BOOT MANAGER question ...

[KillerQ]

Hey all,

I have a question on the overall working of BOOT MANAGER to swap ROMS.

As it stands now, my NS4G is unlocked and rooted. I have nit touched the stock os. Can I download BOOT MANAGER and install a new ROM to the memory to swap back and forth to? Is it that easy? OR, Do i have to make a ROM image of my current device state first to be able to make it 'swappable?' Does that make sense? In other words, I would love to be able to put new, random ROMS on my memory, and switch to them without fear since I will have my stable OS still on there...

Thanks again for everything,

Matt!




Sent from my Nexus S 4G using Tapatalk

 

[belvedere]

You can make a complete backup of what you're on now. Load whatever ROMs you want and then go back at anytime and load your backup.

But to do this you need to make sure you have the CockworkMod Recovery installed. You can do this within the ROM Manager application.

 

[Paul627g]

Just make sure whatever ROMs you grab are specifically stated for use with the NEXUS S 4G ! Since most ROMs today are made for both the Nexus S and NS4G you want to make sure you grab the correct version or after flashing you could have yourself a nice paperweight brick.

 

[KillerQ]

Thanks guys... I'll also make sure to grab a ROM with google market built in so I can reinstall BOOT MANAGER.

So if I install a ROM and get to it through BM, and then decide to switch back, does it switch back to the OS I came from or does it have to load the image backup I made? I am under the impression that
BM will let you go back and forth between images and both stay in their current, active states. Is that correct ?


Sent from my Nexus S 4G using Tapatalk

Sent from my Nexus S 4G using Tapatalk

 

[KillerQ]

Ooh wait.... I
Does BM even support the NS4G?

Sent from my Nexus S 4G using Tapatalk

 

[belvedere]

I just realized there's an app actually called BootManager... look for ROM Manager and download that, if that's not what you're referring to already.

When you make a (nandroid) backup, when you restore it, it'll restore EXACTLY how it was at the time of that backup. It'll save desktop settings, text messages, backgrounds, ringtone settings, blah blah blah. So essentially if you're venturing to try out different ROMs, there's not much of a loss as long as you do a backup first

 

[actionjackson22]

Get the Rom manager app, its really easy. You can make backups really fast and can flash and restore new roms and backups

 

[Paul627g]

On the note of flashing a ROM that has the Market app preinstalled, most ROMs should have an optional download package of GAPPS. Which is your Google Apps (most commonly used) and that will/should contain your Market app. Always have that on hand in case you flash something that is missing a certain normal Google app.

 

[KillerQ]

thanks all,

I have ROM manager and have used it to make a nandroid backup, and didn't realize that ROM manager flashing would have new. The same as BM. I figured NM was something special that almost acted as an active, dual boot setup.

Sent from my Nexus S 4G using Tapatalk

 

[belvedere]

Yeah, it'll wipe everything so your new ROM will be crystal clear. As Paul said you'll want to also flash a gapps zip as well. More than likely you'll end up flashing an AOSP ROM, and most by default don't include the regular Google apps such as Gmail, Gtalk, etc. As far as I know, 8/28/2011 is the latest release - Download gapps 20110828 zip

To flash -- in ROM Manager select 'Install ROM from SD Card' (even though that's not actually what you're doing) and select the gapps zip file. The gapps file obviously needs to be physically put on your phone

You may want to look into Titanium Backup, which will backup application data and you can load it up in your new ROM fairly quickly.

 

[Paul627g]

Just a side note, regardless of the GAPP package even if its outdated yoru Google apps can be updated manually if they are older versions so don't knock yourself silly looking for the latest GAPP's package.

 

[Infernova]

Just want to make something clear.

ROM Manager lets you flash and backup ROMs to your phone. You have to make a backup to theoretically 'switch' ROMs but its a pain since it takes long to restore and therefore its not a true 'dual-boot' solution.

Boot Manager however, lets you have a penta-boot setup (5 ROMs AT THE SAME TIME). It'll let one ROM stay as the phone rom, and it'll have 4 ROMs on the SD Card. On reboot, you can choose which one to start up. Hence, a true multi-boot solution. I have Boot Manager and I can say it's a breeze to just turn off my phone and start up another ROM. You don't have to do any flashing on reboot. It just switches ROMs on boot. All your data for each ROM will be saved on its own independent data image. What you install on one ROM won't be installed for another.

"I am under the impression that BM will let you go back and forth between images and both stay in their current, active states. Is that correct ?"

^ This is correct.

Boot Manager and ROM Manager are completely different things.