Database Info

Damsel in distress (or: idiot gir doesn't know how to ROM)

Hey,
I just got my (Orange UK) TYTN II. The Orange setup is downright HORRIBLE. The thing doesn't move, and their home screen really stinks.
I really need to flash the ROM. I read many topics and stickies here (such as Kaiser ROM_Flashing FAQ and SPL Questions, but I feel like I'm still missing things. As this is my 1st time ever - I'm afraid I'll brick it. I really need your help guys.
I'm undecided between using an official ROM (which one?), using NoThrills_WM61_WWE_V3 or RUU_Kaiser_HTC_WWE_3.28.405.0_radio_sign_25.83.40.02_1.65.16.25_Ship . What I need is a solid, dependable PDA/Phone/mobile desktop replacement. I'm not planning on gaming etc so graphics speed (while nice) is not all important.
Which one of these ROMs or other do you recommend?
Let's assume i use NoThrills_WM61_WWE_V3 (my current favorite). Would it (or the ROM you recommend) work on the Orange TYTN II?
I never connected the unit to my PC yet, or installed anything on it. Before flashing should i install ActiveSync or anything else on my PC, or just connect HTC to USB and go?
The way I see it, these are the steps for flashing. Did I miss anything?
Take out my SD card.
Connect HTC to computer using USB cable
Run kaiser-HardSPL.exe on desktop PC
Follow on-screen instructions for installing kaiser-HardSPL.exe onto the device.
Now that HardSPL is installed on device, copy NoThrills_WM61_WWE_V3.exe (or other ROM) to my desktop PC and run it from there, following instructions.
That's all.
Will installing kaiser-HardSPL.exe automatically remove the Orange CID-Lock, or do i have to do anything else?
To install the ROM, do I need to use HTC_ROM_TOOL.exe, or any other tool, or just work using the steps above?
Does the RUU...exe run on the desktop, or should i run it on the device?
If i brick it, is this reversible (by me or by a lab)?
I hate sending the "damsel in distress" thing - but this is just how i feel now. Would REALLY appreciate your help.
Kim

Here is what I would do.
Since you already spent what it looks like some time trying to flash your device. I will give you a couple of hints.
First I would flash to Jockys1.1 HardSPL. http://www.4shared.com/file/46447471/7ae96b57/Jockyw2001_HardSPL_-_SuperCID.html
This will allow you to CID unlock your device really easily.
To install HardSPL do this.
1.) connect your device to you PC
2.) Copy the JumpSPL.exe to your main memory of your device. Remove any SD card you may have
3.) run the jumpspl.exe to your device. Hit continue. It will go to the bootloader (tri-color screen)
4.) When you device says USB at the bottom, unplug the USB cord from the phone and wait 10 seconds.
5.) Reconnect the phone to the PC. Run the HardSPL
It should flash really quickly.
Next to security unlock / CID unlock your device.
Follow the instructions that came with the download. Its a real simple process. Be sure that you read all instructions to a T.
Check this thread if you run into any problems. http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=361236
Happy flashing.

Ok, I'll bite...
You are definetly reading the right stuff, but I'll be honest, things have changed and evolved here (with all the new SPL's and stuff) so even for me that did hardspl back in December when I got my Tilt, I was a bit overwhelmed when I got my new replacement Tilt last week and had to start looking at doing this all again. So let me try to step you through what I just recently did and has worked for me. Remember, YMMV...
* First, I opted to go with Olipro's CID/SIM Unlocker this time:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=375583&highlight=supercid
A bonus here is that it also does Security unlock now, so its an all in one tool, and the GUI interface that Olipro put together makes this really simple and pretty flawless (just read and follow the steps in the thread and read and follow everything your PC and Phone tell you to do).
* At this point you are now unlocked and ready to start your life of flashing and tweaking. (Unless you are really strong, be prepared to become addicted to trying to find the "perfect" rom ). I personally opted not to do one of the 3.x SPL's yet. Personally I've never seen the hesitation that so many complain about. I may still look at doing this to see if something improves, but for me I haven't found it necessary. But if you want to do that, do it now.
* Now hard reset your phone (good practice and I tend to do this a lot to make sure its nice and clean before AND after I flash a custom rom). Either use the Clear Storage icon in your Settings area, or hold down the two soft keys while hitting the soft reset button at the bottom. Note holding down the soft keys way can be tricky if you have big fingers like me, so I usually go the Clear Storage method.
* Now go get the rom of your choice. I would personally recommend either L26 V5, L26 V9, or Garmin DK1.2 (I'm still on Garmin DK1 and loving it but will probably move to 1.2 soon). I've found all 4 of these to be very stable ROMs (My phone is important to me for work, so stability is a must, and I can't put up with a bunch of bugs that people tend to avoid or live with in some custom roms). But the rom you choose is really a personal choice for you. What I like may be very different than what you like. So read the threads and try to find one that fits your style. (NOTE: This may be terrible for some to hear, but while I love what Garmin did with his roms and the extra work he put into it, the custom icons are a little over the top for my taste (they are wonderful, but I've used Win Mobile too long and find it hard to find things). So I pulled out the custom icons (search his thread for my post on how I did this if you want).
Honestly thats really all there is. Once you complete the Olipro CID/SIM unlock, your phone is going to be very hard to brick by just flashing roms, and the security unlock on it should (SHOULD) save you from nasty radios that come out trying to lock you to them.
Good luck and welcome to XDA...

hard SPL is the Key (instructions above), also make sure you flash a new radio if you want to use a new rom, Death V4, L26 V9, and Garmin are good, if you want to try a really cool total makeover checkout Gullum Throttle Multilanguage

justkim said:
I never connected the unit to my PC yet, or installed anything on it. Before flashing should i install ActiveSync or anything else on my PC, or just connect HTC to USB and go?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Everything Alltheway and Mfrazz said, but Yes you should have Activesync installed first. Right now I'm on
"[July 11] HyperDragon III WM6.1 WWE ROM 19588 - 19591 - 19915 (Diamond & Xperia ROM)"
but I've tried many of the available ROM's and most have something good to offer. Just keep trying until you find one that works for you. and pay attention to the radio and SPL recommended for the rom you use.

You posted the same speel here...http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=379411
justkim said:
Hey,
I just got my (Orange UK) TYTN II. The Orange setup is downright HORRIBLE. The thing doesn't move, and their home screen really stinks.
I really need to flash the ROM. I read many topics and stickies here, but as this is my 1st time ever - I'm afraid I'll brick it. I really need your help guys.
I'm undecided between using an official ROM (which one?), using NoThrills_WM61_WWE_V3 or RUU_Kaiser_HTC_WWE_3.28.405.0_radio_sign_25.83.40.02_1.65.16.25_Ship . What I need is a solid, dependable PDA/Phone/mobile desktop replacement. I'm not planning on gaming etc so graphics speed (while nice) is not all important.
Which one of these ROMs or other do you recommend?
Let's assume i use NoThrills_WM61_WWE_V3 (my current favorite). Would it (or the ROM you recommend) work on the Orange TYTN II?
I never connected the unit to my PC yet, or installed anything on it. Before flashing should i install ActiveSync or anything else on my PC, or just connect HTC to USB and go?
The way I see it, these are the steps for flashing. Did I miss anything?
Take out my SD card.
Connect HTC to computer using USB cable
Run kaiser-HardSPL.exe on desktop PC
Follow on-screen instructions for installing kaiser-HardSPL.exe onto the device.
Now that HardSPL is installed on device, copy NoThrills_WM61_WWE_V3.exe (or other ROM) to my desktop PC and run it from there, following instructions.
That's all.
Will installing kaiser-HardSPL.exe automatically remove the Orange CID-Lock, or do i have to do anything else?
To install the ROM, do I need to use HTC_ROM_TOOL.exe, or any other tool, or just work using the steps above?
Does the RUU...exe run on the desktop, or should i run it on the device?
If i brick it, is this reversible (by me or by a lab)?
I hate sending the "damsel in distress" thing - but this is just how i feel now. Would REALLY appreciate your help.
Kim
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Read, more and you will find everything to know about flashing ROM's and what advantages and disadvantages they have.

Hi, in regards to the rom you choose, it's tough for anyone to answer for you. You may find it's even tough for you to choose on your own. The main thing comes down to knowledge i guess. You mentioned that you want stable...well, while most roms are fairly stable, some of the "special features" can cause instability elsewhere. Not sure how much background you may or may not have but with no knowledge of how to remedy such problems, this might prove to be a headache to get some bonus bells and whistles. On the flip side...light roms often tend to be more stable, however, you will have to spend the time seeking out and loading up the things you want. This is nice in the respect that you get exactly what you want. In the end...the real key is trial and error though.
I've tried a good portion of the roms floating around and all of the current:
If stability is your main concern right now, I'd say one of the ROMeOS roms....they seem to be rock solid and fast enough. Not really any incompatibility to speak of as far as I found (or read). However, you will most likely want to add to it as only the primary apps are included.
If special features and tons of software that you may or may not use are your thing than pretty much any of the others will suffice as they are all pretty good at this point. Just remember though, you may find some unfamiliar territory.
Personally, I like to break and fix things so I jump around a bit. But in the end, when I'm not in the mood to play, I tend to choose a stable / light rom and customize it to my preference or completely rebuild it to meet my day to day needs.
In the end, it's all trial and error to see what suits you best....keeping that in mind, you may want to look into UC (User Customization) or Sashimi. These are autmated installers that will speed up the trial and error.
Something to keep in mind though (if you are new to WM). While WM isn't much out of the box, it can virtually be anything you want it to be. However, it will require a little time and effort on your part.
Oh...and please, please, please never ask how to change time format. I swear this must be the most commonly asked question on XDA. Sometimes feels like a thousand times a day or in a single thread. (If you don't believe me, search one of the L26 Rom threads =) ). If you come across this stumbling block, here's a hint: on the time format picker, although WM only ever shows two options on screen at once, you can scroll up and down. All common format ARE included. TBH: I don't know how people don't see this one on their own before even posting despite the millions of times it's been answered here

Rooted my EVO and now I'm lost....

I don't know anything about this programming. I am a complete idiot when it comes to this stuff. I rooted the phone because I wanted to be have full control over it's capabilities going forward, but I didn't realize I'd need to use these programs on my computer to do it. I thought things would be available through simple downloads.
Anyway, I've spent the last several hours attempting to become at least functional so that I could install another OS on my phone. I have no idea what rebooting in recovery or clearing caches or any of this is. I know it's probably simple, remedial stuff to practically everyone reading this but I am clueless.
I'm sure I could learn and was willing to do so. I downloaded SDK and Java update and Eclipse and painstakingly followed installation instructions several times from several sources. And I can't get the adb to function. My computer won't recognize the path. I'm pretty certain that I've installed everything completely and updated the path accurately, etc. I go through cmd, type in adb and it says it's not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file.
I've gotten to the point where I just want to set my phone back to the way it was when I bought it 2 days ago. I want to go back to being a simple lemming and just oblivious to this whole world. I don't belong over here. I'm out of my league and I know it.
Now the problem I have is that it's supposedly easy to "unroot" the phone. You just have to download 3 things and "flash" them. I don't even know what the **** that means though. And if it invloves using adb (or abd...I don't even know that), then I'm screwed.
I'm really frustrated guys. I'm tired. I should have never attempted this, but it all sounded so easy and awesome. Now I just want my normal, restricted phone back. Can anyone help me?

OK. I got the phone back to it's original state. I know some of you are probably shaking your heads at the decision, but it makes me feel a lot more comfortable.
Maybe if I could figure out how to access adb, it would be different but I just felt handcuffed without it. Well there eventually be ROMs that are more easily installed like re-installing the original was? Will there be ways to just steam it through HTC Sync?

i think one reason why u didnt manage to get adb working is because u didnt set up the environmental variables for java. Go into command prompt and type java. See what that returns.

SupremeBeaver said:
i think one reason why u didnt manage to get adb working is because u didnt set up the environmental variables for java. Go into command prompt and type java. See what that returns.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for the response. That command produced a long string of information. Is there something in that I should be looking for, or was this just a test to see if it would be recognized?

it was a test to see if java was working fine. By string of commands do u mean like this:
http://img682.imageshack.us/img682/8440/48798806.jpg
Otherwise the problem may be that you havent specified the environmental variables for the android sdk.
Right click on My Computer and go to properties, under the Advanced tab, hit the Environment Variables button, and in the dialog that comes up, double-click on Path (under System Variables). Now what u need to do is add the location of ur sdk to the end of the "Variable Value".
So if u put the adroid sdk folder in the root of ur C drive, then u would add this line
;C:\Android\tools
to the end of the Variable Value line. This depends on where u put the skd folder though. Whats important here is u dont replace whats already there! Just add the line to the end, even the ";" symbol.
Hope this helps. let me know how it goes

Thank you again for the response. Yes, that looks to be the same screen information that appears when I run java in command.
I have the SDK in a folder named AndroidSDK on the root of my C drive. I have added the line ";C:\AndroidSDK\tools" to the end of the path. One thing I just realized is that when I double click the AndroidSDK folder, the next screen contains a single folder named "android-sdk-windows". When I double click that folder I see subfolders for add-ons, platforms, tools, SDK readme, and SDK setup. I'm wondering now if I need to include that "android-sdk-windows" in the path line in order for it to find adb in the tools.
I would really like to solve this adb issue. I still want to learn enough about this stuff to root the phone again and feel comfortable working with it. I'm completely obsessed with this right now. It's driving me mad.

in that case the line you should add would be
;C:\AndroidSDK\android-sdk-windows\tools

I can't believe it was that simple!
Actually I can believe it. Thank you so much for your help. Sorry if I came off as a bit of a drama queen in the OP, but I have just spent about 6 hours messing with this if you include the rooting.
Ok. I think I'm going to give it all another shot. Thanks again. I may be back to this thread again if I end up running into another dead end though.

Glad it worked
Dont worry about it, i can understand ur frustration because this is by no means straight forward.
Hope u enjoy playing with ur soon to be rooted EVO

If you have time to answer another question, I went through the OTA Simple Root process again and everything appears to have worked. But I don't think that finishes the phone in root. I don't have a Superuser app, for instance.
Isn't there something else I need to do? (Install a custom rom maybe?)
If so, how do I accomplish it in the least technical way possible?

Im not too sure with that actually. I dont have an EVO (or any android phone for that matter). But yeah i think the superuser app should appear without flashing a custom rom.
I think you might want to create a thread in the EVO section where im sure many EVO owners will help u out with this. Or maybe a mod could move this thread?

JelloB said:
If you have time to answer another question, I went through the OTA Simple Root process again and everything appears to have worked. But I don't think that finishes the phone in root. I don't have a Superuser app, for instance.
Isn't there something else I need to do? (Install a custom rom maybe?)
If so, how do I accomplish it in the least technical way possible?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Disclaimer - I have not used the simple root method.
That being said I have helped a few people with this and it seems that the last img file that it flashes does not have super user access. You need to flash a custom ROM in order to fix that. I will post a link to the thread that I was helping in and that should answer some of your questions on how to do that.
Hope that helps
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=722194
Sent via the Sprint HTC EVO

Just wanted to update this. I finally was able to put it all together. I was previously unaware of the "extras" tab on the OTASimpleRoot program. Just didn't read the instructions in post well enough, which is the story of my life....but I digress.
Anyway, I was able to root the phone again, flash recovery and now I have even gotten to the point where I understand a little bit how to install custom roms. In fact, I just installed my first using Baked Snacks latest update. I've also downloaded ROM manager so in the future I should I have no trouble at all (even though I'm pretty comfortable doing it the "long" way now).
Thanks again to both of the guys above who took the time to read and respond to a complete newbies questions.
I now that I have successfully loaded a custom ROM onto my EVO that it is full root and I don't have to worry about that anymore. I don't have a "superuser" app that I can tell, but I do have a "dev tools" app and folders which I don't think were on the phone before.

Alright, I do have a superuser permissions app. When I click it nothing happens though. I don't know if that's normal or not.
The issue I'm having now is that when the phone was rooted it took it back to the 1.17.651.1 software version. I went through the steps in the "How to start over: Fully rooted stock 1.47..." thread but the phone doesn't appear to be reading the PC36IMG.zip file. It doesn't ask if I want to update it. I tried it a couple times and then skipped to the second file in that thread (su-2.1-e-unsecure-signed.zip) and got a message about ....something "build". Went ahead with the install but I don't see anything different. Still says I'm on software 1.17.....

Wireless tethering app doesn't work for me, which was the impetus to dig further into this....deeper down the rabbit hole.

Ok. This will be my last update but I'm pretty excited because something has happened to correct issues I was having.
I thought I would go through the root process from start to see if I could get the 1.47 software. Once I got to the second step and did the factory reset, upon reboot it took me to the recovery screen which was different and made me a little nervous. I found the cue to install BakedSnack again from the sdcard and chose that function.
This time things were different than before. For instance, upon booting the phone I got a cool screen saver with streaming, trippy colors instead of the 4G and Sprint crystaline logos. I don't remember this happening the first time I installed this ROM. Once I got into the phone I noticed some minor changes I didn't notice the first time. The music widget wasn't on the second page, nor the nascar or football crap either. I think they were there before. Then I went into apps and saw ROM manager installed and superuser and Wifi tethering. Went straight to wifi tethering and low and behold it works like a charm.
Last but least, I went to check the software and I am now running 1.47. I don't know why it's on their now. This is all still a little mysterious to me. I could swear this Baked ROM is a little different than the first time I had it on the phone. Maybe that's my imigination. Maybe the factory wipe did something. I don't know but I'm very happy now.

Congrats

SupremeBeaver said:
Congrats
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks again man!
What a difference 24 hours can make. At this point last night I was ready to pull my hair out in frustration. By noon today I had unrooted the phone and re-installed the most recent OTA software update and was ready to just stick with that. Now I have re-rooted, somehow managed to get the updated software back on the phone, and have installed and am running an incredibly awesome custom ROM.
I love my new phone. Thanks again to both of you guys who offered help. I think I'm going to be good from here on.

full system backup

*****
DA§MN! wrong forum ==> MOVE this one to the development forum immediately.
CLOSED.
*****
hellew,
my status: tec/dev but smartbone noob
my issue: need to be able to fully restore system + installed apps (1st kill all; then get back to current phone/system/apps/settings.. like fresh from vendor)
my thing: X10, Android 1.6
i want to start developing, & therefore 1st need to get root access (1st of all - THX for making this possible + manual!).
logic implication => if i mess/flash 'round, i need to get the phone back into a state, where it's ready to be used (as phone + data).
Obviously, there's 2 ways:
1.) [preferred] Pull a backup-image of all programmable memory (incl. system, installed apps, data, whatever provider settings/data there are..) off the phone.
Restore all of it later, when necessary.
Can anyone kick me to capable tool(s) & maybe tutorial(s), even..? tx!
[no_tard: even a small checklist helps of cause..]
2.) Get a full-featured mem-image from phone supplier [SE], and load it onto phone.
Does anyone know if this is possible..?
Does SonyE supply mem-images?
Or is there a bootloader for the phone that can get one, online meby?
Which PC-app is used?
Thanks in advance for the help!
& nice weeknd
[sorry for plain stupidity.
yea, i've already searched 'round quite a bit... but still, not confident enough to wipe..]

[Q] Roms and patches - is it this easy?

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!

Possible to Replace a System File without Rooting?

I am a NOOB, but I like myself just fine. The video for NOOBs is funny, but IMHO, should be a bit more serious.
I'm one of those people experiencing issues with GPS and TTFF being excessively long on the MT. Cry.
If I run MyPhoneExplorer, I can see the system file structure, and I believe I can move files to the phone. I believe I can do the same with SwiFTP.
Can one drop replacement GPS libraries for example into the SYSTEM and SYSTEM/HW sub-directories using a program like MPE, or an FTP program like SwiFTP without rooting, and would they be honored on the next reboot?
Would I be mangling some check-sum or other that determines the integrity of the system loaded?
I'm one of those users that doesn't really want to root if not necessary, but I wonder if doing some mod like the above - would doing so lay subsequent update pushes from VMUSA to waste?
Also, I'd really like if possible to flag some programs not to load, unless I explicitly ask them to load via the U.I. with intent. I suppose I'd have to root to do something like that. Perhaps with Ginger-Break? Would doing this make subsequent updates problematic?
Any information regarding my constraints and options to effect both of the above would be very appreciated. Thanks.

There are ways to mount the various partitions from a host machine (e.g. Linux) while it is in the "emergency" flash mode, which would permit what you want to do. Doing this is quite dangerous - at least as much as rooting the device and perhaps more-so.

I appreciate the response.
OK, if I were to root via Gingerbreak and install the files that way, then un-root, would my system then appear to be (to an update provided by Motorola or VMUSA) as something which couldn't be updated?
In other-words would rooting put me on a path to having to use specially modified updates?
Thanks.

Depends on what you change.
In GENERAL no, the update will come through. The major risk is that it crashes on install as some part of what you changed is a dependency but is not reloaded. This is rare, but can happen.
So.... root, install Clockwork, and make an immediate Nandroid backup BEFORE you screw with anything. That SHOULD allow you to un-hose yourself if you get in trouble.