[Motorola Droid RAZR] Ohmster:
I had all the issues you mention, especially "black screen of death" (Don't you absolutely hate that?) and the dreaded orange bars. I like CM11, a LOT. But I spent a lot of time *****ing about it. I started feeling like "Enough is enough already!". I got the same answers that I don't want to hear, AGAIN, especially from Brian Hughes. "Go clean. Do a total wipe and install CM11 clean with pa-gapps. Don't restore all of your stuff but do it manually or app only, no data."

I know this stuff. Brian and everybody else is right and I know it more than anybody. ...I just "don't want to hear it again". But all of them are right and one more thing that I know better than anybody. Use my skills at "mining the thread for good builds". Heck, I have been preaching it for years! And, I have a backup that I can restore if there is no apparent improvement and "I just want all my stuff back". I have been updating OTA like, "forever" because I like it, it is there for us, and it is very convenient. But there is a problem with this approach you must look out for when using "beta software" like CM11. If you install a bad build and update over it, and you keep doing this, you end up with deep seated system issues that just cannot be fixed. I ended up doing it and I got a very good, very stable, everything works setup of the CM11 that I love and use everyday.

FILES:

You need two files. A confirmed good build of CM11 and the PA-GAPPS of your choice, preferably mini-modular pa-gapps.

Confirmed good CM11 builds:

09/10 cm-11-20140910-NIGHTLY-spyder.zip

09/21 cm-11-20140921-NIGHTLY-spyder.zip

Take 09/21, it is recent and it is *very good*.

PA-GAPPS, mini-modular is recommended.

INSTALL:

Make a Safe Strap backup of your current cm11 rom if you have one. Delete the rom slot it was installed in. Recreate the rom slot and set your partition sizes. Here are some good sizes that work, you get this option when you recreate the slot. Some members like Sherri use only 1Gb for system DATA. You can do this but may run out of room, Sherri is *very* good at trimming her system way down and using Titanium Backup to move most of her stuff to the ext-sdcard. Out of the scope of this discussion, use the recommended sizes below.

System: 700Mb

Data: 2000Mb

Cache: 300Mb

Install in Safe Strap, flash the cm11 file and add the pa-gapps to this install, swipe to install files. Wiping is not necessary as the slot is new and clean. Reboot to system and finish the Setup Wizard. Open Play Store and immediately STOP downloading all of your apps. Install ONLY what you really need right now, the rest can come later. Go to Settings in Play Store and stop automatic updates.

Test to make sure all works, immediately boot to Safe Strap and backup this new, clean. "Base Install". Add what you need, keep it clean and enjoy. Use Titanium Backup to restore the things you need, avoid restoring data. ONLY update CM11 to known, good, tested builds. Use this thread to find out what is good and update as you find good builds. This works, Tom. I just did it myself and it was not as bad as I thought it would be. Guess what? NO orange bars, NO black screen of death, everything works! :laugh:

When you update, OTA from Settings/About Phone/CyanogenMod Updates/ and install an update, test it out. If something is wrong with the update; i.e.: black screen, orange bars, no MMS, then immediately restore your Safe Strap backup instead up "putting up with it" and waiting for a future build to fix it. Once a new update passes all the tests, this takes a day or two, back up your new update and repeat this procedure. You will always have a good, working, day to day install of CM11 and a good backup to restore in the event the build "goes bad". ;)

I am going to try and keep this post size down and end it now. If you follow these instructions, you will get "A good working install of CM11 for every day use". You will even have room to install another rom if you watch the partition sizes you create in Safe Strap. Keep Data to 2Gb or even 1Gb like [MENTION=838017]sherri[/MENTION] does and use Titanium Backup to put some of your apps on the ext-sdcard. I will probably try out Axxionkat next, [MENTION=838017]sherri[/MENTION] recommends it and so far, she is "The Queen of rom partition management" and squeezing every spot of room on internal storage for rom installments.

Do what you want, Tom. But if you want a good, working, day to day install of CM11, this will work, guaranteed. :D

Good luck! :good:

---------- Post added at 02:47 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:43 PM ----------

Thank you [MENTION=2971166]Sherri.[/MENTION] I want to try LS or Gummy because they come highly recommended, especially LS. And I am dying to try out your super tight rom slot and use TiBu to get my apps on the ext-sdcard. What kind of apps do you move to ext-sdcard? Do you actually move any of the red TiBu system apps to SD or only user apps? Offhand do you have a good download page for Liquid Smooth? This would be a cool experiment but it will take me some time. Back pain again, waiting on meds. Never hurt yourself at work! :p

Thanks again! :cool: