Root What do I have/What do I do??

[Jaded Soul]

Ok, I bought my vibrant from craigslst. It is already rooted and has a 'stock froyo' installed already. I asked the guy who sold it to me could I go back to 'stock' just in case I didnt like froyo, and he said yes and he pointed me to the 'ROM Manager' app (CWM 2.5.1.2)
Kernel Version: 2.6.32.9
Build number: Froyo.UVJK6

Now I have a couple questions where I should go from here. Ive been reading over xda and these forums the last couple weeks, so I could ask the right questions if needed. First off I want some opinions on if I should even bother flashing a custom ROM (nero v3, axura 2.2, macnut r13, etc) or should I just leave it stock froyo and add widgets and launchers as I feel the need to?? The phone is already pretty fast, but considering my last phone was a Samsung Moment, I cant really compare.

My 2nd question is if I do decide to flash a custom ROM, do I have to Odin back to stock or can I flash over the 'stock froyo' thats already here??

Also I know that most custom ROM require you to disable any lagfix that has been installed.. the problem is I dont know if any have been installed! How would I be able to find out this info??
Due to the fact that most of the things that have been changed on this phone were done before I purchased, there is no way for me to know what has been done :-(
I have a couple more questions to ask, but I think I need some feedback on these topics before I go any further
ANY help or suggestions will be much appreciated

 

[STiGLOGiC]

Oh my.... so many questions..... I would say flash a custom rom, just so you know what you have. Go to settings, and then about phone. What does the very last line say?

 

[Jaded Soul]

LOL, sorry for so many questions at once, but Ive been reading soo much about this phone and the subject lately, that I feel like im just missing a half a wing and im ready to fly
Last line in 'about phone' is Build Number: FROYO.UVJK6. I watched a tutorial from askriller on you-tube earlier and he flashed to 'stock froyo' using odin and his build# was FROYO.UVJK2. Like I said the phone is pretty good right now, but im wondering should I go ahead and try to make it better with 1 of the other 'custom ROMS'?? Or should I be happy as-is?

 

[STiGLOGiC]

Well, that depends on you. Are you happy with it the way it is? Is it fast enough? Do you like the layout? Do you have any lag? If you are happy with it the way it is, leave it be. If not, try a few ROMs. Just keep in mind that it is a path that is hard to step off of. Once you start flashing new ROMs, and finding the one you like you will finally settle on something. Then in 2 days something new will roll out, and you will flash that. This cycle will pretty much continue on forever. Just so you are aware.

 

[Jaded Soul]

Yes, im satisfied with the way it is now, but again, I dont have much to compare to. Ive only experienced lag a couple times when I was listening to music and trying to open other apps at the same time. I dont really like the layout/launcher and Ive seen some wallpapers that come with nero v3, thats why i want to get it. I know that the whole process is VERY addictive... i havent even flashed 1 ROM yet and already i want to try more.
My 1st question still remains... can I flash over the ROM that I have now: 'stock froyo', or do I have to odin back to stock 2.1 before I can get nero v3??

 

[CptGemini]

If you can get a one click root method to work then all you would need to do from there is install rom manager and flash clockwork mod recovery and from there you flash a rom. There are not that many odin ready roms that I know of though and this will void your warranty.

 

[Jaded Soul]

The phone is already rooted, and has Rom Manager (Clockwork Mod 2.5.1.2) installed.
When I go into "install rom from sd card" in the rom manager, there are already a couple ROMs on the sd card to install. I have an Axura Final.zip, a Macnut_R13.zip, a J12 modem.zip, and a Stock_jk6v2.zip (which im assuming is the ROM that is installed, since it matches the Build Number). I just want to know if I have to do anything BEFORE I flash nero v3 or Axura Final or can I just flash over the 'stock froyo' that i already have running?
Also, im not worried about the warrenty

 

[VegasTouch]

The phone is already rooted, and has Rom Manager (Clockwork Mod 2.5.1.2) installed.
When I go into "install rom from sd card" in the rom manager, there are already a couple ROMs on the sd card to install. I have an Axura Final.zip, a Macnut_R13.zip, a J12 modem.zip, and a Stock_jk6v2.zip (which im assuming is the ROM that is installed, since it matches the Build Number). I just want to know if I have to do anything BEFORE I flash nero v3 or Axura Final or can I just flash over the 'stock froyo' that i already have running?
Also, im not worried about the warrenty

That Axura final is already an old ROM. It is 2.0.6 and it is up to 2.2.5.9 already and the nwest ones come with the Voodoo lag fix and you dont have to disable it to flash another AXURA Rom. You will with others.

To answer your first question that everyone keeps skipping over.....some say to go back to stock when flashing a new ROM and i would IF the new ROM is completely different that the one you ave on. Like if i had Axura, i would go back to stock to flash Nero3.

But, some say to flash right over the current ROM but IMO if you do that, you might not get a clean install. If you have the paid version of Titanium backup, then i guess flashing back to stock isnt that big a deal because you can batch your user apps and install them again quickly but the free version you have to do them one at a time.

Maybe you can try and flash over a ROM and see what happens because even going back to stock you can not get a clean install and one thing might not work right and you have to flash again.

I have always done a flashback and it is a pain because im using the free version of TB but i dont flash all the ROMs. Ive only flashed the Axura ROM's because i keep seeing from others tha have tried them all that Axura overall is the best. Biggest concern ive read about it is some dont like the gray bar at the top and think it is bland. But, he has just uploaded a Gingerbread themed ROM today so , there ya go....lol

 

[Jaded Soul]

Ok thanks for the info Vegas.That deffinitely helped. Now I have a couple more questions... I just did a backup of this ROM and it says 2011-01-05-21.36, but I cant find out where it saved to. I read somewhere that the back-ups should save to a internal sd folder called "clockworkmod/backups", but the only files i have in the "clockworkmod" folder are "download floder", a ".settings" file and a "recovery-update.zip" file. Are any of these files the one i need, to flash back to stock if I mess up flashing nero v3?? I also have a file on the internal sd card named "Stock_jk6v2.zip" <<--- is this the file I need to get back to where I am now??I just wanna make sure I can get back to where i am now if i mess anything up

 

[VegasTouch]

Ok thanks for the info Vegas.That deffinitely helped. Now I have a couple more questions... I just did a backup of this ROM and it says 2011-01-05-21.36, but I cant find out where it saved to. I read somewhere that the back-ups should save to a internal sd folder called "clockworkmod/backups", but the only files i have in the "clockworkmod" folder are "download floder", a ".settings" file and a "recovery-update.zip" file. Are any of these files the one i need, to flash back to stock if I mess up flashing nero v3?? I also have a file on the internal sd card named "Stock_jk6v2.zip" <<--- is this the file I need to get back to where I am now??I just wanna make sure I can get back to where i am now if i mess anything up

This(2011-01-05-21.36) is what ROM Manager named your stock 2.2 ROM when you did the backup. It should be in that clockworkmod file. Go clockworkmod>backup and it will be there named 2011-01-05-21.36 . When you find it, copy it to your desktop for a backup to reinstall on your phone again if something happens flashing something else.

 

[Jaded Soul]

ok now all I need to do is find out if I have ANY lagfixes installed, so I can disable it before I flash nero v3... any help on how I find this out??

 

[STiGLOGiC]

Plug in to your PC and look to see if there is a folder called "Voodoo" in your internal SD. If there is look in and see if there is a file called "disable-lagfix". If the folder does not exist you do not have ext4 lagfix. If it does exist, and there is a "disable-lagfix" file, you can still flash. If you do have the folder and no "disable-lagfix" file, you will need to disable before you flash. If you have OCLF I have flashed over that activated more times than I can remember, so I wouldn't worry too much about it.

 

[VegasTouch]

There is an App in the market called Voodoo toggle reboot button. Turns voodoo on and off right from your phone screen. Much easier

 

[STiGLOGiC]

You don't need that. In Nero V3 you can use the new recovery(Red) and toggle from there, without having to pay for an app. Besides you have to reboot anyway to convert to, or from, EXT4 so you may as well just do it from recovery.



EDIT: Not that your idea was a bad one, I just personally don't see a reason to do that.

 

[VegasTouch]

You don't need that. In Nero V3 you can use the new recovery(Red) and toggle from there, without having to pay for an app. Besides you have to reboot anyway to convert to, or from, EXT4 so you may as well just do it from recovery.



EDIT: Not that your idea was a bad one, I just personally don't see a reason to do that.

That App is free. There are two. The one made by Zenmaster is the free one. Green Android guy with needles in him

 

[STiGLOGiC]

Consider my previous statements retracted.