Database Develop

PLEASE HELP - I just BRICKED myG3 While Upgrading to AKU3.2

Hi Folks,
I followed the sticky and unlocked my G3. IPL and GPL were both 1.01. Then, I mistakenly upgraded to the AKU3.2 ROM (without radio) downloaded from the xda ftp site.
After the update, the device boots fine and every loads up. However, when I tried to connect to an USB ActiveSync to perform another rom update, nothing happens. Also, there's no battery information at all. It shows an unknown battery and the battery icon at the lower right hand corner is replaced by the charging icon, even though it's connected to any charger.
Is there a way to update ROM using the memory card (I have a 2 gig card) or I should throw this device out the window? I sincerely appreciate any guidance you may have.
Best,
NA

NeoAlpha1 said:
Hi Folks,
I followed the sticky and unlocked my G3. IPL and GPL were both 1.01. Then, I mistakenly upgraded to the AKU3.2 ROM (without radio) downloaded from the xda ftp site.
After the update, the device boots fine and every loads up. However, when I tried to connect to an USB ActiveSync to perform another rom update, nothing happens. Also, there's no battery information at all. It shows an unknown battery and the battery icon at the lower right hand corner is replaced by the charging icon, even though it's connected to any charger.
Is there a way to update ROM using the memory card (I have a 2 gig card) or I should throw this device out the window? I sincerely appreciate any guidance you may have.
\
Best,
NA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No matter what you say you didn't follow the instructions. You should have upgraded to a 2.x ROM image to get your IPL/SPL up to 2.x prior to doing anything. The best way is to use one from your carrier. This may help.
http://wiki.xda-developers.com/index.php?pagename=HTC_Wizard
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=263116
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=282498
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=284292

I just liked the term "bricked" being used because it didn't work as expected. I suppose that term can be retired now, it doesn't really mean anything anymore.

I like how the term "Help" now means "do everything for me because I'm either too stupid or too lazy to read anything".
This whole site has depreciated in value to the point of depression.

rkwhyte2 said:
No matter what you say you didn't follow the instructions. You should have upgraded to a 2.x ROM image to get your IPL/SPL up to 2.x prior to doing anything. The best way is to use one from your carrier. This may help.
http://wiki.xda-developers.com/index.php?pagename=HTC_Wizard
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=263116
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=282498
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=284292
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the info. I completely agree; mistakes were made in ROM update process.

In any case i think you can power up your phone in update mode (when you start the upgrade process it reboot automatically in this mode but you can force it) on the screen you see some coloured bars, if it start in this mode you can try to return to old rom

Activesync is not used at all in the upgrade process... you'll not need it... press the two buttons on the right side while resetting and try to flash an official rom that contains newer versions of the bootloader from the rainbowscreen. NOTE: make sure that it sais USB in the bottom left corner of the bootloader...
Good luck and remember that upgrading the rom CAN IN FACT BRICK YOUR DEVICE....

NeoAlpha1 said:
Hi Folks,
I followed the sticky and unlocked my G3. IPL and GPL were both 1.01. Then, I mistakenly upgraded to the AKU3.2 ROM (without radio) downloaded from the xda ftp site.
After the update, the device boots fine and every loads up. However, when I tried to connect to an USB ActiveSync to perform another rom update, nothing happens. Also, there's no battery information at all. It shows an unknown battery and the battery icon at the lower right hand corner is replaced by the charging icon, even though it's connected to any charger.
Is there a way to update ROM using the memory card (I have a 2 gig card) or I should throw this device out the window? I sincerely appreciate any guidance you may have.
Best,
NA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You found the sticky. You downgraded to the 1.05 (where the freak 1.01 came from I dunno..) You didn't upgrade to the T-Mobile per my suggestion. You haven't read my sticky all the way through because I relate my exact same issues of nearbricking..
Reboot your PC. Rerun the Button 1.05. If it still doesn't work use a friend's computer. This procedure works.
kyphur & mark - uh huh!

kyphur said:
I like how the term "Help" now means "do everything for me because I'm either too stupid or too lazy to read anything".
This whole site has depreciated in value to the point of depression.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for your help! Your words have inspired to find the solution.

markgamber said:
I just liked the term "bricked" being used because it didn't work as expected. I suppose that term can be retired now, it doesn't really mean anything anymore.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My sincere apology for referencing the term “brick.” I am new to this hobby and from what I have read in this forum, the term is fitting for my particular situation. I did not know that it was antiquated to the point of nausea.

You're asking for our help????
OK! WTF do you have to say to ME??? You didn't follow the guide so it's our fault?
I repackaged Faria's method so's even a child could understand it and already at leat 2 people can't go down the steps...
shish!

Dr Puttingham said:
OK! WTF do you have to say to ME??? You didn't follow the guide so it's our fault?
I repackaged Faria's method so's even a child could understand it and already at leat 2 people can't go down the steps...
shish!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My appologies, I think you have misunderstood. My question was not related to unlocking the device. Your instructions were extremely good, and I was successful in unlocking my device. In fact, I have revised your instructions in lieu of grammatical style. I am planning to perform several screen captures to make the guide more useful to others.
There's been alot of misunderstanding regarding my original post. I made a mistake and update the device with the wrong ROM. As a result, ActiveSync no longer works, so I came to this forum seeking additional assistance. I do not offer any dissenting opinions for your article. Your article is extremely useful and your efforts in preparing such article is commendable.

I Found The Solution! Thanks to All
The solution was to boot the device into Bootloader mode and then injecting with a new ROM. Unfortunately, the accepted method of entering Bootloader mode (holding the Communication and Voice buttons while reseting the device) did not work with my device. By doing so the device enters the hard-reset mode. A black screen with white letters offering the choice of restoring the device.
Inspired by Kyphur, Dromico, and _Nomad_, I began investigation alternative methods of entering Bootloader mode. I was playing with the device and by accident held down the "Voice Command" button and reseting. Ulreka! I entered the Bootloader mode and the "Rainbow Screen" appears, thus allowing me to inject a new ROM.

Thank You All!!!

Actually... the two buttons on the right side of the device is camera and voice command... keeping these buttons pressed while resetting gets you straight into bootloader mode... my post mentions nothing of pressing the communications button...

Dr Puttingham said:
OK! WTF do you have to say to ME??? You didn't follow the guide so it's our fault?
I repackaged Faria's method so's even a child could understand it and already at leat 2 people can't go down the steps...
shish!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey Steve, maybe we should hit the coffeeshops and get bricked.

kyphur said:
I like how the term "Help" now means "do everything for me because I'm either too stupid or too lazy to read anything".
This whole site has depreciated in value to the point of depression.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good thing you're so perfect @ everything and that you've never made a mistake.
I love it when people become proficient in something and forget that they were new at it once.
The new people coming on board might have some great things to add. Everyone is a n00b in the beginning.
If you weren't so high and mighty you might realise that offering a helping hand can foster some great community moments and pull some good ideas into the forum.

So new is the same as illiterate? This isn't rocket science, apparently reading is.

Dr Puttingham said:
OK! WTF do you have to say to ME??? You didn't follow the guide so it's our fault?
I repackaged Faria's method so's even a child could understand it and already at leat 2 people can't go down the steps...
shish!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Plese show me where he was rude to you enough to warrant this type of exchange? I've read the replies to this thread 3 times and I don't see what warrants this type of rude and aggressive response from you.

ppl... pleeease...
take it easy

need help extremely new

ive posted before but really didnt get the answer i was looking for. all of this pocket pc smart phone stuff is new to me. i have the cingular 8125. my first pocket pc and it is all new to me. im trying to get the htc touchflo on my 8125. im like a baby learning how to walk haha as desperate as it sounds i need like a walk through of simple (non pocket pc savvy) how to install it all and everything like someone to hold my hand haha. sorry to sound so desperate and needy but any help is extremely appreciated.

First, we need to know a bit more info...is your phone locked or unlocked...stock rom, etc.
Secondly assuming everything is stock, you need to use the search button and search for lokiwiz, follow the directions explicitly.
Thirdly, search in the WM6 Wiz section for the rom that has the touchflo added...
I too was new and thought that if I said help I'm new, I'd be flooded with answers...I quickly discovered that the reasons the answers wouldn't come is because I didn't give enough info about my phone. A stock wizard is different from an unlocked wizard, which is different from an unlocked wizard running a rom from someones kitchen, and if your phone is a G4 then that's a whole different animal, etc...get the idea?? So to help, more info is needed about the phone itself. Power off, reboot...on the first page that pops up, there will be a few lines of info...copy those down with the numbers corresponding with it, then get back to us. "Knowing is half the battle" (famous philosopher=GI Joe). Hope this answer helps you.

thankyou.
i already unlocked my phone and went through the whole process im just not sure where to go from there.
ipl-2.26
spl-2.26
gsm-02.25.11
os-2.26.20.2
i just need to install the wm6 and toughflo im asuming i dont want to mess my phone up thats why im asking for help. thanks again.

AlexK
If you haven't flashed the T-Mobile OEM ROM yet and your IPL/SPL are still at 2.26, then you may not have unlocked your phone. I missed some of the reading first time around and this took me a while to catch, even though it was there in plain view. You may need to flash the Button ROM to get back to IPL 1.x as the lokiwiz only works with 1.x IPL.
Be carefull using the lokiwiz in the DOS window, and READ everything that comes up, especially notes like I/O error or unable to write, etc. . . If you try to flash a ROM and it appears that nothing has changed, then you're not unlocked, just going through the motions.

there is a thread here somewhere...unlocking for dummies or something like that...gives very detailed step by steps....follow this to the T. Then go to the WM6 threads section, choose the rom you want (download it), connect your phone via usb to the pc and fire up active sync. Run the loader to the rom you chose. The screen will go red and blue etc stripes and if done properly, a few minutes later it will say completed and reboot itself. DO NOT interrupt the loading process by disconnecting the usb before it's ready etc...re-install any third party apps or whatever, and you are good to go. NBo one can "hold your hand" you just need to try it until you do it. It's the only way to learn this stuff. Don't worry, I've thought I've bricked my phone so many times...MOST of the time, you can bring it back from the dead...unless you really fubar and rush things, don't read instructions properly, etc... good luck

T-Mobile UK

Been following this site for weeks and it is getting more popular eacha nd every time someone buys a Diamond phone, so keep up the good work.
I have finally decided to see what I can do with mine by upgrading the ROM and I would appriciate any advice you guys can give me as i am a totally newbie.
Here are the details:
It is on T-Mobile (UK)
Version -
1.37.110.3 WWE
06/20/08
1.00.25.03
Thanks

Hello there!
Not sure what you mean by upgrading the rom? Guess you mean applying a cooked rom?
A cooked rom is one thats been customised and is flashed over the top of your current rom, in your case probably a "stock" or out of the box/factory rom.
First thing to do in your case would be to upgrade the Radio. You may well need to run the HardSPL (I needed developer edition) and then apply the radio upgrade.
From then on, its up to you which cooked rom you run as they all have advantages and disadvantages. For example, im running the Diamond TLR rom as I don't like touchflo (i think its a gimmick that slows things down - drasticaly). Using this rom i'm able to uninstall touchflo and free up significant memory. This suits me down to the ground but not those who want to use touchflo!
Take a look at the wiki (mostly) and the Rom development sub-section of this Diamond section of the forums. As long as you follow the Wiki instructions on HardSPL and then use a rom specifically for a touch diamond, you should be fine.
Be very carefull though and DOUBLE check everything, one wrong flash program and you can destroy your phone.
Have fun!
p.s. Many people think that the factory 1.37.xx roms are the most stable, even more than the later versions. I'm running a TLR based 1.37something and I am very happy with it and never have to reboot my phone.

Got it....Its all here

Hi Lats... I've tried a variety of roms on my Compact IV and I have to say, me and my colleagues at work find that Swiftblades roms are pretty much as good as they come. He's now released version 5.0 and if you're still on the original T-mobile rom, then you'll notice one hell of a difference and improvement in speed and usability.
Go for it and don't worry if your concerned about warranty, there is a stock T-mobile rom floating around on the forum and instructions on how to return your Compact IV back to it's original state.
If you find the whole rom thing confusing, then take a look at this site:- www.modmydiamond.info It'll pretty much tell you everything.
Basically though, you'll find there are 3 phases to upgrading
1) HardSPL - In laymans terms, this pretty much opens the phone up for flashing roms. Most people seem to go for and recommend using Hard-SPL 1.40 Olinex Developers Edition-Unsigned. There are consequences to using an unsigned version, it means you could in theory download and install a dodgy untested Rom, but it's up to you to go for roms on the thread from reputable guys where you can see lots of other people have installed their tried and tested roms.
Once you've done this, you'll not need to do this again.
2) The Radio - This deals with the comms side of the phone, ie phone signal strength etc etc. It's pretty much been agreed by most people that v1.00.25.05 appears to be the best of the bunch.
3) Lastly choose a rom, there are half a dozen really good roms out there and many of them are down to personal choice. Many of them are customised too much for my liking. I chose Swifts as he pretty much keeps his clean and looking like a stock rom.
You'll only have to do the Hard-SPL once and probably the radio once, unless a better radio arrives. So once you've done all this, you can keep trying different roms without the need to do the Hard-SPL and radio all over again.
Hope this clarifies things a bit for you.
Good luck and have fun!

Thanks ever so much guys. I already feel alot more confident about this. Just one question... guide suggests the following:-
Manually enter the Bootloader by pressing the Power button, Camera button and performing a soft reset at the same time
Where is the camera button and it sounds as I need 3 hands to do this!

They're refering to the main round button below your screen in the middle of the 4 buttons, and yes you need 3 hands, but you can just about do it with 2

Let us know which ROM you upgrade to - I'm on the same ROM and radio as you are. Bit nervous about flashing the rom as my last phone (Vario II/Hermes) had to go back a month after I had it due to the screen alignment issues. After the warranty expired, I was flashing daily (lol) and yes, they do make a big difference.
I've got a copy of the UK Tmobile rom from this site, but cant remember the page now or what i typed in to get it... will try again later. It's called "RUU_Victor_TMO_UK_1.37.110.3_Radio_Signed_Diamond_52.26a.25.09_1.00.25.03_Ship"

Lats said:
Thanks ever so much guys. I already feel alot more confident about this. Just one question... guide suggests the following:-
Manually enter the Bootloader by pressing the Power button, Camera button and performing a soft reset at the same time
Where is the camera button and it sounds as I need 3 hands to do this!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is for last resort methods only...
Ensure you are connnected via activesync when doing any flashing, remembering to hard reset again after every flash,

Yeah, most definetly I will let you know but I think it will be over the weekend now. I had a quick attempt to get bootloader going, but it don't look easy. Phone just resets everytime and just reboots back to normal.
If anyone has any tips on which buttons I need to press first or if there is any easier way of doing this, I'm listening.

Lats said:
Yeah, most definetly I will let you know but I think it will be over the weekend now. I had a quick attempt to get bootloader going, but it don't look easy. Phone just resets everytime and just reboots back to normal.
If anyone has any tips on which buttons I need to press first or if there is any easier way of doing this, I'm listening.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you want to flash any ROM - you dont need to manually enter boot loader to do so...
As I mentioned before.
just make sure you have active-sync running and working and the battery id over %50 charged.

I'll be doing this tonight

The Tmobile stock rom can be found here
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=406327

Is this safe?

Hello, I'm new around here. I recently acquired a Vodafone VPx Blue Angel phone. Is it completely safe to upgrade them to the latest version of Windows Mobile for a newbie like me?
Thanks,
BrandonSH.

completely? theres always a risk.
backup your current rom to sdcard before you do anything.
just be careful about flashing radio, that's what will brick you.

Actually, upgrading any part of the device could potentially brick it. Just make sure that you follow all the necessary steps for unlocking (if necessary) and upgrading your device. Good luck...

OK... I'll try it when the cradle from eBay comes.

you should definetely follow step by step instructions. my tutorial is fool proof, because even if you don't know, what you are doing, you will still get there, and following every step exactly, there is no risk at all. hundreds of people do it exactly like that and have not bricked their devices.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=630416

i totally agree..
i have a blue angel also that still runs on WM2003..i've installed spb applications in it and every time my battery runs out, all of the installed programs disappears or uninstalls..i've read in some forums that in WM5 and WM6 this thing doesnt happen even if your battery runs out..
the only thing that's been troubling me is i don't want my (beloved) Blue Angel to turn into a useless brick after stuffing up an upgrade to WM6 (if ever i decided to upgrade)..
being a newbie like you doesn't give me much confidence in following the upgrade steps that are posted in the forums..probably, when there's one that i can 'really' understand i'll give that upgrading a go for sure..until then..i just have to make sure that my battery life is doing fine

the reason, the programs are "uninstalled" when your battery runs out, is that your home drive ("C:") is stored in the ram, you can see that, when you go to start - settings - system - memory. you can adjust the level of ram in comparison to storage space on the ram. ram consists of an architecture, that can only hold data as long as it is supplied with power, just like on the pc, when you put a windows xp pc into hibernation, the ram is stored on the harddisk, so that it can power off and still save the system state. so, everytime you run out of power, probably in combination with a broken backup battery, your device is hard resetted, as it can only store the internal permanent data, like the rom partition, the storage and the storage card.
that does not happen to devices running wm5 or above, since their home drives are not located on the ram, but the storage, some roms come with a ram disk as a 2nd drive, but you would only use that space temporarily and programs and documents are stored in a save area that is independent from power supply.
btw. you are a registered user for more than a year now, by now you could have figured out the upgrade procedure. it has been posted dozens of times, the most recent and accurate ones by me. i can see that you don't want to follow steps randomly without knowing what they do. that wouldn't be a problem. i can explain any given step to you, what exactly it does and why it does that and what that is necessary for, if you want me to. after all, i wrote my tutorials, because i understand the procedure, not just copying it from somewhere.
EDIT: btw. as long as you try and flash a blueangel rom, you cannot brick your device. even if the flashing process fails for any reason, you would simply start over. besides trying to flash a rom from another device, i couldn't think of a single case, where somebody really bricked their device.

thank you for the very informative reply Chef..i've always been wondering why that thing happens to my BA, now i know why..
as for being a bit tentative on upgrading my BA..you're right..i just don't wanna follow random steps and besides im not really that 'technically' gifted when it comes to gadgets..i know my BA is an old model but i really like the benefits that i get from it..so is it ok if i post some messages to you regarding help on upgrading to wm6 for my BA?
i know you've already posted a tutorial for it..and i know a lot of people can follow it without any trouble at all..as for me..i can only understand the steps where i need to download certain files..that's about it..as for the rest of the tutorial im in total darkness..like i said, im not really that good when it comes to these kind of things
but don't worry..now that i know there's someone like you who would gladly help out a newbie like me in upgrading my BA, i think im about to 'dive in' into this upgrading stuff..just need to read your tutorial again..and download all the necessary stuff needed for the upgrade..
thanks so much..

erm im not entirely sure how flashing the wince image would brick it. i mean, i've ATTEMPTED to brick a harrier before. i zerod out the entire wince image and flashed it, i corrupted it and flashed it, i dc'd it at 2% 10% 40% 60% and so on.
i cant get the damn thing to die, seriously. ive always came back from wince flashes.
spygyro, if you want fast help you should check out the xda irc. having a live talk with someone is alot faster than on here, #xda-devs on irc.freeenode.net:6667

thanks cheapusenet..but im bit tentative to go into those chatrooms for i dont know much about gadgets like i've said before..i dont wanna bore them with my incessant questions about upgrading..but then again, it's a good suggestion..i'll try to visit it one of these days, but im still going through some of the upgrading tutorials on this site because i'm comfortable with the other forum users here..
there are a lot of knowledgeable forum members here that i think could help me gain 'confidence' into upgrading my BA..don't get me wrong, i know there are a lot of knowledgeable people on the site that you've just mentioned and i'm sure gonna give it a go and visit it..thanks for the suggestion..

spyrgyro said:
thanks cheapusenet..but im bit tentative to go into those chatrooms for i dont know much about gadgets like i've said before..i dont wanna bore them with my incessant questions about upgrading..but then again, it's a good suggestion..i'll try to visit it one of these days, but im still going through some of the upgrading tutorials on this site because i'm comfortable with the other forum users here..
there are a lot of knowledgeable forum members here that i think could help me gain 'confidence' into upgrading my BA..don't get me wrong, i know there are a lot of knowledgeable people on the site that you've just mentioned and i'm sure gonna give it a go and visit it..thanks for the suggestion..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The instructions become more clear when you actually have the device and everything you need in front of you. There is no science to this though. Just read, read, read, and re-read until it all begins to make sense (it will, trust me)
BTW, bricking a device is perfectly possible, regardless of what cheapusenet might say (don't really know what purpose killing a Harrier would have, but...)

thanks egzthunder1...i'll try as much as possible to comprehend what the instructions are trying to convey..by the way..i went to that irc chat channel that cheapusenet suggested, and just as i thought, the only thing i got were smart-ass remarks and answers..someone even asked me 'wtf do u want b***h' ..but then again there's a kind soul who suggested i should just follow the instructions here on the forum..i think that would be my last time asking help from an irc chatroom..lol..
anyways..thanks for all the suggestion guys..all i need to do right now is to read and re-read those upgrade instructions until it all becomes crystal clear to me..i just hope i won't 'brick' my BA (fingers crossed)..

i have a large..large amount of harriers. they're the same device as the blueangel just CDMA, i wasnt attempting to brick it as much as i was trying to learn from it. i was attempting to port wm5 to the harrier and thought it may help in some way. and i'm sorrya bout that. I wasnt around i guess, i wouldve helped. it was agentblair and jason8 i bet!
you won't brick it, as long as you just flash a wince image. hell, just dont unplug it or let the battery die and it wont brick. it really isnt all that scary.
also, i DID brick a harrier once come to think about it. it was the radio. flashing the radio you have to worry about, not the WM image.

[Q] New to Droid need help with captivate, sick of waiting for 2.2...need advice!

Hello everyone,
I have recently upgraded from Windows mobile (tilt2) to Samsung Captivate (att)
I am pretty upset that they are taking forever to release the update and I would like to install a custom rom with Froyo, and without the bloatware!
So my questions are: (ive tried to do a ton of research so far so but am confused with this cant get definite answers)
I know it comes down to preference, but I would like to know which Rom is the most stable, best battery life, and good performance out of all the roms. I was considering the Firefly or the andromeda, or cognition...but maybe a better option? Which would be best for me, im not big into themes, just want best reliability, battery life is a huge thing for me as well. So which is best for me?
Also, I am confused with all these modem versions, my 3g currently is slow as ish on my 2.1 stock rom download speed is sad in my area and i get atlest 3-4 bars.
I rarely break 200kbps. meanwhile i see ppl getting 1mbps speed with their iphone sitting right next to me!!! So speed is important for me too. (internet and OS)
My last concern is will it be possible to do a complete backup of my current stock rom just incase i need to revert for warranty purposes?
I read the guide to upgrade the roms, watched the videos, nd plan to do it again b4 i attempt then follow directions very very carefully as i do it....
I was ok with flashing WinMo roms...but android is very different and it seems alot more confusing to me (maybe because i am new to it)
Im scared to brick my beautiful new phone...i love it so much.
but i feel i am held back with 2.1...no flash, crappy gps, and the custom roms im seeing are amazing looking!!!
So please help me with answers to my couple questions...
basically best rom for reliablilty, battery life, performance with best modem too.
Least amount of bugs, and theme isnt too big for me. the other things much more important!
And if im able to revert to stock no problem for warranty (if necessary)
so far my phone is AWESOME! but 2.2 is way better with flash and better gps.
Sorry for long post...THANKS SO MUCH IN ADVANCE FOR ANSWERS TO MY QUESTIONS!!! YOU GUYS ARE AMAZING!
(u guys have dozens of versions of Froyo for captivate, and ATT cant even put out one! go figure!)

Well stock is in my 4shared...link in my sig. As for ROMs it always varies. Flash any you want. Only thing you need to check is if your 3 button recovery works. If it does your golden and flash away.
Sorry i am on my phone and its after 2am..... so no links

If you have really researched you would know there is no definitive answer to your question. Each rom has the chance to react differently between phones. Asking which rom is the best depends on YOUR phone and the combination of kernel/modem vary as well. Read up on how to properly installation rom. Read how to recover your phone from a bootloop/semi brick state. Readhow to use odin to flash to stock if you get that soft brick. Also learn how to make a jig if all else fails. Once all that is in placestart flashing roms to see which one is best for your phone.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App

i knew i was gonna get that answer lol....
I have read the guide...i plan on reading again and again...
its not easy stuff for a noob...
and i am very computer literate.
But anyway...I have a Captivate, and i was watching rom reviews i remember josh saying that the firefly was good for day to day use.and that is what i would like.
I was just hoping for ur guys opinions. what worked best for u.
I saw alot of ppl were sayin the andromeda was saying it was a favorite among alot of people, great battery life too...
so i hope i can get some good answers from everyone...i would like to flash once with a great rom, and just chill wit it...
I did do research. alot of research. but i guess u must have learned everything over a period of months...but for me im tryin to cram everything i learned so far in 2-3 days.
i wanna flash but i dont want to mess anything up.
seems like it is not likely to hard brick the phone....and usually it can be recovered no problem...
i will continue my research, i was just hoping to get answers from much more experienced people than me...
I have a ATT Samsung Captivate (us version)
Which would the best rom for me to start with. (battery life, performance, and reliability/least bugs) are 3 most important things to me.
Themes are not as important to me.
Im goin to lay down. hopefully get some good answers when i wake up!
Keep in mind guys, IM BRAND NEW HERE. I APPRECIATE EVERYONES BRILLIANT MINDS!
and i appreciate ur hospitality in advance!
thanks guys!

It takes more than a couple days of reading to get a understanding on how all of this works on the Captivate.There really isn't any crash course to take to accomplish what you want.Time is your friend..not your enemy on this..The more time you take..the more information you have before you.
Each phone (this includes yours) reacts differently to all the various themes..kernels..modems..and roms. Each person that does this..needs to find the best combination that will give them what they are hoping to achieve...ie: looks..speed..stability..battery life..download speed..gps..ect...
What you have to do..is find a rom you are interested in..read the thread from start to current..and then decide if what is being said about it will match your wants & needs.Then find out what modem works best on your phone ... in your area... to give you the best signal reception.. download speeds..voice clarity..and battery life. Same for the kernels..which one will work properly with the modem..that gives you good stable performance without changing your download speed..Both must work in conjunction with each other.
Everyone has favorites..on each item..and just because a certain combination works superbly for my phone..doesn't mean it will work for you..The beauty of Android..is you have the chance to change each part to make your phone perform as you want it..You have a multitude of choices...so..where to begin...
For a starting point..here is what I would do..Ensure your phone has the 3 button recovery..If it does..download the correct Odin..If it doesn't..download the Odin with the 3 button recovery fix in it..Download and install the correct drivers for your phone..Read the entire Odin threads for each..from start to finish..and memorize the proper sequence of how to properly flash back to stock..Download the update.zip file to your PC..as well as the 1 click root program..this way you have both...the update.zip file gives you root very easily..and having that file will save you a lot of time..and the 1 click root/un-root if you need to return to 100% stock for some reason..It's a real good idea to learn how to do all of this before you flash any custom rom..Then you can start prepairing to change your phone..flying blind on doing this can lead to messing up your phone..so..be prepared to invest a lot of time reading everything you can first..
Make several folders on your pc/mac that will contain different roms...theme...kernels...modems..gps tweaks...wi-fi fixes..then start filling those folders up..
Then you can learn how to flash themes..roms..kernels..and modems..and you do that by reading and studying how to on each of those threads..There is a ton of information to go over...
Now you have a idea of why folks won't just say what you should do...There is so many different combinations to choose from..and for a n00b it is overwhelming..but you have to start by having an idea of what you want..what you want it to look like..and how you want it to perform..and then assemble the various items..and then assemble it yourself..Many of the Custom roms..have attempted to do this for you..and many prefer having someone do it for them..than attempt to learn how to do it for themselves....Some are full featured roms..others are stripped down version..that you have to download what you need for it..In the end..many of us have take a little from each..and mix and match to get our phones where we want them to be..because of what I underlined above..There is a lot more to learn..but..in time..you will..cause we all do learn new stuff about them everyday we work with them..The more you learn..the more you can change..
Hope this helps
Mac

All of the ROMs are different even though they are kinda the same (I don't know if that makes sense), but I would do as smoke said, verify your 3 button recovery works and find one of the many roms out there that sounds like it appeals to you. I started out using Cognition until one Saturday I woke up and looked through the forums and I found another rom that looked good. I didn't know how it ran or anything, I just liked the look of it. That weekend I flashed 4 different ROMs until I found the one that I liked best. Since then I stuck with the same 2-3 devs. It took me a while to get comfortable flashing but after a while you'll find yourself flashing in the middle of afternoon traffic.
Many of the people are helpful here and are more than happy to help. Just keep in mind that what works for me, may not work for you and vice versa. A lot of the threads have 100s if not 1000s of posts and that can be pretty intimidating but honestly I just catch up on the last few pages and I'm kinda tracking. Also many of the devs have IRC rooms to chat for any questions.
Check this thread out here and this one here for some additional help.
Happy Flashing!!

This is a basic tutorial I wrote up a few months ago for the basic flashing back to stock. It has the link for Odin 1 Click, and for Windows drivers, which you'll need:
Flash to Stock JF6:
1. Download Odin One Click from: http://www.mediafire.com/?0w2y31maz8mdom4
2. Download your Windows Drivers from:
Windows 64bit: http://www.mediafire.com/?3dh4d6up72me9re
Windows 32bit: http://www.mediafire.com/?0b45zo7o75rc5d5
3. Make sure your USB cable is connected directly to the back of your computer, not a USB hub or to a front connection and all of your drivers have been properly installed
4. Do not connect your USB cable yet.
5. On your phone, go to ; Settings/Applications/Development/and check “USB Debugging”
6. Turn your phone off
7. Remove your SIM card and Micro SD if you have one
8. Open Odin One Click
9. On your phone, press and hold the Volume up and the Volume down buttons. Do not touch the power button
10. While holding them, insert your USB cable, wait for a couple of seconds and a yellow triangle with the Android figure will show up
11. You’ll see in Odin, that your phone has been discovered
12. Press “Start”
13. Do Not mess with your phone at all
14. When it is done, your phone will reboot and Odin will display “Removed”
15. Unplug your USB cable from your phone
16. If you are proceeding to Master clear, you must close Odin BEFORE Master Clear
Master Clear:
1. Ensure you have backed up all of your information onto your Micro SD or your desktop BEFORE doing this. IT WILL ERASE EVERYTHING ON YOUR INTERNAL SD!!
2. Make sure to remove your SIM and Micro SD if you have one
3. With your USB cable disconnected from your phone, open Odin One Click
4. On your phone, go to ; Settings/Applications/Development/and check “USB Debugging”
5. Connect your USB cable to your phone
6. You’ll in Odin, that your phone has been discovered
7. Click “Master Clear”
8. When the Master Clear has completed, your phone will reboot
9. You’ll need to re-enable USB Debugging again
Remember to take what you read with a grain of salt; like it's been said before, your device can act very differently than someone else's in the thread you are reading. So your milage may vary. Also remember not to be turned off by the negatives you read in a thread, some people just like to nitpick and complain. For ME, I find that if you take the theme, and set it aside, that what you're looking for is a ROM that works for your device. At the core they are pretty much the same, and any thing you don't really like as far as the theming is concerned, can be changed. So what I think you need to find is a ROM/Kernel/Modem combo that gives you good marks on the basics; call quality, WiFi, BT, signal, if the signal/call quality isnt quite right, take a look at a new modem, if there is a little hickup in the functionality, try a different kernel.
My own piece of advise, stay away from the kernels that are OC'd until you are well versed in the flashing and so on. They can cause some problems, and I personally find aren't needed.
I'm partial(as you can see by my signature) to the Phoenix ROM. It's 2.2.1 i9000 based, where as Adams other ROM Firefly, is Rogers 2.2. Over and above all things, they are great threads, and most everyone is really, really helpful
Good luck and happy flashing

thanks so much for the reply. i def read ur tutorial before!
i actualy was wondering if that would set back to stock rom, woul that be stock so i can send back the phone if i need to for warranty purposes?
thanks for all the replies!!
i did alot of research, i think im going with the cognition rom....
seems to be the best for what i want for...
just straight up reliability, performance an battery life. but reliability above all.
maybe if that isnt good for my phone, then i will try firefly.
i already got all the ddriverrs, software, etc...
im just nervous to go thru with it because im scared of breakin my beautiful phone!! (i was also scared bout doin custom roms to my winmo phones in the past, but once i get past the fear and actually do it, i usually find it to be a simple process...)
please excuse my errors, my keyboard on my laptop is retarded...
Thanks again guys!
If anyone has any tips for a first timer, please feel free to let me know!!
Thanks!

Ok, I have been a little confused with this, and pretty much this is my major concern before i go ahead and flash...
Pretty much my worry is backing up the nvdata information...
I feel this is by far the most important step. And if it is at all possible i would like to extract this data somehow and store it on my computer hard drive, on a cd, and thumb drive (to be redundant- just incase i ever need it again).
once i figure out how to be safe with that vital data, i plan on goin ahead and flashin!
I was readin up on the phoenix rom too...
looking at all these roms makes me feel like im at a restaurant and i cant choose!

nv data is only important if you use kies.
Dl either
Root explorer
Super manager
Android mate
Find efs folder on your phone, copy and paste on your sd
Mount phone move to pc

I don't think you can go wrong with any of the popular custom roms. Virtually all of them are better choices than stock. Your choice for Cognition is a good one. I have enjoyed it in the past. I'm currently running Perception 10.3 from the same developer (DesignGears). His work seems consistently high...but many others do great work, too.
Titanium Backup (market) is a good application for backing up key apps + data. Also, it can sync with a dropbox account if you have one. Once you install your new rom, you can then use Titanium backup to restore missing apps and data. (just don't restore system data to avoid messing up a new rom). It might be a good thing to practice with Titanium prior to flashing a new rom just to make sure you can delete and restore a critical application and its data.

ok so i rooted my phone, i backed up everything with titanium as per the guide.
so if i just use the clockwork recovery to install cognition rom then it will carry over the imei number and EVERYTHING else?
I ccant figure out how to save this data the efs folder or w/e...its really too complicated.
it seems like im just about half way done. since i have stock rom already, i dont need to use the odin to restore.
So clock work to install and restore with titantium.
So if i just install cognition as per instructions on the sticky thread, then i wont have ANY problems as far as my phones 'identity' (droid id, imei, etc..)?
Im guessin cwm will restore this autommatically, or it will just carry over?
i have a feeling that today i will finally have 2.2!
i just need to clear this one last concern up!
THANKS EVERYONE!

I am lazy so I did not read all the post.
Did you use android id changer to save your current id?
I have never backed up my efs file.
Only restore user apps with titanium

no i didnt do that. lol
this is why im sooo nervous about flashing this rom...
cuz i read the instructions on the sticky forum and it seems straight forward...
then i start reading posts about how u need to back up nvdata, efs folders, now im hearing about android id changer....
im glad i didnt flash it yet, cuz i might have avoided a mistake!
Pretty much i just rooted my phone, backed up apps and data like said in the instructions on the sticky topic. I downloaded cognition rom...
and i am hesitant to proceed...
i dont want to make a serious mistake!!!
is this android id changer a nessisity?
i been reading all over the boards and it is confusing the hell out of me!!!

Deep breath
You are flashing a rom not recreating the wheel.
Android id changer is soo easy to use that it makes no sense not to back up your id. App is free, open it, save id, done.
How about you're contacts, have you backed them up? If you have an external sd, go to contacts, menu, export/import, save to sd
it is not hard, it just takes some reading and getting used to. In a month you will be flashing with your eyes closed.
If you want help along the way drop me a pm

Hey mcord, since you're being so helpful, can you tell me why we should backup the android id? What is it used for?

xdahgary said:
Hey mcord, since you're being so helpful, can you tell me why we should backup the android id? What is it used for?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Android id is a unique identifier for your phone. When you flash a custom rom it gets changed. It can cause some issues with downloading from the market, and some games identify your device using that id.
I have flashed and not restored my id without issues before, but it is real easy and is a way of troubleshooting before a problem happens

Thanks, now I know why the Chase app says your phone is not registered after flashing a new rom. lol.

xdahgary said:
Thanks, now I know why the Chase app says your phone is not registered after flashing a new rom. lol.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can grab it if you go back to stock or if you have a nandroid of stock there is a way to get it

thanks mcord....so i dont need to worry about anything else then?
i backed up wit titaanium...all contacts are saved on my gmail...
i am goin to back up the id then ill proceeed with the flashing..
my main concern was the imei and stuff like that...but it doesnt seem like it will b an issue...
thanks buddy!