Booting into clockworkmod recovery

[drmrbrewer]

I've used ROM Manager to install CWMR. I can boot into CWMR from ROM Manager OK. But shouldn't my phone boot into CWMR when I do the normal procedure of holding down the VolUp+Home+Power buttons? When I do that, I boot into what looks like a stock recovery.

Any insight appreciated.

 

[immortalneo]

That's normal while using ROM Manager. You can't use the key combination to get into CWM.

I suggest you avoid using ROM Manager, as it can sometimes mess up your device. To get a permanent CWM recovery, flash a custom kernel. Which firmware are you on?

 

[drmrbrewer]

Thanks for taking the time to reply. So far I've only used ROM Manager to install the CWMR, so hopefully haven't given it much of a chance to mess up my device.

By firmware do you mean ROM? I'm still using the stock Samsung firmware / ROM, with the stock kernel... nothing has yet changed. To root the device I didn't even have to flash a new kernel, because I used framaroot which seemed to be able to root my device at the click of a button (very very easy!).

Taking the info from CPU-Z, my kernel and device info is as follows:

Kernel Architecture armv7l
Kernel Version 3.0.31-1246097 (I9100PXXLSS)
Android V 4.1.2
Model GT-I9100P

As far as the model is concerned, the "P" part is slightly problematic (related to NFC I believe)... it seems to be easy to find ROMs, kernels etc that say they are suitable for I9100 (without P) but not necessarily for the P version. I understand that I could flash a non-P ROM OK, but would just lose the NFC functionality.

If I were to flash a new kernel, would I potentially lose the NFC functionality, or does the kernel have no effect on that (only the ROM).

What kernel would you recommend? Seems that the siyah kernel is popular.

Another noob question: does flashing the kernel affect any of the interface at all, or is it all at a much lower level? So I can happily flash a new kernel without seeing any effect on the UI or apps or google syncing etc.

If my device is already rooted, is there any real point to flashing a new kernel... what would I potentially gain (apart from being able to boot into CWMR with key combinations)?

Thanks.

 

[Slug]

As you've discovered, ROM Manager doesn't play nice with the way the recovery is set up on the S2. Unlike many Android devices it's not in its own partition, which is what causes 'issues'.

If I were to flash a new kernel, would I potentially lose the NFC functionality, or does the kernel have no effect on that (only the ROM).

The kernel shouldn't affect NFC (or any other) functionality at all.

What kernel would you recommend? Seems that the siyah kernel is popular.

Siyah is a good choice as it's mature and conservative in its tweaks i.e. stable. Simply flash the .zip from your current recovery and it will also install v6 of ClockworkMod Recovery and CWM (ClockworkMod Manager), a Samsung-compatible version of ROM Manager.

does flashing the kernel affect any of the interface at all, or is it all at a much lower level?

The kernel has no effect on the UI.

So I can happily flash a new kernel without seeing any effect on the UI or apps or google syncing etc.

Correct.

If my device is already rooted, is there any real point to flashing a new kernel...

See above. Other kernels can offer additional features such as optional loadable modules, extensive voltage/freq adjustments, tweaks and optimisations etc.