Develop Bugs

[Q] Why should I root my desire?

I have my first android phone, an HTC Desire and I am very happy with it.
But the only thing that is annoying is the low memory notification when I installed a few apps. So I search the internet found that I can "root" my phone and install a custom rom and have the possibility to use apps2sd.
Now I am a bit scared to root my phone because its just new and I dont want to brick it and I dont know if I void warranty when its rooted.
My desire came with the 2.2 froyo update it has HBOOT 0.93 on it so I don't know if this possible? I think I have the SLCD version because there's nothing of AMOLED write on the box of my phone.
So then I found a patch that can do apps2sd without root but only for 2.2 froyo so I did that and I think it worked well, only if I connect with the pc and use to set the sd card to put files on it,
put it out the pc and some widgets don't work anymore that are installed or moved to the sd card? Is this also with a rooted rom or something like that? What can I do more if I root?
Do I need to install a custom rom or root and stay on the standard 2.2 froyo rom (with I am very happy with) and then install apps2sd or something like that?
Do I notice improved performance with a custom rom? Do I lost all my settings and data when I root or install a custom rom?
Oh and if I install a custom rom will it work in my country (Belgium) because I heard about a radio version or something?
Sorry if I ask to much or all the questions are noob but I am totally new to all this and I want to know more about it.
Thanks in advance

There are two A2SD version.
The one, which is integrated in Froyo and which you currently uses, allows you to manually move parts of apps to the SD card, thus freeing up some precious internal memory. However, you shouldn't move widgets or apps which run as a service in the background, else they don't work properly any longer, just as you noticed yourself. Still, with this method you should be able to significantly extent the possible amount of installable apps.
It's also possible that you have an odd app installed which just collects a lot of trash and stroes this on the internal memory as 'data'. With the app 'DiskUsage' you can see how much each app needs and, if necessary and possible clear the data of a specific app.
The other A2SD version is only available if you root your phone and install a custom ROM with A2SD+. This method also requires an EXT3 partition on your SD-Card, next to your normal FAT32 partition. After that all the apps (including widgets), the complete apps, get automatically installed on the EXT3 partition on your SD-Card, only the 'data' which gets produced by the apps over the time, gets stored on the internal phone memory. You don't have to move some apps around, they just get installed on the EXT3 partition, which is 512MB big or larger.
There are two groups of custom ROMs:
#1: It is based on the HTC modified Android source code of, often called Sense ROMs, which you use at the moment. Developers took it, added some features like A2SD+, root, removed some bloatware, tweaked the kernel, ... So it's identical to your currently installed ROM just a bit faster, lighter and has some more features and customizable possibilities.
#2: It's is based on the original Android source code, often called AOSP ROM. (CyanogenMod is one of the most famous ones, DeFroST is based on CM) Those lack all the Sense features (Sense widgets, HTC Sync, comfortable copy paste, ...) but are much lighter, often have much more additional features and the latest tweaks.
Rooting and installing such a custom ROM means you'll have to start from the beginning on. So you'll lose everything. That's why you should backup your contacts, ... to restore them later, if possible.
Best is to install all apps manually again, and do the configuration from scratch. Later, you can easily flash updates of the specific custom roms on top of that.
You can flash two parts. The ROM and the radio. If you flash a custom ROM the radio stays untouched. However, some radios give you better battery life, signal strength, ..., also in Belgium, just take a look at the specific threads about the radios to find the best for you. But it's not necessary to flash the radio. The ROMs will work with your default radio, too.

UpSpin said:
There are two A2SD version.
The one, which is integrated in Froyo and which you currently uses, allows you to manually move parts of apps to the SD card, thus freeing up some precious internal memory. However, you shouldn't move widgets or apps which run as a service in the background, else they don't work properly any longer, just as you noticed yourself. Still, with this method you should be able to significantly extent the possible amount of installable apps.
It's also possible that you have an odd app installed which just collects a lot of trash and stroes this on the internal memory as 'data'. With the app 'DiskUsage' you can see how much each app needs and, if necessary and possible clear the data of a specific app.
The other A2SD version is only available if you root your phone and install a custom ROM with A2SD+. This method also requires an EXT3 partition on your SD-Card, next to your normal FAT32 partition. After that all the apps (including widgets), the complete apps, get automatically installed on the EXT3 partition on your SD-Card, only the 'data' which gets produced by the apps over the time, gets stored on the internal phone memory. You don't have to move some apps around, they just get installed on the EXT3 partition, which is 512MB big or larger.
There are two groups of custom ROMs:
#1: It is based on the HTC modified Android source code of, often called Sense ROMs, which you use at the moment. Developers took it, added some features like A2SD+, root, removed some bloatware, tweaked the kernel, ... So it's identical to your currently installed ROM just a bit faster, lighter and has some more features and customizable possibilities.
#2: It's is based on the original Android source code, often called AOSP ROM. (CyanogenMod is one of the most famous ones, DeFroST is based on CM) Those lack all the Sense features (Sense widgets, HTC Sync, comfortable copy paste, ...) but are much lighter, often have much more additional features and the latest tweaks.
Rooting and installing such a custom ROM means you'll have to start from the beginning on. So you'll lose everything. That's why you should backup your contacts, ... to restore them later, if possible.
Best is to install all apps manually again, and do the configuration from scratch. Later, you can easily flash updates of the specific custom roms on top of that.
You can flash two parts. The ROM and the radio. If you flash a custom ROM the radio stays untouched. However, some radios give you better battery life, signal strength, ..., also in Belgium, just take a look at the specific threads about the radios to find the best for you. But it's not necessary to flash the radio. The ROMs will work with your default radio, too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for your answer and time to explain this! So if I got it right I need to install a custom rom to enable the apps2sd feature. I heard about unrevoked that can root my desire (also if i bought it with 2.2 froyo already on it, no need to downgrade)? but the unrevoked install also an other recovery? Do I void warranty if I install another recovery? It sounds a bit dangerous?
Are there roms that improved performance while recording in 720p? no framedrops etc? or its just the camera from the device is not that good for recoding in HD? Is it worth it to root and install a custom rom?
Thanks in advance

If you root your device you will void your warranty but there are ways of unrooting.
Sent from my HTC Desire using XDA App

an Android device has different sections you can flash, like the rom, radio, recovery, ...
If you use unrevoked it will automatically flash a new recovery, necessary to perform backups, partition the SD card, ...
Yes, you'll void the warranty, but you can flash a HTC original image to unroot, install the default radio and rom, in short, set it back to the defaults.
How well the camera works depends on the rom you use. Take a look at the specific rom, like LeeDroid, and check how well the camera works.
Is it worth? For some yes, for others no.
Because you get limited by the internal memory, it is worth for you to use a custom ROM with a2sd+.

Thanks for all advice! Now its up to me if I should root or not. I am thinking about it. Thanks to all who spend time to reply all my questions!

HTC Desire - New to android modding - help needed

Hey everyone,
I'm really new to android modding, and don't know much about all this. I'm good at modding but never been on android before. I went through the stickies and full desire guide etc threads, but its really getting confusing for me.
I've come to know some things: (correct if wrong)
1) You have some custom ROMs which you can flash after rooting the phone.
2) Most ROMs have pretty much everything working, but some things don't work on some ROMs (like camera for some)
3) Rooting voids warranty.
Seeing the vast amount of ROMs in the development section, I'm confused which one to look for. Can anyone suggest me which would be the best (stable and everything working) ROM for me? I basically need APP2SD or APP2SD+ (NOT the froyo one because its useless, I'm talking about the custom one) and minor tweaks like changing the homescreen etc.
Which would be the best suited ROM for above description? Basically, what criteria decide which ROM to put on the phone?
@Moderators, sorry if its the same old story. I'm really confused and so HAD to make a thread.

Hi and welcome. A couple of points I can help you with:
There are loads of roms to choose from, I am using this rom atm:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=768703
Everything on this particular rom works fine and is very fast and stable. I generally find if roms have several revisions then are are generally very good. i.e. are having continuous support and developement.
As for rooting voiding warranty? Well this is no longer an issue as rooting can easily be reversed )
Hope this helps
LEWY

thehrushi said:
Hey everyone,
I'm really new to android modding, and don't know much about all this. I'm good at modding but never been on android before. I went through the stickies and full desire guide etc threads, but its really getting confusing for me.
I've come to know some things: (correct if wrong)
1) You have some custom ROMs which you can flash after rooting the phone.
2) Most ROMs have pretty much everything working, but some things don't work on some ROMs (like camera for some)
3) Rooting voids warranty.
Seeing the vast amount of ROMs in the development section, I'm confused which one to look for. Can anyone suggest me which would be the best (stable and everything working) ROM for me? I basically need APP2SD or APP2SD+ (NOT the froyo one because its useless, I'm talking about the custom one) and minor tweaks like changing the homescreen etc.
Which would be the best suited ROM for above description? Basically, what criteria decide which ROM to put on the phone?
@Moderators, sorry if its the same old story. I'm really confused and so HAD to make a thread.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You do indeed need to Root the device before flashing, the only ROM that don't have 'things working' is the Desire HD ROM. I am not sure if that has been fixed or not yet though. All the other AOSP and Sense based Desire ROMs have everything working just fine. Rooting will void your warranty but it's super easy to reverse so there is nothing to worry about.
The most popular ROMs by far seem to be the AOSP (Android Open Source Project) ROMs (Non-Sense ROMs), all of them will have APP2SD built into them, the Sense ROMs also have APP2SD built into them.
LeeDrOiD is by far the most popular Sense based ROM, RCMixHD is the Desire HD based ROM, which I think still doesn't have the camera working.
And by far the most popular Desire ROM overall is the ASOP Cyanogen based DeFrost.
To get the most out of APP2SD you will need to download ROM Manager and create an EXT3 partition on your SD card so the ROM will place all of the Froyo compatable apps into the partion and not your internal memory.

Being brand new to the desire, I've flashed every Rom available in the last 2 weeks.
Leedroid is a very good sense Rom. I prefer having a Rom with sense right now because this is my first HTC.
Right now I'm running the Aurax sense Rom, solely because it has its own setCPU built in.
The hd roms didn't impress me that much, not yet at least, with a little more time they will be awesome though.
The MIUI roms are also amazingly pretty, if you don't mind the iPhone feel. My only problem with it though, and I've been told this hardly happens, my battery life was pathetic.
At the end of the day though, apart from the hardware, it is android and all the available apps that make our phone so great.
All the custom roms do add a lot of speed to the phone though, you have to do a quadrant after you flash so that you can see how awesome the Rom makes your phone run. They also add additional functionality compared to the stock Rom.
Honestly, I can't see why anyone would keep any Android device stock when there are such amazing roms around. At the end of the day its all down to your own preferences and what functions you like. You'll love any Rom you flash.
Sent from my HTC Desire using XDA App

Thanks for such amazing replies. Meanwhile, I've also been through many ROMs and their descriptions. The terminologies are kinda new for me, but I can understand many things now....
The only thing I care about right now is App2SD because I found FroYo's move to SD doesn't help much. Also second thing is that I'm not having MY desire yet, its my friend's device m gonna try out everything on! So I'd be taking some extra care!
One big relief is that rooting is reversible. That'd be cool.
What are the odds of bricking your phone while flashing or applying mods?

thehrushi said:
Thanks for such amazing replies. Meanwhile, I've also been through many ROMs and their descriptions. The terminologies are kinda new for me, but I can understand many things now....
The only thing I care about right now is App2SD because I found FroYo's move to SD doesn't help much. Also second thing is that I'm not having MY desire yet, its my friend's device m gonna try out everything on! So I'd be taking some extra care!
One big relief is that rooting is reversible. That'd be cool.
What are the odds of bricking your phone while flashing or applying mods?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is honestly impossible to brick a desire. I bricked my MOTO backflip, there was no coming back from that. With the desire I flashed something that didn't work, but pressing volume down and power gets you right into the hbooot menu, from there just mount as usb and copy over a new Rom to flash.
The one thing you need to remember, when flashing new roms the first boot takes a while, never pull the battery thinking there's nothing happening, that will destroy your phone and there's no coming back from that.
Before every Rom you flash make sure to do a factory reset in the recovery menu, that ensures that the new Rom will work to its full capability and minimizes the chances of experiencing problems.
Sent from my HTC Desire using XDA App

thehrushi said:
What are the odds of bricking your phone while flashing or applying mods?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can brick your device flashing Radios, but you can always send it back to HTC, pay them an extortionate amount and they will revive it for you. But overall, the chances are slim to none in my experience.
Just make sure, after rooting, you make a Nandroid backup of the OS. Then you can do whatever you like to the phone and it will be reversable.
I keep a Nandroid of my DeFrost ROM, and one of my PaysROM, and I have one of my MoDaCo R8, you can switch between them just using Recovery, as the mood takes you, absolutely everything will be exactly as it was everytime you load the backup back onto the phone, I just wipe the cache, Dalvik Cache, factory reset the ROM then reinstall whichever ROM I want to use (DeFrost, PaysROM etc etc) from the SD card and then backup from the Nandroid.

Depending on the age of your desire, you shouldn't need to flash a radio though. I've never needed to flash a radio, but that's because my desire came with the latest radio, thankfully it still has the amoled screen.
If you do need to replace the radio and somehow brick it, if its still under warranty HTC will replace it for you because there is no way that they can prove you bricked the device.
Sent from my HTC Desire using XDA App

Kalavere said:
Just make sure, after rooting, you make a Nandroid backup of the OS. Then you can do whatever you like to the phone and it will be reversable.
I keep a Nandroid of my DeFrost ROM, and one of my PaysROM, and I have one of my MoDaCo R8, you can switch between them just using Recovery, as the mood takes you, absolutely everything will be exactly as it was everytime you load the backup back onto the phone, I just wipe the cache, Dalvik Cache, factory reset the ROM then reinstall whichever ROM I want to use (DeFrost, PaysROM etc etc) from the SD card and then backup from the Nandroid.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wow that means you install a ROM, make settings you want, put in your data (phonebook etc) and then take a full backup. Switching between them is as easy as restoring a backup!
Is that right?
Initially, I'd be trying out ROMs, and would stick to the one which suits me best. I just can't wait before my desire arrives this monthend!!

thehrushi said:
Wow that means you install a ROM, make settings you want, put in your data (phonebook etc) and then take a full backup. Switching between them is as easy as restoring a backup!
Is that right?
Initially, I'd be trying out ROMs, and would stick to the one which suits me best. I just can't wait before my desire arrives this monthend!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It saves everything, app data, messages, settings, the lot. Although when switching ROMs I still factory reset, wipe the caches and reinstall the ROM I want to use before loading the backup of that specific ROM. I am not sure things will go so smoothly if you just reload the backups without factory resetting and reinstalling the ROM first, but it won't hurt to try.

Kalavere said:
It saves everything, app data, messages, settings, the lot. Although when switching ROMs I still factory reset, wipe the caches and reinstall the ROM I want to use before loading the backup of that specific ROM. I am not sure things will go so smoothly if you just reload the backups without factory resetting and reinstalling the ROM first, but it won't hurt to try.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly!

[Q] Advice on Installing a New ROM

So, I have been rooted for ages.
I liked rooting because it was simple to follow the instructions on what to do (it was just like installing any old application on a PC if I remember). I haven't exactly explored the full features of rooting as I am just an average user but now I am finding I want more apps than the phone will allow, so it's time to get a new ROM.
Here's Some Information:
HTC Desire - Unbranded (UK)
Rooted with Clockwork Mod
S-Off Status: Don't know
Android: 2.2
Software: 2.29.405.5
Why Do I Want to Get a New ROM?
Space issues really.
I am nearly constantly warned these days about low space. I've been running with about 30Mb to spare, but now when I update various apps, it moans at me. It also means I am limited to what I can now install, even though I may only use the app once every few months.
My battery life is good (well, 2-3 days) and everything else is fine, it's just the space issue that I need to solve.
What ROM's Have I Looked At?
Starburst:
Seems to be to be the one I need, although I perhaps am being narrow minded with the whole "I want sense" and "I need the DATA2SD" thing.
CyanogenMod:
Seems nice, but no Sense? Maybe I can pull away from Sense as really I only use the clock/weather, the larger weather, calendar, a little bit FriendStream, but I am happy without FriendStream and HTC Peep I could install by itself or go without it (I can just text Twitter). There are many calendar apps and again, it might be possible to install it as a stand alone app, or I might find one that is simply better.
Someone else suggested LeeDroid which I've heard a lot about too, although I haven't really looked into it.
So, I have a few questions now:
Should I be looking to upgrade to Gingerbread?
Is Sense 3.5 a good way to go?
Is there a ROM that has the DATA2SD with Sense 3.5?
I have read that Titanium Backup will allow me to save all the apps and their data/saved games somewhere and then it's just a one-touch-install to have them all back again, is that correct?
Will some ROM's allow me to delete/choose not to install things like Teeter?
If I install a new ROM, I can put it back to a standard stock ROM correct? Just so when I come to sell the phone on, it's back to what it was.
When I've installed a custom ROM, I can still use the Market/App Brain to update apps correct?
I think that's it.
I don't really want to be installing one ROM, then deciding it's rubbish so installing another, then another, I'd just like an informed view. I think my main aim is ease of install. I'm not very confident with adb, although I can obviously follow "type this and that" step by step guides.
If anyone has any other suggestions then that would be great.
Thanks

I don't know all the answers, but I'll try to answer some. I had the same problem as you did.
Is Sense 3.5 a good way to go?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I found that Sense 3.0, Sense 2.1+3.0 hybrids were very slow(I guess this applies for Sense 3.5 since it's newer than 3.0)
I have read that Titanium Backup will allow me to save all the apps and their data/saved games somewhere and then it's just a one-touch-install to have them all back again, is that correct?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes.
Will some ROM's allow me to delete/choose not to install things like Teeter?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Most Sense ROMs are pretty stripped of crap like that. However if you do have it you can uninstall it afterwards.
If I install a new ROM, I can put it back to a standard stock ROM correct? Just so when I come to sell the phone on, it's back to what it was.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do a backup before flashing a new ROM! That way you will have your old ROM. However I'm not sure about how to unroot, but it is possible.
When I've installed a custom ROM, I can still use the Market/App Brain to update apps correct?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes.
P.S. My first try was CyanongenMod, and I haven't regretted it since. Almost every Sense app/widget can be replaced by apps in the market.

Please use the Q&A Forum for questions Thanks
Moving to Q&A

Man, I thought this forum was busy and there'd be loads of recommendations.
Seems not :/

I believe Sense 3.0 is good enough since Sense 3.5 ROM is not yet stable.
Cool3d / Aurora has good performance. But you need to S-OFF your phone first. It's very important before jumping into ROM that requires ext4 and CM7

can i have multiple roms on sd card "installed"

is it possible to install roms to a sd card, and when switch phone on select which one to load to?
I have used sense stock and ARHD since owning phone, and happy with it, just installed a cm nightly, and likling its lightweightness, want to check miui and also will want to try ICS whe navailable, and also wouldnt mind trialling a few of the other roms out there. but hate having to reconfigue it to my settings and re download all my apps again (doesnt seem to do it automatically).
so has anyone developed a way to install roms to a sd card and boot into whichever one, then they can be pre configured, apps stored all in one place that each rom access' al ldata is shared (to save space and eliminate duplicates of same data for each rom)
im not a great techy, but heard you can have multiple os on a pc in partitions?, and thought read something similar was developed for HD2, but cant find anything for the desire HD.
thanks for reading..

I do remember some efforts to dual boot this phone but I dont know where they went. Most likely stopped. There was a beta though.

There's an app in the market called Boot Manager which allows you to do that (for up to four ROMs if I remember correctly). There was a thread in the dev section about while it was still in beta, should still be floating about.
Disclaimer: I've never used it, just pointing out that it does exist.
//sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk; all errors entirely intentional.

Edit: Double post, because I'm on my phone and still half asleep

There are a few of us out there that use Boot Manager
I've not had any major issues and the Dev's are quick at getting things resolved for user's that may have issues.
Depending on the ROM you are trying to install, due to custom install scripts and the like - you can run into install issues.
#However SmokeyBong has very kindly produced backups that can be restored via boot manager and then they work fine - http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1257450
The Dev's thread is here - http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1184173
They also have a forum and some other usefull apps.
Please note I'm not trying to sell you their products and/or services - just a happy user of Boot Manager.
If you go ahead and buy/try etc and have issues someone here will help you out.
Thanks,
Del

Brilliant that sounds like what I need. Ill try. And will buy if does as I would like. Thanks for replies
Sent from my Desire HD using XDA App

Could I get advice on a Rom to flash please

Ok so I have a HTC ONE M8, it says it has Android 6 and Sense 7 and I am in UK.
I have unlocked the bootloader, installed TWRP 3.2.3-0 (and backed up) and Rooted with SuperSU 2.82
So all I need is a rom...
I have been looking for hours trying to decide which rom to try but I am at a loss.
My needs are simple...
1. The newest version of android I can get (just to annoy my dad)
2. I must be able to blacklist calls and texts (without needing an app)
3. No bloatware, I don't want my phone doing anything unless I want it to.
4. Things like blinkfeed are totally not wanted.
5. I am not even sure what sense is, I am pretty sure I don't use it
That will do it, thank you for looking. Suggestions?

alphalvr said:
Ok so I have a HTC ONE M8, it says it has Android 6 and Sense 7 and I am in UK.
I have unlocked the bootloader, installed TWRP 3.2.3-0 (and backed up) and Rooted with SuperSU 2.82
So all I need is a rom...
I have been looking for hours trying to decide which rom to try but I am at a loss.
My needs are simple...
1. The newest version of android I can get (just to annoy my dad)
2. I must be able to blacklist calls and texts (without needing an app)
3. No bloatware, I don't want my phone doing anything unless I want it to.
4. Things like blinkfeed are totally not wanted.
5. I am not even sure what sense is, I am pretty sure I don't use it
That will do it, thank you for looking. Suggestions?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
First, you need to know there is no "golden rom" that will make everyone happy. You have to try them out yourself and see which one you like the most.
Anyway, to answer your questions:
1. Lineageos 16 currently is the only rom with android pie. However it's very early release, so minor and major bugs are to be expected. I'd recommend you lineageos 15.1 instead - oreo isn't that old and the rom is very stable.
2. It's possible on lineageos 15.1 and roms based on it, should also be possible on 16. Not sure about sense roms.
3. Almost all of the custom roms don't have bloatware. Also you can get root and delete apps you don't need.
4. Blinkfeed is only in stock roms. You can disable or uninstall it.
5. You're using it 100% of the time. Sense is the name of android skin on htc devices. It includes changes in look, feel and some functionality compared to stock android. You should know there are sense based roms - they are based on the stock rom, retaining sense functionality and look and custom, pure android roms - those have only minor changes in them and feel and look like stock android.

Great answers in the previous reply. Just wanted to add:
What qualifies as "bloatware" is completely subjective. The goal of the makers of these built-in apps (whether it be a manufacturer, carrier, or even Google themselves) is to provide useful apps. But that doesn't always work out, and certainly not always for everyone. However, what qualifies as "bloat" to one user, is a useful or even necessary app for another. So you say "no bloat" doesn't mean too much; without you being specific about what you want/need and what you don't. Therefore, there are various approaches/answers:
- If you refer to HTC specific apps, these won't be present in any of the more current ROMs. By definition, HTC stopped supporting this device with OS updates at Marshmallow. Anything after that, will be non-HTC and therefore AOSP or "pure Android" based.
- The AOSP based custom ROMs will often allow (even require) you to flash Google apps (gapps) separately from the ROM. This also allows you to choose which gapps package to install, and therefore tailor to your own needs. From minimal installation to get Android to work; to full suite of Google apps (many of which, a lot of users will consider bloat).
- Any pre-installed apps can be disabled or removed with root. Although you should take caution, as removing some bloat apps may break other phone functions. Unless you research and know the specific app is safe to remove, better to disable or "freeze" it with a root app like Titanium Backup. Then test the phone for a while, to see if there are any resulting bugs or issues.

Thanks, I have never really got into the whole Android and Iphone thing. My best ever phone was a Nokia N-gage and I only stopped using it recently due to my eyes not being what they once were.
My last phone was a LG nexus4 and I have only switched it up to the M8 as i saw it in a friends house with a broken screen.
I can already see it is a tad more responsive and to be honest the stock rom is probably fine for what I do (nothing + odd game) but where is the fun in that
Going to download lineage 15.1, sounds like a good start.
one last thing my M8 is 16GB of which 6GB was used, then I backed it up and that sucked up another 4GB so what happens exaclt when i install a rom does the original 6GB become free again? i have installe roms before back in the early days but my memory like my eyes aint what it once was
OK so i just jumped in and followed the 15.1 instructions (i think) Installed the rom, the suggested superuser thing and that went ok, but when installing the gapps (nano) it failed with lack of space. Doing something wrong??
The rom is starting with pink balls so I am almost there......and it is working. I went back and tried to flash gapps nano again and it actually says there is insufficient space on the system partition.
Resized it, then it seems to have worked. thanks guys i love it so far.

alphalvr said:
one last thing my M8 is 16GB of which 6GB was used, then I backed it up and that sucked up another 4GB so what happens exaclt when i install a rom does the original 6GB become free again?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No storage is going to free itself up, from flashing a custom ROM. You will have to free it up yourself. You can delete the LOS ROM zip, once it has been installed. Although, I like to keep copies of custom ROMs on my computer for a while, just in case I need it again in the future.
If you have an SD card installed to the device, you can have your TWRP backup on the SD card, which will free up a lot of space. As you've seen, the TWRP backups take up a ton of storage! Having a backup on the device (either SD or internal storage) is "best practice" in my opinion; so it is handy in case you need to restore that backup.
You'll never get all 16 GB of storage. A significant amount is taken by the system (OS) and other uses. I think something like 12 GB of user-accessible storage is all you will ever see on a 16-GB device. And this starts to be eaten up the moment you start installing apps and using the device.

You guys have been a great help, I ordered a 2nd m8 off ebay and a genuine HTC dot matrix case although I now realise the dot thing is part of sense which I no longer have. whoops
I didn't realise at the time because everything seems to work but when i was installing I kept seeing a red line of text. iirc it was something about unable to access dalvik partition? I only realised it shouldn't have been saying that when I watched a youtube video of installing a rom that wasn't plagued by this line.
I need to do it again to try and figure what was going on.