DmytroL
14th April 2009, 11:52 AM
Hi guys,
The Wiki says upgrading the radio ROM is the most risky upgrade as the probability of bricking the phone is quite high. I'm trying to understand what the real risks are and how can I effectively mitigate them:
Interrupted upgrades (due to USB connection failure, host computer crash, electricity blackouts etc.). If I got the manual right, all these are effectively mitigated by flashing radio ROMs from an SD card with HardSPL and making sure the battery is fully charged, and that the charger is plugged in and connected to mains.
Bad ROM images capable of damaging the radio hardware. Well, I guess the precautions here are as with any other software - do not install anything coming from untrusted source. Hopefully radio ROMs published on this website can be trusted :) (of course it always helps to read the feedback thread before flashing the ROM)
Other than that, are there any risks specific to flashing radio ROMs? Is, for example, the part of ROM where the radio software is stored more sensitive to re-flashing? Or, perhaps, the very process of flashing a radio ROM puts additional load on the radio hardware so its lifespan is decreased?
BTW is it for real that Qualcomm chips are so badly designed so that defective firmware can cause physical damage? Looks a bit weird to someone with engineering degree...
UPD: Sorry, there seems to be a post giving quite a detailed overview of hardware-related risks: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=2961848&postcount=117
The Wiki says upgrading the radio ROM is the most risky upgrade as the probability of bricking the phone is quite high. I'm trying to understand what the real risks are and how can I effectively mitigate them:
Interrupted upgrades (due to USB connection failure, host computer crash, electricity blackouts etc.). If I got the manual right, all these are effectively mitigated by flashing radio ROMs from an SD card with HardSPL and making sure the battery is fully charged, and that the charger is plugged in and connected to mains.
Bad ROM images capable of damaging the radio hardware. Well, I guess the precautions here are as with any other software - do not install anything coming from untrusted source. Hopefully radio ROMs published on this website can be trusted :) (of course it always helps to read the feedback thread before flashing the ROM)
Other than that, are there any risks specific to flashing radio ROMs? Is, for example, the part of ROM where the radio software is stored more sensitive to re-flashing? Or, perhaps, the very process of flashing a radio ROM puts additional load on the radio hardware so its lifespan is decreased?
BTW is it for real that Qualcomm chips are so badly designed so that defective firmware can cause physical damage? Looks a bit weird to someone with engineering degree...
UPD: Sorry, there seems to be a post giving quite a detailed overview of hardware-related risks: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=2961848&postcount=117