Root/ROM or destroy my TBolt

[snmemx]

Ok, I've decided that either I'm going to scream at Verizon and get something other than my TBolt or I'm going to have to root it and add a ROM that'll help the battery life. I know there's tons of discussion on here about the best/prettiest/best performing solution, but rather than go back through months of threads, I was hoping someone might be able to help me. Here are my questions:

1. What's the quickest/safest way to root the TBolt? (I'm running Android version 2.2.1 w software #1.70.605.0)
2. Can I run Gingerbread on this thing and if so, is it tough to install?
3. What ROM will improve the battery life without compromising performance? (will Gingerbread help at all?)

I'm running the GO Launcher EX and GO SMS and a handful of apps, but nothing too "racy". I'd love to use PDA net again (I used to use it all the time on my DX), especially since the last software update from Verizon disabled free wi-fi hotspot, but that's not critical.

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[porsche996]

You could root, and leave the stock software on there. Just add setCPU to underclock it while it's in sleep mode, and that should help out with the battery life a lot right off the bat. Just a thought.

 

[turdbogls]

agreed.
your best bet is to root and throw on the most basic ROM you can find. none of the sense 3.0 stuff, probably not cyanogenMOD. i would suggest stock MR2.5 OTA rooted and set up some set CPU profiles. turn off vibrations, turn off animations, use auto brightness, turn off GPS,Wifi, Bluetooth when not using it ect.
or you can try OMGB (AOSP gingerbread ROM with nothing fancy about it) however AOSP ROMs still have SOME issues but there are work arounds (main issue is GPS)

i am personally running CM7 with set CPU chugging along at 1.4GHZ while on, then set to 700mhz with screen off, and when below 30% and i get about 15 hours of pretty heavy use (lots of internet/maps/nav/30 min of calls/15 texts/gtalk/ emails/ and about an hour of games)

however, your best bet is to just buy an extra battery and external charger. best money i have ever spent. i bought the trexcell 1700 slim battery and a desktop dock for around $30. put the extra battery in the extera charging port, and when i know i will be away from a charger all day, i slip the battery into my pocket. when the one dies, pull it out, and put the new one in. back to 100%. best money i ever spent.

 

[snmemx]

Holy cow, 15hrs would be amazing! I've got a spare battery and charge it constantly. Where I have problems if I'm an event with my kids and want to take pics/video. I'll be at 100% when I come in, then after reading emails/surfing for 15-30min and taking 4-5 pics/videos, I'm down to 50% and dropping fast. I keep screen brightness at 25% most of the time, GPS, wifi and bluetooth off, and it still gets fried way too fast.

As I recall from my DX, if I root it, that won't change the ROM, correct? On my DX, I rooted and just removed bloatware. Also, is setCPU an app in the marketplace? A few last questions, do you have any suggestions for the best/safest root option for a Thunderbolt? And is CM7 a ROM? Your setup sounds great and I may just try to replicate that as a starting point...that way I know I'm not splicing a bunch of random solutions together.

Thanks!

agreed.
your best bet is to root and throw on the most basic ROM you can find. none of the sense 3.0 stuff, probably not cyanogenMOD. i would suggest stock MR2.5 OTA rooted and set up some set CPU profiles. turn off vibrations, turn off animations, use auto brightness, turn off GPS,Wifi, Bluetooth when not using it ect.
or you can try OMGB (AOSP gingerbread ROM with nothing fancy about it) however AOSP ROMs still have SOME issues but there are work arounds (main issue is GPS)

i am personally running CM7 with set CPU chugging along at 1.4GHZ while on, then set to 700mhz with screen off, and when below 30% and i get about 15 hours of pretty heavy use (lots of internet/maps/nav/30 min of calls/15 texts/gtalk/ emails/ and about an hour of games)

however, your best bet is to just buy an extra battery and external charger. best money i have ever spent. i bought the trexcell 1700 slim battery and a desktop dock for around $30. put the extra battery in the extera charging port, and when i know i will be away from a charger all day, i slip the battery into my pocket. when the one dies, pull it out, and put the new one in. back to 100%. best money i ever spent.

 

[porsche996]

New method to root the Thunderbolt. Doesn't require switching ROMS, large file downloads, or really anything more than a few minutes of your time. It does NOT wipe data, either:

UNREVOKED-the 5 minutes or less ROOT without data loss!!!

 

[snmemx]

Thanks! Trying it in a bit. Where do I get the HBOOT version #?

New method to root the Thunderbolt. Doesn't require switching ROMS, large file downloads, or really anything more than a few minutes of your time. It does NOT wipe data, either:

UNREVOKED-the 5 minutes or less ROOT without data loss!!!

 

[porsche996]

Thanks! Trying it in a bit. Where do I get the HBOOT version #?

When you go into HBOOT, it'll tell you the number, there.

 

[snmemx]

I've held down volume down and power button together repeatedly and in doesn't do anything. When I release the power button, it starts normally...that sound normal?

When you go into HBOOT, it'll tell you the number, there.

 

[snmemx]

Come to think of it, I just noticed that I have a copy of the revolution-0. 4pre4.zip in my download folder...it must've brought it down the first time I clicked on the link on your post. Do I need the HBOOT # if I've already got the zip file?

Thanks!

PS - Actually I just checked the post on your post on the other forum and it says it needs revolutionary-0.4pre3.zip...I've got revolutionary-0.4.pre4.zip...back to trying to figure out how to boot this stupid phone in HBOOT...

PPS-Never mind...had to disable fast boot. I'm 1.04.0000 and proceeding in a bit.

I've held down volume down and power button together repeatedly and in doesn't do anything. When I release the power button, it starts normally...that sound normal?

 

[snmemx]

Porsche996,

Hey, I"m not sure if you're online now, but I'm on step 9 and seem to be stuck...specifically, here's what you included in your step 9 instructions on the other forum:

Step 9) Form the HBOOT, scroll down to "Recovery" using the volume keys, and select using the power button. Yes, it seems sluggish...that's fine. Don't be impatient; it'll let you scroll at some point...

Everything was running fine, but I got to this step and it's not giving me the "Recovery" option. The only choices are bootloader, reboot, reboot bootloader, and power down.

If you're around, I'd really appreciate any advice you can provide.

Thanks.

New method to root the Thunderbolt. Doesn't require switching ROMS, large file downloads, or really anything more than a few minutes of your time. It does NOT wipe data, either:

UNREVOKED-the 5 minutes or less ROOT without data loss!!!

 

[porsche996]

Porsche996,

Hey, I"m not sure if you're online now, but I'm on step 9 and seem to be stuck...specifically, here's what you included in your step 9 instructions on the other forum:

Step 9) Form the HBOOT, scroll down to "Recovery" using the volume keys, and select using the power button. Yes, it seems sluggish...that's fine. Don't be impatient; it'll let you scroll at some point...

Everything was running fine, but I got to this step and it's not giving me the "Recovery" option. The only choices are bootloader, reboot, reboot bootloader, and power down.

If you're around, I'd really appreciate any advice you can provide.

Thanks.

When you go into HBOOT, does it say, "S-Off" at the top? Just trying to see if the revolution program worked right. If it doesn't say that, re-run the revolution program.

Also, you *may* have to do a battery pull and/or restart the phone, then go into HBOOT. I didn't, but there's a youtube video how-to that claims you need to do that.

 

[snmemx]

When you go into HBOOT, does it say, "S-Off" at the top? Just trying to see if the revolution program worked right. If it doesn't say that, re-run the revolution program.

Also, you *may* have to do a battery pull and/or restart the phone, then go into HBOOT. I didn't, but there's a youtube video how-to that claims you need to do that.

Thanks porsche996 - I ended up going onto the usergroup site linked in via the Revolution site last night...found out I needed to select Boot, which then brings up the menu with Recovery option. After install, I couldn't get the super user to run correctly so I went back into the usergroup this morning and found out there's a new SU zip file needed...I grabbed that off the usergroup, flashed it, and everything seems to be working well now.

I've run setCPU with a couple of profiles (screen off and low battery), rebooted the phone, and am charging it to 100% now...we'll see how it does the remainder of the day. It sure was nice to kill off a bunch of the bloatware junk they stick on these things!

Thanks again for your help! Hopefully they'll sticky your OP (the one I saw after you replied to mine late yesterday) - Evolution really looks like a great solution.