Some very basic ROM questions. Could not find an answer for 24hrs of searching! - Galaxy S II Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Hello everyone,
I'm just about to go out of my mind, haha. I've successfully rooted my phone and I am interested in installing a new, custom ROM. However, I want to be 100% sure that I am not leading myself into the path of bricking. I have a couple questions that I think are basic enough, but haven't found an answer to anywhere online.
1.) Do I need a specific kernel and/or firmware in order to install a custom ROM?
2.) These are my specs for my phone
Android 2.3.3
Baseband: I9100DXKI1
Kernel: I9100DXKI2
Looking at my specs, will I be able to install this rom: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1198334 ?
Will any other ROM work for my phone? Now that it is rooted, am I freely able to install any ROM using clockworkmod or odin without having to change the kernels?
I'm very new to this and I'm hoping somoone can help me out with this.
Thanks a ton in advance!

Just rooting is not enough to install custom rom. You need to install clockworkmod recovery either through rom manager or flash a custom kernel which has CWM.
You can flash any kernel compatible with your device (for example, you cannot flash I9100G kernel/firmware on I9100 model).
You can get a lot of information here at xda. All the developers here are very friendly and co-operative.

You're good to go. Backup apps and some data using Titanium backup and/or My Backup Pro or something like those. Then boot into recovery, make a nandroid backup (can be found in the recovery menu), and flash the rom of your choice. You can flash any rom you like, just don't forget to wipe! This is also an option in recovery, wipe data/factory reset. You can also wipe dalvik-cache (found under 'advanced'). Have fun flashing!

Thanks for filling me in guys. I do have CWM installed on the phone, so I'll back up and try to flash. We'll see if I don't brick the phone somehow, haha.

roboedar said:
Thanks for filling me in guys. I do have CWM installed on the phone, so I'll back up and try to flash. We'll see if I don't brick the phone somehow, haha.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well obviously you wont, all you can do with flashing a wrong rom is getting boot loop, you can always restore your previous rom via nandroid backup. Happy flashing

Related

[Q] can someone help me with clockworkmod?

Ok guys heres the deal....i recently got a samsung fascinate from my sister cause I couldnt mod my inc any more. ok so....i got the phone rooted. i have su perm. i downloaded rom manager and installed it. now heres my problem. i can preform a backup no problem, but when i go to restore that backup it boots into clockwordmod and begins and then get an error about erasing boot img. or something like that. can tell exactly if i get some help from this. also cant install custom roms like i can with my incredible. i know it can be done cause i see roms and all for this phone. can someone please please help me.
Thats because cwm3 will not perform nandroid restores on stock roms. You need to flash cwm 2.5.1.x red recovery. Its the best recovery imo for any bml(touchwiz) rom. Go over to my guide in general section and you cand find cwm 2.5 in section 2&5. Oh and ditch rom manager...manually install cwm via odin!
If you're coming from an incredible, also keep in mind you don't have to be rooted to flash roms either, you just have to have a custom recovery. There aren't really any modifications like rooting procedures, S-OFF, etc, required for rom flashing, just odin a recovery and flash your selected rom.

[Q] Help needed installing CWM Recovery to Galaxy S2 already rooted via Framaroot

First the specs. Samsung Galaxy s2 GT-9100 running Android 4.1.2 Build XWLSH Kernal 3.0.31-889555
Need a touch of help here. Finally had the nerve to root the GS2 on the weekend and clean out all the crud not required... so far so good
Had no success in attempts to install CWM Recovery through ROM Manager (Recovery setup > ClockworkMod Recovery > Galaxy S2 i9100 > "does not have an officially supported...."). Also found the Recovery builds on the official site but no guides whatsoever as to how to install... oh so helpful
Finally came across a guide at galaxys2root[dot]com on installing recovery from download mode using Odin. Ran through the process and ended up stuck at boot with no way of proceeding. After a panic session, was able to recover from back-up (thank god I backed up the ROM and all data before attempting to install CWM recovery). Now I'm right back where I started with no idea how to go replacing the stock recovery.
Can someone please shine some light on the situation? At a complete loss as to how to get the CWM Recovery on the phone without bricking it.
Cheers in advance
1) Don't use Rom Manager. At all. Uninstall it. It will break recovery & cause bootloop eventually if you continue to use it.
2) Thread stickied near the top of Q&A has all the info you need. Essentially, any CWM you flash independent of the kernel will only persist until the next reboot. Reason being recovery is baked into the kernel on the S2 & isn't a separate partition like other phones. So you flash a custom kernel, you end up with rooted phone + permanent CWM.
MistahBungle said:
1) Don't use Rom Manager. At all. Uninstall it. It will break recovery & cause bootloop eventually if you continue to use it.
2) Thread stickied near the top of Q&A has all the info you need. Essentially, any CWM you flash independent of the kernel will only persist until the next reboot. Reason being recovery is baked into the kernel on the S2 & isn't a separate partition like other phones. So you flash a custom kernel, you end up with rooted phone + permanent CWM.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A huge thankyou for pointing me in the right direction. I had since the original post found Mobile Odin (invested in the pro version) and installed the CWM Recovery from the their site... only for it to revert back to stock recover screen At least now I know why.
After much hunting around - I notice the stickied posts don't make it easy to find the correct kernel for for the AU i9100 - I found the PhilZ cmw6 kernel build.... used Mobile Odin to flash and all is now rosy.
Now question.... I was under the impression that ROM Manager was required as an install with CWM. I use Online Nandroid Backup to create full ROM/Data backups and trying out Nandroid Manager for selective recovery.... is that all I need then now that CWM is successfully installed in recovery?
Cheers again
Can't speak to those products as I've never used them, but Rom Manager & the S2 is a big no no. Doing nandroid backups, which is essentially a 'snapshot' of your phone at the time you make it, by simply booting into CWRecovery & also backing up apps/app settings with Titanium has always done the job for me.

[Q] How to backup stock recovery and stock ROM

First of all, I'm not a noob.
Secondly, I've already rooted my phone using the Framaroot method. (OS is JB 4.2.2)
Now now, i want to backup my stock recovery and my stock ROM.
I know i can backup my stock ROM using CWM recovery, but if i do that, i will lose my stock recovery.
So first i have to backup my recovery somehow, and then i can install CWM recovery and then use any custom ROM i want.
So, just tell me the quickest way to do that.
Pathathic forum
So now it's confirmed. This is the most useless forum ever made. This is not the first time i have asked here for help, and this is not the first time i haven't been helped here.
F*** this ****. I'm never visiting this s***** website again.

[Q] Correct way to first time flash ROM... then return to originally running one?

Would the following work as a way to try out, for example Cyanogenmod 10. I am currently running a 4.1.2 install (pretty much stock just rooted/cwm via Philz as per the tutorial). I have a complete backup made via Philz recovery of this rom along with the kernel (which I believe is still stock from that) and efs.
1) Install a custom kernel (eg. dorimanx 9.x?) via the Philz recovery.
2) Install cm-10.2-20140102-NIGHTLY-i9100.zip.
3) To return to the original rom, reflash the original kernel (with whatever CWM is included in dorimanx) - then reflash the backed up rom via the same recovery?
I hope this is clear enough a question.
I believe you have to flash a stock rom through Odin, to return to complete stock. Just flashing a stock kernel isn't enough, and is surely not going to work (so don't do it).There are also tutorials how to remove the yellow triangle afterwards.
Please correct me if I'm wrong
Donnie Sins said:
I believe you have to flash a stock rom through Odin, to return to complete stock. Just flashing a stock kernel isn't enough, and is surely not going to work (so don't do it).There are also tutorials how to remove the yellow triangle afterwards.
Please correct me if I'm wrong
Click to expand...
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This is the part I'm most unsure of. Ideally I'm trying to figure out the process that lets me go from CM10.2 (and whatever recovery) to the point I am running the backed up rom rooted with PhilZ-cwm6-XWLSW-XEU-5.06.1-signed.zip again. Very confused on how to do so.
TopherBrink said:
This is the part I'm most unsure of. Ideally I'm trying to figure out the process that lets me go from CM10.2 (and whatever recovery) to the point I am running the backed up rom rooted with PhilZ-cwm6-XWLSW-XEU-5.06.1-signed.zip again. Very confused on how to do so.
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Click to collapse
Topher,
If you have rooted and cwm via philz, you already have a modified kernel installed. I believe the philz-cwm6 should be as close to stock kernel with the CWM incorporated. You don't need to add another kernel, because it will be replaced when you install the custom ROM. You should just be able to flash the cm10.2 via philz or via odin. You can then flash the dormanix kernel if you want - can't comment on that kernel - or if it has cwm included.
I would also suggest that you consider backing up you /efs folder (one with you imei information etc) prior to flashing any custom roms. People have been using hcKtool to do the backups and also an actual copy as well.
Depending on the custom rom, you may have connection problems with your network. So you may want to consider keeping a copy of your modem.bin file from your stock rom handy in case you need to flash onto the custom rom.
If you want to go back to stock, then you just need to flash the stock rom - you can check sammobile website for your stock rom or use the backup that you made.
I should point out that I have yet to do any of the above - I gathered this from reading the forums. Some more experienced forum users can add corrections. I rooted my phone a couple of months ago and now considering installing custom rom in the next couple of months.
Thanks.
if u flash a custom rom (cm10.2 for example), it already included kernel as well. so if u want to try out other custom kernel, i can flash it after you are done flashing a custom rom but make sure it is compatible with your android version. (u cant use custom kernel that not support android 4.3 with a custom rom running android 4.3)

Newbie to flashing, rooting, etc - several basic questions

Hello,
So lately I've been have some troubles with my phone and I decided to try and flash with a new ROM and see if that helps.
I've been reading on the forums some of the guides, FAQ, and read about some ROMs but I'm still a bit unsure of the entire process.
Currently using GT-I9300, 4.1.2 OS, stock.
Backup:
1. Do I need to flash a custom recovery tool (CWM/TWRG) to create an image backup? Should I just root with Odin and then use Titanium?
2. Do these backup my EFS partition or should I back that up separately?
3. Do I need to root my phone with Odin to be able to flash custom recovery tool/backup my EFS?
ROM/Kernel flashing:
1. Since I'm a newbie to this and there seems to be a ton of ROM options, could you recommend on a stable CM based 4.3 ROM I could use?
2. I haven't seen a stock 4.4.4 for GT-I9300, is it stable to use?
I'm sorry If I've asked something thousands have asked before, I couldn't find a clear answer in a decent amount of time.
Thanks for the help!
menia3d said:
Hello,
So lately I've been have some troubles with my phone and I decided to try and flash with a new ROM and see if that helps.
I've been reading on the forums some of the guides, FAQ, and read about some ROMs but I'm still a bit unsure of the entire process.
Currently using GT-I9300, 4.1.2 OS, stock.
Backup:
1. Do I need to flash a custom recovery tool (CWM/TWRG) to create an image backup? Should I just root with Odin and then use Titanium?
2. Do these backup my EFS partition or should I back that up separately?
3. Do I need to root my phone with Odin to be able to flash custom recovery tool/backup my EFS?
ROM/Kernel flashing:
1. Since I'm a newbie to this and there seems to be a ton of ROM options, could you recommend on a stable CM based 4.3 ROM I could use?
2. I haven't seen a stock 4.4.4 for GT-I9300, is it stable to use?
I'm sorry If I've asked something thousands have asked before, I couldn't find a clear answer in a decent amount of time.
Thanks for the help!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Backup
(1) Titanium only backs up apps and data it does not do a full (Nandroid backup Google it) Root with cf autoroot http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1980683 and then flash a custom recovery (choice is yours cwm,Twrp,PhilZ flash with Odin)
(2) Yes some custom recoveries back up efs PhilZ does I think twrp does not sure about cwm ( I don't think it does maybe wrong on that) nandroid backups don't backup your efs do this separately
(3) Technically you don't need root to flash a recovery but if you want to backup anything in recovery then you need to root.You will only need to root your phone once if you are intending to flash custom roms (so that you can backup) because root is included in custom roms.
IMPORTANT! You must backup your efs once you have flashed a custom recovery especially coming from 4.1.2. and keep multiple copies on phone and pc!
Rom/Kernel flashing
(1) We cannot recommend roms it is against XDA rules
(2) Their is no stock 4.4.4 roms last release was 4.3 anything else is a custom/port of 4.4
Thanks for your help, that cleared up a few things.
I ended up using samsung galaxy S3 toolkit (which is amazing btw) to root & load insecure boot image, flash custom recovery img and backup everything on my phone.
I'm now ready to flash my first custom ROM
Again, thanks a bunch

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