questions before installing ROM

[mlegs]

hello. I am having some questions before I install a new ROM to my Nook Color. I've been lookin over more web pages but some of them write some steps to install a ROM but other websites show different steps to install it, and I don't know which one to trust because I don't want to break my nook color ... I will continue my research but here are some questions for which answers I haven't found yet.
My device has already been rooted with CM10 by someone else, I am completely noob in this process

So there goes:

1) the encore ROM files available on get.cm are made only for nook color?
2) can I downgrade to an older CM version afterwards, due to bad experience with it (ex: lag in applications...) ?
3) if I go to settings-apps and move all my applications to SD card will they still work after installing the new ROM ?
4) do I have to format the sd card that I put the zip ROM file on?
5) do I have to make a bootable sd card ?
6) is it recommended to format the system before I install the new ROM file? and how to do it ?
7) in recovery mode, wipe data/factory reset means complete FORMAT ?
8) do I have to install a kernel along with the ROM? I can see they are available for download separately from the ROM files

Thank you

 

[J515OP]

hello. I am having some questions before I install a new ROM to my Nook Color. I've been lookin over more web pages but some of them write some steps to install a ROM but other websites show different steps to install it, and I don't know which one to trust because I don't want to break my nook color ... I will continue my research but here are some questions for which answers I haven't found yet.
My device has already been rooted with CM10 by someone else, I am completely noob in this process

So there goes:

The good news is that if you already have a custom ROM on your Nook Color it makes changing it to another custom ROM that much easier. Even more good news is that it is very difficult to do anything to a Nook Color software wise that will break it. This makes it a great device for experimentation.

1) the encore ROM files available on get.cm are made only for nook color?

You can get the Nook Color (Encore) ROMs directly from CyanogenMod CyanogenMod Downloads.

2) can I downgrade to an older CM version afterwards, due to bad experience with it (ex: lag in applications...) ?

Yes, you can go backwards and forwards with ROMS. Using an older ROM is not an issue.

3) if I go to settings-apps and move all my applications to SD card will they still work after installing the new ROM ?

Most will but some apps can't run from an SD card.

4) do I have to format the sd card that I put the zip ROM file on?

No you don't have to format the card unless 1) it needs to be formatted anyway 2) you are trying to make a bootable card.

5) do I have to make a bootable sd card ?

No you don't have to. It isn't a bad idea to know how to make one or have one handy though if you are doing a lot of changing of ROMs or experimenting. You may need one need one for recovery purposes in that case but you can always make one at the time you need it.

6) is it recommended to format the system before I install the new ROM file? and how to do it ?

This depends. If you are switching to an entirely new ROM (say from CM7.2 to CM10.1) you should format first. If you are just updating from one nightly to another nightly CM10-20130429 to CM10-20130430 formatting is not necessary but you should always wipe the cache partition and dalvik cache. You can do this through recovery.

7) in recovery mode, wipe data/factory reset means complete FORMAT ?

Yes this is complete format. To be safe you should also still wipe the cache partition and dalvik cache.

8) do I have to install a kernel along with the ROM? I can see they are available for download separately from the ROM files

No you don't have to install a kernel separately. You can but this ins't recommended unless you want to play with kernels specifically.

JP

 

[mlegs]

Thank you J515OP, helpful, as usual
are you a developer ?

No you don't have to install a kernel separately. You can but this isn't recommended unless you want to play with kernels specifically.

Is there a way I can find out which kernel works the best for my nook color ? and How do I know which kernel works with nook color ? I mean, isn't there a risk not to boot anymore if I pick a wrong kernel file? And how can it work with 2 kernels (one that comes with CM 10.1 and the one that I install) ... I really need to boost this thing's speed because it lags a lot sometimes. If I just set the cpu at 1100 it becomes more stable but I wouldn't want to kill the cpu by leaving it at 1100 forever..
Thanks again and please excuse my noobness.

 

[J515OP]

I'm not a developer and was a noob once too I really wouldn't mess with the kernels if you just want a device to use. Most of the modern stable kernels are already wrapped into the ROMs and offer decent overclocking for performance. They also include governors so they don't run at max speed the whole time and shouldn't burn up your Nook. It is an older chip though so it does have limited performance. If you want to specifically get into kernels you will want to look here Nook Color Android Development - xda-developers.

JP

 

[mlegs]

so you think it's ok to set the cpu at 1100 and set it on "performance" and leave it like that forever ?

 

[J515OP]

I wouldn't use performance all the time but some do. I have a list of 8 options overall (varies by ROM) and am currently using interactive. Almost all governors have a provision for ramping up the speed as necessary and backing it down when not needed. You are probably over thinking this issue.

Android CPU governors explained - Android Forums

 

[mlegs]

OK.. I found a ROM that I really like It is ParanoidAndroid which I heard it should work on the nook color. If I want to flash it, do I have to follow all those complex steps like to complete format, make a bootable sd card etc. or can I simply flash it as if I would flash from CM10 to CM10.1 ?
Thank you so much

 

[J515OP]

1.Put the ROM and Google apps on an SD card as zip files and insert card into SD card slot.
2. If you have recovery installed (likely given you are using a custom ROM), boot into recovery (either by powering on and using the n button) or by selecting boot to recovery from ROM Manager.
3. Wipe data/factory restore.
4. Wipe cache partition.
5. Wipe dalvik cache.
6. Flash ROM.
7. Flash GApps.
8. Reboot.

 

[mlegs]

thanks I managed to do it, but all the applications that I moved to sd card aren't showing in the menu after installing the new rom. SHould I reinstall them?

 

[J515OP]

You can try using a file explorer to navigate to the APKs on the SD card and launch them that way and they may then show up in the app drawer. I don't recall. If not you might try an app like apps2sd to recognize there are apps on the SD card. Google has also changed supporting apps on the SD card several time so it may depend on the ROM's implementation of this particular point (how is the ROM mounting the SD card, internal, external, sd2, etc.).

 

[J515OP]

Oh and I'm glad to hear you were able to flash a custom ROM. Congrats!