Root overclocking - why do i keep frying batteries?

[sfam198]

So last week I decided I wanted to try overclocking my Droid. I had been running on Froyo for about a week before that and was looking for something else to mess around with.

I downloaded one of the kernels from here under "Kernels for (Froyo) Android 2.2 Only *Low Voltage*". It was the 800MHz kernel. That was running fine for a couple hours. Then I read about people overclocking to 1GHz and beyond, so I downloaded a 1000MHz kernel from that same site. By the way I had setCPU installed and profiles set up for charging, screen off, battery temp, etc. "Set on boot" or whatever that option is was also checked.

After installing the 1000MHz kernel, immediately on booting up, my battery meter read 0% (it was 70-80% before installing) and immediately shut off. When I plugged the phone into my charger it was stuck in a boot loop.

Figuring that I had somehow fried the battery, I went to Verizon and shelled out $45 for a new one. I put the battery in and reflashed back to stock. The phone ran great all weekend.

Today I decided to root the phone again. I found out that the ROM i used to root was capable of overclocking 1GHz. I set up setCPU for 800MHz just to be safe and set all of my profiles, etc. how it should be. After rebooting for one reason or another, it seems that I've now fried this battery as well. Same symptoms as before, but now at a lower clock speed (I was able to run 800MHz before with no problems.

So why do I keep frying batteries? Is there a setting I'm missing, or am I just one of the unlucky ones that got a Droid that isn't capable of overclocking?

 

[nathan312]

Could just be the battery indicator, shouldn't fry them lol...I run at 1.2 and have no battery problems!

What ROM are you on?

 

[radioz]

Just pull the battery out for a few seconds, then put it back and restart.
See if the battery level has changed.

I really doubt that you fried your battery.

I bet it works. Let us know.

 

[sfam198]

i reflashed the 2.2 ROM i was using and now i'm running normally. weird. anyway, i'm using the "official" leaked froyo rom that found in the instructions i used to root/update to 2.2

 

[mykd99]

You said you did, but just as a reminder, if you are on 2.2 you must use 2.2 kernels. 2.1 kernels on a 2.2 ROM will show 0% battery life, and will also usually reboot.

But since you said you were using 2.2 kernels for your 2.2 ROM, I would suspect that your phone can not handle that kernel. Every phone is different, and all work differently with different combination of ROMs and kernels. Your phone may not be able to handle a low voltage kernel, try a standard or medium voltage. Try a kernel from another developer, you know where the thread is.

Goodluck!

 

[supersaki]

I read elsewhere it is from using a non-froyo kernel .. I know you linked where you got it, but which kernel specifically did you choose? Perhaps when you downloaded the 1000mhz one you accidentally picked a 2.1 kernel?

[Edit: mykd99 beat me to it]

P.S. You now have a spare battery! I have a spare battery door, not nearly as useful..

 

[OMJ]

It sounds like you either accidentally downloaded a 2.1 kernel or P3 has his links mixed up and has a 2.1 kernel in with the 2.2s. What you described happens any time you try 2.1 kernel on 2.2

 

[sfam198]

interesting on the 2.1 vs 2.2 kernels. i will have to double check my file names. i now have bugless beast 0.4 running on my phone which i understand is overclocked to 800 MHz by default. and there are no issues so far. i will do some more research next time before overclocking any further.

 

[sfam198]

something that doesn't make sense though...the 2.2 ROM i used had the capability to be overclocked to 1GHz by default. i didn't install a new kernel. so there is zero chance that i downloaded the wrong kernel in that case.

 

[supersaki]

something that doesn't make sense though...the 2.2 ROM i used had the capability to be overclocked to 1GHz by default. i didn't install a new kernel. so there is zero chance that i downloaded the wrong kernel in that case.

which rom is this?

 

[sfam198]

which rom is this?

found it here

edit: it's the rom that was linked in the instructions i found when figuring out how to root/install froyo

 

[SoDroid]

I've never tried that rom so I can't comment on that directly. But it sounds like your phone is being thrown into a bootloop, this is ok, it happens. Your batteries are fine. If you're ever bootlooping, just pull the battery. Put the battery back in and boot into recovery by holding "X" and hit the power button. From here you can restore a previous backup. (If you weren't in the past, always perform a backup before flashing anything). Also, its always a safe bet to wipe data & cache prior to flashing a new rom.

I would try a different rom. A bootloop is often caused by flashing a kernel that your phone cannot handle. The kernel is either clocked to fast or the voltage is to low for your phone to handle. Start a new rom by flashing a 800mhz kernel (or keeping it stock I guess, most roms come with a 800mhz kernel now). If your phone can handle it then step it up if you want to a faster kernel.

800mhz kernel with standard voltage or medium voltage will be your safest bets. Find the highest speed you want or your stable at, then try to get the lowest voltage your phone will handle. It will conserve battery though I am not sure how significantly.

Good luck, holler if you have questions.