Updating to 2.2 fr DUMMIES...HELP

[Aja]

Hi,
I'm hoping somebody can help me to understand some points on updating the S7 to 2.2.
I know much of this is probably in the posts, but I'm looking for sort of a dummy's answer to some basic questions.

1. Why update?
2. I Understand how to do the basic update with the SD card, but the flash part has to be updated separately? Exactly how is that done?
3. If I don't back up my S7 first, what data am I going to lose? Everything? Obviously I don't know how to back up my S7, and how to root it. Is it necessary to do all that or can I just update it?

Thank you for your help and your patience!!!!

 

[smartin]

Aja,

I'm no "power user." I have uninformed opinions, so take them with a grain of salt!! I can at least keep the conversation going! Here's my take:

1. "Why update?" Update if you need / want features on 2.2 or if you're looking for something to kill an evening. Personally, I really wanted flash capability, the room for additional apps on 2.2 (you could get this with work-arounds in 2.1, but I decided early to try to wait for 2.2), and a few apps that required 2.2 to work (Google-Docs and Zinio). IMO, if you're NOT into hacking around for fun as a hobby and you're content running 2.1, KEEP RUNNING 2.1!! Odds are, an official, user-friendly upgrade will be available this summer, and you'll be able to upgrade then without feeling like you're going to brick your device if you screw it up.

2. "How to get Flash?" With 2.2, Flash is just downloaded like any app @ the market. Easy.

3. "What's lost w/o backup, etc.." I don't know!! Well, I DO now know you won't have to re-purchase any apps you bought @ the Market as long as you can remember how to log back in!! Your apps are saved on some obscure hard drive @ Google HQ. You just re-register your device, and when you select your old apps @ Market, they'll show you've already purchased 'em. I had backed up my stuff with Titanium Backup. I'm still not sure exactly what that did or didn't do, but I do know that getting going again after upgrade to 2.2 wasn't a big deal.

Any experts care to chime in???

Steve

 

[Tom T]

Good advice, but one point - this is an official release from Huawei (Indonesia) and it just isn't going to get much easier or more user friendly than this.
I would definately back up both your sd cards before you start and once completed its going to be like starting fresh with a new device, you will have to re-install all your apps.

 

[pvella]

+1 for Titanium Backup. Very useful for backing up your levels in Angry Birds for example.

 

[Aja]

Thank you!

So.....

1. As far as the flash: will I just go to the market and search for "flash" or ??? Will I need anything else to install it? If,so, what?

2. Backing up sd cards... Just connecting to pc, mounting both cards and copying to folders?

I do want to do this for the flash, apps to sd AND because I understand it will fix the market "eternal pause" problem. Really annoying!

Thanks. You're all great and I LOVE my Huawei.

 

[pvella]

1. Yes, put flash in the search.
2. Yes, just copy the files. Personally I rarely do this, because I use a separate sdcard for the upgrade process, and then just put my old card back in when I am done. Most stuff on my card is not that important. Pictures and music are a copy of files that are stored elsewhere. My contacts and calendar are all backed up in my google account anyway.
3. Link2sd is available even on 2.1, but it works better on 2.2

 

[Aja]

Dear Masters.....

Grasshopper Aja (or Padua Aja if you prefer) has completed your task.

I have successfully upgraded to 2.2 and added the flash.

In case any other newbie types cross this thread, here are a few things I would say:
1. Overall it was very easy and went without any major hitches.
2. Whereas I searched for flash on the market earlier, it only showed up once I had done the update.
3. For some reason, I thought the Market would remember EVERYTHING I had downloaded. It didn't. Only those things I had purchased. However, for instance, once I had redownloaded the Kindle app, because all the books were on my SD card, it saw them right away once I had reregistered the app. (I WAS having trouble prior to the update with Market and having to uninstall updates)

So, My Android Masters.... THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH!!!!


Am I now ready for "ROOTING"???

BTW What ARE the benefits of rooting, if any, in my case?

 

[smartin]

Congrats on successfully upgrading!

As far as rooting, some software (and much "power-user software") requires root access--or sub-components that do--to install and work.
Titanium Backup is a very popular one.
I also wanted Zinio reader, and the only android port of that software also required root access.

Steve

 

[Tom T]

Am I now ready for "ROOTING"???

BTW What ARE the benefits of rooting, if any, in my case?

Titanium backup is a must of course and requires root, but as important is expanding your ability to install all the applications you want. Even with Froyo's ability to move apps to the sd card you will run out of internal app storage all too quickly. Personally I prefer link2sd, as pvella noted it works great on 2.2, and is relatively easy to deal with. There are other benefits, but these two alone make it worth the effort.