Jonas
Member
My goal for this thread is to help out the people on this forums who are new to the Droid 2 Global, either as a phone user, as a hacker, or as someone who is just having questions/issues. This is a community based project, so I would like all of the community members to help me write this. If you see something wrong, or would like to contribute, please post on here, or PM me! Thanks guys!
Before you read this, please understand I accept NO responsibility if you cause the downfall of mankind, ruin your phone, or stab your local VZW rep because of something you read on this FAQ. I am only one person collecting ideas that have generally been accepted as correct by the DroidForums community. With that said, I do love helping people, but I do not take responsibility for anything YOU do to YOUR phone based on my ADVICE.
Before you read this, please understand I accept NO responsibility if you cause the downfall of mankind, ruin your phone, or stab your local VZW rep because of something you read on this FAQ. I am only one person collecting ideas that have generally been accepted as correct by the DroidForums community. With that said, I do love helping people, but I do not take responsibility for anything YOU do to YOUR phone based on my ADVICE.
A note to the new user; if you do not use common sense, act rude, don't use the search button, or just out right demand answers with no effort, you will probably not enjoy your experience here. If you make educated guesses, use Google, and are respectful to people trying to help you, there is no end to the wealth of information this forum and its members can contribute to you.
Frequently used terms and abbreviations:
DF: DroidFroums, in reference to the site. (droidforums.net)
GB: Gingerbread
SBF: Standard Binary File (See what is SBF?)
D2G: Droid 2 Global
OS: Operating System
Bricked: Likened your phone to a brick by breaking it (See what does "Bricked" mean?)
ROM: Read Only Memory, also considered a custom OS on your phone
Flashing: The process of installing a ROM or SBF file to your phone
CWR: Clockwork Mod Recovery (What is ClockworkMod Recovery, what does it do, why do I need it?)
Push: To move a file to your phone, usually done through Command Prompt
CM7: This is a popular ROM called CyanogenMod v7
Native Apps: These are apps that came installed on your phone that are necessary for it to function. (The exact opposite of Bloatware)
Cache: For lack of better words, imagine this as a box that all your settings and memory from apps is kept in.
OTA: Over The Air (See "What does OTA mean?")
Battery Pull: This means to remove the back cover and pull out your battery (See "Why battery pulls work!")
Toggle: This means to change from one setting to another.
Notification Bar: The bar that runs across the top of your screen. You can pull it down to see all your notifications.
Bloatware: This is anything that is loaded on your phone by the carrier thats not essential to the phones operation, generally considered not needed, and causing the phone to be bloated. Verizon is particularly bad about Bloatware. (This is the exact opposite of Native Apps)
Deodex: APK have all their application packages put back together in one place, allowing for easy modification such as theming. (See "What do Deodex and Odex mean?")
Odex: APKs contain certain .odex files whose supposed function is to save space (See "What do Deodex and Odex mean?")
ICS: Ice Cream Sandwich (See "What is Ice Cream Sandwich?")
Lockscreen: The screen that comes up when you wake your phone, and you have to drag the lock over.
More Common Terms: http://simply-android.wikia.com/wiki/Dictionary
What is Froyo?:
Froyo is Android 2.2. This is the OS your phone (the Droid 2 Global) came with. It is currently out-dated, and Gingerbread is currently used as stock right now.
Android 2.2 (Froyo) features | ZDNet
What is Gingerbread?:
Gingerbread is currently considered the stock version of Android OS as of 10-28. It is Android OS 2.3.
http://blogs.computerworld.com/17479...ingerbread_faq
What is Ice Cream Sandwich?
Ice Cream Sandwich is Android 4.0. This Has not offically been released for the D2G yet, but there are rumors that it MIGHT be in the near future.
http://www.techradar.com/news/mobil...m-sandwich-everything-you-need-to-know-954464
What does OTA mean?
This is when Verizon sends out their Official update of the software. The reason it is called OTA, or Over The Air, is because it's done over the air, essentially, they send your phone the update over their service, and the phone installs it. OTA is often used in reference to the Official Update Verizon sent out, so it's not modified by anyone in anyway.
What do Deodex and Odex mean?
Deodex and Odex are basically how the .apk file is formatted. Deodex allows for more themeing, and allows the font, text color, and functionality to be changed, where as Odex is very straight forward, and harder to work with. Thats the most simple explanation I can give you. If you want to know more, click the link below. (Could use a check on this, as I really am not good at explaining this to people)
What Is Odex And Deodex In Android [Complete Guide]
What does Rooting mean?:
Rooting your phone gives you Admin privileges, or "rights" to your phone. This means you have access to files and settings you would not normally have on your phone. Since iPhones and iPods have become so popular, if you know what "jailbreaking" and iPhone is, it's a very similar concept. The down side of rooting is this WILL void your warranty, and you will have access to files that your phone must have to run. So deleting these could be harmful to your phone. So always look around, and do some searching before you do any tinkering.
Here is a great write-up by phamous on what rooting is and how it works:
THIS IS WHAT ROOT MEANS (stop asking)root-means-stop-asking.html
What does "Bricked" mean?
Bricked means you have done something to your phone to disrupt the functionality of the software. Either you have corrupted some of the software, or you have deleted a system app, or done something harmful to the health of your phone. The most common fix for a "bricked" phone is to do an SBF flash (see "What does SBF mean?").
What is a Factory reset, and how do I do one?
A factory reset will do just what it says. Reset your phone back to factory stock. This means it will delete any user-installed apps, and clean out your cache. One thing I want to point out is that even though you are going to have your apps uninstalled, your gmail account is linked into your market, so when you finish this, and log back in, your phone should just start re downloading all of your apps. Below are instructions typed up by MidgetGiraffe on how to do a factory Reset on both Froyo and Gingerbread. Yes they are different.
"Froyo (2.4.330)
1. Hold the power button down and press "power down"
2. When the phone is off hold the letter x and the power button at the same time for about 2 seconds after the white motorola m. pops up.
3. When you see the green android and the triangle with the ! Comes up press the magnifying glass on the physical keyboard and a menu should come up.
4. Use the volume buttons to navigate the menu and the camera key to select things and navigate to "wipe data/factory reset" and select it with the camera key
Gingerbread (4.5.607/ 4.5.608)
1. Hold the power button down and press "power down"
2. When the phone is off hold the letter x and the power button at the same time for about 2 seconds after the red motorola M pops up.
3. When you see the green android and the triangle with the ! Comes up press both the up and down volume buttons at the same time and the secret menu should come up.
4. Use the volume keys to navigate but the enter key(the one with the arrow above the ok key) to select things and navigate to "wipe data/factory reset" and select it with the enter key. You may also use the power button to select with."
1. Hold the power button down and press "power down"
2. When the phone is off hold the letter x and the power button at the same time for about 2 seconds after the white motorola m. pops up.
3. When you see the green android and the triangle with the ! Comes up press the magnifying glass on the physical keyboard and a menu should come up.
4. Use the volume buttons to navigate the menu and the camera key to select things and navigate to "wipe data/factory reset" and select it with the camera key
Gingerbread (4.5.607/ 4.5.608)
1. Hold the power button down and press "power down"
2. When the phone is off hold the letter x and the power button at the same time for about 2 seconds after the red motorola M pops up.
3. When you see the green android and the triangle with the ! Comes up press both the up and down volume buttons at the same time and the secret menu should come up.
4. Use the volume keys to navigate but the enter key(the one with the arrow above the ok key) to select things and navigate to "wipe data/factory reset" and select it with the enter key. You may also use the power button to select with."
Side note: To clear the cache, follow the directions for your respective OS, but instead of selecting "wipe data/factory reset", select "wipe cache partition". Note: You will NOT lose any data from wiping your cache.
Stock Recovery is the Recovery version sent with the phone used to do a factory reset, Wipe cache partition, apply update from SDcard, or reboot the phone. I covered Factory Reset and Wiping the cache in the section above, but applying the update from SDcard means your phone will find a file called "update.zip" and install it. This is used when you have an OTA update and you need to instal it. It should not be done unless you know what you are doing.
What is bootstrapping?
Bootstrapping allows you to Boot into Clockwork Recovery and flash ROMs. You wont need this unless you plan on flashing ROMs.
What is ClockworkMod Recovery, what does it do, and why do I need it?
This is a very large subject, so I will try to summarize it for you. ClockWorkMod Recovery is used to Flash ROMs on your phone, back-up your current ROM, factory reset, wipe cache, and restore back-ups. It can do more, but these are just the basics. Unless you need to flash a ROM, you wont need this on your phone. In order to Get into Clockwork Mod Recovery, you will need to Bootstrap your phone, and then Flash the recovery onto your phone. There is so much more to CWR, but this is just the very basic summary. If you want to know more, Check the link below. You will need full root access to Flash ROMs also.
What Is ClockworkMod Recovery And How To Use It On Android [Complete Guide]
What does SBF mean?
To the best of my knowledge, SBF stands for Standard Binary File. But for the sake of being simple, lets think of it as standing for Stock Back-up File, since thats really what it is. And SBF file will reset your phone back to how it was when you opened up the box and took it out. This is often used when you have "bricked" your phone. Let me be clear though, this is NOT a guaranteed fix, I don't care what anyone says. This will usually fix anything you have done to your phone, and it quite simple to do. If you are going to try your hand at hacking, or flashing ROMs, I highly suggest you familiarize yourself with this process, because I am willing to bet you will need to use it at least once if not quite a few times.
Here is a fantastic write up by Xplorer4x4 on how to SBF your D2G back to stock, with links included for the files you will need. This guy knows what he is talking about, and this Guide will get you what you need.
http://www.droidforums.net/forum/droid-2-global-hacks/147264-official-2-4-330-d2g-sbf-tbh.html
What is bootloader and how do I get to it?
Bootloader is the loader in the phone that allows the phone to be SBF'ed back into stock mode. To get into this mode, you will need to pull the battery out , and replace it, and hold down the UP arrow while you turn on the phone. This will load directly into Bootloader, and will NOT show the motorola Logo, or the Boot animation.
Whats the Difference between Factory Reset and SBF?
A factory reset will not undo any changes you may have made to *system* files (presumably while you were rooted). So if you have deleted files that you need to receive an update, or otherwise messed things up(!) a factory reset is not enough. Your options generally are:
a) get the files or system from a backup that you made (you did do a backup didn't you!)
b) get copies of the files from someone with a stock phone,
c) do an SBF.
For other issues, when you cannot find a more specific solution, people will recommend first doing a factory reset, and if that doesn't fix the issue, do an SBF. But always look for a specific solution first.
Written by Silver6054
What is Airplane Mode, and how do I toggle it?:
Airplane Mode - This mode disables all signal output. You cannot use text messaging, phone calls, or anything having to do with data usage. Functions such as media (music, photos, camera, etc.) are still usable. Toggling (turning on and off) this mode can sometimes help if you're having issues with your cell phone service. To toggle this, go to Settings>Wireless&network>Airplane Mode. You will know you are in Airplane Mode as you will see a small airplane in your notification bar in the top right hand corner of the phone.
Airplane mode - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Thanks to xcodybx for this writeup!
Why Battery Pulls work!:
Doing a battery pull is more effective than restarting your phone! It sounds like it would do the same thing, but when you actually pull the battery out, and cut all supply of power to the phone it actually does a more thorough reset, and can actually help a lot. this should only be done when the phone is unresponsive, and nothing else is working. This should NOT be done because you think the phone is running slow, or during any kind of flashing process. You could cause permanent damage to your phone, and possibly brick it.
Thanks xcodybx for pointing this out for me!
My phone is running slow, what should I do?
This is usually caused by an over full cache, or a corrupted app or some kind, or sometimes your phone just has a slow day, and needs a helping hand. The best way to fix this is to do a Cache wipe (see "What is a factory reset, and how do I do one?") If that doesn't clear it up, go ahead and do a factory reset.
What is a ROM, and why should I void my warranty and risk ruining my phone for it?
To start with, ROM stands for Read Only Memory. So it's like a book for your phone. Check that, it's more like an instruction manual. It tells your phone how to do everything it needs to do to function. From how to display information, to how to use the battery life, and everything else. Let me be very clear before I go farther. Between rooting your phone, and flashing a ROM, you WILL void your phones warranty. But this can be undone with an SBF. So don't flip your noodle too hard. So why should you risk all of this just to put something you have no idea about on your phone that works just fine right now? Well here are some of the main features of a ROM. ROMs generally have most to all of the bloatware removed from the phone. Meaning less annoying icons you wouldn't be using anyway. This also means less apps running in the background, meaning a faster phone. This also means an improved battery life. For most people thats the main reason for flashing a ROM. The other main reason, and my personal reason is the customization. You can change your lockscreen, change the font your phone uses, change the icons for your battery, and much much more. For arguments sake, most of these things can be done without having a ROM, and you will only need ample coding knowledge, but adding a ROM makes things exceedingly easier. For more on what a ROM does, look at this write up.
http://www.androidpolice.com/2010/05/01/custom-roms-for-android-explained-and-why-you-want-them/
What ROM is the best?
If a had a quarter for every time I have seen this posted on here, I'd be pre-ordering the Nexus tomorrow... This question is like asking what car is best for you. No one but you knows what you like in a phone. And typing it all up isn't going to help much. I highly suggest going to google, and doing a little research. The only thing I cannot stress enough is that Droid 2 and Droid 2 Global ROMs are NOT interchangeable. I will state as a fact and without bias, that CM7 is the most widely used ROM on the D2G. It's very user friendly, and easy to understand. I personally use Liberty, but there are other ROMs such as Liquid Smooth, Hexen, and others. Each ROM has their benefits and bugs, so read up on what each one does well and pick which one seems to fit you the best. You can always switch to another if you don't like it.
What is *228, and why do I care?
*228 basically updates your location. Thats the most simple explaination I can give. Basically the way your phone works is by bouncing it's signal off the closest towers. If you are running around trying to bounce a signal off a tower thats too far away, you will get a pretty bad connection. This is pretty easy to do, you just dial *228, and there should be prompts you need to follow, and your phone should program itself. This is NOT to be confused with an OS update, and will not affect any apps or user data. If you want to be really techie, dial *22899, and this will bypass the prompts, and just auto program it! This can be done at least once a month, to make sure that your phone is updated with new cell towers in your area, but is not necessary. Sometimes it can help your signal strength and other times it will have no affect. It just depends on if your carrier has gained any new access to cell towers around your location. If you plan on traveling outside of your normal area of service, this could help prevent any dead zones.
Thanks to xcodybx for his help on this topic, and thanks to silver6054 for his clarification! Also thanks to themib for his addition!
How to fix a Bootloop with ADB:
If you dont know what this is, don't bother with it, it's more for the hackers who want a fix for a tough bootloop. This is a quote from Revnumbers, I don't use it, so I cannot verify it, but Revnumbers has his ducks in a row 11 times out of 10, so I would trust it.
"On a computer with adb installed, navigate to your android-sdk's platform tools folder or whichever location adb is found in via command prompt. Of course, this is for folks who know a thing or two about command prompt.
Run this:
adb shell "echo 1 > /data/.recovery_mode; sync;"
adb reboot"
Thanks to Revnumbers for this
Tips on being a good forum member:
Use the search button! Chances are, if you are having a problem, someone else has already had this problem, and they have asked your question. And if it's a problem with an update from Verizon, count on about 10 new threads popping up asking the same question within the day. If you search to best of your extent, and you still cannot find the answer that best suits your situation, only then should a new thread be made.
Be respectful, read the post all the way through, and don't use foul language. You will almost always get better results when you humble yourself and are polite. Even if someone is short with you, try to be kind.
Read, read, read. Chances are if you aren't having this problem yet, you might in the future. If the thread has over 1,000 views, it's probably worth taking the time to atleast glance at. An informed user is better than an ignorant one.
If you don't understand something, please ask before you try it. It's better to see a thread asking if the SBF file is correct than asking how to fix a bricked phone because the SBF file was wrong.
Use common sense. If it seems obvious, it's probably right.
Try to be exact. It's very hard to guess whats going on with your phone. The more precise you are, the easier it is to diagnose what the problem might be.
Helpful Sites:Be respectful, read the post all the way through, and don't use foul language. You will almost always get better results when you humble yourself and are polite. Even if someone is short with you, try to be kind.
Read, read, read. Chances are if you aren't having this problem yet, you might in the future. If the thread has over 1,000 views, it's probably worth taking the time to atleast glance at. An informed user is better than an ignorant one.
If you don't understand something, please ask before you try it. It's better to see a thread asking if the SBF file is correct than asking how to fix a bricked phone because the SBF file was wrong.
Use common sense. If it seems obvious, it's probably right.
Try to be exact. It's very hard to guess whats going on with your phone. The more precise you are, the easier it is to diagnose what the problem might be.
Android & Windows Phone: Tablets, Apps, & ROMs @ xda-developers
Android Forums
Android News, Apps, Games, Phones, Tablets - Android Police
Android Central | Android Forums, News, and Help
https://supportforums.motorola.com/c...?view=overview
Android Phone
Droid Life: A Droid Community Blog - All about Android and the DROID lineup of phones, Rooting, Apps, Reviews and Videos.
CyanogenMod | Android Community Rom based on Gingerbread
Android
http://rootzwiki.com/index
A Great Wiki Written By Gasai Yuno
The DROID Wiki
Here is the Droid Forums app. Great to have!:
https://market.android.com/details?i...activity&hl=en
Alright guys, this is my FAQ thread. Please be nice, and keep the comments constructive. Please feel free to let me know of anything you think should be added, if anything is wrong, misspelled, or the wording is hard to understand. I hope this has helped some of you guys, and hopefully we can get this stickied!
Credit:
I'd like to thank these guys for helping me with this thread in one way or another!
Gasai Yuno
MidgetGiraffe
phamous
Revnumbers
Silver6054
themib
xcodybx
Xplorer4x4
x13thAngelx
And the MANY members of DF that I have learned so much from!
P.S. If this helped you, please like it, by clicking like in the bottom right hand corner of the screen. It would mean a lot to me. Or post up in a reply that I helped you. Thanks!
Change log: (For Giggles)
12-8: Added Revnumbers ADB trick, and fixed a gramatical error. Also added my, "It wasn't my fault" clause to the beginning. Added an explanation of what a ROM is.
11-10: Added ICS and touched up some wordings.
11-9: Added Difference between Factory Reset and SBF. Also Added to the *228 section. Added Bootloader, Stock Recovery, and CWR. Added Rootzwiki to helpful sites.
11-8: Added Deodex and Odex, added More Common Terms, and Fixed Spelling errors. Added G.Y.'s Wiki, and Fixed that annoying issue with the scrolling!
