25 steps for Darky’s 8.1 ROM (JPY) in Samsung Captivate

Why I choose the Darky’s ROM?
1. It is based on the latest firmware from Samsung (JPY)
2. It has Android 2.2.1 (better than the 2.2)
3. Very smooth and has cooler animation (from the stock one)
4. It has Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) theme, looks much like the latest Google Nexus S
5. It is fully compatible with Voodoo lagfix (if you want)
6. It has better cellular antenna reception than most ROMs (I haven’t tried for GPS)
7. It is built for SpeedMod kernel so it is compatible with SpeedMod kernel for Captivate
8. It has Samsung Apps displaying complete applications. Some other ROMs only display 6-20 applications

First, you need :
1. Stock I897UCJF6 firmware
(ONLY IF YOU ARE RUNNING NON-STOCK FIRMWARE)
Download from [STOCK ROM] Odin3 One-Click Downloader and Drivers CAPTIVATE ONLY or {Stock Rom} Odin JF6 with 3 button fix.
I use the first one, because when I downloaded, the second one hasn’t there yet, but I think the second one is better, but I haven’t tried it, so the tutorial (by me) only available for the first one only. You MUST use the second one if the Recovery Mode is locked. Do step 10 and 11 to know if you can access the Recovery Mode.

2. CWM (ClockWork Mod) for Samsung Captivate
http://koush.tandtgaming.com/recoveries/recovery-clockwork-2.5.1.2-captivate.zip
Rename to update.zip
Based on your computer setting, sometimes the computer hides .zip extension at the end of the filename, so you just need to name it update instead of update.zip

3. Darky’s ROM
[ROM] [15.01.2011] Darky’s v8.1 Gingerbread Edition ★ JPY ★ | HUGE CHANGE!
Choose the “Wipe“, NOT the “no-Wipe” version!

4. SpeedMod kernel for Captivate
[KERNEL] SpeedMod for Captivate [K12N BRIGHT-FIX2 Voodoo-Snd MIC-FIX EXT4-SYS STABLE]
“The files with ending with -CWM are for flashing using Clockwork Recovery.
These other zip files are for flashing with ODIN.”
We are going to flash with Clockwork Recovery, so, get the -CWM one!

5. It is recommended to remove microSD card and SIM card (if any)
6. It is recommended to fully charge the battery before starting step 10

Step-by-step

1. Backup all your data, apps, bla bla bla. Everything will be removed except /sdcard/ (internal 16 GB memory) and external microSD (if any)

The steps below are for older Darky’s ROM only. The newer Darky’s ROM doesn’t need flashing to stock first. Only do if you have problem)
2. Open I897UCJF6.exe file that you downloaded, wait until the Odin window shows
If you’re on Microsoft Windows Vista or Windows 7, you have to right click on the I897UCJF6.exe, then choose “Run as Administrator”
3. Turn off your Captivate
3. Hold down the Volume Up and Volume Down button
If you’re on i9000 firmware, you need to press Volume Up + Home (Yes, the touchkey one) or Volume Down + Home
4. Plug your Captivate onto your computer (with the Volume Up + Volume Down still pressed)
5. Wait until the screen shows yellow android robot logo, with yellow text like “Downloading…” and “Do not turn off target!!!”
6. Now, you can remove your finger from Volume Up + Volume Down
7. Click Start (on Odin)
8. You have to move your cursor (without clicking) all the time while flashing due to the buggy Odin
MAKE SURE YOU DON’T CLICK ANYWHERE, AND IGNORE ANY NOTIFICATION FROM ANOTHER APPLICATION (except ODIN)
9. The Odin will show “Removed!”, then remove the cable
10. Wait until the Captivate shows the homescreen

 

Now, we’re gonna copy all the stuff we need to copy
If you downloaded all the stuff (ClockWork Recovery, Darky’s ROM, and SpeedMod kernel) on your Captivate, you can skip step 2-9.But you have to move the ClockWork Recovery, Darky’s ROM, and SpeedMod kernel into /sdcard/ (root of internal 16 GB memory) instead of /sdcard/download/

2. Press Menu > Settings > Applications (Wireless and network in Android 2.2 froyo)  > USB Setting > Mass Storage
3. Back > Back > Back
4. Now, plug your Captivate onto your computer again
5. On the Captivate, press “Click to move/copy data to your computer”
6. Tap “Mount”
7. Now, there should be a drive in “My Computer” (“Computer” in Windows Vista)
8. Copy ClockWork Recovery, Darky’s ROM, and SpeedMod Kernel to the root of the drive
So, there should be 3 files on the drive :
– update.zip <– ClockWork Recovery
– Darkys_v8.1_Gingerbread_Edition_Wipe.zip <– Darky’s ROM
– speedmod-kernel-i897-k12l-500hz-CWM.zip <– SpeedMod kernel
Based on your computer setting, sometimes the computer hides .zip extension at the end of the filename.
9. On the computer, “Safely Remove Hardware“, then choose that drive

Now, we will install the Darky’s ROM to the Captivate

10. Turn off the Captivate
11. Go into recovery (by holding Volume Up + Volume Down + Power button, when the AT&T World Phone shows, wait for 1 second then release the Power button)
12. Choose “Reinstall Package”
Use the Volume button to choose items in the menu, and Power button to select the highlighted item
13. The phone should reboot
14. Choose “Reinstall Package” again
15. Now, you should be in ClockWork Mod
16. Choose “Wipe Data/Factory Reset”
17. Choose “Install ZIP from sdcard“, then “Choose ZIP from sdcard”
18. Choose “Darkys_v8.1_Gingerbread_Edition_Wipe.zip”
19. Choose “Reboot Now”
20. Let it boot for the first time
21. Wait until the “Phone Setup” screen appears (something like “First Time Setup”)
22. Long press the power button, then choose “Recovery”
23. Do the step 17-18 again for the “speedmod-kernel-i897-k12l-500hz-CWM.zip”
24. Choose “Reboot Now”
25. Then you should be booting into Darky’s JPY ROM, the first boot may take a while.

There are some tweaks in Recovery Mode (see step 20 to get into the Recovery), most of them are under “Advanced ULK Option”. This include lagfix. This lagfix has very rich options, you can choose between ext2, ext3, ext4, ext4 no journaling, JFS, and stock RFS. This lagfix available for /data partition, /dbdata partition, /cache partition, and /system partition (only ext4 and RFS available for /system partition).