FLASHING TO STOCK JUST TO FLASH CUSTOM ROM's

[Paragon]

Originally Posted by kymikes

because an unsigned ROM didn't always do a completely 'clean' flash on the NVRAM.

I still see zero evidence that flashing from a stock ROM changes anything, signed or not. I can easily believe that on a rare occasion some data may not get wiped from any flash. However, what difference does it make if that data is from a stock ROM, and exactly what stock ROM? Sprint, Verizon, Telus? What difference does it make what stock ROM was originally on the device? If some data does get left behind what does it matter what ROM it came from? If data remains from the previous ROM, it is still a less then perfect flash regardless of what ROM it came from.

Anyway....I think I have made my point, I'm going to leave it for the rest of you to hass out if you wish.

Dave

[jason25]

My TP2 has not seen a stock ROM since 4 hrs after it got into my hands 3-4 months ago. I flash a custom ROM, letting it load completely then do a clear storage and don't have the random problems that people get into. Of course I may hard reset if I mess up with bad cab or something. Honestly, I don't care if you don't do it the same way I do. If you want to flash back to stock everytime go ahead, I just know this works for me.

[WorldWide]

I flash to stock whenever I'm having problems with ROMs that nobody else is experiencing, I do find that doing that a lot of my problems decease.

[Nagrom Nniuq]

Always flash stock if you are switching ROMs. ROMs leave things behind (startup animations, settings, radios, etc) that do not get cleared when you flash a new ROM. Hence you may end up with bits of both ROMs. If you do not want this, flash stock between ROMs. 80% of ROM flashers problems come from not following directions, 10% from not flashing stock, and the other 10% is probably the ROM.

[HTCotta]

I don't know if this is all voodoo or not, i lean towards yes and that being said, I'm way too lazy/impatient to flash back to stock between every ROM. I mean, I'm just gonna flash it again in less than a week anyway let's be honest here haha.

[willysp]

Originally Posted by Nagrom Nniuq

Always flash stock if you are switching ROMs. ROMs leave things behind (startup animations, settings, radios, etc) that do not get cleared when you flash a new ROM.....

That is not at all correct. It's amazing at the amount of mis-information regarding this topic.

Startup animations and settings are part of the new ROM.

Radios are almost always a separate flash.

[bobturismo]

back in the mogul days, I've seen leftover remnants from other roms when flashing without stock flashing first.

I personally will flash to stock first just to be on the safe side, it's not worth the headache to me to "guess" why a rom is having problems wehn I'm out and about.

Wirelessly posted (Touch Pro 2: Opera/9.7 (WindowsMobile; PPC; Opera Mobi/35267; U; en; Presto/2.1.1))

Originally Posted by Paragon

Once again, there is no evidence that flash dancing as you call it did anything. Afterall you reflashed what had become a poorly operating device.....Again....remember.....Flashing a ROM completely overwrites a chip. If you fllash to any ROM there is nothing remaining of the data that was on it before.

Dave

I guess I didn't directly say it but I must have flashed ROMs 30+ times and I was still having problems. I wasn't flashing the same rom every time, nor was I even using the same kitchen every time. Every flash was a fresh built rom, every couple of days was a fresh copy of the kitchen. This went on for weeks - I had a phone I couldn't really use.

The flashing process has the ability to modify more than just the ROM space as far as the OS is concerned. What about flashing a radio? Or flashing an nbh that has a radio included? Its the same nbh, but one writes the radio too.

A flash can't totally erase the chip - you would lose your radio or would have to integrate a radio in every cooked ROM... just as an example. I am betting it's more complex than a dumb flash, you know, completely erase and re-write. It is probably optimized to transfer as little data as possible to save time.

Thus the flash dance.

[MordyT]

Alright, i have been watching this thread for the better part of today...
that being said, I have been using windows mobile since 2003...and owned more devices that I have fingers and toes...

All that being said here is some facts for everyone...yes facts whether you believe them or not...

1) Flashing a custom ROM is not the same as flashing a stock ROM. The stock ROM does a "cleaner flash" then a custom one does. Why exactly is a topic for another thread.

2) Remnants of a older ROM can be present when flashing a new ROM on top of it. Nothing as big as a splash screen, they are little bugs that you may never even notice. A setting not sticking. Phone hanging. etc.

3) You don't need to flash a stock ROM ever - unless you are having weird bugs that no one else is having. Because, 9 times out of 10, that will fix your weird bugs.

[Nagrom Nniuq]

Originally Posted by willysp

That is not at all correct. It's amazing at the amount of mis-information regarding this topic.

Startup animations and settings are part of the new ROM.

Radios are almost always a separate flash.

LOL, you are right around the mis-information, because almost your entire post is misinformation (you are right about radios ALMOST always being a separate flash).

A stock ROM will reset everything (radio, startup, settings, etc) to stock (i.e., not someone's custom versions). If you just move to another custom ROM, you can have the radio from the old ROM (or old radio if you flashed one seperate), the old startup animations, or other things residual from the previous ROM. A new ROM does NOT change these things by default, ONLY if the chef explicitly puts them in.

You should try cooking, flashing, and learning for a bit longer before you say things that can have an impact on people. I know what I said is true because I have had it happen to me several times, which is why I now flash to stock between different ROMs and recommend everyone else do the same. I have had old startup animations and residual files that corrupted the next ROM I put on. Also, the stock ROM for my Vogue resets the radio to stock also.

If someone has an issue with a ROM, I WILL NOT help them until they have flashed to stock first and reflashed (unless it is an obvious issue).