A few question for a new rooter (Flashing ROM's/Kernels)

Oblivioncth · July 14th, 2011, 07:08 PM

Well I'm new to the android world and have been wanting to install a different ROM and Kernel for what feels like ages now because I can not find the answer anywhere to a few problems/concerns I have.

1. When it comes to flashing ROM's/Kernels, does your baseband version matter? I have looked through some kernels and a few of them bring up a 4 digit alphanumeric code that I have seen range from DB01,DBO9,EB01,ED04 and many more. I have found through research that this is your baseband version (which also annoys me because I have seen people online use it to refer to system versions like saying "New ROM [EC09]........" when they mean it's a gingerbread ROM and not actually referring to the actual baseband EC09). So on some ROMs there are multiple versions that on some sites I have seen in parentheses have a baseband version. Does this mean that the ROM/kernel comes with that baseband, or that it is required to use that ROM?

If it does matter then it seems I'm screwed because I have not seen a single one mention ED04 (which is my current) or EC09 (which is what I want to use after hearing that it works better).

2. When I tried to flash a kernel before i got some error like E:failed to seek in /cache/update.bin (Invalid Argument). This is when trying through ROM manager and flashing directly from it into ClockworkMod. How can I make it work

I feel like I am about to explode over this as my dad has the original droid and uses droid concepts which he claims mentions nothing about a baseband so he has no idea what I'm talking about. I can't get this answer anywhere so even a lame, horrible, half-assed attempt at helping me or putting me in the right direct is 100% appreciated.

nunyazz · July 14th, 2011, 07:34 PM

1. It matters to an extent. Certain modems are compatible with certain rom versions. Froyo (2.1) modems work with Froyo roms. ex eb01 ec01 ed04 etc are all compatible with any froyo roms. Actually, it looks like these modems are compatible with the newer gingerbread roms as well. The only ones you need to worry about is using the old DL09 or DI01 modems with the froyo or gingerbread roms. It won't crash your phone or anything, you just won't be able to use any data or make calls if it is not compatible. If that happens you can odin a different modem file to your phone. Also, some roms have the modem file included, some don't. It is usually mentioned in the thread.

2. Rom manager doesn't not work for the fascinate. You need to odin a newer 3.x+ CWM recovery to your phone like:[RECOVERY][ODIN][ZIP][4.22.11]Voodoo CWM 3.x UPDATED 5.8.11 - xda-developers

Hope this helps.

Oblivioncth · July 14th, 2011, 09:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nunyazz

1. It matters to an extent. Certain modems are compatible with certain rom versions. Froyo (2.1) modems work with Froyo roms. ex eb01 ec01 ed04 etc are all compatible with any froyo roms. Actually, it looks like these modems are compatible with the newer gingerbread roms as well. The only ones you need to worry about is using the old DL09 or DI01 modems with the froyo or gingerbread roms. It won't crash your phone or anything, you just won't be able to use any data or make calls if it is not compatible. If that happens you can odin a different modem file to your phone. Also, some roms have the modem file included, some don't. It is usually mentioned in the thread.

2. Rom manager doesn't not work for the fascinate. You need to odin a newer 3.x+ CWM recovery to your phone like:[RECOVERY][ODIN][ZIP][4.22.11]Voodoo CWM 3.x UPDATED 5.8.11 - xda-developers

Hope this helps.

THANK YOU, SO MUCH, that someone answered this. Don't mean to be so estatic it's just that like I said this has be frustrating as I've been on the dark with how to know if ROM's are compatible.

Yes that helps a lot and resolves most of my troubles. But now lol I have a few more questions (which to keep consistent I will write in numbered form

).

1. So once I flash over that newer CWM using Odin I just boot into recovery and flash what I want, and I would do that by renaming it update.zip on my SD card since ROM manager doesn't work? Also if I read that thread correctly, it doesn't have to be lagfix does it?

2. I was planing on using Geeknicks Stupidfast ROM but it was last updated around the time that the DL09 modem was the latest (and I'm guessing it was on Elcair too). I want to stay on Froyo or possibly go to gingerbread so do you know any alternatives to Geeknicks that are similar as in they are clean, for optimizing battery life but don't sacrifice speed? I'm sure you know how Geeknicks were all about under-volting and such.

3. In that thread you linked, what is the difference between the first one, the blue, and the purple? And also what's up with the MD5 checksums and SHA1?

4. I know that you can flash over kernels, ROMs, and modems all separately if you want to, so as a relation, the main modding scene that I come from is xbox and xbox 360 where on the 360 (i don't know if your familiar) you flash over the NAND which is in blocks where the first so many blocks are the BIOS, the next are the basic boot files, etc. I'm guessing that it works similar here, as in the reason you can flash a kernel and then a ROM without overwriting the kernel is because when you flash the ROM it is only writing over certain blocks?

Sorry to be crazy but once I get these questions out of the way I'm off to a better phone.

nunyazz · July 14th, 2011, 09:27 PM

1. You need to first load your ROM and/or kernal files on your sdcard before installing the CWR. You do not rename the files. In CWR there is an option to load zpi files from SDcard, you just navigate to the file you want to install. And no, you don't have to use lagfox, however, there is nothing wrong with lagfix/voodoo.
2. I would install CommRom 2.1. It seems to be the most stable froyo rom available. There are some kernal options or you can just use the one supplied with the rom. *Note - right after installing CWM you need to boot directly to CWR (3 button boot) and install a ROM or kernal for it to 'stick'.
3. The colors don't matter, use md5
4. The roms and kernals all flash to the same space, one will overwrite the other, so you need to flash in the correct order.

Oblivioncth · July 15th, 2011, 12:04 AM

Well I flashed over CWM 3 then went strait to recovery and flash ComROM. So far so good except that the lagfix failed

I ran a benchmark and it was way low so I went into Recovery and under voodoo it said "Voodoo is actually: Disabled" "On next boot: Enabled"
So I checked the log and found this:

LOG:

I don't suppose you could possibly help with that?

nunyazz · July 15th, 2011, 10:32 AM

Try a different kernal. I used PBJ -50 Voodoo or the latest OTB voodoo kernal.
Make sure you boot into CWM, go to the Voodoo section, enable lagifx in both places.

Oblivioncth · July 15th, 2011, 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nunyazz

Try a different kernal. I used PBJ -50 Voodoo or the latest OTB voodoo kernal.
Make sure you boot into CWM, go to the Voodoo section, enable lagifx in both places.

If I flash over a new kernal will I have to reflash the ROM too? I went to the voodoo section and selected enable voodoo and /system lagfix was enabled so I guess I'm doing another one.

nunyazz · July 15th, 2011, 02:39 PM

No, just flash the kernal.

Oblivioncth · July 15th, 2011, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nunyazz

No, just flash the kernal.

Thanks but the ComRom I'm using is the latest which is based on gingerbread and according to this:

Code:

Q: Why is there no voodoo?
A: since there is no source for ec09,  voodoo has to be hacked into the stock kernel...its not an easy process  and has yet to be done, but navenendrob is working on it.

It's not possible on gingerbread yet so whoops sorry

.

So the ROM didn't add voodoo, the CWM release did but it's not supported yet on EC09 so that's why it's failing. So I just need to keep it disabled until it's supported. Is the voodoo that's part of the CWM release you linked me the good or would I be better off using one of the two you listed above?

nunyazz · July 15th, 2011, 03:06 PM

I would not use that EC09 ComRom. It had some issues with eating SDcards. I was suggesting you to install The Froyo ComRom 2.1. with a voodoo kernal. If you insist on a GB rom I would suggest the lastest CM7 from JT.

Oblivioncth · July 15th, 2011, 04:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nunyazz

I would not use that EC09 ComRom. It had some issues with eating SDcards. I was suggesting you to install The Froyo ComRom 2.1. with a voodoo kernal. If you insist on a GB rom I would suggest the lastest CM7 from JT.

Ok, I don't like how in the current CM7 release there are many things not working. I do like ComRom so far so I guess I would go back to 2.0 which is Froyo and Voodoo.

So the SD Card problem is with EC09 gingerbread, not the EC09 modem itself?

Edit: oooh. Looks like there is a 2.1 version that still uses Froyo, gonna check it out.

nunyazz · July 15th, 2011, 05:01 PM

Like I already said 3 times... ComRom 2.1

and P.S. everything is working on CM7.

Oblivioncth · July 15th, 2011, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nunyazz

Like I already said 3 times... ComRom 2.1

and P.S. everything is working on CM7.

Ya I was looking at the wrong one. And sorry about the ComRom thing, it's just that the GB release is also 2.1

I'm good with ComRom for now but might try CM7 latter.

Thanks for all your help.

nunyazz · July 15th, 2011, 07:47 PM

The GB ComRom is at version 0.2.1, Froyo version is 2.1