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Root [CDMA] HTC unlocked...how to get to CleanROM?

S

Shake88

Newbie
I know this information is probably scattered in various posts on the forum, but I'd like to ask some specific questions to settle my brain before I attempt to flash a new ROM.

I unlocked my phone following these instructions [GUIDE] HTC Unlock Hboot 1.50 + TWRP Recovery + Root + Flash Ur Ass Off! [9.11.11] - xda-developers.

1. I performed a nandroid backup immediately after unlocking. Does that backup contain my stock ROM and kernel? Do I need to save that original backup for future use if I decide to go back to stock, or are stock ROMs floating around on the web for download?

2. Is Flash Image GUI the easiest/cleanest method to flash CleanROM? Can I accomplish the same thing using TWRP? Which method is recommended?

3. I installed Flash Image GUI and started the app. It asked if the device was NAND unlocked. I'm assuming unlocking via the HTC method unlocked the NAND?

TIA
 
just go to xda forums for the evo3d, under the development category you will find Scott's thread. follow the instructions for 1.5 exactly. you got to do everything through recovery or you will lose 4g. his thread is awesome. I just did my 3d and it was easy. FYI clean ROM is amazing. no issues what so ever.
 
The problem I have is I'm a total noob at this.

In reading his directions here and on XDA, it mentions nothing about flashing a new kernel. Yet his change log indicates he used a kernel other than stock.

How do I go about flashing the new kernel? Is it embedded within CleanROM? How do I know if it's there or not? His instructions now state that all methods of flashing ROMs, other than Flash Image GUI, are obsolete.

I assume I can follow these steps [APP] Flash Image GUI - Flash Kernels and Recoveries from normal Android mode! - xda-developers

How do I accomplish steps 8-10?
 
The kernel is provided inside the cleanROM's .zip (boot.img).
I flashed CleanROM by booting into the Bootloader and enabling fastboot.
With fastboot active, you can load your recovery via a fastboot command in a command prompt from your computer. If you load recovery simply by navigating there from your phone, it DOES NOT have enough permissions to write a new kernel.
So once connected via fastboot and having your command prompt open on the computer in the same location you did for the HTC unlock, type "fastboot boot recovery.img" without the quotes. It should restart into recovery and then you can go about flashing cleanROM by installing a .zip and it will write the new kernel at that time.
I know it can be a bit confusing if you are new to this so hopefully what I wrote make sense.

The other method of using Flash Image GUI should work, but I have not yet done this myself so I don't feel comfortable offering advice on it just yet. Maybe the next time I flash a kernel I will try it out and become familiar with that process.
 
this is good advice. here is the new method... the others are now considered obsolete: How-to-Flash-if-you-are-using-hBoot-1.5!




Doomstang said:
The kernel is provided inside the cleanROM's .zip (boot.img).
I flashed CleanROM by booting into the Bootloader and enabling fastboot.
With fastboot active, you can load your recovery via a fastboot command in a command prompt from your computer. If you load recovery simply by navigating there from your phone, it DOES NOT have enough permissions to write a new kernel.
So once connected via fastboot and having your command prompt open on the computer in the same location you did for the HTC unlock, type "fastboot boot recovery.img" without the quotes. It should restart into recovery and then you can go about flashing cleanROM by installing a .zip and it will write the new kernel at that time.
I know it can be a bit confusing if you are new to this so hopefully what I wrote make sense.

The other method of using Flash Image GUI should work, but I have not yet done this myself so I don't feel comfortable offering advice on it just yet. Maybe the next time I flash a kernel I will try it out and become familiar with that process.
Click to expand...
 
Assuming my phone is unlocked via the HTC method (HBOOT 1.5), and running stock ROM and kernel, and I plan to use Flash Image GUI:

1) Place CleanROM .zip file on my phone's sdcard.

2) Open Flash Image GUI, select Browse and select the CleanROM .zip file, on the sdcard in the previous step.

3) Flash Image GUI will index the full ROM .zip file searching for the kernel and kernel modules. Once located, the Flash Image button should be enabled.

5) Select the Flash Image button and Flash Image GUI will load the kernel modules and kernel from inside the ROM zip file.

[at this point my assumption is that the kernel has been flashed, but NOT the ROM. Is this correct?]

6) Once completed, reboot into the custom recovery.

[Confused, what are the steps to completing this?]

7) Inside the custom recovery, load/flash the ROM zip file.

[I assume I boot using the power button and volume button and navigate to the ROM zip file?]

8) Reboot to normal Android mode and all should work including Wifi!

[I should do a Nandroid backup at this point?]

Thanks for all your help.
 
Well I am sure someone else will chime in as I am not to acquainted with the rooting process of HTC unock process, but I believe you flash a ROM first before flashing any kernels, and I also think you can only flash a kernel from Bootloader and not recovery, so I would wait until Wake or some else that has used or knows this process properly.



Shake88 said:
Assuming my phone is unlocked via the HTC method (HBOOT 1.5), and running stock ROM and kernel, and I plan to use Flash Image GUI:

1) Place CleanROM .zip file on my phone's sdcard.

2) Open Flash Image GUI, select Browse and select the CleanROM .zip file, on the sdcard in the previous step.

3) Flash Image GUI will index the full ROM .zip file searching for the kernel and kernel modules. Once located, the Flash Image button should be enabled.

5) Select the Flash Image button and Flash Image GUI will load the kernel modules and kernel from inside the ROM zip file.

[at this point my assumption is that the kernel has been flashed, but NOT the ROM. Is this correct?]

6) Once completed, reboot into the custom recovery.

[Confused, what are the steps to completing this?]

7) Inside the custom recovery, load/flash the ROM zip file.

[I assume I boot using the power button and volume button and navigate to the ROM zip file?]

8) Reboot to normal Android mode and all should work including Wifi!

[I should do a Nandroid backup at this point?]

Thanks for all your help.
Click to expand...
 
Shake88 said:
Assuming my phone is unlocked via the HTC method (HBOOT 1.5), and running stock ROM and kernel, and I plan to use Flash Image GUI:

1) Place CleanROM .zip file on my phone's sdcard.

2) Open Flash Image GUI, select Browse and select the CleanROM .zip file, on the sdcard in the previous step.

3) Flash Image GUI will index the full ROM .zip file searching for the kernel and kernel modules. Once located, the Flash Image button should be enabled.

5) Select the Flash Image button and Flash Image GUI will load the kernel modules and kernel from inside the ROM zip file.

[at this point my assumption is that the kernel has been flashed, but NOT the ROM. Is this correct?]

6) Once completed, reboot into the custom recovery.

[Confused, what are the steps to completing this?]

7) Inside the custom recovery, load/flash the ROM zip file.

[I assume I boot using the power button and volume button and navigate to the ROM zip file?]

8) Reboot to normal Android mode and all should work including Wifi!

[I should do a Nandroid backup at this point?]

Thanks for all your help.
Click to expand...

SERIES 1 - INSTALL A ROM AND RAMDISK/KERNEL
Step 1 - backup everything on your phone, nandroid backup
step 2 - if you want to flash the ext4 optimizer for /data, read the info and directions here -> http://forum.xda-developers.com/show...postcount=6329

------>everything should be backed up now

Step 3 - flash Virus's superwipe tool.
Step 4 - flash the /data optimizer tool - the download can be found in the post linked in step 2
Step 5 - open the rom you downloaded using winrar, or 7zip, and copy the boot.img file somewhere (the same folder that contains the tools you used to unlock your phone would be a perfect place)
Step 6 - open a command prompt (or terminal window), and goto the window that contains the tools you used to unlock your boot loader
Step 7 - reboot your phone into fastboot (adb reboot bootloader)
Step 8 - from the command prompt enter the following command:
fastboot flash boot boot.img
then press [enter]
Step 9 - once complete, exit fastboot, and boot back into recovery
Step 10 - flash the rom's zip file using recovery
Step 11 - enjoy
Full Thread Here!
 
Great and enjoy, and again, if you decide to get flash happy and want to flash a different ROM, remember the RULE create a fresh Nandroid. You may also want to try MIUI Rom pretty neat and different, something for you to play with.
 
DonB said:
Great and enjoy, and again, if you decide to get flash happy and want to flash a different ROM, remember the RULE create a fresh Nandroid. You may also want to try MIUI Rom pretty neat and different, something for you to play with.
Click to expand...

Thanks Don. I'm assuming it's good practice to create a fresh Nandroid after each new ROM? Are there recommended settings for doing Nandroid backups? I've just been checking all the boxes and doing compressed backups.

A little off topic, which ROM do you like best? Which has the best battery life in your experience?
 
Here's my order:

Backup everything in Titanium Backup

Boot into recovery

Clear dalvik and cache partitions.

Create NANDroid of old ROM. I check /boot, /system, /data, and /wimax.

Then flash new ROM / kernel

Run this for a few days.

Wipe Dalvik and Cache partition, then make a backup.

After two weeks, I typically delete the older NANDroid, or transfer it to my PC.

------------------------------------

I always wipe dalvik before making a NANDroid, because part of the dalvik cache is in /data, which is a part of what you back up. This just makes sure there's no junky files being backed up in /data. I wipe /cache just to make sure it's clean when the dalvik VM rebuilds it's cache, that it doesn't pick up any junky files from /cache.

Oh, and never back up /cache. It's huge, takes forever, and makes it look like the phone has frozen.
 
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