Root Eris ROMs

[scary alien]

x

lol...whatever it was

Glad to hear you figured-it all out!

Did you get your trackball working and/or did you get the alternate custom recovery installed? Just curious...

You were exceedingly gracious with all of the thanks that you gave to people who assisted you...its very much appreciated by all I'm sure.

Your hard-won knowledge and experience will bootstrap towards learning yet more things to come! Welcome to root!

Cheers!

 

[GJW419]

lol...whatever it was

Glad to hear you figured-it all out!

Did you get your trackball working and/or did you get the alternate custom recovery installed? Just curious...

You were exceedingly gracious with all of the thanks that you gave to people who assisted you...its very much appreciated by all I'm sure.

Your hard-won knowledge and experience will bootstrap towards learning yet more things to come! Welcome to root!

Cheers!

No. I could not get the alternate version of the recovery installed. However, with the "white-paper" method I was able to get the trackball working so all good there. I didn't love the GSB, I couldn't find my music, although it IS on my SD card, and with them installing LauncherPro, it would only give me partial icons and would not let me use the widgets unless I was a "paid" pro-member so I have already uninstalled GSB, set everything up the old way how I liked it including the gscribe and apps you recommended, and did a Nandriod backup so I have a "base" I can always go back to with everything I need pre-ionstalled as I now go out and play with other Roms to find the one I like. If any one wants to reco a ROM they like for me to try, I'd enjoy doing that. But for now, I know what to do so I'm ood to explore on my own also. Many thanks.

 

[scary alien]

No. I could not get the alternate version of the recovery installed. However, with the "white-paper" method I was able to get the trackball working so all good there.

I'll still be there when/if you ever need it...if you do, you'll probably have a custom ROM installed and you'll want to use "Scenario 3". I tried installing it a couple of times from GSB 1.6 last night and both the "trackball-not-required" and the "trackball-optional" versions installed just fine (although I did get some annoying/extraneous "stderr:" messages when running the Gscript, but they didn't keep the script from working).

To simply the process (which you can compare to the full details in my thread), you would:

- download and install Gscript Lite
- download and verify the MD5 sum of the the gscript-sa-171.zip file
- move the gscript-sa-171.zip file to the /sdcard directory
- use Astro, etc. to extract the gscript-sa-171.zip files (they'll all be put in the /sdcard/gscript directory)
- launch Gscript Lite
- add/load/save the gscript-sa script in Gscript Lite per the instructions
- launch/run the gscript-sa script from Gscript Lite and it will flash the alternate custom recovery to your phone
- boot back into recovery when needed; both trackball and alternate keys can now be used to navigate the menus

Cheers!

 

[GJW419]

I'll still be there when/if you ever need it...if you do, you'll probably have a custom ROM installed and you'll want to use "Scenario 3". I tried installing it a couple of times from GSB 1.6 last night and both the "trackball-not-required" and the "trackball-optional" versions installed just fine (although I did get some annoying/extraneous "stderr:" messages when running the Gscript, but they didn't keep the script from working).

To simply the process (which you can compare to the full details in my thread), you would:

- download and install Gscript Lite
- download and verify the MD5 sum of the the gscript-sa-171.zip file
- move the gscript-sa-171.zip file to the /sdcard directory
- use Astro, etc. to extract the gscript-sa-171.zip files (they'll all be put in the /sdcard/gscript directory)
- launch Gscript Lite
- add/load/save the gscript-sa script per the instructions in Gscript Lite
- launch/run the gscript-sa script from Gscript Lite and it will flash the alternate custom recovery to your phone
- boot back into recovery when needed; both trackball and alternate keys can now be able to navigate the menus

Cheers!

You have any ROM prefs or recos for me? I'm going to be installing a few to see what I like best.

 

[beamer182]

Hey everyone, I'm back in the market for a new ROM, however this time, its going to be a gingerbread one. Here's what I've come up with so far. I've flashed KaosGingerbread v8, and It worked fantastically, with the errors that were mentioned in the changelog occuring frequently. Only, when I tried to flash Google Apps over it, it didnt choose to let them show up as installed apps. Anyway, I tried flashing google apps a couple times and restarting multiple times and it still didnt work anyways. So I moved on. I decided to try flashing another ROM, and I came up with the most current working bugless eye appealing ROM I've found yet, which (In my opinion) is GingerShedBread (GSB) v1.7. This ROM requires the usual wipe (Dalvik and data) and flash, then flash gapps over it and boot. However for me, the issue becomes, when I try to flash the ROM, it always comes up with an error saying that this or that file is corrupt. Anyone with a working version please let me know what I can do to fix this, and/or upload a working version. Also, a quick note, I just tried Ginger Tazz 7, and that didnt work either, the message on my phone said it couldnt even unpack the zip file with the message "(bad)" underneath the name.
THANKS!!!

 

[scary alien]

You have any ROM prefs or recos for me? I'm going to be installing a few to see what I like best.

Well, the "go to" ROMs that we used to recommend around here (before everyone got "Gingerbread Fever" ) were (both from the same developer, zach.xtr):

[ROM][GPL][11/5/2010] xtrSENSE4.6.5 [cache2cache,apps2sd,oc,jit]-HTC Sense - xda-developers

which is Sense-based. And

[ROM][GPL] xtrROM5.0 odex,cache2cache,apps2sd,jit,lwp,oc[1/23/2011] - xda-developers

which is not.

xtrROM 5.0 was what I last had on my phone before GSB 1.6. Its fast, stable, very similar to stock, very solid ROM from a very well-respected developer. Check out both ROM threads for details.

Don't forget to make your Nandroid backups .

Cheers!

 

[Bob Cat]

You have any ROM prefs or recos for me? I'm going to be installing a few to see what I like best.

Depends on what your flavor is. Both Scotty and I have flashed alot of different rom's. Aside from the White Widow rom, the GSB is the longest I've had any one rom installed. I'm about flashed out. I think I'll stick with GSB for awhile.

I see Scary beat me to the draw.

 

[scary alien]

Also, a quick note, I just tried Ginger Tazz 7, and that didnt work either, the message on my phone said it couldnt even unpack the zip file with the message "(bad)" underneath the name.
THANKS!!!

beamer,

Welcome to Android Forums!

By the way, even though Amon_RA's custom recovery won't allow a "bad" .zip (ROM or otherwise) to be flashed because it does a signature check, you can save yourself some grief (and time) by double-checking that the file (ROM or otherwise ) was downloaded and transferred to your phone completely and without corruption. If you are using ClockworkMod eek, you apparently have to enable signature checking since its not on by default (consensus is that this is a "bad thing").

Verifying the completeness and validity of a file is typically done by

1) verifying the checksum (usually MD5) of the file

and/or

2) doing a 'jarsigner -verify' type check on the signed .zip file.

You should check and compare the MD5 sum from the publisher (ROM developer) of the file after you have placed it on your phone (since that's the "last mile"). A diligent and thoughtful ROM developer will have the checksums of his/her downloads published (if they don't--stay away from that ROM!).

File manager utilities like Astro File Manage will show you a file's MD5 checksum (long-press the filename, select Details, and if the file is especially large (like a ROM), it might take a minute or two for the MD5 checksum to be displayed). You can also use my app, AFV (Android File Verifier) [free in the Market, btw], to calculate both the MD5 checksum (others too) and do a "Jar Verify" (verify a signed .zip file).

Cheers!

 

[GJW419]

I was just running (for one day)
GSB v1.7 | GingerBread 2.3.2 [CM7.0.0 RC1 NIGHTLY]

I am now running:

Nonsensikal v16.1 [CM 6.1.1|Black&Blue|Vanilla]

 

[beamer182]

Thanks for the speedy reply Scary, I'm in the process of downloading your app. I have just a couple questions.
So, 1. lets say its not verified for MD5 checksums, etc. what do I do then?
2. How do I get it verified, if possible??
3. How did you get GSB flashed correctly?
and 2. If nothing else, what ROMS do you recommend for GB?

 

[doogald]

Thanks for the speedy reply Scary, I'm in the process of downloading your app. I have just a couple questions.
So, 1. lets say its not verified for MD5 checksums, etc. what do I do then?
2. How do I get it verified, if possible??
3. How did you get GSB flashed correctly?
and 2. If nothing else, what ROMS do you recommend for GB?

KaosGingerbread is obviously not being maintained - it's over two months old and still has a non-working camera. I'd stay away from it.

That leaves Tazz and GSB. I have been running GSB myself for a few weeks, and it's been working great - there are a few issues, but this may be the most compatible non-HTC based ROM around for the Eris. Tazz I have not tried myself, but he is a great developer as well and I am sure that it is just fine.

If you like vanilla Android, GSB is probably best. It looks to me as if Tazz is themed, and if you like its look, then go with that.

If your MD5s do not match, then you have an incomplete download. It's probably a lot more reliable to download the GSB and google apps .zip files on a PC and copy the files over by connecting with a USB cable.

 

[beamer182]

By the way, Ginger Tazz 7 came up with a hex MD5 checksum "171129e65a93af002f2fc2259f03fcce7"
but it failed the jar file test. Any suggestions?

 

[scary alien]

Thanks for the speedy reply Scary, I'm in the process of downloading your app. I have just a couple questions.
So, 1. lets say its not verified for MD5 checksums, etc. what do I do then?
2. How do I get it verified, if possible??
3. How did you get GSB flashed correctly?
and 2. If nothing else, what ROMS do you recommend for GB?

No problem... .

If you follow a few safe practices when you transfer your files, it should be rare that you get a partial or bad download. Downloading directly from the dev's site to your phone is a good way to cut-out the middleman (being your PC), but you should still verify the checksum.

If you do use your PC to do the download and then transfer the file over to your phone, be sure that you wait a few seconds after pushing or pulling the file over, then be sure you do a "safe eject" in MS/Windows of the drive corresponding to your phone. I usually wait a few seconds, do a safe eject, and then pull the notification shade on my phone and change from "Mount as Disk Drive" to "Charge Only". Then, I will double-check the MD5 checksum against what the dev published.

Flashing GSB was pretty straight-forward...just follow the dev's installation instructions. Here's what the instructions for workshed's 1.7 ([ROM] GSB v1.7 | GingerBread 2.3.2 [CM7.0.0 RC1 NIGHTLY][2-23-2011] - xda-developers) said:

If you're coming from Froyo or any other ROM ...

• 
  [*]Do a full wipe of data+dalvik...
  [*]Flash GSB...
  [*]Flash gapps package...
  [*]Sign into google after first boot...
  [*]Pick the google apps you use...

Pretty standard ROM-loading sequence...just take a Nandroid backup before you start the above so you can have something to restore back to if needed.

Its also a good idea to thread through the other comments in the dev's there (and/or here to at AF) since I'm sure you'll see comments / questions from other folks that you might also be wondering.

As far as other GSB ROMs go, I'm still on 1.6--haven't had time to grab or install 1.7 yet...

Hope that helps. Cheers!

 

[scary alien]

By the way, Ginger Tazz 7 came up with a hex MD5 checksum "171129e65a93af002f2fc2259f03fcce7"
but it failed the jar file test. Any suggestions?

I just downloaded it and got an MD5 checksum of 3337a5a7e5d5fe46d7f821995c542b42 (file size of 71,936,190 bytes).

Double-check the file size and the way you downloaded it. You might also trying downloading it directly to your phone (and still check the size and MD5 sum).

Its "interesting" eek that Tazz has not published the MD5 checksums on his first page... I see in the first page of his thread that someone asked for the MD5 (good for him/her!). Now you know why its important for the devs to publish these--so you'll know that you got it from a reputable source and that is indeed the file that you want, whole and uncorrupted. May wan to drop Tazz a comment in his thread over on XDA and ask for him to start publishing the MD5s...

Cheers!

edit: by the way, the "Jar Verify" (jarsigner -verify type functionality) function in my app will tell you if the file is good even if you don't know the MD5 checksum. So, that's why that's a valuable tool to have.

 

[GJW419]

I was just in recovery and wanted to address something Scary since you brought it up earlier. I am STILL running RA-eris-v1.6.2(Standard not trackball optional. I went to flash my gscript in recovery and this is the exact message I have:

Install from sdcard...
Finding update package...
Opening update package...
E:Can't open /sdcard/gscript.zip
(bad)
Installation aborted.

There ya have it. So.....?

 

[scary alien]

I was just in recovery and wanted to address something Scary since you brought it up earlier. I am STILL running RA-eris-v1.6.2(Standard not trackball optional. I went to flash my gscript in recovery and this is the exact message I have:

Install from sdcard...
Finding update package...
Opening update package...
E:Can't open /sdcard/gscript.zip
(bad)
Installation aborted.

There ya have it. So.....?

gscript-sa.zip (and/or gscript-sa-171.zip) is not something that you flash in recovery--its a simple .zip file. Nor is the custom recovery .img file that is contained therein.

Read through the installation instructions very carefully...you do everything to install this (via Scenario 3) while your phone is booted into Android normally (no need to be in recovery until after you've flashed a new version).

 

[GJW419]

gscript-sa.zip (and/or gscript-sa-171.zip) is not something that you flash in recovery--its a simple .zip file. Nor is the custom recovery .img file that is contained therein.

Read through the installation instructions very carefully...you do everything to install this (via Scenario 3) while your phone is booted into Android normally (no need to be in recovery until after you've flashed a new version).

Sheesh Louise LOL...............I did it right the first time (obviously). Ugh,LOL.

 

[scotty85]

Depends on what your flavor is. Both Scotty and I have flashed alot of different rom's. Aside from the White Widow rom, the GSB is the longest I've had any one rom installed. I'm about flashed out. I think I'll stick with GSB for awhile.

i hear ya there...

ive tried about every one on my eris. since its not my functioning phone at the moment,gingerbread is really the only one im wanting to mess with on it. im still right there with ya flashing the updates and checkin out as much as i can

KaosGingerbread is obviously not being maintained - it's over two months old and still has a non-working camera. I'd stay away from it.

i agree completely. i tried to flash it awhile ago(before shed and taz had versions) and i had bootloops after bootloops when trying to flash gapps. i dont remember if i ever did get it to work... at the time you had to flash v8 over v6 and only use a certain gapps... and you had to do it under a full moon while reciting the alphabet backwards...

ok maybe not that bad,lol, but last i played with it v8 offered significant speed and smoothness improvements over v6,but it was no where close to complete and functional enuff to use for a daily driver. i cant believe people are still messing with it. nothing against punkaos,but as you said,hes obviously not maintaining it.

That leaves Tazz and GSB. I have been running GSB myself for a few weeks, and it's been working great - there are a few issues, but this may be the most compatible non-HTC based ROM around for the Eris. Tazz I have not tried myself, but he is a great developer as well and I am sure that it is just fine.

If you like vanilla Android, GSB is probably best. It looks to me as if Tazz is themed, and if you like its look, then go with that.

i ran tazz's gb for a couple of days. folks seemed to be havin alot of trouble with it,so i wanted to see if i would as well. i dint have issue,and i dint follow the directions,in that i did NOT reformat my sd card. i dont know if thats relevant or a coincidence,but i dint do it and both GB roms have worked fine for me. tazz was just as smooth and seemed just as stable. it does look a lil different-tazz seems to like to use the "sense" icons in his roms instead of traditional vanilla ones. his froyo was like that also.

his froyo was just as good as any froyo rom i tried,and im sure his finished GB will be good as well.

Thanks for the speedy reply Scary, I'm in the process of downloading your app. I have just a couple questions.
So, 1. lets say its not verified for MD5 checksums, etc. what do I do then?
2. How do I get it verified, if possible??
3. How did you get GSB flashed correctly?
and 2. If nothing else, what ROMS do you recommend for GB?

are you downloading right to your phone? if you are using a pc to download roms and transfering them over,make sure you eject your phone from your pc BEFORE hitting "turn off usb storage",as i understand this can corrupt the files as well.

 

[GJW419]

Good afternoon gentlemen. I have tried to flash two different ROMS into my phone, the exact way I did the original GSB.....and the flash gets aborted stating "bad file". Could it be the links are bad or am I missing something. Again, I followed the exact same steps as the GSB I installed successfully.

Now, to address the "trackball optional" ongoing problem I am having. If I boot into recovery, I still have the original RA recovery. Now, if I go into my ES Files. the folder is in there (in SD card storage) along with my originl GSB and gapps I first downloaded (following instructions on the rooting for dummies page). If I open my GScripts program, tap "LIST SC-CARD", the program is listed in there also (recovery-RA-eris-v1.6.2-trackball-optional.img)

What am I still missing? (Thanks in advance)

 

[metlcat]

Good afternoon gentlemen. I have tried to flash two different ROMS into my phone, the exact way I did the original GSB.....and the flash gets aborted stating "bad file". Could it be the links are bad or am I missing something. Again, I followed the exact same steps as the GSB I installed successfully.

Now, to address the "trackball optional" ongoing problem I am having. If I boot into recovery, I still have the original RA recovery. Now, if I go into my ES Files. the folder is in there (in SD card storage) along with my originl GSB and gapps I first downloaded (following instructions on the rooting for dummies page). If I open my GScripts program, tap "LIST SC-CARD", the program is listed in there also (recovery-RA-eris-v1.6.2-trackball-optional.img)

What am I still missing? (Thanks in advance)

The bad file message probably means the downloads didn't finish completely. Try redownloading the ROMs and check the md5 against the one the developer has posted. Which ROMs are you trying to flash?

Here are the instructions for installing the trackball optional Amon_RA recovery. If you go to the actual thread for this procedure (Scary linked to it above), you will find pictures of what things should look like in gscript under the Scenario 3 heading. Note: when I installed this while using GSB even when I followed the steps I got an error the first time I ran the script. The second time it installed no problem.

Launch a new Gscript Lite instance and:

A. press the soft menu button
B. select Add script option (lower left)
C. press the Load file button
D. select the gscript-sa.sh script
E. leave the Needs SU? checkbox checked (you need root for the flash to work)
F. press the Save button (lower left)
G. you'll now be returned to the main Gscript Lite menu and you should
see gscript-sa available at the bottom of the list of scripts
H. to run the script, short-press the gscript-sa script name
I. you should be prompted by the SuperUser whitelist app to allow
the Gscript program to run the /system/bin/sh as root (select Allow)

 

[doogald]

Good afternoon gentlemen. I have tried to flash two different ROMS into my phone, the exact way I did the original GSB.....and the flash gets aborted stating "bad file". Could it be the links are bad or am I missing something. Again, I followed the exact same steps as the GSB I installed successfully.

It sounds a lot like an incomplete download to me. Verify them using Scary Alien's AFV app in the market (long-press on the .zip file and choose "JAR verification") before you restart in Recovery to flash it.

I have far, far, far better luck downloading ROM images to my computer and transferring them to my phone. Mobile downloads of large files like these ROMs seems unreliable to me.

 

[Bob Cat]

It sounds a lot like an incomplete download to me. Verify them using Scary Alien's AFV app in the market (long-press on the .zip file and choose "JAR verification&quot before you restart in Recovery to flash it.

I have far, far, far better luck downloading ROM images to my computer and transferring them to my phone. Mobile downloads of large files like these ROMs seems unreliable to me.

Mobile downloads work fine for me.

 

[bberryhill0]

Mobile downloads work fine for me.

+1

 

[GJW419]

Wow. I'm on my 3rd ROM in as many days. I can't believe how easy it is to do it on your phone. I was making it so complicated. Once you get everything in you need it's a cinch. Running Taz Blackened Ginger at the moment. LOVE the colors.

 

[John58543]

GSB is the best I've had so far...