[TUT] Flash your first ROM | EXT4 | Speed up GPS | Remove Music Lag noob-proof

rirozizo · Sep 7, 2012

so! you've just rooted your HTC Desire Z (HTC G2, HTC Vision), and you S-OFF'ed it.
now you have Clockworkmod recovery, and an old Froyo Android ROM. want to upgrade? do NOT use the normal OTA update (don't use the normal "check for system update" button), because you may risk losing root, and have to re-root your phone.

NOTE: "►" is what you should do, "►►" is a comment on what's happening.

Preparations to flash a ROM:

►first pick a ROM from the Development section
►put it on your sdcard, it should be a zip file.
►make sure PC10IMG.zip isn't on your sdcard. (delete it, or put it in a folder)

Booting to recovery:

Code:
►go to settings, power, and make sure fast boot is off
►turn off your phone: by holding the power button, and choosing power off.
►press and hold the volume DOWN button, and press the power button... keep pressing the volume down button until you see a white background with text on it.
►►you are now in HBOOT, or Bootloader.
►►now to flash your first ROM, you'll have to go to recovery to make the installation
►press volume DOWN to select "RECOVERY"
►press power to select it
►►the phone will now boot to recovery (Clockworkmod)

Another way is to use ADB:

►Plug your phone to your PC
►check that USB debugging is on, in settings, applications, development.
►open cmd on PC
►type the following:

Code:

adb reboot recovery

OPTIONAL Full Backup:

►►in recovery please do NOT use the power button for selections. please use the trackpad.
►go to backup and restore.
►press the backup button.
►►this will backup EVERYTHING except sdcard, it will backup your apps and their data, your settings, and your themes/launcher customizations. just in case anything wrong happens.
►►backup will take about 5 minutes.
►►at most, this will take 1.5GB in size (i had sense, and 200 apps installed).

Wiping, and flashing the ROM:

►now go to wipe data/factory reset, and wipe your phone
►►this will wipe the /data partition on your phone, to flash a new ROM.
►go to the first menu, and select install from sdcard
►press choose zip from sdcard
►locate your ROM, and select it
►select "yes" and click it.
►►it will start installing.
►once finished, go back to the first menu, and click reboot now.
►let the phone boot (give it about 5 minutes).
►finish the first setup.
►and reboot.

Congrats

you have flashed your first ROM!

Troubleshooting:

Bootlooping:

►►is your phone bootlooping?
►go to recovery as shown above, and wipe your phone.
►OPTIONAL: reflash the ROM as shown above.

No Gmail, Playstore, Google account:

►find Gapps HERE
►►GB is Gingerbread (2.3.x) ICS is Ice Cream Sandwich (4.0.x) JB is JellyBean (4.1.x)
►put the Gapps zip file on sdcard
►go to recovery
►flash the Gapps zip file

Converting to EXT4 file system:

Lots of ROMs now have EXT4 support, EXT4 file system is faster that the old EXT3/2 file systems. the converting process is easy. but be aware that converting to EXT4 requires a FULL WIPE!... you have been warned

Installing 4EXT recovery:

►► To convert your file system to EXT4, you'll need 4EXT recovery, which will replace the old Clockworkmod recovery.
►►this is done by installing an app called 4ext Recovery Control.
► download, and install the app
► click "Online install | upgrade"
► press yes when the app has detected your CORRECT device (Desire Z / G2)
► install one of the RC recoveries available. don't install the ones labeled "testing" or "reference"
►► you can choose between classic, and touch recoveries... i'm using touch, so i'll be guiding you through touch recoveries.
► click "install"
►► it will download the file required (a .img file in the root of the sdcard)
►► it will flash it for you.
► now go back to the main menu, and press "Power Menu"
► press Reboot into recovery, and Do it!

Another way to flash 4EXT is to download it from HERE for free.

Now you have 4EXT recovery.

Switching to EXT4:

►► now that you've booted to 4EXT, let's convert your file system to EXT4.
► OPTIONAL: Make a NANDROID Backup by going to backup | restore, and clicking "backup.
► click "Tools"
► click "wipe or format -> EXT4"
►► this will switch you to EXT4
► if you made a backup, click on "convert or change a backup -> EXT4" (may not work)
► if you didn't, just reflash, reboot and enjoy.
►► switching to EXT4 doesn't format your sdcard...

Speeding up GPS/AGPS:

►► One of the main reasons to root an Android phone is to speed up the speed of the GPS lock
►► This happens by changing some text in a file called gps.conf in /etc/ or /system/etc/
► get a file explorer with root support (root explorer, ES file explorer is good too)
► you'll have to replace your gps.conf with a new, tweaked one.
► go HERE, pick your country, and download the file inside the folder.
►► if you didn't find your country (like me), pick the country that is the closest to yours.
► put it on your sdcard
► open up your root explorer
► copy the file
► go to /system/etc/
► mount system as R/W
► paste the file, and overwrite it with the old one.
► now change it's permissions to rw-r--r-- by holding on it, and clicking permissions
► change both owners to 0-root

Testing results:

►► The main purpose of the test is to make Android learn the new gps.conf file.
►► this happens by using an app that controls GPS and AGPS.
► download GPS test HERE, and install it.
► open it, go to menu-settings, and press clear AGPS.
► OPTIONAL: reboot
► after clearing AGPS, and while connected to the internet, press Update GPS.
►► you'll get a GPS lock in about 5 seconds
► leave the GPS locked for about 10 minutes for Android to learn how it works.
►►this method will get you a lock in 5-15 seconds with or without internet connection.

Remove Music Lag on AOSP/MIUI/AOKP ROMs:

Problem:

► Music hangs for about a second repeating the last syllable the singer says. even while the screen is turned on, while it's charging, or while it's overclocked to 5GHz

Explanation:

►► this usually happens when on AOSP/MIUI/CM/AOKP ROMs and not Sense ROMs.
►► what is happening is that the buffer size for the non-Sense ROMs are set too low, so the music player gets to a point where it has to play something, but that "thing" isn't loaded, so it'll have to wait until the buffer loads it to play.
►► all of this happens is under a second, but this lag is VERY annoying, especially if you're on a headset, and the volume is set a little high.
►► the solution is to set the buffer size a little (or a lot) higher.

Solution:

► Download PlayerPro or PlayerPro Trial.
► Download the PlayerPro DSP Pack.
► Run PlayerPro.
► Go to Menu-Settings-Audio.
► Enable "DSP pack".
► Click "Audio buffer" and set it to Large (or Very Large).
► Click "Audio priority" and set that to Maximum.
►► Now you'll have to always use PlayerPro for music playing, because it's the only Music player that is compatible with the DSP pack... but it's worth it.

Thanks to BlackICE Team for the GPS files.
Thanks to all the users for teaching me those things.

Carlovn · Sep 7, 2012

Good guide. Simple and straight forward.
Maybe you can add something about repartitioning to 4Ext. This is a major improvement on every ROM.

usf1996 · Sep 7, 2012

great guide for noobs,
i vote this thread for sticky, u should make a poll.

keep up the good work

rirozizo · Sep 7, 2012

Carlovn said:
Good guide. Simple and straight forward.
Maybe you can add something about repartitioning to 4Ext. This is a major improvement on every ROM.

thanks! i'll add it soon

usf619 said:
great guide for noobs,
i vote this thread for sticky, u should make a poll.

keep up the good work

what's the subject of the poll?

———————————————————
i didn't mean to mock you or to offend you in any kind of way

usf1996 · Sep 8, 2012

Riro Zizo said:
what's the subject of the poll?

it should be something like: "has this thread been helpful?" or "should this thread be a sticky?"
and then if you get enough votes you can ask the forum moderator to sticky the thread.

rirozizo · Sep 10, 2012

poll added

The-Hulk · Sep 10, 2012

I am moving this guide to General Section, as guides belong in the general section.

Thanks
s.d.oconnor

VaderSKN · Sep 14, 2012

By the way, you can't flash official HTC ROM when you got CWM. I tried it, and it refuses to install.

Sent from my Nokia 3310 using XDA App

rirozizo · Sep 14, 2012

VaderSKN said:
By the way, you can't flash official HTC ROM when you got CWM. I tried it, and it refuses to install.

Sent from my Nokia 3310 using XDA App

yes, but there is a stage where you flash PC10IMG.zip and u get froyo with stock recovery... so when you re-update, you'll lose everything.

———————————————————
i didn't mean to mock you or to offend you in any kind of way

rirozizo · Sep 15, 2012

added Converting to EXT4 file system guide.

enjoy

GrievousMcG · Sep 20, 2012

Thanks Riro! Just flashed my first ever custom ROM - ILWT CM7 thanks to your guide!

cheers

rirozizo · Sep 20, 2012

GrievousMcG said:
Thanks Riro! Just flashed my first ever custom ROM - ILWT CM7 thanks to your guide!

cheers

glad you liked it

———————————————————
i didn't mean to mock you or to offend you in any kind of way

IsmailOmer · Sep 20, 2012

One thing I don't get... When I click on wipe or format -> ext4 do I have to click on wipe system data etc... or do I leave it at that?

Thanks

Sent from my HTC Vision using xda app-developers app

rirozizo · Sep 21, 2012

IsmailOmer said:
One thing I don't get... When I click on wipe or format -> ext4 do I have to click on wipe system data etc... or do I leave it at that?

Thanks

Sent from my HTC Vision using xda app-developers app

"wipe or format -> ext4" wipes every partition, and converts it to ext4... so you don't have to double wipe.

EDIT: that reminds me, i should add a 'reflash' step.

———————————————————
i didn't mean to mock you or to offend you in any kind of way

rirozizo · Sep 22, 2012

added reflash step in 4EXT conversion.
added OPTIONAL Full Backup.

Added Speeding Up GPS Lock section

———————————————————
i didn't mean to mock you or to offend you in any kind of way

rirozizo · Sep 29, 2012

added Remove Music Lag on AOSP/MIUI/AOKP ROMs

now shouldn't this be a sticky?

tarroyo · Oct 2, 2012

Does anyone know how to manually set the audio buffer size higher? Or is playerpro the only way??? I'd like to see this work with other music players.

natabbotts · Oct 4, 2012

tarroyo said:
Does anyone know how to manually set the audio buffer size higher? Or is playerpro the only way??? I'd like to see this work with other music players.

I'm pretty sure it's possible, let me get back to you with a solution.

rirozizo · Oct 4, 2012

natabbotts said:
I'm pretty sure it's possible, let me get back to you with a solution.

if you ever find a solution, please pm me so i could add it to OP

———————————————————
i didn't mean to mock you or to offend you in any kind of way

nyo64 · Oct 6, 2012

hi man i follow your guide and i fix my gps and work ok at first time but now it take too long time to see satelites.
can you send me what to do all the steaps from the begin what to do to fix it.i dont understand what to do with permssions rw-r-r what is that.i use root explorer and at the permissions sey to me owner and it has tick at read,write,execute it has group and tick read write and execute and it has others to tick read,write plz say me what to do all the steps from the begin

thx

[TUT] Flash your first ROM | EXT4 | Speed up GPS | Remove Music Lag *noob-proof*

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[TUT] Flash your first ROM | EXT4 | Speed up GPS | Remove Music Lag noob-proof