As much as I love screwing with my phone -- there are several things that I have to restore every time, that keep me from re-flashing, even when I know my build is probably more buggy than another. I'm posting this as kind-of an advice question. These are the things that I go through after a reflash. I'm hoping that people out there have a better way to do things, to make life less painful for me.
1) So -- I think my biggest issue is my contacts. I have several ringtones that I use to distinguish contacts. And, It is a royal pain to go through the entire contact list after a reflash and set them back up. Is there a way (maybe with pim backup) to save that information?
2) I *think* if I delete my active sync association, I won't end up with 100 different names for my phone -- is that true?
3) Apps: I keep a directory with all the apps I need to install. After things are happy again, I just go through the directory and install all the apps. (There's a separate directory for cabs -- they're a quick copy, then a few clicks to install)
4) And, finally -- one last semi-related question / seek for advice: Is there one place where all the builds are rated for stability? I love the cool stuff, and don't mind occasional gotcha's. But -- I'd like my phone to hang one time a day or less . . . Is there a page like that on the wiki somewhere? Where people can rate builds based on stability, coolness, geektitude, etc?
-Dave
Related
Normally I wouldn't ask this kind of question here (as it seems like a simple question) but I'm at a loss and have not found an answer anywhere.
I have a few questions about sprite backup that I hope someone here can answer:
First off, my device is a Kaiser in case it matters (I don't think so in this case except my last and least important question)
1) When backing up with sprite, I always get the error that it can not include Windows\lic\Isoma000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000.db. Why doesn't it back this file up and could it pose any problems in the long run?
2) After a hard reset, if I restore using one of my backup files, i get a lot of errors on the report. Most of the errors say "Error creating value Defalut" but a few say other thing like "Error creating Threading Model / Merit / IsRendered". However, if I do not hard reset prior to restore, i get no errors. What is the problem here? I can't think of any reason why a hard reset prior to restore would be bad.
3) After hard reset, restoring one of my backups causes sporatic duplications in the programs view (i.e. windows\start menu\programs). Usually it is tasks, calculator or calendar that is duplicated but if it is one or all is completely random it seems. I know I can simply delete these dupes but why is it happening in the first place and how do I prevent it? Secondly, i don't know what else it is duping on the device and don't want to browse every file on the device to find out.
4) This one is a little more Kaiser specific but still in regards to sprite. On the apps disk, the are two separate sprite files it seems. The only difference I can see is on has the PPC and desktop version while the other is just the cab for PPC. Funny thing is, the cab is labled as HTC Backup even though it is obviously sprite after install. This is the one I used for install since I didn't care much about the PC agent. Could this be part of my issue? Also, is there any reason I should install one over the other if I don't care about the PC side of sprite (I suppose I could install using that file and then uninstall the pc side but....). This one is more of a curiosity overall as I don't see why it would matter shich version I installed (assuming the file called HTC Backup...... is the same.)
Please help me to understand what's going on here. While not new to PPC, I am new to sprite as I have always used SPB in the past and never had these issues. Wanted to try sprite due to the extended options. Now I'm wondering if my decision to try sprite over SPB was the wrong one.
Can it really be that no one has experienced any of these issues considering that a great majority of XDA user have at least tried sprite backup?
(I really don't usually post in the general forum but thought it might be the best place for this. Maybe it's just that my choice of forums was bad as there seems less activity in the General section..who knows)
Hi all!
I've been regularly testing new ROM releases by the gurus here at XDA on my AT&T Tilt. Each install has been everything from a "close to the brick" experience, to extreme jubilation with new found speed and features. But, one issue keeps re-occuring and I'd like to ask what the best practice is for loading a new ROM image?
I ask this because it seems that each load brings new oddities and new problems that seem to occur due to past ROM images being on the device. Like right now I'm playing with a clean AT&T based ROM. Strangely though the HTC home screen is not included with this ROM, yet after the first load, whamo! the HTC home screen showed up. It was not in the installed programs list, so I couldn't easily remove it. And installs (to create an image that could be removed) failed a number of times before it worked enough to change the installation.
That's just one scenario. And I've had a lot more in very interesting ways. Like for instance, Battery Status 1.04 Ext has a seriously stong liking to my phone. That program I'd like to keep, but it's odd that it is always there, no matter what I do. And usually in some odd state that makes it hard to use until I pound it hard enough.
Also, the time seems to odd too. Every other ROM install, I'm forced to reset the time on the device at initial startup. Otherwise the time is just fine on the even number of installs.
So, what's the best routine of tasks to complete to ensure that a ROM installs as cleanly and problem free as possible. Is there a way to "clear" memory properly so nothing is left over? Dutty once helped out by suggesting that I install the OEM shipping ROM first before anything new. But that even doesn't work 100% of the time. Any suggestions are very helpful.
Thanks all for the Great ROMs. I'm having a great time playing with all the new features and abilities you guys give these awesome little machines.
Scott
weird...
The only things I can think of are obvious, but here it goes. Have you tried hard resetting / clear storage before you flash a new ROM? Are these programs being installed from your computer activesync or something? Have you tried removing your memory card?
Good Luck
Hi
I'm wanting to cook a myself a ROM that has everything i will ever need. Is there a way to cook my contacts list into a ROM so when i do a hard reset the contacts are all there?
Sorry if this is a stupid question
I have to ask why you'd really want to. When you edit the contact list, those edits would be lost when you hard reset. You'd have to recook your ROM every time you edited or added a contact. Plus you technically don't have a backup of your contacts should your phone be stolen/lost/destroyed. You are far better off using Outlook so you have a backup. It's not difficult to sync your contacts/tasks/appointments when you hard reset.
Also - FYI...I'm going through the ROM cooking learning curve right now. Alex's tools make everything relatively easy to get started. I evolved by creating packages for literally every piece of software I use. There are two problems with that....like the contacts issue, anytime a piece of software is updated your ROM becomes outdated (assuming you want the most up-to-date version). As such, I am now not cooking in those programs that get updated with any frequency. Also, there are technically two copies of many of the files for the programs you cook. While it really isn't a huge problem, it does negatively impact your storage. As such, I'm spending a lot of time scaling my ROMs back and using more cabs. The best thing I've spent my time learning is creating a cab file with all my personal settings and the programs I always install so I can customize any ROM super fast. FWIW from someone who has been there.
Maybe I am not understanding, but why not just save them to your sim card unless you have that many contacts that it is not possible to save all of them.
perhaps because the sim does only store one number per name?
Its way more comfortable to have one contact with alle the information in it...
A nice backup on sd card does the job well.
You could use this application to make a backup of all you contacts, after flashing use the same program to restore the contacts.....
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=299705
Or I don't know call me old fashioned but you could use Outlook to save your contacts.
This has been bothering me for quite a while, so I conjured a little story to help sooth my frustration.
Lets say my Android device is the new tenant of a nicely formated loft, this loft being 16gb of square space. To commemorate this new exciting space my device throws a house party. Most of the Apps he invites are pretty well behaved, but some start spilling drinks, then puking on the carpet, then having an orgy, then bukkake-ing the root directory. After discovering such acts, the device politely requests the disruptive guests force quit and leave. "I need more space on my phone." the device replied as each questioned on their way out. To his disbelief, NONE of the Apps cleaned up their mess! Even worse it seems some of the classier Apps, though more organized seem to have been influenced too. Unfortunately the device is forced to live with it, as the police force stopped responding to calls in his neighborhood. One man tries, but it always returns to a mess.
I hope that entertained someone.
i know exactly how you feel... there is at least 7 unused folders just wasting space on my phone. not to mention random mp3's hidden deep within my phone...
PhxkinMassacre said:
i know exactly how you feel... there is at least 7 unused folders just wasting space on my phone. not to mention random mp3's hidden deep within my phone...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I hope you understand about the unused folders and NOT the bukkake-ing!!
hello, nice story!
I won't say that I am even close to being a developer but I do develop some apps and the thing that I wan't to point out is that apps do not run when they are installed or uninstalled. It's not each application job to clear up the mess it may have created but package manager's which apparently leaves some files be just in case you would like to reinstall the app later(?)...
I would propose to look for a more efficient package manager or doorman/janitor for your loft
That's why I don't invite the guy whos only existence is to make farting noises!
Very good point. However, one thing I don't know is if uninstalling through the market cleans up the SD card better than using a third party mass uninstall app. Something you may want to experiment with.
Back at it again...
Here I am again, and I still don't flippin get it!
After reading some of your comments I realized my main point kind of got glazed over(no pun intended @Scudderb)
My big issue is that there's no hierarchy in place for this crap. In windows, program files are stored in the 'Program Files' directory. In Android (and I credit google and the developers for this sloppy BS) Apps are just throwing all their **** in with my stuff on the ROOT.
How is this acceptable. Seriously, HOW? And if its all cache files and/or temporary documents than WHY THE **** ISN'T ALL THIS CRAP BEING PUT INTO A TEMP/CACHE FOLDER.
I'm PISSED! Why does every app I install get to put their own folder on the ROOT WITH the FOLDERS and FILES that actually matter to me ex: like my music, pictures, movies, documents (OH and by the way, a lot of apps developers do a REALLY ****ty job with their NAMING CONVENTIONS so the folders being created may or may not even look related to the app that put it there!)
::end rant::
My apologies for the colorful language, folder structure and hierarchy are something I design as a web designer so when I see this crap going on in my phone like the inmates are running the asylum... I get angry.
Today I was cleaning up my SD card for the umteen'th time, and found that Foursquare was dumping its temp files directly onto the root of my directory. I blew my top and had to get it out of my system... so..
A MESSAGE TO ALL THE APPS PULLING THESE SHENANIGANS: GROW UP!
The problem here is that it's hard to do it right
For custom data, files are supposed to be saved into "/data/data/com.appname/blah" (that's from the top of my head, could differ slightly). That's the directory to use for data files, but there's one big issue with it: it's on the internal memory storage. We all know that internal memory on Android (without custom ROMs) is.. limited. That's probably why most devs are using SD for larger files.
There's also the "Android/data/com.package_name.blah/blah" directory on the SD card. This directory should be used by apps to store files into and is automatically deleted when the user removes the associated app (but only when you're running Froyo or greater).
The issue with this approach is that users (and developers too, when testing the app) will lose all their data when removing an old version of a specific app. Let's say there's a bug with the Market again and the app suddenly gets uninstalled. User will have to reinstall, result: data will be all gone. That's only one of the many doom scenarios.
I can't speak for other developers, but that's more or less the reason why I started to use a common directory outside of the preferred ones when I was doing apps. It's not a great situation, I fully agree. But would you rather have your data accidentally deleted?
If anyone knows a good way to get around this issue, I'd love to know more about it...
orly
Thanks for the reply @Stripeymilk
I can think of multiple solutions:
#1 Development community adopts a universal directory for files deemed 'User' or 'Save' data that should be stored for future use. (or Google creates this for developers)
#2 Development community adopts the practice of allowing users to pick the directory users want to store an apps data in. (prompt at app's first start)
#3 Store files/data in the cloud.
#4 Users dump trash in the lobbys/living-rooms of developer's and see how quickly they find a solution.
#5 USE THE "Android/data/com.package_name.blah/" FOLDER WHEN ALL YOU'RE REALLY DOING IS STORING CACHE/TEMP FILES!!!
BOTTOM LINE: Its not hard to do it right, Its just hard to get people to do it.
You make it sound so easy
1) I'm all for it, but Google needs to put its weight behind an approach like that because otherwise people will say "I like /Data better than /data or /Mydata or /MyData". It's a bit like coding conventions: everyone wants to be different.
2) Good for techy people, not so good for "normal" users. Could make it easier with a small "file manager", but that's too much work for indie devs. Could be a nice idea for a new open source project though.
3) Great idea, could actually work if the associated account would be created automatically (like in Cut the Rope for Android with Scoreloop), but:
- The backup functionality in Android for storing data in the cloud is available for API level 8 and greater, making it of not so much use when you're targeting API level 5 or 6 and greater. Could be fixed by using something like Google Storage combined with Jets3t instead, but that would be useless for apps written in C++, like many games are.
- Cloud storage isn't free. Developers can't pay for that as it would be too expensive. If every Android user would've gotten free cloud storage from Google it could be a nice alternative, but (yeah, there's always a but) most current users don't have that.
4) If you're prepared to send your trash by plane to another country, go for it!
5) Agreed. Useful for temp data.
I'm not trying to make it sound easy, believe me I know how it isn't. I'm trying to make it sound simple, because really.. it is...
In response:
1) I agree and this is exactly what I mean by the real hard part is getting people to do it. This requires widespread endorsement by developers big and small - that this is a 'best practice' that should be adhered to. I think the gate swings both ways though.
example: Twitter didn't invent hash tags, their users did, and with its widespread adoption, Twitter adopted/implemented it too.
2) Another good point, though this process can be curated to drive the user in the right direction (holding their hand). The XBOX 360 does this for every game you play, the first thing it does is ask you which storage device you want to use for game saves.
example: in combination with solution # 1, the default folder the app saves to could be '/data/theAppsName' and the prompt could say "This app saves files to your SD CARD in '/data/theAppName'. Would you like to choose a new location?" [Yes] [No] [?]. The [Yes] option brings up a simple file manager, the [No] option uses that location, the [?] option brings up an easy to understand write up on what its asking and why its asking it.
3) We'll get there eventually, my point really was if you've got the resources, why not. Its a solution better than #1 and #2
4) I plan on sending human clones to create trash individually and exponentially
5) AMIRITE~!
In all seriousness though, thank you @Stripeymilk for taking the time to go in depth and have a conversation about this. I seriously think it doesn't take an act of Godogle to solve this (to what I beleive) is a big issue!
I can't agree more with you.
As developer (Windows, iSeries) I try to make my programs as structured and readable as possible. The same goes for the files and folders used used by the programs, but sadly, even with all the available resources, some people (colleagues) make a complete mess of it, cause "that's not/less important", as long as the program does what it's intended to do ...
It's all about the resources and people using them the right way!
Cool, didn't know about the hash tags on Twitter
Well, we're on a great site here with developers on it. If everyone here would adhere to the same standard, it could at least be a nice push to make the Android SD card world a better place.
What's the directory we're going to settle on? Any pros and cons?
When I first got my G-tab I was baffled by all the instructions and the literally thousands of posts in the forum. Even now, I haven't been able to find exactly how (or why) I should update my kernel. That said, I have TNT Lite running and I love my g-tab. Exploring the possible uses and utilities on it provides hours of fun. Now - here is my question. I stumbled on some instructions for installing the ROM and I have used those same instructions to install several patches to the Rom. I see all this commentary on Clockwork, side loading, etc. and I wonder if I am missing something. Today I just installed the .25 patch for TNT-Lite. I downloaded the rar file, unzipped it on my PC to get the Recovery folder and the update.zip file. I plugged the g-tab into the pc and switched it to usb mode. Then I moved the old recover folder and update.zip to a folder (cautious me) and put the new ones in the root. I disconnected the usb and started the g-tab in recovery mode (holding the power and volume+ key. It rebooted, applied the patch and I was done. That seems simple enough. It would seem that this would work for switching roms, applying patches and probably even upgrading the kernel (If I knew where it was and why I should do it). Am I missing something? Everything seems to work.
Sounds like you got the basics ok.
The real main reason to update the kernal as i see it is to add things like driver support for devices like gps and g3, so on, also minor fixs. If your not using your gtab for anything like this you maybe happy to stay stock. But if you like myself like to use your gtab to surf with g3 or as a sweet gps, then thats what the kernal updates allow. Im sure others can correct me if ive got anything wrong or add to what ive said.
You got the basic steps right, but installing ClockWorkMod Recovery has a lot of benefits.
First, built in backup and recovery will save your skin if the gTab get "cranky".
Second, installing ROMs and/or updates saves you a few steps. From "tar" files (TnT-lite), extract the update.zip file to a folder (I created a folder named "xda", just an example) and name it after the version of ROM/update.
CWM will flash "*.zip" file. This way you can keep multiple ROMs/updates on the card and switch between them.
CWM lets you clear cache, wipe Data partition, clear Dalvik-cache (use caution there), fix permissions and so much more! It is a great tool.
Sent from my gTablet-TnT-Lite-4.2.5 using TapatalkPro
So now we peel back another layer
OK so now the question of multiple roms comes up. I am not clear about the role of the rom - can I switch roms and keep all of my apps and data intact? I'm thinking like changing style sheets on a web page - presentation is different but the underlying data is still the same? Is it that easy?
And... if I am doing that perhaps I need to "clear cache" or "wipe data partition" but although I like to investigate new things I'm not willing to just walk up and push the big red button without knowing what it is for. So why would I "clear" or "wipe" things?
I get the impression that I could switch between ROMs just like switching between browsers on a pc - today Chrome, tomorrow, Firefox and never Internet Exploder... Is that correct? It took me quite a while to get the market working and it still doesn't work optimally but I'd hate to undo all the work I've done getting the g-tab humming along by switching roms. Can I?
So - anyone care to expound on the structure and how it all hooks together? What parts can be swapped out and what parts form the foundation? I'd hate to brick the little guy in my ignorance.
One final note if you know and you answer - where did YOU learn about this. Is there a book somewhere to read?
Thanks again for sharing your knowledge.
The Need for A Wiki
I'm in the same boat as enigma. I'm not even sure what ROM is an acronym for, though I think it means operating system. A wiki would be a big help for many people. I bet people would be glad to contribute.
Well, I don't know about Android book, especially about "hacking android book" , but this (and others) forum has plenty of reading material and guides. Not to mention people (a lot more knowledgeable and experienced than me) who will offer advice and lend a hand. And Google search comes in handy too.
Switching ROMs is almost like switching the OS, or a flavor of. Very much like switching between Linux distributions; the base OS is the same, but the overlay changes the user experience. Some things do change deep down inside, that's why is advisable to clear data.
Android, like Linux which it is based on, uses separate partitions for different parts of the OS, like boot, recovery, data, cache and user data. Plenty of write ups and discussions on the web on that.
So when flashing a ROM, you'll rewrite boot and system. Your user apps and data/preferences pertaining to those apps are stored in data partition, and since you are changing the 'OS', the apps need to be recompiled for it. Backup apps, like Titanium Backup, come extremely handy here: backup and restore apps AND appdata with a few clicks.
Backups are stored on sdcard, which is a lot like Linux /home directory, and do not get wiped during flash. Also the CWM (sometimes called Nandroid) backups are also stored there. A backup-of-the-backup is always a good habit (copy of /sdcard to your PC for safekeep).
This is just a quick rundown, hopefully that answered some of the questions.
There is a world of information available out there in "ether-world", Google is your friend.
[EDIT]:
Some links:
http://android-dls.com/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page
http://lifehacker.com/#!5596108/how-to-choose-the-right-android-rom-for-you
and of course:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/forumdisplay.php?f=841
(use the search on top of the screen)
Sent from my gTablet-TnT-Lite-4.2.5 using TapatalkPro
Doesn't my sticky on how to flash the roms help at all? I can try to make it clearer if you have suggestions.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=892090
TeamSpeed said:
Doesn't my sticky on how to flash the roms help at all? I can try to make it clearer if you have suggestions.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=892090
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, your Sticky is as clear as Florida sky.
I just installed Thumb Keyboard on my gTab last night and I guess I got carried away getting used to it!
Yes, I have found some very good step by steps (reflashed to vegan after reading that one). Step by steps are great but I 'd like to understand why I'm doing it. The market fix...I can follow the steps and it works but why? I wish I had time to research all these things but there are so many forums,so many posts to read! The explanation that did surface in this thread was great though. Thanks. I'll keep asking questions. There are a lot of smart people out there!