[Q] Which ROM is best for me?

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S4chin

Member
Nov 5, 2010
38
0
Hi all,

Fantastic website you have here - I'm a newbie and have been lurking for a little while but to be honest, I'm quite confused and could do with some advice.

I'm running stock 2.1 JG2 as purchased from Vodafone UK (8Gb internal + 8Gb SD) but am interested in froyo and some of the improvements that are out there. To be honest, I'm relatively happy with my stock phone, but there is some lag and also the battery life could be better (currently running advanced task killer app but no lag fix).

I've seen some of the custom ROM's and I'm not against upgrading to froyo or flashing my device etc, but I'm not the sort to want to be doing this every month - I'd just like the improvements of froyo (plus other improvements by the good from people here) but for the phone to behave in terms of flexibility like it does today (if better, then great!). i.e I'm just after a fast, stable phone where everything works well and doesn't need tampering with.

What's the best way to upgrade my software to meet my quite simple needs?

Also, is there a step by step guide (for idiots) which can walk someone like me through the process please? (ideally retaining or being able to recover contacts and existing apps if possible).

Thanks in advance.
Sachin
 

android.francis

Senior Member
Sep 11, 2010
392
32
Cebu
IMHO, the best course for you is to update Froyo via KIES since that's the safest way to do so..

Now, if you are a bit like me (just a bit since I have this Flash addiction! LoL), you can use ODIN to flash to the preferred version of Froyo currently out there.

Froyo firmwares can be downloaded at www.samfirmware.com and they pretty much have the instruction even noobs can comprehend.

As for cutom ROMs, my choice is Hardcore's speedmod kernel since it increases your user usable RAM from the default 304MB to 341MB plus it has clockwork recovery and you can establish your preferred lagfix there (if you want to). I almost forgot to mention that his kernel also has voodoo's color fix for UI only.


My current set-up: JPA/JPP/JP4 + speedmod H1 250hz kernel with all tweaks enabled and using db=ext4, cache=ext4,dbdata=ext4.

no complains so far. my phone has been meeting my demands in terms of speed.
 
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S4chin

Member
Nov 5, 2010
38
0
I like the sound of Hardcore's speed mod kernal. Are there any detailed instructions on where this can be found and how best to install this and back-up / reinstall my contacts etc?

I have a fear of ruining my phone, so want to minimise any risk of that!

Thanks
 

android.francis

Senior Member
Sep 11, 2010
392
32
Cebu
I like the sound of Hardcore's speed mod kernal. Are there any detailed instructions on where this can be found and how best to install this and back-up / reinstall my contacts etc?

I have a fear of ruining my phone, so want to minimise any risk of that!

Thanks

You can view hardcore's thread in the android development section. The file is also there.

How to set it up? The instructions are there but let me give you a summary assuming you are in stock froyo already:
1. Extract the zip file and you should get a .tar file with same filename.
2. Launch Odin and select the .tar as PDA. Don't put anything in PIT and make sure Repartion is NOT ticked.
4. Go to download mode from your phone by powering it off and wait for approx 5 secs or after the phone vibrates then press and hold volume down + home key + power key.
5. Plug the usb to the pc and you should see Odin display your com port.
6. Start flashing and you're now using speedmod

For backups, you can download and use titanium back up found in the market but if you do the flashing correctly, you won't lose any data.

Btw, you can also root your phone after you install speedmod. Just go to recovery mode and select superuser.

Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA App
 

S4chin

Member
Nov 5, 2010
38
0
HELP!!

Hi, sorry for delayed response. Just followed the above instructions and I seem to have a problem. After flashing using Odin and the latest v1.2, my phone is now stuck at the Galaxy S screen (and not going anywhere!). I've pulled the battery and tried to restart normally, but no luck. Odin ran perfectly well with the following results:

<ID:0/004> Added!!
<ID:0/004> Odin v.3 engine (ID:4)..
<ID:0/004> File analysis..
<ID:0/004> SetupConnection..
<ID:0/004> Initialzation..
<ID:0/004> Get PIT for mapping..
<ID:0/004> Firmware update start..
<ID:0/004> zImage
<ID:0/004> Removed!!
<ID:0/004> Completed..
<OSM> All threads completed. (succeed 1 / failed 0)

Please can someone help in guiding me on what to do?
 

S4chin

Member
Nov 5, 2010
38
0
WOW - what an entertaining and equally scary few hours I've had!! LOL!

After flashing a normal kernel on 2.1, I upgraded to 2.2 and reinstalled Hardcore's v1.2 250 which worked fine. I went to modify the settings to improve performance etc and I think I did too much (modified too many settings at once as well as rooting). This pretty much bricked my phone (at least I thought that to be the case). To cut a long story short (after having LOADS of problems), I've managed to reflash with JM8 and updated to JPO. I've installed Hardcore's mod again, but am scared on what to change.

Please can someone advise on the order in which I should make the changes? I think I probably want root (although would be interested in why I need it and the benefits), which lag fix should I use (I used OCLF last time), and what other settings I should use? How should they be applied? One at a time etc?

All I really want is a fast, stable phone, good battery life with all the stuff that should work, working well.

Thanks in anticipation. After all the learning I've undertaken, I no longer feel a Noob with Odin and messing with settings on this phone lol!!
 

S4chin

Member
Nov 5, 2010
38
0
I feel like I'm writing to myself :) but as I've made some progress, I just wanted your advice...

Following my message below, I was brave and tried applying the settings one by one... I've applied a few bits (root, tweaks) and then the Voodoo lagfix (standard safe setting) which improved my quadrant score from 973 to 1460. My phone does feel quick and smooth. Is this as good as it gets or is it worth fettling some more? I see some people have higher quadrant scores...how???
 

danamoult

Senior Member
Jul 28, 2010
219
7
Just saying that Hardcore's mod is a kernel and not a custom ROM. A custom ROM would be something like DocRambone's 7.6.2 ROM for JPO or JPA (which also comes with Hardcore's mod included).

Assuming you're not already done and happy with whatever ROM you're using now, I would use Doc's 7.6.2 ROM for JPO. That's the one based for users in the UK (I believe).

Also, I thought Vodaphone exclusively sold 16GB SGS's and not 8GB?
 

S4chin

Member
Nov 5, 2010
38
0
I believe I've got the standard JPO ROM with Hardcores ROM. What are the benefits of DOcRambone's over standard JPO? What does it offer over what I've currently got?

All SHS on Voda are 8gb now - I think they had 16Gb at the start, but no longer sadly...

Thanks