Root ROM Installing

[DigitalBird]

I've been comfortable with my rooted HTC Inc for a few weeks not but I'm considering the possibility of going to ROMs to tinker with my phone even more. Still, I have a list of things that must always work:

Camera/Camcorder
Phone: Goes without saying.
LauncherPro
WidgetLocker

I've already made a Nanadroid backup, I'm going to purchase Titanium Backup this week for a full backing up of apps and everything else. The music, movies and photos are going to be backed up on the laptop.

I've heard many times that ROM Manager makes the process rather painless. Is that still the case? Does it wipe if all I have is a newly rooted phone with wireless tether installed? I've read the answers stating no, when it's upgrading from say 2.7 to 3.0. But otherwise? Is it really as I've read? ROM Manager, choose and let it install? (This, I'm not entirely certain of from what I've read on the boards.)

At the moment, I'm looking towrards Virtuous. What swayed me was the possibility of the HTC 3.0 sense when it's more stable and the fact that everything else that I'm looking at, such as: Hulu, DSP Audio are part of the Rom Manager setup. The last question I have is, is there a necessity in working with kernals immediately or can I just use what it comes with for now?

 

[mike1]

i use rom manager and yes it is still very easy, you dont have to wipe when installing new roms through it though you should and you do not have to use kernals ive been rooted for about 2 weeks and still have not been using kernals

 

[DizkoDan]

ROM Manager doesn't do anything special. It just automates the process for you, and gives you the option to wipe data/cache & backup at the same time. That said, it makes life a lot easier, especially if the ROM dev has their ROMS listed in it (paid version).

As far as wiping data goes... It depends. Generally speaking, going from a generic 2.2 build to a custom 2.2 sense build wont require a data wipe. If you haven't been messing around with stuff, you are probably fine to do without the wipe. It's when you start going from one build to another that problems start popping up. As of yet, no Virtuous release has required a wipe (assuming you weren't coming from some other crazy ROM), and the dev has stated that he does not ever want to make it a requirement.

You do not have to use a custom kernel with most ROMS, though there are a few that either bundle a custom kernel, or require one for certain functionality. I'd start without, then if you have a need for something, try a new one.

As always, backup, backup, & backup! I always make a nandroid prior to flashing, then one as soon as I get everything set on the new ROM, BEFORE installing any kernels or theme's. Then make another after running stable with any added stuff like kernels or themes so there's always a stable fallback without having to redo a bunch of stuff. Obviously, you can go back and delete them as you go.

 

[DigitalBird]

I'm paranoid enough to make backups and then put them on the desktop. That's not a problem.

And yes, it's just a 2.2 newly rooted for all intents. The first thing that I did was install wireless tether. That's it. Nothing else. And automated is perfect except for the fact I need to remind myself - no touching the phone while it's doing all of this installing.

I'll give this a try this weekend and give all the updates since I hate the possibility of tinkering with a phone during the work week.

Thanks!

 

[DizkoDan]

By automated, I mean it simply reboots into recovery and does the backup/wipe/install for you. You can't do anything while this is happening, as you are in recovery until it finishes and reboots into the new ROM for you.

 

[DigitalBird]

Automated = Exactly what I want. While it's doing its thing, I'll go and do something else in the meantime. I suppose, it doesn't hurt to ask: How long does it take?

 

[morph4290]

Few minutes tops whenever I switch between virtuous or cm.

 

[Football33]

Can you help me out with installing a rom. I have a rooted phone and rom manager. I would like to install Virtuous v3.0.1. I downloaded the rom from rom manager then it says would you like to wipe and back up. I skip this step then it boots to what i think is clockworkmod, but don't see where I would load the rom. I have an option that says

bootloader
REboot
reboot bootloader
power down.

I get this same screen even if i try to load the rom through rom manager and install through sd card. I thinking this is not the right screen or I need to install clockwork mod again. Can someone verify this. Thanks

 

[Vaseline Smith]

ROM manager should take you straight into clockwork.

 

[Football33]

so would this be the clockworkmod? I can only navigate with the up down volume and power button. If so how would I load the rom from the below options. I tried all of them and nothing loads the rom.

bootloader
REboot
reboot bootloader
power down.

 

[Football33]

ok I figured out what the problem was. I re flashed my clockwork mod the other day and it must have got corrupted or something. THe screen I was referring to below turns out to be the hboot screen and it wouldn't let me boot into clockworkmod. I re flashed clockworkmod on rom manager and tried to load from sd and it now boots into clockworkmod. I can now get into clockworkmod by doing the install new rom from rom manager. Don't know why it works now but it does just by re flashing clockworkmod.

 

[DigitalBird]

I'm back! It's finally the end of the week. So far, the prep list is:

1. Buy the full versions of ROM Manager and Titanium Backup
2. Backup things like music, pictures, photos. (In progress!)
3. Backup via nanadroid, Titanium backup for apps.
4. Make sure all of the above are on the laptop.

Where I'm not certain but I have 24 hours to work things out.

5. Under ROM Manager choose > Install ROM > Find Virt ROM 3.1 on the list and run the install?
6. Grab breakfast.
7. Done!

This may change, depending on how bored I am in the afternoon today.

Edit: So. I was bored and it's not lunch yet. The Inc is now running Virtuous ROM and I'm muddling my way through the new tweaks.

 

[TheBeardedMann]

I'm back! It's finally the end of the week. So far, the prep list is:

1. Buy the full versions of ROM Manager and Titanium Backup
2. Backup things like music, pictures, photos. (In progress!)
3. Backup via nanadroid, Titanium backup for apps.
4. Make sure all of the above are on the laptop.

Where I'm not certain but I have 24 hours to work things out.

5. Under ROM Manager choose > Install ROM > Find Virt ROM 3.1 on the list and run the install?
6. Grab breakfast.
7. Done!

This may change, depending on how bored I am in the afternoon today.

Edit: So. I was bored and it's not lunch yet. The Inc is now running Virtuous ROM and I'm muddling my way through the new tweaks.

Now go back and install Incredible Revolution w/the white battery. It's a nice theme. Search the xda forums for the red sexy rosie to turn the rosie buttons red and make it match nicely. And then grab a new font. And maybe a new HTC clock widget too.
If you want to double back up your apps, you can get App Brain from the Marketplace. It doesn't actually back up the app itself, just the link to the marketplace.

 

[DigitalBird]

Now go back and install Incredible Revolution w/the white battery. It's a nice theme. Search the xda forums for the red sexy rosie to turn the rosie buttons red and make it match nicely. And then grab a new font. And maybe a new HTC clock widget too.
If you want to double back up your apps, you can get App Brain from the Marketplace. It doesn't actually back up the app itself, just the link to the marketplace.

Installing that theme was the first thing I did. Once I figured it out. I'm not sure on the red rosie yet. But I did download the transparent theme, font and.. there's a new HTC clock widget? I still need to get the launcher pro bit loaded on. I'm just worried that if I do, I'll lose the Launcher Pro that I did pay for.

 

[jbeezybaby]

I'm back! It's finally the end of the week. So far, the prep list is:

1. Buy the full versions of ROM Manager and Titanium Backup
2. Backup things like music, pictures, photos. (In progress!)
3. Backup via nanadroid, Titanium backup for apps.
4. Make sure all of the above are on the laptop.

Where I'm not certain but I have 24 hours to work things out.

5. Under ROM Manager choose > Install ROM > Find Virt ROM 3.1 on the list and run the install?
6. Grab breakfast.
7. Done!

This may change, depending on how bored I am in the afternoon today.

Edit: So. I was bored and it's not lunch yet. The Inc is now running Virtuous ROM and I'm muddling my way through the new tweaks.

Oh brother.... You dont know what you have gotten yourself into. It only gets better from there.

 

[DigitalBird]

Alright. Everything looks good and the battery life was still normal yesterday post install. Now, I've unplugged it and just ensuring that things like facebook widgets load accordingly. But I've seen the percent click down by one-two since then. And I'm talking less than a 5 minute spread. Did I do something wrong somewhere? I'm not playing with the kernel yet.

Then again, I never got to see the actual number before now.