[Q] Alert: Noob Questions Ahead - Captivate Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Hey Everyone,
I just have a few questions for ya'll. But firstly, please forgive me if I missed some of this stuff while searching through here. I have an Evo 4G, but my younger brother has seen some of the cool stuff that I have been able to attain on my phone since I rooted it and stuck CM7 on it.
Now, for the Evo, there are a few of those "One-Click Root" methods. Although until recently you had to have a certain HBOOT number in order to use them. But once that's all accomplished, it's as simple as loading a custom rom and kernel on my memory card and going into recovery and flashing it. Simple as that.
So, I came over here and things seem to be (to me at least) slightly more complicated. Which I'm assuming may have to do with all of the different versions of the SGS out.
Note: I should probably mention somewhere that this phone is stock 2.1 (for some reason he was never able to download Froyo to his phone and install it.)
First Question:
For the one click root methods for the Captivate, will they all work? Or will I need to download certain drivers and such from google and samsung to get it working? And slightly less of a question but still a question nonetheless, is there 64 bit support for said drivers if necessary? HTC seems to only like x86 architecture -_-.
Second Question:
I have seen different kernels that are OC-able and some that arent, some that provide "lagfix" and some that don't. So my question here is, do I only need to install a lagfix kernel once? Or is it safer to always have a kernel that has lagfix? And as far as OC goes, Im assuming its the same "Not all phones can handle said performance increase so beware" kind of deal?
Third Question:
I keep seeing different Modem .zip's in the captivate forum. And to be honest I have no idea what they're used for, the closest thing to that I have to that is the antenna and PRL updates. So, are they used for getting better service? Or for unlocking HSPA+? PLEASE enlighten me.
Thanks to all of those who took their time to read this!

Related

Rooting - I'm sorry

First post!
Hi guys, I'm making this thread after fiddling around with the search for a while because I don't know exactly what to search for to get the answers to the questions I need answered. If anyone could link me to a thread containing these answers, I'd be eternally grateful. Please don't be mad, I'm sure the regulars have answered these a thousand times.
I live in Brazil and got my N1 through an american friend.
1- Can I root a N1 running Froyo (FRF91)?
2- If I root my phone, will I have access to paid apps? Do I pay for them with my google account somehow?
3- Will rooting my N1 screw up my ability to call folks?
4- Is there any reason to root a froyo N1? (I've been told Cyanogen's mod of 2.1 was a billion times better than the default one, but I don't think there's a 2.2 build)
Again, Sorry if these were answered somewhere else. In that case, please link me and I'll be quiet
Edit - Ugh, there's a Q&A subforum. Way to go, me.
1. Yes, I'm sure you can, but maybe not yet with the method that doesn't unlock the bootloader.
2. Yes, with MarketEnabler. You pay with a Google Checkout account.
3. No.
4. When CyanogenMod 6 comes out, for sure. Right now I have CM5.08 (2.1) and Froyo FRF83 on my N1 and I prefer Froyo to be honest. But CM6 will have 720P recording and other cool stuff.
arkain123 said:
First post!
Hi guys, I'm making this thread after fiddling around with the search for a while because I don't know exactly what to search for to get the answers to the questions I need answered. If anyone could link me to a thread containing these answers, I'd be eternally grateful. Please don't be mad, I'm sure the regulars have answered these a thousand times.
I live in Brazil and got my N1 through an american friend.
1- Can I root a N1 running Froyo (FRF91)?
2- If I root my phone, will I have access to paid apps? Do I pay for them with my google account somehow?
3- Will rooting my N1 screw up my ability to call folks?
4- Is there any reason to root a froyo N1? (I've been told Cyanogen's mod of 2.1 was a billion times better than the default one, but I don't think there's a 2.2 build)
Again, Sorry if these were answered somewhere else. In that case, please link me and I'll be quiet
Edit - Ugh, there's a Q&A subforum. Way to go, me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. you can but you may have to downgrade your rom using the PASSIMG.zip method
2. Yes, you can use google checkout
3. No
4. You can theme your phone, flash custom roms, block ads on your phone, use root enabled apps, etc
some good questions and answers here! gonna bookmark this
Thank you so much, guys.
flybyme said:
1. you can but you may have to downgrade your rom using the PASSIMG.zip method
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can this method above be used without having having to cut the battery with a razerblade?
I want to root but without unlock bootloader to keep warranty intact.
Bjur said:
Can this method above be used without having having to cut the battery with a razerblade?
I want to root but without unlock bootloader to keep warranty intact.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well imo cutting that small tab on the battery is very easy to do and in no way affects vital battery operation. its just a separate piece of plastic.
however, some members have managed to force their sdcard in without cutting the tab, but that may cause more damage than cutting the battery if something goes wrong.
you can also either get a spare battery that doesnt have the tab or a class 6 transcend 4gb microsd.
there arent to many viable options im afraid, but the piece you cut off the battery is not really even a part of the battery. i think its just there to ensure the sd remains secure during operation
Okay thanks for the elaborating answer. I have been considering root for a long time, but the thing that will make me root right away was if FM was working, and perhaps 720p, but with the new Froyo I haven't seen arguments that should make me use costum rom yet, but if there's someone that can tell me otherwise, I would like to know
I hv been thinking about rooting for long time as well.
Currently I m on FRF91 stock, I hv read the posts in dev section and it seems the only way now is to downgrade first then upgrade afterwards. And there are so many different combination of kernels, tools, etc. which bloated my head. And in different tutorials I read ppl facing different issues. Cutting the plastic part of the battery is another obstacle (for my mind) to overcome. In some tutorials, however, I don't see this particular step as necessary, e.g.:
forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=710351
So for now, I will keep reading and probably wait for a new tutorial for rooting stock frf91 without touching the bootlocker, and without issues...
lou2s said:
I hv been thinking about rooting for long time as well.
Currently I m on FRF91 stock, I hv read the posts in dev section and it seems the only way now is to downgrade first then upgrade afterwards. And there are so many different combination of kernels, tools, etc. which bloated my head. And in different tutorials I read ppl facing different issues. Cutting the plastic part of the battery is another obstacle (for my mind) to overcome. In some tutorials, however, I don't see this particular step as necessary, e.g.:
forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=710351
So for now, I will keep reading and probably wait for a new tutorial for rooting stock frf91 without touching the bootlocker, and without issues...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well you can avoid cutting the battery if you can see your phone through ADB while in recovery. That is the most difficult part of the whole process. The rest of it is easy and takes less than 2 minutes.
If your phone shows up in adb while in recovery, your pretty much good to go. As for rooting, you really dont need to mess with any kernels or roms. You can stay stock and rooted. Thats what ive done (though i plan on moving to other roms soon enough)
The workarounds and problems for the root method without unlocking bootloader all stem from seeing your phone in recovery and the SD is what plays the major role. All other problems are because of circumstances of people not following directions or flukes.
So according to the sticky: forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=710842
The very 1st step is:
- Extract the files within "ROOT_FRF83.zip" into the "tools" directory of the extracted SDK package
While I m already on FRF91, this sounds like I m going to push something older to my phone. Am I correct?
(I stay in this thread for a reason, I m a noob in rooting )
Thanks!
well, i updated a stock european rom (EPF30)
unlocked the bootloader and was rooted. Glad
after downgrading to firmware ERD79 still rootacces
then i received by OTA build FRF91
installed without problems.
butt, no rootacces now.
searched for a working superboot for FRF91. No succes at the moment
For me it is not clear how to get full acces. ?
flybyme said:
well imo cutting that small tab on the battery is very easy to do and in no way affects vital battery operation. its just a separate piece of plastic.
however, some members have managed to force their sdcard in without cutting the tab, but that may cause more damage than cutting the battery if something goes wrong.
you can also either get a spare battery that doesnt have the tab or a class 6 transcend 4gb microsd.
there arent to many viable options im afraid, but the piece you cut off the battery is not really even a part of the battery. i think its just there to ensure the sd remains secure during operation
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I cut my battery to root my phone, and the amount you have to remove is really negligible. I don't think it even makes a difference to the security of fit of the SD card. I can get the card in, but I can't get it out with the battery in
lou2s said:
So according to the sticky: forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=710842
The very 1st step is:
- Extract the files within "ROOT_FRF83.zip" into the "tools" directory of the extracted SDK package
While I m already on FRF91, this sounds like I m going to push something older to my phone. Am I correct?
(I stay in this thread for a reason, I m a noob in rooting )
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As the requirements for that guide state, you must have an N1 at FRF85B or lower. It doesn't work on FRF91.
- Stuck on FRF91? Use THIS to downgrade to EPE76, then use my links to upgrade to FRF85B, FRF83, or FRF72 to complete the process.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

[Q] Multiple questions on the same subjects, Please forgive the noobness guys.

Is there a thread that shows the users marginal picks of the best combo's of mods, roms, hardware, and apps? I tried to search for it but didn't seem to find it.
(Please keep in mind most of the stuff I have found is dated from 2009 and CM6 was released yesterday)
Basically, I am interested in rooting my G1 and updating it to CM6.??? But the radio (danger/death.spk) scare has a hold of me. I want to make sure that I can go back to factory without problems. (In case I sell the phone)
What about running apps from SD? Is it effective on a 8GB class 2 card? And if so what are the advantages of it? (Speed increase, load times, ect.) Can this be done without flashing/rooting?
Is there a way to transfer files over bluetooth or Wi-Fi without having to root?
There are quite a few things other than this but, these are the most important that I can think of. And since I have never messed with rooting or ROMS I have no idea if it is even possible to install apps after flashing with a new ROM.
Once again, forgive me in my wonderment of noobness! I am another droid that has seen the fading light of win-mo and has crossed over!
Thank you to all in advance for their help!
Ragewerx said:
Is there a thread that shows the users marginal picks of the best combo's of mods, roms, hardware, and apps? I tried to search for it but didn't seem to find it.
(Please keep in mind most of the stuff I have found is dated from 2009 and CM6 was released yesterday)
Basically, I am interested in rooting my G1 and updating it to CM6.??? But the radio (danger/death.spk) scare has a hold of me. I want to make sure that I can go back to factory without problems. (In case I sell the phone)
What about running apps from SD? Is it effective on a 8GB class 2 card? And if so what are the advantages of it? (Speed increase, load times, ect.) Can this be done without flashing/rooting?
Is there a way to transfer files over bluetooth or Wi-Fi without having to root?
There are quite a few things other than this but, these are the most important that I can think of. And since I have never messed with rooting or ROMS I have no idea if it is even possible to install apps after flashing with a new ROM.
Once again, forgive me in my wonderment of noobness! I am another droid that has seen the fading light of win-mo and has crossed over!
Thank you to all in advance for their help!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't believe there is a thread of that nature.
You don't need the danger spl anymore. Do a search for firerat's mtd patch and that will work for you. As long as you read and do follow the instructions there is no fear involved even with danger spl. Just dont make a mistake. You can always go back with the dreaming.nbh file. Always a way to unroot. You will want to get amonra 1.7.0 for recovery. And for your sake nandroid.
If you're not running out of internal memory i dont believe there is a real advantage to using a2sd but the new roms have a new method implemented. I dont think you can use a2sd with stock.
Do a search for blue tooth file transfer in the market. Don't believe you need root access to use it.
You can always install apps after rooting and flashing a custom rom. You will still have market and everything. Just makes your phone better/faster. Just keep reading and you will find a huge amount of info here in these threads.
Good luck.
Firerats mtd hack can fake your spl for you. So you don't have to worry about flashing danger spl and bricking. Its just what all of us old guys run. Because when we first started. There wasn't any other way for us. So read up on rooting and firerats hack and you should be good. No need for 1.33.2005 death anymore.
sent from my superfroyo dream

Bricked in 48 hours...

Well, long story short, had it 2 days and hard bricked it. Here's the question though. Im getting a new one in an hour or two, and I'm looking for the absolute idiot proof version of rooting and getting a rom and kernel on the phone. I had a samsung moment, and I never had any issues with any of the flashing or anything on that. I have read probably 200 different post on rooting and 3e recoveries and roms and whatnot. Can someone suggest a decent set-up, maybe a 2.3 rom, and a recovery that works well together. I do not tether, and i dont really need to overclock it (maybe later). I just want to be able to have my phone run smooth, be able to install non market apps and have everything work well together...
thanks in advance!
There is nothing we can really say that hasn't been said already in those 200 other posts you mentioned.
make sure your computer / usb cable works properly first. then just follow the steps exactly described and you should be fine.
redneck.nerd said:
Well, long story short, had it 2 days and hard bricked it. Here's the question though. Im getting a new one in an hour or two, and I'm looking for the absolute idiot proof version of rooting and getting a rom and kernel on the phone. I had a samsung moment, and I never had any issues with any of the flashing or anything on that. I have read probably 200 different post on rooting and 3e recoveries and roms and whatnot. Can someone suggest a decent set-up, maybe a 2.3 rom, and a recovery that works well together. I do not tether, and i dont really need to overclock it (maybe later). I just want to be able to have my phone run smooth, be able to install non market apps and have everything work well together...
thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you sure it was a hard brick? This is somewhat of a "learn as you go" kind of thing. The devs on here post excellent instructions on what to do to get there Rom on your device. I would suggest MikeyMike's 2.3.3 JVB Rom or my personal choice of Cezar's Continuum 2.3.3 Rom with JVH Talon Kernel. These have a slight risk because of the "bootloaders" you will need to get on your phone, but I had no trouble and would do it again in a heart beat.
Take your time reading the instructions in the Rom you choice to go with, then read it again. Then go through the post to see what others had problems with, because 9 times out of 10, someone has posted the question multiple times.
Don't be afraid to ask questions, you will see others posts and get to know who actually helps, who is a douche and should be avoided. This is an excellent community of people who love to mess with things and have fun doing it.
I know I did not address the question with a tutorial on how to do this step by step...because it has been done
Best of luck, and if I can help...shoot me a message.
If all you want is a smooth running phone where everything works, flash Andromeda 3.0 on it and forget about JVB, CM7 or anything with bootloaders.
@ TigerEnigma: Yes im sure it was a hard brick. I've been modding android phones since donut and this was a definite brick. I was able to get into download mode one time, and after that nada. No recovery no, download, no boot of any sort. The guys at the "Shack" didnt even question my story so no big deal.
Thanks for all the help guys. This is the first phone I have had issues with. My last phone was the moment, which is probably one of the easiest phones to mod so going from that to this was a little bit of a shock. Im going to peruse the forum some more, before making any final decisions. i may try this stuff tonight so hopefully all goes well...
thanks again guys
Make a jig also. I made a jig that saved me and the guy i work with. Also if you are looking for a 2.3 rom then do go with a JVH build and not JVB.

[Q] Totally confused about kernel/ROM/lagfix

I have been trying to find answers for a week now and have found a lot of info. The problem is most of the info is contradictory and I'm not really sure which is good and which is not. I currently have an AT&T Samsung Captivate, firmware ver 2.2, kernel ver. 2.6.32.9 build# FROYO.UCKB1. I believe that is the stock At&t froyo build. It is rooted, I do have SGS tools (which I don't really understand what all it can do for me) and Titanium backup (which I've not tried to use yet for fear of breaking my phone). I run 91PandaHome and a bunch of apps I like.
My problem is that the phone sometimes is just really sluggish, certain programs really kill it. For example, I have PlantVsZombies which mostly runs ok, but sometimes slows down and worse 3 out of 5 times I play will not close. I have to power/volume up reboot to get out of the game. Other programs occasionally do this to me, but not as often.
I've been reading up and see that there are lagfixes, and understand that samsung apparently chose a ****ty file system, but I don't understand android well enough to know what's safe. What I want to know is what is as of today the safest, easiest way to fix the lag. I think I am going to be told something that changes the file system to ext4 is what I want, but I really don't understand what will be safe to use for that. I thought I wanted OneClickLagFix, then I found that maybe Voodoo was what I wanted, and now it seems that neither is currently being developed. Reliability, ease of transition and ease of putting it back to stock are important factors for me.
Suggestions, links and general help will be greatly appreciated.
Try going to a custom rom where all of that is done for you. Since you are new to this, I suggest you go look up the rom Serendipity 6.4, it's very easy to install and has it's own thread in the development section.
fianor said:
I have been trying to find answers for a week now and have found a lot of info. The problem is most of the info is contradictory and I'm not really sure which is good and which is not. I currently have an AT&T Samsung Captivate, firmware ver 2.2, kernel ver. 2.6.32.9 build# FROYO.UCKB1. I believe that is the stock At&t froyo build. It is rooted, I do have SGS tools (which I don't really understand what all it can do for me) and Titanium backup (which I've not tried to use yet for fear of breaking my phone). I run 91PandaHome and a bunch of apps I like.
My problem is that the phone sometimes is just really sluggish, certain programs really kill it. For example, I have PlantVsZombies which mostly runs ok, but sometimes slows down and worse 3 out of 5 times I play will not close. I have to power/volume up reboot to get out of the game. Other programs occasionally do this to me, but not as often.
I've been reading up and see that there are lagfixes, and understand that samsung apparently chose a ****ty file system, but I don't understand android well enough to know what's safe. What I want to know is what is as of today the safest, easiest way to fix the lag. I think I am going to be told something that changes the file system to ext4 is what I want, but I really don't understand what will be safe to use for that. I thought I wanted OneClickLagFix, then I found that maybe Voodoo was what I wanted, and now it seems that neither is currently being developed. Reliability, ease of transition and ease of putting it back to stock are important factors for me.
Suggestions, links and general help will be greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just a few quick things:
Titanium backup is a good friend to have on your phone. It won't break it - it will just take snapshots (for lack of a better phrase) of your apps so that you can restore them later if you need to.
Most lagfixes are cooked into kernels, so using lagfix will most likely go hand-in-hand with flashing to a custom rom. Not that you can't lagfix stock, but statistically speaking, lagfix will be done with a new kernel via the Clockworkmod Recovery Menu.
As for general fixing of lagginess... (READ UP FIRST) Flash a custom Rom (READ MORE). Most of the problems you're experiencing (ARE YOU READING UP ON FLASHING?) should be fixed by flashing (DO MORE READING) a custom rom. Do some research on roms and pick one that you think you'll like. (Note - don't post questions asking which one to do, it tends to be a bit of a touchy subject on the forum.) If you're wanting to be cautious, it would be safer to stay with a Froyo-based rom, as they're more tested and there's less danger involved (specifically, you don't have to flash bootloaders, which is the area where you can get a real brick).
Oh, and (shameless self plug) if you need to know what different terminology and items on the forum mean, just click the link in my signature.
jmtheiss said:
Just a few quick things:
Titanium backup is a good friend to have on your phone. It won't break it -
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually, it CAN break your phone if you don't know how to use it. Backing up is safe, but never, ever restore system data with TiBu when changing ROMs and only restore app data you know is safe.
I would recommend staying away from any Gingerbread-based ROMs until you have a better understanding of the phone and the process. Andromeda 3 is a good choice for a Froyo-based ROM and is very easy to flash, but do your research on the process before you attempt it. Almost any custom ROM will have a lagfix in the kernel and performance will be noticeably better than stock. You will likely have to redo your root after installing a new ROM, so read up on that process, too.
jmtheiss said:
As for general fixing of lagginess... (READ UP FIRST) Flash a custom Rom (READ MORE). Most of the problems you're experiencing (ARE YOU READING UP ON FLASHING?) should be fixed by flashing (DO MORE READING) a custom rom.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I lol'd at the "()" parts
To build on jmtheiss post. For "reliability" look for a KB1 based ROM as this is what your phone is currently running, and is the newest version of firmware written specifically for the AT&T captivate. You won't come across any major issues that make the phone unusable, nor any "annoying" bugs. Then if your feeling more adventurous, and have gotten a solid understanding of the process of flashing ROMs, look to I9000 based 2.2.x ROMs, and lastly 2.3.x based ROMs.
For "ease of transition" start by getting the SGS Kernel Flasher or Heimdall to change the kernel. From there you can get past 3e recovery and you'll be free to make other changes.
For "ease of putting it back to stock" first find out what is your stock. Since this phone technically has 3 different "stock" firmwares. Then get a copy of that firmware (and steps on how to flash it) and keep it on your computer, in a location you'll be able to find easily in case of problems. Depending on how far "to the dark side" you go, will effect just how much of the "stock" files you'll need to keep as backups.
Personally I'd suggest this ROM as it's whats currently on my phone. Many have started off with Cognition and it's still a crowd fav. Both are KB1 based ROMs

[Q] Alltel Hero Root Questions

Hi, all. My issue is pretty specific to another thread in your forums, so I feel odd about "getting" my own thread just for it, but I tried to post in the relevant thread, and I was asked to post in Q&A instead, so here goes...
I have an Alltel CDMA HTC Hero running stock, never rooted, with the following:
2.42.01.04.23 Baseband
2.33.556.1 Build/Software
I'm not too wary of trying, for example, z4root just for that purpose, but I admit that I'm basically terrified of the whole flashing procedure. My ultimate goal is to get to CyanogenMod, and also store apps on my SD Card. I came across the "RegawMOD Hero Rooter v1.3" in the forums here, and it looks like exactly what I want--nice and automated. My worry is that it says "Successful in rooting all builds up to 2.31.651.7." I'm also wary of the downgrade to 2.xx procedure, mostly due to the Sprint vs. Alltel issue. I've jailbroken an iPod Touch dozens of times (brought it back from the brink of what looked like death several of those times), but this being my phone, I'm a great deal more paranoid, but still determined to give it a go.
Anyway...I don't really have a precise question. I mostly want to know if I'm out of luck with the 2.33 Build + Alltel issue. I'd be hugely appreciative if anyone could give some detailed advice on which Root tool to use, or specifically if the RegawMOD Hero Rooter v1.3 would work with my device as is. If not, I'd be very grateful for really specific, n00b-friendly instructions for downgrading as needed. I have searched and looked at all threads I could find that were related, and checked each page of the aforementioned app's thread, but could not find what I needed. I've also looked at all of the "major one-click" root tools, including heroroot010.apk. Thanks so much!

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