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Root Custom Roms

jguns112

Well-Known Member
Hey everyone,

been thinking about rooting my phone and trying out some custom roms. Just wondering what everyone considers to be the best and which ones are actually worth while to try out.
 
You may want to wait until the end of this week; ApeX 1.4 (or whatever the next version will be numbered) is slated to come out soon. :)
 
I'm going to recommend ApeX 1.3.1. Do it now. Most likely you'll be able to flash 1.4 over the present one. Have fun! :D
 
  • Get rooted.
  • Install recovery.
  • Install rom manager.
  • Install Titanium Backup, open it and press the menu button and make a backup of "all apps + all data".
  • Open recovery (DroidX bootstrap), tap the top button, should say you were give supervisor permission, followed by success. Tap the second button to go into recovery. Vol up/down button moves cursor, back button goes to previous screen, camera button does what the cursor is highlighted. Select return and press camera button.
  • Open rom manager and create a backup. Call it stock_02-07-2011 (don't use spaces). Make sure the backup completes. Should take a couple minutes. If it reboots right away, it did not work.
 
  • Get rooted.
  • Install recovery.
  • Install rom manager.
  • Install Titanium Backup, open it and press the menu button and make a backup of "all apps + all data".
  • Open recovery (DroidX bootstrap), tap the top button, should say you were give supervisor permission, followed by success. Tap the second button to go into recovery. Vol up/down button moves cursor, back button goes to previous screen, camera button does what the cursor is highlighted. Select return and press camera button.
  • Open rom manager and create a backup. Call it stock_02-07-2011 (don't use spaces). Make sure the backup completes. Should take a couple minutes. If it reboots right away, it did not work.

When I go to Ti Backup and press menu I dont see make backup of "all apps + all data"
 
You have to press menu and then bache and there should be an option to do it.
Anyway I managed to brick my phone last night trying to install liberty. So, I'd appreciate it if anyone could tell me exactly how they did it or send me a link to a guide
 
I'm not entirely sure but the bootstrap is basically an image of how your phone was when you backed it up. And ti back up backs up your apps.
 
Titanium allows you to backup your apps and data only. This way if you flash a new rom you can restore all your apps ans data to your new rom. ROM Manager and Bootstrap allow you to make nandroid backups of your present rom and it complete setup. Two entirely different things. FYI you must have bootstrap to do any kind of rom installing and backup/restore.
 
When I go to Ti Backup and press menu I dont see make backup of "all apps + all data"

You have to press menu and then batch and there should be an option to do it.

Yes. If you don't see it, it's possible it's only in the Pro version.

Why do you need to have Ti Backup if ROM Manager has a backup function? Are they different types that are both needed?

Titanium allows you to backup your apps and data only. This way if you flash a new rom you can restore all your apps ans data to your new rom. ROM Manager and Bootstrap allow you to make nandroid backups of your present rom and it complete setup. Two entirely different things. FYI you must have bootstrap to do any kind of rom installing and backup/restore.

Bootstrap restores your entire phone (not the sd card) back to the rom and data you had when it was imaged.

Titanium allows you to restore an app and/or it's data irregardless of what rom (stock or otherwise) was used to back it up. They have different uses.
 
Anyway I managed to brick my phone last night trying to install liberty. So, I'd appreciate it if anyone could tell me exactly how they did it or send me a link to a guide

You have to be on the .340 update, then install. I'd redownload the file and make sure you have the proper DX/D2 version:

Install:
make sure you have root and clockworks recovery installed
-boot into recovery via clockworks bootstrap
-select "wipe data/factory reset"
-select "Yes -- delete all data"
-go back "powerbutton"
-select "install zip from sdcard"
-select "choose zip from sdcard"
-find and select LibertyX-1.5.zip
-reboot

This is the home for Liberty: Liberty ROM DX - Droid Forum - Verizon Droid & the Motorola Droid Forum

Here's the post for Liberty 1.5: [ROM]One small step for man one giant leap for --- Liberty 1.5 2/2/2011 - Droid Forum - Verizon Droid & the Motorola Droid Forum

While you're there grab the update from here. It'll improve your battery life. No need to follow the rest of the procedure unless you care to participate in the testing.
 
Thanks for this.
Since I don't really know where to get news for this kind of stuff when is apex 1.4 due to come out? I don't want to flash 1.3 and then have to update a day later.
 
Okay thanks so much for the help Colchiro! Just another quick question but what is the difference between the back up that Rom manager makes and the one that bootstrap makes?
 
You can't directly name the backup in bootstrap (recovery). You'd have to rename it with an app like root explorer or rom manager. Also rom manager lets you tap on a backup and delete, rename or install it. They both use recovery to backup, but RM gives you a nice interface to do it.

This is what my backups look like in RM:

rom_manager_1.jpg
rom_manager_2.jpg


A backup with recovery will look like a bunch of numbers which is actually the date and time it was backed up, like 20110210064722.
 
Alright so I put Apex on my phone since I've heard it's a little bit more noob friendly. Anyway, I'm an LP guy and it seems that some of the screen transitions only work for ADW, is there any way around this or I guess is there any good rom that comes with LP. It's not a big deal but I'm just curious. Also, it seems syncmypix doesn't work at all with Apex so is there any other app I could use to sync fb photos to contacts?

Also just to clarify, what are some differences between Liberty and Apex? I know Liberty has the toolbox which allows you to put themes and such on without having to use bootstrap but besides that are there any major differences? Once again thanks for all the help.
 
You can't directly name the backup in bootstrap (recovery). You'd have to rename it with an app like root explorer or rom manager. Also rom manager lets you tap on a backup and delete, rename or install it. They both use recovery to backup, but RM gives you a nice interface to do it.

This is what my backups look like in RM:

rom_manager_1.jpg
rom_manager_2.jpg


A backup with recovery will look like a bunch of numbers which is actually the date and time it was backed up, like 20110210064722.

Them's too many backups. You need a therapist. :p
 
Alright so I put Apex on my phone since I've heard it's a little bit more noob friendly. Anyway, I'm an LP guy and it seems that some of the screen transitions only work for ADW, is there any way around this or I guess is there any good rom that comes with LP.

You sure about that? LPP here and my transitions work with Focused. Prefs... home screen... transitions. (I'm using flip.)

It's not a big deal but I'm just curious. Also, it seems syncmypix doesn't work at all with Apex so is there any other app I could use to sync fb photos to contacts?

Sorry, not familiar with that.

Also just to clarify, what are some differences between Liberty and Apex? I know Liberty has the toolbox which allows you to put themes and such on without having to use bootstrap but besides that are there any major differences? Once again thanks for all the help.

Fission, Focused, Liberty, Gummy are AOSP, which means very little blur and apps are recompiled generic versions per Google specs. This means new email, contacts, camera apps to learn in exchange for a slight speed increase.

Apex, Blurry, Tranq have more blur so you might have a choice between blur or AOSP (Android Open Source Project) versions... better for newbies. Always backup stock in recovery and make a Titanium backup before installing any rom. Also backup in recovery BEFORE installing a theme so you can go back to no theme before installing the next.

Them's too many backups. You need a therapist. :p

Probably less roms installed than you, I just run them longer and make more backups. I deleted 2 liberties and made one Focused backup tonight. :D
 
Sorry I should have been more clear. Homescreen transitions work just fine for LP. I'm talking about when you go into some app or the menu, when you press back/home you get a nifty little transition back to the homescreen. With LP you just get the normal one. Like I said it's not really an issue at all, I was just curious.

Colchiro, I'm just wondering but what is your favorite ROM?
 
Sorry, I misunderstood your question.

I installed Rubix Focused tonight, coming from Liberty 1.5 and Focused seems faster. I'm disappointed that they're both based on GummyJar, which has an Exchange email issue, but lucky for me I have an updated email apk that works.

Liberty had some neat features like a toolbox (that everyone's moving to) with the option of tweaking the status icons, which is pretty cool. When the next version comes out, it should be cool.

I keep coming back to Apex, b/c it has some familiar blur apps, but that might be a bit slower than other roms. I think I'm done with Apex until 1.4 comes out in a week or so. Hopefully you can upgrade 1.3.1 to 1.4, but not many roms do that these days. OTOH, I can install a rom from scratch and with backups can usually be back in business in under 2 hours now, a chunk of that time just waiting for market to download apps.

I still want to try the latest Fission and Rubix Blurry, but ultimately it's nice to have the rom with a large assortment of themes. :D

Steven OTOH, installs every new rom on the day it's released. :eek:
 
Geeze there are so many roms out there. I'm just gonna stick with Apex for awhile since I'm really digging it so far, but knowing me I'll probably be trying out Liberty within a week.

Anyways, thanks a ton for all the help, it's always great to go on a forum where people don't destroy the noobs or point you to the search function.
 
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