Root Flashing Kernel confusion (Virtuous)

[chiadrum]

Thanks to all the great information here I am enjoying my DINC more than I thought possible.However,I am new to the customization world and while I have flashed a couple of ROMs and I am running with virtuous 3.2 right now I tried yesterday to flash the Kernel to the custom as my battery life is pretty lousy as the phone sits.When I did that it seemed to me as if I had flashed a whole new ROM-I lost everything and had to start all over again with setup,settings,etc.
The question is using Titanium or some other App is there a way to flash a kernel and then do a restore and have the phone be exactly as it was before the kernel flash?I have spent a lot of time now customizing Launchers,Dialers,Apps and Widgets and I really like the phone right now.Is there a way to do a backup/restore that will allow me to do a simple restore to exactly where I am now and still play with different kernels and ROMs?
Thanks-

 

[c_aus]

You can use Titanium to back up apps and MyBackupPro to backup your data (which includes your icon locations, etc) but it only works fairly well if you are going from one similar rom to another. So if you go from a Sense based rom to a rom with a custom launcher (ADW, LP, etc) or a vanilla rom, then you are going to have trouble restoring icons/widgets, etc.

As for the battery issues, I am running Virtuous 3.2 with the HeyItsLou Custom Sense Kernel #6 and think battery life improved quite well with this one. Just be sure to remove SetCPU if you have it with this kernel as it automatically underclocks in sleep mode. [Kernel] UPDATE: Dec 19 HeyItsLou-2.6.32.17-Cifs-Tun-Ext4-WN-3-10 Multi-Touch #6 - xda-developers

 

[chiadrum]

Ok great thanks.So when I flash the kernel I will basically be starting over again with setup?I am just a little fuzzy on the restore procedure-

 

[c_aus]

You will not need to re-setup your device if you do just a kernel update. Changing Roms or a factory wipe will, but kernels can be done at any time and you retain your settings. Just wipe the Davlik cache before installing and it might take a little while to reboot. Just make a nandroid backup before flashing a kernel in case you have problems.

 

[chiadrum]

Ok got it,I was choosing to do a full wipe even when flashing the kernel.Not needed.Thanks much.

 

[chiadrum]

Have you tried Sky Raider?Any thoughts?
What are the differences between Sky Raider and virtuous?
Thanks again.Flashing Lou's kernel now.Stock kernel was fine on idle but eating battery rapidly when actually using the phone.A 15 minute conversation was a 10% draw!

 

[c_aus]

I have not tried Skyraider, but have read a lot of good reviews of it. When did your battery drop off that much, was it right after charging? The Inc has a tendency to do that and you need to bump charge it, there is a sticky under the main Inc forum about that if you need more info.

 

[chiadrum]

Yeah strange,I wiped cache and davlik-then powered up to 100%.
Then I wiped battery settings and I will drain to 0% and charge too 100% again.I am a light user and would finish most days with 20-30% before the ROM update.Even on days when I would use GPS,Web, texting,Corp Email and of course the phone.We'll see what happens.The kernel was buggy yesterday as well while the stock kernel was silky smooth.

 

[hgoldner]

I'm running Lou's #4 with Virtuous 3.2. Don't want to mess with #6 because not all screens take kindly to the multi-touch port, and I don't want to run the risk of reflashing the kernel.

As you have figured out, when all you're doing is flashing a kernel, you don't usually have to do a factory reset, just flash cache & dalvik.

I use a 1750 mAmp Seidio battery which comes off the charger around 6:30 a.m. after automatic bump charge and barely shows 95% to start, drops precipitiously to 85% within 10-15 minutes, and then sits there between 50% and 75% for most of the day until close to midnight, by which I'm almost never near 30%.

Also, removed SetCPU as it's no longer necessary.

 

[JSS12]

I'm running Lou's #4 with Virtuous 3.2. Don't want to mess with #6 because not all screens take kindly to the multi-touch port, and I don't want to run the risk of reflashing the kernel.

As you have figured out, when all you're doing is flashing a kernel, you don't usually have to do a factory reset, just flash cache & dalvik.

I use a 1750 mAmp Seidio battery which comes off the charger around 6:30 a.m. after automatic bump charge and barely shows 95% to start, drops precipitiously to 85% within 10-15 minutes, and then sits there between 50% and 75% for most of the day until close to midnight, by which I'm almost never near 30%.

Also, removed SetCPU as it's no longer necessary.

First, AUTOMATIC BUMP CHARGE?? how does one do this? (Reboot Manager? is there a free way? - also I know this will turn the phone off, but if I use my phone as my alarm, is there a setting to turn the phone back on? like 5 minutes before my alarm??)

Second, can you explain the differences btwn Lou #4, 5, 6, 7, 8? how do I know which is right for me?

Three, I have never flashed a kernel before (only roms) you say to "flash cache and dalvik" can you be more specific as to how to perform that?

Four, if i don't like the kernel... how do i go back to no kernel, or stock kernel.. whichever?

THANKS!!!