So as of Oct 1st I've been the proud owner of a Captivate. This is upgrading from an Ericsson feature phone, which while I hacked, the scene here is very different. Moreover, the organization and level of detail I tend to find things is a little lacking (yes, I've used the search feature). I understand that the Android platform is spreading rapidly, the Captivate especially, so I will say I don't fault XDA or anything. I'm just trying to educate myself (and hopefully be able to help the community later) via a massive post on breaking myself into the Captivate hacking circle.
Most of the below are questions that fall under some kind of similar topic.
What do the I8000/I9000 terms pertain to? Which phones or firmware versions are which Ix000? How can I check for myself in the future? (I'm under the impression that the Captivate falls under I9000, but still I'd like more firm determination.)
How many ROMs can be active on a phone at once? (Can a ROM be just some UI changes, on top of another that changes some backend file organization or, say, another UI alteration for a different section of the phone?)
ROM Manager + Clockwork Mod seems to be the defacto tool for flashing phone ROMs and creating backups with the Captivate. But I've also seen people suggest using Titanium Backup often for creating backups if the user wants to have a stock state of their phone to revert to in order to go back to a clean slate. (Only real difference that is apparent is TB seems to use the word "image" and not "backup", but if that's the case then what does a "backup" count as out of ROM Manger?) And what of Odin? Or Nandroid? I get there are different methodologies to do the same thing, but it’d be nice to lay out the details, uses, pros, cons, and comparisons between all these backup utilities.
Thanks in advance!
EDIT: Shoot, thought I was on the Q&A page. Feel free to move. Apologies.
While you are in development look at the captivate bible, it links to the important threads, I think there is a wiki up somewhere too that answers the important questions.
Titanium backup backs up apps and data but I don't know if its in the form of an image, certainly not a full disk image.
Nandroid is a feature of rom manager/clockwork recovery, I believe that is an image but I haven't actually used a backup from it yet so I don't know if it is or isn't.
Odin is a tool for flashing samsung firmwares, 3rd party roms can use odin and a hybrid can be made my mixing one rom with another kernel or modem.bin.
Most recent 3rd party roms use a .zip file run in clockwork recovery which can be launcher from rom manager.
Some mods and I think a few roms are run as an update.zip in the stock recovery screen which you get to via a button combo on boot up. Hold both volumes for 2 sec then press power and continue holding all 3 buttons till the att screen pops up.
Since you are new to android, I'd look at designgears work, or eugene. High quality stuff. Cognition 2.2 is based on leaked froyo and is probably the best gps and fastest, linpack shows the best numbers with froyo(2.2). But for 3d gaming the overclock (only on eclair (2.1)) will give better frame rates from a higher gpu clock. Not that the humming bird needs better 3d performance. It already leads the field in that area, most benchmark are ineffective because the gpu is capped at 56fps and it will hit that cap through most tests.
Kernels for overclock/undervolt and/or voodoo are loaded into condition 2.1.x and can be added to other eclair roms with ease.
eugenes roms are very thought out but take a while to get right on the captivate since he has a vibrant and there are differences.
I-9000 is the international galaxy s and is the most feature rich version that is gsm, many files roms ect can run on the captivate with some bugs, I-9000 kernels are used to enable hsupa, but break the bluetooth.
Lag fix is a ext2 or ext4 partition to boost file system speeds, ask a dev about how that works, I have no idea. Voodoo lag fix, I think is a full file system replacement and considered superior. its not available in froyo, we have no source code for froyo to build the kernel.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using Tapatalk
Cyber_Bruno said:
What do the I8000/I9000 terms pertain to? Which phones or firmware versions are which Ix000? How can I check for myself in the future? (I'm under the impression that the Captivate falls under I9000, but still I'd like more firm determination.)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is the Samsung's code for their devices. For example :
i900 --> Samsung Omnia
i8000 --> Samsung Omnia II
i9000 --> Samsung Galaxy S (International)
B7610 --> Samsung OmniaPRO (the touchscreen slider)
C6625 --> Samsung Valencia
And finally, i897 --> AT&T Samsung Captivate
Cyber_Bruno said:
How many ROMs can be active on a phone at once? (Can a ROM be just some UI changes, on top of another that changes some backend file organization or, say, another UI alteration for a different section of the phone?)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, only one ROM can be used in the device at the same time. It is recommended to flash stock ROM first before flashing non-stock ROM, to avoid conflict between ROMs. Every non-stock ROMs is made to replace stock ROM, not another non-stock ROMs.
Cyber_Bruno said:
ROM Manager + Clockwork Mod seems to be the defacto tool for flashing phone ROMs and creating backups with the Captivate. But I've also seen people suggest using Titanium Backup often for creating backups if the user wants to have a stock state of their phone to revert to in order to go back to a clean slate. (Only real difference that is apparent is TB seems to use the word "image" and not "backup", but if that's the case then what does a "backup" count as out of ROM Manger?) And what of Odin? Or Nandroid? I get there are different methodologies to do the same thing, but it’d be nice to lay out the details, uses, pros, cons, and comparisons between all these backup utilities.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ROM Manager & Clockwork Mod --> Same utility, get from the market. Flash stock ROM first. You don't need PC to flash with ROM Manager/Clockwork Mod
Odin --> Conventional way that needs PC to flash the ROM. Flash stock ROM first. Usually ROMs that need Odin will be available as .exe file, and the .exe file contains Odin with the ROM, so, you don't need to download Odin separately
Titanium Backup --> A backup app, get from the market. It will generate an .APK file that contains the app with their data (for example : saved games) as an .APK file. After flash the new ROM, just reinstall the generated .APK file. It can backup app (with data), WiFi settings, contacts & calendar (better use your Google account), SMS/MMS (better use separate SMS/MMS backup app from the market), Call History, etc
Nandroid --> I don't know, never used before.
Cyber_Bruno said:
Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're welcome
Nandroid --> I don't know, never used before.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nandroid is a function of RM/CWM wherein it take a full snapshot of the current rom setup: system, application data, etc. (no, it does not copy the entire internal SD card.)
Well, your questions are pretty standard things, not really related much to actual dev work.
I will point you to the 3 most important things you will need to get started.
apk manager
auto-deodexer
apktool
...and the obvious dev tools, netbeans, android sdk, etc...
...one more thing...
This thread is godly;
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=725870
Good day everyone,
I have done my fair bit of reading in the past few months since I got my first android device (X10) when it launched (sold it 3 weeks later... lol) and since i have been browsing and reading posts after posts on diff. phones, after i had sold my X10 I was very interested in the EVO 4G due to screen size was on then verge of buying it, then I started working for Bell and the SGS came out, and I was sold.
So now I have an SGS i9000M, all this to bring you guys to my questions... general yet specific.
I started reading about roms/kernels/mods/etc... when I first got my SGS and took a dip and did my first flash with stock SGS Froyo 2.2 rom from another region, since it's still not out here from Bell (cell provider in Canada). when Bell UGJK3 came out, I jumped to that.. and finally, when Doc released UGJK3 1.x.. I said wth, let me go crazy and try one of them custom roms.
.... one word to describe it... WOW....
I was amazed at how smooth, fast, responsive the whole thing became. Needless to say I was hooked. Never would I go back to a Stock rom.
Now onto my question (if you're still reading, thank you)
I'm reading a lot about roms and kernels, so I did some research but I still have some unanswered questions.
1st) I read about a kernel K10x either 256 or 500, can someone tell me what that kernel is oc'ing? I have very good pc knowledge but phone wise = 0, on pc when you oc,. you can either oc the bus speed or the multiplier, obviously it's not the multiplier, so by that logic it's the bus speed, if default is 256, means multiplier is 4, since cpu is 1ghz, but then if it's oc'd to 500, means we're running a cpu at 2ghz?
Please someone clarify and clear that confusion for me....
2-A) I'm using Doc's 1.x for Bell because of the MODEM and CSC, I wanna try diff Doc's roms, like v9 or even other roms altogether, like ultimate etc...
Can I use flash any rom, and then with Odin flash, the modem and CSC file from Bell's UGJK3? will is break the rom? or would it still function perfectly but would have the proper APN once I change the CSC in the menu to BMC and allow for the proper frequencies usage (such as 850)... which brings me to part B of question 2...
2-B) I know when you change the CSC or do a hard reset everything gets flushed/wiped, if i have a custom rom installed and do that (a hard reset or change CSC) will the rom still work the way it was originally but with the added software/bloatware from the CSC, meaning will it still be optimized, snappy, and everything else that goes with it, or does it revert it back to "stock" rom, would I lose say my zipalignement or would the rom become odexed etc...
3) Regarding custom Roms, is it OK to flash say Ultimate 3.0, and then flash YA-OK Kernel? so that the rom would use that kernel if for me I find it runs better that way (regardless if Ultimate uses YA-OK to start with, it's just an example), or say Doc 1.3 Bell, using XXX Kernel. is there any incompatibilities, does a Kernel have to be modified to work with a specific rom etc... Also if say it's possible, do I flash the rom first and then Kernel, or vice versa.
If you're still with me, I appreciate your patience and if you take the time to answer, you have my kind regards.
Thank you in advance,
Rodi
bump
no one can answer these q's?
You would be well off to learn a bit about forum searching. Don't expect others to do your research for you.
1> -256, -500 indicate the 'refresh rate' of the kernel. It's a rate in hz, and doesn't represent an "overclock" at all and has nothing to do with the cpu. Some people find 500hz slightly more smooth/responsive, and may have slightly worse battery life. There's lots to read on this topic if you actually care.
2> I have used my i9000m on several modem and rom versions; it depends on the specific rom if it will be compatible with the Canadian market i9000ms; most should be with no problems, and the stock JPx roms/modems have worked fine for many. You can even use a JPx modem and still maintain 850mhz if you change the settings in the *#2263# Band Selection menu.
Note: I personally would stay away from odin with these phones, as there seems to be some kind of sd corruption (I've had to get a phone repaired, as have many others). Stick with 2e/CWM.
2-B> A factory reset takes your phone to the base firmware state. If you're using a full firmware rom, it should revert back to the options in said firmware. The CSC only specifies extras afaik, and shouldn't override any of the rom's base settings.
3> As long as the kernel is compatible with your current config, it'll work fine. I run Doc's Barebone UGJK3 w/ UGJK4 modem and k10i kernel. The only thing you probably need to be warry of is lagfix and advanced option compatability between kernels. If you disabled advanced options/lagfixes first, most other kernels will probably install just fine. Flash the base rom first, then everything you want to override (e.g. kernel/lockscreen/skins) after.
I was hesitant in posting this, however for whatever reason I am unable to find this information anywhere on these forums. It seems like the SpeedMod Kernel is draining my battery big time. Ex – I was at 75% when I went to bed, I just woke up (8hrs of sleep) and battery is at 16%.
These are the tweaks/features that I have turned on/off:
Tweak Options:
Enabled options
IOSCHED
KERNELVM
MISC
CIFS
BLN is disabled
Not sure if there is anything else I should be looking for, turning off/on. I was unable to find any tutorial for SpeedMod but from my understanding it’s supposed to slightly increase battery life.
Thanks in advance for the help!
1. Enable only the 'recommended' tweaks in CWM.
2. Uninstall and delete inactive apk folders to clean up the system.
3. Turn all GPS off
Lower brightness or use auto
Disable auto updating of apps
4. Once you CLEAN your phone up & start with a clean slate, you'll be able to diagnose what the problem is easier
5. The speedmod kernel which you are using is NOT the cause for the drastic battery drain you're experiencing.
Also, what ROM are you using?
MIUI
Thanks for the reply. I have already been doing most of that, screen brightness has always been set to low, GPS was always off, I also turned off Background Data so I think that would take care of auto updates?
Running the stock 2.2 ROM, I did however had to reflash this stock ROM last week due to instability and my aps crashing.
I followed your advise and disabled CIFS.
2. Uninstall and delete inactive apk folders to clean up the system.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you mean delete Aps that I'm not using? Or is APK something else?
If you flashed this kernel by itself after flashing a rom that did not included as part of the rom, you need to wipe cache partition and the dalvik cache from recovery then reboot your phone. The first boot may take a while but it's just rebuilding the cache. This some times clears up the problem you're describing.
Sent from my phone on vacation
alright, ive also heard alot of complaints from people I talk to on the phone - background static (white noise) + echo.. is it possible this is related to the kernel ?
That is a modem issue. Look for the modem thread stickied in development they will tell you to flash another modem but they got all the download links. The most popular one is the jk4.
Sent from my phone on vacation
Thanks! I just reset the cache and dalvik cache, seems to be draining at same rate.. i think.. anything else that could be draining my batt?
Im trying to flash the modem using odin but for whatever reason the pdf is not recognizing the file, is it because its .Zip? Then ill just change it to a .Rar.. Or is there another way i should be flashing the modem?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I896 using XDA App
flash the modem in recovery
Sent from my phone on vacation
What rom are you using?
Sent from my phone on vacation
not using any rom! running 2.2
Thanks for the help 1tontomato! I think the issue with my modem has been fixed, I phoned my self and there was no echo. Now on a side note, do you think the battery could have been getting drained quickly because of my old modem? For example if it has to struggle to get/keep network coverage?
If your running stock froyo 2.2 uckb1 when you switched to the speed mod kernel becomes incompatible with the stock modem this is the reason for the poor call quality. It sounds like you are new to flashing roms you should try and read up on what the differences are between the stock i897 US i896 Candian and the i9000 european phones. All the firmware for these phones can be made to work on the captivate if you just understand what is compatible, and learn all the acronyms for the firmware. Happy reading(;~}
Sent from my phone on vacation
just an update - did a recalibrate on my battery last night, went to sleep with 100% batt life, woke up with 89% remaining. Awesome! Reminds me of my crackberry days
Glad you got this ironed out.
Rule of thumb: i9000 kernels with i9000 modems, same with cappy kernels & cappy modems.
When I said delete inactive apk, I mean any apps you don't use, or need, get rid of. You can download super manager, enable root function in settings, browse to system folder, and delete apks you don't use, like email.apk, mptapplication.apk, stuff like that.(just an example)
MIUI
Assuming this app can delete apps i wouldn't otherwise be able to, such as kobo? Would i need to purchase the full version to have access to this feature? I can't find it on the free version.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I896 using XDA App
Hi,
I'm new to Android since I first bought my GT-N7000 on eBay back in February. I waited until the official ICS upgrade (through Kies) to even start considering rooting my device and flashing Kernels. I haven't dared custom ROMs yet because I feel I don't have the necessary knowledge to proceed with confidence.
What I read in threads are a collection of particular cases with answers that are equally case specific, without ever referring to the underlying principles that govern the said operations. Worse, most members "think" that their process does this and that. In short, I'm left with an empirical approach to these crucial and potentially device crippling operations. I can't and won't take those kind of risks with my precious device until I can understand what would and wouldn't screw up/brick my device (what I'm really doing, not what I think is going on).
Everyone should be in a position to assess their machine's various parts and current state accurately and to know the basic dangers/pitfalls in order to elaborate any kind of OS and Hardware config alteration process.
By underlying principles, here's what I mean:
- what is a bootloader, how can it be determined, does it have any incidence on the Kernel and ROM being loaded on top, can it be changed, how?
- what is my modem and radio build, how can I determine, can it be changed, does a ROM or Kernel flash change that?
- What does LPY, LPT, ... refer to, and do they have any incidence on the flashing process?
- what exactly is the Dalvik cache, what does wiping it actually mean (and what about the hard brick bug), and what is Odexing?
- What should I use to flash, what are the differences/risks (Odin Pc, mobile Odin, CMW all versions), all considering my device's current state (bootloader, modem & radio, Kernel, rom, partial/full root)?
- What is a partial root, how can I determine, and what will happen if I flash Kernel or Rom in such a state?
- What will a factory reset actually do (restore phone as when I bought it with Gingerbread, or to the point after the Kies upgrade with ICS)?
Thanks and Cheers,
------------------------------------ Organized answers below --------------------
First of all, before you start anything, you need to understand that the XDA is not for the random general consumer. Instead, it is intended for people with genuine interest in the technological devices they own, and who strive to fiddle or hack their way into a working knowledge and skill-set for it. The URL says "xda-developers", so read this article from a retired moderator, and move on with your journey:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=2031989&postcount=45
1. ROM, internal SD and partitions
[ ref: http://www.samsung.com/global/business/semiconductor/product/flash-emmc/overview ]
[ ref:http://www.cpkb.org/wiki/Samsung_GT-N7000_GT-N7000L_Galaxy_Note_service_manual ]
[ ref:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flash_memory ]
[ ref:http://www.cpkb.org/wiki/Samsung_PIT ]
The ROM is the dead space, the hard drive of your phone (nothing executes in the ROM, it's just a data repository). In the GT-N7000, that hard drive is called the eMMC chip. This chip uses NAND flash for storage, which is a particular type of solid state memory (Nandroid backup wrings a bell?). Together, the components of this chip form what is called the ROM (read-only, non-volatile). It contains all the instructions and code necessary for your device to bring itself to life by reading the said instructions and loading the said code into RAM for execution.
Since these instructions and this code are responsible for various parts of the power on cycle and system functions, it makes it easier to manage if they sit on distinct parts of the hard drive. Think about this: how could you change the kernel if the data sat on the same physical ground as the recovery console data? ... Hence the partitions.
There is also the concept of internal sd (or /sdcard when you look at the mounted filesystem through a file explorer). This is a reserved space on the eMMC chip itself, a mount point for the system to access (look at the service manuals, you'll notice there is only one internal flash memory chip). That's why when you use a utility app to look at the size declared for that space, you notice that it isn't the full 16GB or 32GB, but a fraction of that. There are other pieces of data written to your eMMC chip that take up space as well (like the bootloader, the recovery, the OS or the kernel).
Hint:
You probably cannot and should not attempt to repartition your eMMC chip from the device itself (that would mean that the partitioning process would have to be executed from RAM, since ROM would be unworkable during the operation). You'll want to do that from a desktop or other flashing apparatus, and you'll need to know exactly what you're about to do.
Clarification (disambiguation):
ROM --> the read-only memory, the type of memory, the memory chip itself
ROM --> a collection of data that developers have concocted and that is written to the read-only memory, populating the various eMMC chip partitions. This data is what makes up the software stack on your device (quite probably recovery, kernel, OS and root for custom ROMs).
2.BOOTLOADER
[ ref: http://www.androidenea.com/2009/06/android-boot-process-from-power-on.html ]
[ ref:http://www.extremetech.com/computin...tloader-and-why-does-verizon-want-them-locked ]
The bootloader is the first gasp of air your phone takes when powered on (there are other steps prior, but intricately tied to the hardware and outside our scope). It is a program, separate from the kernel and from Android OS, that is responsible for setting up initial memories and RAM and finding+loading the kernel, or loading the recovery console. Think of it as GRUB on a desktop, or that thing in Windows that prompts you to boot in safe mode after a crash. As such, it can be conceived as the entry point to the loading of the software stack, and ultimately, the user space from which you, the user, and your apps operate from.
Since the bootloader is a software specific to the device itself, and that it is in charge of validating the prerequisites for loading the kernel into RAM, it has specific functions that scan the ROM partitions for validity. It also has provisions to refuse moving on to further steps if it thinks something is not kosher. This is where the notion of "locked" bootloader comes in. In order to load customized code in the software stack, the bootloader must allow the operation to take place, it must be programmed in that manner.
Some manufacturers program their bootloaders to load only stock firmware and halt if anything custom is written to the ROM. Furthermore, they may even encrypt this piece of software so that developers can never alter it: no root ever, no custom kernel, no modem flashing, no custom Roms, no custom recovery, no joy!
Luckily for us, Samsung is quite dev-friendly and ships the GT-N7000 with an unencrypted bootloader (cheers to them). Beware though, because carriers and manufacturers aren't the same people. Your carrier may one day decide that it wants the bootloader encrypted on all of its new devices, I can't foresee the future. Don't confuse unlocked and unencrypted: an unencrypted bootloader doesn't mean that it's unlocked, just that it can easily be unlocked.
[ need to confirm implications of locked bootloader, find a way to confirm state and list a few ways to unlock ]
Hint:
[not sure: Make sure your phone is unlocked before attempting any flashing]. Also make sure that the piece of data you are loading is correct for your device. Writing foreign data to your eMMC chip (ROM chip) could throw the bootloader into panic.
Notice:
There should be very few reasons for you to flash the bootloader (it would really be one of your last resorts). That would mean that something utterly wrong happened to your device. In any case, you truly want to flash the Samsung official bootloader, using the official Samsung flashing tool (Odin).
3.KERNEL
[ ref:http://forum.xda-developers.com/wiki/index.php?title=ROM-VS-Kernel#The_kernel ]
[ ref:http://www.vikitech.com/8239/beginners-guide-android-kernels ]
[ ref:http://www.linfo.org/kernel_space.html ]
Once all the preliminaries are set, the bootloader loads the kernel into ram and hands control over to it. It will be the captain from now on. So far, we have (almost) no way to access the hardware. That's the responsibility of the data that sits on the SYSTEM partition of the eMMC chip, the one that's just been loaded into RAM for execution.
As it loads, the kernel sets up all things concrete like interrupt controllers, schedulers, cpu frequency, memory management, safeties... everything so the hardware is functional and ready to use. As such, the kernel is now the gateway to the hardware layer: if you want something to blink or beep on your machine, you'll have to ask it to manage your request.
Now that the kernel is done with rigging up all the organs and limbs of the robot, it looks to initiate actions, or processes. It launches the init process, the first of all processes, and the parent of all processes (all future processes will be generated by this very process, system services and apps alike). The init process looks for its instructions (setting of environment, mounting of filesystem, setting of system permissions, etc.) in a file named "init.rc". Just as in Linux, when you launch a shell, the shell looks for its associated .rc file. You may want to read through the "init.rc", just for kicks. It's very informative as to what goes on during the power-on process after the kernel is ready to operate. From then on, the init process looks to start to Dalvik virtual machine by launching Zygote.
Note:
It is important to know that the hardware functions present in the recovery console are provided by the kernel. That's why it can be problematic to perform these operations from a "buggy" kernel. More on that in the Recovery section.
4.ZYGOTE AND DALVIK (and caching+Odexing) cached .dex and .odex rely on the kernel so swapping kernels without wiping dalvik cache can cause problems
- APP AND USERSPACE DATA: apps are system users, the user interacts with the system through apps. Internal SD and backing up/restoring/wiping.
5.RECOVERY
[ ref:http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1667886 ]
[ ref:http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=26285877&postcount=12 ]
akin to flashing tool (short description of software type and confer to next section for functional details)
- kernel does the eMMC format. Possible to fry some blocks of the memory chip with software itself (the cap erase flag seems to circumvent that unfortunate frying). Since kernel formats (wipes and resets) are done from recovery.
6.FLASHING TOOLS
- Identify your device (in the stock state) before you do any flashing
- always be able to go back to the state you were in before a flashing operation (be prepared with the proper data at hand, images to flash and/or self-made backups)
7.CUSTOM ROMS
- what is it?
- talk about LPY (Touchwiz), AOSP, AOKP ... how they could be compared to Gnome, KDE, or other OS GUI.
- talk about the potential for roms to modify various parts of the system (like the kernel or the structuring of the filesystem, or even the radio, who knows) = ask the right questions to the developers instead of crying to them after you've bricked.
Man..you just need to do a lot of reading and be selective in what you read based on what you want to achieve, whether you have the sufficient knowledge and the tool to achieve it..
Next, gain confidence in what you're about to do..read feedback, success stories and setbacks by others.. If the risk is relatively high, be prepared to roll back..
Finally, you've got to try it out yourself.. You know faith without works is dead..
I've done my fair share of reading, and I still do. Also, I'm not an agnostic when it comes to computers (I'm a developer myself, web/server/network/Flash and Flex, so I'm aware of a few things). I have given faith a go, but you read where I'm at presently (totally unsure and unwilling to do anything).
There's nothing worse than a false sense of security or assurance, you'll hit a wall anyhow (reality doesn't care my friend!). I don't mind handling a stickie and doing all the grunt work. What I'm looking for is to confirm certain basic pieces of knowledge without crapping out my machine (it's expensive, I can't afford a new one every other week), and to share that with other GT-N7000 owners, so we can go about trying stuff for ourselves without a false sense of "that's not a wall, it's mirage, don't worry".
Trying stuff is the basis of discovery, true. But when you try stuff and you can't even confirm what you're actually trying, you won't be able to learn, let alone deduce any kind of principle from it...
This being said, would I be allowed to start collecting these basic pieces of information, to organize them in a coherent manner and to post them somewhere in the GT-N7000 forum?
Oh, Oh, Oh, ah, ... you said "rollback". How? I've read that applying backups in certain states could actually screw things up, like a partial root for instance. Rollback procedure should be defined, and I'm willing to define it for the rest of us.
Very Good set of questions hopefully somebody answers them.
Sent from my GT-N7000 using xda app-developers app
Stock Recovery v/s Custom Recovery
I was keen on asking about the difference between Stock Recovery and Custom Recovery, for which I thought of creating a new thread until I came across your topic, Monkey_banana.
Thank you for initiating a relevant thread.
Personally, I have not rooted my Galaxy Note yet. I am unsure about many issues and thus I am taking my time, reading and posting queries (naive and stupid many a times) with the motive of acquiring a strong base of knowledge which I can put into practice and achieve confidence.
Can the Galaxy Note be rooted without a custom recovery or is it advisable to have a custom recovery installed on the device?
I sincerely apologise if you feel I have hijacked your thread.
Hey YLNdroid,
No hijacking felt! I started this thread because I needed to positively confirm basic concepts. The consolidated summary idea is a little ambitious, I admit, but if at least it gets a discussion going (about concepts, not about specifics of every device, kernel and ROM), then all the better.
From what I've read, recovery sits on a bootable partition ( androidcentral.com/what-recovery-android-z/ ):
- Stock recovery allows you to wipe/reset and to flash stock ROM. Very limited, and probably not to be used if you intend to or have previously flashed anything remotely custom (like rooted kernels or Ketan's busybox installer).
- Custom recovery is tweaked and enhanced version (like CWM) that allows backups and recovery, custum wiping, custom ROM flashing and so on. They are probably also different in the way that changes are applied in order to satisfy the hacking requirements of various custom pieces of data.
This is the best of my knowledge, can anyone confirm?
Monkey_banana said:
[*]- what is a bootloader, how can it be determined, does it have any incidence on the Kernel and ROM being loaded on top, can it be changed, how?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
boot loader is the first piece of code that runs after power on and loads the kernel. flashing kernel or custom ROM does not effect boot loader on note. check the following link for booting process
http://www.androidenea.com/2009/06/android-boot-process-from-power-on.html
Monkey_banana said:
[*]- what is my modem and radio build, how can I determine, can it be changed, does a ROM or Kernel flash change that?
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go to settings->about phone-> Radio version. This will be your modem build. Modem is mainly responsible for making calls and data connections. Modem is usually independent of rom or android version you are using. unless you are experiencing poor signal it is not much you get by changing a modem. Some roms include a modem some don't. check out modems thread
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1645202
Monkey_banana said:
[*]- What does LPY, LPT, ... refer to, and do they have any incidence on the flashing process?
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They refer to different releases of ics from samsung. any operation involving format operation with these build might result in bricking of you note. check this emmc bug thread for more info http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1644364
Monkey_banana said:
[*]- what exactly is the Dalvik cache, what does wiping it actually mean (and what about the hard brick bug), and what is Odexing?
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Dalvik cache is a cache folder for dalvik VM running on android. Odex is how things come stock. It takes up less room but making modifications or taking apks from other roms is hard.
Deodex basically takes the odex file and stuffs it into the apk as a classes.dex. First boot it dissembles the file into /dalvik-cache (i believe). Now there is basically 2 copies of the odex, one in the apk one in cache. This makes it "portable". This allows modders to work on the apks & easily change stuff. If you want themes or stuff like lockscreen fixes you MUST use Deodex.
got it from http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=710648
Monkey_banana said:
[*]- What should I use to flash, what are the differences/risks (Odin Pc, mobile Odin, CMW all versions), all considering my device's current state (bootloader, modem & radio, Kernel, rom, partial/full root)?
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first do check if there is any damage to your sdcard since you are an effected kernel. http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1709054
For you case i suggest you to flash GB ROM from this thread [LINK]http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1424997[LINK] and then root it and then flash abyss kernel 4.2 from mobile odin or pc odin. If you flash with mobile odin it won't cause flash counter to increase but pc odin increase the flash counter resulting in a yellow triangle.
once abysskernel 4.2 is flashed go to recovery mode (volumeup + home+powerbutton). from there you can wipe dalvik cache+ wipe cache + wipe data. once that is done you can flash any custom rom you like. go for roms with cm9 kernel as it is safe from emmc bug. i am stunner and it great.
wipe operations usually format the corresponding partitions.
Monkey_banana said:
[*]- What is a partial root, how can I determine, and what will happen if I flash Kernel or Rom in such a state?
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try to paste some test file in to /system partition and delete it. if you have a proper root that you should be able to successfully complete those operations.
Monkey_banana said:
[*]- What will a factory reset actually do (restore phone as when I bought it with Gingerbread, or to the point after the Kies upgrade with ICS)?
it is similar to wipe i guess.
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kopitalk said:
Man..you just need to do a lot of reading (...)
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I see this regularly but I've never seen any "real" documentation yet.
I've only seen some flashing docs from well intentioned people for whom English was a third language and who assumed every acronym was well known to their readers and which is written in a toned down l33t style (although with lots of colours). This doesn't really help.
All I've found from Google was dev documentation which didn't really address this specific topic. (since I have an itch to scratch in that area I'm slowly making my way through it, maybe I just didn't find the right bit yet)
I know that writing documentation is complex and yields many traps. I have written enough in my time (and was one of the few to actually enjoy it). However as an old time Unix user, I'm still trying to figure out Android and still haven't found anything that was worth the read. All I found were recipes that were really hard to understand.
Now I know that good documentation takes ages to write, so I'm certainly not downplaying what we have. At least we have it. But it *is* terrible.
Hey srik02003,
Thank you very much for the ton of info. Particularly the link about the bootloader... Precious information very well explained.
I'm reading everything and will later update the original post to organize what we've got so far.
Again, thank you!
Monkey_banana said:
Hey srik02003,
Thank you very much for the ton of info. Particularly the link about the bootloader... Precious information very well explained.
I'm reading everything and will later update the original post to organize what we've got so far.
Again, thank you!
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Wish you luck, seeing lots of threads with repetitive questions and problems, it seems a very good idea, especially to help absolute beginners
i am glad it helped you...if you could summarize, it will sure help a lot of android beginners
Sent from my GT-N7000 using xda app-developers app
Summarizing and sorting at the moment. I'm going through everything in an organized fashion and modifying the original post as I go along.
Do check the original post from time to time and feel free to make comments, refute, or provide more information.
Monkey_banana said:
Summarizing and sorting at the moment. I'm going through everything in an organized fashion and modifying the original post as I go along.
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Only one thing you need to know (don't worry about bootloaders etc.) And this is coming from a guy who recently superbricked his phone. (more about that in a minute). Anyway, here it is.....
ONLY FLASH FROM or do WIPES/FORMATS/FACTORY RESETS ON a kernel that has eMMC_CAP_ERASE DISABLED!
There's the whole superbrick scenario summarized in a nutshell. If CAP_ERASE is disabled, you wont brick your phone.
So which kernels am I talking about? - the following:-
SAFE!
Stock or CF-Root GB
Abyssnote 1.4.2
DAFUQ
SpeedMod
Franco
Th*r
PC or Mobile Odin
UNSAFE!
Stock or CF-Root ICS
CWM ICS
Any custom kernel where it has not been verified that CAP_ERASE is disabled.
Why? - Crap firmware. The GT N7000 doesn't like to have its eMMC chip formatted (even if only a partition). It damages it and eventually turns it into a superbrick! This happens during flashing new ROMs, doing factory resets, formatting partitions and wiping data. HOWEVER! If MMC_CAP_ERASE is disabled in the kernel, then the format instruction reverts to a simple, (and harmless) delete (like on a PC) and no damage occurs:good:
How did I brick my phone? Easy, wiped on an unsafe kernel after having a few beers and not DOUBLE CHECKING which kernel I was on before I did so:crying: (New MoBo being replaced under warranty as we speak)
Hope this helps.
BTW. I have rooted, flashed, un-roooted, reflashed, re-rooted wiped, formatted etc. for about 6 weeks until I had a brain-fade and did it on the wrong kernel.
"If you drink and wipe, your a bloody idiot!"
shoey63 said:
Only one thing you need to know (don't worry about bootloaders etc.) And this is coming from a guy who recently superbricked his phone. (more about that in a minute). Anyway, here it is.....
ONLY FLASH FROM or do WIPES/FORMATS/FACTORY RESETS ON a kernel that has eMMC_CAP_ERASE DISABLED!
[...]
"If you drink and wipe, your a bloody idiot!"
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Firstly, thanks for participating in the discussion!
Secondly, although I understand your "forget about it, only consider the eMMC brick bug" recommendation, it presupposes some form of knowledge to forget about (which not every user has). You are able to formulate that your phone needs wiping because you figure that some operation, let's say a custom ROM flash, was not clean, or that it created some conflict between the various parts of your system. Right?
Lastly, a newbi or noob is not that far off from a baby in Android terms. I don't know if you've ever watched a baby, but they seem pretty drunk to me, wouldn't you agree?
All that being said, even seasoned developers/modders end up in dark places from time to time. The difference with noobs is that they have a pretty clear idea where that dark place is, how they got there, and how to get back into the light. Your recommendation is excellent at that point ("don't wipe unless you're sure your kernel is safe, or you'll go from a dark place straight to hell"), but not sufficient to fully grasp what is going on and to formulate a correct way out.
That's why I will pursue this basic knowledge round-up I have started. Again, thanks for the knowledge, I definately will integrate to the original post.
Cheers.
Before considering flashing any custom rom, rooting is required. Where can you learn how to root your phone? Well there is a thread here at xda, or there are other sites such as rootgalaxynote.com which explain how to root or unroot your phone. And the ideea of flashing custom roms and rooting and whatever is that each and everyone of us is required to do some research. It took me 2 days of researching and reading before i rooted and overclocked my note and another week before i flashed a custom rom. Bottom line, everyone who wants to flash anything: do some research and read the instructions provided by the devs. I never ever had a single problem because i read, read and read again the instructions.
LaCroyx said:
Before considering flashing any custom rom, rooting is required.
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Indeed, that's very well put: "can't root, can't mod". [ not sure: It is an actual test for the unlocked bootloader prerequisite ]. I'll integrate that! (That's what we need, verifiable knowledge).
LaCroyx said:
[...] And the idea of flashing custom roms and rooting and whatever is that each and everyone of us is required to do some research. It took me 2 days of researching and reading before i rooted and overclocked my note and another week before i flashed a custom rom. Bottom line, everyone who wants to flash anything: do some research and read the instructions provided by the devs. I never ever had a single problem because i read, read and read again the instructions.
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Although I strongly agree with the responsibility to read and inform oneself, there tends to be a crucial lack of referenced/verifiable information in the various posts across the forum. This leads to false knowledge and ultimately, a flurry of nonsensical questions that bog down threads and frustrate developers and readers alike.
Reading sets of instructions is cool and all, but it doesn't prevent you from formulating a question like "I've rooted my bootloader and wiped my phone. Can I Flash your kernel safely now?". That person read a series of recipes and applied them one after the other without a logical understanding (no better than a robot).
Monkey_banana said:
Firstly, thanks for participating in the discussion!
Secondly, although I understand your "forget about it, only consider the eMMC brick bug" recommendation, it presupposes some form of knowledge to forget about (which not every user has). You are able to formulate that your phone needs wiping because you figure that some operation, let's say a custom ROM flash, was not clean, or that it created some conflict between the various parts of your system. Right?
Lastly, a newbi or noob is not that far off from a baby in Android terms. I don't know if you've ever watched a baby, but they seem pretty drunk to me, wouldn't you agree?
All that being said, even seasoned developers/modders end up in dark places from time to time. The difference with noobs is that they have a pretty clear idea where that dark place is, how they got there, and how to get back into the light. Your recommendation is excellent at that point ("don't wipe unless you're sure your kernel is safe, or you'll go from a dark place straight to hell"), but not sufficient to fully grasp what is going on and to formulate a correct way out.
That's why I will pursue this basic knowledge round-up I have started. Again, thanks for the knowledge, I definately will integrate to the original post.
Cheers.
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Click to collapse
Yeah you're quite right, I'm not a developers arsehole. But I do know what will brick a phone. (first hand experience!) Sorry if I appeared arrogant before, but I'm still mad about Samsung selling brickable SGN's. Just hoping that if a noob like me runs into this thread he will be pay a bit more attention to his kernel before he does anything drastic - flashing wise.
And yes there are plenty more questions to be answered, Like - Why are virgin stock ICS builds seemingly immune from eMMC bug (Or are they)? Samsung reckons they cant replicate the problem!! (WTF!)
And another one - Does rooting and/or CWM increase the likelihood of bricking? (On ICS) and if so, why?
BTW Latest CWM9 builds are safe (as long as you dont flash from a dodgy kernel)
Monkey_banana said:
Although I strongly agree with the responsibility to read and inform oneself, there tends to be a crucial lack of referenced/verifiable information in the various posts across the forum. This leads to false knowledge and ultimately, a flurry of nonsensical questions that bog down threads and frustrate developers and readers alike.
Reading sets of instructions is cool and all, but it doesn't prevent you from formulating a question like "I've rooted my bootloader and wiped my phone. Can I Flash your kernel safely now?". That person read a series of recipes and applied them one after the other without a logical understanding (no better than a robot).
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I have to say you are perfectly right. I've seen a lot of stupid questions. In your spirit of helping out i will search for a very well formulated post about acronims and abreviations used in the android world. I think it's the first thing anyone should learn.
shoey63 said:
But I do know what will brick a phone. (first hand experience!) Sorry if I appeared arrogant before, but I'm still mad about Samsung selling brickable SGN's.
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We shouldn't have to learn that way because it makes people mad and arrogant. We're a community, so we must be able to learn from one another and spread some joy... Emotions aside, we do have to thank Samsung for allowing us to customize/tamper with our phones in the first place. Opening their source means that we'll be testing scenarios they never thought of. Let's play nice and give them a break.
shoey63 said:
And yes there are plenty more questions to be answered, Like - Why are virgin stock ICS builds seemingly immune from eMMC bug (Or are they)? Samsung reckons they cant replicate the problem!! (WTF!)
And another one - Does rooting and/or CWM increase the likelihood of bricking? (On ICS) and if so, why?
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All part of the same concept: using stock/manufacturer-prescribed-and-tested methods of flashing vs. using custom flashing methods.
As far as Samsung not acknowledging the eMMC wipe brick bug, read this: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1698977
If you go the manufacturer's way, you're pretty much guaranteed that they ate their own dog food. If you decide to flash custom data, then you make yourself responsible for eating your on dog food, make sure you're recipe is kosher!
CWM is a custom recovery console, so yes, you're increasing your chances of bricking your device. Rooting is also a custom piece of data written to your device, so you've increased your risk (especially if you're using custom recovery).
I reckon that wiping data on the eMMC from stock recovery and custom recovery with a faulty eMMC chip can trigger the disastrous brick (the formatting process hangs, and lord knows what partition got affected).
I don't know if that stands with Samsung Odin (aka PC Odin) as it is probably not using the kernel to do the wipe (you can also repartition from there, so maybe the routines handle faulty chips better).