HOW TO go to stock, OR from stock, and then flash any ROM.

[superchunkwii]

This is the path I followed. I have ZERO bugs or issues of any kind by following this method.

NOTE: I do not provide direct links to roms from here as it changes too quickly. For any file, go to the development section and search. Its always there.

First you need to get back to the latest OTA stock if not there. Refer to threads in Development for files. (Disable Voodoo as needed)

1. Download the latest stock MD5 file from developer forums to computer. (search dev forum... ED05 is current latest)
2. Flash on phone through Odin (see steps 6-10 below if you don't remember how to do this)
3. Once phone reboots, go to settings, about phone, updates and check for new. Allow all OTA updates to latest version. (may be none)

Now that we are all at the same level, follow steps below. Refer to developer threads for files.

(steps 1 and 2 may not be needed by everyone)
1. Download/Install Odin on computer (ALWAYS USE PDA when using Odin!!)
2. Download/Install Samsung Drivers on computer

3. Download latest clockwork recovery (cwr) to computer (search dev forum for correct cwr for your intended rom)
4. Download update.zip to the root or lowest level on the SD card. (i.e. not inside any folder and may not need to do this based on CWR install, this may not be necessary)
5. Download root tool/file (this may not be necessary based on your rom) and your rom of choice and its patch(es) to phone's SD card; the download directory is best.

6. Turn on Odin
7. Turn off phone and remove battery.
8. Hold down the volume down button and plug into computer's USB port using the USB cord that came with the phone. This should turn on "downloading mode", pretty obvious when its on. You should also see Odin's top-left box turn yellow.
9. Click PDA button in Odin and select the clockwork recovery file, click start and wait for same top-left box to turn green and say everything is good and phone will turn off.
10. Unplug phone and put battery back in.

THESE NEXT STEPS ARE IMPORTANT AND YOU MUST NOT ALLOW PHONE TO FULLY BOOT UP OTHERWISE YOU'LL HAVE TO REPEAT FROM STEP 6.

11. Hold both volume buttons AND the power button until you see the Samsung logo. This will put the phone into "recovery mode". If screen is blue, use the volume keys to select "apply sdcard:update.zip" and click the "home" softkey. This will put you into the cwr you just flashed in Odin. If the screen is red,orange,green,etc you are already in cwr.
12. Now that you are in cwr, use the volume keys to select "Wipe data/factory reset." Press the power button to select, and then navigate to yes, and press the power button again to select.
13. Scroll down to "Wipe cache partition," use power button to select, and then highlight and select "Yes."
14. Scroll down to "advanced" and then select "Wipe dalvik cache." Scroll to "Yes," and use power button to select.
15. Press the "Menu" softkey to return to the previous menu in CWM Recovery.
16. Navigate down to "Install zip from sdcard." Highlight it and press the power button to select.
17. Navigate to "choose zip from sdcard" and select.
18. Navigate to the rooted root tool/file that you downloaded earlier, and select it. Scroll to "Yes," and use power button to select. (again, may not be needed based on rom. If not, then just choose rom file instead)
19. When you're advised of completion, press the "Menu" softkey to go back to the previous CWR screen, then highlight and select "reboot system now." NOTE: If the rom was flashed in step 18 above, then you can skip these next steps and just let phone boot as normal.

IMMEDIATELY HOLD BOTH VOLUME BUTTONS AND POWER BUTTON!

20. Release buttons when Samsung logo appears.
21. You should return to cwr, if not "apply sdcard:update.zip" again.
22. Navigate to "choose zip from sdcard" and select.
23. Navigate to the rom of your choice file that you downloaded earlier, and select it. Scroll to "Yes," and use power button to select.
24. When you're advised of completion, press the "Menu" softkey to go back to the previous CWR screen, then highlight and select "reboot system now."

IMMEDIATELY HOLD BOTH VOLUME BUTTONS AND POWER BUTTON!

Repeat steps 20 through 24 until all patches have been run. Once that is done you can let it boot like normal. Keep in mind the first boot may take several minutes. Once its up, have fun with your new fully rooted, debloated, debinged, custom rom with tons of other enhancements.

As always, I am not responsible if you destroy your phone. You did it.

 

[superchunkwii]

If you like this guide, please give the OP thanks and donate to the dev team who make this all possible.

 

[ace5198]

Def should b a sticky.. then maybe not as many how to questions

 

[shahud]

Nice post. Hopefully this will stop people from clogging up the development section with questions.

If I flashed the DL09 stock MD5 file and got all the OTA updates to the latest version, would I be unrooted and completely back to stock to the point where if I took my phone into a verizon store for customer service they wouldn't be able to tell that I had voided my warranty by rooting? I am currently rooted running evil fascination rom with OTB reloaded kernel and ECO1 radio. I would probably have to get rid of any files/apps associated with rooting but other than that would they be able to tell?

 

[superchunkwii]

Nice post. Hopefully this will stop people from clogging up the development section with questions.

If I flashed the DL09 stock MD5 file and got all the OTA updates to the latest version, would I be unrooted and completely back to stock to the point where if I took my phone into a verizon store for customer service they wouldn't be able to tell that I had voided my warranty by rooting? I am currently rooted running evil fascination rom with OTB reloaded kernel and ECO1 radio. I would probably have to get rid of any files/apps associated with rooting but other than that would they be able to tell?

Yes, at that point you'd be fully stock and un-rooted. Though you'd want to exchange SD cards (with new phone.. not sure if there are issues with this) or copy important files to your computer.

 

[shahud]

Yes, at that point you'd be fully stock and un-rooted. Though you'd want to exchange SD cards (with new phone.. not sure if there are issues with this) or copy important files to your computer.

Do you mean that I should copy important files to my computer before I go through this process back to stock or are you talking about when/if I take my phone to a verizon store?

Thanks for the reply.

 

[superchunkwii]

Do you mean that I should copy important files to my computer before I go through this process back to stock or are you talking about when/if I take my phone to a verizon store?

Thanks for the reply.

When/if you take the phone to a Verizon store.

 

[superchunkwii]

Bump.... still many questions where this answers.

sent from Froyo'd Fascinate!

 

[cjstyle]

Forgive me if there is not written!

Hi, i flash my phone on Android 2.2 Froyo, but I did not realize that there so many bugs.
Now I would like to return their stock firmware DI01 (Android 2.1-update1).
Could you give me a link to download the above described file DI01 (Android 2.1-update1)!
Would be very grateful!

And please describe in detail, the difference between DI01 (Android 2.1-update1) from DL09 (Android 2.1-update1), I'm new to flashing Android!

 

[superchunkwii]

Forgive me if there is not written!

Hi, i flash my phone on Android 2.2 Froyo, but I did not realize that there so many bugs.
Now I would like to return their stock firmware DI01 (Android 2.1-update1).
Could you give me a link to download the above described file DI01 (Android 2.1-update1)!
Would be very grateful!

And please describe in detail, the difference between DI01 (Android 2.1-update1) from DL09 (Android 2.1-update1), I'm new to flashing Android!

DL09 was the last 2.1 android up date and it fixed many bugs including GPS. However, I don't know of any bugs in 2.2. At least I don't have any.

 

[GrainOsand]

Just one question? I dont see anything in your instructions that pertains to disabling or removing voodoo 1st. Adryn has always said you should remove voodoo prior to return to stock even if using odin. Is that not the case? Is it safe to overwrite an enabled voodoo kernel with odin? I have always disabled voodoo prior to odin. If I dont have to, that would be very nice.

Sent from my SCH-I500 using XDA App

 

[shahud]

Does anyone know if we can use wireless tethering for free if we have the latest version of either evil fascination or community ROM? It definitely works if I just download some tethering app from the market but I wanted to know if verizon is going to know that i'm using it and charge me for it. Thanks for any help.


Evil Fascination v3.4.1
EDO1 radio

 

[superchunkwii]

Just one question? I dont see anything in your instructions that pertains to disabling or removing voodoo 1st. Adryn has always said you should remove voodoo prior to return to stock even if using odin. Is that not the case? Is it safe to overwrite an enabled voodoo kernel with odin? I have always disabled voodoo prior to odin. If I dont have to, that would be very nice.

Sent from my SCH-I500 using XDA App

Nice catch. Yes, I do believe Voodoo needs to be disabled.

 

[Robtao]

Please correct me if I am wrong. Isn't "Reboot Recovery" the same thing as reboot and then quickly holding the power button and volume buttons? But easier? No buttons needed. It is the first thing listed in the Advanced and Debugging Menu list in CWR.

Also, another question about this process:
After wiping data, restoring data through Nandroid backup and restore/Advanced Restore: Data only....
Is this the best way to get back to where you were data-wise, before the wiping/flashing? To put your data back on top of the new... whatever you just flashed?I am wondering about wiping cache/dalvik before doing the backup, then it might be cleaner?

Also wondering when to reboot, and when to reboot to recovery? It may be obvious, but not to me just yet.

 

[superchunkwii]

Please correct me if I am wrong. Isn't "Reboot Recovery" the same thing as reboot and then quickly holding the power button and volume buttons? But easier? No buttons needed. It is the first thing listed in the Advanced and Debugging Menu list in CWR.

Also, another question about this process:
After wiping data, restoring data through Nandroid backup and restore/Advanced Restore: Data only....
Is this the best way to get back to where you were data-wise, before the wiping/flashing? To put your data back on top of the new... whatever you just flashed?I am wondering about wiping cache/dalvik before doing the backup, then it might be cleaner?

Also wondering when to reboot, and when to reboot to recovery? It may be obvious, but not to me just yet.

1. yes, using the CWR option will work, however, the first time you won't have that option.

2. With the latest stock kernals, you must reboot to recovery as they will over write CWR and root. So, you can't fully boot until you have replaced the kernal.

3. I don't use nandroid. It may not be simplier, but I just use titanium backup. I get to the point where I'm done flashing stuff and then simply use a batch restore of my apps/data. Never had an issue with this.

I could be wrong, but I thought the purpose of nandroid (as I've never used it) was to back-up a complete prior state, not just data/apps/settings. To me, it is merely a way to undo the rom you just flash if it was bad.

I wrote this to answer a common question new people have about how to best go to this new rom from either an older rom or a brand new phone (as the devs recommended going to full stock before flashing newest roms).

 

[Robtao]

I could be wrong, but I thought the purpose of nandroid (as I've never used it) was to back-up a complete prior state, not just data/apps/settings. To me, it is merely a way to undo the rom you just flash if it was bad.

Thanks for the info. It is all coming into better focus.

If you go into Nandroid backup and restore, Advanced Restore lets you select which backup to use, and how much you want to restore from your complete backup, and data only is one option. Seems to be working for me, but I thought somebody might have some suggestions about it. Titanium would be my other choice, and I don't know much about the pros and cons of either, except that Nandroid is pretty quick.

 

[JuniorBevins]

I love the new rom, but it crashes my phone with an acore error. tried reflashing it and no luck. Any guesses?

Sent from my SCH-I500 using XDA App

 

[superchunkwii]

I love the new rom, but it crashes my phone with an acore error. tried reflashing it and no luck. Any guesses?

Sent from my SCH-I500 using XDA App

Post your question, if you havn't already, in the community rom thread. This way the devs can see it.

 

[rayburne]

Thanks for the great write up superchunckwii!

I have a completely stock (never even rooted) Fascinate.

My current Fascinate build info:
Firmware - 2.1-update 1
Baseband - S:i500.04V.EA28
Kernal - 2.6.29
Build - SCH- I500.EA28

It is my understanding the ED01 is the latest release.
I plan to root, and use TiBu to back all my apps and data before flashing Community.

Being that I am still stock, if I OTA to ED01, then root and use TiBu to create a backup, should I still flash back to stock DL09 and OTA back to EB01 per your instruction (not sure if it’s ok to be rooted on ED01 to get CWM installed and proceed)?

Also, I see Community 1.2 update includes “New kernel from nemesis2all!”.
I prefer not to oc/uv.
After installing and upon first boot, is this kernel oc/uv at all or set at stock clock speed?

 

[blandj]

Being that I am still stock, if I OTA to ED01, then root and use TiBu to create a backup, should I still flash back to stock DL09 and OTA back to EB01 per your instruction (not sure if it’s ok to be rooted on ED01 to get CWM installed and proceed)?

Also, I see Community 1.2 update includes “New kernel from nemesis2all!”.
I prefer not to oc/uv.
After installing and upon first boot, is this kernel oc/uv at all or set at stock clock speed?

If you're already on stock, there's no need to flash back to DL09. The reason that's there is so other people (usually being rooted, on a different rom, etc.) can get on an official build, precisely so that they can upgrade to ED01. If you flash back to stock afterwards, you'll just be doing the same thing all over again.

At defaults, OTB isn't overclocked (max speed is 1000), and shouldn't be considered as undervolted. As in, the 100, 200, 400, 800, and 1000 steps are stock voltages, but I don't think the 600 step exists on stock, in which case there technically wouldn't be a stock voltage for that step. Its voltage is reasonably between the 400 and 800 though, so it's not really undervolted. (Although you could always uncheck it and hit "save at boot" if you really don't trust it.)