that i can run off of the mac, maybe?
rdude said:
Try a different RUU. If you tried .6 use .1, and vice-versa. Both are stock and should be fine. If you still have the issue, try Google. There are a whole bunch of different things that can cause this issue from a bad RUU to antivirus, firewalls, etc., so there are a whole bunch of different fixes.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
do you happen to have a link to the .1 version?
grabbed the .1 version as well as the .6 and niether can communicate with my Evo. hmmmm

I'm Rooted, now what?

So, a Huge thanks to all those who worked on the method to get 2.2 rooted. I followed the directions and I am here, rooted. I used the Amon_Ra for my recovery back to 2.2. Now, this might be a stupid question, but What now? My phone looks the same, and I still can't remove sprint stuff. What are the next steps, I know i can install a custom "higher speed ROM", but can i just work from where i am now? I have the Superuser icon, but when i open it, i get "no apps in list" ? what do i need to install to start taking advantage of all that rooting has to offer?
Thanks for your replies!!
monetmonet said:
So, a Huge thanks to all those who worked on the method to get 2.2 rooted. I followed the directions and I am here, rooted. I used the Amon_Ra for my recovery back to 2.2. Now, this might be a stupid question, but What now? My phone looks the same, and I still can't remove sprint stuff. What are the next steps, I know i can install a custom "higher speed ROM", but can i just work from where i am now? how do i get that little superadministrator icon on my phone? what do i need to install to start taking advantage of all that rooting has to offer?
Thanks for your replies!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Choose a new fancy ROM, download it to your SD card and use Amon to flash it. Easy as pie.
They are many great ROMs from many great developers here. Everyone has their preferences, mine is Fresh. I've never been dissapointed.
Agreed.....I can tell a big difference in speed and battery life but now what? I also can't delete any of the Sprint bloatware and I am on Baked Sense 1.6.
I don't understand: Why would you root your phone if you don't even know what it does? Not trying to be a ****; I'm just saying.
Firstly, if you rooted, all you did was revert your phone back to 2.1 so you no longer have Froyo. (edit: nevermind.....I see you want back to 2.2; I'm guessing you flashed a 2.2 stock rooted rom to your phone). The superuser app is empty because it hasn't given superuser permission to any apps that require it. If you want to see your superuser app in action, download ShootMe or screenshot from the market, and you will see the app asks for superuser permission.
I rooted my phone because I thought it was ridiculous to pay Sprint $30 a month to use the wireless tether option that was built into the Evo by HTC and which I already paid for when I purchased the phone. Now I use my root privileges to do a lot more, but my point is that I had a reason to root my phone to begin with. Download wireless tether and try it.
If you want to uninstall apps, download Titanium Back up (that's what I use anyway) and go to town removing stuff. I am not sure if the free version removes apps or not because I got the paid one from the beginning, but now that you are rooted, it is well worth the price for the premium license. You can use this app to move stuff to your SD card and free up your phone's internal memory, too. You can also back up all your apps and system data which is handy when you flash from one rom to another and you have to do a full wipe of your phone.
ddublu said:
Agreed.....I can tell a big difference in speed and battery life but now what? I also can't delete any of the Sprint bloatware and I am on Baked Sense 1.6.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Some of the ROMs have all that stuff removed for you, such as Fresh.
First thing to do: Head over to the developer forum and flash Netarchy's kernel, which will uncap your FPS. Do it ASAP, DO IT NAO!!!!1!!1!1!eleven. Then come back here and tell us how amazing it is.
thanks for the input
Thanks for all the replies! Rugedraw - i especially appreciate your indepth answer despite the fact that you are clearly somewhat annoyed by the question.
Here's the thing. The android revolution is ongoing and picking up steam. and i could talk about that all day long. Opensource, kick blackberry in the berry, and send apple back to where it was after its huge popularity boom in the 90s - struggling to overcome its fatal closed system flaw. Beyond that, I bought my Evo for 2 reasons. My 16 month son threw my blackberry into the toilet (nice work - i now appreciate it), and my tech guy at work has been raving about his rooted Droid x2. as of 10 days ago it didn't seem possible to root the 2.2 froyo, but he told be to be on the lookout. I figured this is a little like an arms race and that the sooner i rooted my phone when the method was avail. the better. (tech guy is in italy with his fiancee right now, or i would be asking him all these questions)
Soooo, it seemed to me, that in the spirit of owning an opensource device and joining the android revolution, that i should root my phone and unlock all the magic.
I'm no computer programming whiz, i dont write code, and i learned all of the terminology on this board in the last 2 days. So lost, but learning fast.
I did not root my phone for no reason. I clearly understand the utility of having superuser status (besides, most guys are wired to want that kinda thing regardless) - deleting annoying sprint apps that chew power, "re-tuning" the device to run more efficiently, and of course, free wifi tethering.
But, after completing the most excellent root method described in this forum, i found myself staring at a rooted 2.2 and wondering what the next step was. There are NO google results for "i've rooted my evo 4, now what?" so thats why i started this thread, figuring that I was not the only one in my situation
THAT enormously long winded explanation complete, I would love to aggregate the appropriate options in this thread. Method to wipe, list of Flash Roms for a rooted 2.2 EVO.
Again, thanks for all the replies,
btw what does "uncap your FPS" mean?
If you did unrevoked then I would flash the latest Amon-RA recovery image. No offense to clockworkmod, amon is just my preference.
Poke around the recovery console and learn how it works.
NAND FIRST!! haha, develop that habit before you flash anything (roms, kernels, etc.), just in case
-Flash a rom that suits your needs. Read their OP's and threads to learn what they are about and what the people that use them think. I would suggest you just flash the stock rooted 2.2, play with it for a week or two to see how root works and explore what you can do with it. Also look into backup methods so you are familiar with how to preserve your stuff when you flash a different rom.
FPS = frames per second. There are kernels that will lift the 30fps cap.
Read about kernels and how to take advantage of them.
I know I've been pretty general, just pick a trail and start walking, when you have questions ask em
I like your logic of titling the thread exactly what you searched for, usin yer brains to make this thread more beneficial to the next guy (imagine a thumbs-up smiley here)
zeuzinn said:
First thing to do: Head over to the developer forum and flash Netarchy's kernel, which will uncap your FPS. Do it ASAP, DO IT NAO!!!!1!!1!1!eleven. Then come back here and tell us how amazing it is.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is highly recommended that you do what he says! You'll see a major improvement in lots of areas. In case you're curious here is my setup: STOCK 2.2 w/ Netarchy kernal. I chose the stock 2.2 so that I may do with it what I like. It's very fast and very stable.
monetmonet said:
So, a Huge thanks to all those who worked on the method to get 2.2 rooted. I followed the directions and I am here, rooted. I used the Amon_Ra for my recovery back to 2.2. Now, this might be a stupid question, but What now? My phone looks the same, and I still can't remove sprint stuff. What are the next steps, I know i can install a custom "higher speed ROM", but can i just work from where i am now? I have the Superuser icon, but when i open it, i get "no apps in list" ? what do i need to install to start taking advantage of all that rooting has to offer?
Thanks for your replies!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can remove Sprint stuff, just have to spend some time and learn to use ADB. Rooting an EVO is not the same as rooting an iPhone, you can pretty much do everything you can from rooting an iPhone without even rooting Android so the difference is not that great.
Most of what you gain from rooting Android is being able to do things the carrier doesn't wan't you to do such as install free wifi tethering, remove their apps etc... You can also install others roms where they have already done this stuff for you but from what I have seen on the EVO and 2.2 battery life suffers greatly on pretty much any rom other than stock rooted so there is a lot to be gained from learning adb and just working with the stock rooted rom to remove the apps you wan't to.
I'm in the same boat. I got my new EVO on Tuesday, it was rooted an hour later. Why? Because that's how we do things! First thing for me it was important to have tethering. Work blocks damned near everything. As I learn more about the Android system I'll get more use out of root.
I was carefully paying attention to the thread and particularly bluehaze's answer. I'd like to learn more about using adb to remove sprint crap. That amazon app is always restarting itself. If there an ADB for newbs guide around here anywhere? I looked but didn't see.
There are a few things that I use which make root a necessity.
- custom ROMs provide a setup more tailored to what you are personally looking for
- using wireless tethering without being artificially limited to Sprint's commercial offering
- backups! I can boot into recovery and make a backup image of my setup at any point. That way no matter what settings I change or what ROMs I test out, I can always go right back to my stable daily driver in 5 minutes if needed.
- custom recovery and superuser allow you to install things, uninstall things, theme things, etc. Nothing worse than not being able to change something on my own device
- speed, battery, etc. via tweaked kernels. I'm using Baked Snack's ROM and kernel now and it's way faster and nicer on battery than stock
nOObs need love too
monetmonet said:
...There are NO google results for "i've rooted my evo 4, now what?" ...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Now there is...thanks. My Google search on those words led me here. I've been lurking on these boards since I got my EVO a while ago, but I haven't had the guts to root until right now, 2nite, it's happening... I'll be back soon with my *new and improved* phone.
Whoo! Good Luck!
Indeed, you'll be a flash addict in no time. You may want to check out the link in my sig - it points to my post in a more recent version of this thread, with more current and relevant information throughout. Good luck!
Sent from my blah blah blah blah
I searched the exact same thing in google 'cept im on an x10, this thread looks like a good place to start
New guy...
Same here, I just rooted my Evo today and everything seems to be working great. But I'm clueless on how to put a rom on to my sd card so I can flash it to my evo.
Can any one send me a link to a basic how to..
Thanks
Rich

New EVO with 2.2....Is There a Way to Root?

I've never rooted anything but now that I've ditched the EPIC the first question becomes....is there a way to get full root with a new device that has stock FROYO loaded?
I have not yet installed this morning update and figured I'd wait to see about rooting.
What I would like to accomplish is to get rid of all the pre-loaded crap, realize some better battery life and then get the FPS update.
So...assuming I can root, do I then flash a custom rom or?
Seriously....your assistance would be greatly appreciated as the plethora of how to threads gets rather confusing here
I got my Evo a few days after Froyo was released, so the Sprint rep updated it for me. The simple root method is, well, simple. Just use that and then flash any rom you choose and yes you will be able to rid your phone of all the bulk software. Depending on the rom and how you configure your device, battery life will vary.
One of the biggest decisions you'll have to make is choosing between a sense rom or the stock android look. Some roms combine both. Cyanogen my recommendation If you want to try the stock look, it's also the fastest I've used. As for sense roms, I'de suggest you try em' all.
So what made you switch from the Epic? I was thinking about trying it out...
jfenton57 said:
I've never rooted anything but now that I've ditched the EPIC the first question becomes....is there a way to get full root with a new device that has stock FROYO loaded?
I have not yet installed this morning update and figured I'd wait to see about rooting.
What I would like to accomplish is to get rid of all the pre-loaded crap, realize some better battery life and then get the FPS update.
So...assuming I can root, do I then flash a custom rom or?
Seriously....your assistance would be greatly appreciated as the plethora of how to threads gets rather confusing here
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
unrevoked seems to do the job... even after applying the ota update u stay with s-off which lets u flash custom recovery and roms.
one thing that does suck with being rooted this way is that the engineering boot gives u much more than what the new one does... but thats for more advanced users.
yea rooted mine today using unrevoked but was on mac so was a little easier to do but is still a simple process from what it was before look around on youtube and on these forums youll find what your looking for just a simple search and your golden
Sooks said:
I got my Evo a few days after Froyo was released, so the Sprint rep updated it for me. The simple root method is, well, simple. Just use that and then flash any rom you choose and yes you will be able to rid your phone of all the bulk software. Depending on the rom and how you configure your device, battery life will vary.
One of the biggest decisions you'll have to make is choosing between a sense rom or the stock android look. Some roms combine both. Cyanogen my recommendation If you want to try the stock look, it's also the fastest I've used. As for sense roms, I'de suggest you try em' all.
So what made you switch from the Epic? I was thinking about trying it out...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Here you go. Its not the easiest way but youll learn more doing it this way... at the very least read through it before you go the one click route.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=765496
Roms? Just start clicking and reading. Pretty much every rom has a description and instructions on how to flash.
I truly appreciate the replies
One question I have is this....
Is one root method better than others?
Also, can one un root if need be more easily with one root method vs another?
Lastly....do all root methods still allow the camera to work or?
jfenton57 said:
I truly appreciate the replies
One question I have is this....
Is one root method better than others?
Also, can one un root if need be more easily with one root method vs another?
Lastly....do all root methods still allow the camera to work or?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Camera issues seem all fixed on the all the roms, but that's more of a rom issue not a root issue.
You can un-root, re-root, run a RUU, run a rooted stock rom, etc. there's so many choices I suggest you go to the guides in one of the first posts and start reading.
jfenton57 said:
I truly appreciate the replies
One question I have is this....
Is one root method better than others?
Also, can one un root if need be more easily with one root method vs another?
Lastly....do all root methods still allow the camera to work or?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Better? Thats a matter of opinion. One click will put you on clockwork recovery which has had a lot of issues as far as not wiping correctly and that can cause problems flashing rom to rom so if you choose that method I'd switch to Amon_Ras recovery. Just run a search to find it.
Unrooting is the same no matter how you root.
A root method wont break your camera.
Again...
The assistance from you folks is much appreciated

Want to Root But Afraid

Hello all. I'm not new to Android or rooting. I had a Hero for a year and have flashed many roms and numerous other customizations. Also not being a noob to XDA I've been doing my research on rooting my new toy the Evo. I was confident about rooting my Hero because it seemed damn near impossible to brick. However, it seems as though this isn't the case with the Evo, or at least not with 4g. I want to root in the worst way but am fearful of permanently loosing 4g, which brings me to a few questions. But before I get there here's what I've learned through much research.
First, Amon Ra 1.80 backs up wimax.img but it's also necessary to double check that it's done properly as some have had problems with faulty md5sums. Things such as the MAC info can be restored and is available on the box or behind the battery. It's also essential to make sure that nandroid back-ups, or, at least the one containing a wimax.img is stored in multiple secure locations (I always do this with nandroids anyway). Second, if you don't have your original wimax.img which contains your RSA keys you're screwed and have to get a new Evo, which brings me to some questions.
I just upgraded to the Evo a few days ago and have all of the newest updates so is it safe to say that if I root I don't have to worry about messing with the radio/wimax for some time and can just flash roms? Are the radio and wimax radio two different things and if so how can I flash upgrades without worrying about loosing my RSA keys? What is the safest way to upgrade anything other than the roms? In other words if a new radio comes out is it best to un-root and officially upgrade everything and then re-root? Finally, because I can't seem to establish an exact answer to this:is there a such thing as totally un-rooting the Evo? By this I mean, if I follow the steps listed in some of the threads on here for un-rooting does that make everything 100% factory.
I'm paranoid about rooting also because I've switched to Best Buy's service plan which has its pluses and minuses. If I were to root and loose 4g somehow and had to take it back, I'm not sure of how much of a pain in the ass they are in comparison to Sprint. My understanding with the Hero was that it could be totally restored to factory condition by running an official RUU but I can't tell if it's the same with the Evo.
Lol, if you've managed to read all of this, you're probably thinking that I'm so paranoid that I shouldn't root and maybe you're right. However, I liked all of the root abilities I had with my Hero but didn't have the same potential consequences. Can the same be said of the Evo? Should I just wait until there's more development in solving RSA key problems?
Just go for it. Those people who are having RSA key issues have updated their radios through flashing. (I used the same tequnique but never lost my keys...no one knows what's going on yet). Go for it. You will never regret it =).
it's very simple. also squaretrade is the best deal for warranties
unrevoked + unrevoked forever, then you don't have to worry about messing up with 4g as it only flashes recovery and sets S-OFF, no changes to the stock rom or 4g.
Dont be afraid
I root evo's all the time. Some for friends, some for friends of friends who pay me a little $. The point is, I have rooted dozens of EVO's using the latest Unrevoked method. I use a MAC so I don't need to install any drivers (makes it easier).
You WONT have any problems as long as you have not flashed anything crazy to your phone (radio, wimax, etc)>
The worst that will happen is the unrevoked program will say "sorry, we did not get root, but thats normal, please try again."
Sometimes it takes 3 times and then bang you have root.
Also, I have unrooted my phone and its easy as pie.
Don't stress.
If you want some help, I can G-chat you through the whole process or help if you get stuck.
Just PM me if you want help.
To be honest all u have to do is read up on it. Google jonamerica.com(how to root)Trust me I jus rooted less than a week ago so I guess I am considered as a newbie. All in all I have my Evo running like Kentucky Derby Pro. Just gotta look past the fear that u have. If you follow those instructions correctly everything should go great. Check out other forums about rooting to confirm the steps in the link I posted for you. More than likely using unrevoked 3 nothing could go wrong. Ounce the phone is finally rooted, that's where all precaution comes into play. But there's nothing that a (nandroid backup) can't fix. Read up on that also. GOOD LUCK!!!
r0cky.Da.3v0.SU
You seem like a cautious person ... I am as well. There are lots of really bright people developing for the Evo, occasionally they push the envelope. That's ok with me, because their creativity is what makes all the good stuff available. With that said, the Sprint/HTC stock offering isn't too bad, but if you're like most of us ... it quickly won't be enough for you.
Go ahead and root ... just use good sense, and don't assume that everything that gets posted is ok ... sometimes, it takes a little time for things to shake out. For instance, I still haven't jumped to the new PRI and Wimax radio. Some have had great results ... some have been not so good. I expect to update ... but in the meantime, still enjoying all the benefits of some great custom work. Go for it ... you'll be ok.
And by the way u don't lose 4g ounce rooted. Certain ROMs that u flash don't have a 4g fix. So jus make sure u know what ur flashing.
r0cky.Da.3v0.SU
Thanks all!!
Wow! I wasn't expecting so many responses. Rather than multi-quote everyone who posted I just want to say thanks to all of you!!! I haven't rooted yet but will get there. I'm still doing a little more research before I take the plunge.
Hypothetically, if a new Wimax radio comes out how can it be installed safely, is it best to unroot and officially upgrade then re-root? What have you guys been doing when upgrading the radios, since it seems best to not just flash them.
In the past, I've always just flashed the new radio over the rom. With the new radio that has had some problems ... it's not the process ... it's that it's not the official release. With this kind of stuff, patience is a virtue.
I was teribbly afraid too. I put 2 weeks of research before rooting. The first time I did it I messed up, but then the second time it worked. You will not lose 4g unless you are using CM6.
Get a radio that's very compatible with your rom. It will be safe to flash jus hip cache and dalvik cache and u should be fine. Male sure to nandroid backup before doing so.
r0cky.Da.3v0.SU
aerajan said:
Wow! I wasn't expecting so many responses. Rather than multi-quote everyone who posted I just want to say thanks to all of you!!! I haven't rooted yet but will get there. I'm still doing a little more research before I take the plunge.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm with you. I just purchased my new Evo on Oct 1st and it came preinstalled with OS v2.2.
I rooted my previous Hero just days after the first exploit was found and it was quite easy. The Evo rooting and rom installing process looks much different however and I'll need to continue researching this one a bit longer.
I'm not a fan of one-click root methods and would much rather stick with good ol' adb commands, so I think I'm going to wait until a new command line method comes out that works specifically with 2.2. I read about the one method so far that works with 2.2, but I'd rather not downgrade anything.
Current phone info:
OS 2.2
Build 3.26.651.6
PRI 1.71_003
PRL 60671
I have a feeling that you'll search and research for a good long while, then, like a kid on Christmas eve who just can't wait and has to shake the presents, you'll root. Then... Happiness!
Sent from my Virus Infected Evo using the XDA app.
OP - I'm in the same boat as you. I really only want to root for WiFi tethering, but then I found out that PDAnet and EasyTether allow cable tethering, with PDAnet also offering tethering over Bluetooth. So as of right now I'm still a bit undecided, but am still trying to read up on all the available options.
My advice to you (as I was burned by a bad Unrevoked patch), is wait a few days to apply things that mess with your radio. This will sort out the bugs and whatnot.
The Unrevoked team didn't test a patch properly and they killed 4g for a lot of people.

[Q] UK, rooted unbranded DHD on 2.2 - will gingerbread change this?

Hi everyone,
I have an unbranded DHD in the UK, and I'm running 2.2. Just did a check for updates and nothing. Any idea when gingerbread will be arriving? And will I lose root and/or radio s-off? I love my root apps a lot Also not really a fan of custom roms atm as I don't have enough time to play with it if it doesn't work as expected straight away.
Also, what will I lose and keep in the update? Contacts? accounts? apps? App data?
Thanks
Tamen said:
Hi everyone,
I have an unbranded DHD in the UK, and I'm running 2.2. Just did a check for updates and nothing. Any idea when gingerbread will be arriving?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Already have 3 too many threads about that and don't wish to start another.
Tamen said:
And will I lose root and/or radio s-off? I love my root apps a lot Also not really a fan of custom roms atm as I don't have enough time to play with it if it doesn't work as expected straight away.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You'll lose root. If you phone is still in a state that it can receive updates.
if you've rooted why not just flash a GB ROM? There are customised ones and even one that is just rooted.
Tamen said:
Also, what will I lose and keep in the update? Contacts? accounts? apps? App data?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Seems people are saying that nothing was lost but back it all up anyway (yes, lots of apps to back up info, all already mentioned).
Thanks for the swift reply - how do I know if my phone can receive updates? I've rooted with visionary and put radio s-off if that helps
The main reason I don't want to flash custom roms is that it starts become a lot more risky - things do go wrong and you see people bricking their phones. If I bricked my phone I wouldn't have a clue how to fix it and I can't afford the £75 excess on insurance to replace it if it couldn't be fixed, as HTC wouldn't replace it if I broke it trying to do root things to it. I've also read that the latest CWM is having problems?
Tamen said:
Thanks for the swift reply - how do I know if my phone can receive updates? I've rooted with visionary and put radio s-off if that helps
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You should be ok. The actual state you can put a phone to and still receive the update is something I haven't been able to pinpoint yet. Certainly need a stock ROM.
Previous phones needed the stock recovery but I don't think that's the case here.
Tamen said:
The main reason I don't want to flash custom roms is that it starts become a lot more risky - things do go wrong and you see people bricking their phones. If I bricked my phone I wouldn't have a clue how to fix it and I can't afford the £75 excess on insurance to replace it if it couldn't be fixed, as HTC wouldn't replace it if I broke it trying to do root things to it. I've also read that the latest CWM is having problems?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The time when you are most at risk of bricking your phone is rooting and flashing a radio.
Flashing a ROM is 99% risk free. You've done the risky bit.
Cheers - though I haven't flashed a radio I don't think (unless radio s-off is flashing a radio). It says in the how to install a rom guide (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=964996)
- Select "Install Zip from sdcard"
- Select "Choose zip from sdcard"
- Select full-wipe-1-3.zip (It's right under those folders)
- Confirm by selecting the Yes option in between those "NO"s
- Wait for it to finish
- DO NOT REBOOT!!! In case you were not aware, you now have no rom installed
If I somehow messed up or knocked the power button and rebooted, what happens? How do I then fix it? Is that a permanent brick?
Not a fan of that wipe.zip. You could do the less risky method first and use wipe from the recovery menu.
If you rebooted you MAY (unlikely) have a brick but more likely you'll just end up back at bootloader.
If something happens while the phone is installing the ROM then you might have a problem.
If the phone is bricked assume you will have to send it to HTC for repair (along with your best innocent "it was like that in the morning, honest" look.
You'll be fine. I'm sure. But know the risks.
Bottom line, don't knock it. It's quite hard to accidentally press the power button.
Haha claim innocence If they do look and say it's your fault, out of warrenty, how much do they charge? They don't have to replace anything, just presumably connect it to a htc computer and run some resets.
Does the phone stay connected throughout this process? What happens if it's not connected when run or becomes disconnected?
Sorry for all the questions, but I just really want to understand everything that happens. If able I'd much rather update to gingerbread then root with an updated visionary or equivalent, though how long that'll take to happen is anyone's guess :/
Unless the instructions say not to I'd leave it connected.
If the instructions say to remove something that means disconnecting the phone (such as swapping SD cards for example) and doesn't say re-insert the phone then don't (this is why you should always be 100% charged before you try these things).
If it is bricked, they will use there tool to get into the eMMC partition and re-install everything. It's unliekly (not happened yet) they will magically restore the phone and go "hold on, you did this".
Don't worry. Ask away (feel free to hit the thanks button IF I say anything useful).
Just to back track, it looks like your wanting to flash a ROM now. Is this a stock ROm or one of the beautiful customised ROM's like LeeDroid?
In a sec I'll thank every post on this thread, you've been really helpful (and patient!)
I heard about gingerbread updating and wondered if root would be lost with the update or if the update would even work at all. You suggested I get a gingerbread rom already rooted, and I said "aarrgh, I'm scared" The rest of the posts are you explaining things to me, though if possible I'd like to stick with official roms for the moment and then root it - will visionary work on 2.3?
No. You will need to use Gingerbreak which will involve downgrading the ROM first.
But to answer the question between the lines, if you update and lose root, all is not lost, it can be reclaimed.
[noob]But the Rom comes from OTA, so how can it be downgraded?[/noob]
But thanks, if root can be re-attained after the update, I'll wait till after the update before doing anything too fast
What you will have to do is take an old RUU, say version 1.32 and install that.
That then allows you to gain access to the required areas of the phone to give you root and anything else you wish (Engineering HBOOT (ENG S-OFF), Radio S-OFF etc.).
When you get to that stage and decide to root etc. you will kick yourself so hard for not doing it earlier
Oh so gingerbread will remove root but not Eng or radio s-off? I'm at 1.32 at the moment so I should get engineering s off while I still can cause getting root in the future will be easier?
Tamen said:
Oh so gingerbread will remove root but not Eng or radio s-off? I'm at 1.32 at the moment so I should get engineering s off while I still can cause getting root in the future will be easier?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It (The OTA GB ROM) will remove root if you already have it yes. I believe Radio S-OFF is safe. AS for ENG S-OFF (HBOOT) I'm afraid my memory is failing me but with root and Radio S-OFF it would be easy enough to redo ENG S-OFF.
Rooting etc. will only get harder with each update. Version 1.32 is the easiest of all to root and in fact most root / Radio S-OFF etc. threads start by saying "downgrade to 1.32"
[EDIT] Just re-read your post...
Yes, if you make plans now before the OTA update (still not convinced you will get it though) it will be easier in the future but the main one to worry about is Radio S-OFF. This is the easier of the two and IIRC the only one required should you get the OTA update and gain root (via GingerBreak) without having to downgrade first.
I had root + radio s-off, just got ENG s-off too in-case it can't be done after the update. Hopefully this means after gingerbread re-rooting will be easy-ish
Tamen said:
I had root + radio s-off, just got ENG s-off too in-case it can't be done after the update. Hopefully this means after gingerbread re-rooting will be easy-ish
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Puts a huge grin on my face when someone just goes and does this....
But I really really really feel you can't stop now.
Ignoring that I don't think you will get the OTA update you have to now install a GB ROM. After what you have done, flashing a ROM is (relatively speaking) as safe as houses.
Go on!! Android Revolution HD (ARHD) is basically pure stock GB visually with a few goodies thrown in.
Top the day off and flash that ROM.
Do it!!!
Getting ENG s-off was just as simple as getting radio s-off (which I did about a week ago) - I've just heard it's less 'reversable' for if ever you need to go back to stock so had avoided it
The thing with me is that I my brain doesn't really consider things risky or safe based on other people being safe or risky, it's how many places there are to go wrong. One click apps like visionary are relatively safe I just feel a bit daunted by all the steps to flashing a rom. I'll give OTA a chance, but if everyone else on UK unbranded goes "woohoo" and I just sit there like a lemon, I'll maybe start thinking about it
I've got exams coming up (I'm only 15) but if after this week there's no update I'll dedicate a couple of hours to putting a gingersense rom on my phone
What's your preference? And why are there so many no-sense roms? Sense is amazing and is what in my opinion really sets HTC apart - lovely phones with a boosted UI. Why would you ever want to get rid of it?!
EDIT: When flashing a ROM, do you need to factory wipe? Does mybackup root work across roms? I'd like some way of restoring all my contacts, accounts and apps
EDIT2: Something I forgot about earlier; I can't open the compartment to take out my battery, so when there's a solution that says "take out battery, try again", it wouldn't work as I physically cannot take the compartment off to get to the battery. When my phone arrived and I needed to take it off to remove the wrapper on the battery, but I couldn't do it and neither could anyone in my family. So feeling stupid I took it to the orange shop but no luck, so t-mobile, phones4u, O2, carphonewarehouse... loads, none could do it.
One guy told me to take it to a different orange shop and "ask for dean" - so I took it to him and he took it out the back of the shop and somehow did it. He said it just needed force (but clearly an amount nobody before or after him has been able to replicate), and that it was nothing like any other DHD he'd seen as they are usually stiff but do open, this was basically glued. So I better not get into a boot loop that holding down the power button won't fix, as if it's hard to play innocent when it's visibly stuck in a boot loop from custom roms
Tamen said:
Getting ENG s-off was just as simple as getting radio s-off (which I did about a week ago) - I've just heard it's less 'reversable' for if ever you need to go back to stock so had avoided it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope, just as reversible.
Tamen said:
The thing with me is that I my brain doesn't really consider things risky or safe based on other people being safe or risky, it's how many places there are to go wrong. One click apps like visionary are relatively safe I just feel a bit daunted by all the steps to flashing a rom.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Put ROM on sdcard.
Boot to recovery.
wipe data and cache
install ROM
reboot
Get a brew and marvel and the wonderfulness of it all.
With ROM Manager it can be simpler still.
Tamen said:
I'll give OTA a chance, but if everyone else on UK unbranded goes "woohoo" and I just sit there like a lemon, I'll maybe start thinking about it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When you start thinking about it install ROM Manager just to get ready.
Tamen said:
I've got exams coming up (I'm only 15) but if after this week there's no update I'll dedicate a couple of hours to putting a gingersense rom on my phone
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Schedule those hours in now. You WILL be flashing ROMs
Tamen said:
What's your preference? And why are there so many no-sense roms? Sense is amazing and is what in my opinion really sets HTC apart - lovely phones with a boosted UI. Why would you ever want to get rid of it?!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hee hee. I like Cyanogen (a non-sense ROM) - Will come back to that.
My favourite sense ROMs are LeeDroid by a long way, the guy is a star and the ROM is perfection; after that, Android Revolution HD which will probably be your choice as it's closer to stock than Lee's. Based on what you've said I go with ARHD but if you really want to play, have fun (overclocking etc.) and want your phone to make R2D2 noises when it boots then LeeDroid every time.
And you're right, the Sense UI (which only gets better) does set HTC apart but even without it, I'd only buy a HTC phone now (when I'm buying an Android phone).
Why not [email protected]
Two part answer. The first part is I'm a huge open source and Linux fan. Use Ubuntu on PC and Kubuntu on laptop and my first Android phone was THE first Android phone, the Google (T-Mobile) G1. As such I love Android so I want my phone to be just about Android with a few little extras and NO ONE does that better than Cyanogen. NO ONE.
I still have my G1 and I still love it. That's a vanilla Android phone.
Second part is about bloat. Yes, I do really really like Sense UI. As far as manufacturers bloat-ware goes NOTHING beats Sense UI. It's visually stunning and things like htcsense.com, the clock / weather widget that actually shows weather and that cool windscreen wiper thing and the whole seamless integration twix phone and social is beyond words.
But at the end of the day what is it? It's pretty. I don't use facebook. For twitter I prefer Twidroyd and Tweetdeck. I don't need a massive clock on my screen. I don't want apps and widget I'm not going to use. Before I could root my Hero and DHD I installed ADW.Launcher.
I'll tell you what it's about: Choice. I don't want three buttons along the bottom I want five. And because I have a Google Apps account, HTC Picasa add-on doesn't work (they looking into it) and that pisses me off.
I'm prattling on now.
I have LeeDroid and ARHD on my sdcard as NAND backups and every now and then I restore one (I think of it as almost "dual boot") and for the next 24 hours I'm back coo-ing over it all but then 24 hours later it just doesn't feel right so back to CM I go.
It's personal choice but I will say one thing (more), try CM7. If you don't like it fine but just try it. You'll miss the widgets at first but see how you feel about it.
I'll shut up now.
That's great info, cheers I understand why now, but I do like my massive flip-over clock, regardless of how much battery it eats Also, htcsense.com has been a life saver once or twice when I've put it at home under a pile of papers or something and can't find it
ARHD said there were problems with Rom Manager and wiping within it - is that still a problem? Why do some roms need a different radio flashed? What actually is a different radio and why do you get problems with different roms and radios?
How long does it take between putting the rom on the sd card and actually having the rom installed with ROM Manager?
Also, I edited the above post but was doing so after you'd posted this, so I'll put it here too:
EDIT2: Something I forgot about earlier; I can't open the compartment to take out my battery, so when there's a solution that says "take out battery, try again", it wouldn't work as I physically cannot take the compartment off to get to the battery. When my phone arrived and I needed to take it off to remove the wrapper on the battery, but I couldn't do it and neither could anyone in my family. So feeling stupid I took it to the orange shop but no luck, so t-mobile, phones4u, O2, carphonewarehouse... loads, none could do it.
One guy told me to take it to a different orange shop and "ask for dean" - so I took it to him and he took it out the back of the shop and somehow did it. He said it just needed force (but clearly an amount nobody before or after him has been able to replicate), and that it was nothing like any other DHD he'd seen as they are usually stiff but do open, this was basically glued. So I better not get into a boot loop that holding down the power button won't fix, as if it's hard to play innocent when it's visibly stuck in a boot loop from custom roms
Tamen said:
That's great info, cheers I understand why now, but I do like my massive flip-over clock, regardless of how much battery it eats Also, htcsense.com has been a life saver once or twice when I've put it at home under a pile of papers or something and can't find it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I made great use of that too, so simple, plress a button on the website and instant ring. An app called Where's my droid can do that but you need another phone to be able to send it a text.
Tamen said:
ARHD said there were problems with Rom Manager and wiping within it - is that still a problem?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There used to be but I've never had a problem. But I like doing everything from recovery and that's works fine (from 3.0.2.6).
Tamen said:
Why do some roms need a different radio flashed? What actually is a different radio and why do you get problems with different roms and radios?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's that some ROM's have been tested using certain Radios and some devs are only willing to recommend Radios that have been tested.
A radio is the software that is responsible for wifi, network signal including data, bluetooth and GPS. It's just another something that is constantly being improved. Most radios will work with most roms but one radio might work great for person a and be rubbish for person b. This is because some networks and phone hardware (they do differ) don't respond as well as others to a certain radio. The radio is something you will will push (via fastboot commands) a lot (which is why you have Radio S-OFF) as you need to experiment.
Tamen said:
How long does it take between putting the rom on the sd card and actually having the rom installed with ROM Manager?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Depends on ROM but on average about 5 minutes. It's not really any quicker than using recovery directly (ROM Manager is just a GUI for recovery) once you have done it a few times, it's just simpler.
Tamen said:
EDIT: When flashing a ROM, do you need to factory wipe?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ALWAYS. And every time.
The only exception is if you're upgrading the same ROM but even then, depending on the upgrade you may still have to wipe. Most issues after flashing a ROM are due to not wiping at least the cache.
Tamen said:
Does mybackup root work across roms? I'd like some way of restoring all my contacts, accounts and apps
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes. Contacts are sync'd to Gmail so no worries there. Mybackup will backup SMS and MMS too.
Apps are a different matter. There is an option to Backup apps and app data to google servers which works 95% of the time. Titanium can do this too but in my experience is even more flakey. I still keep a list of all my apps just in case.
Tamen said:
EDIT2: Something I forgot about earlier; I can't open the compartment to take out my battery, so when there's a solution that says "take out battery, try again", it wouldn't work as I physically cannot take the compartment off to get to the battery. When my phone arrived and I needed to take it off to remove the wrapper on the battery, but I couldn't do it and neither could anyone in my family [snip]
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That battry door is ****, no two ways about it. It does require a lot of force and you have to be brave with it. But as you say, hopefully you won't need to worry about it.

Categories

Resources