Database Develop

[Q]UnRooted my N1, Now what?

What's next? aside from installing ROMS?

If you UN-rooted it, then you're stock.
if you ROOTED it, you can run programs that require root access.

If you are going to explore the custom rom options you will probably want a copy of Rom Manager. This wonderful app will enable you to flash a custom recovery, manage Nandroid backups and flash roms.
In the spirit of prevention being better than a bricked phone... MAKE SURE YOU DO A NANDROID BACKUP BEFORE FLASHING A CUSTOM ROM!! ('Backup Current ROM') from within Rom Manager.

yes for sure the first thing you should do is install ROM manager, let it flash clockwork recovery if necessary, then download a ROM and i highly suggest you try cyanogen 6.1 first. feel that out for a week or so, then go from there.
and do a nand backup first! ROM manager will do the backup for you.

Backing up stock ROM before flashing a new ROM

Backing up stock ROM before flashing a new ROM... is this possible? If yes, how should I go about it?

Yes... Possible..
Install CWM-reboot in cwm-choose backup.
It will take backup of current rom(stock if u r using)

This is not a guaranteed procedure to backup the stock ROM for *all* situations. Once you install a new ROM, the stock kernel may also get overwritten.
If you were to go back and restore the Nandroid backup of your stock ROM, it may not work because the kernel may not be the same as before.
So my question still remains open.... How to backup (or extract) the stock ROM from your phone (as a precaution) before you install a new ROM?

[Q] Questions before flashing custom ROM

I am planning to flash a custom rom on my phone (for the first time).
Model : Xperia SP(C5302)
Build : 12.1.A.1.205 (Stock) running JB 4.3 with LB
I have rooted my phone using the towelroot method and installed supersu. I have also installed custom recovery from here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2649923
I am planning to flash this custom rom http://forum.xda-developers.com/xperia-sp/development/cyanogenmod-11-locked-bootloader-users-t2868398
So I have a few questions that I am not clear about(even after searching the forums). And sorry if they are dumb. I really want to understand as much as possible before flashing roms.:fingers-crossed:
1. After reading the thread of my recovery, from what I understand, the recoveries are installed in /system. But on OP of the custom rom, I am about to install, there is an instruction to format /system before flashing the rom. So my question is if I format the /system partition, won’t my recoveries be removed (by the recoveries itself) before I even flash the rom?
2. Also will the recovery still be available to me if say I enter bootloop for some reason during flashing the rom?(asking for the same reason as above that is wiping my /system should also remove my recoveries)
3. Does CM 11 come with any inbuilt custom recovery? If not can I install the one I am already using (assuming installing a custom rom will remove my installed recoveries)?
4. Say I screw up during the flashing procedure. So if I want to rectify this I should first flash the stock .205 ftf, root, install a recovery again and then restore using the nandroid backup. Am I correct?
5. Is it necessary to wipe cache and dalvik cache before flashing rom? I see this instruction in some roms but not in others. And dalvik should be wiped after flashing rom and gapps, right?
6. Should I install supersu again after I flash the rom. I read in an article that it causes problems with CM. As far as I know CM11 comes pre-installed with superuser. But it also supposedly causes some problems.
7. Is it safe to restore user app+data, messages and contacts backed up using Titanium backup on a newly flashed rom? I have seen conflicted views on this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And that’s it for my questions (for now at least... ).
A Big Thanks in advance for all your helpful answers

Prat92 said:
I am planning to flash a custom rom on my phone (for the first time).
Model : Xperia SP(C5302)
Build : 12.1.A.1.205 (Stock) running JB 4.3 with LB
I have rooted my phone using the towelroot method and installed supersu. I have also installed custom recovery from here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2649923
I am planning to flash this custom rom http://forum.xda-developers.com/xperia-sp/development/cyanogenmod-11-locked-bootloader-users-t2868398
So I have a few questions that I am not clear about(even after searching the forums). And sorry if they are dumb. I really want to understand as much as possible before flashing roms.:fingers-crossed:
And that’s it for my questions (for now at least... ).
A Big Thanks in advance for all your helpful answers
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
First of all, I am only explaining the one I know about
1. Well, wiping the system will remove the recovery. That's why you'll have to flash the ROM after wiping the system. Do not ever reboot the phone after wiping the system but haven't yet flashed the ROM zip, else you'll have to do more work to flash the Stock ROM. This is due to the fact your phone does not have an OS to boot into! When flashing the ROM zip, the recovery will be automatically installed.
2. This is based on luck, most of time you'll end up unable to boot into anything. A fix is to flash the Stock ROM again.
3. Every ROM has recovery built with it (unless stated otherwise in the thread)! Upon flashing, it will be automatically installed too.
4. The methods you mentioned is correct. However, only restore the nandroid backup if you want to stay on stock. You could always retry to flash the ROM again. Nandroid backup is an image backup of your android. If you restore your nandroid backup, you'll end up with your previous version of android (like the way before you started flashing the ROM)
5. Wiping /cache and dalvik-cache is a really good practise! It doesn't really matter when you will need to wipe them, but personally I wipe them all before flashing the ROM. Wiping /data and performing a factory reset through recovery is recommended if you're coming from a different ROM. That's why backing up user apps through TiB (Titanium Backup) is recommended for you to easily get your installed apps back. Remember, nandroid backup and apps backup from TiB is different to each other.
6. No, this might cause extreme conflicts. No, I am using SuperUser as long as I have used CM. It never fails to give root permission at all despite the hatred I sense in some apps that overly-recommends SuperSU.
7. Of course it is very safe to restore them backups with TiB. However, based on my experience, messages and contacts were unable to be restored due to the difference in ROM version. I don't know if anyone else faces the same problem as mine. As of this, I really recommend your contacts to be synced with Google.
Heads up!
Based on this post, the dev of the ROM you wanted to flash, MrSteve555, recommends PhilZ when flashing the ROM.

TechnoSparks said:
First of all, I am only explaining the one I know about
1. Well, wiping the system will remove the recovery. That's why you'll have to flash the ROM after wiping the system. Do not ever reboot the phone after wiping the system but haven't yet flashed the ROM zip, else you'll have to do more work to flash the Stock ROM. This is due to the fact your phone does not have an OS to boot into! When flashing the ROM zip, the recovery will be automatically installed.
2. This is based on luck, most of time you'll end up unable to boot into anything. A fix is to flash the Stock ROM again.
3. Every ROM has recovery built with it (unless stated otherwise in the thread)! Upon flashing, it will be automatically installed too.
4. The methods you mentioned is correct. However, only restore the nandroid backup if you want to stay on stock. You could always retry to flash the ROM again. Nandroid backup is an image backup of your android. If you restore your nandroid backup, you'll end up with your previous version of android (like the way before you started flashing the ROM)
5. Wiping /cache and dalvik-cache is a really good practise! It doesn't really matter when you will need to wipe them, but personally I wipe them all before flashing the ROM. Wiping /data and performing a factory reset through recovery is recommended if you're coming from a different ROM. That's why backing up user apps through TiB (Titanium Backup) is recommended for you to easily get your installed apps back. Remember, nandroid backup and apps backup from TiB is different to each other.
6. No, this might cause extreme conflicts. No, I am using SuperUser as long as I have used CM. It never fails to give root permission at all despite the hatred I sense in some apps that overly-recommends SuperSU.
7. Of course it is very safe to restore them backups with TiB. However, based on my experience, messages and contacts were unable to be restored due to the difference in ROM version. I don't know if anyone else faces the same problem as mine. As of this, I really recommend your contacts to be synced with Google.
Heads up!
Based on this post, the dev of the ROM you wanted to flash, MrSteve555, recommends PhilZ when flashing the ROM.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for such detailed answers. That cleared most of my doubts
Just some last few questions(promise!)
1. If wiping /system does remove the recovery before I install the rom, how is it possible to access it even to flash the rom? Shouldn't it like just close right when I wipe /system. Or does it not work like that?
2. Just to be sure the nandroid backup I made on my stock rom won't work if I later try to flash it through recovery while using CM,right?

Prat92 said:
Thanks for such detailed answers. That cleared most of my doubts
Just some last few questions(promise!)
1. If wiping /system does remove the recovery before I install the rom, how is it possible to access it even to flash the rom? Shouldn't it like just close right when I wipe /system. Or does it not work like that?
2. Just to be sure the nandroid backup I made on my stock rom won't work if I later try to flash it through recovery while using CM,right?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. Wiping system wont close the recovery at all. It still runs and you can still navigate within it. But remember do not reboot unless you've flashed the ROM! The mechanism of how the magic works is yet to be acknowledged. So I can't tell why it doesn't closes upon wipe. My best guess here is that the recovery might be running on a temporary partition perhaps. I hope a developer see this post and explains the magic.
2. Nandroid backup works all the time (if they are no errors when you are creating them). Nandroid backup is simply a backup of your whole device. If you're on CM, restoring nandroid backup will get your phone back to the way when you attempted the nandroid backup (stock ROM, rooted, and triple recoveries installed). Nandroid backup is useful when you're about to try something that may damage your ROM, without doing so much work to restore your device.
Say, you created a nandroid backup in cwm in which Cyanogenmod was installed. And then you flashed something afterwards. If that "something" damages the ROM and gives you bootloop, you can simply flash Stock ROM, root it again, install recoveries again, and restore the nandroid backup. Then, voilà, cyanogenmod is back. This will simplify your work rather than flash CM again, then gapps, then restore your apps and all those other things that will consume so much time
So a new nandroid backup will backup the whole device, in a form of an image.

[Q] Few questions about unlocking bootloaders

I'm really sorry if these questions have been posted before but I couldn't find them anywhere. I am rooted on an Xperia Z1 C6902 with a locked bootloader. I have read that unlocking bootloader wipes your phone as well as sd card. So, here are my questions:-
1)I made a TA backup as suggested but I want to know what it will do when I restore it, will it be like a factory reset or will I retain my apps, or something else?
2)I backed up my apps using free version of titanium backup and I've read that it stores the backup on sd card. So after unlocking bootloader, won't these backups be deleted as well?
3)Is there a way to transfer said titanium backup backups to my computer for easy restoration later?
4)I've also read that restoring titanium backup while on a different rom will cause problems. Does this mean I have to start over if I get an AOSP ROM or Cyanogenmod(I really want one of these)?
5)Can I just take the sd card out of the phone while unlocking bootloader so that it's not wiped? Then restore apps from titanium backup?
6)Will unlocking bootloader using flashtool install a custom recovery as well?
I understand these are noob questions but please help me out I'm really confused
Please answer with the corresponding question number please
Sorry for too many demands/questions
Thank you!

ggnoobteam said:
I'm really sorry if these questions have been posted before but I couldn't find them anywhere. I am rooted on an Xperia Z1 C6902 with a locked bootloader. I have read that unlocking bootloader wipes your phone as well as sd card. So, here are my questions:-
1)I made a TA backup as suggested but I want to know what it will do when I restore it, will it be like a factory reset or will I retain my apps, or something else?
2)I backed up my apps using free version of titanium backup and I've read that it stores the backup on sd card. So after unlocking bootloader, won't these backups be deleted as well?
3)Is there a way to transfer said titanium backup backups to my computer for easy restoration later?
4)I've also read that restoring titanium backup while on a different rom will cause problems. Does this mean I have to start over if I get an AOSP ROM or Cyanogenmod(I really want one of these)?
5)Can I just take the sd card out of the phone while unlocking bootloader so that it's not wiped? Then restore apps from titanium backup?
6)Will unlocking bootloader using flashtool install a custom recovery as well?
I understand these are noob questions but please help me out I'm really confused
Please answer with the corresponding question number please
Sorry for too many demands/questions
Thank you!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yep,BL unlocking does erase all your data!
1)when you restore the TA backup,your bootloader status goes back to locked,it will be like you never even touched the bootloader.But,the device wont boot up if you still have a custom kernel installed,so you have to flash back the stock kernel
2)I dont know about titanium backup
A better alternative is: Install XZDualRecovery(on locked bootloader) and make make a backup using your recovery of choice of /data(which contains all the apps/configurations/saved passwords blah...blah)onto the /sdcard.
Then unlock the bootloader and then restore the /data backup after.so everything including your apps and settings will be restored
5) as far as i know ,the sd card WON'T be wiped but you might as well take it out just to be safe
6)No,unlocking using flashtool will not install a recovery,the recovery is stored on the kernel(or not , if you flash a recovery image to the FOTAKernel Partition).

ggnoobteam said:
I'm really sorry if these questions have been posted before but I couldn't find them anywhere. I am rooted on an Xperia Z1 C6902 with a locked bootloader. I have read that unlocking bootloader wipes your phone as well as sd card. So, here are my questions:-
1)I made a TA backup as suggested but I want to know what it will do when I restore it, will it be like a factory reset or will I retain my apps, or something else?
2)I backed up my apps using free version of titanium backup and I've read that it stores the backup on sd card. So after unlocking bootloader, won't these backups be deleted as well?
3)Is there a way to transfer said titanium backup backups to my computer for easy restoration later?
4)I've also read that restoring titanium backup while on a different rom will cause problems. Does this mean I have to start over if I get an AOSP ROM or Cyanogenmod(I really want one of these)?
5)Can I just take the sd card out of the phone while unlocking bootloader so that it's not wiped? Then restore apps from titanium backup?
6)Will unlocking bootloader using flashtool install a custom recovery as well?
I understand these are noob questions but please help me out I'm really confused
Please answer with the corresponding question number please
Sorry for too many demands/questions
Thank you!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1) the TA backup returns the DRM keys to your default ( what you backed up) which means makes your phone untouched like its first day ( only about bootloader status,kernel,some DRMs like xreality and ... )
_____________________
2)the titanium backup , saves the backups in the folder TitaniumBackup placed in sdcard(internal storage). you can copy the entire folder in your pc or external storage to save it from deleting and put it back whenever you need it
sdcard/TitaniumBackup
_____________________
3) as i said in 2 yes. you can save the folder everywhere you want and replace it whenever you need your backups( u can also save just one or some of your backups if you want by saving the files in the folder)
_____________________
4)it depends on the app you are about to restore.. most of third party apps will not have any problem.even from device to device.. but the story is totally different for system apps
_____________________
5)yes you can do that..
_____________________
6)as i know,no.. it depends on your custom kernel...just flash a custom kernel and you will have the recovery:laugh:
and my friend! unlocking the bootloader it self, will not erase any of your data !! none of those! its a procedure that makes your phone able to accept and operate from a custem kernel instead of pre-installed kernel.. but if you change your ROM or flash a new ftf file(official roms from sony) , your internal and your personal data such as appdata,contact & ... will be erased . and you can select whether wipe the internal or not!(thats depends on your choice) and your ex-sdcard will be safe unless you select to format it!
and be very careful and good luck

Haha well I decided to go ahead and do it anyway
I got the apps and data back so nothing bad happened. I want to know how I can get clockworkmod on my device.
Android ROM manager says no official version of clockworkmod is supported for xperia z1. But then in a menu it also lists TWRP and clockworkmod as already installed on the system and asks if ROM manager can use those for its purposes. So that's why I asked if flashtool installs custom recovery as well.
Whenever I try to boot into recovery to make a backup, it boots normally instead. I hold down the volume up/down buttons and press them quickly on boot, the phone vibrates multiple times but no recovery mode, which leads me to believe there is no custom recovery installed, but ROM manager refuses to download clockworkmod and says there are two installed already! Neither of which can be accessed(if they even are on the system).
Sorry for this convoluted message
Any more help is greatly appreciated

ggnoobteam said:
Haha well I decided to go ahead and do it anyway
I got the apps and data back so nothing bad happened. I want to know how I can get clockworkmod on my device.
Android ROM manager says no official version of clockworkmod is supported for xperia z1. But then in a menu it also lists TWRP and clockworkmod as already installed on the system and asks if ROM manager can use those for its purposes. So that's why I asked if flashtool installs custom recovery as well.
Whenever I try to boot into recovery to make a backup, it boots normally instead. I hold down the volume up/down buttons and press them quickly on boot, the phone vibrates multiple times but no recovery mode, which leads me to believe there is no custom recovery installed, but ROM manager refuses to download clockworkmod and says there are two installed already! Neither of which can be accessed(if they even are on the system).
Sorry for this convoluted message
Any more help is greatly appreciated
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To get a recovery on your phone,You have to A) Flash A Kernel using fastboot commands or B) Install XZDualRecovery
Since you have already unlocked your BL,flashing a new kernel would be the best option as it give you tons of new features like DoubleTap2Wake and Overclocking(or underclocking!!).Check out the android developement section for kernels and roms!

masterofnocrack said:
To get a recovery on your phone,You have to A) Flash A Kernel using fastboot commands or B) Install XZDualRecovery
Since you have already unlocked your BL,flashing a new kernel would be the best option as it give you tons of new features like DoubleTap2Wake and Overclocking(or underclocking!!).Check out the android developement section for kernels and roms!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Could you please point out a thread to me that shows how to flash a custom kernel without a custom recovery in place?
Does this mean all xperia users have to install a custom recovery through commands?

ggnoobteam said:
Could you please point out a thread to me that shows how to flash a custom kernel without a custom recovery in place?
Does this mean all xperia users have to install a custom recovery through commands?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
All the kernels for the Stock Sony Roms for the z1 come with a recovery bundled in it(just basic cwm,not fun at all).I think some CM/AOSP based kernels lack recoveries(but i dont know for sure)!!
See,other phones have separate stock recoveries on dedicated partitions(only for software updates,no custom ****) and you can flash a custom recovery into that recovery partition and load it up.But sony....oh no...sony doesnt load a usable true-ish-recovery into its phones nor do xperias have a real partition for the recovery...so we have to get by with these tricks.....
Well the best you can do is you can install a custom kernel and then flash a recovery to the FOTAKernel partition.then the kernel will the load the recovery from the fotakernel instead.
Philz Touch CWM FOTAKERNEL for Z1 : http://forum.xda-developers.com/cro...touch-fotakernel-images-t2826333/post54361630

How can I backup my rom.

I finally got my phone rooted on lollipop. I want to install the xposed framework but all the instructions say backup your rom. I rooted using Deodexed_ROM but when I do home button, volume, power. I don't see an option to backup my rom. I'm also confused does titanium backup only backup apps or can in do a full system rom backup that I can restore from in case of a looping boot when flashing.
thanks

Because the bootloader is locked on AT&T S5's you can't install a custom recovery therefore you can't do a complete ROM backup. If you use Titanium, you will backup all your settings and apps for future updates. If you bootloop you have to reinstall the ROM that works for your model. Then use Titanium to reinstall everything back to the way you had it. Paid version is best for this.

Sgt.CM said:
Because the bootloader is locked on AT&T S5's you can't install a custom recovery therefore you can't do a complete ROM backup. If you use Titanium, you will backup all your settings and apps for future updates. If you bootloop you have to reinstall the ROM that works for your model. Then use Titanium to reinstall everything back to the way you had it. Paid version is best for this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Technically, you can install safestrap for a custom recovery, but you'd also need to flash the NCE kernel to boot into safestrap. But, you'll likely softbrick trying to get back into the operating system, or you'll get constant app crashes. That's why I don't do system backups on lollipop. It was a headache getting the phone back to the way was.