I have been talking to a few people over the Christmas break and have been told that there are some good custom roms which would improve my htc hero. Is this a better idea than rooting? is it possible to over clock using a custom rom? are there any that you would reccomend?
The process of rooting your phone doesn't carry any risk. Of course, much like having administrator access to a computer, you have to be sensible about how you use root access. Worst case scenario you have to factory reset or reinstall the firmware.
When it comes to custom ROMs, the absolute worst case scenario is that you 'brick' your phone, so that you have to send it back to HTC for repairs. However, that would only happen if you flashed something meant for the wrong phone, flashed something meant for a Sprint CDMA Hero (a different phone that shares the same name), or you lose power whilst flashing a radio or SPL.
But we can tell you which files to flash and you won't need to flash a radio or an SPL. So really the worst that could happen if you make it 'bootloop', which is where the phone crashes whilst booting and starts over. But that's not really a big issue, and you can sort it within a few minutes.
Yes, you can always just run one of the RUU.exe files from HTC's website and install their firmware on the phone.
The best ROM depends on whether you want 2.1 (comes with HTC Sense) or 2.2 (quicker, but without HTC Sense).
Provided you can follow instructions it's a risk-free process.
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could i put the official version of android back on easily?
Yes.
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what is the best rom to use if i do root?
There's not really a single "best" ROM. Some people want to retain the SenseUI, while others prefer a stock feel to their Android. Some like the stability of 2.1 while others go with 2.2. Once rooted you can try the options for yourself and see which fits your own needs best.
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sorry for all the questions
That's what AF is here for. I recommend that you have a read through the Rooting Guide and browse the All Things Root sub-forum for a feel for the different ROMs currently in vogue.
Thank you very much for the replies. i have installed universal androot and run it. so the phone is now rooted.
I have had a look at the links in the post and followed a few with in them and the different custom roms are still confusing me.
I was looking to make my Hero as fast as it can with out killing the battery, just boosting the power when needed and Froyd has been mentioned for this. Would i be right or are there other ones that do the same? would like to run 2.2 if poss and be able to over clock the hero when needed.
If Froyd is a good one where would i go to get it and the instructions on installing it and the radio? i have googled a few things and it comes up with a few sites i would not trust.
Froyd is one of the best and most popular. It's not my personal choice, but the all of the main 2.2 roms are pretty similar nowadays. It can be overclocked if you want to do that (although 2.2 brings it's own speed improvements).
You can download it here. You will have to download 1.7.0 first and then the 1.7.1 and 1.7.2 updates as separate .zips. There are a few addons such as the gingerbread keyboard and themes that you can find on their site too.
You're running 2.1 at the moment, right? The second half of this post contains instructions on how to switch to a custom ROM.
I'm not so sure which radio your phone needs, as Orange Heroes can be a bit more picky than others.
do i install the 1.7.0 version then once that has done it go through the same process to install 1.7.1 etc?
sorry if i sound a bit thick. i can do most things with computers but never done much in the way of updating phones
I am currently on 2.1 from Orange
Cheers
Last edited by jplamb; December 28th, 2010 at 04:43 PM.
Basically, once you've flashed the 1.7.0 file, just tell it to flash 1.7.1. and then 2. And then any other things like themes or whatever. There's no need to wipe or do anything in-between each one.
(Although if you're not doing these things all at once, and you booted in between, it's best to tell it to do a dalvik cache wipe first).
I know there's one radio out there that Orange branded phones don't like (it makes them ask for unlock codes constantly until you switch radios), but I'm not sure which one it is. That's why I'm hesitant to say.
My advice is don't touch the radio unless you have problems using it with the new ROM. Flash your ROM of choice and see how it runs first. If mobile network and/or wifi issues develop then 63.18.55.06PH_6.35.15.14 works fine here on an Orange-locked Hero running a 2.2 ROM.
it mentions the recovery version. is this the correct part of the page?
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Download
ALWAYS check the md5sum to make sure the zip isn't corrupted.
Only flash recovery-RA-hero-v1.6.2.img if you have a 32A Sapphire with 6.35.x.x radio and 1.76.x SPL, recovery-RA-hero-v1.7.0.1.img will NOT boot! I'll create a new Sapphire version soon.
Yeah, that's the file you need. You can ignore pretty much everything in red; the red paragraph isn't applicable to Hero owners and well... I never bothered with the md5sum check. (Which checks to make sure your download isn't corrupt).
Please can i confirm what i now need to do to make sure i am not missing anything.
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1. Install instant root ( you get root access ) .....DONE
2. Copy the Amon Ra recovery image to the root of sdcard ( not in any folder )
3. Copy flashrec to the root of your sdcard
4. Install flashrec (Use a file explorer like astro)
5. Open flashrec. Then, Back up your recovery on first screen then in address bar put /sdcard/(ur amonra recoveryname with .img) and press flash. Typically it will be like this /sdcard/recovery-RA-hero-v1.6.2.img
6. Go to the market. Download an app called 'Titanium Backup'. (Needs Root access). Install it. Click Backup/Restore. Click menu, Batch, Then select the option best for you. I select Backup all user apps. However you can select backup all user apps + data (but this may cause problems with your new ROM...but it works fine for me). Let the app do its thing.
Your done! Switch off the phone, switch it back on holding home key & power key
7. Once you are on the recovery screen menu there are a few options. Please do a nandroid backup before continuing. A nandroid backup simply takes a picture of your phone in its current state and if any problems occur you can restore your phone to how it was before. To do this click on Backup/Restore. Then click on Nand Backup. Wait for the process to finish. When it's finished reboot the phone and plug the phone into the computer and copy the nandroid folder to somewhere safe on your pc. Also copy the Titanium backup folder to your pc (this is the apps we backed up).
I recommend reformatting your memory card. To do this select SD card from phone menu, and click format. Or plug the phone into the PC and right click on the drive via my computer, and format it.
Now, put the custom rom (which should be a zip file) onto the root of the sd card. (I.e. Not in any folders). Do not rename the custom rom file or change the extension.
Then Switch off the phone, switch it back on holding home key & power key.
Always do a wipe before flashing your custom ROM. (A wipe will get rid of your data so please make a backup of your data using various apps on the market). In the Recovery Menu click WIPE, then Wipe data/factory reset, dalvik cache, SD:ext partition, battery stats & rotate settings etc.
8. Click on Flash Zip from sdcard and then it should show the Custom ROM. Click flash and wait for the ROM to install.
9. To enable Apps2SD (install apps to sd card) you must create a partition on the SD Card. To do this click on partition sdcard. We want 512MB as EX2 and the rest as FAT. After this has completed, go back to the partition SD menu and click on SD:ex2 to ext3.
A few parts that i am not 100% sure on before i start.
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5. Open flashrec. Then, Back up your recovery on first screen then in address bar put /sdcard/(ur amonra recoveryname with .img) and press flash. Typically it will be like this /sdcard/recovery-RA-hero-v1.6.2.img
Is this the "recovery-RA-hero-v1.7.0.1.img" file i have downloaded and copied to my SD?
Flashrec - the website says that current firmwares are patched. and i can not find where i download it from.
Titanium back up - have downloaded and installed but will wait to use it in order with the list.
Thank you again for your ancients. you must think i am stupid.
Is your phone running 1.5 or 2.1 at the moment? If you're running 2.1 then I don't think flashrec works with that firmware.
If you download a free app from the market called 'ROM Manager' and hit the very first option 'Flash Clockwork Recovery', let it reboot and then load ROM manager again and click the very last option 'Flash Amon ra' it will do the job of flashrec on a 2.1 ROM.
I have installed rom manager and selected Flash Clockwork Recovery. it has done this. it didnt ask to reboot or anything so i turned the phone off and back on again. it bootwed as normal and i have now opened rom manager again. is the option i want to select next "Flash alternate Recovery" "RA Recovery v1.7.0.1"?
I have backed everything up and am ready to install the custom rom. This is the part i am at at the min
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I recommend reformatting your memory card. To do this select SD card from phone menu, and click format. Or plug the phone into the PC and right click on the drive via my computer, and format it.
Now, put the custom rom (which should be a zip file) onto the root of the sd card. (I.e. Not in any folders). Do not rename the custom rom file or change the extension.
Then Switch off the phone, switch it back on holding home key & power key.
I formatted the sd card and copied the zipped file on to the sd card and then tried to start the phone by pressing Home and On but it came up with a picture of the phone and an '!' icon in the top part of the picture. is this something to do with me formatting the card?
the phone has booted up properly after i turned it on normally
Hi, I have got it running. i had to go through the steps with the rom manager again, it stores info on the SD so when i followed the instructions to format the sd card it removed the settings.
1 last question i think. how do i put the updates in? i have them downloaded on my pc.
Think the only thing not working properly is the camera, it keeps force closing. i am restarting the phone now but will see if the updates do anything.
A very big thank you for all of your help, could not have done it otherwise.
Chances are the fixes sort the camera (although I haven't looked).
Put them on the sdcard like you did the original firmware, boot to recovery, do a nandroid backup (get in the habit of doing those before flashing) and then a dalvik cache wipe and a normal cache wipe. (Don't worry, it doesn't wipe anything you need/see, just temporary files).
Then flash 1.7.1 and then 1.7.2 and then reboot.
(The ! page meant that you hadn't flashed a recovery menu; so when you first told it to 'Flash Clockwork recovery', it didn't work. Not that that matters now ).
if i decide to change the custom rom do i put it on the sd card, do a back up clear the cash and install it? (not planning on it but you never know)
When you come to flash something new you'll either do a partial wipe: nand backup, wipe the two caches and then flash. Or a full wipe: the same, but do a factory reset as well as wiping the caches.
Usually updating to the new version of the same ROM, or changing theme or whatever, only requires a partial wipe. The only time you'd do a full wipe are when you're switching to a different ROM. But with all the free backup apps (MyBackup Root, Titanium Backup, SMS Backup & Restore) you're able to carry across most of your data to a new ROM even when doing a factory reset.
I bet you'll be flashing a new ROM when gingerbread comes out
(In fact I'm running gingerbread now, but it's very unstable).
Not just for the end result either, but for asking questions when you had doubts. A thread like this is a big help for future 'rooters' who may have similar questions.
right thanks for the help! ive rooted it and added a custom ROM onto it. Now that ive installed froydvillain, does that mean i can get rid of the files that include froydvillain- or do i need to keep it there to run?
Also one last thing, how do i move my apps to my SD card and set them so they automatically download to the SD?
You can ditch all of the files you flashed yeah, they aren't being used any more.
You should be able to find the option to install apps to the sdcard by default in Settings >> Villain Settings. I believe there's also an option in there to allow the movement of all apps to the sdcard (rather than only ones where the dev has enabled it). You can go to Settings >> Applications >> Manage Applications >> Pick an app and click on move to SD card.
It's best not to move widgets to the card though, as for some reason apps on the card won't be available soon enough on boot and they won't load properly.
The Following User Says Thank You to Xyro For This Useful Post:
1. Boot into recovery
2. Nandroid backup
3. Wipe of data, dalvik and cache (optional, but if you need help, you're gonna need to do this first before asking!)
4. Flash the ROM
5. Reboot. At setup screen, give it time to complete optimisation after boot... Should settle down in about 5 minutes, more if you didn't wipe EXT.
I am now trying to find the original apps that i had on my phone storage, i cant seem to find them. Did i wipe them off whilst i was installing Froyd?
I have been trying to flash amon ra recovery, i have managed to install it through ROM Manager and also Andtoid Terminal, I reboot and if i press power and home it works. However, if I boot the phone then retry it comes up with a picture of a phone with a red ! mark in a triangle.
I had a thought, I can flash the recovery image for one reboot, if i installed the custom rom then would that work? Then I could flash the recovery image on a custom rom?
It's best not to move widgets to the card though, as for some reason apps on the card won't be available soon enough on boot and they won't load properly.
No matter how many times I have put a CR on my phone I still keep doing this and end up face palming myself!
I had a thought, I can flash the recovery image for one reboot, if i installed the custom rom then would that work? Then I could flash the recovery image on a custom rom?
Thanks
Tim
You mean that the.custom recovery image only lasts one boot after it's flashed, before it goes back to the old one? That's odd.
But yes, that would be enough time to flash your rom.
I know there is always dangers with this sort of thing, but you reckon i should be ok when the phone isn't flashing recovery image ok?!
It's not going to do any permanent damage, but I'd be wary of doing anything else e.g. installing ROMs until you have a working recovery for the simple reason that the Nandroid backup facility is essential for peace-of-mind.
Do you have a terminal app installed? If not would you mind doing so (ConnectBot or Terminal Emulator are both freebies) and at the console enter "su" (without the quotes)? If the prompt changes from $ to # that will confirm your root access, and we can take the troubleshooting from there.
Yeah I do get the # symbol, i tried again tonight, everytime i turned it on (without pressing home) it went to the 'default recovery' image, after a while it booted back into normal.
Okay, so at least we know you have root access which will make fixing the issue easier.
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every time i turned it on (without pressing home) it went to the 'default recovery' image, after a while it booted back into normal.
Yup, that's certainly not usual behaviour.
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Any ideas?
Always....
#1
Download the *-update.zip file posted here. Copy it to the root of your sd card and then do whatever you have to do to boot into the custom recovery. Once there, select "Flash zip from sdcard", select the file you previously copied and confirm. When it completes select "Reboot system now" to check that it restarts normally. Hopefully it will also now boot into the new recovery when asked.
Note: This simply reflashes Amon_RA's recovery but has been reported to fix similar issues for some users.
#2 (if the above is unsuccessful)
Do you have the Android SDK installed, so that you can use the ADB tool? In a situation like this I like to go back to basics, which here would be flashing Amon_RA's most recent recovery the old-fashioned way via fastboot + adb. We'll go there should the need arise.
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Custom roms?
button.
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