# Sticky  [FAQ]v1.4 Thunderbolt Noob Starter Guide/How-To/OC guide (updated 9/21)



## loonatik78

*q AND a v1.4* *-The noob questions answered/how-to guide!*

I've created this thread in the interest that "noobs" will find it and hopefully find the answers to their most often asked questions and perhaps to dispel myths that seem to crop up from time to time. My goal is to reduce the number repeated thread posts and concentrate these Q&A questions in quick and easy format.
In the event your answer isn't in here somewhere and you need to start a thread, please include your current ROM, Radio (by RUU number of origination), and kernel if you've flashed one that didn't come in the ROM. Summing it up in your sig makes it easy for people to see in any of your posts. (See my sig at the bottom of this post for an example.)

*NOTICES:*On the evening of 8/31/11 a bug was found to be causing force closes of the camera and Gtalk. The issue has to do with the camera and a solution has been discovered. This LINK contains "camera.zip" and can be flashed via CWM to resolve this issue.
*Credit:* mpwt51 on the Android Central Forums and Snow02 on the BAMF Forums

ClockworkMod Recovery: The recent "5.x" update of ClockworkMod Recovery (CWR) has known issues. Particularly, it does not restore backups and will enter into a bootloop. For the time being, do NOT update to this version CWR and do NOT use Rom Manager to backup, flash ROMS, or restore backups because in order to perform these operations, CWR needs to be current. Links to how-to and alternate recovery images will follow after I've slept, drank some Jack, and further manipulated my mind into cooperating with reality.

Edit: Here's yer LINK

*Index:*

*1: Rooting your device.
2: What ROM is best for you?
3: Flashing a ROM
4: What radio will work with your ROM?
5: Flashing a radio
6: Flashing an RUU
7: Flashing a kernel
8: Facts about your battery and charging.
9: Titanium Backup-your friend and enemy.
10: Setting S-on/unrooting
11: Troubleshooting!
Useful references

Second Post: OC'ing and leak news*

[hide=1: Rooting your device.]
Rooting your device is not something that should be attempted because your buddy did it and you want to be cool like him. Every rooting guide or tool SHOULD state clearly that you're going to void your warranty and may also destroy your device in the process (a.k.a, "brick" it). Rooting an Android device is to attain superuser permissions to perform various administration level functions which have been deliberately locked out by the manufacturer to prevent you from stealing carrier services, removing software, and damaging the device. I would like to emphasize "damaging the device". 
If you're not rooted already, and you're aiming to, you're life has become easier. We used to do it though ADB, but jcase is endorsing Revolution, so I must deffer to him. For those interested in the "old fashioned" way, you may still find it HERE.

Please direct questions pertaining to the Revolution method to the thread in the development section. I've never used this method, so I'm not a good source of advice.

*To stock root users:*
*I highly advise NOT staying with the stock ROM after rooting. That is a VERY old RUU. Verizon is pushing updates automatically which WILL render your phone fairly useless until you remove the update files. To avoid this, use a custom ROM. Ideally, you SHOULD move to RUU 1.70 ASAP as it resolves many connectivity, power usage. and functionality issues. *
If for some strange reason antique firmware lights your fire and you're device has auto-updated to OTA 1.70 and entered something of a boot loop, THIS LINK has fixes for you.[/hide]

[hide=2: What ROM is best for you?]

You will never get more answers for any question than this question. What ROM is best for you is HIGHLY subjective and largely hinges on what you expect from your device. I'm going to ask, on behalf of all XDA members, that you DO NOT start a thread like "What ROM is best for me?" filled with requirements, presumptuously expecting an influx of polite and informative answers. Instead, please DO investigate things for yourself. Here's some helpful info to get you started down that path:

*Sense ROMs*: Sense ROMs are built from RUUs, either officially released or leaked. An RUU is the complete update file for a handset; including the bootloader, radio, and ROM. Currently, all Gingerbread Sense ROMs are based on leaked RUUs. Each RUU has a version number, for example 2.10.605.0. The higher the number, the newer it is. Newer is generally better. Devs will usually include the base RUU version number in their OP. I like to think of custom ROMs developed on a common base as a family of sorts. They're going to generally have some similarities. They can have major differences as well. Some things about them won't ever change though.
Sense ROMs come in many flavors; 2.1, 2.1/3.0 hybrid, 3.0. It's really hard to tell what you like until you play with some and get to know them.

*AOPS ROMs*: AOSP ROMs are not built from leaked or released RUUs. They are built upon code obtained through the Android Open Source Project and are custom built for the devices. HTC, and manufactures in general, don't support AOSP being developed for their device. As a result, AOSP devs basically have to figure it out for themselves which makes the ROMs much more experimental. These ROMs typically come out in 1 or more versions, usually identified by date of release if it's a final release version, or an RC (release candidate) version if it's still in beta testing. Think of the version number and RC/beta number like the RUU number of a Sense ROM. For instance, CM7.0.3 may have several release versions that are only very slightly different. Then you may have several CM7.1.0 Beta or RC candidates that may less stable, but being offered for real world use and user feed back. That's basically the picture for the dInc currently, not the Tbolt, so don't quote me. CM releases are generally going to all look and feel the same and carry the same group of features. OMFGB is going to be making a name for itself with different features and characteristics. You won't know which you like until you try them.[/hide]

[hide=3: Flashing a ROM]
There are 2 ways to flash a ROM, however I'm only going to explain one of them because the second method is not prefered by any dev I'm aware of. The method I'm describing is through ClockworkMod Recovery.

There will be instances where you will not need to wipe anything to update your ROM. Examples would be ROMs called "nightlies" and ROMs that are an evolution, such as CM7. Some ROMs will have a command in the updater script to wipe and/or format directories or partitions, so unless unpacking the ROM and editing the updater script sounds like fun, accept the fact it WILL wipe your device. BE SURE TO READ THE OP BEFORE FLASHING so you know whether it will wipe your device or not, whether you must manually wipe it, or if flashing over your current ROM is acceptable. IF wiping isn't desired or required, skip step 3.

*Step 1*: Download the ROM of your choice.

*Step 2*: Reboot into recovery. If this is your first ROM flash, remove the battery and re-insert it, then hold Vol-down while powering the device on. Do not release Vol-down until you see the white HTC screen. When the bootloader comes up, select "recovery".

*Step 3*: Wipe user data/factory restore. This will be an option on the main menu of ClockworkMod Recovery (CWM). Confirm the wipe. It's also wise to also format /system. This can be found under "mounts and storage". Select /system and confirm the format.

*Step 4*: Wipe the dalvik cache. This is done by selecting "Advanced", then "wipe dalvik cache". Again, confirm this action to complete it.

*Step 5*: Flashing your ROM. On the main menu you will be selecting "install zip from sdcard", then "choose zip on /sdcard". You'll then see a directory tree of your SD card. Assuming you haven't moved your downloaded ROM, you'll find it in "download". Select the ROM's zip file, confirm the flash, then sit back and wait. First boots on a new ROM are slow so be patient. The more you do this, the more comfortable you'll get with the whole process.[/hide]

[hide=4: What radio will work with your ROM?]
That's a pretty short answer... with some twists. If you're using ANY gingerbread Sense ROM, ANY "MR2" radio will work for you. If you're using Froyo, the answer gets a bit murky. If you're using AOSP, it gets even murkier. Allow me to explain....
Some Froyo builds based on older "MR1" bases have been ported to use newer "MR2" radios. Examples would be Eaton ROM, and BAMF 1.8.6. Some still use "MR1" radios, but they're slowly going extinct. Certain AOSP ROMs come in 2 versions, one for "MR1" radios, one for "MR2" radios. The bottom line is you MUST read the OP. Gingerbread Sense ROMs are the no-brainer. ALWAYS use "MR2" radios. 
A note about "MR" designations: "MR(fill in the blank)" really doesn't mean jack. They are numbers made up on the fly to make things easy to describe. A much better way to describe the radio version would be by the RUU it came from using the first 3 numbers of the RUU, such as "2.10" for the 2.10.605.1 RUU radio. I WISH this was the standard method of designation, but it's not.

The following is the most complete list of Tbolt radios I'm aware of. RADIOS 
This link is the CDMA and LTE radio packaged together: Adrynalyne's list

These are described THE RIGHT WAY, by the RUU of origination. Adrynalyn's list takes it one step further and describes "MR" version and release details. You will notice that there are actually 2 radios for each RUU number. This is because the radios have been parsed into individual CDMA and LTE radios. The common reference to "the radio" usually refers to the pair of radios from an RUU, so, in order to flash the "MR2" radio, you'd need to flash both the CDMA radio and the LTE radio. The advantage of this is you can mix and match radios depend on what works best for you, your area, and your device. For those not interested in the mix-n-match game, Adrynalyn's list packages the pair nice and neat for simple flashing.
That still leaves us with this whole "MR1/MR2/MRwhatever" quagmire of "what's it mean???" Short answer: MR1 radios are everything from RUU 1.68.605.3 and older, MR2 radios are anything from RUU 1.70.605.0 and newer.[/hide]

[hide=5: Flashing a radio]
Flashing a radio is done much differently than a ROM or a kernel. Instead of using CWM, you'll be doing this through the bootloader. The Tbolt bootloader only recognizes files named PG05IMG. Accordingly, any radio you flash will need to be named PG05IMG.zip. The radio you need will almost always be indicated on the thread for the ROM you're using. If you flash the ROM without the proper radio, you will NOT have any wireless functionality at all. *DO NOT PANIC*. Flashing back to a compatible ROM will restore functionality, as will updating the radio to the proper version. 
Edit: If you're using the radios from the listing provided above, you'll need to do this operation TWICE, once with the CDMA, once with the LTE radio, to have a complete version of a radio. Adrynalyn's radios are complete pairs.

From here you have 2 options. 1) Follow the guide provided in the radio listing, or 2) follow this guide. Option 1 is done through ADB. Option 2 is done solely on the device.

1: Download the required radio(s). 
2: Renaming it PG05IMG.zip and placing it on the root of your SD card. 
3:* CHECK THE MD5 SUM.**
4: Reboot into the bootloader
5: Select "bootloader"
6: The bootloader will automatically search for the update, then it will ask you if you wish to update. Vol-up approves the update, Vol-down declines it. You want to Vol-up to update it.
7: It will unpack and update the radios (or radio, if you're using the singles from the listing), then tell you to push "power" to reboot.
8: After rebooting, remember to remove or rename the radio so that if you need to hard boot into recovery, the bootloader won't find that file and attempt to update it instead of allowing you to move on to CWR.

***Flashing a bad radio can brick your device so it's important to check that MD5. I recommend only using radios from sources that provide MD5 sums for you to verify against. You can use an app from the market to check it, or you may do it through terminal emulator, assuming you have busybox. (Virtually all custom ROMs do, but stock/rooted ROMs don't.) The usual location of busybox is /system/xbin or /system/bin. Sometimes it's found at /local/data. Assuming it's at /system/xbin, your command will look like "/system/xbin/busybox md5sum /sdcard/pg05img.zip". After a moment, the MD5 for the file will appear and you can compare it to the posted MD5. Assuming they match, happy flashing! If they don't match, delete the file and re-download.

*Note about radio file management:* It can be a major inconvenience to leave a pg05img.zip file on the root of your SDcard if you need to boot into recovery.... like, it won't be happening. This is what I, and many others, do to manage multiple radio files on our devices. 
Rename them instead of deleting them. For instance, you just flashed the 2.10 CDMA radio, so now you've got this pg05img.zip file on your SDcard root. I would rename it something like "2.10_cdma_pg05img.zip" through a file browser as soon as the phone booted back up. Your hboot will ONLY look for files named "pg05img", not simply files with that in the name. What you'll eventually end up with is a quick and easy to understand listing of all your radios, pre-MD5 checked, ready to rename and flash at the drop of a hat. Renaming a file does NOT change it's MD5.[/hide]

[hide=6: Flashing an RUU]
I put this right after flashing a radio because the process is exactly the same. So is the need to check the MD5. An RUU will replace your radio, bootloader, and ROM so don't flash an RUU unless you know exactly what you're doing. In general, you should never need to do this unless you want to return to a completely stock device with S-Off. RUU's are UNMODIFIED firmware that ROMs are built on.[/hide]

[hide=7: Flashing a kernel]
Flashing a kernel is done exactly the same as flashing a ROM. In short, you're flashing a new boot image; either provided or created on the fly. The kernel is the guts of Android that interfaces software with hardware and can bring many advantages or disadvantages to the table, depending upon the software and hardware in question. Kernels for HTC devices come in 3 basic flavors: AOSP, Gingerbread with Sense, and Froyo with Sense. These are pretty obvious characteristics of a ROM and determining the kernel you need should be easy. That information can be found on your phone and on the ROM OP. Not all kernels are presently represented on XDA and at this time I will not be providing links to other sources. Let Google be your friend![/hide]

[hide=8: Facts about your battery]
Your HTC contains a variation of lithium-ion technology known as a lithium polymer battery. These are relatively long life batteries which are very resistant to "memory" effects and fluctuations in output voltage. They are the closest thing to ideal that technology provides at this point in time. There's much speculation and rumor floating about these interwebs concerning how they function and how they should be treated. Many of them are imaginative and WRONG. So, here's the real dirt.

*First, the BAD things to do with a Li-on battery:*
*Keeping it fully charged all the time or storing it longer than a week or so fully charged.
*Shorting it out. 
*Storing it for extended periods in a completely discharged state. 
*Getting it wet.
*Attempting to overcharge the battery.
*Attempting to overdischarge the battery
Here's why: These batteries can explode gloriously if contaminated with water. Shorting them out generates temperatures that can damage them and cause them to explode. Overcharging can do the same thing as shorting them out. Overdischarging them can permanently alter the components of the cells and render them garbage in very short order.

*Next, the GOOD things to do with a Li-on battery:*
*Charge the battery and use it.
*Keep it dry, just like the rest of the phone
*If you use multiple batteries, rotate through them so no particular battery is left stored fully charged for an extended period.
*Recharge completely dead batteries as soon as possible as this state my be the most destructive way to keep a battery in. Better yet, if you use multiple batteries, switch them out before it's completely dead. 
*Allow the phone or charger to charge the battery as it's designed to. Don't use modified kernels that attempt to trickle charge it. Don't waste your time "bump charging" it.
*Avoid consistently running your battery flat dead.
*If storing your battery for extended periods, run it down to approximately 35% before storing. This is the IDEAL storage charge state.
Here's the why: Li-on batteries have do not exhibit "charging memory" like old Ni-Cad batteries did. The use in running full charge in discharge cycles occasionally is strictly for the benefit of the phone's battery stats. Charging a the battery excites lithium compounds which in turn retain electrons in the shells of the lithium atom. This is due to lithium's volatility and is why it will react violently to moisture and can melt your skin off. Left fully discharged, those compounds are keen to create bonds that fill the void of left by the electrons that powered your device. Left fully charged, the compounds that retain the electrons that power your device can break down under the electron load. Eventually, both of these conditions take place and what's what ultimately ends your battery's useful life, but that degradation can be avoided with proper use. A charge of roughly 35% for long term storage is the optimum to avoid either of those conditions, and a cell in that state can be stored for years without appreciable degradation.

The three most power-hungry devices in your Tbolt are the screen, LTE radio, and CDMA radio, generally in that order. Memory use, as some might suggest, is NOT a significant drain on your battery, and therefore should be used as fully as possible to reduce the use of your forth largest consumer of power, the CPU. Task killers are a waste of time, space, and resources on your phone and have no legitimate use. They are the life support system for poorly designed apps that should have been aborted before birth. Practice software eugenics; keep only the best and most useful apps, delete the apps that abuse your system resources and connectivity. (Your phone doesn't really make convincing fart sounds anyways...)[/hide]

[hide=9: Titanuim Backup-your friend and enemy]
Perhaps you've wondered how you might backup all your odds and ends between ROM flashes? Well, the app you're looking for is called Titanium Backup. It comes in two flavors; free and premium. Free is all you really need. What this app will let you do is make full backups of your user app and data, and system apps and data. Sounds pretty groovy, huh? Now you can pick up on your Angry Birds right where you left off, ROM after ROM (Don't lie... we all play it, but don't always admit it.) Hold it right there...
This app is probably more advanced than your average joe needs it to be, and that can get you into trouble. And it's not perfect either. 
Generally, all user apps and data can be restored across OS's and platforms. When I moved from my dInc to my Tbolt, it was a breeze. Just had to shuffle a couple files from one SDcard to another and you're back in business. Where people run into issues with Titanium Backup is when they attempt to do a FULL restore. That includes system apps and data that are rarely the same and often not compatible from one ROM build to the next. If you're lucky you only end up with dead apps. If you're not lucky, you get to reflash your ROM and start from scratch. So, here's a few pointers to help avoid complications with Titanium Backup...

*Only use a batch restore operation on USER apps and data. NOT system data.
*Many say NEVER restore app or system data, however, they are wrong. Some system data is restorable, but I suggest manually going down the list and restoring rather than attempting a batch operation restore. The following is system data I KNOW to be stable..
-[User dict] and [user dict htc]. There are 2 keyboard/dictionary system data files that will snap back your dictionary as well as your keyboard settings.
-Bluetooth pairings. This USUALLY works, but not always.
-WiFi hotspots. This will help avoid having to re-enter secured hotspot keys and trusted hotspots to automatically log onto. 
-Internet/bookmarks. This will snap your bookmarks back. 
-Wallpaper/settings Gingerbread. This SHOULD work... I've never had problems with it.
*It's it's REAL important, make 2 backups of it. Titanium Backup is nice, but it lacks any kind of QoS and does junk out a backup from time to time. 
*Backup your SDcard elsewhere from time to time. It's not exactly unheard of in these days of ultra-low voltage and clock settings to corrupt an SDcard. If that's the only place you're data exists, that will be the LAST place your data existed.

Generally, if it's in Red, don't mess with it. If it's white, it SHOULD work, but there's no promise. Some versions of Wireless Tether, for instance, don't restore well from one ROM to another. Green items are system settings and are mostly good to go, but some make assumptions concerning the ROM that might not be true, such as the nature of the framework. Restore with caution. There are many help threads in Q&A regarding Titanium Backup. Please search those before posting. The problems with Ti-Backup have been few and fully explored and explained.[/hide]

[hide=10: Setting S-on/Unrooting]
Since there are 2 methods for setting S-Off/rooting your device, there are 2 methods to set S-On and unrooting.

If you used Revolution, follow THIS link.

If you used the jcase ADB method, follow THIS link.[/hide]

[hide=11: Troubleshooting!]
As was pointed out to me, there are problems that crop up that seem unexplained to the noob, and even some senior members, so I've decided to add *SECTION 10: Troubleshooting!*.

1: *"EEK! GADS!!! I flashed my first ROM and I have NO SERVICE!!!"* Step one: remember the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and "Don't panic". Your problem lies with the fact your stock radio doesn't work with your new ROM. Your fix will be to go up to Section 4, follow one of the links provided, then follow instructions provided in Section 5.

2: *"My phone keeps trying to update every time I boot into the bootloader!!! This HAS TO be VERY BAD!!!"* No... it's actually good because it means your phone is doing exactly what it's supposed to do. Computers have this uncanny will to do EXACTLY what they're told... And what you've told it, unwittingly, is that there's a new update for it. In other words, you've probably left a file on the root of your SDcard called "pg05img.zip". If you're phone still works, just go into your file explorer of choice and delete it or rename the file to ANYTHING except pg05img.zip. If your phone has gone kattywhampus (yes, that is MY technical term), then you'll be forced to remove the file be installing your SDcard in another device or SDcard adapter and deleting it using another device or computer.

3: *"My phone boots, but there's NOTHING but a background and it doesn't respond to any hard or soft buttons!* Did you just flash a kernel??? If so, what kind? Kernels come in 4 basic stripes and types; Froyo and Gingerbread, Sense and AOSP. Your fixes at this point are A) restore from your last nandroid backup, or B) find the correctly corresponding kernel type for your ROM and flash that just as you would any other kernel. Make sure to wipe dalvik when you do.

4: *"I've flashed like 4 ROMs in a row and I'm still having Force Closes on the system process/reboots! Is it bricked?"* No, my friend, you're phone is just fine. There's most likely just garbage left in /system which is usually not formatted in a "factory restore/wipe user data". The assumption is that the new ROM will completely overwrite /system, but that isn't always the case. Easy fix: do a manual /system format, then reflash the ROM. You may have heard some myth about wipe 3 times... I call it a myth because it IS a myth. Your phone and SDcard use NAND memory, not magnetic media like a platter or cassette tape. For an excellent explanation why multiple wipes is a waste of your time and useless, read THIS.

5:* "help i'm a noob rooted with revoltion clockwork none apps need root won't work help!"* This is NOT a question. It's not even a sentence. PLEASE form sentences and questions with words, not mindless run-ons that require the assistance of the Psychic Friends Network to decode. We want to help, so please do the following:
*Use complete sentences and terms. (You did NOT root with Revoltionary, it doesn't do that. It turns S-Off."
*Don't DEMAND answers or demand credentials of the answer giver. 
*Provide basic info: ROM, radio, kernel, other software or hardware at play.
Doing this will get you answers much faster.[/hide]

*Useful references:*
The Official Thunderbolt ROM & kernel Listing v3.0
The Thunderbolt Root User's Dictionary v1.0.1
You're battery may be lying to you...

If by some miracle my mindless, ill-constructed ramblings have helped you, slap that thanks button! Feel free to PM me with any questions or for clarity on anything covered here.

*Credits and thanks:*
Gu1dry: for his itemized radio thread.
Adrynalyne: for his HIGHLY organized and descriptive radio thread
MattBeyers: for his Root User's Dictionary
DemoManMLS: for Official Thunderbolt ROMs and Kernels listing (retired)
MyComputerDoctor: for continuing the R&K listing in the stead of DemoManMLS
Byrong: for his spiffy battery info thread.
jcase: for his ADB rooting guide.
Jaxidian: for helping with the neater reformat of the thread.


----------



## loonatik78

It's back....

For the slightly more advanced noob I present.....
*Intro to overclocking!*

*What is overclocking?*

Overclocking is making your CPU/system work at faster clock rates than it was designed/rated for.

*How do I overclock?*

Glad ya asked! But before I go into the how, I'd like to point out the dangers and why it's beneficial.

*Dangers:*
The risks involved in OC'ing are probably greater than rooting your device. The worst thing you can do is fry your phone. You might also render your ROM/kernel useless junk on your device that you might need to wipe and restore/reflash. You can also corrupt your SDcard. In the long term, it's possible to reduce your device's lifespan because of the extra heat, which, if high enough, can chemically alter the silicon the transistor gates are made of, thus destroying them. Higher voltages can also induce electron tunneling, a quantum mechanical effect where electrons "tunnel" through the silicon from one circuit trace to another. This can be highly damaging.

*Benefits:*
The benefits of OC'ing are a significantly faster device. I conjunction with an appropriate governor, you can actually save power while improving performance.

*Now, the "how-to":*
There are several valuable apps I recommend to add to your OC'ing arsenal. The most popular is SetCPU, which can be obtained for free by XDA members at THIS thread. Instructions for it's use are included in the app as well as the thread. This is a good app to start with for messing around with settings. It will also allow you to select governors and enter governor parameters. 
Incredicontrol is another useful tool you'll be interested in. It allows you to alter voltage settings for each clock step.
CPUspy is a very nice little app that provide you with time-in-state readings for every clock step. This will become useful if you're adjusting your governor. It will make evaluating your adjustments fast and easy. 
Finally, ScriptFusion by TwistedUmbrella is an excellent long term solution to implementing clock and voltage tweaks. It's a good idea to get that and use it once you know what settings will work.

I can't really give you a step 1, step 2, step 3 guide to this. It's just impossible because every device is different. Instead, I'll try to lay out some method, theory, and reason.

The theory is to push your CPU to run as close to it's limitations as possible before it becomes unstable. Due to the nature of SoC's (system on chip), there are several major components to consider. The core, which executes applications, as well as the GPU, are the most robust components. The least robust are memory, such as caches, and are the first to suffer the effects of overclocking. Be SURE to do a nandroid backup before tweaking settings!!!

The method I tend to use is to first feel out what the CPU is capable of handling at some conservative voltages. Generally, kernel devs set their voltages conservatively because they don't feel like dealing with the heat that comes from some nutjob frying their toy. SetCPU is a good tool for this because you can adjust settings and not have them implemented at boot so if you do crash your device, it will reboot back to stock clock limits. Most devices will be stable at 1.5 GHz at around 1325mv because the S2 Snapdragon is fabbed at the same 45nm scale as the MSM8660 dual-core S3 that powers the EVO 3D at 1.5GHz. If your device isn't stable at this speed, it's quite likely that your CPU isn't a good candidate for OC'ing and only modest increases should be expected.

So, at this point you should use SetCPU to push your clock frequency up until you're either happy with it or it becomes unstable. Don't be afraid of it becoming unstable, it's probably going to happen eventually. All it means is you've found your CPU's limits at that voltage. Your phone will reboot to stock, assuming you did NOT check "apply at boot", and you're back at square one. No harm, no foul.

At this point I recommend installing Incredicontrol or getting comfy with your terminal emulator or ADB shell. Through Incredicontrol, terminal, or ADB, take a look at your voltage table. Incredicontrol provides a nice GUI and is self-explanatory. To view your voltages through ADB shell or terminal, enter the following command:

cat /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu0/cpufreq/vdd_levels

Memorize, screen capture, or write these settings down for reference. We KNOW these voltages to be stable up to a point and serve as a good baseline. Most kernels have a maximum voltage they will allow. Modern Ziggy kernels are 1400mv.

For sake of explanation, we'll say your device goes unstable at 1.49GHz at 1250mv on the stock voltage table. At this point, push the voltage up by 25mv for that frequency to 1275. Then, try your 1.49GHz setting again. You can either run a benchmark stress test, use the stress test in SetCPU, or use the device as normal to verify if the new voltage setting is stable. Hopefully it is. If so, increasing the voltages above that frequency by 25mv may make them stable as well. It doesn't sound like a lot, but 25mv does make a difference. Eventually, you'll find a point where too much voltage makes the device unstable, and too little is unstable as well. That's about the point where you're risking damage to your device and I suggest backing down the frequency by about 100MHz and calling that your safe maximum.

Now, for the other end of the frequency specturm...
You have a maximum AND a minimum. Most often, the frequency and voltages for the minimum are set for stability, not power saving. Some kernels will run as low as 22MHz. Some functions, such as playing media with the screen off, will not function well at such slow speeds. Usually 122MHz will perform well. After finding the lowest frequency that works for you, try to adjust the voltages down as low as possible. Since your phone spends most of it's time down around these frequencies, modest, but real power savings can be realized.

*We've found the safe settings! Now what???*
Well, you can do things the easy way and just set SetCPU and Incredicontrol to enforce your settings on boot, but now you've got 2 apps that are constantly running and taking up resources, especially SetCPU. There is a better way. That's where ScriptFusion comes into play. ScriptFusion is basically a script that creates a script in the /system/etc/init.d directory where boot executed scripts reside. This method doesn't use any system resources beyond those already used to establish these settings. ScriptFusion is easy to use, but it's settings execute at boot, therefore, any mistakes cannot be easy fixed if they make the system unstable. That's why I suggest using it as a method of implementing final changes, not feeling out where your points of stability are.
Still another way is to write your own script. Simple Linux commands in a properly formatted text file get the job done. Many resources can be found to show you how to write these kinds of scripts. It's also possible to copy a script already on your device, modify it, and push it back to the device using the "adb push" command.

*Using a script:*
The following is the actual script I use with the setup described in my signature. It began with a speedtweak.sh script that I pulled and edited over time to suite my desires.



Code:


#!/system/bin/sh<br />
# Mode: extreme<br />
sysfile="/sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu0/cpufreq/vdd_levels"<br />
echo "184320 750" > $sysfile<br />
echo "245760 825" > $sysfile<br />
echo "368640 900" > $sysfile<br />
echo "768000 1000" > $sysfile<br />
echo "1024000 1100" > $sysfile<br />
echo "1222400 1125" > $sysfile<br />
echo "1408000 1175" > $sysfile<br />
echo "1600000 1375" > $sysfile<br />
echo 184320 > /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu0/cpufreq/scaling_min_freq<br />
echo 1600000 > /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu0/cpufreq/scaling_max_freq<br />
echo smartassV2 > /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu0/cpufreq/scaling_governor<br />
echo 65 > /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu0/cpufreq/smartass/max_cpu_load<br />
echo 10 > /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu0/cpufreq/smartass/min_cpu_load<br />
echo 184320 > /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu0/cpufreq/smartass/awake_ideal_freq<br />
echo 184320 > /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu0/cpufreq/smartass/sleep_ideal_freq<br />
echo 1600000 > /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu0/cpufreq/smartass/sleep_wakeup_freq<br />
#echo 480000 > /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu0/cpufreq/smartass/up_min_freq<br />
echo 3 > sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu0/cpufreq/smartass/sample_rate_jiffies<br />
echo 40 > /proc/sys/vm/swappiness<br />
echo cfq > /sys/block/mmcblk0/queue/scheduler<br />
echo 50 > /proc/sys/vm/vfs_cache_pressure<br />
echo "2560,4096,5632,10240,11776,14848" > /sys/module/lowmemorykiller/parameters/minfree<br />
echo 25 > /proc/sys/vm/dirty_ratio<br />
echo 30 > /proc/sys/vm/dirty_background_ratio<br />
echo 3000 > /proc/sys/vm/dirty_expire_centisecs<br />
echo 1 > /proc/sys/vm/oom_kill_allocating_task<br />
echo 0 > /proc/sys/vm/oom_dump_tasks<br />
echo 1 > /proc/sys/kernel/sched_compat_yield<br />
echo 250 > /sys/block/mmcblk0/queue/iosched/read_expire<br />
echo 256 > /sys/block/mmcblk0/queue/read_ahead_kb<br />
#echo "100,200,20000,20000,20000,25000" > /sys/module/lowmemorykiller/parameters/minfree<br />

Everything all the way down to [echo "1408000 1175" > $sysfile] as well as the freq_min and freq_max is generated by the script. Imoseyon's speedtweak.sh doesn't have a quick setting for running at 1.6GHz, so the settings for 1600000KHz were added by me. The parameters with "smartass" in them are there to modify the behavior of the governor. The echo lines going to /proc/sys/vm/* modify RAM and virtual memory use. The lines echoing commands to /sys/* modify memory use and other behaviors. The lines beginning with "#" are ignored.

You've got 2 options, write the script from scratch using an appropriate editor, or modify one already on the device. Why invent the wheel if you don't have to? Let's modify! Here's one method to do it:
1) Connect your Tbolt to your computer with debugging checked and in "charge only" mode.
2) Navigate to your ADB directory in a command prompt window as usual, then enter "adb pull /system/etc/init.d/01vdd_levels", without the quotes.
3) You'll notice a new file in your ADB directory called.... 01vdd_levels! Lets open it with a suitable editor. I use Vim because it's made for Linux and this purpose. Easier ways exist. 
4) From here you can make the edits you want to. Change a voltage, set your min or max freq, or adjust one of the many parameters of the governor you've chosen. A list of parameters for the active governor can be found using the following command: "ls /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu0/cpufreq/(name of governor)" This doesn't work on non-active governors. "echo" commands set a parameter, followed by the parameter value, followed by the parameter location. 
5) Once you've edited or created the parameters you want to run in the script, save it.
6) Go back to ADB. Enter "adb remount" to make /system writable. Enter "adb push 01vdd_levels /system/etc/init.d" to push the new file. It will automatically copy over the old file.
7) Now we have to set it's permissions. Enter "adb shell". That will take you to the command shell. Then enter "chmod 777 /system/etc/init.d/01vdd_levels". This permission level is higher than what it needs to be, but it will get the job done. 
8) Reboot by exiting out of adb shell. Enter "exit" in the shell until you're back at the DOS prompt. Then enter "adb reboot". Your device will reboot a moment later and all your script setting SHOULD be in place if you've done it right. You can check to see if that's the case using the "cat" command. An example would be:

cat /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu0/cpufreq/smartass/max_cpu_load

The result of that command should reflect the value you've entered in the script.

Another way of editing an already existent script: Our friend, Script Editor!
* You _might_ need to modify file permissions to edit a stock file. In terminal: chmod 777 /system/etc/init.d/_name_of_file_

1: Go to the market and install Script Editor.
2: Navigate to /system/etc/init.d/01vdd_levels and select it.
3: You'll get a window with all kinds of spiffy options. We want to edit. If you have a text editor or a file manager with and editor, it will ask you to select one.
4: Edit your script. Double check your values. Then save it.
5: At the file menu you saw before, select "Run". You'll get a terminal screen as the script runs. Once it's finished, exit out with the button at the top left. You're all done!

The reason for editing the script the way I've done, by adding in parameters for the governor, is to better manage how the governor performs. Some simply cut the balls of their device by setting clock settings low to save power. No need for that if your chosen governor is behaving the way you want. I find the settings I have for smartass keep spikes up to full clock speed to a minimum and saves even more power than just castrating the device because it's CHOOSING to run at slower freqs, not artificially limited to them. Therefore, under more modest loads, it's going to use more modest settings, not the max possible, even if it's a low max. Properly tweaked, you're device may rarely exceed factory clock speeds, but if need be, summoning 1.6GHz is possible. Obviously this method is more efficient than castrating your device.

If you're prone to using different governors, or you like to change you freq_min or freq_max settings, you may add additional data to the script with no ill effects. For instance, if I change to the interactiveX governor, I can simply add in more lines to alter that governor without removing the lines for the smartass. The parameters for the smartass simply won't be implemented because the path becomes invalid.

This is the leanest method of implementing kernel settings, and the most powerful. This script by no means is the limit to what you can do. What a script is able to do depends on the kernel features you're applying it to. It's possible with some kernels to alternate between governors based on conditions of the device. For me, this script gets the job done and that's all I care about.

A valuable note on scripts: There's an app called Script Manager that does an excellent job helping to manage, edit, and create scripts. With this app, it's possible to edit a script, save it, and execute it. It will also allow you to execute scripts on boot that aren't in /system/etc/init.d. If you're attempting to edit a script in the /system directory and it warns you that it's read-only, back out of the file edit functions, hit "menu", then "more", then "advanced options", and select "mount /system as RW" If scripts are your thing, this is a very handy app to have.

I hope someone finds this useful. If anyone has any input or suggestions, feel free to toss them out there.

*Gingerbread Leak News:*
I'm going to try to keep up with the leaks and first stock rooted ROM here. All radios for these leaks can be found at the link in *Section 4*.

The gingerbread leak 2.07.605.0 which became officially available from Chingy on 8/16/11 has been the base for Gingeritis 1.2x and Gingeritis3D v1.0 Beta 6 and 7 for over a month. 
8/19/2011: Leak RUU 2.10.605.1 has dropped. 
8/23/2011: Leak RUU 2.11.605.0 has arrived. DroidTh3ory has odexed and de-odexed versions of the stock ROM available.

I've removed the script link. The exact script I use is in the code widow above. Copy and paste into a suitable text editor like Vim and you're ready to roll.


----------



## Jaxidian

Some good info in here!


----------



## loonatik78

Jaxidian said:


> Some good info in here!


Thanks for the help on it. Looks great.


----------



## excaliber88

Great information, I learnt a few things. Thanks for taking time and writing this up.


----------



## loonatik78

excaliber88 said:


> Great information, I learnt a few things. Thanks for taking time and writing this up.


Thanks bro. I appreciate that.


----------



## skaforey

Absolutely fantastic guide! I learned a few things, especially from your in-depth battery write up.


----------



## loonatik78

Thanks man! I appreciate the positive feed back!


----------



## jweaks

_"ClockworkMod Recovery: The recent "5.x" update of ClockworkMod Recovery (CWR) has known issues. Particularly, it does not restore backups and will enter into a bootloop. For the time being, do NOT update to this version CWR and do NOT use Rom Manager to backup, flash ROMS, or restore backups because in order to perform these operations, CWR needs to be current."_

Waiting on a 'Bolt to arrive... what CWR should I use? 4?


----------



## loonatik78

jweaks said:


> _"ClockworkMod Recovery: The recent "5.x" update of ClockworkMod Recovery (CWR) has known issues. Particularly, it does not restore backups and will enter into a bootloop. For the time being, do NOT update to this version CWR and do NOT use Rom Manager to backup, flash ROMS, or restore backups because in order to perform these operations, CWR needs to be current."_
> 
> Waiting on a 'Bolt to arrive... what CWR should I use? 4?


There were problems with the 5.0.0.x versions. The latest versions, 5.0.1.x and higher seem to be problem free. You should be safe.


----------



## jweaks

Ah! Thank you!

So many radios, it's a bit confusing.

Thanks!


----------



## loonatik78

jweaks said:


> Ah! Thank you!
> 
> So many radios, it's a bit confusing.
> 
> Thanks!


That's why I used the listings I did. Very well laid out and pretty clear what they are. Glad I could help.


----------



## Rekoil

Thanks for the great info! This thread has been very helpful for someone who just fell to the dark side...

Quick question (I can't seem to find the answer anywhere), how do you install the patches that are provided with the ROMs? For example, I have BAMF Forever and would like to instal the visual VM patch, but I have not found a way to do this. My first attempt was to dl the patch and use ROM Manager to install (as a ROM). I learned quickly that that was not the correct method =D.

Any help would be appreciated and keep up the amazing work!!


----------



## loonatik78

Rekoil said:


> Thanks for the great info! This thread has been very helpful for someone who just fell to the dark side...
> 
> Quick question (I can't seem to find the answer anywhere), how do you install the patches that are provided with the ROMs? For example, I have BAMF Forever and would like to instal the visual VM patch, but I have not found a way to do this. My first attempt was to dl the patch and use ROM Manager to install (as a ROM). I learned quickly that that was not the correct method =D.
> 
> Any help would be appreciated and keep up the amazing work!!


Generally ROM Manager isn't a good tool to flash with. Try it through clockwork. It should work then.


----------



## Rekoil

So by that do you mean I use the CWR option "install zip from SD card" ? Sorry if its a dumb question, I'm new!!!


----------



## loonatik78

Rekoil said:


> So by that do you mean I use the CWR option "install zip from SD card" ? Sorry if its a dumb question, I'm new!!!


No dumb questions on this thread. This is exactly what it's for.

Yes, that's the option you want. Then it will show you a directory tree. Just locate and select the file, then confirm it. It should flash real fast.


----------



## Rekoil

So, same thing happened as the first time... I just got a perma white HTC screen and had to pull the battery out. I think I'll just find a 3rd party option for my VVM.

Either way, I appreciate the help!


----------



## loonatik78

Rekoil said:


> So, same thing happened as the first time... I just got a perma white HTC screen and had to pull the battery out. I think I'll just find a 3rd party option for my VVM.
> 
> Either way, I appreciate the help!


Google Voice is probably the most popular option for VVM. If you're looking to just get the VVM working, flashing up to the latest version of the ROM should fix that. Most of the new ones incorporate the fix in it or are based/patched up to the 2.11.605.5 base which fixes that too.


----------



## explamphibian

Just got another TBolt today and lots has changed in the last few months. Thanks for all the great information.


----------



## somesing

loonatik78: would you mind adding this link to your root method information for the users that have taken the latest OTA so that they don't have to downgrade to get root? Thanks for the guide!


----------



## neutronjeff

So, now that I'm rooted, do I use the SU app to give a file manager/explorer app "root access", or do I need to get a file manager/explorer app that specifies "root access"?

Thanks,


----------



## 0dBu

neutronjeff said:


> So, now that I'm rooted, do I use the SU app to give a file manager/explorer app "root access", or do I need to get a file manager/explorer app that specifies "root access"?
> 
> Thanks,


Some file explorers can't access root at all, buy Root Explorer, it's the best file explorer there is, very versatile, it's my can't live without app.

Sent from my ThunderBolt using Tapatalk 2


----------



## neutronjeff

Thanks for the recommendation. I was really hoping someone would post a little more info. I did get a root browser from the Play Store.


----------



## loonatik78

neutronjeff said:


> Thanks for the recommendation. I was really hoping someone would post a little more info. I did get a root browser from the Play Store.


ES File Manager and Script Manager both free and will run with root access and browse to /. I prefer ES.


----------



## yaya

Fantastic write-up loonatik78. Awesome stuff. Thanks for taking the time to document in a clear way. Loved the sprinkling of humor along the way.

Tapatalk HD plug
HTC Thunderbolt on Verizon


----------



## HTC Mike

So maybe a stupid question or just didn't find the answer but after a root and flash of a new Rom are any of the existing Verizon services still usable, for instance backup? I'm using Skyraider right now and when I click people then menu I have the option of backup but it doesn't work.

Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk 2


----------



## HTC Mike

Anyone?

Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk 2


----------

