Flashing / Installing New Rom for newbie

[Guest Cheadle]

Hi,

I found this forum a few days ago and have been reading in depth about the process of flashing the Rom on the Pulse and using the SD card for storage; both very useful features and something that I would like to do.

Now, im a total newbie to Android flashing and TBH reading all the different posts and list of instructions confused me on which way was best and what I should be doing. I just wondered if it would be possible for someone / people to list the actual steps that a newbie needs to follow to flash the rom on their pulse and get the new and funky version that you guys are using.

On another note, what is the pulse update that is posted on the Hawelli page for the Pulse? Its dated the 1st of April - is this the 2.1 that I have heard people taking about?

[Guest le_lutin]

Hi,

I found this forum a few days ago and have been reading in depth about the process of flashing the Rom on the Pulse and using the SD card for storage; both very useful features and something that I would like to do.

Now, im a total newbie to Android flashing and TBH reading all the different posts and list of instructions confused me on which way was best and what I should be doing. I just wondered if it would be possible for someone / people to list the actual steps that a newbie needs to follow to flash the rom on their pulse and get the new and funky version that you guys are using.

On another note, what is the pulse update that is posted on the Hawelli page for the Pulse? Its dated the 1st of April - is this the 2.1 that I have heard people taking about?

For me the best guide is on this page at post #363 on this page:

http://android.modaco.com/content-page/296...tyle/page/360/#

[Guest Cheadle]

Thanks, that seems easy enough to follow.

So just to confirm I dont need to partition my SD card or get root access - just follow these steps and I will have a nice new non t-mobile cluttered ROM? ;)

[Guest le_lutin]

Thanks, that seems easy enough to follow.

So just to confirm I dont need to partition my SD card or get root access - just follow these steps and I will have a nice new non t-mobile cluttered ROM? ;)

That's correct.

[Guest Samlock]

Sadly the update you're asking about is just the HOST software, i.e. the PC Suite. No 2.1 for us yet :P

Just in case you have any trouble with the other instructions, here is how I eventually sorted my phone out ;)

The way I rooted and flashed my new handset is...

1/ Superboot rooting! http://android.modaco.com/content/t-mobile...t-a-custom-rom/

I know it says at the top of the page in red that, if you're planning on using a custom rom, you don't need to do this, but I did anyway. Might as well, doesn't do any harm ;)

2/ Patched Recovery Image! http://android.modaco.com/content/t-mobile...on-your-device/

If you have trouble installing this, first remove the battery and USB cable from your phone for 10-20 seconds, then put the battery back in, hold the Vol Down and End keys, and tap the power button. Once the blue menu appears, plug the USB back in and try again. Should work. This method worked for me, but might not for others!

3/ The best bit - Custom ROM! http://android.modaco.com/content/t-mobile...online-kitchen/

Follow the instructions on this page to the letter, and you should have your Pulse rooted, with a new recovery menu and a MUCH better ROM installed ;) If your device doesn't have the December update installed yet, the instructions are on this page too.

[Guest Cheadle]

Sorry to be a pain.

2 quick questions:

1) Do I use the 1.7 ROM instead of the 1.2 in those tutorial posts? Or do I have to go up in order. I have done the December update that T-mobile sent out.

2) Do I have to wipe / format the SD card before putting the zip file ROM onto it?

Thanks for all of your help so far and sorry for being a pain!

[Guest -Wii-]

Sorry to be a pain.

2 quick questions:

1) Do I use the 1.7 ROM instead of the 1.2 in those tutorial posts? Or do I have to go up in order. I have done the December update that T-mobile sent out.

2) Do I have to wipe / format the SD card before putting the zip file ROM onto it?

Thanks for all of your help so far and sorry for being a pain!

just backup everything on sd to your pc by mounting it,

Then press the red menu and power to power up format your phone then install the flash of the zip and your away

[Guest Samlock]

Sorry to be a pain.

2 quick questions:

1) Do I use the 1.7 ROM instead of the 1.2 in those tutorial posts? Or do I have to go up in order. I have done the December update that T-mobile sent out.

2) Do I have to wipe / format the SD card before putting the zip file ROM onto it?

Thanks for all of your help so far and sorry for being a pain!

Yeah, use the most recent ROM mate. 1.7 is the best to use at the moment, unless you're Ad-Free or Plus in which case you can use the Online Kitchen for 1.8. I know I will be on pay day! ;)

No need to format your SD card, just stick the zip file on the root, then boot to the patched recovery menu and flash from SD card. Might need to install Quick Boot from the market first.

Edited April 13, 2010 by Samlock

[Guest Cheadle]

Ok, I followed the instructions and I have the new rom, however the main home screen seems quite buggy with a quite a few error messages.

Have I done something wrong on the install?

[Guest Cheadle]

Specifically its when I slide to the left on the home screen.

It either comes back with an error and force close or when it does work and move to it, as soon as I long press to add an application it reports an error and force closes back to the first home screen.

[Guest -Wii-]

Specifically its when I slide to the left on the home screen.

It either comes back with an error and force close or when it does work and move to it, as soon as I long press to add an application it reports an error and force closes back to the first home screen.

did you format your phone before you installed it, that means format the actual phone not the sd card,

[Guest Cheadle]

When you say Format, do you mean these steps?

5/ Whilst holding down [MENU] button & [RED] button (bottom right of the front of the phone) *INSERT THE BATTERY*, and quickly press the power button, and then let go of ONLY the power button!.

6/ Wait until you see the bootloader screen (it has a red flower/peacock-like logo in the background) and select: "Flash zip from sdcard" - acknowledge this selecttion, by pressing the trackball firmly in.

If not then I haven't. ;)

How do I do that and what do I do now to do it properly? I noticed that it must not be using my SD card for storage as the phone says it has only 18mb of space left on it.

[Guest -Wii-]

When you say Format, do you mean these steps?

5/ Whilst holding down [MENU] button & [RED] button (bottom right of the front of the phone) *INSERT THE BATTERY*, and quickly press the power button, and then let go of ONLY the power button!.

6/ Wait until you see the bootloader screen (it has a red flower/peacock-like logo in the background) and select: "Flash zip from sdcard" - acknowledge this selecttion, by pressing the trackball firmly in.

If not then I haven't. ;)

How do I do that and what do I do now to do it properly? I noticed that it must not be using my SD card for storage as the phone says it has only 18mb of space left on it.

go into the bootloader menu again, make a nandroid backup? have you allready done that if you haven't done follow the next few steps.

press red menu power button then select. i usually hold it till it comes up

then select wipe data /factory reset i think it is then flash the sd again and your away

[Guest Cheadle]

Arr thats better. Now it has the nice home screen and got to set up my google account again! Hope it will all work now - silly me for not formatting the actual phone! :s

[Guest -Wii-]

Arr thats better. Now it has the nice home screen and got to set up my google account again! Hope it will all work now - silly me for not formatting the actual phone! :s

you are off and away now

download advance task killer if you haven't already, kill everything that you don't need to be running and keep advance on allways at the top and your phone will run at lightning pace, mine certainly is without over clocking it or anything.

One more thing, you have taken the plastic protective cover off haven't you, a lot of people don't even realise its there for ages.

[Guest Cheadle]

Firstly, thanks to everyone on the site for their help! I am one very happy and impressed chappy after just a few hours of using the new rom. What a difference! I was thinking that it wouldnt be that different and all the talk would be just that - however I am so pleased to say that my thoughts were wrong and this makes the pulse a fantastic phone! ;) I wont be getting a Desire so soon now! ;)

I will take out an upgrade to support the project as this really adds value to the phone and I think I should really make the effort to learn a bit of scripting for Android.

Is that a cover? I tried to peal it when I got it from new (ages ago) and then it wouldnt come, so I left it. I got the impression that was meant to be on the screen. It works with it on really well.

One question regarding this SD Storage issue. Should my phone now be storing apps to the SD card or do I need to do something else? Its just that as im storing apps im noticing that my internal space is going down (61 mb) and well im not sure if this is normal and the rest is going on the SD card or not?

[Guest -Wii-]

Firstly, thanks to everyone on the site for their help! I am one very happy and impressed chappy after just a few hours of using the new rom. What a difference! I was thinking that it wouldnt be that different and all the talk would be just that - however I am so pleased to say that my thoughts were wrong and this makes the pulse a fantastic phone! ;) I wont be getting a Desire so soon now! ;)

I will take out an upgrade to support the project as this really adds value to the phone and I think I should really make the effort to learn a bit of scripting for Android.

Is that a cover? I tried to peal it when I got it from new (ages ago) and then it wouldnt come, so I left it. I got the impression that was meant to be on the screen. It works with it on really well.

One question regarding this SD Storage issue. Should my phone now be storing apps to the SD card or do I need to do something else? Its just that as im storing apps im noticing that my internal space is going down (61 mb) and well im not sure if this is normal and the rest is going on the SD card or not?

im not really sure about the Sd Storage to be honest with you but as for the cover, take it off, seriously its even more responsive with it off and it doesn't really do anything at all.