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Unfortunately, yes, you will loose all your apps...but...you will be able to go back to the market and re-download them. Best to make a list just to be sure. The last time I upgraded, I was able to re-download all the apps during the first visit back to the market. Not sure this still works or not. I am not familiar wirth shapewriter, so I will defer to someone else on that.i am currently running android 1.5 i know i never updated my firmware. Now i have finally decided to do it but want to verify that i wont lose all my apps when i upgrade. Also will i lose shapewriter as it is no longer on the market. Any help is appreciated.
Your pics are stored on the SD card, so thay will be fine. Contacts, if they are "google" contacts are restored when you re-sign in to the phone with your gmail account info aftyer upgrading the phones software.yea i really just dont want to lose shapewriter. Question can i load the file from my memory card to my computer upgrade the phone then reload the app from my computer to the memory card and it still work or is not that easy? Because honestly the whole losing the aps isnt that big of a deal what i really dont want to lose is the shapewriter. Also does it delete your pics and contacts and everything or just the aps?
Root root root
I was about to say the same thing. Root and purchase Titanium Backup to backup the apps.


so what is the easiest way to root anyone have exprience with this? Android 1.5
If not please feel free to give me any info that will help me along the way. the 1.5 firmware wont let me upload newer apps and plus its beggining to get laggy and always having to reboot my phone now is becoming a pain in the arse.
Except....the OP has 1.5, which, I think, means he will loose everything in the root process... so TB wouldn't be of much help. I'm not sure there is a way to root 1.5 without wiping everything...![]()
So Universal Abdroot will root 1.5 without loosing any apps, settings, etc? Cool! It's been along time since I rooted my Hero with 1.5, and the ONLY way then was the long command line procedure in adb. YIKES!BEST way to Root 1.5 is Universal Androot.
Root - Get TB and Backup everything.....Then flash the rom of your choosing.
Reinstall TB and you ARE SET.....
Hi andy, and welcome to the forums! Without going into who moved the post, why, or even if it was moved, a tip for you...quick question for you guys. I found this question somewhere else but the moderator had moved it, so there were no answers where the moderator moved it and i can't find where he moved it from, i'm new to the forum thing but pretty decently saavy i flashed my own phone for text talk and web, i know that isn't much compared to what you guys are doing, but to get right to the point, my big question is, can i upgrade my cricket flashed cdma hero from 1.5 to 2.1 and then reflash for text talk and web, or is there something preventing me from doing it, also what do the different roms do? what do they change? is it performance based...aesthetic only or a little bit of both..anyyways what's in bold is my main question. please be nice, I know i'm a noob and you guys are tech gods! haha.

So Universal Abdroot will root 1.5 without loosing any apps, settings, etc? Cool! It's been along time since I rooted my Hero with 1.5, and the ONLY way then was the long command line procedure in adb. YIKES!
JB - YES.....I recommend this way! for 1.5 and early 2.1 builds.... 
can i download that link straight through my phone? and when i do should i have already back up my apps and contacts or is that after i root it?