Database Develop

is flashing rom like a bios flash?

Hi There I know this is probably a stupid question but when you flash your rom (assuming it all works OK!) does it affect programs installed?
I would like to flash to a version with GPS but Can't be bothered to start installing software from scratch!

Depends what you're flashing. You can flash various discrete parts of the phone, eg JUST the radio, JUST the extended rom etc, but flashing the OS will effectively wipe out your device. You can recognise an OS flash because it'll be quite large, say > 30mb.
Best advice if you must flash, is take a full backup first, do the flash, and then restore your backup. This is not always wise or effective because new flashes can have new registry settings etc which get FUBARd when you write over them with your backup, but it might work. And if not, you can always revert to your original rom, and then your backup WILL work.
V

Cool, Thanks!
So this http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=294718 which is lvsw's rom for gps functionality which is 47 meg will be a whole new OS because it is big?

To reiterate...
Will a rom flash to enable GPS mean that I have to install all of my programs from scratch?
Thanks!

wingnutLP said:
To reiterate...
Will a rom flash to enable GPS mean that I have to install all of my programs from scratch?
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, unless you use a backup program that specifically supports restore after a ROM upgrage, such as Sprite Backup. I haven't tried it myself but there are detailed instructions on the Sprite website that involve a series of steps: backup, run a program, save a file, upgrade to new ROM, copy files back, restore backup, etc etc. I don't know if it is actually worth the effort.
I am leaning towards upgrading and reinstalling from scratch; the only PITA is recreating connections and mail accounts, most of the rest should be handled via ActiveSync.

Backup and Restore after New/Updated ROM question for TP2 owners

Hi All,
Regardless of what backup tools you are using, I know everyone do backup your stuff. (If not, most people)
Do you restore your backup from your backup copied after you installed your latest ROM? or installed everything from scratch again???
Will there be any different result if you do one or the other way? Will your phone works better on either way or its doesn't makes any different?
I noticed (In my opinion) some of you report your phone works greats after the latest ROM and some said it make your phone worst.
Isn't the backup/restore ONLY work great if you still have the same ROM and not when you tried to restored it on the new ROM or vise-verse??? cos each ROM might have different coding???
Anyone one?
P/S: Please help move it to the correct thread, if you think I post it on the work thread, Thanks! :>

Hi radiowc,
IMHO I'll suggest to install everything from scratch after an update that includes a hard reset, including reg edits, and only restore data like Contacts, Appointments, etc.
That's my doing since '04...
Best,
halnovek

Just today I had to hard reset due to that tf3d theme maker app. But anyways, I used SPB backup and it worked perfectly. It brought my phone back exactly the way I had it before the mishap with that app. All the contacts, ringtones, apps, fonts and themes etc.... I had to do absolutely nothing to get my phone back to the way it was. I am very pleased.

I updated my ROM recently and restored using SPB backup from the old ROM and everything has been going perfectly fine.

I use sprite backup and that works very well.
After a rom update I use "merge level 1" and I have every thing back without messing the new rom.
In other cases restore is almost writing back an image.

[Q] Reflashing, Modem, Nandroid backup, etc

so i have this question. I have a Galaxy Tab bought in the philippines. when i bought the tab it was already able to take in any carrier here in our country, i dont know if it was correct to say that it was already jail broken. (able to handle any carrier's sim) Im still new to the android world and tried upgrading my tab already.
as of today, I am now using the MODACO rom for the galaxy tab. only issue though the 3g is not working anymore after upgrading (or maybe downgrading) from the stock rom. before i upgraded my tab, The gps is working, 3g working, gallery working, camera working, practically everything is working smoothly without noticeable lags. then now, after upgrading to modaco, the gallery is not working, gps still working, 3g not working, camera working, now experiencing some lags when multiple applications are running like, music + browser and causes me to force close. At start up, i noticed a pixelated flash resembling the recovery menu but it was only like a 1/2 a second flash and would start normally but sorry im a perfectionist, I don't like little things bothering me but if all else fail, I just stick to what I have and bare with it.
browsing the forums i saw that CM7 (cyanogen mod 7, correct me if im wrong) is better than modaco but with camera feature being down, I wouldn't like my camera to be disabled especially when my cousins like to take ALOT of pictures of themselves and other people coz they're vain little buggers. so, which ROM/OS/MOD is the best of the best out there.
I'm thinking of returning my Gtab to the store where i bought it and claim my act of god insurance just to replace my gtab and stay using official everything just for the sake of undoing my "mistake" of upgrading to a Custom Rom even though im still very very veeryy noob at the android world.
FOR CLARIFICATION:
How do you flash/reflash?
What is Flashing? (and i dont mean the naughty kind)
What is a ROM?
What is a MODEM? How to know your MODEM version?
How to know your PDA and CSC?
What are PDA and CSC?
What is a KERNEL?
What is a BASEBAND?
What is a NANDROID BACKUP? Is it different from a Titanium Backup /w root?
What is the most updated custom rom as of today?
Your opinion, What custom rom are you using and think that its best for you.
What custom rom is best used just for occasional use?
What custom rom is best used for heavy using? i.e. Texting, Web Browsing, MP3, Video recording, Camera, Gaming, Office Editing(word, excel, ppts.)?
Thanks to those who would answer my noob questions

anybody ? any answers ?

I'm guessing you've done some research... Forum rule #1: Search before posting. Also, you are missing one important question, rooting. Unless you already know this. Anyhow..
Most of the answers are here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=933400
and here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=803682
and here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=888071
and here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=885734
and here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=973402
and here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=932082
What is/How do youFlashing? - Flashing is basically replacing a phone's Kernel/ROM/OS. (see above links)
What is a ROM? - Read only Memory: operating system (OS) and all the drivers and software that comes with the phone.
What is a MODEM? How to know your MODEM version?
see here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1069727
What are/How to know your PDA and CSC?
These are codes to get Firmware version information:
*#*#4986*2650468#*#* PDA, Phone, H/W, RFCallDate
*#*#1234#*#* PDA and Phone
*#*#1111#*#* FTA SW Version
*#*#2222#*#* FTA HW Version
*#*#44336#*#* PDA, Phone, CSC, Build Time, Changelist number
What is a NANDROID BACKUP? - used to backup ROM
Is it different from a Titanium Backup /w root? - used to backup system and user-installed apps.
Rooting - gives you "administrative privelege" on your tab. It gives you the ability to open all folders, hidden and system, delete any file, render your tab useless , as well as install many apps that really rock!
What is the most updated custom rom as of today? Depends. The purpose of ROM customization is to have a phone that works the way you want it to, and not the way the vendors (e.g. samsung) do.
Your opinion, What custom rom are you using and think that its best for you.
Overcome (see above). Also, gingerbread will be out shortly, which means, if you want to try the latest official GB on your tab, you have to re-flash the stock (orig) rom.
What custom rom is best used just for occasional use? stock! Overcome! This really depends on your personal preference.
What custom rom is best used for heavy using? i.e. Texting, Web Browsing, MP3, Video recording, Camera, Gaming, Office Editing(word, excel, ppts.)?
Same as above.
Thanks to those who would answer my noob questions.
It took me a good 10 minutes to answer these.. Please click the thanks button as many times as you can. After all, you had a LOT of questions.. See my other posts and thank them too!

well, i just wanted a quick answer or just a database or a list of what i can search about lol, searching through heavy content could be a hassle when you see lots of results but not the ones you wanted. so yea. hehehe.. i pressed the thanks button. thanks for answering my questions XD
btw, if you back up before editing your tab on kies and try to restore it from kies also, will it revert back to your original ROM when you do it. just want to know, also, will it remove the root after doing so ?
also, you didn't answer the NANDROID BACKUP and TITANIUM BACKUP correctly, I mean please elaborate more on this.
how are they different from each other. XD sorry for being so naggy about this, lol. needed some intelligent answers from people sculpted to my needs. lol!

btw, if you back up before editing your tab on kies and try to restore it from kies also, will it revert back to your original ROM when you do it.
Kies will only back up content such as contacts, images, and videos.. and of course can only restore the same. There is no way of using kies to backup or modify roms. To backup roms, you use nandroid. Search tha market for ROM manager for that. Kies cannot backup applications as well. That's where you use Titanium. One more thing Titanium does is removing vendor installed apps that you don't use (bloatware).
just want to know, also, will it remove the root after doing so ?
Rooting will not affect backup in kies. similarly, restoring contacts, pics and videos will not remove root. HOWEVER, it is reported that some rooted device will not upgrade its firmware in kies. This is a different thing from kies backup.
Again:
Kies is for contacts and pics/vids back up. It is also for official phone updates.
Nandroid backup is for ROMs.
Titanium backup is for system and user applications.
XD sorry for being so naggy about this, lol. needed some intelligent answers from people sculpted to my needs. lol!
Don't be sorry, I don't know anyone who wasn't a noob at one time, including myself. Thanks button is always appreciated!

Clockworkmod
Read this one pre.. but make sure your tab is rooted. Use Superoneclick. I gave you the link to this in the first reply.
This is CWM for flashing ROMS and doing Nandroid back ups. This is one of the easiest guides out there.
http://www.addictivetips.com/mobile...-and-how-to-use-it-on-android-complete-guide/
Hit thanks if I helped!

Wow. Thanks dude. Now i have a one stop referrence easily found via bookmarking. Hahaha. Now, i just have to find a micro sd card large enough for backung up via nandroid. Just found out today that nandroid is actually just clockworkmod and choosing the backup from the backup and restore menu. Thought that it was a completely different app. Hehehe

[Q] Backing up my entire(?) Galaxy S I9000 with nandroid

Hey folks,
So here I am, after almost 18 months of enjoying my nice Samsung Galaxy S device with official ROMs, finally thinking of flashing a custom ROM. I've done some reading on the subject, and I have some experience flashing ROMs using ODIN- I once flashed the official Samsung 2.3.3 ROM to my device when Samsung Kies decided to go rebel on me.
Now, flashing a custom ROM takes a little more knowledge, and I would like to feel secure doing it. That means I would like to backup my phone, being able to restore it if necessary. Apparently a "nandroid backup" will be able to make an image of my complete "system". That leaves me wondering: what is my complete system, and what is not?
So I've got a couple of questions, assuming I would want to back up my ENTIRE phone. That includes text messages, whatsapp messages, app settings/scores, pictures, movies, etc.
1. Would Nandroid be able to do this job? It creates a system image, does that include all apps (and their scores/settings)? And what about text messages, that are -for as far as I know- also stored in the system?
2. Would just a Nandroid backup be enough? Do files like images, mp3s, movies, etc stay where they are when a new ROM is flashed? I have no clue what part of the system is replaced when a costum ROM is flashed... And therefore no idea what might disappear, and what needs no back upping.
I'm also wondering: after flashing the rom, and while being on it, will I be able to retrieve those old messages, apps, images, etc? I'm assuming the stuff on my internal SD card is pretty safe, but I'm better safe than sorry :b. Or would that require the titanium backup stuff?
These are some specific questions, probably easy to answer for those that are experienced users. Any other tips are welcomed as well! Thanks a lot for the effort!

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1186090
Next time, use "Search" before asking, thx!

Had honestly done that, couldn't find the answer to what it specifically did and did not back up. Hah, and you just answered the only question that I had left in the thread you linked to. Thanks ChaosLord88.

[Q] new with android and need help

hello guys
i am new to the android world and i am having alot of fun using it
its simply amazing and i decided to go further with new roms
i started by rooting my SGS and i had alot of features after that
i saw ics and am disperate to install it but am afraid
the point is i don't have any experience in android or programming
so plz answer my questions:
1-can i pack up the stock os from my mobile in order to return back to it in case anything goes wrong?
2-what is the difference between kernel and ios?
3-can anything wrong in flashing a new rom cause device hardware mulfunction?
thank u in advance hope someone answer me ASAP
diaa_khalouf
Electronic and Telecommunications Engineer
CCNP,CCNA VOIP.

1- you can revert back to your stock OS by doing the nandroid backup before flash to other custom rom.
2- kernel and iOS is totally different things. iOS is an OS use by Apple. Kernel is a core that provides basic services all others parts in operating system. OS is a set of program that manage computer hardware and provides services for application software.
3- You must bare your own risk to flash your phone coz bad thing may happen. But if you follow the instructions properly, it won't have any problem.

thx very much but i didnt mean ios from apple i ment the difference between a kernel and a rom
and for the nandroid backup is it a software? does it have anything to do with titanium backup?
thx again

my understanding of nandroid backup is it sits on the recovery menu. it is found on most custom kernel here on xda. it backup your entire phone except those files found on sdcard. titanium is mostly for apps
if you want to try another rom, it is best you use nandroid, just in case you want to revert back

Nand backup is accessible using the recovery menu. but from what i can tell some recovery's wont accept backups made using different recovery's. it is a direct copy of the memory stored there. unlike titanium that backs up the .apks and what not.
roms contain kernels and modems and the android operating system. but there are kernels that you can use that are not stock and can be installed/flashed using the same method in the recovery menu. they are interchangeable as long as its compatible with the rom. same i believe goes for modems. usually if you search the forums, any Samsung based kernel will go with any Samsung based ROM. same goes for asop/CM7 i believe.