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Root [SOLVED] Urgent Help with dumb question

Z

Zancudo

Newbie
Please don't make fun since I must be missing something fairly obvious to everyone else, so here it goes...


  • I own a MetroPCS Ascend M860
  • Thanks to theinfo in this forum I was able to root it and install SU etc
  • Tried to follow the instructions to load CM7 outlined by Scur here: http://androidforums.com/3714319-post2238.html
  • Got lost on the second instruction since I've never done this...
  • NOTE: From the 5 steps in there I have done #1, #3 and I'm totally capable of doing #4 with Gparted but #2 is yet a mistery that doesn't seem obvious and since I've never flashed an android ROM idk how intuitive is going to be doing step #5
So the second instruction is: Install Clockwork Mod Recovery (CWM)

I downloaded CMW 3.0.2.8 as suggested by Scur from the handy links section... Sorry, Iḿ a newbie so I have no clue as to what to do with the unzipped files!!! None of them is an apk so idk how to install CWM.

I have the latest version of Rom Manager free and I've heard it comes with CWM and that I should uninstall it from inside of Rom Manager. I however can't find where in Rom Manager I can uninstall CWM nor how to install version 3.0.2.8 (as stated above)

Is there a step by step instruction set or video for items #2 and #5 of the outline below?


  • Root your phone
  • Install Clockwork Mod Recovery (CWM)
  • Backup everything, that is grabbing AntTek or Titanium Backup and backing up your apps, and performing a nandroid (complete system) backup with CWM
  • Partition your sdcard to 512 with 32 swap after copying your entire card to your computer (not necessary, but highly advised)
  • Flash CyanogenMod 7 (CM7), Google Apps (gapps), and (after a reboot) the MetroPCS mms fix (metroff)
Please help!
 
While I am not totally familiar with the exact steps for your phone model I did do some research and found that Rom Manager will not provide the proper version of CWRecovery for your exact phone model.

So that said, please provide me/us the exact link from which you downloaded the CWRecovery version you stated, was it from post #2 in this thread?:

http://androidforums.com/ascend-all-things-root/320265-ultimate-ascend-customization-guide.html

It is pretty important to has a version of CWRecovery that has been built for your exact phone model to proceed.

Let me/us know, then we can help you with the rest of the commands to install said custom recovery on your phone.
 
The files I found on the zip file where computer files for Linux/Mac/Windows but I was wxpecting an apk,

What I'm gathering is that I might need to install CWM from a computer and not from a installer that will run on the phone itself.

The confusing part is that I think that Rom Manager installs a version of CWM by itself. I couldn't find anywhere inside of Rom Managerś gui that would allow me to uninstall CWM.

Then I need to install CWM from a computer (I have no clue on how to do that but I hope that can be achieved with some sort of gui).

Hope to hear from you soon!

Regards
 
Zancudo said:
The confusing part is that I think that Rom Manager installs a version of CWM by itself. I couldn't find anywhere inside of Rom Managerś gui that would allow me to uninstall CWM.
Click to expand...

Now I am confused. Do you want to install CWM or uninstall it? You are correct, Rom Manager does not uninstall CWM.

Unfortunately there isn't going to be an easy way with a gui to install CWM on your phone. But it can be done with that file you linked, but it will take some doing, maybe even some command line commands. First your going to have to get the usb drivers for your phone installed, so your phone and computer can talk to each other. So let us know what OS you are running on your comupter and we can start from there.

Unfortunately I have to go to work and then I'll be out of town until Wednesday afternoon, so maybe I can rally some other help for you in the meantime.

good luck
 
"Now I am confused. Do you want to install CWM or uninstall it?"

For some reason I thought Rom Manager CAME with CWM. idk how I got that impression but that seems to be what I've read. They were suggesting to uninstall CWM and THEN install this older version.

Maybe we should start by discarding that piece of information, i.e.

  • How do I know I have CWM installed?
  • And if I do have it installed how do we know the version?
Now the rooting was done in a Mac and I didn't have to install drivers (weird in a sense), but had to do the thing in Terminal (no big deal but guis are always friendlier)


I have availablle XP, Lion and Ubuntu. Where will the instructions to install CWM will be easier or safer or with less steps in your opinion. I used the Mac to root since I notice that I didn't have to install any drivers (so that was a step less to do), but if I have to hunt for the drivers and install them on XP I'll do so.
 
Perfect! Though I yet wonder if my confusion regarding the notion that Rom Manager installed CWM was innacurate. Can you confirm that?

Since I didn't go through such a process on this phone can I rest assured in that CWM was not installed by any other root application and that I do not need to uninstall it? (I installed Rom Manager, System Rom Tools, Rom Toolbox, Titanium Backup, AntTek App Manager and APK manager.)
 
I believe you are good to go, the new version of CWM will overide any other you installed. Now, MAKE A BACKUP!!! A Nandroid, First things first.

Reboot to CWM
backup and restore
backup.
 
I looked over this root forum and everything you need is here. However, I always recommend to everyone to Read, Read, Read. Make sure you know the processes involved.
Your ready to flash a rom now!!
 
"...the new version of CWM will overide any other you installed"

The above settles my concerns, thank you.

Now, the closest I've gotten to flash a ROM is jailbreaking an iPhone and loading modified versions of iOS and I have played with OSs on PPC, x86 and x64 quite a bit though this will be my first time on an android device. idk if we are talking about a very dumb and simple process where all I have to do is put the phone in the Android equivalent of DFU mode in the iPhone and wait for some software do its trick or if I have to make a lot of choices beyond the location of the new firmware I want to load.

Is there a step by step description of the flashing process that will apply to this specific phone? I mean I've checked the link you sent me before joining this community but since it referred to icarus mod and icarus mod was based on Froyo and Iǘe read there were ROMs outthere based on Gingerbread I thought this was probably deprecated and there was something more recent but while doing that search I got over saturated with pages and pages on how to do this on Google, so I decided to take the safest route, count 'till 10 (I'm very anxious to install a better rom on this thing) and ask people with more experience to guide me through the process. So all I can say is that I really appreciate the culture in this community so thanks for your help lilbit and Tedyearp!
 
Also, is there a tool to do the Nandroid backup? apparently Rom Manager blocks other apps from doing this unless I purchase the paid version!! How fudged up is that? Oh well, I have a second Ascend which is identical to this one so I guess that if something go wrong I can do the nandroid backup on the second one to load it on the other one if I need it. Is that too flawed a plan?

Now I have to run some errands that can't be done without my physical presence and it means drving etc. I need concentration to do this so I get to it as soon I get back. Once again thank you guys for all the help. Will be back later to work on this!
 
Ok, it wasn't easy but I have to run errands again. However I want to thank everyone in their efforts. CWM is a fantastic application. A little bit of these thanks go to lilbit (but just little bit, not much :). Ok, sillyness aside there were a few issues:

CM7.2-Ascend (09132011) led to wifi issues. It would be off by default, I would turn it on and then it would turn itself off again. The network scanning was what cause it. I read a lilbit about it and I tried what someone said (Downloaded and flashed CM7-Ascend (05142011) and that fixed the wifi issue but it has some other quirks.

  • Pinch and zoom doesn't work. (It didn't work before either but I had read that upgrading to Gingerbread alone fixed that. So that was disappointing.
  • My home button doesn't bring the launcher up. Instead it turns off the screen, just like it would if you used the power button so I have to press the back button a million times (it depends on the app) to get back to the launcher..
  • Talkatone keeps connecting to the google network and then disconnects again :( (Will try an earlier version since I had to sideload the app as it is not listed as compatible due to CPU speed limitations I however have it working on the Samsung Admire which supposedly couldn't run the app either).

    The home button is a major annoyance. Pinch and Zoom would be nice but I could live without it. I'll update you guys soon.

    Thanks once again!

 
I fotgot to mention that I skipped a few steps (I wonder if that could have anything to do with a few of the problems I had).

I didn't understand the role of formating the sd card so I didn't do it. I did experience some animation loops which I eventually fixed wiping data, cache and
"Darwin" cache (whatever is called Dalvik maybe? What's that). Whatever it was it fixed itself.

As far as I can see I have yet to compare the two phones I have and determine if rooting was the solution to many limitations or not.

On the other end I have read that there actually was a Stock Gingerbread update for this phone from MetroPCS but in order to install it I had to have service with them and I had never used them, I use Android handsets wherever there is wifi as a VOIP extension for my PBX, ocassionally as an airfoil device, also use whatsapp and as a talkatone/google voice client but do not use it as an actual phone.
 
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