Questions about maintaining downgrade-ability and preventing Camera Flash LED burnout

[The Land of Smeg]

Hello,
I plan to upgrade my Australian (Telstra) Motorola Defy to an Android 2.2 (Froyo) ROM that is ideally without Motoblur.

I have comprehensively read hundblues of the Defy modding threads through Search, Browsing and Cross-Links on XDA, however there are still a few areas I am still unsure about and feel the need to ask.

I absolutely require downgrade-ability back to the Telstra stock firmware (A variant of 2.21), Because if I become affected by the Speaker issue, then I will need to restore to stock for Warranty.

I am also conscious of using the Chinese 2.2 ROM due to risk of blowing the Camera Flash LED.

Maintaining Downgrade-ability
Higgsy has made a thread how to upgrade to 2.2 (Froyo) without losing downgrade-ability, but I am not clear on a few points, my comments are in blue

Instructions in the thread:
"Follow the process below, This works with the TMobile US and The GB 3.4.2 Firmwares.

It may seem long winded, but it is the only way to get it running with everything working ok and still downgradable/able to flash other .sbf, most notably the cam flash working 100% - fully sync'd and no greeny blue tinge to it.

Need the Chinese 2.2 release – Download Here [http://www.sorensiim.dk/higgsy/.sbf/2.2CN_SBF.zip] Is this the unmodified Chinese 2.2 ROM?
Need the system.img nandroid and boot/devtree.sbf – Download here [http://www.sorensiim.dk/higgsy/TMOB_US_3.42_Files.rar] This must be the "Tmob 3.42 system image(pre rooted)"

Also now added the GB system image+md5 - the one that racca added in the original thread. Download hear [http://www.sorensiim.dk/higgsy/GB_3.4.2_system.img.rar]

• Flash the Chinese .sbf by RSD lite OK I understand that the Chinese 2.2 ROM is downgrade-able, makes sense so far
• Once booted root via superoneclick http://bit.ly/gUzV19 then reboot (make site debugging on)
• Install Clockworkmod recovery app http://bit.ly/dOdhKc , open app, install recovery and then boot into recovery (make sure debugging is off whenever you boot into recovery
• Wipe data/cache in recovery
• Flash the Tmob 3.42 system image(pre rooted) via advanced restore (folder need to be put in goapkrev/backup folder) What makes this 3.4.2 ROM different from the others in that it is still downgrade-able?
• Once restoblue pull battery, put battery back in while holding up to get into bootloader
• Flash the boot/devtree.sbf once its rebooted after this you are done. See below about Camera Flash LED issue


If you want to use the GB release then just restore the system.img from the GB release. Similar to the T-Mobile 3.4.2 ROM, what makes this UK 3.4.2 ROM downgrade-able?

"

If there has been a modification done to the T-Mobile / UK 3.4.2 images provided which makes them downgrade-able, what is it?

Can it can be applied to other 3.4.2 ROMs too (eg: Finland 3.4.2 155-002 which is Blurless).

Based on Which SBF code group prevents downgrade, I am guessing that the CDT(CG31) has been removed from the image (to keep CDT on version 2), but I'm also guessing that this would also screw up SYSTEM (CG39) because that would also need to stay on version 2, when 3.4.2 uses (and needs to be?) version 4 (or else it will screw up the signature?).


Preventing the Camera Flash LED from blowing when the Chinese 2.2 ROM has been used

I seem to have found two theories on this one:

1. Higgsy's 'Devtree' theory (see thread above) that the Devtree in the Chinese 2.2 ROM is causing the issue, and a Devtree copied out of a different ROM should be used. (This leads to more questions: What is the Devtree? Where is it located? How is the Devtree copied out of a ROM? I can't find any information about Devtrees)

There is a followup post in this thread in reference to the Devtree theory which says "I am now having the green light problem after flashing the "flash fix" several weeks ago, can I get the normal flash back using this method?"

I am not sure if this users's reference to the "flash fix" is referring to the 'Devtree' fix or if it was another "flash fix" that they tried. Nor do I know if the user followed the instructions for this "flash fix" correctly, but it is casting some doubt if the Devtree fix is correct or not?

Also in the instructions above, if the T-Mobile or UK 3.4.2 image is flashed after the Chinese 2.2 ROM was installed, wouldn't the non-Chinese Devtree already have been installed?

2. 'build.prop' theory

The post reads:
"I was going through build.prop for some thing else and noticed these settings on my 3.4.2-145 build.

ro.media.capture.flashIntensity=41
ro.media.capture.torchIntensity=25

What are these set to for the Chinese ROM?"

There are no followup posts to this to confirm the values of the Chinese ROM, to confirm that this prevents Camera Flash LED burnout, or to confirm that this doesn't work.

 

[fritolays]

Or use the downgradable method I list in my post (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=977989).
That way you dont have to flash any chinese firmware and worry about camera/flash issues.

 

[The Land of Smeg]

Your ROM seems to be just what I am looking for. I want to be as close to the Stock Android Experience as possible (I've tried Motoblur and it's not for me) and without the bloat.

I have a few questions about the process that Barebones uses, because I think that it's important to learn what I'm actually doing.

"2. Restore your Froyo Nandroid of choice.
Barebones: CEE3.4.2_155-002_DEBLUR.Nandroid.zip"
I guessing that this contains ONLY the SYSTEM partition, which has been taken from the unmodified CEE 3.4.2-155-002 Deblur ROM, as the SBF method would change the version making it un-downgradeable?

"Flash the fixed sbf.
Barebones: Fixed.CEE.3.4.2_155-002_DEBLUR.zip"
I guessing that this "fixed" version contains unmodified CEE 3.4.2-155-002 Deblur partitions PDS, LBL, MISC, BOOT, CACHE, USERDATA & KPANIC, but not CDT (To allow downgrade), SYSTEM (To allow downgrade, it has already been installed at Step 2 instead?) and RECOVERY (To retain Clockwork Recovery)?

"5. Reboot into Froyo; install Clockwork Recovery; copy Barbones to sdcard.
Barebones: Barebones_12-signed.zip"This must be the bit where all the modifications of Barebones itself are made? And hasn't Clockwork Recovery already been installed to the RECOVERY partition from Step 1 or does Clockwork have elements that need to be reinstalled? (eg: in the BOOT/SYSTEM/USERDATA partitions)

"Swype, Gtalk, Voice Commands, GreekIME, CarDock, Recovery, and Easy Installer -> Download update.zip"With the Extras package, can these components be installed separately or are they all installed together? Some of these extras may not be applicable like GreekIME (If the user is not Greek).

Is the Swype in the package the same as the latest Beta from beta.swype.com and isn't Clockwork Recovery supposed to be already installed?

Also, is there a way to reinstall some of the 'Removed' APKs like BlurAlarmClock, Calculator, ClockWidget, DLNA, Quickoffice, WeatherWidget (assuming that these APKs will still work on their own) or will I need to copy them before installing Barebones_12-signed.zip

Finally, you have done a great job so far and it is far better than anything else out there for the Defy at the moment, thank you.

My only bit of [constructive] criticism (and I am by no means ungrateful) is that I think that some of the Added & Value Added features of Barebones (especially the Wallpapers and Sounds) would be more suited to the Extras package (as optionals) to keep in line with the goal rather than being bundled in the Barebones package.

 

[fritolays]

Barebones faqs. . .

Why its downgradable ?
This works is because the fixed sbf has partitions taken out; specifically CG31 (CDT) and CG39 (System). Reason being these are the parts of the sbf that prevent you from downgrading. So, this lets you make up the rest of a 'whole' rom using the nandroid; and bingo Froyo with downgrade.

Barebones.zip ?
Unlike some of the other roms posted here, which are nandroids, this one is based on an update-script. Meaning it just changes a stock rom into Barebones; does not restore a complete system. So a factory reset is not enough.

Why install clockwork a few times ?
Nandroid doesnt come with the app, my rom doesnt come with it; yes clockwork is installed just not the apk, so you need that to boot into recovery. Reason why, defy bootloader is locked - so recovery has to be initiated from within the android os, hence bootstrap.

Update.zip ?
If you read the build info it states that it copies all the extras to the sdcard. While Easy Installer is the only program in that update that get installed automatically. Point being you use it to install whatever you feel is missing and delete the rest.

Other apk's not in update.zip ?
Not my problem, I cant please everyone; and I'm not going to make update.zip's with every apk under the sun. The update.zip is already half the size of my rom, so . . . Barebones ? Maybe use adb to pull /system/app after you restore the nandroid and before Barebones. You could then copy them back to the /system/app folder after Barebones is installed. If you try to install the apk's before Barebones they will be erased by my update-script. To be honest I probably didnt include most of these apk's because they must be installed to the /system/app folder (eg: MediaGallery, BlurAlarmClock). They just wont install to /data/app.

But its not Barebones . . . .*tear
OK I get it guys, my 380kb of extra noise's offends, so wait for v1.3 if its too much. This is my first android phone, I got it in December; I learned to cook this rom in that time (so google and read). So lets face it, I make this rom for my phone; just sometimes other people like it too.


Hope this clears up a few things . . . and enjoy the rom.