xv6900 flashing

[johnnyg31087]

Hey, sorry for sounding like an idiot but I just got the xv6900 a few days ago and have spent the better part of that time making reg changes I found in the forums...my question is what is the benefit of flashing your phone? I have noticed some bugs and lag time when I call someone or sometimes when trying to select my messages. I was wondering if flashing my phone could help with this...also, does it make customizing the phone easier? Again sorry if these are rediculous questions but I am very interested in customizing my phone and also having it run a little more seemlessly...THANKS!

[detroit_doug]

Originally Posted by johnnyg31087

Hey, sorry for sounding like an idiot but I just got the xv6900 a few days ago and have spent the better part of that time making reg changes I found in the forums...my question is what is the benefit of flashing your phone? I have noticed some bugs and lag time when I call someone or sometimes when trying to select my messages. I was wondering if flashing my phone could help with this...also, does it make customizing the phone easier? Again sorry if these are rediculous questions but I am very interested in customizing my phone and also having it run a little more seemlessly...THANKS!

Well welcome to the world of flashing - its addicting believe me

As for your question.. different people all have different reasons for flashing their phones

Some want to move carriers (e.g moving from Verizon to Sprint)

Some want all the new shiny software and toys (me personally LOL)

Some just like to do things, tear things apart, see how they tick, then put it back together or make it even better (me again LOL)

Some just have too much time on their hands (yeah prolly me as well)

But yes, it WILL improve your phone performance.. as custom ROMs will have the latest sys and xip files (core of the phones operating system) installed as well as drivers to improve performance, usually ripped from newer phones

There are alot of choices to choose from,
6.1 stock looking ROMs
6.1 Manila, TF2D or M2D (depending on what you want to call it and what it contains) think your Vogue looking like a Diamond or Touch Pro
Android - Linux based OS the Google Phone uses
and finally
6.5 ROMs just now starting to come out, looking sweet and functioning great

The choice is yours on what you want your phone to look and act like
Read about unlocking and LEARN it, youll need to unlock with 2.31 to use GPS
Find a ROM that suits you and people are active in supporting it and doesnt seem to carry to many major issues, look over the thread and read them, look over the screenshots and whats installed in the ROM

Only you can decide if you want to mess around with flashing, but remember ROMs are a constant state of work so once you start you will find yourself flashing often sometimes LOL

Detroit Doug

[vin255764]

Try them all !Im changing my ROM every day LOL.Great ROMs,I wanna use them all at a same time,but cant

[detroit_doug]

Originally Posted by vin255764

Try them all !Im changing my ROM every day LOL.Great ROMs,I want them all at a same time,but cant

Like a meth head telling a crack head " no, really (twitch twitch scratch scratch) its easy man, like smoking candy"

LOL


Detroit Doug

[johnnyg31087]

haha thanks a lot that was exactly what I wanted to hear. I am also wondering if flashing your phone will void your warranty/if you can revert back to the stock settings if I decide I don't like it...Thanks in advance!

[johnnyg31087]

also I have been trying to figure out if there is a free way to save all the programs and contacts I have before unlocking/flashing...any suggestions?

[arl16]

Flashing will certainly void any warranty. But if anything goes wrong, posting here will get you a solution. The forum is amazing.

Backing up contacts is simple - get PPCPimBackup, put it on your storage card, (I assume you have one - if not, get one), and follow the directions. It's free - just Google.

For programs you've installed, just save all of the cabs in a folder on your card, and reinstall them after flashing. Or use Sashimi - automates the whole process (again Google).

Have fun - as Doug said, it's addictive getting the newest/latest stuff added to your phone at will...

[johnnyg31087]

Ok great thanks a lot. it really is addicting...even searching for roms and learning about how it all works is addictive. I was also wondering if there was a good stepbystep set of instructions for unlocking and flashing a phone. I have been searching and have found a bunch of them but they all use technical jargon that I am unfamiliar with...I am really looking for a laymans walk through so I am not so woried about bricking my phone...any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[detroit_doug]

Originally Posted by johnnyg31087

Ok great thanks a lot. it really is addicting...even searching for roms and learning about how it all works is addictive. I was also wondering if there was a good stepbystep set of instructions for unlocking and flashing a phone. I have been searching and have found a bunch of them but they all use technical jargon that I am unfamiliar with...I am really looking for a laymans walk through so I am not so woried about bricking my phone...any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Unlocking your phone is done via flashing it (bootloader mode of flashing)

1 -Download ImCokeMans 2.31 unlocker
Download ROM you want to use
Have the needed carrier cab for your carrier ready in case the ROM
you choose is not carrier specific (most WinMO 6.5 ROMs)

2- Backup(PIM Backup) to save contacts, email, text or Synch with your PC to save contacts, mail

3- Extract RAR files into separate folders

4- Press and hold the power+camera+stylus in reset hole until tri-color screen comes up - it will say serial on screen
Plug into USB cable - it will change to USB on screen

5- On desktop folder double-click on RomUpdateUtility.exe
Follow directions on screen - Phone will reboot

6- go back into bootloader mode after restart (step 4) and connect for USB connection is verified on screen again

7- do the watusi.. this MUST be the watusi, the lindy and the charleston wont help and break dancing will corrupt your data BIG time...

8- Doubleclick on RomUpdateUtility.exe in the ROM folder you want to use
Follow directions on screen, phone will reboot

9- wipe hands on pants

10- go through setup and auto-run on screen then upon restart press and hold red button+green button+stylus in reset hole until gray screen appears
press the center button on D-Pad, wait, then press "end" (red) button when prompted (known as a hard reset as opposed to soft reset done with stylus in reset hole only)

11- go through setup and autorun, phone will restart, upon restart, power off, then back on

12- run carrier cab if needed


Use your phone and enjoy, know that there have been ALOT of issues with Verizon and Bell users with MMS/Text and GPS - read up on those issue around the forum as well as over on XDA-Developers in regards to additional files and fixes for those issues


Hope that helps and dont forget to hit the THANKS button LOL


Detroit Doug

[johnnyg31087]

Thanks a lot man I think I'm ready to go. How long does flashing take generally? like the whole process from unlocking to installing start to finish? Just so I know how much time to put aside for it...