Hi Steve!
To answer your questions:
Quote:
Originally Posted by stevesr0
1. This update file is a "golden" one, which means that it deletes everything and does a fresh install. Thus, you can start from any existing install and just apply it, without first flashing to a specific state (eg, dingo)?
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Yes, it should be able to install over anything, even a borked system (as long as the updating process is working and you don't have bad blocks in bad places as in vicinc's device case). The only caveat is that if you have a library on the SD card, it will recognize it and set the library to external. If you have a problem with that library, that will probably remain.
Quote:
Originally Posted by stevesr0
1a. I am especially interested in this question because I have a process (in addition to Google Talk authentication) that almost always force closes "spontaneously" shortly after bootup (the upload process).
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After applying this update, you should have a "fresh" Allmine system. I haven't seen a recurrent process crash in my device after the second reboot. In principle, everything should work, although some devices have problems with the Market.
Quote:
Originally Posted by stevesr0
2. Prior to wiping out the data files and apps added to the Pocket Edge, one should these up to an external medium. A backup of "Library" files has been routinely recommended, but shouldn't all files added to the PE that one wants to protect be backed up? If yes, are there any nonobvious "support" files that might be added in the course of installing apps that a noobie like myself might not think to make a copy of.
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Backup is always a good idea. I'm not sure what else to recommend backing up (I am also an Android noob, keep that in mind!), but Titanium Backup seems quite good for backing apps and settings.
Quote:
Originally Posted by stevesr0
2a. Is there a difference in doing a backup of the Library folder and making copies of the files inside it (or in other locations)? I note that the backup procedure yields .esi files and I assume that these are restorable to the original .pdfs or other non-esi format files?
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I haven't done a library backup yet, so I don't know how it works (I've spent most of the time hacking the upgrades so I haven't built up a sizeable library yet
). My impression is that if you copy the .edge directory where the library is (preserving all hidden files) it should work, but probably using the built-in backup is a bit more foolproof.
Quote:
Originally Posted by stevesr0
3. I don't have an Android phone or other device that is "normally" registerable in the market. I assume that some folks without a registered or -able) device HAVE successfully used this approach?
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Me neither, but I have been able to download and install apps from the market with this.
Quote:
Originally Posted by stevesr0
4. Pablob mentioned that in the /data directory there is a subdirectory /userdata. I don't have it on my Ermine'd PE. Is this added by the golden Allmine flash?
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Not a subdirectory. The flash is formated using the UBIFS (a flash filesystem designed for use on raw NAND flash), and this UBI filesystem has 4 volumes:
system, mounted on /system, where the system files reside.
userdata, mounted on /data, where the user apps reside.
cache, mounted on /cache, where (I guess) the system cache is held.
storage, mounted on /intstorage, where the library (if not in the SD card) resides.
So you won't have a "userdata" directory anywhere, it was just a confusion of labels.
I hope this has cleared things up, and I hope it works on your device!
Pablo.