Hey guys,
I got my first real smart phone about a week ago, it was a USC Samsung Mesmerize. Yesterday I stumbled upon rooting when trying to figure out how to remove useless pre installed apps. All I really want is a slim & fast version & to be able to keep my navigation.
I've had experience with flashing; Xbox 360 & PSP's. So I kind of jumped into this and ended up bricking my phone. Or damn close.
From looking at the back of my phone it says Galaxy S, so I went in that section and downloaded/flashed this originally (caused brick):
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=940671
I did everything up to step 7, except it wouldnt boot past the splash screen.
So then came panic time...
I eventually reflashed with a new rom for the correct phone, This one to be exact:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=944671
My question is:
What have I really done now that I run on this rom?
I still cant uninstall preloaded software.
I would be willing to flash a new rom so I can have a faster phone.
But really no one makes it clear enough in there guides about how this process actually works.
my best guess is after I flashed with that rom I will be able to upgrade to a better rom?
What is FROYO EA11?
What is voodoo?
First off, consequences will never be the same...
You are now running a STOCK (leaked) 2.2 ROM, with a stock kernel and USCC App Bloat.
If you want a fast Android 2.2 with stock apps removed, do this:
1. Flash the EA11 + recovery via Odin, following the steps here.
2: Download the EA11 voodoo kernel found here and flash.
3: Boot into recovery and run update.zip (this will push you to a red clockwork recovery)
HINT: If you aren't familiar with clockwork recovery, the controls are slightly different. You use still use the volume buttons to navigate, but the power button is now used to execute selections and the search softkey to go back.
4: select install .zip from sdcard
5: select the voodoo .zip and confirm
This will install the new kernel and replace your recovery (which used to require booting into the Samsung recovery before making your way to the clockwork recovery by installing update.zip from sdcard) with a clockwork recovery that will look identical to the one you had after running update.zip, but can enable your newly acquired lagfix.
6: enable voodoo lagfix, and rejoice!
6: Optionally install the Pick and Pack ROM found here. (I WOULD!)
(Credits to MesmerizeUser for these steps, I copypasta'd and edited.)
Good luck with your back-tracing! Let us know if any steps are unclear.
Also, the payed version of Titanium Backup will let you "freeze" stock apps, so they don't appear in your menus, and they won't run, but you can "thaw" them whenever you like.
PS - FROYO EA11 is a leaked Android 2.2 ROM for the Mesmerize. Google names Android releases after deserts, like Donut, Eclair, Froyo, Gingerbread, Honeycomb, etc.
Voodoo is a name of the kernel which changes your EXT2 partition (old school) to EXT4 (new school), and makes your file system much faster.
uselessmidget said:
Hey guys,
I got my first real smart phone about a week ago, it was a USC Samsung Mesmerize. Yesterday I stumbled upon rooting when trying to figure out how to remove useless pre installed apps. All I really want is a slim & fast version & to be able to keep my navigation.
I've had experience with flashing; Xbox 360 & PSP's. So I kind of jumped into this and ended up bricking my phone. Or damn close.
From looking at the back of my phone it says Galaxy S, so I went in that section and downloaded this:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=940671
I did everything up to step 7, except it wouldnt boot past the splash screen.
So then came panic time...
I eventually reflashed with a new rom, This one to be exact:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=944671
My question is:
What have I really done now that I run on this rom?
I still cant uninstall preloaded software.
I would be willing to flash a new rom so I can have a faster phone.
But really no one makes it clear enough in there guides about how this process acctually works.
my best guess is after I flashed with that rom I will be able to upgrade?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OK, first of all, welcome. You've come to the right place to do several things. The first of which is to learn. Don't freak out. You're phone is in good hands here in this forum. Unless you really try hard, you can't do much to actually bork it up so bad that we can't fix it.
So, what you have done up to this point is update your phone to the leaked 2.2 firmware. It's not a ROM, it's actually the full firmware. If you want to remove bloat, the easiest way is to now install my EA11 Pick-n-Pack ROM, which already probably lighter than you want it. The good thing, is that it also has an addons pack that you can download to put anything back on that you want. Everything is there in easily flashable zip files. You just have to look inside if you don't see the actual name of something in particular. (ie. calendar is in SamsungandTouchWiz.zip) Now if you want faster with your new light weight ROM, go with the EA11 Voodoo kernel to help boost you up as well. This isn't a final build, as we don't have source code yet so understand this is just a small improvement on the stock kernel. Now, if you want to get all the way back to stock 2.1, might I suggest this thread to help with that. And for some help getting to know a little about everything, pop over to the irc channel in my signature and talk to anyone that happens to be there. We're here to help. If they don't answer, they've probably stepped away. Some of us hang out there and leave the computer idle while we're doing other things.
Again, welcome aboard. I hope some of that info helped you out.
first off...welcome...second if i would have done that i think i may have left a mess in my pants...but seems like you got it running good again plz trust me when i say listen to phidelt82, he will not give you any wrong advise...because of him and a few others, my phone kicks ass and im actually trying to learn how to make themes and roms (dont know much but learning), so yea...you came to the right place to make your phone truly your (with there software...lol)
Yoder808 said:
First off, consequences will never be the same...
You are now running a STOCK (leaked) 2.2 ROM, with a stock kernel and USCC App Bloat.
If you want a fast Android 2.2 with stock apps removed, do this:
1. Flash the EA11 + recovery via Odin, following the steps here.
2: Download the EA11 voodoo kernel found here and flash.
Voodoo is a name of the kernel which changes your EXT2 partition (old school) to EXT4 (new school), and makes your file system much faster.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
First off thanks for the quick and acurate responses guys.
About what you said here though:
The "kernal" I loaded claims to be EA11 Stock, you are telling me I need EA11 voodoo Kernal, its called voodoo because its modified. -would this statement be correct?
Yoder808 said:
6: Optionally install the Pick and Pack ROM found here. (I WOULD!)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This would only be used for installing specific preloaded apps, correct?
phidelt82 said:
So, what you have done up to this point is update your phone to the leaked 2.2 firmware. It's not a ROM, it's actually the full firmware. If you want to remove bloat, the easiest way is to now install my EA11 Pick-n-Pack ROM, which already probably lighter than you want it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So basically this is a light rom with the ability to add the removed pre-load apps?
phidelt82 said:
Now, if you want to get all the way back to stock 2.1, might I suggest this thread
Again, welcome aboard. I hope some of that info helped you out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There most likely is no reason to go back to stock 2.1, correct? My shot in the dark is the reason you would want to is to not get usc on your back and larger selection of stable roms and kernels?
Thanks, you guys f***ing rock.
uselessmidget said:
First off thanks for the quick and acurate responses guys.
About what you said here though:
The "kernal" I loaded claims to be EA11 Stock, you are telling me I need EA11 voodoo Kernal, its called voodoo because its modified. -would this statement be correct?
This would only be used for installing specific preloaded apps, correct?
So basically this is a light rom with the ability to add the removed pre-load apps?
There most likely is no reason to go back to stock 2.1, correct? My shot in the dark is the reason you would want to is to not get usc on your back and larger selection of stable roms and kernels?
Thanks, you guys f***ing rock.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
the voodoo kernel is modified with a lag fix. it will speed up your phone a bit. there is a program in the market called quadrant. run the full benchmark and you will get an idea of how your phone stacks up against others and will also give you a base score for your phone. if you do not have voodoo kernel installed your score will be around 800-900, after voodoo your score will be up around 1500.
the pick-n-pack rom lets you addon via the pnpaddons file, stuff you want on your phone prior to flashing. you pick what you want and flash it.
yes it is "a light rom with the ability to add the removed pre-load apps"
the leaked froyo and the voodoo kernel are very nice, i wouldn't go back to eclair 2.1 unless you needed to return the phone to uscc for whatever reason.
good luck and happy flashing.
Just an update guys, Thanks to phidelt82 I am now running 2.2 PnP w/ Voodoo Kernel.
The diffrence is night and day, used to get slow w/ a little lag every now and then. Now its always fast. Thanks again.
Special_opps said:
run the full benchmark and you will get an idea of how your phone stacks up against others and will also give you a base score for your phone. if you do not have voodoo kernel installed your score will be around 800-900, after voodoo your score will be up around 1500.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sweet 1506 here.
and dont forget for roms you may flash... you can not UNINSTALL phone apps..... via the 'manage applications' menu.
you have to use a program like Root Explorer and physically DELETE them from the /system/app folder along with other folders they reside in.
only Cyanogen (i think) allows for uninstalling for actual phone programs.
v_lestat said:
and dont forget for roms you may flash... you can not UNINSTALL phone apps..... via the 'manage applications' menu.
you have to use a program like Root Explorer and physically DELETE them from the /system/app folder along with other folders they reside in.
only Cyanogen (i think) allows for uninstalling for actual phone programs.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can also un-install stock apps with Titanium Backup.
Also, it seems like you're rushing into this a little bit.
Relax getting into the dev community is like getting into a slightly chilly pool, you need to ease in.
That said, welcome, and I look forward to seeing you around.
vluhd said:
You can also un-install stock apps with Titanium Backup.
Also, it seems like you're rushing into this a little bit.
Relax getting into the dev community is like getting into a slightly chilly pool, you need to ease in.
That said, welcome, and I look forward to seeing you around.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's about the best words of wisdom I've heard... I think that should be posted in huge letters for every new person Registering to the site... And possibly it should flash across their screen until they're 10th post along with the other new Rules!!!
Oh and welcome aboard to OP!!! Hope you enjoy your NEW & Improved phone
Yoder808 said:
Voodoo is a name of the kernel which changes your EXT2 partition (old school) to EXT4 (new school), and makes your file system much faster.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It takes changes your partitions from RFS to EXT4.
elijahblake said:
That's about the best words of wisdom I've heard... I think that should be posted in huge letters for every new person Registering to the site... And possibly it should flash across their screen until they're 10th post along with the other new Rules!!!
Oh and welcome aboard to OP!!! Hope you enjoy your NEW & Improved phone
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What we should do is edit the top of the post for "Getting your phone back to stock" to say "Don't Panic" in huge blue letters. lol
Yoder808 said:
First off, consequences will never be the same...
You are now running a STOCK (leaked) 2.2 ROM, with a stock kernel and USCC App Bloat.
If you want a fast Android 2.2 with stock apps removed, do this:
1. Flash the EA11 + recovery via Odin, following the steps here.
2: Download the EA11 voodoo kernel found here and flash.
3: Boot into recovery and run update.zip (this will push you to a red clockwork recovery)
HINT: If you aren't familiar with clockwork recovery, the controls are slightly different. You use still use the volume buttons to navigate, but the power button is now used to execute selections and the search softkey to go back.
4: select install .zip from sdcard
5: select the voodoo .zip and confirm
This will install the new kernel and replace your recovery (which used to require booting into the Samsung recovery before making your way to the clockwork recovery by installing update.zip from sdcard) with a clockwork recovery that will look identical to the one you had after running update.zip, but can enable your newly acquired lagfix.
6: enable voodoo lagfix, and rejoice!
6: Optionally install the Pick and Pack ROM found here. (I WOULD!)
(Credits to MesmerizeUser for these steps, I copypasta'd and edited.)
Good luck with your back-tracing! Let us know if any steps are unclear.
Also, the payed version of Titanium Backup will let you "freeze" stock apps, so they don't appear in your menus, and they won't run, but you can "thaw" them whenever you like.
PS - FROYO EA11 is a leaked Android 2.2 ROM for the Mesmerize. Google names Android releases after deserts, like Donut, Eclair, Froyo, Gingerbread, Honeycomb, etc.
Voodoo is a name of the kernel which changes your EXT2 partition (old school) to EXT4 (new school), and makes your file system much faster.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not to bust your balls but its really rfs not ext2. Ext 2 is faster than ext 4 actually.
Sent from my SCH-I500 using XDA App
Thanks for the help, opinions, arguments over file systems. Good stuff.
Btw is battery life a problem for anyone else? Luckly I have charging availible most of the time. I work as a production manager and starting at 7 by 8:00 the phone is at 89%
no programs running according to task manager, ram cleared, about 4 5mins calls
uselessmidget said:
Thanks for the help, opinions, arguments over file systems. Good stuff.
Btw is battery life a problem for anyone else? Luckly I have charging availible most of the time. I work as a production manager and starting at 7 by 8:00 the phone is at 89%
no programs running according to task manager, ram cleared, about 4 5mins calls
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Some people have had battery issues with 2.2, some haven't.
I personally did, so I flashed back to 2.1
dcow90 said:
It takes changes your partitions from RFS to EXT4.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Correction noted!
It seems alot of people are getting confused with rooting of the phones, and what they need to do, and it mostly seems like people from other phones, and well the obviously new person. I just want to help with his, as some of the threads are getting and I can see it being tough to follow a 40 page thread.
It seems to me alot of the confusion seems to come from the fact of the lack of locked bootloader, along with using ODIN to flash. I'm quessing everyone from HTC phones is used to a multi step process in regards to flashing root, as you have to load a hacked bootloader, turn soff etc.
If you have a stock ed2 charge. All you need to do is run jt's root/voodoo/cwm kernel found here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1092114
ffd173 in post 108 has some nice instructions on it. http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=14080378&postcount=108
The stock rooted roms you are seeing are (root stock ed1, root stock ed2) you can consider a rooted basic backup. Do not use CWM either the one from jt's kernel, or rom manager for backup and restore until a recongized dev says its okay. Use titanium backup for your backups and restores. It has been recommended a few times to not even touch ROM Manager yet, based on the way it is written to work vs what is here and how it is written
***one thing to note is that if you install a kernel using the voodoo lag fix, you must disable it prior to flashing back to any sort of stock based kernal/rom or any non kernel with the lag fix.
I am semi new with this as well coming from HTC phones, and only having this for this being my 3rd day. If I missed something in here or made a mistake please let me know and I can adjust and maintain this....havent had much sleep for a while and its getting to me
***one thing to note is that the kernel has now the voodoo lag fix such as these stock roms, you have to disable to voodoo lag fix.
Not sure what youre saying here. Are you saying that you have to disable the voodoo lag fix to install root stock ed1 or ed2?
Updated it. My apologizes.
I was having a hell of a time figuring some of this stuff out, so I decided to try to put some information in a solid place to find it again. Hope this helps some others out. Anyone please correct me if I am wrong about anything. I am simply putting what I understand to this point.
Terms:
Voodoo - A different recovery similar to clockwork (see post below)
CWM - ClockWork Mod (refers to being able to flash with clockwork recovery)
Lagfix - ?????? No idea what this is or what it does. Just see people saying to disable it. (see post below)
Odin - Sofware that can flash your phone. It can be found here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=11872936&postcount=2
Download mode - Mode Used to flash phone using ODIN. Open Odin, remove battery, plug phone into USB port, hold down volume down key until screen comes up on phone and you see a com port active in the first block of odin.
Recovery Mode - This works for both STOCK and Voodoo. Hold down the volume up key + Home Button + Power button. Samsung will appear then disappear, and reappear again, this is when you let go of the buttons.
ED1 - Stock rom that came with phone
ED2 - Stock Rom - First update available
EE4 - Stock Rom - Second update available.
From what I learned so far, root is easily aquired by flashing down to ED1 using this file http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1085190 and Odin
When using Odin you only need to insert the file, by clicking the PDA button. All other settings can be left alone.
The Droid Charge comes stock with Android 2.2.1 AKA "Froyo" which allows for flash and other improved functions.
Gingerbread is hopefully the next version 2.3 which should be a great treat for our Charge's. I was getting better performance, better battery life, and the ability to run some programs such as netflix that I cannot get to work on my froyo build right now (maybe I'm doing something wrong?) http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1076150
That's all for now. Would be happy to add more if anyone else has suggestions.
I'm not a noob myself, but this just caught me off guard. I've been flashing roms since windows mobile 2003. I even made a few myself. I've owned other Samsung Android devices, but recently been using Motorola's so I have that down, but this one caught me off guard a bit.
Thanks to everyone that's been working to make this phone the best it can be.
Good idea. Let me help ya with a correction or two, and maybe a clarification.
Voodoo isn't a recovery, it's the lagfix. Techinically, Voodoo refers to Project Voodoo, an attempt at improving the Galaxy S phones:
http://project-voodoo.org/
But, for the Charge (which isn't a Galaxy S phone), when you see Voodoo referenced, they're only talking about the lagfix:
http://project-voodoo.org/lagfix
When you see people talking about disabling it, it's because they are going back to stock ROM, which doesn't support it.
Root can also be acquired by simply flashing directly to any ROM that has it built in, you don't have to be at ED1 any more. You could be at ED2 already, and flash Altered Beast using Odin, and you will be rooted. Soon we should see pre-rooted ROMs with EE4.
CWM is an alternate recovery, which, as you said, is generally used when you go in to recovery mode. A custom Android recovery basically replaces the stock recovery with one that lets you do all you can do with the stock recovery, plus a plethora of more options to give you a lot more control on your device. With a custom recovery, you can install official and unofficial ROMs as well as other updates including apps, themes, kernels etc. using zip files, wipe not just user data but pretty much every partition on your device, mount the storage card for USB mass storage access without leaving recovery, partition your SD card, wipe Dalvik cache and battery stats, fix permissions, perform, manage and restore backups and so on.
For those coming from CWM on other systems, you should know you cannot currently do backups and restores with it - that's being worked on.
Hope this helps!
The lagfix is done through Voodoo. It converts the Samsung system files from rfs to ext4. Which basically makes it run faster with no lag. Hence the Lagfix term. Depending on the kernel you're running, that would make you enable/disable Lagfix. Some kernels only run with rfs system files. Others run with the ext4 files. I'm a noob when it comes to the Samsung way of life, but I've learned a TON here and over on androidcentral. I'm coming from a rooted and ROM'd D1 myself. So I'm quite familiar with the way things are done on Motorola's.
Awesome input. Thanks so much for clearing these things up!
I just got my EE4 update but hungry for root. I wanted to try altered beast but I'd rather have a bone dry system to work up to. I'm also waiting for Gingerbread so I can do netflix. I had it on my droid 2. Also want to see overclocking.
YES
Ty, I'm a total noob, and I have spent hours and hours reading threads just trying to find out how to boot to recovery mode. This is most definately, exactly what i have been searching for! This noob thread is GENIOUS!
I am very grateful to all the members, devs, and everone for all their hard work (including the noobs that ask dumb questions so i dont have to) for making Kick @$$ programs and info for our phones.
I was really unhappy with my phone until I found this site, and learned how to modify my Charge. Y'all ROCK. (i know about the ty buttons, and i'm going to go back and hit it up for everyone thats helped!)
A voodoo kernel can also have sound and color enhancement which need to be enabled by the kernel. An app called voodoo control from the market helps to tweak the sound.
More info at http://project-voodoo.org/
Okay ... Don't laugh at me !! Have had the Charge since release date. This whole time I have been running stock rooted EE4 with CWM Voodoo Lagfix. I had to have a replacement phone sent to me as my CDMA radio died. Phone still worked on LTE radio. CDMA would be intermittent at best.
On to my question. I am planning to give GB a try and I am reading in threads about the toolbox and to access it via Term? I am assuming term is terminal function. This part is entirely new to me. Could someone point me to some term primers so I can research this?
Also, I have downloaded and extracted my Bloated_EG2__Gingerbread_ ODIN. Then I have
GummyCharged_GBE_2.0
GummyChargedGBE2.1
CWM_Recovery4008
I am assuming the EG2 includes CWM. If not, which will be easy enough to find out when I go to enter recovery, I will install the CWM I have downloaded. From what it appears to me, GBE_2.1 is an update to GBE_2.0 .... Thus I assume I need to install 2.0 followed by 2.1
Does this include voodoo lagfix? Or is that not needed when I up the phone to GB 2.3?
Just trying to sort this out and be informed before I start flashing this thing. The phone is stock out of the box EE4 as of right now.
Any help will be greatly appreciated.
Thanx In Advance,
Steve
Chopstix9 said:
Okay ... Don't laugh at me !! Have had the Charge since release date. This whole time I have been running stock rooted EE4 with CWM Voodoo Lagfix. I had to have a replacement phone sent to me as my CDMA radio died. Phone still worked on LTE radio. CDMA would be intermittent at best.
On to my question. I am planning to give GB a try and I am reading in threads about the toolbox and to access it via Term? I am assuming term is terminal function. This part is entirely new to me. Could someone point me to some term primers so I can research this?
Also, I have downloaded and extracted my Bloated_EG2__Gingerbread_ ODIN. Then I have
GummyCharged_GBE_2.0
GummyChargedGBE2.1
CWM_Recovery4008
I am assuming the EG2 includes CWM. If not, which will be easy enough to find out when I go to enter recovery, I will install the CWM I have downloaded. From what it appears to me, GBE_2.1 is an update to GBE_2.0 .... Thus I assume I need to install 2.0 followed by 2.1
Does this include voodoo lagfix? Or is that not needed when I up the phone to GB 2.3?
Just trying to sort this out and be informed before I start flashing this thing. The phone is stock out of the box EE4 as of right now.
Any help will be greatly appreciated.
Thanx In Advance,
Steve
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
EG2 is really old, you may want to go with a more recent GB leak like EP1Q/EP1W/EP3H... second no rom packages include CWM but are for the most part all rooted, CWM you will have to install with Odin after the rom then flash Gummy 2.0 and the 2.1 patch with a bootup between each rom flash to make sure it worked properly
edit: probably should've answered more questions Gummy 2.0 has a kernel with voodoo lagfix so it will enable after flashing the rom on first bootup, also the command terminal is fairly straightforward to use, I think the Gummy rom threads have a how-to in the OP on basic terminal commands... also as for your radio not working, it was probably a 4G sim issue as the CDMA and LTE radios are both controlled by the sim so if one doesn't work the other won't either, there may just not be as strong a CDMA signal so it seemed like it wasn't working
Great info thanx .... now when I go to update to 2.0, from the reading and even watching the video, I am going to delete all caches prior to flashing the 2.0 ... with the 2.1 just being a patch, can I just install it after verifying 2.0 works? Or should I delete the big 3 again before that one?
Chopstix9 said:
Great info thanx .... now when I go to update to 2.0, from the reading and even watching the video, I am going to delete all caches prior to flashing the 2.0 ... with the 2.1 just being a patch, can I just install it after verifying 2.0 works? Or should I delete the big 3 again before that one?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
just cache and dalvik I think (might not even need that but I'd probably do it to be safe), don't delete data or it will wipe Gummy off and you'll have to reflash