Cell phone flashing and flexing

[Neejay]

Anyone here ever flashed or flexed their phone? Im thinking about doing it, but I have no idea what to expect after its done. I know its supposed to fix some bugs and possibly upgrade the phone, but the cons were something like making some menus/features disabled and slightly different menu icons.

I wish I could get some screen shots or something.

[Rex]

You might wanna look at the "hands free" thread in Inf Gen and send an email to szhosain, he works for a cell company. He may have some "real" insight.

[MetaOrbit]

http://www.howardforums.com will likely have all the answers to your questions.

[szh]

Anyone here ever flashed or flexed their phone? Im thinking about doing it, but I have no idea what to expect after its done. I know its supposed to fix some bugs and possibly upgrade the phone, but the cons were something like making some menus/features disabled and slightly different menu icons.

I wish I could get some screen shots or something.

BTW, I am not sure what you mean by "flexing" a phone. I have never heard of this term!

"Flashing" means writing or updating the firmware (i.e., the software) inside the phone. This is done by [re]writing the programs into the "flash memory" in the phone - usually through the serial port in the bottom. Hence, "flashing" has become a verb!

As an aside, flash memory is used rather than random access memory (or RAM) since it retains its memory contents in the event of power loss (like when you replace the battery or turn the phone off, etc.)

The process of flashing is not generally a problem per se. You would do it to get the latest rev of the phone firmware, for example to add a new feature or to fix a bug of some sort. Recently, my LG VX4500 handset that I use, developed a problem and it needed the latest firmware loaded to fix it. The Verizon store rep did it for me in about 20 minutes.

Note that updating such firmware often means that some things in the phone change visible to you ... depending on the amount of difference between what you currently have in the phone and the later software. So, yeah, some menus may be different, some icons may be different, some features may work differently, etc., etc., etc. So, whether you should flash a phone or not depends on why you want/need to do it.

By the way, you will (very likely) erase all of your own stored info (like phone numbers in directories and the like), so you should either write it all down somewhere or use appropriate phone interface software (if you have it - like the programs from Smith Micro and others!) to record all your personal info.

Hope this answered what you were asking about. If not, please ask again!

Z

[szh]

http://www.howardforums.com will likely have all the answers to your questions.

An interesting site! I will have to check it out some more. Thanks for the link!

Z

[Neejay]

An interesting site! I will have to check it out some more. Thanks for the link!

Z

I actually just flashed and flexed my phone last night from a v300 to a v600. I had my phonenumbers stored on my SIM, so I didnt lose any of them. Flexing is when you change the software (if Im not mistaken). Everything went off without a hitch and the only thing that really changed was that I cant hold down 1 to call voicemail.

[IvoryJ30t]

no such thing as "flexing"

flashing is when you change the phones software [operating system]

[Neejay]

no such thing as "flexing"

flashing is when you change the phones software [operating system]

http://coma.fsb.hr/motorola/fi....html

http://www.howardforums.com/sh...74334

[IvoryJ30t]

the actual upgrading of the software is flashing.

maybe they call it flexing because your upgrading the firmware?

the only phones that use the term flexing are motorola phones.

[Neejay]

the actual upgrading of the software is flashing.

maybe they call it flexing because your upgrading the firmware?

the only phones that use the term flexing are motorola phones.

hmm...well I know I used two different programs and one was for flashing and the other was for "flexing" (2 different files, 2 different effects on the phone).

When I flashed, it was still considered a motorola v300 with the #1 still for voicemail, when I "flexed" it was considered a motorola v600 and the #1 was for something totally different...

[IvoryJ30t]

thats weird. maybe there are two different ic's, one for the OS and one for the software, and they use flash and flex to differentiate between them?

[Neejay]

thats weird. maybe there are two different ic's, one for the OS and one for the software, and they use flash and flex to differentiate between them?

Bingo, thats it. I couldnt remember the exact definition of flex (didnt feel like researching the definiton, Im sick). Yeah, one is the OS and the other one is for the software.

[szh]

I had my phonenumbers stored on my SIM, so I didnt lose any of them.

Good point! GSM phones keep the user numbers in the SIM, not the ME. Makes it easier to update the phone firmware without messing things up.

Quote »Everything went off without a hitch and the only thing that really changed was that I cant hold down 1 to call voicemail.[/quote]This might be a speed-dial capability that needs to be re-enabled - probably went away when the firmware was updated. On my LG phone, "1" automatically goes to voice-mail and I program the others I want. But, to enable this function, there is a global setting accessible via the menu system.

Z

[szh]

Interesting! I had never heard of the term "flexing" used in this context before ... I guess I do not always keep up with the latest jargon!

Z

[maxnix]

HoFo can be a real mismash, especially if you have a Smartphone, PPC Phone, or a Palm Phone as the forums are divided by providers and manufacturers without regard to model of phone. Why I like http://www.pdaphonehome.com and http://www.smartphonethoughts.com.

So flex is updating the PRL? Even that is a flash of EPROM.

[szh]

So flex is updating the PRL? Even that is a flash of EPROM.

Oh! If that is all that "flexing" does, then that is pretty silly to do from the serial port. In CDMA land, the PRL updates and in GSM land, the PLMN Roaming List updates are way more easily done over the air!

And yes, it is also a "flash" of flash memory - whether in the phone in CDMA or in the SIM in GSM.

Z

[Rex]

I was lost right after my post saying Z could help, but I'm glad to see some real discussion going on about phones, I think I'm learning something .

[Neejay]

Oh! If that is all that "flexing" does, then that is pretty silly to do from the serial port. In CDMA land, the PRL updates and in GSM land, the PLMN Roaming List updates are way more easily done over the air!

And yes, it is also a "flash" of flash memory - whether in the phone in CDMA or in the SIM in GSM.

Z

If it matters, I did it through USB. Your cell phone talk is confusing

I was lost right after my post saying Z could help, but I'm glad to see some real discussion going on about phones, I think I'm learning something .

Yeah, Im kinda lost as well.

[szh]

If it matters, I did it through USB. Your cell phone talk is confusing

Sorry about that - I do not mean to be confusing. USB is also a serial data connection ... just way faster than the "traditional" serial port on older PC systems. In my post, I meant the "serial port" on the phone, since that is not a USB connector.

Quote »Yeah, Im kinda lost as well.[/quote]My apologies ... I do not mean to get people lost. Frankly, it can be a lot more esoteric than what I said. I try to provide information that is relevent and meaningful to the original request ... but it can be confusing if the field is not one you are familiar with.

Z

[Neejay]

Its no problem man. You did help me out. Thanks!