CM7 build 18 (3/13/2011) works wonderully.

[=X=]

So for some time I've been sporting nookie (Froyo 2.2). While it was a nice and stable versions there where some things that I did not like.

1) Was the speed, my fault really, I installed it on a Class 2 MicroSD card. But the speed was painful even with the overclocked kernel.
2) WI-FI kept on turning off every time my nook went to sleep.
3) Screen still was a bit flaky.


No one was the speed it was just too slow and I knew I had to install whatever OS on the flash. Since I've yet used the stock nook, I decided to install the OS on the Flash of the device.

After installing CM7 on the nook I must say this was just as easy as rooting the device. My prep time took about 2hrs, triple checking my work, downloading the right tools, and research. The actual process took ~15-20min. This includes making a backup of my stock nook OS.


The benefits.

1. Very responsive and fast. 2.3 is suppose to have improvements over 2.2, but I don't now if my speed improvements are due to installing to internal flash or a 2.3 vs 2.2.
2. Very consistent look and feel, more tablet like OS.
3. Touch screen is much improved.
4. More apps show up in the Market.
5. Better Battery life.
6. Bluetooth, working now the fix was to hard reset(hold power button down until the device turns off).
7. Can use 2.3 SIP features and Bluetooth device(with mic) to make VOIP calls.
8. Tablet features added to CM7 RC 4 Awesome!

I'm on my second day and I'm liking CM7 the most so far.
I've been using CM7 for a couple weeks now and I'm not going back! CM7 makes the nook feel like a real tablet

=X=

[kmack]

Hummm... You say that WiFi is now working on CM7?

I went back to Autonooter 3.0 on 1.1 after fighting with WiFi issues on CM7 builds 8 thru 12. I may have to head over to XDA to do a little research.

[leedr]

Ditto on this build working great. The only issue I had was the 4th partition not showing up/being way too small, so I had to power off, pull the card out, extend the partition using a partition manager, then follow some instructions to update the /etc/vold.fstab file via ADB. After that, I have 2+GB of "sd card" space on my 4GB card running the CM7 build. Bluetooth works, market works (after pushing those packages over via ADB), everything is fast (except for the Nook Android app, which is kind of sluggish), and it looks really polished.

[leedr]

Originally Posted by kmack

Hummm... You say that WiFi is now working on CM7?

I went back to Autonooter 3.0 on 1.1 after fighting with WiFi issues on CM7 builds 8 thru 12. I may have to head over to XDA to do a little research.

WiFi works, but is a little slow/range not as good as 1.1 autonootered.

[=X=]

Originally Posted by kmack

Hummm... You say that WiFi is now working on CM7?

I went back to Autonooter 3.0 on 1.1 after fighting with WiFi issues on CM7 builds 8 thru 12. I may have to head over to XDA to do a little research.

Yes it work quite well

Originally Posted by leedr

WiFi works, but is a little slow/range not as good as 1.1 autonootered.

I do see the status icon shows weak signals, but when you go into the WI-FI settings page the signal strength does show up fine. I'm not sure how to measure signal strength on WI-FI but I've not experienced any issues, speed wise or connectivity.

The BT headset for me however is another story. I can get my BT headset to connect but the range is about 8". Not real piratical

[=X=]

Originally Posted by leedr

Ditto on this build working great. The only issue I had was the 4th partition not showing up/being way too small, so I had to power off, pull the card out, extend the partition using a partition manager, then follow some instructions to update the /etc/vold.fstab file via ADB. After that, I have 2+GB of "sd card" space on my 4GB card running the CM7 build. Bluetooth works, market works (after pushing those packages over via ADB), everything is fast (except for the Nook Android app, which is kind of sluggish), and it looks really polished.

I followed this process "[HOW-TO] Install CM7 (Gingerbread) to Internal Memory (eMMC) (BLUETOOTH!)". There was no ADB involved, I just created a bootable microSD card and copied the packages I wanted to install. During the boot process I installed, Google apps, Gingerbread, and the Overclocked Kernel. And that was it. It was easy and no additional work, well aside from logging on after the restart.

The one thing I do notice is that the rest of the internal memory is stored in "/mnt/emmc" partition. I would have liked to see this on the root or system level, but at least I have access to the memory.

=X=

[Ken Stuart]

Originally Posted by leedr

Ditto on this build working great. The only issue I had was the 4th partition not showing up/being way too small, so I had to power off, pull the card out, extend the partition using a partition manager, then follow some instructions to update the /etc/vold.fstab file via ADB. After that, I have 2+GB of "sd card" space on my 4GB card running the CM7 build. Bluetooth works, market works (after pushing those packages over via ADB), everything is fast (except for the Nook Android app, which is kind of sluggish), and it looks really polished.

You are referring to the CM7 build that boots off the card, and OP is referring to CM7 on the eMMC (built-in flash).

I am also running the CM7 off the card build, and I echo what the OP has said. I am now using this as my "daily driver" until B&N updates to 2.2 or else Google releases Honeycomb AOSP.

[=X=]

Video Hardware acceleration (DSP) has been added to CM7.

Wow there has been a fury of work on the CM7 nook build of late. In the last few days they have added toolbar changes to make CM7 work better on tablet devices and have fixed video hardware acceleration.

I'm currently running the latest CM7 with the overclock patch and the Tablet fix and everthing is running smooth as butter. I'm hoping the next thing they tackle is the BlueTooth range issue.

[Sethman]

Originally Posted by =X=

Video Hardware acceleration (DSP) has been added to CM7.

Wow there has been a fury of work on the CM7 nook build of late. In the last few days they have added toolbar changes to make CM7 work better on tablet devices and have fixed video hardware acceleration.

I'm currently running the latest CM7 with the overclock patch and the Tablet fix and everthing is running smooth as butter. I'm hoping the next thing they tackle is the BlueTooth range issue.

Is there a site or links that take you through the whole process from beginning to end as if you just got a brand new nook? It's my understanding you 1st have to install Clockwork, make backups even before doing CM7.

I've been looking around at different sites, but it's a patchwork of different things assuming you already did something before hand. I guess that's why up till now I've just used the autonooter. I took my Nook back to stock waiting for the B&N update, but if CM7 has all that and more I just might forget about the update, if it's not too complicated and I don't have to search all over the place picking up a little here and a little there.

Thanks,

Seth

[=X=]

Yes all threads lead to XDA

However Android Central tends to do a good job of re-writing the instructions on XDA to make them easier to understand.

I'd like to mention that while many of the steps look intimidating, the actual process is very easy. I was nervous at first, but after the first time installing CM7, I realized it was very easy to install and only took me minutes.

Good luck, have fun and keep us posted.

Here is the link I used:
Reload this Page [HOW-TO] Install CM7 Release Candidate (Gingerbread) to Internal Memory (eMMC)


What you need is 1 microSD card 4GB or bigger.

If you are a bit timid I would recommend you get two microSD card. One to upgrade whenever you get an upgrade and the other to use as storage(some apps require an SD Card to work).

MAKE SURE TO check the MD5 of every file you download! if you have an error downloading the file and you flash the nook with a corrupt image you are going to have problems with the install.

NOTE TO BOOT INTO RECOVER MODE, after you make the bootable microSD card hold the "nook" button and press the power on.


DON'T READ PAST THIS POINT!
Okay since you didn't listen I'll confuse you more

As of Clockwork 3.0.1.0 one can upgrade the NookColor w/o a microSD card. The problem is image provided in the links above are built with an earlier version so you have to manually update to 3.0.1. Since you are installing CM7 for the first time you can do the update then. Just find the zip file (link to instructions here) apply the zip before you apply the CM7 ROM. From this point on all you have to do is drop the CM7 ROM zips to the SDCard and boot into recovery mode.

If you upgrade to CWR 3.0.1.0 you will not need two microSD cards.

=X=

[Sethman]

Thanks for the detailed reply. I looked at those sites and I'm still confused.

Would I start out with CWR 3.0.1.0, since I'm starting from scratch? Also I've read that CWR removes the Nook's programming. What if I want to return to a stock Nook?

The 1st site you listed has 14 steps listed in blue. Then there is another section installing from EMMC, whatever that is.

Even though this might seem simple I'm still not sure of the order, let alone the jargon used.

Thanks for your patience.

[=X=]

Originally Posted by Sethman

Thanks for the detailed reply. I looked at those sites and I'm still confused.

I see the problem. These steps tell one “HOW-TO” but not really “WHY”.
In short what these steps do is create a bootable micoSD card (like a bootable floppy in the old DOS/Mac days). Once we have a bootable microSD card we now use that card to install CM7 or anything else you wish to install. The one step I noticed is often missing. Is the instruction to place the downloaded zip files in the root of the directory of the bootable microSD card.

Originally Posted by Sethman

Would I start out with CWR 3.0.1.0, since I'm starting from scratch?

I don’t think so, I believe the link takes you to a zip file that has CWR 3.0.0.6. BUT all you have to do to upgrade to CWR 3.0.1.0 is download that file and follow the instructions form here

[RECOVERY] Official CWM 3.0.1.0 Update

. The first post is a Q&A format jump down to the section that says “Q: This manual stuff is hard. Can't CWM just update itself?” That is the step you need to follow to upgrade to CWR 3.0.1.0. It is very easy to do I recommend doing this first.

Originally Posted by Sethman

Also I've read that CWR removes the Nook's programming. What if I want to return to a stock Nook?

Jump to this link and go to the middle of the post in the link I provided below. There is the instructions on how to backup the default OS and how to restore it.
xda-developers - View Single Post - [USER] CM7 General Discussion thread

Originally Posted by Sethman

The 1st site you listed has 14 steps listed in blue.
Then there is another section installing from EMMC,

The 14 steps are a concatenation of the link I provide above, in the first step the author refers you back to the original poster. These steps assume you have no clue what you’re doing and have nothing prepared but the hardware needed. ( PC, nook, microUSB cable, microSD card, and an microSD card reader to format you micorSD card from the PC—going through the nook will not work)
The EMMC steps listed below the 14 steps assume you already have the bootable microSD card or CWR 3.0.1.0 installed on your device.

The post in xda link by “faceman” gives a very detailed step on how to backup, ROM, and restore your nook. Many sites have reposted his steps because they are so good, detailed and well written. However they are also the most intimidating and difficult to understand because of the jaron.

=X=

[Sethman]

OK reading the posts it says not to do this with a stock Nook.

Does this mean I need to root it 1st with the autonooter? And then follow the instructions?

Seth

[jasoraso]

Just wanted to report on my recent installation of CM7:

I recently received a new NC (had a hardware problem with the screen on my old NC).
The NC came with 1.1 installed.

I used autonooter 3.0 to root. Worked great.

I downloaded Clockwork Rom Manager from the Market. I clicked "install clockwork recovery". I was asked if I had Nook Color or Nook Color (old). I selected Nook Color and it installed CWR 3.0.1.0. I then reboot the NC to make sure the installation was good. (I had heard reports that this solved any issues of boot loops with Autonooter 3.)

From the dual-boot thread on XDA, I downloaded the "dual-boot prep" and the "move Eclair to dual boot" and from the CM7 MOD thread I downloaded the most recent build and the CM7 gapps zip files to my SD card and then used Rom Manager to select "reboot to recovery".

In CWR 3.0.1.0; I "installed from SD card" the dual-boot prep; then the move Eclair (which is the stock rooted rom) to dual boot. This meant I now had 2 installations of Eclair (stock rooted rom). I then followed the installation instructions for CM7 (format system/cache/data) and installed from SD card the CM7 build and then the CM7 gapps.

I then selected REBOOT and BAM, I am now dual-booting with CM7 on the primary (default) boot; and the alternate boot (selected by holding the N button while powering on the NC) is my rooted stock ROM.

I have subsequently used CWR to flash the new Dalingrin OC kernel for CM7 (that is the benefit of have the CM7 on the primary "partition" is that I can use CWR to flash updates w/o needed to wait for them to be modified for dualboot.

WOW, CM7 is working great!!!!!

For the rare occasions I still need the stock, I can easily reboot into Eclair. The only time I anticipate doing this is when my 4 year old wants me to read to her at night ... as the nook kids books still don't work on the Nook android app

[=X=]

Originally Posted by Sethman

OK reading the posts it says not to do this with a stock Nook.

Does this mean I need to root it 1st with the autonooter? And then follow the instructions?

Seth

IDK Seth, I've heard several reports that they installed Froyo/CM7 w/o rooting and it worked. Since we are talking about modifying boot sectors and all I see no reason why one has to root the device.

However I must admit I had rooted my device since the first week. So when I decided to go with an eMMC install I was already rooted.

To play it safe I would root using autonooter, the process only adds a few steps and most are repeats of installing CM7 on eMMC.

Also if you are nervious about installing on the eMMC card you can always install on a microSD card.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/show....php?t=1000957

BTW here is the Nook Dev Color Portal link that contains all of the information I've provided in a central spot (link)

@jasoraso: Dual boot, sweet. I chose to pull a Cortez and burned my ship. There is no going back for me .