Root First post with a few questions

[heroooo]

I finally upgraded from my Hero and got an EVO! I've had fun playing around with it for the past week or so, live wallpapers and all that jazz, but now I'm looking for more. I updated my computer software (Mac running 10.6.6 currently) and did the unrevoked root method earlier tonight. Success! It was just as easy as I everyone said it would be.

I know this question has been asked to death, and I have searched both google and a few forums, but I'm having trouble finding out if there are any drawbacks/differences between rooting with the unrevoked method and doing it the long, complicated, confusing, brick your phone way? From my searching, it didnt look like there was much of a difference except for one... you cant do a nandriod backup doing it the unrevoked way, is this true?

I'm wanting to play around with different ROM's but I want to make sure that I have a backup that will work. I do have titanium and I have run the batch mode full backup but I need to be 1000000% sure I wont mess up my phone. I know no one wants to do this, but it's only 2 weeks old, I cant mess up anything until at least a month haha.

I'm also curious what happens if a certain ROM doesnt work? I'm under the impression that it just sends you into a boot loop and you need to restart your phone in recovery mode, but how do you get your backup installed from there? Full erase, download titanium, and do it then?

Sorry for the long post, I feel that I'm still pretty new when it comes to this stuff, (I'm a car guy not a computer guy) this is my first rooted phone and I'm not that computer savvy so the less technical the answer the better (unless its necessary of course). Thanks in advance!

 

[Jayo619]

what you need to do is install a recovery to be able to do a nand back up... If you down load the app "rom manager" you could install clockworkmod recovery or in that same program install "alternate recovery" which is Amon ra recovery. I recommend installing the alternate recovery...

Titanium back up will back up all of your apps and data but a nandroid backup will back up the whole state of your phone. If you royally mess things up you can always go back and load a working nandroid back up.

 

[surfologist87]

I finally upgraded from my Hero and got an EVO! I've had fun playing around with it for the past week or so, live wallpapers and all that jazz, but now I'm looking for more. I updated my computer software (Mac running 10.6.6 currently) and did the unrevoked root method earlier tonight. Success! It was just as easy as I everyone said it would be.

I know this question has been asked to death, and I have searched both google and a few forums, but I'm having trouble finding out if there are any drawbacks/differences between rooting with the unrevoked method and doing it the long, complicated, confusing, brick your phone way? From my searching, it didnt look like there was much of a difference except for one... you cant do a nandriod backup doing it the unrevoked way, is this true?

I'm wanting to play around with different ROM's but I want to make sure that I have a backup that will work. I do have titanium and I have run the batch mode full backup but I need to be 1000000% sure I wont mess up my phone. I know no one wants to do this, but it's only 2 weeks old, I cant mess up anything until at least a month haha.

I'm also curious what happens if a certain ROM doesnt work? I'm under the impression that it just sends you into a boot loop and you need to restart your phone in recovery mode, but how do you get your backup installed from there? Full erase, download titanium, and do it then?

Sorry for the long post, I feel that I'm still pretty new when it comes to this stuff, (I'm a car guy not a computer guy) this is my first rooted phone and I'm not that computer savvy so the less technical the answer the better (unless its necessary of course). Thanks in advance!

You can do a nandroid backup with unrevoked. I have done both methods of rooting, and theyre pretty much the same result.

Go ahead and make a nand backup right now. Boot into recovery, and select recovery, and make backup.
Get that out of the way, and then you will always a backup of right now, all of your settings, apps, texts, etc. just in case you need it.

Now, youre ready to try out new roms. Follow the directions in the rooting for dummies sticky. Follow them and wipe everything for a new rom.
And yes, if ever anything messes up, you boot into recovery, select backup/restore, and restore your backup if you need to. It will be saved on your sd card. Then, when you select restore, it will give you an option for the backup you made.

Always make backups before you flash anything new. I make one for each individual mod. And i have about 7 currently on my phone. Some different roms so i can bounce back and forth.

I tried to hit some of the important things, so if you need more help, let us know. And read through that Rooting for dummies thread.
http://androidforums.com/evo-4g-all-things-root/194918-rooting-dummies-extras.html
Good luck!

 

[surfologist87]

what you need to do is install a recovery to be able to do a nand back up... If you down load the app "rom manager" you could install clockworkmod recovery or in that same program install "alternate recovery" which is Amon ra recovery. I recommend installing the alternate recovery...

Titanium back up will back up all of your apps and data but a nandroid backup will back up the whole state of your phone. If you royally mess things up you can always go back and load a working nandroid back up.

This is good advice.
Go to market and get rom manager. You probably have clockwork 3.0 installed. At least change it to clockwork 2.6, there are some problems with 3.0.

Or, even better, flash Amon recovery. There are a lot less problems reported with that recovery.

 

[heroooo]

Awesome, thanks for the input! I just backed up my phone and it showed that I have clockwork v2.6.0.1, I guess it comes stock with unrevoked 3.32. Now that I have my backup I'm ready to rock and roll with these roms. Thank you for the link to rooting for dummies, I found it a few days before I rooted and it was like striking gold! That is some awesome information right there. I will definitely check out the rom section there.

As far as the recovery programs go, is the Amon recovery that much better? If I install Amon, do I need to uninstall clockwork? Will I also have to make another backup with the Amon program, or will it be fine with the backup I just made using clockwork?

Thanks again!

 

[Jayo619]

Awesome, thanks for the input! I just backed up my phone and it showed that I have clockwork v2.6.0.1, I guess it comes stock with unrevoked 3.32. Now that I have my backup I'm ready to rock and roll with these roms. Thank you for the link to rooting for dummies, I found it a few days before I rooted and it was like striking gold! That is some awesome information right there. I will definitely check out the rom section there.

As far as the recovery programs go, is the Amon recovery that much better? If I install Amon, do I need to uninstall clockwork? Will I also have to make another backup with the Amon program, or will it be fine with the backup I just made using clockwork?

Thanks again!

Ive heard so many problems with clockwork mod and most people dont have such problems with Amon so i do think its better but thats just my opinion.

If you install Amon Ra, it will write over clockword mod... Just remember that the back up you made in clockword is not compatable with Amon! As soon as you flash Amon Ra make a new nandroid.

 

[flyjbaker]

I have had no problem with clockwork....and I go crazy with this stuff. I think you should stay with clockwork and get familiar with this stuff and maybe if you feel you need to go to Amon RA, do it then. I have been thinking about switching over but don't have any reason to. Everything has worked perfectly so far.

 

[surfologist87]

I have had no problem with clockwork....and I go crazy with this stuff. I think you should stay with clockwork and get familiar with this stuff and maybe if you feel you need to go to Amon RA, do it then. I have been thinking about switching over but don't have any reason to. Everything has worked perfectly so far.

Im in the same boat.
Ive heard all the bad stuff, but its been flawless for me. Either way, the option to switch back and forth is always open, as it take 10 seconds with rom manager

 

[Matlock]

Bart (Amon_RA) and Koush (ClockworkMod) work together with each other all the time with both their recoveries as well as ROM Manager.
I say they join forces and create the most bad-ass recovery known to man!
Who's with me?!??!

 

[surfologist87]

Bart (Amon_RA) and Koush (ClockworkMod) work together with each other all the time with both their recoveries as well as ROM Manager.
I say they join forces and create the most bad-ass recovery known to man!
Who's with me?!??!

They should! I mean, the recoveries arent cross compatible, so how about they make one. and itll accept both both types of backups weve made!!

They can call it ClockMon RA!!

Or just Clockwork OJ.. lol

 

[Matlock]

ooo I like ClockMon_RA!!! That sounds catchy!

Clockwork OJ...... delicious.....

 

[Drew5150]

Bart (Amon_RA) and Koush (ClockworkMod) work together with each other all the time with both their recoveries as well as ROM Manager.
I say they join forces and create the most bad-ass recovery known to man!
Who's with me?!??!

yeah, but what happens when they f up a new version.... we need the 2 to switch to when something goes wrong.. .lol

 

[heroooo]

Well it looks like whatever is going to work is going to work. I'll give clockwork a chance and see what happens.

I had another "interesting" event last night. My phone started telling me that my sd card is "read only" and it wouldnt mount correctly? Thankfully, I have a Mac and it fixed it right up for me with disk utility, but how did this happen? Did I remove it incorrectly from the computer? I always try to eject it from my computer first, select charge only on my phone, wait for it to finish saying "preparing sd card" before I unplug it. Any ideas why, or how to keep this from happening in the future?

 

[surfologist87]

Well it looks like whatever is going to work is going to work. I'll give clockwork a chance and see what happens.

I had another "interesting" event last night. My phone started telling me that my sd card is "read only" and it wouldnt mount correctly? Thankfully, I have a Mac and it fixed it right up for me with disk utility, but how did this happen? Did I remove it incorrectly from the computer? I always try to eject it from my computer first, select charge only on my phone, wait for it to finish saying "preparing sd card" before I unplug it. Any ideas why, or how to keep this from happening in the future?

I very frequently forget to eject mine, lol and it hasnt given me any problems yet.. but it could be coming for me.
Someone else had this problem in another thread, and i dont think they figured out the problem yet.