Is there any advantage/disadvantage to install 2.9 with the wipe/no wipe option? I know one keeps your apps installed but i wasn't sure if there was any other benefits. New to this any loving it but trying to understand too. I'm having trouble with 2.8 so I want to choose the best path even if I have to reinstall things. Thanks!
Since you already have 2.8, you don't need to use the wipe-version of 2.9, but.... if you're having any kinds of quirky issues, then the call is yours. You could wipe cache and Dalvik, and then just reboot a couple of times and then see if your issues are resolved. Or... you could just load the wipe version and know that those things will be done as part of the process for upgrading WITH the wipe version.
Some issues might be addressed by just reflashing the modem, and others have needed to throttle back to DI01 and then up to 2.X. No two people have the same stuff on their phone, and it's hard to perform differential diagnostics between them when there are so many variables.
Personally, I'd wipe cache and Dalvik, reboot. Wait 5 minutes and reboot again. Whatever your "issues" are may just go away. If you would be willing to post what those issues are after that, maybe someone here with similar experiences can help.
SuD