Flashing a custom ROM on an Android phone

[1100011CS]

As requested:

There's a couple apps that will make this a lot easier. Titanium Backup and Quick Boot. Both are free in the market.

Obviously you need root to do this. Do a Google search for "Unrevoked" if you don't have root yet.

Next, read 9) Flashing Custom Roms in this thread: How 2 - ADB, Rooting(reflash), Unrooting, Nandroid, Remove/Install App, roms, kernels - xda-developers.

You don't need to do the ADB stuff. Just use Quick Boot to boot into recovery and select "Install zip from sdcard" then select the zip of the ROM you are installing.

That's it. Enjoy.

Here's the ROM I am currently using (crap, there's a new version I need to get):
[ROM] Incredibly Re-Engineered v2.3 [02-8-11] Fast, Beautiful, and Simply Magnificent - xda-developers

 

[bos]

Oh hey, I found an app in the app store called ROM manager. It supposedly updates roms and backs them up from the GUI. It reboots and automates the install. SO far I have backed mine up and am downloading the one you suggested.

Also found an app for rooted phones in the store called Root Uninstaller. Its great at removing unwanted bloat.

 

[snowcraig2.0]

I am running Ultimate Droid on my OG Droid.

Some of the other developers have final versions of Gingerbread roms out though, I might try one of theirs. I use XDA and Droidforums.net.

Their are several different methods to root, usually the easier ones cost something, but none are too difficult.

One of the things I am considering when looking into my next phone is the ability to root. It looks like the new Motorola phones coming out will have locked bootloaders, meaning rooting on them will be impossible, in which case I will be switching to HTC or LG. I am not sure on Samsung because they have been so slow to update my wife's Fascinate.

 

[timappelgate]

I used a One-Touch Root to root my Droid Eris with 2.2

 

[Farnsworth]

What the hell are you all talking about? I have a Droid X, do i need to root it, and what does that even mean.

 

[snowcraig2.0]

What the hell are you all talking about? I have a Droid X, do i need to root it, and what does that even mean.

Rooting basically means hacking your phone. You enable 'root' access to the system files, enabling you to basically do whatever you want to the phone, including the removal of any program, like the Verizon bloatware Amazon or Blockbuster apps. Also, you can flash custom ROMs, which means complete new operating systems that various developers come up with. These usually contain the very latest builds from Google.

I personally won't buy another phone that I can't Root.

Fro example, if you were rooted, you could have had Android 2.2 6 months before Verizon released it.

 

[timappelgate]

What the hell are you all talking about? I have a Droid X, do i need to root it, and what does that even mean.

No. You'll get all the updates cause you're phone is new.

 

[captain7cf]

Question for those have rooted a Droid...

Do you think rooting a Droid improves the phone considerable? Does it give better battery life?? I also have a Droid X myself. There is SO much bloatware on it... I was curious on some thoughts on this subject...

 

[timappelgate]

Question for those have rooted a Droid...

Do you think rooting a Droid improves the phone considerable? Does it give better battery life?? I also have a Droid X myself. There is SO much bloatware on it... I was curious on some thoughts on this subject...

I rooted my Droid Eris with the 2.2 update a few weeks ago. It improved the speed considerably. Thats about all I noticed.

 

[1100011CS]

Oh hey, I found an app in the app store called ROM manager. It supposedly updates roms and backs them up from the GUI. It reboots and automates the install. SO far I have backed mine up and am downloading the one you suggested.

Also found an app for rooted phones in the store called Root Uninstaller. Its great at removing unwanted bloat.

I have ROM Manager and Root Uninstaller already but I didn't mention ROM Manager because it doesn't have the ROM I was talking about in it. It is a handy way to backup and restore ROMs though.

If you use Root Uninstaller make sure you backup any system apps you uninstall. You will need to re-install them if you ever want to do a OTA system update. Not sure why you'd want to do that but...

 

[1100011CS]

Question for those have rooted a Droid...

Do you think rooting a Droid improves the phone considerable? Does it give better battery life?? I also have a Droid X myself. There is SO much bloatware on it... I was curious on some thoughts on this subject...

You may or may not see improved performance and battery life depending on the ROM you choose. It's somewhat of a crap shoot to find a good one. Look in XDA for your specific device and get recommendations. Rooting will definitely improve customization ability and allow you to remove any bloatware your carrier installs (CityID was the main reason I rooted in the first place).

 

[1100011CS]

I am running Ultimate Droid on my OG Droid.

Some of the other developers have final versions of Gingerbread roms out though, I might try one of theirs. I use XDA and Droidforums.net.

Their are several different methods to root, usually the easier ones cost something, but none are too difficult.

One of the things I am considering when looking into my next phone is the ability to root. It looks like the new Motorola phones coming out will have locked bootloaders, meaning rooting on them will be impossible, in which case I will be switching to HTC or LG. I am not sure on Samsung because they have been so slow to update my wife's Fascinate.

I haven't found a stable Gingerbread rom yet. Let me know if you find one you like.

 

[1100011CS]

One thing I forgot to mention which may be a concern for some of you when rooting and installing custom ROMs. You usually have to do a complete wipe before installing new ROMs. That means you'll lose all your customizations and apps you've installed. Titanium Backup helps with a lot of that but there will still be some settings you'll have to redo.

 

[ceeboe]

So with the various roms available, what do each provide that different?

 

[bos]

I have ROM Manager and Root Uninstaller already but I didn't mention ROM Manager because it doesn't have the ROM I was talking about in it. It is a handy way to backup and restore ROMs though.

If you use Root Uninstaller make sure you backup any system apps you uninstall. You will need to re-install them if you ever want to do a OTA system update. Not sure why you'd want to do that but...

Will it pooch it if the app is missing on OTA?

 

[1100011CS]

Will it pooch it if the app is missing on OTA?

The OTA won't work if there's missing system apps (i.e. - Facebook, CityID, etc...).

 

[1100011CS]

So with the various roms available, what do each provide that different?

It depends what rom you choose. Some concentrate on performance improvements, some on battery life, some will add/remove features that they like/dislike. For instance, if you're using an HTC phone you could get a rom the removes the HTC Sense "wrapper".

 

[bos]

It depends what rom you choose. Some concentrate on performance improvements, some on battery life, some will add/remove features that they like/dislike. For instance, if you're using an HTC phone you could get a rom the removes the HTC Sense "wrapper".

I love sense. I saw that the one you have keeps that?

 

[1100011CS]

I love sense. I saw that the one you have keeps that?

Yes. I like sense too.

 

[ceeboe]

As requested:

There's a couple apps that will make this a lot easier. Titanium Backup and Quick Boot. Both are free in the market.

Obviously you need root to do this. Do a Google search for "Unrevoked" if you don't have root yet.

Next, read 9) Flashing Custom Roms in this thread: How 2 - ADB, Rooting(reflash), Unrooting, Nandroid, Remove/Install App, roms, kernels - xda-developers.

You don't need to do the ADB stuff. Just use Quick Boot to boot into recovery and select "Install zip from sdcard" then select the zip of the ROM you are installing.

That's it. Enjoy.

Here's the ROM I am currently using (crap, there's a new version I need to get):
[ROM] Incredibly Re-Engineered v2.3 [02-8-11] Fast, Beautiful, and Simply Magnificent - xda-developers

Finally doing this today! Hoping to increase performance on my Incredible. I'm trying out the ROM you listed above as the first go.

What others would be recommended and why?

Also, have others used Kernels?