Need to learn about ROMs

[EXV]

just wanted to give a huge thanks to you all for the threads and posts on rooting the cliq. through extensive searching, i managed to root the phone using the z4root method. i tried the old adb method with the commands, but, while the phone had the rooted programs, it wasn't rooted itself.

anyways, my question is that i originally rooted the phone strictly to remove some of the default programs on it (telenav, amazonmp3, etc.) and install SetCPU. now i'm curious about ROMs. i've been trying to search with no luck to learn everything about them. are there any threads you recommend that will teach me about recoveries, ROMs, installation, how to revert back to a stock ROM, etc? I want to be able to revert back to stock Blur 2.1.5 if anything should go wrong.

[Double0EK]

If you rooted using z4root you can download Terminal Emulator from the Market (free app) and then go into the Cliq ROMs section and download j_r0dd's [RECOVERY]. You will have to read his thread about his recovery to get that working right. Well, after you have the recovery on your sdcard you can open up Terminal Emulator and type the following:

su

from here SuperUser will ask for permission = ALLOW
then type the following:

flash_image recovery /sdcard/'NameOfRecovery'.img

please note that do not put the apostraphies and to type in the file name of the recovery where I typed 'NameOfRecovery'....
anyway if it doesn't give you any errors then you are good to go
then type:

reboot recovery

this will take you into your new custom recovery on your phone...don't be alarmed your phone will shut off while it does this.
When your phone boots into recovery make a Nandroid Backup - use your Volume Up/Down keys to navigate and use your HOME key to select. Once you have backed up your phone then you can go to the next step of flashing a ROM. Go back to the Cliq ROMs section and read about ROMs. I'm using j_r0dds. 'TheOfficial 1.3.2 with OC & MT patch. Just do a little bit of reading to see what you like..
Once you decide which one you like then DownLoad it. Put it on the root of your sdcard, reboot into recovery, do a 'WIPE All' then Flash Zip from Sdcard. Wait until its done then reboot.
The first time you flash ANY ROM it will take upto 5-10mins..don't be alarmed its normal. Do your setup and fiddle around with what you like..Good Luck!

[EXV]

sweet! thanks for the help, but i do have a few questions:

If you rooted using z4root you can download Terminal Emulator from the Market (free app) and then go into the Cliq ROMs section and download j_r0dd's [RECOVERY]. You will have to read his thread about his recovery to get that
working right.

i'm just trying to learn more about RECOVERY itself. i'm assuming it will help create a backup of my current model version (OEM Blur 2.1.5) and all of its data? i created a backup of my contacts, apps, and date with titanium. does the custom recovery back up the whole system itself?

When your phone boots into recovery make a Nandroid Backup - use your Volume Up/Down keys to navigate and use your HOME key to select. Once you have backed up your phone then you can go to the next step of flashing a ROM.

is Nandroid usually included in the custom recovery or is that a program built in by Motorola OR from the rooting itself? i'm really sorry for the n00b questions, just trying to get a better understanding so i can learn.

Once you decide which one you like then DownLoad it. Put it on the root of your sdcard, reboot into recovery, do a 'WIPE All' then Flash Zip from Sdcard.

the wipe all will delete all of my data, correct? so would i restore using either the recovery, nandroid, or titanium?

also, if i install a ROM and i'm not liking it and i want to go back to my original Blur 2.1.5, how would i do so?

[Double0EK]

Well the custom recovery is a recovery menu. From there you can create a backup of your Current version that is on your phone. That is done from the Nandroid sub-menu. In that menu you can make the back up or restore you latest backup. The recovery menu is also needed to flash custom ROMs because the factory menu will not allow you to flash custom ROMs.
Doing a Wipe is necessary when flashing a differnt ROM. If you don't Wipe then multiple different problems can happen. After flashing a different rom you will either need to use Titanium Backup to restore the differnt apps apps that you DL but you will have to make a backup of them first from a previous build then DL Titanium again to restore them on your new ROM.
If you like the current Build you are on now then make a Nandroid Backup of it. It will save everything from that point and you can restore it if you don't like the New ROM you want to try. So on and so fourth..

[EXV]

Well the custom recovery is a recovery menu. From there you can create a backup of your Current version that is on your phone. That is done from the Nandroid sub-menu. In that menu you can make the back up or restore you latest backup. The recovery menu is also needed to flash custom ROMs because the factory menu will not allow you to flash custom ROMs.
Doing a Wipe is necessary when flashing a differnt ROM. If you don't Wipe then multiple different problems can happen. After flashing a different rom you will either need to use Titanium Backup to restore the differnt apps apps that you DL but you will have to make a backup of them first from a previous build then DL Titanium again to restore them on your new ROM.
If you like the current Build you are on now then make a Nandroid Backup of it. It will save everything from that point and you can restore it if you don't like the New ROM you want to try. So on and so fourth..

thank you so much for the help. i just installed a ROM and i'm excited for the new feel. only problem was that i backed up all my info in titanium backup but for some odd reason the backup was no longer on my SD card. weird, but i had also backed up the info on MyBackup Root as a precaution and i'm loading everything up from there instead. thanks again for the help and patience. you made this much easier then i expected