New ROM - Reflash kernel?

[Brandito]

quick question: what is the general consensus if you have updated you've installed a custom rom (cm6 stable in my case) as well as an unlocked kernal and wish to update your custom rom to say a nightly build or even to a new rom altogether.

does each custom rom flash its own kernal? i kind of assume they do. and then i would just have to flash the new kernal again after? or add it second in a list of things to flash in rommanager?

hope this isn't too dumb a question, still pretty new to this, just covering my bases.

 

[Xyro]

In my experience (with the GSM Hero), most ROMs will flash a kernel as well. So if you're using a custom one, you will have to flash it again afterwards.

 

[Brandito]

thanks for moving my thread, not sure how i ended up in the gsm hero forum!

also thanks for the reply, another question comes to mind, i've read that you should clear the dalvik cache when flashing a new kernal too? is this necessary? if so what exactly is the dalvik cache and how will clearing it affect my phone?

 

[Xyro]

I have heard that advice too, although I usually forget to do it I haven't had any issues, but better safe than sorry I guess. Just make sure you've got a nand backup to go to.

I don't know the technical ins and outs of the Dalvik cache, but essentially data taken from apps is stored there temporarily. Clearing it will have no affect on your phone or it's data, other than it might take a bit longer to boot as the cache is repopulated.

Here's a 'simple' description my the man him self, Cyanogen.

EDIT: Oh, and your recovery menus probably have the option to wipe it like ours do.

 

[Brandito]

thanks again, little bit of googling and i found my answer. you are correct, i was able to wipe it from clockworkmod recovery.



edit: side note, my phone just booted up rather quickly after the wipe, it pulled in my new gmail and updated the weatherbug notification right away. so i'm not sure if wiping dalvik did it but i've not seen my phone this responsive after a boot yet!

 

[Xyro]

Do you wipe it when you switch ROMs? (You should).

I switch ROMs a lot, so I guess my DC doesn't have time to get cluttered, because it doesn't seem to make much difference to mine.

But then, maybe the two phones differ in that respect.

 

[Brandito]

from what i'm reading it sounds like it's separate from what gets wiped when you choose "wipe data and cache" when flashing a new rom.

whatever it does it doesn't seem to have any adverse effects after wiping it, sounds like there's generally more trouble from not wiping it.

sounds like some people wipe it even when their phone feels a little sluggish.

i'd say give it a shot at this point, couldn't hurt!

 

[Xyro]

from what i'm reading it sounds like it's separate from what gets wiped when you choose "wipe data and cache" when flashing a new rom.

Correct. That's why I asked if you had been wiping it when flashing ROMs.

You should do it every time before flashing

 

[Brandito]

oh i must have misread you. i haven't been, but i've only flashed a few times.

will be doing it from now on.

any idea if rom manager sets the recovery rom to wipe the dalvik cache when you flash a rom from within it?

btw my phone seems to boot much faster after the wipe.

 

[Xyro]

I don't use clockwork my self. But if it works anything like the one I use then no, it wont be wiping it.

Factory reset, dalvik wipe and ext wipe are all seperate options on mine. Because sometimes you just want to reflash the same ROM without wiping, which you couldn't do of they were built into the flash.

So yeah, your DC was probably a complete mess before