19 replies to this topic

[Jean_Luc]

I've just spent the WHOLE (like every waking hour) weekend since Friday afternoon trying to get

1. VegaModdedStock_v1.10_v2

2. VegaComb_HC3.2_Build9n

3. VegaComb_HC3.2_Build9n_update3

onto the wonderful Vega I got for Christmas.


It was running the r8MoDaCo rom over Android 2.2 really well until something glitched it out and it got stuck somehow in a 'starting fastboot protocol something or other'.

Good opportunity to upgrade I thought.

Reasonably confident (I've been tinkering - successfully - with all manner of pcs, from Win3.1 [1995!]  to Win7, laptops, Palms, HTCs, Samsungs and all sorts), I thought this little project would be a nice challenge but doable.

How wrong was I?

It really should not take 40 HOURS to upgrade anything! or, rather, fail to upgrade!

The Vega is now bricked (yes, it really is). It's going back to the shop tomorrow. They can fix it.

Then I'll start saving for the Jobs machine.

Which is just what I didn't want to do, on principle.

But, I just don't have the time to fiddle and flash and fix repeatedly, no matter how much fun it is. I need a tab that just works and is reasonably simple to upgrade.


The only good thing of this weekend is that I'm glad you guys are here. And my admiration for all who spend so much time and effort putting upgrades together is boundless. Thank you.

Thanks for listening. /rant out!

[mytoza]

You can't brick a Vega!
Perhaps if you describe at what point you are having problems then others may be able to help you.
Personally I wouldn't bother with Vegacomb, just download VegaICS 3 and flash that, it is an NV flash rom so no need to worry about loading modded stock followed by CWM images.
Just flash VegaICS and your done

Edited by mytoza, 20 February 2012 - 01:46 AM.

[Jean_Luc]

mytoza, on 20 February 2012 - 01:36 AM, said:

You can't brick a Vega!
Perhaps if you describe at what point you are having problems then others may be able to help you.
Personally I wouldn't bother with Vegacomb, just download VegaICS 3 and flash that, it is an NV flash rom so no need to worry about loading modded stock followed by CWM images.
Just flash VegaICS and your done

thanks for this info.

But, well, I don't know how else to describe a Vega that just doesn't switch on. At all.

Just tried it again. With/without power cable in. Did the 2-second three-step thing again a couple times too.

USB'd it to laptop. Win7 <bing-bong> in recognition, the little systray USB icon pops up. Says "Eject APX", whatever that is! This Vega is looking rather dead as far as I can see.

In all the hours I spent struggling with one download after another, flashing and re-flashing and cross-checking and reading scores and scores of posts here and elsewhere, I haven't come across this APX thing.

Part of the problem, for me at least, is that I'm working in a new language almost without a route map. Like, what's an 'NV' flash rom? and where does it hang out? Ia Vega ICS3 to be found here or another site?

And although I've read tonnes of stuff about upgrading, I've not read about ICS3 as a viable possibility until now. Definitely would be trying it now, if my device was still in the land of the living!



The thing is, it all became very complex and now it would be impossible to describe how I got the machine to this state. Just thing of everything that can go wrong with the process and it probably happened with this poor Vega!

Now going to start hunting for posts about ejecting APXs and how my device has suddenly morphed into one.

[bitstra]

Jean_Luc, on 20 February 2012 - 03:46 AM, said:

thanks for this info.

But, well, I don't know how else to describe a Vega that just doesn't switch on. At all.

Just tried it again. With/without power cable in. Did the 2-second three-step thing again a couple times too.

USB'd it to laptop. Win7 <bing-bong> in recognition, the little systray USB icon pops up. Says "Eject APX", whatever that is! This Vega is looking rather dead as far as I can see.

In all the hours I spent struggling with one download after another, flashing and re-flashing and cross-checking and reading scores and scores of posts here and elsewhere, I haven't come across this APX thing.

Part of the problem, for me at least, is that I'm working in a new language almost without a route map. Like, what's an 'NV' flash rom? and where does it hang out? Ia Vega ICS3 to be found here or another site?

And although I've read tonnes of stuff about upgrading, I've not read about ICS3 as a viable possibility until now. Definitely would be trying it now, if my device was still in the land of the living!



The thing is, it all became very complex and now it would be impossible to describe how I got the machine to this state. Just thing of everything that can go wrong with the process and it probably happened with this poor Vega!

Now going to start hunting for posts about ejecting APXs and how my device has suddenly morphed into one.

Hi Jean_Luc,

have you tryed this?
If not - try it first, before you go to install new ROMs, that helped a lot of mates...

regards


bitstra

[Jean_Luc]

Thanks mytoza and bitstra, you gave me hope!


So, I managed to flash Vega ICS 3 (without update 3 - see following for reason).

ICS is a brilliant ROM' and really shows what the Vega is potentially capable of.  Many thanks to Cass and all for a smooth, fast and elegant job. Particularly impressed with WiFi handling. I realise that it's an 'alpha' (?) version so there will be glitches...


BUT - I have bigger probs than just a glitch or two:


1. ICS sees the SD card in Settings>Device>Storage but says 'No apps.' in Settings>Device>Apps>On SD Card.

The 'Mount/Unmount SD card' function also works (is registering).

OI File Manager also sees all the files/folders on SD card but does not allow transferring, installing or opening these files. It even reboots the device when I try and access some files/folders.

So along with everything else like resinstalling back up, it's not possible to apply the ICS update3 .zip.



2. Connecting to laptop (Win7, 64bit):

- PC reads connection and systray shows the USB connected icon ('safely eject etc') but nothing else. No abilty to read SD card or transfer files etc.

- Meanwhile laptop goes into troubleshooting mode looking for MTP drivers which it cannot find.

- Also troubleshooting returns 'Problem with PnP devices which returns : 'Windows will take additional steps to further to troubleshoot these device'  But doesn't seem to sort these problems.

NB - have tried another SD card and neither works with either ICS or the VegaComb. Both were working fine with r8MoDaCo ROM.



Thanks, bitstra for the link to the well written instructions. I did follow these when I was trying to load the VegaComb etc.

I can't help but think that I am seriously missing out some steps or info that is obvious to Vega-experienced folks but not to Vega newbies. I just don't know what to do next to remedy this half-working ICS ROM.


(I don't mean to sound like I'm criticising all the good folks who put a load of time and effort into writing instructions and ROMS and helping out here, but for me it seems that experienced people make a lot of assumptions about prior knowledge. Android is often a totally new system for many, and it's not much use to read so many posts that are full of jargony acronyms or that just vaguely say things like 'Yeah, I had that prob. See the thread on it.' ! I sympathise with the newbie guy who wrote 'Please write it so that 5yos can understand it' !)

[mytoza]

Hmm, please don't take offence if any of the following is teaching you to suck eggs

The inability to plug the Vega into the PC and mount the SD card and the unknown MTP device is a known problem, I have the same thing on mine but is easily gotten around with the use of a card reader.

I would take out your card from the Vega and then put it the card reader and copy the contents over as a starting measure just to protect your contents.
Once done format your card as fat32, drop the ICS update onto it and put it back in your Vega,
Do all this whilst the Vega is shutdown, not powered down as in screen off but shut down properly.
Then boot your Vega up and use Oi manager to see if you can now see the update.If you can then use the recovery app in the app drawer to boot into Clockwork mod recovery and install the update.
If this fails then you will need to use the recovery app in the drawer and use it to boot into Clockwork mod recovery and have it partition your card, it will format it as part of the process.
As for partition sizes when asked, then I believe the recommendation at the moment is 256meg swap, 512meg Ext partition and the rest will be Fat32.
Once done power off your Vega and take the SD card out and copy the update over, put card in power up and then use the recovery app to get into CWM again to install the update.

On the matter of your apps, did you back them up with titanium backup or some other backup manager before flashing VegaICS?
You cannot just put the card in and expect the apps to work, just like with windows you have to install the app and some bits of it will go on the card and some onto the main machine and so anything you are seeing on the SD card is probably just part of the overall app.
Titanium backup backs up the whole app and then easily reinstalls it along with your saved data for the app when moving between different roms, it is an essential piece to your Android toolkit and so much so that I have actually purchased mine rather than just using the excellent free version.
If you haven't backed up your apps then you will need to install them all again from the market, by the way in market choose settings and untick the option to have widgets automatically added to your home screen unless you want it completely filled up with icons..
And make sure you install titanium backup manager!!

If you start running out of space on your Vega for more apps then you can use titanium backup to batch move any moveable apps to the SD card.
Select the menu in titanium backup and then batch and scroll down to the option to move apps to the sd card and press run, you will then be given a selection menu to choose which apps to move.
Remember that any widgets or apps with widgets will become unavailable to be displayed on the home screen if you move them to the SD card, so choose carefully, or if you are unsure then move them all, you can always go back at a later point and move any widgets back to the main storage on the Vega so making the widget available again for selection for display on the home screen.

Once you have installed all your apps then again use titanium to back them all up, again you can use one of the options in the batch mode to do this and remember to reguarly back them up so if you should have to go through all this again then restoring your apps should be easy.

As I said at the start of this post please don't take offence if any of this is teaching you to suck eggs, it is also not an advertisement for Titanium either LOL

[Jean_Luc]

@mytoza - wow! Many thanks!

That's a seriously helpful and well written post, and only gratitude  to you (I'll suck any amount of eggs if I can get my lovely Vega working right!)


1. Ok, not great but reassuring to know that this 'blind' SD card/MTP driver thing is a known problem. I'm assuming that our brilliant ROM builders are on the case?


2. I followed your instructions to the letter.

- Backed up to SD, then copied to laptop folder. Reformatted SD card. Dropped update onto clean card. Vega read the card perfectly: the update .zip could be seen via Settings>Device>Apps>On SD Card

- VegaICS flashed fine.

- Rebooted to CWM and installed update.

- Tried everything but the update just stopped WiFi working, so I reflashed ROM to get rid of the update. Don't know how else to uninstall a CWM-installed update! (More egg-sucking needed here I think!) I'd rather put up with a few random reboots than lose the excellent WiFi handling that this ROM offers.
***BTW, the update's properties give details that make me wonder if it was written on a LINUX system. I'm so ignorant, but would this affect the installation via Win7/64 to SD?

- Copied backed up files on laptop to SD. Mounted SD in Vega. Found that Vega still can't read and use the back ups normally.
**I wonder if this is something to do with hidden system data along with the back up? Or is there a particular protocol for mounting/unmounting SD cards that I don't know about?


3. Fortunately, I'd been backing stuff up with the brilliant Titanium right from the start. So I had the right format etc to just reload apps and data. Bit tedious though as I haven't yet figured out how to batch install to device.

Next I plan to REsave all my stuff from ICS to SD and the delete all the old copies on the SD. I'm hoping that the reason VegaICS can't see the old copies properly is because they were all written with r8 MoDaCo (modified Froyo). Maybe there's a slightly different code that impedes reading in ICS? Or maybe the modded VegaICS has a slightly different code for reading?


That's where I'm up to so far. Will update here.

Many thanks again - you gave me the will to live LOL!


EDIT: I'm at it now! Throwing acronyms and jargon about like a pro! For newbies newer than me: CWM = ClockWorkMod (recovery software),  ROM = operating system(more or less e.g. Froyo, Ice Cream Sandwich, VegaComb), LOL=HappyVegaBunny!

Edited by Jean_Luc, 20 February 2012 - 10:25 PM.

[mytoza]

Glad to help

On the update and wifi, I should have mentioned there is a sometimes problem with wifi and VegaICS that requires you to enter the wifi settings manually ie. the SSID etc.
Once done then it should be fine.
But see how you go without the update if all is OK then don't try t fix it.
The update was mainly for gaming so if you are not a gamer on the tablet then carry on.

As for written on linux ...well android is linux so...

To batch reinstall on titanium you just need to select batch from the menu, the menu is that funny upright 3 dotted colon that appears on the task bar

[richardmlea]

Jean_Luc, on 20 February 2012 - 10:11 PM, said:

EDIT: I'm at it now! Throwing acronyms and jargon about like a pro! For newbies newer than me: CWM = ClockWorkMod (recovery software),  ROM = operating system(more or less e.g. Froyo, Ice Cream Sandwich, VegaComb), LOL=HappyVegaBunny!

The Force is strong with this young one, you are now truly a Vega Padawan.

[Pdragon]

richardmlea, on 21 February 2012 - 05:04 AM, said:

The Force is strong with this young one, you are now truly a Vega Padawan.

I don't say much on this forum but I lurk most of the time.

Just wanted to say well done to Mytoza for the support and best of luck to Jean_luc.
The Vega is a great device and I have got a lot of fun from installing the roms etc.

Go Team! :-P

[Jean_Luc]

richardmlea, on 21 February 2012 - 05:04 AM, said:

The Force is strong with this young one, you are now truly a Vega Padawan.

Hehe, I've entered the hallowed Vega Space, wrestled with the ROM wraiths, slaughtered a few SD SIth and begun to hone my CWM saber with the help of honored Masters and the friendly Nandroid! Thank you all!

This battle won, I'm enjoying the Iced Vega masterpiece and engaging in skirmishes involving the Random Reboots, hidden Apps (usually the ones with the Googly bits) and an ongoing SD Sith backlash.

So, I've managed to flash Update 2 at the Random Reboots with success - no more sudden attacks from that quarter. Also worked round the Wifi dropout using a quick on/off tap with the Airplane Mode when necessary.

My biggest problem is with the devious SD Sith.  It seems that the card needs a partition so that  Iced Vega can see all its contents (it can see new saved Apps). Is there any hope for a fix yet?

Would also love USB functionality instead of having to whip out the SD and do the card reader>laptop thing. Anyone know any fixes for this?

There are some minor odds and sods that I'd like to change - like how do I put on a new boot screen (also how do I speed up boot )?

Other than that, my Iced V is working incredibly well all things considered. Improved sound quality and volume,  generally smooth, fast, good looking. And totally thanks to you guys.

[mytoza]

Hi Jean luc
I posted the a fix for the sd card issue over on tabletroms it is as follows but I have only tested this on win7


MTP Driver Install Troubles:

Open Device Manager and find the offending MTP device.
Right-Click and choose Update Driver Software
Then choose Browse My Computer for Driver Software
Then click Let Me Pick From a List of Device Drivers on My Computer
Then choose All Devices
When that list populates choose Standard MTP Device followed by MTP USB Device
Click Yes to the warning and VIOLA!

Credit goes to Fosser and Jaybob413 as I found this elsewhere on the net


As for your problems seeing apps on your SD card I really not quite sure what it is you are expecting to see can you explain more.

Edited by mytoza, 22 February 2012 - 10:02 PM.

[Jean_Luc]

mytoza, on 22 February 2012 - 09:59 PM, said:

<br>Hi Jean luc<br>I posted the a fix for the sd card issue over on tabletroms it is as follows but I have only tested this on win7<br><br><br>MTP Driver Install Troubles:<br><br>Open Device Manager and find the offending MTP device.<br>Right-Click and choose Update Driver Software<br>Then choose Browse My Computer for Driver Software<br>Then click Let Me Pick From a List of Device Drivers on My Computer<br>Then choose All Devices<br>When that list populates choose Standard MTP Device followed by MTP USB Device<br>Click Yes to the warning and VIOLA!<br><br>Credit goes to Fosser and Jaybob413 as I found this elsewhere on the net<br><br><br>As for your problems seeing apps on your SD card I really not quite sure what it is you are expecting to see can you explain more.<br>

<br><br><br><br>Hi mytoza - another tick in the green box for you my friend!<br><br>The MTP driver fix works! (UPDATE: Vega now shows up in Windows Control Panel&gt;Devices and Printers as 'MTP' with a music/pod player icon. Cool!)<br><br>I'd tried this 'install drivers' wizard several times before but never dug down into its un-automated levels. It's not exactly explanatory is it!<br><br>I've spent hours and hours reading 'fixes' that involve installing ADK, SDK, JAVA SE BLAH V.93XXX with binaries, emulators, busyboxes, platforms, Bridges for people who Develop Android etc etc.&nbsp;&nbsp;Not good, eh? Horribly complicated.<br><br>And there's your <b>miracle MTP fix </b>which is just about as simple as it gets! Wow, just wow! Every Android owner should have this tattooed on their PC desktop!<i><b> (Can we flag this fix again for other confused newbies?)</b></i><br><br><br>As for the invisibility issue on <b>Settings&gt;Device&gt;Apps&gt;On SD</b> Card, let me see if I can explain it better:<br><br>1. All the right apps are already on the SD card (previously backed up via Nandroid function on CWM). <br>They can be seen by PC via USB (see MTP miracle stuff above) and by Vega via e.g. OI File Manager, File Expert and most every other 'android assistant' app.<br><br>2. On Vega, open <b>Settings&gt;Device&gt;Apps&gt;On SD Card</b> = shows nothing<br><br>3. To get any apps into <b>Settings&gt;Device&gt;Apps&gt;On SD Card</b> I must navigate to a folder containing backed up .apk files using e.g. OI File Manager or other file manager, choose the app I want to use and reinstall it individually to Vega AND move it back to again to the SD card (using <b>Move to SD Card </b>in<b> Setting&gt;Device&gt;Apps</b>). <br><br>4. From then on the app always shows up in <b>Settings&gt;Device&gt;Apps&gt;On SD Card </b>and I can use/manipulate it in the normal way. <br><br>I mean, there's a workaround but it seems rather convoluted. I guess I expected the new ROM's <b>Settings</b> to automatically see and use the apps that I'd backed up to SD card.<br><br>Thinking it through, it's probably a failure of my understanding of the connectedness between the SD card and ROMs (...and there's a whole other bag of tricks! ;-)<br><br><br><b><br></b><br><b><br></b><br><b><br></b>

Edited by Jean_Luc, 23 February 2012 - 12:23 PM.

[mytoza]

I have never tried it the way you are explaining it but I think this goes back to one of the things I first said that apps backed up are not installed so you have to reinstall them.
If you go into titanium and bring up the menu there is an option to extract apps from a nandroid backup image, I don't know if it will do what you want because I have never tried it also I don't know if it is available in the free version but one thing is for sure you will have to reinstall the apps they will not work directly from the nandroid backup.

Even apps backed up by titanium are technically reinstalled but with your data if you choose to reinstall them this way.

And I cannot take credit for the MTP fix other than being able to use Google to search it out, as you will notice at the bottom of the post I have credited the guys who first posted it up.

Edited by mytoza, 23 February 2012 - 11:26 AM.

[Jean_Luc]

mytoza, on 22 February 2012 - 09:59 PM, said:

Hi Jean luc
I posted the a fix for the sd card issue over on tabletroms it is as follows but I have only tested this on win7


MTP Driver Install Troubles:

Open Device Manager and find the offending MTP device.
Right-Click and choose Update Driver Software
Then choose Browse My Computer for Driver Software
Then click Let Me Pick From a List of Device Drivers on My Computer
Then choose All Devices
When that list populates choose Standard MTP Device followed by MTP USB Device
Click Yes to the warning and VIOLA!

Credit goes to Fosser and Jaybob413 as I found this elsewhere on the net


As for your problems seeing apps on your SD card I really not quite sure what it is you are expecting to see can you explain more.

Hi mytoza - another tick in the green box for you my friend!

The MTP driver fix works! (Update: Vega now shows up in  Win7 Control Panel>Devices and Printers as 'MTP' with a pod/music player icon, and in Win7 Control Panel>Device Manager as 1.Android Phone>Android ADB Interface. Means there is easy GUI access to files from laptop. Cool. ).

I'd tried it several times before but never dug down into the un-automated levels of the driver install wizard.
It's not exactly explanatory is it!

I've spent hours and hours reading 'fixes' that involve installing ADK, SDK, JAVA SE BLAH V.93XXX with binaries, emulators, busyboxes, platforms, Bridges for people who Develop Android etc etc.  Not good, eh? Horribly complicated.

And there's your miracle MTP fix which is just about as simple as it gets! Wow, just wow! Every Android owner should have this tattooed on their PC desktop! (Can we flag this fix again for other confused newbies?)


As for the invisibility issue on Settings>Device>Apps>On SD Card, let me see if I can explain it better:

1. All the right apps are already on the SD card (previously backed up via Nandroid function on CWM).
They can be seen by PC via USB (see MTP miracle stuff above) and by Vega via e.g. OI File Manager, File Expert and most every other 'android assistant' app.

2. On Vega, open Settings>Device>Apps>On SD Card = shows nothing

3. To get any apps into Settings>Device>Apps>On SD Card I must navigate to a folder containing backed up .apk files using e.g. OI File Manager or other file manager, choose the app I want to use and reinstall it individually to Vega AND re-save it to the SD card.

4. Then it shows up in Settings>Device>Apps>On SD Card and I can use/manipulate it in the normal way.

I mean, there's a workaround but it seems rather convoluted. I guess I expected the new ROM's Settings to automatically see and use the apps that I'd backed up.

Thinking it through, it's probably a failure of my understanding of the connectedness between the SD card and ROMs (...and there's another whole bag of tricks! ;-)

[mytoza]

LOL what happened there, your post I was answering is now coming after mine in the time line....weird  

[Jean_Luc]

mytoza, on 23 February 2012 - 11:16 AM, said:

I have never tried it the way you are explaining it but I think this goes back to one of the things I first said that apps backed up are not installed so you have to reinstall them.
If you go into titanium and bring up the menu there is an option to extract apps from a nandroid backup image, I don't know if it will do what you want because I have never tried it also I don't know if it is available in the free version but one thing is for sure you will have to reinstall the apps they will not work directly from the nandroid backup.

Even apps backed up by titanium are technically reinstalled but with your data if you choose to reinstall them this way.

And I cannot take credit for the MTP fix other than being able to use Google to search it out, as you will notice at the bottom of the post I have credited the guys who first posted it up.

Yep, you're right. Reinstallation - I just didn't grasp the basics!

I'll have a go with Titanium re the Nandroid backup. As you've said, it's worth buying the pro version, such a useful and well-made app.

AND... Multi kudos to the guys who first posted the MTP fix, but yours is the credit for digging out the MTP fix and kindly reposting it here!

It's made a world of difference. ;-)

Also, good news - I've tested out using USB drives (several different types - Sony Walkman, Olympus Voice Recorder, plus plain old data sticks. They all work great, much easier on ICS than on Android 2.3 (Froyo) and VegaComb.

Re the timeslip - it's advanced Vega Padawan powers in development ;-)

[sgtb]

If you are still having WiFi disconnect after sleep problems, try Advanced Wifi free from the Market. Works for me:D

[mytoza]

sgtb, on 25 February 2012 - 03:18 PM, said:

If you are still having WiFi disconnect after sleep problems, try Advanced Wifi free from the Market. Works for me:D

Yes good call there, I to use the advanced wifi lock and it does help but there are still occasions I have to reboot the tablet to get the wifi to run

[Stokesy-]

Jean_Luc, on 22 February 2012 - 03:46 PM, said:

Hehe, I've entered the hallowed Vega Space, wrestled with the ROM wraiths, slaughtered a few SD SIth and begun to hone my CWM saber with the help of honored Masters and the friendly Nandroid! Thank you all!

This battle won, I'm enjoying the Iced Vega masterpiece and engaging in skirmishes involving the Random Reboots, hidden Apps (usually the ones with the Googly bits) and an ongoing SD Sith backlash.

So, I've managed to flash Update 2 at the Random Reboots with success - no more sudden attacks from that quarter. Also worked round the Wifi dropout using a quick on/off tap with the Airplane Mode when necessary.

My biggest problem is with the devious SD Sith.  It seems that the card needs a partition so that  Iced Vega can see all its contents (it can see new saved Apps). Is there any hope for a fix yet?

Would also love USB functionality instead of having to whip out the SD and do the card reader>laptop thing. Anyone know any fixes for this?

There are some minor odds and sods that I'd like to change - like how do I put on a new boot screen (also how do I speed up boot )?

Other than that, my Iced V is working incredibly well all things considered. Improved sound quality and volume,  generally smooth, fast, good looking. And totally thanks to you guys.

Surely with a name like yours you should be making 'startrek' references not star wars............ :-)