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I did it! I flashed a ROM!!

sleedeane

Android Expert
Jul 6, 2011
1,396
363
Columbia, MO.
Sorry if I'm in the wrong place for this question.
A lot of you know me as the guy that is always whining because I have a low self-esteem because I am still a newbie...9 Androids and 5 years later.

But...
I'm a new man today because:
A. I rooted this S2 about 2 weeks ago with Odin3 (thanx again Ryan M. in Santa Barbara).
B. I fixed the display on my friends Gateway laptop using Moninfo (thanx again Tresezk in The Great Void and Zenerok in Post #28).
C. I am now running ICS, Darkside Evolution style (thanx again, Lord, for not bricking me, and thederekjay in xda).

MY FIRST ROM!!:D::beer::beer: YES YES!!

And thank you all that have coached... no... babysat... me from my first Optimus to my first ROM.

But...you're job isn't over. Not by a long shot.
And I thought after my successful install of a hack that I could start asking more newbie-less questions.
But, NOOO!!!
Like this one (dumb. I know):

I backed up everything in Titanium BU, which I made sure was on my external card, and copied that folder (the one with the TBU in it) into a new folder I created in My Documents on the PC to be safe.

My question is, how do I get the Titanium BU app back to my phone homescreen (either the one that I can see on my ex sdcard using Astro or the Titanium bu that's on the PC) or app drawer or somewhere that I can use it to restore all my apps?
And/or, do I want to restore just the user apps that I want to use again?
Do I or do I not want to just batch restore everything that I backed up (apps, system "functions," everything?). Or could this "batch restore" cause problems because now the ROM is different?

I'm sorry for the silly questions; and I really appreciate you guys helping me through this.

I still can believe I flashed a ROM!!!

(All gitty with joy at the simple things that you guys can accomplish blind-folded with one hand tied behind your back).

Oh. One more thing. For future questions specific to specific ROMs, can I ask them in this forum, or do I have to go to xda?
That place scares me, and I know they don't like newbie questions.:eek:

Thanx again
 
And/or, do I want to restore just the user apps that I want to use again?
Do I or do I not want to just batch restore everything that I backed up (apps, system "functions," everything?). Or could this "batch restore" cause problems because now the ROM is different?


You don't want to restore system data after flashing a new rom. It could cause problems like a lot of FC's. What I usually do is select 'restore all apps with data' then deselect all of them, then go through and select the ones I really want and use.

There are no dumb questions. What would be dumb would be doing something you aren't sure about without asking questions first. That's one of the reasons this forum is here. ;)
 
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You don't want to restore system data after flashing a new rom. It could cause problems like a lot of FC's. What I usually do is select 'restore all apps with data' then deselect all of them, then go through and select the ones I really want and use.

There are no dumb questions. What would be dumb would be doing something you aren't sure about without asking questions first. That's one of the reasons this forum is here. ;)

well, I restored everything before I read this post.
And, just like you said, I screwed up a lot of things.
I think you said doing this would constitute being dumb.
I appreciate you verifying what I already suspected.
Do you see my other post (How do I get back to stock?)?

thank you.
 
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well, I restored everything before I read this post.
And, just like you said, I screwed up a lot of things.
Do you see my other post (How do I get back to stock?)

Did you by chance make a backup in recovery at any point before restoring apps? You could just restore that backup. If not, you can just flash the rom again. First in recovery, do format data/factory reset, then wipe cache partition and under advanced wipe dalvik cache. Then install the rom.

If you want to go back to complete stock, You can use Odin to install this file. Unzip it and use Odin the same way you installed a recovery to root. It is the new update in a form for installing with Odin. You will be unrooted again but you can reroot if you want to.

Before you use that file, are you T-Mobile T-989?

You can also go to the bottom of this OP under Odin flashable [STOCK] [ROM]:. You will find stock rom's for your phone to use with Odin for Telus or T-mobile. You will need to download the new update again as these aren't the newer versions.
 
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Did you by chance make a backup in recovery at any point before restoring apps? You could just restore that backup. If not, you can just flash the rom again. First in recovery, do format data/factory reset, then wipe cache partition and under advanced wipe dalvik cache. Then install the rom.

If you want to go back to complete stock, You can use Odin to install this file. Unzip it and use Odin the same way you installed a recovery to root. It is the new update in a form for installing with Odin. You will be unrooted again but you can reroot if you want to.

Before you use that file, are you T-Mobile T-989?

You can also go to the bottom of this OP under Odin flashable [STOCK] [ROM]:. You will find stock rom's for your phone to use with Odin for Telus or T-mobile. You will need to download the new update again as these aren't the newer versions.



Thank you, Atmazzz. You are very kind to help me to try to fix this mess I have created.

Between my last post and your post, I have made things worse. The only thing worse would be if I bricked it next.

The only back-ups that remain (none on internal or external on my phone) is on this pc.
In My Documents, I have the original ROM back-up that I made right after I rooted.
The one I want.
And the Titanium Back-up that I need.

I don't know how to get the original T989 rooted ROM back onto my phone where it needs to be (I've been trying to copy and paste it onto the External card on the phone).
I just get errors when I try to restore it using CWM.

And when I copy and paste the Titanium Back-up to the external (I tried the Internal also) card on the phone, and then download Titanium b/u from the Play Store, like I was told, it only finds a Titanium Back-up I made of the ICS ROM, that doesn't have any of my original apps or data that I need back on it.

Am I SOL?
Or is there a way to get the back-ups on the p/c back onto the phone where they need to be so they can be restored?

You probably answered these questions in this last post of yours, but I am still just as confused, as I've tried so many things to fix my screw-ups that I don't even remember how to use Odin anymore.

I need step by step instructions on what to do now, if it's even possible to make everything right at this point. I have the feeling I've made too many bad decisions (deleting back-ups from the card trying to get CWM to take the right one. Trying to make everything right by starting from scratch) to ever get anything back, at this point, though.

I thought a Nandroid back-up would make this stuff fool-proof; I guess that rule doesn't apply to me.

So, if you have the time to help me, I really appreciate it.
If not, I completely understand.

Thank you again.
 
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Ok, lets try this first. Check your external SD card. You should have a folder that says Clockworkmod and another folder in that one that says backup. If you don't then create those folders.

The nandroid backup you made and that you copied on your PC. It should be a folder named with the date of the backup, and the nandroid files inside of that. Copy that folder to the backup folder on your SD card. Now try restoring that backup in recovery.
 
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Did that work?

If not, if you have the T-Mobile SGH-T989, download this file. It is the updated stock rom.

Unzip (extract) it somewhere. Make sure on your phone USB Debugging is checked in settings>applications>development.

Now use Odin as in this tutorial except you don't need all the steps.

1 - Launch Odin but do NOT connect the phone yet. Plug your USB cable to your computer but not your phone yet.

2 - Power off your phone. Then hold down both volume buttons and plug in the USB cable. Press the volume up button when you see this menu.

download.jpg


You will then go to the download screen.

3 - Wait for the Com port in Odin to turn yellow. You do not need to check anything that isn't already. Just be sure that Re-Partition is NOT checked. It shouldn't be.

Odin.jpg



4 - Select PDA in Odin and browse to the file you downloaded and select it. Now press Start and Odin will flash the stock rom. When it is finished you will see a green PASS in the top section.

5 - Odin should reboot your phone. You should now be in the stock updated ROM.
 
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Ok, lets try this first. Check your external SD card. You should have a folder that says Clockworkmod and another folder in that one that says backup. If you don't then create those folders.

The nandroid backup you made and that you copied on your PC. It should be a folder named with the date of the backup, and the nandroid files inside of that. Copy that folder to the backup folder on your SD card. Now try restoring that backup in recovery.

Thank you for getting back to me so fast.

I created the folder in the folder on my external card and copy/pasted the back up on the p/c into it (though I have it completely renamed just "ROM 1" on the computer).

But when I try to restore it in recovery, I get:

ClockworkMod Recovery v5.0.2.7
E:Error in /cache/recovery/last/_log
(Read-only file system)
Checking MD5 sums...
MD5 mismatch!
E:Can't open /cache/recovery/log
E:Can't open /cache/recovery/log
E:Can't open /cache/recovery/last_log
E:Can't open /cache/recovery/last_log


I named the folder I created exactly as you said (Clockworkmod>backup)

Maybe I messed up by completely re-naming the back-up on the p/c "ROM 1"?

Maybe I messed up, originally, right after I rooted, by copying the "ROM 1" (Nandroid b/u) FROM THE PHONE to "My Documents" instead of "Downloads" TO THE COMPUTER?
(being why the problem has something to do with the b/u being "read-only"?)


As you can tell, I really don't understand most of what I'm doing.
I thought I really had it going on in the beginning. When I rooted using Odin, I didn't have one single error. It went perfect.
Then I thought I did the Nandroid back-up onto the external sdcard exactly as instructed, and even copied that onto the pc for extra-extra insurance (but maybe to the wrong place on the pc or shouldn't have re-named it).
Then I was so sure that I downloaded Titanium b/u onto the external card, backed up everything (apps+data and all system stuff) right, and copied this to the pc for extra measure as well.

I don't remember why I deleted my original ROM b/u, with Nandroid, from the card. I think after a couple of restore errors (maybe different errors than what I'm getting now), I wanted to start with a fresh back-up, the one from the pc. And I didn't want 2 different bu's on the card at the same time.

(I do know, though, that when I first backed up my original rooted ROM, it downloaded to the Internal Memory on the phone, even though the instructions said that it would always go to external. So I moved it to the external using Astro. I thought that I did something wrong here was why I was getting some kind of error when I went to restore back to the original rooted ROM. Now I remember that this was why I deleted it from the phone entirely in the first place, figuring I had a good copy of it on the computer.


Curve ball coming (I'm remembering things as I write this):

At some point, after I initially flashed Darkside Evolution ICS (what I have now), I realized the glitches this ROM has (No screen capture, no Swype, speaker problems, apps freezing up/force closes, etc), and so then I successfully restored back to stock/rooted, using "Back-up/Restore" in CWM. No problems at all.
But before I restored back to Stock, I did a Titanium Back-up of Darkside, and the ROM itself, just in case I decided I wanted to try it again.

Which is exactly what I decided: To give Darkside another shot.
So I found the Darkside .zip on the external and flashed it again. No problems.
But when I went to restore all my original apps and their data to Darkside, I could only get Titanium Backup to restore the backup I made while in Darkside the first time. In other words, the Titanium backup of the Darkstar Systems and Apps, not the original backup I made of all my Apps in my original Stock ROM.

This was when I deleted the Titanium Backup, Darkstar, off of the phone, knowing that I have a good Titanium Backup, of my original apps, on the computer.

Which I copied and pasted to the external card on the phone.
Then I downloaded Titanium Backup from the market again. But, somehow, the Darkstar backup is all that will restore.
Even though I can open this folder (using Astro), and see that it's the one I want (about 50 more apps than the Darkstar Titanium Backup), the other one, that I completely deleted off the phone, is all that restores.
I even copied this Titanium Backup to the Internal memory as well, but still have the same undesirable results, the wrong backup, that I don't even see anywhere, being restored.


Well, there you have it.
As best as I can piece back together, this is how I went from a stock rooted T989 ROM with 224 system functions or processes, and all my applications and all their data, to Darkside Evolution ICS, that has its problems, with 174 system functions or processes or apps, and none of my apps or their data.


It took me 8 months to set my phone up, exactly the way I like it, and about 2 days to make it unrecognizable and unfriendly.
On the plus side, I have learned a lot. And the phone is plenty usable; at least I haven't bricked it (yet)(knock on wood).

I should have followed the advice that one of you guys gave me not too long ago: to pick up a cheap used smartphone to play with. Not my $600 only phone, that's not insured, or warrantied (but root is well worth that!).
But I was so sure I would know at least what buttons not to push, even if I didn't know which ones I could push.
Hey, at least I'm taking the next step. And I would never have seen myself here. Ever.
I owe all I know to you guys. You're not just smart; you're so awesome to volunteer your time and and your patience with us newbies.

My regrets are few; the education, this whole Android experience, thanks to you awesome geniuses in these awesome forums, I will value and use for all my days to come.
I don't think I'm going to wake up one day, and say, "I'm done with smartphones now. Lets try something else". Not!! I'm hooked but good, and I love it!

And to the developers in xda, I can only imagine the time and dedication it must take to create all the custom programs and ROMs and kernels and the likes for us to try out and play with and learn from. And I know ROMs and things are released as they are still being perfected and glitches and hiccups are to be expected. I've only tried one custom ROM so far. But I think I'll get past this, fairly unscathed, with a little help from my friends, and will try out many more. I'm too close; no looking back.

Geeze...I'm so sorry I write so much and yet say so little. I just thought I would try to explain exactly what I have done to help you diagnose my situation better.
Even if you can't get back to me any time soon, I'm not going to touch anything else until you can. That way you will be able to stay up to date on what I've done, since I'm so terrible at explaining (a bad memory doesn't help any) the things that I don't really understand quite yet.

But I will.
 
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Did that work?

If not, if you have the T-Mobile SGH-T989, download this file. It is the updated stock rom.

Unzip it somewhere. Make sure on your phone USB Debugging is checked in settings>applications>development.

Now use Odin as in this tutorial except you don't need all the steps.

1 - Launch Odin but do NOT connect the phone yet. Plug your USB cable to your computer but not your phone yet.

2 - Power off your phone. Then hold down both volume buttons and plug in the USB cable. Press the volume up button when you see this menu.

download.jpg


You will then go to the download screen.

3 - Wait for the Com port in Odin to turn yellow. You do not need to check anything that isn't already. Just be sure that Re-Partition is NOT checked. It shouldn't be.

odin-example.png


4 - Select PDA in Odin and browse to the file you downloaded and select it. Now press Start and Odin will flash the stock rom. When it is finished you will see a green PASS in the top section.

5 - Disconnect the USB cable. Power off your phone and reboot. You should now be in the stock updated ROM.

Shoot. I just saw this post of yours.
But not before the long-winded one I just now posted. I think I will hold off following these newest instructions of yours in case my post changes anything.

Thank you.
 
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Yes, I think that by renaming the nandroid it threw off the MD5 checksum and CWM can't restore it.

If you want to go back to stock and start over, flash the file with Odin in my previous post.

Option 2 - Wipe everything in CWM ( Wipe cache, and under advanced wipe dalvik cache - Under mounts, format boot, system, data, and cache) and reflash Darkside or another rom.

Option 3 - In CWM , Wipe cache partition, then in advanced wipe dalvik cache and then select 'fix permissions'. Reboot and see if that helps.

When you use TiBu, make sure it is set to look in the correct folder for the backups you want. Have you tried deleting the Titanium folder on your sd card, copying the one from your pc to your sd card and restoring apps (not system data)?
 
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I'm back to my normal happy self after all that I learned last night.
So, I now know that you can't just go changing names of things. I know understand why I couldn't restore my stock ROM (because I named it ROM1), and stuck it anywhere on the card, instead of putting the properly date-named content into the properly named folder(s).

Is this close to correct?

And I have this back-up situation going on now:

ex_sd/Clockworkmod/backup/2012-06-01.10.57.24 (7files, 913mb) (6/1)
/ROM1/clockworkmod/backup/2012-05-13.02.22stockrooted (7files, 1.08gb) (5/27)


What I see is the folder I named "ROM1", containing the folder "clockworkmod" which contains the folder "backup", which contains the ROM called "2012-5-13.02.22stockrooted" (I remember the instructions said I could add anything I wanted to after the 2012-5-13.02.22), ALL WITHIN the folder "backup" that is in the folder "Clockworkmod", that is on the external card. This folder "ROM1" looks to have been created by me 5/27.

I can see why "2012-05-13.02.22stockrooted" was inaccessible by recovery; it is too well hidden.

Correct?

Now, I see that the backup "2012-06-01.10.57.24", that I created this morning, after rooting, that I should add a name to at the end of the date/time title so I will remember what it is (stock/rooted, again), IS ALSO in the SAME "Clockworkmod">"backup" folder AS the "ROM1" folder-folder-folder-backup ROM, that I made a week ago.

I'm not sure how they both come to be in the same folder, but it's wrong, right?
I should go in and delete the ROM1 stuff, right?
Because that folder that I may need the backup from some day is going to confuse recovery, right?


I want to try some other ROMs now (I'm starting to feel more comfortable), but not until I'm sure I have good backups, and backups of the backups.

Last night/this morning scared the spit out of me, so I'm trying to catch my errors now rather than in panic mode later (Ask Atmazzz. He sensed/alleviated the fear/nausea that consumed/overwhelmned my every...)
 
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I'm confused (not hard for me). Are you saying you have a clockworkmod/backup folder and a ROM1/clockworkmod/backup folder?

The backup you did today saved in the ROM1/clockworkmod/backup folder?

That's what I don't get. At least I think I don't know??

The first backup I made, in error, was put in ROM1>clockworkmod>backup. The one called________stockrooted. It wouldn't take because I stupidly had folder>folder>folder>ROM, instead of folder>folder>ROM. Somehow I got confused moving it to and from the pc.

This mornings ROM is correct, Clockworkmod>backup>ROM.
But somehow, the first one, made a week ago, jumped into the good backup folder (the one with the good ROM), that I made this morning.

Does this make sense to you? How/why would it do this?
 
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