SGS2 + CM9: How to export/backup an app/apk from phone

The last Google Play Store installed manually was v3.7.13. Today, noticed that it has already been updated automatically to v3.7.15. It can also be downloaded from here.

Now to create a backup, in case I need to perform a full clean/wipe,
1. Launch ES File Explorer.
2. Press Menu button. Select Manager.
3. Select App Manager.
4. Long-press on Google Play Store. Select Backup.
5. Popup will appear stating Google Play Store_3.7.15.apk was backed up successfully (/sdcard/backups/apps/). Couldn't remember whether I'd set the path previously or not :P

Backed up apps will be highlighted in green?

It's really there!

SGS2 + CM9: Restore Angry Birds Rio (Data only) using Titanium Backup

CM9 RC2 has been running smoothly for the past week. Also, playing Angry Birds seem to be much smoother than when I first flashed CM9 back in April.

Now to restore Angry Birds Rio (data only),
1. Installed Angry Birds Rio via Google Play Store a few days back (but never launched).
2. Copied the following 3 files to /sdcard/TitaniumBackup

• com.rovio.angrybirdsrio-20120424-190008.properties
• com.rovio.angrybirdsrio-20120424-190008.tar.gz
• com.rovio.angrybirdsrio-b9a2a5eef39ab02cf19ee494b5b5d9b7.apk.gz

3. Launch Titanium Backup.
4. Select Backup/Restore (top of screen).
5. Select Angry Birds 1.4.4 (logo shows Rio).
6. Select Restore.
7. Select Data only.
8. Reboot (just to be on the safe side).
9. Launch Angry Birds Rio.

SGS2 + CM9: Performance Benchmark

1. CM9 RC2.
2. Stock CM9 kernel.

Findings:
1. SD card write/read speeds seem to be increasing with each Antutu run.
2. Score decreases with each run in Quadrant. Could be attributed to the temperature? 31 degrees only though.

Antutu Run #1

Antutu Run #2

Antutu Run #3

Quadrant Run #1

Quadrant Run #2

Quadrant Run #3

SGS2 + CM9: Battery Life (Endurance)

1. CM9 RC2.
2. Stock CM9 kernel.
3. LPX modem.

Screen time

Wi-Fi time

Cell standby time

Android OS time

SGS2 + CM9: Battery Life (Overnight)

1. CM9 RC2 (20120719).
2. CM9 Stock kernel.
3. Wifi/MobileData off.
4. Use 2G only networks.
5. I9100XXLPX modem.

SGS2 + CM9: Flash RC2 Build

CM9 RC2 was released on 19th July 2012


1. Create backup using ROM Manager.

2. Download cm-9.0.0-RC2-galaxys2.zip

3. Verify MD5 checksum ee62fd69d305d8af79e65cd7c8bdd459.

4. Reboot into CWM Recovery.

5. Flash cm-9.0.0-RC2-galaxys2.zip

6. Wipe cache partition.

7. Advanced > Wipe Dalvik Cache.

8. Reboot.

SGS2 + CM9: Flash 20120718 Build

1. Create backup using ROM Manager.

2. Download cm-9-20120718-NIGHTLY-galaxys2.zip via browser.

3. Verify MD5 checksum 726f573ae5e46d79a25d4488edd2b6b7.

4. Reboot into CWM Recovery.

5. Flash cm-9-20120718-NIGHTLY-galaxys2.zip

6. Wipe cache partition.

7. Advanced > Wipe Dalvik Cache.

8. Reboot.

Burst mode now available, albeit between intervals of around 1s. Fast Burst Camera is much faster.

(had to disable "Power Shutter" in order to take this screenshot)

SGS2 + CM9: Flash 20120712 Build

Almost flashed 20120711, when I checked the downloads page and found that 20120712 was out!

20120709 was running fine, but i wanted a feature that was introduced in cm-9-20120709-EXPERIMENTAL-galaxys2-VOLUMEDROPFIX-LUXRANGE.zip. In fact, this feature was available since the Gingerbread days of the Galaxy S2 (stock ROM).

• galaxys2/i777: configurable touchkey backlight timeout

Steps:

1. Create backup using ROM Manager.

2. Download cm-9-20120712-NIGHTLY-galaxys2.zip via browser.

3. Verify MD5 checksum 945d28a85ed02f0ecdccdaf57cd97db4.

4. Reboot into CWM Recovery.

5. Flash cm-9-20120712-NIGHTLY-galaxys2.zip

6. Wipe cache partition.

7. Advanced > Wipe Dalvik Cache.

8. Reboot.

Verified!

 About Phone #1

 About Phone #2

Settings > Advanced > Sensors

IIRC, Stock Samsung ROM has default of 1.5s

SGS2 + CM9: Use only 2G networks

The mobile signal strength is pretty weak in my area. In my previous post (in the History Details screen), Mobile network signal is anything but GREEN. I usually get 0-2 bars in the signal strength indicator on top of the screen.

Then I recalled back to the days of using the Nokia E72, when I had the option of disabling "Dual Band" and choosing "GSM Only" (if i remembered correctly, this was a long time ago).

CM9 has this option to "Use only 2G networks", which will actually use EDGE instead of 3G/HSPA (whatever that shit's called). I now get full 4 bars and a GREEN bill of health! Strong signal means better battery life.

Settings > Wireless & Networks > More... > Mobile Networks

There's a power widget (Toggle 2G/3G)

Settings > System > Notification drawer > Widget Buttons

Same screen > Scroll down > "Network modes" (self explanatory)

Settings > System > Notification drawer > Widget button order

Toggle 2G/3G/2G+3G via widget button!

Go Green...

SGS2 + CM9: How to Screen Capture / Screenshot

Back in the days of using Samsung's stock ROM for the Galaxy S2, one can take a screenshot using the combo keys (Home + Power). I find myself locking the screen instead in some of my attempts.

In CM9, there are 2 ways to take a screen capture:

1. In the Power menu (long press Power button), there's an option (pretty obvious).
2. Long press (Vol Down + Power) buttons. Using the first method, it won't be possible to take both screenshots below. Source: here

SGS2 + CM9: Gmail Sync Not Working (Outgoing)

Read some emails in my phone this morning, then logged into web Gmail and noticed that those supposedly read email are still unread (as in bolded). Enabled/Disabled sync but still the same. Only outgoing sync wasn't working (delete email in phone but not reflected in the web version). Other Google Apps (Contacts, Calendar) seemed fine.

1. Flashed gapps-ics-20120429-signed.zip; Why? Because I started out with 20120422, and the recommended version is 20120317. Didn't work though, outgoing Gmail sync still isn't working.
2. Tried sending emails out and it gets stuck in the Outbox. What the heck is that about?
3. Since A LOT of issues can basically be solved by clearing/wiping/deleting something, I'd give it a try too.
4. Go to Settings > Apps > Gmail
5. Click on Clear cache, followed by Clear data
6. Run Gmail again, and outgoing sync is working again!

P.S. My next move would have been to reinstall Gmail again. LOL

SGS2 + CM9: Remove Yellow Triangle using Old Bootloader and USB Jig

Couldn't stand having the yellow triangle during boot.

1. Download GT-I9100_OLD_BOOTLOADER.7z from XDA here.
2. Extract GT-I9100_OLD_BOOTLOADER.tar.md5
3. Reboot into Download mode (long press Power Button > Reboot > Download).
4. Kill following Windows processes via Task Manager.

• KiesPDLR.exe
• KiesTrayAgent.exe

5. Connect phone to PC via USB cable.
6. Start Odin3-v1.85
7. Click on Bootloader button and select GT-I9100_OLD_BOOTLOADER.tar.md5
8. Click Start. Once done, it will display a "PASS!" message.

9. Phone will auto reboot.
10. Unplug USB cable.
11. Power-off phone.
12. Insert USB Jig. If successful, "ERASING DOWNLOAD INFORMATION SUCCEEDED" will be displayed.
13. Remove USB Jig.
14. Long press power button to shutdown.
15. Long press power button to boot/start phone.
16. No more yellow triangle!

SGS2 + CM9: Flash 20120709 Build

Faced my first soft brick today. I would never ever use Siyah Kernel with ROM Manager again!

1. Create backup via ROM Manager. BIGGEST MISTAKE EVER! Apparently I shouldn't be using ROM Manager with Siyah (which comes with the CWM app). Phone shut down and all attempts to revive it proved futile. No doubt, it's a soft brick! Screen only flickers with a white screen every few seconds. Unable to bring up recovery mode (Vol Up + Home + Power).
2. Tried (Vol Down + Home + Power) and able to bring up Download mode.
3. Downloaded CM9 Resurrection Edition (cm-9-20120420-ODIN-galaxys2.tar.md5)
4. Plugged in USB cable.
5. Killed both Windows processes related to Kies (Odin doesn't play well with Kies).
5. Started Odin3 v1.85
6. Click on PDA, selected cm-9-20120420-ODIN-galaxys2.tar.md5, clicked Start.
7. Phone rebooted with the yellow triangle.
8. Manual reboot into recovery
9. Restored backup from 30th June 2012 (prior to flashing Siyah Kernel).
10. Tried using USB Jig to get rid of the yellow triangle, but it doesn't seem to work anymore. Looks like CM9 Resurrection Edition came with ICS bootloaders? Aw, man!

Now, the usual steps to upgrade CM9 to the latest nightly + latest modem:

1. Copied cm-9-20120709-NIGHTLY-galaxys2.zip to internal SD card.
2. Verified MD5 sum b70209f77b0d2a550c348c33b73b7851
3. Reboot into CWM Recovery.
4. install zip from sdcard > choose zip from internal sdcard
5. Choose cm-9-20120709-NIGHTLY-galaxys2.zip and confirm.
6. Wipe cache partition.
7. Advanced > Wipe Dalvik Cache.
8. Reboot.
9. Reboot into CWM Recovery, again.
10. Flashed LPX modem. CM9 Resurrection Edition only came with LPQ modem.
11. Reboot.