Newest of N00B questions, n00b answers please.

[Guest ETDJ]

I'm sure many of the answers to my questions are dispersed throughout the forum, but i hope you don't mind me asking all in one post.. To set the scene - I've never had a smartphone before, but i would be willing to hack a toaster if someone held my hand while i did it ^_^

I have a new G300 and it came locked to Vodafone. Because i want to use it on another network i've gone to eBay for a code as the store wanted me to pay more for the unlocking privilege than eBay did. I'm still waiting for the unlock code reply. I have a microSD card coming, but not for a couple of days. The device is effectively box fresh.

Here's where i want to confirm my understanding of various things i've read and ask some questions too.

1) The phone comes loaded with Vodafone bloat - trial games and functions/apps they think will be useful - these are at best unnecessary and at worst battery drainers and resource hoggers.

If i want to get rid of these i can download a "clean, stock ROM" which is the OS and basic functions/apps with bloat removed. Correct?

What version is the latest, greatest, clean, stock ROM, please?

I can effectively overwrite the boxfresh device with this ROM without having to Root or use ClockWorkMod and with very little risk. Not having external storage yet isn't a problem for this. Again, correct?

If i apply this ROM the phone is still locked until i enter the appropriate code. Alternatively, if i enter the code and then apply the ROM it'll still be unlocked afterward.

2) By Rooting i would have ultimate control over the device since i would gain Admin rights/permissions.

What real world benefit would i see? How am i limited by

not

having Root?

If i Root and apply a new/custom ROM afterward would i have to Root again?

3) Is there an Upgrade path that will bring me up to the latest, greatest with all features enables and working to the best of abilities?

Am i best going from, for example, v1 to v2 to v3, or can i jump from v1 to v3 without sacrificing something that v2 introduced?

I'm thinking of something i read about b926 bringing in HSDPA 11 and using that as a stepping stone to b934 as otherwise your left with HSDPA 9.

Can i go backwards easily or are there different paths to do that?

4) What does ClockWorkMod do? (Is that the same as ClockWork Recovery?)

Is it my guarantee that if i feck up somewhere i can recover the situation?

Does it have to be replaced after another ROM is applied?

5) If/when i got puttingcontacts/apps/'other stuff i want to keep' on the device how do i go about keeping it to one side while i play around so it go back on later?

Is there an app or other Windows PC tool i use to move things back and forth?

6) If i follow the route of unlocking, rooting, rom'ing the device am i forever excluding my self from Over The Air updates? Will i alone have to maintain the device into the future?

As soon as i start using another network's SIM does this become true?

What are the minimum activities to do and the apps/tools i should have? Any other general advice someone can offer while i take my first steps into the world of smartphone botching...?

Thanks.

[Guest wrtease]

well you start reading all threads and posts thats what it takes to do what you need to do.nothing more

[Guest Rico_89]

Because it's so close I would live with the phone like it is until the OTA ICS update is released. Then I would root, install clock work mod recovery(CWM), which would allow you to try custom roms and make backups of your current rom.

[Guest belmet]

I agree with wrtease all the info is already there you just need to read it all thoroughly - take your time and make notes to ensure you don't get 'lost' in the process.

[Guest Davidoff59]

Best to read up on it first. If not if you make a mistake, it will require very time consuming one to one help.

Info is not disperesed, its all there in a sticky.

Many questions. The best answer I will give is in regards to flashing roms as it confuses many.

Stock recovery is signed with a key by Huawei which is secret. Well actually the stock roms are signed with a key.When flashing a rom, if the key isn't there, it won't flash. Stock recovery can flash new firmware, radio, baseband etc.

Cwm recovery or clockworkmod can flash unsigned roms. This can include a stock Huawei rom which has been modified to be flashed via cwm. Cwm cannot flash new firmware, radio, baseband at this moment in time for this phone.

These are flashed in a .zip format.