Database Develop

[Q] Help with root and custom ROM.

Hello guys,
I've been looking around hier for a while, and I spotted a Custom ROM that I'd like to try, it's this one: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1424260
I've never rooted my phone before so I don't have experience with it.
I found a couple of threads that can help me but, I don't know in wich order I have to follow them.
First of all, I'd like to make a complete back-up of my current ROM, so in case something goes wrong, I can restore it. How do I do this? I read something about ClockWorkMod and a nandroid back-up, can somebody clear this out?
I have an unrooted HTC Incredible S with S-ON. So first, I think that I have to get S-OFF? I found a tutorial with the Revolutionary tool, but it doesn't support my HBoot, so I think that's not an option?
So then, I found this tutorial: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1337105
The tutorial is easy to follow, but can I create a full back-up before I start the tutorial?
And to get S-OFF, do I need a rooted device?
I hope somebody can help me. If you need more information, just ask.
Here is some information about my device:
- Android 2.3.5
- HTC Sense 3.0
- S-ON
- Not rooted
- HBoot 2.00.0000
- No SIM-lock
If more information is needed, please ask.

Unfortunately having your current h-boot the method available to you to root and install custom ROMs does not let you back up your phone prior to flashing. As the method used is flashing a new ROM that allows root access to your phone. Prior H-boots (1.13.0000) allowed you to root your phone without flashing a custom ROM thus unlocking boot loader to be flashed CWM as a custom recovery and allowing you to create a nandroid backup of your current state before flashing a new rom. However[/] the process you are going to need to complete might contain a back-up function included in the flashing process, I don't know for sure as I flashed from 1.13.0000, but it doesn't really matter as your going to have to complete the process anyways. I say just go for it and follow the instructions to the "T". If you follow everything properly and take your time you shouldn't encounter any problems.

In the tutorial I posted, step 10 is
10. Using volume up/down and power to select, go down to Backup/Restore. Select it, then hit Backup. ClockWorkMod will backup your stock ROM in case there are any dramas and you want to go back to it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Will this create a complete back-up? So when I restore it, will everything be back the way it is right now?

MrSenne said:
In the tutorial I posted, step 10 is
Will this create a complete back-up? So when I restore it, will everything be back the way it is right now?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly. Stay safe.

So if I just follow that tutorial, I will have a Custom ROM with root? And do I still have to get S-OFF?

You don't need to go S-OFF to flash a custom rom. There is actually no need whatsoever to go S-OFF, unless you want to go and flashing other radios. But the lastest sense 3.0 and android 2.3.5 update included the lastest radio, so keep S-ON. Better for warranty.
First go to htcdev.com and follow the instructions to unlock bootloader. BE AWARE THAT THIS WILL WIPE YOUR PHONE TO FACTORY DEFAULTS for security reasons, sdcard remains untouched.
After bootloader unlocked you can flash the clockwork recovery (you're still S-ON). Once you flashed that you can go into recovery with volumebutton down and power on. Take a backup with clockwork (=nandroid = full image of the phone in its current state) of your original rom and start flashing custom ones.
They're is probably a time where you gonna think you bricked your phone, I have. But I always got through it by searching the forum. Always, in any circomstance, manually push the boot.img of the associated rom from a PC to your phone. So never flash a ROM from your sdcard if you don't have a PC in hand. Otherwise it will probably not boot or get hardware not working (not broken in anyway, just not properly loaded).
Before changing roms, I always do the ARHD wipe script. Just to be sure every trace of the previous rom is gone. There are multiple partitions on your phone (system, data, boot). It wipes all of them to start clean.
The ROMs you are going to flash are rooted by default.
So now, of you go and be a ICS beta tester

Thanks fot the explenation.
But, because I can't root my phone because it's HBoot 2.00.0000; I can't make a back-up of it? Not even with Titanium Back-up.
Is there any way I can back-up my app's? So I don't lose all the saved data in the app's?

MrSenne said:
Thanks fot the explenation.
But, because I can't root my phone because it's HBoot 2.00.0000; I can't make a back-up of it? Not even with Titanium Back-up.
Is there any way I can back-up my app's? So I don't lose all the saved data in the app's?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As far as I know the answer is "no".
You need clockwork for a nandroidbackup, you need bootloader unlocked for clockwork, unlocking bootloader wipes your phone.
I accidently wipe mine with the unlocking of the bootloader. It seems harder than it is to start over. Just link contacts and calendar with gmail, backup sms on sdcard in messaging. That's all you need. Starting over is good to get the crappy apps gone

Hmm, okay, then I'll have to do it without making a back-up.
And is there an easy way to switch between ROM's? Without using a computer.

MrSenne said:
And is there an easy way to switch between ROM's? Without using a computer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is very easy to change roms. They are stored in zip-format on your sdcard which you can browse to with clockwork. Also the nandroidbackups are stored on your sdcard and can also be chosen with clockwork.
Experience tells me that you still need to flash the boot.img of the rom manually after you flashed the rom (something to do with clockwork not able to write in boot partition while in recovery-mode, you have to be in fastboot-mode). Flashing the boot.img litterly takes 2 secs to upload, done, and reboot.
So it is no big deal to swich:
- boot in recovery
- browse to the desired rom/backup
- start and wait 5 mins
- boot in fastboot
- connect to pc and flash boot.img
- wait 2 secs and reboot
Do not flash when you need the phone and there is no pc around. If it goes wrong, you need your usb pc to fix things.

I heard something about Rommanager, can I use this and what does it do excactly?

MrSenne said:
I heard something about Rommanager, can I use this and what does it do excactly?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ROM Manager is an app that works with ClockworkMod recovery to keep it up to date and allows you to make and manage CWM nandroid backups and manage partitions on your SD card. The paid version also allows you to download custom ROMs and flash them.
It requires root access in order to run.

But it's not a necessary application?

MrSenne said:
But it's not a necessary application?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, not really.

Ok, propably I'll try it this evening.

Thanks for everything who helped me, I followed the tutorial and everything is working fine.

[Q] Restoring Root from restoring rom via CWM

Hey,
I've looked around and cannot seem to get a straight answer about this. So I'll keep this short
My question being: If I have lost root is it safe/recommended to gain root again by restoring a NANDroid backup (with root) or by flashing a new ROM (with root) as long as I can get into CWM (even without root)?
Thanks in advance!

You say you have lost root. I assume you're on one of the ICS roms?

Without root how you can restore nandroid backup?
CWM won't work without root.

correct
chasmodo said:
You say you have lost root. I assume you're on one of the ICS roms?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes I am on an ICS rom (MidNoteV2.0). It says that I have root, then to go do a NANDroid backup, I have to flash the abyss kernel, reboot into that recovery, make the NANDroid backup, then flash CF-LP1 kernel.
Problem is that when I reboot now, I no longer have root privileges, but I can still reboot into CWM recovery.
Without root how you can restore nandroid backup?
CWM won't work without root.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And yes I can still get into CWM and restore backups, or flash new .zip s even when it says I have lost root
Is it possible that I may have lost a more superficial part of root, where apps are not allowed to gain super user permissions, but the core functions enabled by root are still available?

Ranafram said:
Is it possible that I may have lost a more superficial part of root, where apps are not allowed to gain super user permissions, but the core functions enabled by root are still available?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What you've got right now is partial root, and that's the plague of all early ICS Roms. You can forget about making useful nandroid backups. Restore brings back partially rooted Roms no good to anyone.
The only way to gain full root again would be to do it all over again, which means
rooted GB Rom
Chinese Repack through Mobile Odin
Desired ICS custom Rom (with wipes where the dev says).
And there is no other way to make sure you're properly rooted.
I've done it 3 times already.

chasmodo said:
What you've got right now is partial root, and that's the plague of all early ICS Roms. You can forget about making useful nandroid backups. Restore brings back partially rooted Roms no good to anyone.
The only way to gain full root again would be to do it all over again, which means
rooted GB Rom
Chinese Repack through Mobile Odin
Desired ICS custom Rom (with wipes where the dev says).
And there is no other way to make sure you're properly rooted.
I've done it 3 times already.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea it sucks :/ but I've just been reflashing the original ICS ROM I was using. And haven't encountered too many issues so far.
When you say root GB rom then Chinese repack then install ICS ROM, you mean first flash back a GB rooted rom and kernel, then flash a Chinese kernel, then it's rom?
Initially I actually just rooted my GB stock rom, then immediately jumped to a ICS ROM that included the new kernel. And I didn't end up using Odin once, I somehow mnaged it all through CWM.
Sent from my GT-N7000 using xda premium

[Q] CWM question

Hi. I wanna ask about the CWM.
Let say i now backup the 4.1root (/stock), then i :
1) flash/update to 4.3 166 stock, can i recover it back to 4.1 if i dont want to use 4.3?
2) flash to any ROM, can i recover it back to the backup i did?
my question is simple, just if i update, can i recover it back to the old firmware or not.
thx

terryforever said:
Hi. I wanna ask about the CWM.
Let say i now backup the 4.1root (/stock), then i :
1) flash/update to 4.3 166 stock, can i recover it back to 4.1 if i dont want to use 4.3?
2) flash to any ROM, can i recover it back to the backup i did?
my question is simple, just if i update, can i recover it back to the old firmware or not.
thx
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not sure how you did your backup or how reliable it is, and I am not sure that backups can delete your 4.3 existing cache, etc (leading you to a hybrid hung system)...others more experience may chip in.
In my case, I backup appz and data (only) using titanium.
I updated to 4.3 or customised ROMs. Didn't like them and downgraded it back to 4.1 and re-rooted each time (as long as you have the full original 4.1 FTF file). Then restore my apps...
There are a couple of tutorials on "downgrading"...
Edit - found a link on 'downgrading': http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2658952

Custom rom question

I have been reading in several threads and I think I understand this correctly but I wanted to verify it. I have safe strap installed. I am on a 4.3 rom and the custom rom I want to install is also 4.3. I would like to make the custom rom my primary rom and get rid of the partition limitations. In order to do this I can wipe the stock rom slot and install it there, correct? If I make a nandroid back up of the original rom before I wipe it, I should be able to just restore that rom if I wanted to later, correct?

ElAguila said:
I have been reading in several threads and I think I understand this correctly but I wanted to verify it. I have safe strap installed. I am on a 4.3 rom and the custom rom I want to install is also 4.3. I would like to make the custom rom my primary rom and get rid of the partition limitations. In order to do this I can wipe the stock rom slot and install it there, correct? If I make a nandroid back up of the original rom before I wipe it, I should be able to just restore that rom if I wanted to later, correct?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can't NANDROID anything yet, but you can always try it and just use the MJ5 restore method if all else fails. I would go ahead and download all the files there first just in case crap happens (then you won't have to wait an hour to download it)

So basically only backup the data with twrp since the rest won't restore and then if it craps out do the mj5 restore then restore my data with twrp. Is this the restore method you are referring to?
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2619005

[Q] Is it a good idea to flash a rom on a "somewhat" rooted phone?

Hi, I'm running Benny's 4.3 (build number 3.04.651.2) Deodexed (because i do not see any .odex files in the system folder, right?) and I want to flash the update which keeps popping up in the notifications every 24 hours after clearing app data.
I tried doing the OTA update but my phone goes into TWRP. My biggest concern is flashing the stock rooted update because my phone really isn't rooted. I have SuperSu on the phone and sometimes I get "SuperSu has been granted permission" or something like that but Root Checker app says the phone does not have proper root access. I don't really know what is going on because I took my phone to a repair center to get it unlocked shortly after i got the official OTA 4.3 update. I read that you need to downgrade to 4.1 and then unlock the phone through SimUnlockHelper apk. When I got my phone back everything was working as it should and my phone is indeed unlocked.
My biggest concern is flashing a stock rooted rom because of the fact that my phone does not have proper root access. Would you recommend doing this and are there any precautions I should be aware of because I had nothing to do with rooting or tweaking android before since this is my first phone that runs android officially.
Thanks!

Andza195 said:
Hi, I'm running Benny's 4.3 (build number 3.04.651.2) Deodexed (because i do not see any .odex files in the system folder, right?) and I want to flash the update which keeps popping up in the notifications every 24 hours after clearing app data.
I tried doing the OTA update but my phone goes into TWRP. My biggest concern is flashing the stock rooted update because my phone really isn't rooted. I have SuperSu on the phone and sometimes I get "SuperSu has been granted permission" or something like that but Root Checker app says the phone does not have proper root access. I don't really know what is going on because I took my phone to a repair center to get it unlocked shortly after i got the official OTA 4.3 update. I read that you need to downgrade to 4.1 and then unlock the phone through SimUnlockHelper apk. When I got my phone back everything was working as it should and my phone is indeed unlocked.
My biggest concern is flashing a stock rooted rom because of the fact that my phone does not have proper root access. Would you recommend doing this and are there any precautions I should be aware of because I had nothing to do with rooting or tweaking android before since this is my first phone that runs android officially.
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
use the backup feature in twrp to make a nandroid and flash a stock rooted 4.3 rom. if it doesn't work restore your backup. if u need any info the sticky thread at the top of this section by bd19 will really help. read thoroughly. fyi you cannot ota with a custom recovery (twrp) you need stock recovery.

jblaze10 said:
use the backup feature in twrp to make a nandroid and flash a stock rooted 4.3 rom. if it doesn't work restore your backup. if u need any info the sticky thread at the top of this section by bd19 will really help. read thoroughly. fyi you cannot ota with a custom recovery (twrp) you need stock recovery.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
^This is the safest option @Andza195
BTW, imo, it should work, but just backup just in case. Also, if something doesn't work, the real best method is just to download the newest version of the ROM, back (everything that's important to you) up, wipe everything in TWRP except Internal Storage (because this is where the flashable .zip is at!) and flash the ROM fresh.

jblaze10 said:
use the backup feature in twrp to make a nandroid and flash a stock rooted 4.3 rom. if it doesn't work restore your backup. if u need any info the sticky thread at the top of this section by bd19 will really help. read thoroughly. fyi you cannot ota with a custom recovery (twrp) you need stock recovery.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Okay, thanks!

StormyNight said:
^This is the safest option @Andza195
BTW, imo, it should work, but just backup just in case. Also, if something doesn't work, the real best method is just to download the newest version of the ROM, back (everything that's important to you) up, wipe everything in TWRP except Internal Storage (because this is where the flashable .zip is at!) and flash the ROM fresh.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just flashed the stock rooted kitkat rom and everything is working as it was before, thank you all for your help!