Root kernel, overclock, custom ROM. ???'s

[shorty1993]

Starting with I have searched for days (every site Google will find) with all keyword combinations possible & have learned a lot but not the answers I am looking for.
Issue is that I freeze at any speed over 604 max (via Setcpu). Tried setting higher speeds as a charge profile to see if being triggered would change yet didn't. I have done nothing with advanced menu as I have found nothing posted referencing it netting higher speeds. I am rooted, started with zanfur kernel, switched to a conap kernel (bfsv6), both with same results. Did dalvik wipe (i am running amon ra) then went back to zanfur kernel to try again, same results. What am I missing? If this is just equipment limit then what's the result of flashing a custom Rom with default clocks of 710+++? Thanks for any assistance, know this is long but wanted to get all the info out to be seen.

Thanks In advance

 

[Podivin]

While 710 seems to be the norm to which an Eris can be overclocked, there are some devices that are exeptions - some can go higher, some can't go that high. It appears that you have a phone that isn't willing to go beyond 604.
While I really expect that it's a hardware issue (nothing WRONG per se, just your phone won't do it) you could try flashing a new ROM that defaults to 710 and see if your phone will run the ROM at all. If it does then start loading you apps back in slowly (over hours or even better, days) to see which one(s) causes the lock up.

 

[scary alien]

I've also read that lots of other people who have used xtrSense or xtrROM report that these ROMs are fast enough without needing to overclock. So, this might be a good option for you since you are having trouble with overclocking.

 

[Podivin]

I THINK Zach has overclocked both of the xtr ROMs to 710 by default.
As I recall he has a gscript to set the processor speed down to 528.

 

[scary alien]

I THINK Zach has overclocked both of the xtr ROMs to 710 by default.
As I recall he has a gscript to set the processor speed down to 528.

Aha! Thank you for the correction! (I have seen so many posts, at least early-on, where many people were espousing the benefits and speed of Zach's ROMs without even needing overclocking. I'm thinking that the he (Zach) either tweaked the default speed from 512MHz to 710MHz or it was interpreted that you didn't need to overclock higher than 710MHz).

Here's the relevant part of Zach's post in the xtrROM thread over on XDA:

default Overclock Settings - the ROMs kernel supports overclocking and as part of the custom sysinit process I have added scripts that automatically set the below CPU clock settings when the phone boots:
Min: 245760
Max: 710400

I have included a few GScripts to change between stock cpu settings and default overclock settings without using a market app

. You can also run the report_cpu_freq script from GScript to get a printout of which frequencies and time in each you phone has been operating.

To change CPU overclock settings just run the appropriate GScript.

edit: by the way, this is easily verifiable if you have an xtr ROM installed by doing a fresh boot and watching the CPU speed in something like System Panel.

 

[doogald]

I THINK Zach has overclocked both of the xtr ROMs to 710 by default.
As I recall he has a gscript to set the processor speed down to 528.

This is correct. I believe that there is a way to set the max CPU speed to something different before you flash if you have the SDK and are willing to run a few commands from a command prompt (windows)/terminal (mac/linux) before the first boot. I'll see if I can find them.

And, to the OP, I usually don't correct things, but I believe that the kernel you are referencing is Zanfur, not Zandolf, and the Android virtual machine is Dalvik, not Delvik. These are not important but, just in case anybody searches for an answer later on, we may as well get the names right in the thread.

I'll reply with an answer about how to set the max speed as soon as I find the commands, if I can find them.

 

[Podivin]

Originally the xtr ROMs were not overclocked, and people said good things about the speed. A couple generations back Zach decided to set them to OC by default. As you found, he clearly stated that in his change log, but it managed to escape general notice all the same.

 

[scary alien]

Originally the xtr ROMs were not overclocked, and people said good things about the speed. A couple generations back Zach decided to set them to OC by default. As you found, he clearly stated that in his change log, but it managed to escape general notice all the same.

"Stealth-overclocking"! Sneaky, Zach. Sneaky.

 

[doogald]

[edit - trying this myself, I found that some of the commands were incorrect, so I am correcting them inline. Corrections are in bold]

I found this post in the xda-developer's for a different ROM that was built by Zach and Tenzo, but it should be the same for xtrROM and xtrSENSE: xda-developers - View Single Post - [ROM] [GPL] [10-11-10] Vanilla 2.0.4 [Pure AOSP 2.1, OC, A2SD, CFS, Cache2Cache] FAST

[edit - Before you do this, you should boot into Recovery, wipe data, flash xtrSENSE or xtrROM, and then do these commands while still in recovery, before restarting the phone for the first time.]

Reboot into recovery

1. adb shell
2. at the shell prompt, mount the system partition as r/w by entering
   
   mount -o rw,remount /dev/block/mtdblock3 /system
3. exit shell
4. adb pull /system/etc/usersettings/conf/cpu_max_value cpu_max_value
5. edit the cpu_max_value file that you just pulled to your local machine to change the current max value to 604800. You need to change it in two places.
6. adb push cpu_max_value /system/etc/usersettings/conf/cpu_max_value
7. Reboot -- should come up fine. Initial boot will still take about 2 or 3 minutes at the skateboard screen before going on to the ANDROID logo, so be patient.

And, to explain:

1. You need to install the Android SDK. Here is a post with instructions on how to install the SDK: http://androidforums.com/eris-all-things-root/125436-detailed-leak-root-tutorial.html - I think you need steps 1-7 for Mac/Linux, 1-8 for Windows. After you get the SDK working, type that adb shell command (./adb shell for Linux/Mac; these will always need the ./ before the adb command.)

2. After you get the prompt after adb shell, type that command.

3. type that command

4. type that command. That will store a file in the tools directory (or folder) of the Android SDK called cpu_max_value.

5. As the instruction says, open that file in a text editor (like Notepad) and change the 710400 to 604800 (in two places), and save the file.

6. Run that command.

I am absolutely sure that this will set the phone to run at 604800 max.

 

[scary alien]

Nice summary and write-up, doogald!

Still wish we could just launch vi somehow to make file changes, lol! (although I've seen apps that allow you type from your PC's browser to your phone--pretty cool idea, but I've never tried it).

I find myself typing vi commands while in MS/Word, or notepad, etc. all the time...

 

[doogald]

I am pretty sure that this will set the phone to run at 604800 max.

I'm about to find out - I am going to flash xtrSENSE in a little while and do exactly these commands.

 

[doogald]

I'm about to find out - I am going to flash xtrSENSE in a little while and do exactly these commands.

Some of the commands I originally posted were wrong - I have corrected them inline above - but it definitely works - my maximum CPU is now 604800.

 

[shorty1993]

This is correct. I believe that there is a way to set the max CPU speed to something different before you flash if you have the SDK and are willing to run a few commands from a command prompt (windows)/terminal (mac/linux) before the first boot. I'll see if I can find them.

And, to the OP, I usually don't correct things, but I believe that the kernel you are referencing is Zanfur, not Zandolf, and the Android virtual machine is Dalvik, not Delvik. These are not important but, just in case anybody searches for an answer later on, we may as well get the names right in the thread.

I'll reply with an answer about how to set the max speed as soon as I find the commands, if I can find them.

Yeah I did this from the phone driving, eating lunch & listening to the wife complain about my multi-tasking. I did realize the zandolf mistake but figured it would be obvious, very good point on the search failing to find threads with spelling errors. These are corrected now.

Onward, very good info & while I knew there was no real fix I am satisfied just being able to clock down with scripts. To be sure I fully understand, the ROM must be built with the ability to use scripts?

Thanks again to everyone, really enjoyed these boards & learning something new.

 

[scary alien]

Onward, very good info & while I knew there was no real fix I am satisfied just being able to clock down with scripts. To be sure I fully understand, the ROM must be built with the ability to use scripts?

shorty1993,

I think zach.xtr used the Gscript scripts to manage overclocking in lieu of using setCPU or the Overclock Widget. If you have Gscript and the relevant scripts, you should, I believe, be able to use these on any Eris ROM that utilizes a kernel that can be overclocked.

You should also be able to use setCPU (or the Overclock Widget) and setup your profiles so that you are not clocked any higher than 604 MHz. Note: I actually haven't used the Overclock Widget, but I read that many people prefer it to setCPU.

I think that's what you are asking. Let us know if its not.

 

[shorty1993]

shorty1993,

I think zach.xtr used the Gscript scripts to manage overclocking in lieu of using setCPU or the Overclock Widget. If you have Gscript and the relevant scripts, you should, I believe, be able to use these on any Eris ROM that utilizes a kernel that can be overclocked.

You should also be able to use setCPU (or the Overclock Widget) and setup your profiles so that you are not clocked any higher than 604 MHz. Note: I actually haven't used the Overclock Widget, but I read that many people prefer it to setCPU.

I think that's what you are asking. Let us know if its not.

yeah, this pretty well takes care of my curiosity. Upside I suppose being that anything I am not happy with or doesnt work isn't permanent. Thanks to everybody for their time in answering. I plan to try a few different options & see which works best, report back as I try.
Thanks again.

 

[shorty1993]

Well uninstalled Setcpu & went to overclock widget, phone would actually run at 710+ without any issue so long as I use no apps, just flipping screens & sleep/waking phone up. While this is still useless it does show that obvious differences exist in the 2 apps. Next I will be trying some ROM changes. I have considered getting a replacements phone since I am only a week from 1 year warranty. What is the latest scoop & best expert advice on odds of getting a phone not able to be rooted, I have hopes of getting one a little more overclock friendly. Appreciate all u guys time.

 

[scary alien]

Well uninstalled Setcpu & went to overclock widget, phone would actually run at 710+ without any issue so long as I use no apps, just flipping screens & sleep/waking phone up. While this is still useless it does show that obvious differences exist in the 2 apps. Next I will be trying some ROM changes. I have considered getting a replacements phone since I am only a week from 1 year warranty. What is the latest scoop & best expert advice on odds of getting a phone not able to be rooted, I have hopes of getting one a little more overclock friendly. Appreciate all u guys time.

Glad to hear you are stable again... Regarding the replacement phone, if your phone isn't having other hardware issues, you might want to hang on to it...there's an awful lot of returned Erises out there and we've seen reports of people having to even return their replacements.

Also, overclocking higher that 710MHz will probably not be that noticable to you anyway, at least according to some things I read by people that have overclocked higher (the performance increase doesn't really seem to be linear or noticable other than Linpack scores).

Cheers!

 

[shorty1993]

Glad to hear you are stable again... Regarding the replacement phone, if your phone isn't having other hardware issues, you might want to hang on to it...there's an awful lot of returned Erises out there and we've seen reports of people having to even return their replacements.

Also, overclocking higher that 710MHz will probably not be that noticable to you anyway, at least according to some things I read by people that have overclocked higher (the performance increase doesn't really seem to be linear or noticable other than Linpack scores).

Cheers!

No I have some other issues that I just haven't dealt with due to not wanting to give up my phone that I had the way I like it. Always had a issue with excessive heat wit normal use & charging. However the other day with phone on charge & 5 minutes of tether I hit 54 degree, things have went downhill from there. That was with no overclock or adjustments of any kind. Just looking at not getting stuck with a brick if I wait much longer.

 

[scary alien]

No I have some other issues that I just haven't dealt with due to not wanting to give up my phone that I had the way I like it. Always had a issue with excessive heat wit normal use & charging. However the other day with phone on charge & 5 minutes of tether I hit 54 degree, things have went downhill from there. That was with no overclock or adjustments of any kind. Just looking at not getting stuck with a brick if I wait much longer.

Whoa! 54 degrees is pretty warm ...yeah, you probably need a replacement... Hope you get a good one. Best of luck!

 

[shorty1993]

Whoa! 54 degrees is pretty warm ...yeah, you probably need a replacement... Hope you get a good one. Best of luck!

sadly i was informed today that since i changed my phone from my contract (which i no longer have) to my parents account that my warranty is void. i am not exactly sure how that they can void my warranty for an account change being as that the integrity of the equipment was in no way compromised but i got this same answer from both the local store and customer service. so it appears i will making do until it bricks then getting out my wallet and paying full price being as my parents refuse to renew contracts to save the money. always something.