[GUIDE] All-in-One Defy Beginner's guide

[ChronicArachnophobic]

Hi All,

I have few beginner queries regarding upgrading to CM10 and the versioning. I think if they can be answered it will improve my understanding of how it all works, as I simply want to retain the ability to go back to my stock rom if everything is not working as I would like in CM10.

My defy+ is currently running:

Android Version - 2.3.4
Kernel version - 2.6.32.9-*
Build number - 4.5.1-134_DFP-891

Once I root the phone, can I install CM10 straight on top of this and retain the ability to return to this stock rom? OR
Do I need to install a fixed SBF version and use a Nandroid backup of CM10 to retain the ability to return to this stock rom? OR
Do I need to install a fixed SBF and Nandroid backup of a previous version such as 3.4.2-179 CEE Deblur SBF that I have seen designated as the recommended version to have?

Thank you, and sorry for the beginner question. I have read as much as I could but can't seem to get my head around it all exactly.

Thanks

I have the exact same specifications and the almost the same problem. I've read up all I could, but some things still aren't clear. My Stock ROM is running quite smoothly after rooting and some tweaking. I want to try out some custom ROMs like CyanMobile Ex, White Rabbit 2.1.1 and Quarx's CM10, but I also don't want to lose my phone's current stable configuration forever. The problem is that there isn't an SBF of the DFP-891 build available anywhere, and I'm not sure whether just a nandroid backup would allow me to revert back from say, CM7.2 based ROMs to my current stock config (Or would it?). Is there any way I can revert back to the EXACT SAME state my phone is in, if I decide that one of the custom ROMs I flashed wasn't working out for me?

Any kind of help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[taylorhmatos]

UP

 

[leito824]

excelnte ..! great contribution ..!

 

[tomlogan1]

New Defy user

I have a Defy MB525 coming from ebay. I am currently using an HTC unlocked on Straight Talk. I selected the Defy for its waterproof features.

I have read through the guide, and most of the sbf files seem to be non-USA except for TMobile. Since the phone will come with Eclair, and I want to end up with CM7 like I have on my HTC, which sbf file would be most appropriate? I have downloaded U3-342-179-002_DEBLUR_SIGNED and would like to make sure that when the phone arrives, I can complete the upgrade.

I do have RSD Lite and SndInitDefy as well as SuperOneclick as well as Z4Root as I believe I must root Eclair prior to all of the other activities.

This seems like a lot more than HTC, but it seems worth it for the protection afforded by this device.

Thanks. A PM is fine if that is easier for you.

 

[avnish.xlr8]

bootloop defy+

hey buddy,your tutorial was extremely useful
i have a defy+.i hve installed xperia d 4.1 by mato which has quarx based kernel on cm 10.
whenever i am about to enter the bluetooth menu or when i m turning on the bluetooth,the phone restarts and goes into a bootloop...
this has happened almost 7-8 times.this happened today again but now it booted totally.....but there's no notification bar and no "during calling" screen as well as no "recent apps" view ......can u pls help......shud i move to stock......or ther's a solution........hve i not flashed it perfectly????

 

[unixr0cket]

nice post

this tread save me a couple pf times:fingers-crossed:

 

[George[GRE]]

Absolute Usefull!

this tread save me a couple pf times:fingers-crossed:

Hello to all!

First of all I would like to thank all of you, developers and users, for the infos and the questions you ask and answer, so other users could find ready the solution they need.
I follow the xda forum for more than 2 months, reading and testing roms and this thread, also saved me when i bricked my defy+.

I just followed the steps one by one and, everything went back to normal.

Thank you again all.

 

[dragonflyser]

before i start

my friend asked me to make his phone (defy red) better.
currently:
froyo 2.2.2
kernel 2.6.32.9...
build jorem_u3_3.4.2_177-3
have rooted and titanium backed up.
can i put cm7.2 easily on it? (my concern is that on the forum, it is followed by 2.3.7)? do i have to put new sbf on it first?
or should i use cm7 stable?
or what do you recommend?.
the most important thing is that it has complete functionality and will not need constant maintenence.
tia
(i am a noob to defy, but some experience with huawei rooting/flashing)

 

[Lord_Flaya]

my friend asked me to make his phone (defy red) better.
currently:
froyo 2.2.2
kernel 2.6.32.9...
build jorem_u3_3.4.2_177-3
have rooted and titanium backed up.
can i put cm7.2 easily on it? (my concern is that on the forum, it is followed by 2.3.7)? do i have to put new sbf on it first?
or should i use cm7 stable?
or what do you recommend?.
the most important thing is that it has complete functionality and will not need constant maintenence.
tia
(i am a noob to defy, but some experience with huawei rooting/flashing)

It's easy to get CM7 on your defy. Search and you will find plenty of guides and other usefull info. However, i recommend getting CM10 instead as it is as stable as CM7 at this point. And it doesn't need that much maintenance. Try them all and stay with the one suiting you.

I'm not perfect, but i'm pretty f-ing close!!!

 

[nedywest71]

What is the difference between 4.5.1-134_DFP-74 and 4.5.1-134_DFP-231 Sbf for DEFY+ ?

 

[fabricioengmec]

Hello!
defy is still a good buy?

thanks.

 

[francesco.1983]

yes, is the cheapest ip67 device that i know, it's fully moddable.

I report my experience with defy mb525 with stock froyo rom 2.2.2, version detail:

ro.build.id=3.4.2-164
ro.build.version.release=2.2.2
ro.build.date=Fri Mar 18 10:51:14 CST 2011
ro.build.version.full=Blur_Version.34.164.3.MB525. Retail.en.FR
kernel 2.6.32.9

i rooted the device with framaroot 1.5.2 (the only one that do the job) and i've installed 2ndinit 2.3 version, that's all. There aren't a lot of informations about this version.

 

[Journyman16]

About this guide

In this guide you will find all the information regarding the Motorola Defy. I’ll try to explain as best as I can how this phone works, how to root, install SBFs, and most important: how this stuff actually works so you don’t screw up your phone installing incorrect versions of Roms.
I’ll try to cover the eFuse system found in this phone as well as other Moto phones and how it actually works, this is fundamental to understand why you can’t go back to old stock Roms once updated.

Thanks for all the work in putting this together. I just updated my wife's new Defy+ - she just got a new Xperia Z tablet so her GNote was overkill. Having had a Defy a year or so back we went with the Defy+ for sturdy Android...

One thing - I could not either superoneclick or another (fropm other site) program to work, but framaroot worked flawlessly. I copied it over to the sdcard, used ESFile Explorer to run it and phone was rooted. Then I ran SndInit and I had recovery...

Your explanations helped me to understand the process - it's very different in execution from the S3 I have.

cheers mate...

 

[rahulpillai]

Defy with Defy+rom

A few weeks back while trying to install CM7 i was stuck in continuous boot loop.
I was able to get my phone alive by Flashing it with Defy+ retail GB version (45.0.2310.mb526.retail.enGB)
Now my Model shows MB526 and Version shows 2.3.6
I am not able to Root it with Superoneclick and also with RSDLite

Any inputs. I was hoping to root it again and Upgrade to CM10

 

[free2live]

A few weeks back while trying to install CM7 i was stuck in continuous boot loop.
I was able to get my phone alive by Flashing it with Defy+ retail GB version (45.0.2310.mb526.retail.enGB)
Now my Model shows MB526 and Version shows 2.3.6
I am not able to Root it with Superoneclick and also with RSDLite

Any inputs. I was hoping to root it again and Upgrade to CM10

You have updated your phone's bootloader to v7 and that's why you can't root with SOC. Checkout this thread : http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1595013

Using Git?! May the fork be with you

 

[punnkk]

downgrade

i am currently using cm10-20130703
the phone has become too slow and takes a lot of time in opening anything
even gallery takes 6-7 seconds to open
camera takes more than 10 seconds
i wish to dowgrade to cm7
the problem is i dont know the safe way to do it
can i directly flash a cm7 rom by doing a data reset??
or are there additional steps to it..
please help

 

[hotdog125]

i am currently using cm10-20130703
the phone has become too slow and takes a lot of time in opening anything
even gallery takes 6-7 seconds to open
camera takes more than 10 seconds
i wish to dowgrade to cm7
the problem is i dont know the safe way to do it
can i directly flash a cm7 rom by doing a data reset??
or are there additional steps to it..
please help

Use Aroma wiper to format system and data to ext3 and then flash CM7 immediately (don't reboot after wiping, or the phone will get soft bricked).

 

[punnkk]

soft bricked??

Use Aroma wiper to format system and data to ext3 and then flash CM7 immediately (don't reboot after wiping, or the phone will get soft bricked).

i flashed defy full wiper to format system and data to ext3 and then flashed cm72-20120506-NIGHTLY-Defy+.zip immediately after it..
but my phone flashed a msg "no os insatlled"
restarting it got stuck on motorola logo forever ..
after the problem i flashed a firmware i had previously downloaded using RSDlite.. phone started...
i had to install sndinit again to enable custom recovery..
now can i directly flash cm72-20120506-NIGHTLY-Defy+.zip through custom recovery ??

 

[satyanjoy]

nice one

very detailed guide

---------- Post added at 09:22 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:15 PM ----------

yes, is the cheapest ip67 device that i know, it's fully moddable.

I report my experience with defy mb525 with stock froyo rom 2.2.2, version detail:

ro.build.id=3.4.2-164
ro.build.version.release=2.2.2
ro.build.date=Fri Mar 18 10:51:14 CST 2011
ro.build.version.full=Blur_Version.34.164.3.MB525. Retail.en.FR
kernel 2.6.32.9

i rooted the device with framaroot 1.5.2 (the only one that do the job) and i've installed 2ndinit 2.3 version, that's all. There aren't a lot of informations about this version.

which ROM are you using now ? I am on WajkIUI (MIUI 3.1.27)

 

[Zephyrot]

Ok guys, I just updated all links in the guide and made some corrections I´ve got per PM

Happy modding~