[Q] Stock or not - G Tablet General

We just picked up a brand new GTab from a coworker for a steal (he bought it, didn't like it, and is going with a netbook instead). I've done a bunch of reading already, but have a LOT more to read before I do too much.
I do have a question though...
I like the idea of a nice interface, and kind of like the interface of the stock rom, however it's a bit useless without market, etc. However, I don't really want it to look like an over-grown android phone. I'm leaning towards TnT Lite, but so far undecided.
So, my question is... If I just go with the idea of rooting it and adding Market/Flash/Etc, what am I going to miss that I'd get with a new rom? I assume some speed? Noticeable? Anything else?
I haven't seen a lot of screenshots of TnTLite...will I be satisfied with it, or will I just feel like my evo's screen grew even larger? (I know you can't say if I will be satisfied or not, but how is it? is it really much different then a stock Android screen?)

Some people modify theirs to look exactly like their phone, others prefer the different more tablet like interface. I know with tnt lite 4.3 you have the option of using both classic and tap n' tap home screens. The speed is awesome especially with clemsyns new kernel (also fixes power off durring sleep issue) and it gets full market at first boot, no extra tweeks necessary to get it working.
Good luck,

well the market after boot without hassle isn't bad.
But I just read the 3991 thread, which included Roebeet's initial speed test. Still worth going with TnTLite or waiting until/if 3991 comes out?
To ask a bit differently...a) how much speed improvement would I see with TnTLite?
b) how tough is rooting this thing? I've rooted several Evo's and a pair of Pandigitals, so I've done it before, but no idea how the GTab compares. c)how painful is getting the market to work? I don't mind a little work, but I don't want to have to study for a week to get it working...I have enough on my plate already
And finally, c) any other reasons beyond speed to jump to TnTL? (note, I don't mind jumping, but I want to make sure I know what it gains me first)

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=865245
This link tell everything step by step. Its really the easiest recovery & rom install I have ever done.
No need to root first and all custom roms come with root/superuser.
Stock tnt has a quadrant score around 1500 to 1800
Tnt lite has a quadrant score around 2300 to 2500
Basically your going to notice a difference in higher end functionality. Video, internet, gaming as well as a mild boost in everyday use.
As far as reasons to jump, I'm the kind of person that always has to see for myself. One of the fist things you do after installing bekits .8 recovery is to back up your current rom. That way if you don't like what you see you can just wipe data/cash and davlic cash, then restore your previous backup no harm done.
Its hard to list all the small improvements with tnt lite over stock. I can tell you though, after using custom roms with clemsyns kernel its almost painful anymore to play with the gtabs at office depot.
Oh and if your going to move to another rom I would suggest you invest in titanium backup as it saves all your apps, app data and user data(wi-fi connections, passwords, account settings) so you can instantly restore them to your new rom. Instead of installing all your apps again from the market and loosing any saved data all you have to do I'd download titanium backup again an run a batch restore and BAM everything is back.
Hope that answers some more of your questions

I am completely biased of course, but I would recommend TNT Lite with one of the custom kernels. I find it to be much better than stock.
But, another item to consider -- you can always backout. There are stock ROMs in one of the FAQ's (look at mine, for example). So, if you play around with some of these mods and don't like them, you can go back. Just read up on the instructions and you should be good to go.
3588 (the latest stock) cannot hold a candle to the other mods here. Viewsonic has a new firmware cooking , but for some reason it's taking them FOREVER to release.

How to install a custom Kernel with TNT Lite 4.3.2
roebeet,
Could you expand on how to install a custom kernel with TNT lite 4.3.2. I couldn't find any instructions on the clemsyn kernel thread.
Thanks

brs330 said:
roebeet,
Could you expand on how to install a custom kernel with TNT lite 4.3.2. I couldn't find any instructions on the clemsyn kernel thread.
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's mod agnostic - seems to work on TNT (Lite), VEGAn or zPad. It's in an "update.zip" format, so you'd just need a tool like clockworkmod to install it. That's pretty much it!
You might want to PM clemsyn to confirm (or post to his thread), but from what I can tell it's pretty much an update.zip, nothing more.

Thanks for the help.
I installed 4.30 along with the .32 Supp (or at least I think i did...not sure how to verify that that's installed, but once 4.30 was running, i deleted the .zip and the restore folder, copied over the supp files and power on-vol up again....I *think* it installed things)
First, wow is this faster than stock, even without doing a kernel update.
Second, all I have is the phone-looking interfaec. I went to Home Switcher for Froyo (assumed that was the place to switch?) but in there the only option I have is for the com.android.launcher, so how do I get back to the other home screen?
Again, thanks for the help so far, and the incredible performance enhancement.

Related

What Rom?????????????

I need some advice on what rom i should install in my g Tab, I allready installed cyanogenmod but i have been reading so much on the others that i don't think i made the best choice, So what would be the best one to use??? i really want to get my tab running right!!!! Please Help!!!
Why not to try them all and then let us know what you like ?
Cause im not the greatest at doing these things and i would rather do it once rather then take a chance and screwing things up. This is my first android device and im not familiar with it at all!
withoutcomp1 said:
Cause im not the greatest at doing these things and i would rather do it once rather then take a chance and screwing things up. This is my first android device and im not familiar with it at all!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Then read, read and read some more. If you can do it once then you can do it again. I like them all.
ehunyadi has a great Youtube channel with some different ROMs if you want to watch instead of read.
Install and learn how to use clockworkmod (the older .08 bekit one, there's a link in my TnT Lite post). This will allow you to make nandroid backups and easily flip between mods. The newer clockworkmod versions might have issues with the mods, so I still recommend the older one.
Each mod has its pros and cons.
TnT with the enhancement packs seem to be the most stable and the most current. Be prepared to try others when they come along, especially CM7. I try to stay with ROMs that have ongoing development and support and I hope things get going soon with 2.2.1 and 2.3.
im pretty excited about Vegan updates at this point. its the most "android" looking (ASOP ive heard it called) and runs very similarly to my Droid X which is really nice
I have tried all of the ROMs available. So far Zpad, and Vegan are my favorites. I am sticking with Vegan. I have learned a lot about this tablet and I am very happy with my current setup. Once you figure out how to load them its easier to try new ones.
Instructions flashing roms
Where are the instructions for flashing these roms.. thanks all............

[Q] What is the first thing I should do when I get my G Tab?

OK, I've ordered my G Tab and expect it next week. I also ordered a docking station, a screen protector and leather case w/keyboard. All of these were recommended by XDA members on this site.
I am a complete idiot when it comes to technical knowledge. I have never owned an Android product, either. I've read and read and read the various posts in preparation for receiving my G Tab. I know I want to Root my Tab (probably with TnT Lite) and I know to install the ClockWorkMod V.08. Here are my questions:
1. When I get my G Tab, should I even turn it on or should I insert the MicroSD card with the CWM on it and then turn the G Tab on?
2. If I turn it on first, will it automatically connect to WiFi thru my router and start downloading the Viewsonic update?
3. Is it OK to install the Viewsonic update BEFORE I root it?
4. I have noticed that a lot of the users who use TnT Lite, are running the 2.1 or 3.1 versions. Why aren't they using the latest 4.1 version? Should I start with an earlier, more stable (proven) version?
5 When should I install the "Enhancement" pack? After the CWM or after I install TnT Lite?
These questions may be somewhere on this site, but I can't find them. Thank you in advance?
Dawg Fan said:
OK, I've ordered my G Tab and expect it next week. I also ordered a docking station, a screen protector and leather case w/keyboard. All of these were recommended by XDA members on this site.
I am a complete idiot when it comes to technical knowledge. I have never owned an Android product, either. I've read and read and read the various posts in preparation for receiving my G Tab. I know I want to Root my Tab (probably with TnT Lite) and I know to install the ClockWorkMod V.08. Here are my questions:
1. When I get my G Tab, should I even turn it on or should I insert the MicroSD card with the CWM on it and then turn the G Tab on?
2. If I turn it on first, will it automatically connect to WiFi thru my router and start downloading the Viewsonic update?
3. Is it OK to install the Viewsonic update BEFORE I root it?
4. I have noticed that a lot of the users who use TnT Lite, are running the 2.1 or 3.1 versions. Why aren't they using the latest 4.1 version? Should I start with an earlier, more stable (proven) version?
5 When should I install the "Enhancement" pack? After the CWM or after I install TnT Lite?
These questions may be somewhere on this site, but I can't find them. Thank you in advance?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm still using stock TNT, but:
Re. 1) I would turn it on, even if you're planning to go to a different ROM, to at least make sure that it's working, before you try anything else. That way, in case there's a hardware problem, you haven't done anything to it yet, so it's factory condition. I don't know what stock firmware it will come with, but when I got my Gtab, it was like 3389, and there was a known thing with it, when you powered on the first time, a lot of stuff would force close. Rebooting (power off then power on) fixed that for me.
Re. 2) Assuming your WIFI is secured (WPA, etc.), the Gtab will try, but won't be able to connect successfully, since it doesn't have your WIFI router/access password. You'll need to go to Settings==>Wireless, and configure the password, and then it should connect after that.
Re. 3) Yes. That should be fine ...
Re. 4) I don't know...
Re. 5) The enhancement pack is INSTEAD of TNT lite, and is a patch for stock Viewsonic TNT. Conversely, TNT lite contains the stuff in the enhancement pack, plus more. So, they're kind of mutually exclusive. If you want to stay stock, but get the enhancements, install the enhancement pack. If you want a non-stock ROM, to replace the stock TNT, install TNT lite (or one of the other ROMs).
Jim
Thanks Jim! So, you are running the stock TnT 3452. Do you have the Enhancement pack installed? Did you try one of the new ROMs and then go back to stock?
No, I didn't install the enhancement pack, but rather, I've been installing things manually. The reason is that though I have a bit of experience w Linux, this is the 1st time I've had the chance to work w Android, so doing things manually is a kind of learning opportunity for me.
I haven't tried any of the other ROMs yet, but I might have to once they have CM7/gingerbread. It's tempting ...
In the meantime, this is OK for me.
Jim
Wax it with Mothers FX Make it shine
Wax it with Mothers FX Make it shine
Hey Dawg,
You know what I think happens a lot is that people get everything running pretty smooth on a particular ROM version (ie: TNTlite 2.1 or 3.1), and then they don't necessarily see anything compelling enough in the upgrade to go through the hassle of backing up, wiping, flashing...Especially the first time or two you do it, it can be a little daunting. (Or maybe they forget to update their signature?)
I like to goof around, so I've flashed mine about 8 times or so. I'm on TNTlite 4.1 and it is a great ROM. Very stable, very fast. I would encourage you away from 3.1 because that's based on a version of the kernel that came from Viewsonic that had issues with performance lag and some media disappearing from the SD card. There are fixes for both issues, but that's even more that you have to install.
4.1 is based on an updated kernel, and both issues are fixed.
I also spent some time with the Vegan ROM and it's pretty slick too. I had an issue with it sporadically shutting down. Others have experienced it too, but certainly not everybody.
Both of TNTlite 4.1 and Vegan 5 have been in the wild for a long enough amount of time for us to have heard about any major issues. I'd say go for the latest and greatest.
nbowes said:
Hey Dawg,
You know what I think happens a lot is that people get everything running pretty smooth on a particular ROM version (ie: TNTlite 2.1 or 3.1), and then they don't necessarily see anything compelling enough in the upgrade to go through the hassle of backing up, wiping, flashing...Especially the first time or two you do it, it can be a little daunting. (Or maybe they forget to update their signature?)
I like to goof around, so I've flashed mine about 8 times or so. I'm on TNTlite 4.1 and it is a great ROM. Very stable, very fast. I would encourage you away from 3.1 because that's based on a version of the kernel that came from Viewsonic that had issues with performance lag and some media disappearing from the SD card. There are fixes for both issues, but that's even more that you have to install.
4.1 is based on an updated kernel, and both issues are fixed.
I also spent some time with the Vegan ROM and it's pretty slick too. I had an issue with it sporadically shutting down. Others have experienced it too, but certainly not everybody.
Both of TNTlite 4.1 and Vegan 5 have been in the wild for a long enough amount of time for us to have heard about any major issues. I'd say go for the latest and greatest.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks! That is very useful.
I wish I understood all of this technical lingo. I'm 56 years old and love playing around on computers, but I have a brain fart when it comes to HOW they work. I guess it is just my generation. My father was a HAM radio operator and heavy into electronics. I didn't inherit any of that.
Here's my suggestion:
1) While waiting for the gtab, read the first page of the TnT Lite thread two or three times and download the files you will need to your PC. Then read the Clockwork Mod and Market Fix thread the same amount
2) Play with the gtab just long enough to verify it is not defective, damaged or DOA.
3) Transfer over Clockwork files via USB, restart
4) Install Clockwork, and then repartition to 2048,0 (will wipe your internal memory)
5) Mount USB, copy over TnT 4.1 file and install
6) Configure wireless, setup google account, market fix, flash
7) When everything is working, restart and backup with Clockwork
8) Download Titanium Backup for your apps and learn how to use it. I think this is the best app I have purchased so far and well worth the money.
Well I don't know your android experience level but there a few thing I would look into first your comfort level of installing bekits clockwork.08 based in my experiences this works better than other versions of recoveries. I would also look into nvflash just in case you run into trouble. There is no need for nvflash unless you run into trouble Choose the rom you want to use and read the instructions many times before trying to flash. And if you decide to use rom manager app you can download the roms from it but for now do not use rom mananger to flash to new roms or make backups only do it from clockwork recovery. With all that being said have fun it is not as diffcult as you might think
Thanks for all of the help/recommendations. I have to admit that I am so afraid that something will go wrong while trying one of these things. I'm telling you, I really don't understand any of this. I can follow instructions, so if that is all it takes, then I can do it. But I think I will first install the Viewsonic update and play around with that for a few days before I decide to root it.
Just so you know you don't have to root seperately anymore when you flash a rom it will automatically root for you

[Q] New G-Tablet owner in love! ROM advice needed.

Hi everyone! I just picked up a "reconditioned" Viewsonic G-Tablet from Sears for $279. It looks brand new, but I can tell it's been removed from the box and then re-packed. The prior owner must have decided it wasn't right for him/her after just turning it on! Well, lucky for me.
I'm not liking the Tap N Tap UI much so I'm looking at other ROMs. I've read all the threads here about Vegan, TNT Lite, Harmony, Zpad and CM ROMs but I can't decide. I've ruled out the Zpad and CM ROMs because they don't seem to be as polished/finished and they don't seem to be actively developed. Of the remaining ROMs (Vegan, TNT Lite and Harmony) can anybody tell what the main differences or advantages/disadvantages are between them? I'd love to hear personal opinions about why you chose one ROM over another.
My main concerns are speed, smoothness, stability and app support. Good Flash support is essential. I know I can just install each ROM and try them all myself, but I'm worried that just playing with each ROM for a short time I may not notice/realize each ROMs key features and shortcomings. Any help is greatly appreciated!
The winner for android 2.2 is Vegan 5.11. People just love it and it is in my gtab for personal use.
The winner for android 2.3 seems to be vegan experimentals. Even if it is not fully functional it seems it has catched attention from people around.
Personally i would recomend vegan 5.11 until vegan(android 2.3) comes out or a good rom of Honeycomb(android 3.0) is usable[Maybe tomorrow-maybe in a month].
Vegan 5.11 because it is very stable and performs really fast. Almost no fc in common apps(maybe in some games like those of gameloft) but it is very stable, fast and usefull overall.
You will probably get lots of suggestions as the ROM of the week changes as the Devs make changes or add functionality. For today I think your best choice is Vegan Tab beta 5.1. Unless you have to have cutting edge, I suggest not adding supplement 5.1.1 as some users have had issues, Follow the directions carefully and you will have a tablet that you will be happy with.
You will certainly get quite a few recommendations and such for each of the ROMS, but in the end I think that actually installing each one and giving it a whirl is the best way to see what works for YOU personally. There are plusses and minuses for all the ROMS, but in the end I believe it comes down to what is pleasing and what works for the individual - plus, the more you flash the easier it is
Try vegan first it's my personal favorite.
I highly recommend TnT Lite 4.2.x
A quick read through the VegaN thread will show you that some users have issues, some don't. I woudlnt and didn't take the chance as I'm less about the tinkering and more about the functionality of the tablet.
I've never had issues with TnT Lite. I was on 3.x and I went back to stock for a while but went back to 4.2 and have been with it since.
I'll second the TnT lite. Only issue I've had is market fixes. May not be a fault on our end as it seems alot of folks, tablet and phone owners are having issues with the droid market web page.
I tried Vegan as my first rom and got bored w/ it. was gonna try cyanogen but did the TnT lite rom instead. Haven't look back since.
But Rom's are a personal choice. try all of them and make ur decision from there, as each one has it's pro's and con's.
Casting my vote for VEGAn 5.1 Beta (Without the 5.1.1 supplement)
It will be my daily driver until either the VEGAn/Cyanogen Merge has an RC or until someone puts out a Honeycomb Port since the full system dump was just put out in the wild!!
Thanks a LOT for the replies so far. Seems like Vegan has a slight edge over TNT Lite in the voting so far.
Just curious, for those who chose TNT Lite over Vegan (or vise versa) after trying both, what were your reasons? Is one faster or smoother or better looking? More stable? I'm probably going to stick with 2.2 until the 2.3 ROMs stabilize.
Some said they switched to TNT Lite after using Vegan because they got bored with Vegan... why?
I've used both and lean towards VEGAn over tnt-lite. My reasons...VEGAn is closer to stock android and tnt-lite had too much stock tapntap still there.
Both are great but I had more market issues with tnt-lite.
Sent from my Viewsonic 10" GTab...
Running TnT Lite 4.23 here. Have used VegaN in the past as well as trying out CM7 and earlier versions of TnT. I'll agree with the other posters that you need to try them out for yourself, either VegaN or TnT should make you VERY happy. One of the biggest differences between the two is that TnT is a modified version of stock software, taking out most of the TnT UI. VegaN on the other hand appears to be based on the phone version of 2.2 but does open up the settings menus as well as other things associated with 2. that in TnT Lite might not be accessible, more of a "pure" 2.2.
Thanks for all the replies! I'm reading this forum even as I'm working to root my new GTab! But I've run into a problem. I hope I'm not thread-jacking my own thread, but I'm having trouble installing Clockwork Mod Recovery.
I'm following the sticky How To Guide and I've unzipped the "internal" version of the CWM to the root of the internal SDCARD. When I hold the power and volume + button to boot into recovery I get the Viewsonic splash screen with "Detect a recovery key pressed" and "Booting recovery kernal image" in the upper left corner. But then nothing. It just stays on this screen forever. I waited for 15-20 minutes just in case.
Any ideas?
Neoprimal said:
I highly recommend TnT Lite 4.2.x
A quick read through the VegaN thread will show you that some users have issues, some don't. I woudlnt and didn't take the chance as I'm less about the tinkering and more about the functionality of the tablet.
I've never had issues with TnT Lite. I was on 3.x and I went back to stock for a while but went back to 4.2 and have been with it since.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How did you go back to stock, I was thinking of that to see the fixes that Viewsonic has put out there. I am using TnT lite as well and like it except that my browser keeps closing.
fireheatfrank said:
How did you go back to stock, I was thinking of that to see the fixes that Viewsonic has put out there. I am using TnT lite as well and like it except that my browser keeps closing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There's a CWM friendly official VS update, I can't remember which one it is now.
I'd really have to go back and look into it. I flashed that through CWM and got stock and it did not overwrite CWM or affect anything in a negative way. I updated through the OTAs and they did not overwrite CWM either. Some people remove a line from the script but there's 1 version that doesn't attempt to even touch CWM....it's either 3053, 3316 or 3389. I'm really sorry that I can't remember which one.
I haven't experienced any force closing, I use Dolphin HD.
Also, the dev. that author's TnT Lite (Roebeet) I believe bases it on the newest stock releases according to the info, so you're getting any fixes offered in the stock with TnT, plus extra ones that are tried and true created by other devs.
Wtang:
If I remember correctly, you have to have that update and also a recovery directory....so if you just have the update.zip maybe you're missing something.
This is from the How to install Clockwork, Mods etc. thread:
"Step 1.
Download ClockworkMod v08 (This version has been found to work best...the newer version causes some issues with some ROMs.) There are two versions available; one for installing ClockworkMod from the internal memory, one for installing it from external memory (microSD/microSDHC card).
Step 2.
Unzip the file you chose (cwmod_internal.zip OR cwmod_microsd.zip) to the root folder on the storage option of your choice.
So, for example, if the storage option you chose has the drive letter “F:” assigned to it when hooked up to your computer, you would want it to look something like this…
A folder located at “F:\recovery”
A file located at “F:\update.zip”
Note that it's probably best to unzip this to your desktop and then manually copy them over to the tablet. That way you know everything is there.
Also, regarding preferring TnT Lite, for me personally I didn't bother with VegaN at all because of the sheer number of issues and problems I've read occurring with it in the VegaN thread. As I mentioned, maybe some people are lucky and it's flawless or some are unlucky and have issues. I don't want to risk it. Since I never had ANY issues with TnT Lite, it's what I prefer. While "close to stock" is nice, we have to consider that 2.2 was never meant for tablets. There's the pro that you get to more settings (like accounts and sync, for eg), but the con that it's an interwoven framework where there are now extra files and processes running that aren't necessary for a tablet at all, but necessary for the OS in general. That's how software works, process A is unnecessary for anything else than for phone use, but process F may depend on it somehow, and the OS may need process K which requires F to run a program you DO use on the tablet.
Since I don't find TnT Lite lacking in any way, I stayed with it. VegaN may full well be 'better' in some way, I just decided to stick with what works and has worked for me.
machine73:
For some reason the market is flawless on my Tab and I did nothing special. I even successfully send installs to it from the market. It doesn't show up as compatible for some, that's understandable though.
wtang said:
I've unzipped the "internal" version of the CWM to the root of the internal SDCARD....Any ideas?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've always used the "external" version on a microSD and never had a problem so that might be worth a try.
Also for what it's worth, I've been using the G-Harmony ROM and loving it. It is very nice and peppy. Everything works like it seems it should. I would very highly recommend it. I had put it on a couple G-Tabs for people who have asked after they seen mine and they love it as well. And after just watching the review of the Xoom on Engadget with HoneyComb, I don't think I'm in a hurry to upgrade to HC just yet especially since Flash is working just fine on my G-Tab right with G-Harmony.
Got CWM installed... what a pain.
Thanks for all the replies and help! What a bunch of friendly and helpful people here!
I tried both the internal and external SD card versions of CWM with no luck. I also made sure I had both the update.zip file and the recovery folder with the command file. The problem was something totally different.
I finally fixed the CWM problem. I think whoever owned my GTab before did some hacking on it... I see that superuser.apk was installed. Anyway I think the previous owner must have deleted the recovery image by accident. There was no recovery at all on my GTab, so that's why I couldn't boot into recovery to flash CWM. I had to use nvflash to install CWM over an APX connection from my PC. Pain the *ss but it worked!
Now on to installing some ROMs!!!

TapnTap UAT(?) build 1.2-5274

Haven't looked at it yet, but found it in my normal scan (I didn't have the build number that high before, so I must have missed it the last few weeks):
http://tapntap.http.internapcdn.net/tapntap/viewsonic/update-smb_a1002-5274-user.zip
EO July build date. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK, as always. I'm going to dissect this tomorrow or Saturday and, if there's anything of importance in there, I'll make a Mountain Laurel update out of it (if the power stays on, of course - Irene, please be kind!).
roebeet said:
Haven't looked at it yet, but found it in my normal scan (I didn't have the build number that high before, so I must have missed it the last few weeks):
http://tapntap.http.internapcdn.net/tapntap/viewsonic/update-smb_a1002-5274-user.zip
EO July build date. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK, as always. I'm going to dissect this tomorrow or Saturday and, if there's anything of importance in there, I'll make a Mountain Laurel update out of it (if the power stays on, of course - Irene, please be kind!).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Awesome, looking forward to your findings...
HIGH DEFINITION VIDEO PLAYBACK IS FIXED, with this build (it was broken in all the previous 1.2 stock ROMS -- 3991, 4349 and I believe 4950). I use the same 1080p main profile video for all my baseline tests, and it's working in 5274 stock.
That, in itself, is a good enough reason to deploy this into Mountain Laurel. However, I have to test if I need to use their kernel or not, so more testing would be needed. Worst case, I'd deploy with their kernel, like I used to do with TNT Lite - but of course I still need to check sleep.
This thing also has a newer bootloader, but Mountain Laurel always includes that. Might be related to the video fix, but again not certain without further testing.
As for other changes, probably nothing much - I'm seeing only the usual app and framework files being touched post 4950, the Wifi was touched as well libvodm_query. The camera is still mirrored incorrectly, as it has been on all 1.2 builds.
EDIT: I have a prototype with the pershoot kernel, and video playback is still working. Awesome - good to see that this is finally fixed.
EDIT2: Pulling out the pershoot kernel and testing a "mostly stock" version, like I used to do with TNT Lite. If sleep is working and battery life seems improved, it might be worth going back to that type of release. If someone wants a custom kernel, it's fairly easy to add it on your own.
I think they finally "got it right" with this 5274, going on my testing so far. A worthy successor to 3588 and 4349 stock, imo.
EDIT3: Spoke too soon - sleep issues are cropping up. Might need to keep pershoot's kernel after all -- no worries.
Outstanding work Roe.
When you say new bootloader, do you mean 1.2 or do you mean something else?
It's still 1.2 based - but it's got a newer timestamp, and I have a reliable source that tells me that it's been tweaked. Btw, my ML update is released - I stuck with a 3.0.0 with a stock kernel, as that's what I used to do for TNT Lite. Pershoot / Clem kernels can always be installed by the user, if they wanted. (I had retested sleep on a clean machine, no apps, and had no SOD).
Btw, it seems very obvious to me that the 1.1 branch is now long dead. TapnTap have only done 1.2-based work for the Olipad and Hannspad these last few months, the Adam has been 1.2 since almost Day One, and all the GTAB TapnTap work since March (3991, 4349, 4950 and now 5274) are all 1.2-based.
Sooner or later there will be a stock release, and it will almost certainly be 1.2-based, again. I would argue that this 5274 may very well be their next GA release, it's just a question of when. I hope Cyanagenmod will eventually swing over.
Very awesome Roe. I have been using Vegan 5.1.1 with VTL mainly because it covers *my* basic needs: PvZ, Keyboard/mouse, hardware acceleration, HD video. ANd I dodn't need to bother going to a 1.2 ROM. I think now is the time to go 1.2 and check out a newer ROM.
One question: does Mountain Laurel suffer from the media delete issue? Is .nomedia required? Not being able to access media on Vegan 5.1.1 (after applying the .nomedia fix) is kind of lousy.
roebeet said:
It's still 1.2 based - but it's got a newer timestamp, and I have a reliable source that tells me that it's been tweaked. Btw, my ML update is released - I stuck with a 3.0.0 with a stock kernel, as that's what I used to do for TNT Lite. Pershoot / Clem kernels can always be installed by the user, if they wanted. (I had retested sleep on a clean machine, no apps, and had no SOD).
Btw, it seems very obvious to me that the 1.1 branch is now long dead. TapnTap have only done 1.2-based work for the Olipad and Hannspad these last few months, the Adam has been 1.2 since almost Day One, and all the GTAB TapnTap work since March (3991, 4349, 4950 and now 5274) are all 1.2-based.
Sooner or later there will be a stock release, and it will almost certainly be 1.2-based, again. I would argue that this 5274 may very well be their next GA release, it's just a question of when. I hope Cyanagenmod will eventually swing over.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Will you repack as a nvflash package, wait for the GA, or none of these?
Actually, one more question: did you try the stock 5274 ROM and see if it ran any better than before? My biggest complaint with stock was that it was so slow, but I always liked the LOOK of it, especially the weather app.
mike_ekim said:
Very awesome Roe. I have been using Vegan 5.1.1 with VTL mainly because it covers *my* basic needs: PvZ, Keyboard/mouse, hardware acceleration, HD video. ANd I dodn't need to bother going to a 1.2 ROM. I think now is the time to go 1.2 and check out a newer ROM.
One question: does Mountain Laurel suffer from the media delete issue? Is .nomedia required? Not being able to access media on Vegan 5.1.1 (after applying the .nomedia fix) is kind of lousy.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
From limited testing, I had no issues - for example none of my video test files got wiped. But only time will tell and it is a new kernel.
Btw, good point on PvZ - wish I knew what it was about the old VEGAn build kernel that makes it stable.
mike_ekim said:
Actually, one more question: did you try the stock 5274 ROM and see if it ran any better than before? My biggest complaint with stock was that it was so slow, but I always liked the LOOK of it, especially the weather app.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'd have to go back and test things on builds 3991 / 4249 / 4950, but I would say that it feels snappier than 3588 for sure. And Nenamark / SmartBench scores seem to back that up. So far it really feels like a solid stock Froyo ROM and it's a shame that there are stock users with the ancient 3588 build that still don't have the option to get this ROM the "supported" way.
aabbondanza said:
Will you repack as a nvflash package, wait for the GA, or none of these?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm going to wait until next week and, assuming the new Mountain Laurel mod I just released doesn't have any serious issues, I'm going to update my 4349-based nvflash to 5274. I probably won't wait for GA, because I could be waiting a long time.
@roebeet awesome work as usual... I'm really really impressed with the speed of your releases... fantastic work... thanks a million for making my GTab well worth the money I spent!!
Hello Roebeet. How was your much deserved break?
Would this happen to have the market included? If not would old methods of getting it on work?
Would you recommend pershoots or clemsyns kernel, what is difference other than 1400 compared to 1500?
Also would you happen to know if than old nvrdaemon file/hack from back in the day than dexter put out would work?
Its been a while seen running stock, always liked it but took honeycomb plunge. Thinking about going back to hassle free stock, flash and hd playback is a plus!
I would think the performance is better than 3588, 4349??? I do miss the back to top of page tab in 3588 browser that 4349 didnt have. Saved a boat of scrolling. Is that option back?
Thanks and hope all is well with weather, I noticed your in western pa, im 20 min from Philadelphia and its not looking all that hot. Need something to do while cooped up. This sounds like it could be fun to tinker with!
Let me answer some questions which I'm sure off...
gkitab said:
Would this happen to have the market included? If not would old methods of getting it on work?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Market 3.1.3 (latest Market to date) is included in ML3.0.0... along with the olympus (Motorola Atrix) build props...
gkitab said:
Would you recommend pershoots or clemsyns kernel, what is difference other than 1400 compared to 1500?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Honestly, I think pershoot's kernel is better... It is updated more frequently and includes some latest Tegra changes... and OC to 1400 is definitely much more stable than OC to 1500... without any real noticeable difference (maybe some full HD videos might work a bit better at 1500)
gkitab said:
I would think the performance is better than 3588, 4349??? I do miss the back to top of page tab in 3588 browser that 4349 didnt have. Saved a boat of scrolling. Is that option back?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is definitely smoother than the previous versions (3588, 4349, etc.), but no, there is no "scroll to top" option in the browser...
I took the plunge and installed this update to see if it would fix the SOD I have been experiencing on all 1.2bl based roms. Did the following:
Booted to CWM
Cleared user data
Clear dalvik cache
Formatted cache, system, data, sdcard
Copied file to internal memory and renamed to update.zip
Installed from CWM using update.zip
Clear data, cache, dalvik cache
Reboot
Finish setup and make sure everything works.
Downloaded Flashback 7.2 to sdcard
Clear cache, data, dalvik
Reboot and enjoy.
Funny thing is my tablet still has SOD with every honeycomb rom i tried. Only time i dont is on 1.1bl based honeycomb roms. Everything else is working fine.
Sent from my Flashback 7.2 using xda premium
craigacgomez said:
Let me answer some questions which I'm sure off...
Market 3.1.3 (latest Market to date) is included in ML3.0.0... along with the olympus (Motorola Atrix) build props...
Honestly, I think pershoot's kernel is better... It is updated more frequently and includes some latest Tegra changes... and OC to 1400 is definitely much more stable than OC to 1500... without any real noticeable difference (maybe some full HD videos might work a bit better at 1500)
It is definitely smoother than the previous versions (3588, 4349, etc.), but no, there is no "scroll to top" option in the browser...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree, yes its smoother.
You are correct that pershoots has been updated, did not think about that.
Bummer on the back to top tap. I think its stupid that they removed that. It was mighty convienent.
Now, what are you talking about with the market. It does not have it. What's the atrix talk about?
Sleep of Death?
What does that entail?
For each and every 1.2 bootloader version from TnT (only TnT), I have problems with the home screen crashing unless I change it on 1st boot to Classic. It happended with Mountain Laurel too, yes the new Roebeet version of this week in included in that.
The home screen will crash as soon as I unlock the screen, unless I have changed it in the previous boot. So, I leave it on Classic. I have ML installed, homescreen changed to classic. All my software installed and now its time for a CWM backup.
Am I experiencing the SoD?
Roe,
It's been a looooonng while since I flashed a stock TnT update but if this is stable I would like to update my wife's Gtab to this most current one. Can you point me in the direction of the market and accelerometer fixes along with anything else I might be forgetting? I would just put Mountain Laurel on hers but she likes the stock TnT interface, besides she is not tech minded so I am keeping hers mostly stock with just the necessary fixes. I really do wish there was some way I could talk you into doing a modified stock TnT update.zip (stock with all the fixes already included). Thanks for all that you do and here's to hoping that you and your family made it through Irene OK.
thx -- still picking up the pieces post-Irene (basement was flooded so I'm ripping out the carpeting today).
As for ML, the install actually loads a stock image first, then I layer all the custom changes afterwards. So, if you enjoy a little trial and error, you could look into the update.zip and alter it to your needs. For the TnT apps, I first delete them and, in some cases, overlay them with stock apps - so you'd need to look at both the updater-script and /system folder, for what you want to alter.
roebeet said:
thx -- still picking up the pieces post-Irene (basement was flooded so I'm ripping out the carpeting today).
As for ML, the install actually loads a stock image first, then I layer all the custom changes afterwards. So, if you enjoy a little trial and error, you could look into the update.zip and alter it to your needs. For the TnT apps, I first delete them and, in some cases, overlay them with stock apps - so you'd need to look at both the updater-script and /system folder, for what you want to alter.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hope all is well. Good luck with basement. Near Philly I only lost power about six hours sat night into sun, but being under tornado warning in our county and having one roll down our street last year, the old ladyhad us sleep down basement sat night. Basement floor is not comfy.
Anyways what is the best way to go about getting market on this. Been a long time since running stock. Kinda like it but missing market.
One other thing, remember in 3588, while browsing we had the back to top tab that saved alot of scrolling in browser. Also when you would click something in the browser the top bar would drop down and you would see the progress icon so you would know your press registered. Why they did away with these things I don't get, it made the browser much more user friendly, is there a way to bring those two things back?
Never really noticed those before, but my guess is that the Browser apk could be replaced from the 52xx one to the 3588 one, to see if that functionality returns.
Roebeet, do you make any changes to boot.img except to add the ML image?
Also, is anyone seeing any problems booting with 5274? I can't get my gtab to boot with it. Just sits on the boot animation forever.. like hours.. until the screen jsut goes off. Then you can tap power and it comes right back to the boot animation, almost like sleep mode during the boot.

[Q] [i9023] ICS/2.3.6 based Roms, Manual ICS update, Titanium Backup

Hi guys sorry for the several topics in my subject line but there are several questions that I have.
So I just signed up because I'm a bit confused and I'm quite new to the scene. I actually posted this on another forum which I'm already a member of, but I felt it would be better posting here since this is obviously more specialised.
After reading the rules, I've realised that it's quite hard to do a search for existing topics with my questions. I've already tried to do individual searches on each topic though, with varying success.
I've just rooted my Nexus S (i9023, AUS version) for the first time simply because I wanted to be able to use DroidWall (to only allow certain apps to use data).
1) If I manually update to ICS, will I lose root?
2) Does installing a custom ROM cause you to lose all your data? - I've done some searching on this and it seems to depend. Some do and some don't. I don't quite get it though.
3) Kernels - seem to control battery life and how the operating system runs. This slightly confuses me because it makes me think, what affects battery life more: the kernel or the ROM?
4) Most people like to overclock their phones in the interest of power. Would it be reasonable to underclock it in the interest of battery life? Sometimes I don't think I really need 1GHz.
5) It seems like the OTA for ICS for i9023 has not been released yet but has been for i9020?
I'm trying to find the best 2.3.6 Custom ROM from here but none of these are 2.3.6 based! All of them are 2.3.4 or older. I'm hesitant upgrading to ICS for three reasons:
1) Hasn't been released OTA officially
2) Worried of app compatibility
3) Worried of shorter battery life
For these reasons, I'm looking for a 2.3.6 based custom ROM otherwise I'd be happy to look at ICS custom ROMs.
None of the ICS ROMs seem to have any distinctive features about them, especially after watching the video reviews. It's all pretty much "it's a great ROM that doesn't lag when browsing the web and it's fast". Nothing really distinguishes one from another.
Sorry for the mildly long post, but I'd rather ask as many questions as I can at a time rather than making a couple of threads for each. Hope I can get some help =)
Thanks in advance!
I bought 9023 in hk. Upgraded to ics by ota.
If you want, you may do it manually. Flash the rom by yourself. Ota is no longer available. Check it out at nexusshack.com
I don't have battery problem. But don't know why.
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App
xdaillum said:
Hi guys sorry for the several topics in my subject line but there are several questions that I have.
So I just signed up because I'm a bit confused and I'm quite new to the scene. I actually posted this on another forum which I'm already a member of, but I felt it would be better posting here since this is obviously more specialised.
After reading the rules, I've realised that it's quite hard to do a search for existing topics with my questions. I've already tried to do individual searches on each topic though, with varying success.
I've just rooted my Nexus S (i9023, AUS version) for the first time simply because I wanted to be able to use DroidWall (to only allow certain apps to use data).
1) If I manually update to ICS, will I lose root?
If it is the update you probably will (not 100% sure), if it is the full OTA you certainly will. But it is not a major issue either way, and i would actually recommend backing up with TB (AND a Nandroid), wiping everything and then installing the Full OTA ROM and just root again, then restore your backup.
2) Does installing a custom ROM cause you to lose all your data? - I've done some searching on this and it seems to depend. Some do and some don't. I don't quite get it though.
They will generally lose any system data, apps, modifications, etc. Titanium Backup will copy over most of it anyway, particularly apps and their settings/data. Keep in mind that you should always have a CWM backup (Nandroid) ready in case something goes wrong.
3) Kernels - seem to control battery life and how the operating system runs. This slightly confuses me because it makes me think, what affects battery life more: the kernel or the ROM?
Both. ROMs can do more or different functions which can cause battery drain. Kernels allow you to change your own settings (most of the time) to actually balance performance and drain. I would say at the moment with ICS, the kernel and the settings you give it is the biggest contributor.
4) Most people like to overclock their phones in the interest of power. Would it be reasonable to underclock it in the interest of battery life? Sometimes I don't think I really need 1GHz.
That is correct. Many people can get the same speed with a lower voltage, lowering battery drain. Others also use something called "LiveOC" and increase the clocks by 10% (or more), changing the bus speed and giving similar speeds to 1000mhz at only 880mhz, again saving power. Just remember every CPU batch has different variations - some can undervolt and overclock like crazy, whereas some struggle with a 5% increase.
5) It seems like the OTA for ICS for i9023 has not been released yet but has been for i9020?
The i9023 and i9020T has been released. The i9020A has not, and the same with the Nexus S 4G (D720 i believe). It sometimes doesnt show up though. Either try a manual command which i can't remember in the dialpad or just update manually (manually is best ).
I'm trying to find the best 2.3.6 Custom ROM from here but none of these are 2.3.6 based! All of them are 2.3.4 or older. I'm hesitant upgrading to ICS for three reasons:
1) Hasn't been released OTA officially
2) Worried of app compatibility
3) Worried of shorter battery life
For these reasons, I'm looking for a 2.3.6 based custom ROM otherwise I'd be happy to look at ICS custom ROMs.
None of the ICS ROMs seem to have any distinctive features about them, especially after watching the video reviews. It's all pretty much "it's a great ROM that doesn't lag when browsing the web and it's fast". Nothing really distinguishes one from another.
Sorry for the mildly long post, but I'd rather ask as many questions as I can at a time rather than making a couple of threads for each. Hope I can get some help =)
Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lots of words, i'm getting a little confused up there. Anyway, if you are rooted (and i assume your bootloader is unlocked), there is nothing to worry about as long as you backup. I personally love ICS and have no issue with it, as do many others. A minority of people however tend to have some problems, whether its battery or force closes. My experience so far has been that a proper wipe fixes most of these anyway.
ICS is still new. Once Cyanogenmod 9 is officially released i'm sure we'll see much more variety than the same look and feel, as alot is based off their code. And also, practically no phones have ICS yet. I've not found app compatibility a problem though, i think the main gripe is viber (which should work soon).
I hope this can help you, just let us know if there is anything else you're after. Also, there is a TON of information around the site (and Nexus S forums in particular). A good amount of reading and going through a couple of pages of some of these threads can go a long way. That is why you came here after all, isn't it?
I got the OTA for ICS back around 20th Dec 2011, but I chose not to update it because I was going to be away from a computer for a few days and had no backup phone. When I wanted to update it a few days later, the update had disappeared from my phone so I looked it up online. Apparently the OTA disappeared for Nexus S's due to some bugs or incompatibility issues. I've never seen the update come up on my phone since. Even when I go to Settings->About phone->System update, it says "your system is up to date". So I've always been under the impression that ICS for Nexus S (at least for my variant, i9023) has never been re-released to us OTA.
Harbb, thanks for your answers. The only one I'm not so sure about is the underclocking one. It seems a little beyond me in terms of technicality. I am definitely interested in doing it though. Would you be able to tell me if adjusting clock speed requires an app?
I am rooted and bootloader is unlocked (I thought you could only root if bootloader was unlocked?).
So does that mean all these custom ROMs around at the moment are mostly based around Cyanogenmod, which is why they're very similar? As I was saying, I was looking at getting a custom ROM installed and noticed most of them are ICS custom ROMs, and the video reviews all say "this ROM is fast and does not lag when web browsing. It's a great ROM and it's fast and smooth."
The custom ROMs just don't seem to be "promoted" too well because I can't see what makes one better than the other, or what features of one custom ROM are intended to be the standout ones.
I notice you (Harbb) are using Stock ICS 4.0.3 (according to your sig) - so you are not using a custom ROM? Am I able to install a custom ICS ROM without first installing ICS? I am still running 2.3.6 at this point.
Viber does not work at the moment? That's not too bad. I can live with that.
I've done quite a bit of reading so far. It has certainly helped, but still a long way to go, but thanks for giving me a great start!
I will start backing up my apps using TB and CWM (Nandroid)!
xdaillum said:
I will start backing up my apps using TB and CWM (Nandroid)!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Best line i've read in days
I have tried several custom ROMs once they started surfacing but i didn't feel like they gave me anything special enough to switch to right now and Stock is setup and running very nicely. Stock ICS colours are fine and other apps now can provide Notifications Widgets. I havn't noticed any particular differences in speed either.
Brainmasters ICS tweaks, custom kernel and Flavours of ICS runs beautifully. The OTA varies with where it shows up. To force a check, type this in dialer: *#*#checkin#*#* [AKA, *#*#2432546#*#* ]
If you are rooted it won't work anyway. Just update manually. There is no need to currently on ICS to flash custom ICS ROMs. I would advise that when going from GB to ICS though (and often between some custom ROMs) that you go into CWM and do a factory/data wipe and format /system. After backing up of course.
At the moment most are not based on CM9, however several do use bits and pieces of code (ie. notification power widgets) from it. Not sure why most ROM descriptions are the same
First thing i'd consider is getting a custom kernel, and then the NSTools app (market). Lots of stuff to mess around with and full control of the CPU (governors, IO, overclocking, undervolting, etc).
Harbb said:
Best line i've read in days
I have tried several custom ROMs once they started surfacing but i didn't feel like they gave me anything special enough to switch to right now and Stock is setup and running very nicely.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
agree with u. for 4.0.3, stock is my favorite, sad to say that.
for 4.0.4, while stock for NS not available, IMM26 ROM ported from NS4G seems good, if you like the stock rom feel.
Hmm I bricked my phone.
I've done the Nandroid and Titanium Backup and have it sitting on my computer ready once I recover this damn thing. Following the backups, I attempted to manually update to ICS with the zip file on this page: http://www.androidcentral.com/how-manually-update-your-gsm-nexus-s-ice-cream-sandwich
Now I'm following these two threads to try and recover the phone:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1397393
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1396056
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=20382688&postcount=16
Hopefully I will get this back up and working. I'm still confused as to why it got bricked though. Updated via clockworkmod "update from sdcard" and then rebooted system. After that, it just bricked. Can't get any lights to come up on the device whatsoever. Plugging it in to computer, wall charger, pressing all the buttons, taking the battery out and putting it back in.
Odd. Best of luck getting it working, i'm sure the resurrector will work for you so don't stress too much. That's the right file so i'll probably just put the issue on a bad flash or bad download (wise to hash check before flashing). At this point i'd say it's wise when you get it working again, just flash the Full OTA file, and do a wipe of /data, /cache, /system and /boot beforehand.
Sad to hear about your troubles buddy.
So it looks like everything worked out for me. I managed to restore my phone with the help of the threads above. I have to admit though, the guides given on this forum aren't too "complete" - there's always a step or two missing from the guide that the reader has to figure out themselves. And not all the files are provided in the topics either! I'm also kind of concerned why it seems so many people ended up bricking their phone like that. Quite concerning.
In the end, I managed to reflash the stock ICS ROM for i9023 Nexus S which I found in this thread: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1445635
So I scrapped the one that I downloaded initially from Android Central. The difference in size was surprisingly roughly 30MB (160MB instead of the 130MB Android Central one).
I'm just using stock ICS, but rooted. Downloaded a few apps which require root, but haven't tried adding any mods or kernels. I might look into that later. But it seems like with 4.0.4 coming out, there might be some interesting new additions!
Thanks for all your help!!
Did you flash this ics from stock recovery?
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App
Congratulations on resurrecting it! Are you guys saying that there is a risk of bricking a phone, while installing official update? I did a manual update, 3 weeks ago, unrooted, and ICS has been nothing but amazing for me.
I have a question. In case, I ever brick my I9023 (hope not).
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=20382688&postcount=16
This post states that I must be running Ubuntu on my PC. Does that mean I can't use Windows? And if I must use Linux, can I just do it with Wubi, or with Online Server?

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